Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Publish Date: 8/6/10

How I got this book: Requested review from the author

In a post-apocalyptic world, humans rebuild cities of technology and shape shifters restore the wilds of nature. Mackenzie runs to the jaguars of River Gap pride in order to learn to live as something she never wanted to be – a shape shifter – and for sanctuary from the stalker who brutally Changed her.

Adam, a River Gap Sentinel, is assigned as her guard and mentor. Even though she ignites flames of primal desire in him, he holds himself back, well aware of his strength and how new she is to the shape shifter world. To survive the stalker, though, they both need to first battle their pasts and learn what it means to truly be the sentinels of each other’s hearts.

*Blurb from author’s website*

Heart’s Sentinel is the first book in the Terra’s Guardians Series, and the debut novel of PJ Schnyder. In this post-apocalyptic world, shape shifters have moved outside of the cities and taken up to living in the wild. The humans who fear them have stayed in the cities they built. Mackenzie was happy living her life in the city when she meets and begins dating Van, a shape shifter living in the city. When he stalks and attacks her, changing her info a shifter, she moves herself out of the city and into the River Cap Pride.

Adam is a pack Sentinel and assigned to help Mac in her adjustment to the life as a shifter. When an instant attraction flames within him, he must fight both his desires and against Van to keep Mac safe. The two begin to form a bond as Adam helps Mac learn all about being a shape shifter, both the plus and the minuses.

In addition to the threat from Van, there is also the unknown threat of the “hunters.” These mysterious people have been stalking the shifters and humans alike. Their technology is advanced, their tactics are brutal, and their motives are unclear. The pack has been trying to gain more information about them, and both Mac and Adam encounter one looking for blood.

I really enjoyed this story. The world-building was great, the plot was fabulous, the characters well thought out, and the overall story was engaging. The world that Schnyder has built, with the humans living in fear in their closed off cities, the shifters doing everything they can to restore nature back into the world, and the questions surrounding the hunters is all incredible. This series reminds me a little of the super popular Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh. There are so many plot lines all interwoven together to make the story fun and keep the reader guessing the whole way through.  I only hope that we see more and more of the River Cap Pride as the series continues!

I loved the relationship between Mackenzie and Adam. Many times with shifter couples, they are mated and suddenly in love with no problems to work on in their relationship. This was totally not the case with Mac and Adam, and I loved them for it. They both had to deal with facing the fears of their pasts in order to move forward to a future together. Adam does everything in his power to give Mac time to adjust to the life as a shifter, and I enjoyed watching Mac struggle with both her desires and fears. I also liked that Mac didn’t put up with Adam’s BS. Although she worried about adjusting with her new life, she also refused to be treated as a child. She was strong when she needed to be, and at the same time was soft when appropriate. I absolutely loved her character. While Adam picked at my nerves a few times, especially when treating Mac like a child, he was the perfect Alpha Male Shifter I’ve come to love. He protects what is his, and is always putting others needs ahead of his own.

I can’t wait to read more in this series, and discover some of the secrets behind the hunters. While we only learn a little about them, I was hooked with what little information was given. Are they just killing shifters and humans outright? Are they studying them? Kidnapping them? Are they some kind of aliens from another planet? I can’t wait to find out more!

The dynamics of the pack were great as well. I love how close-knit everyone was, and again it reminded me so much of the Psy-Changeling series. The alpha with his sentinel soldiers, charged with protecting the pack at all costs. The value the pack places on its children and juvenile, the healers with their special brand of magical healing. I can only hope that we see more of Marcus the alpha, Chryssa the healer, and Mack another sentinel.

There were one or two editing mishaps that seemed somewhat obvious to me, and I hope were caught before the book went to print. As I had a review copy, I can only hope that the last round of edits fixed these small snafu’s.

Keep your eyes out for Red’s Wolf a short novella set in the Terra’s Guardians world, featuring Carri, a woman escaping the confines of the city with the Glacier Valley wolf pack, and Jason the lone wolf who has his sights set on claiming her. This short is set for release on August 30, 2010!

All in all, I give Heart’s Sentinel  4 out of 5 cat shifters!

Heart’s Sentinel by PJ Schnyder is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publish Date: 5/26/10

How I got this book: Won through a contest

Sonoran Desert. Dawn of the sixteenth century.

Aiyana isn’t like the other girls of the White Ant Clan. Instead of keeping house, she longs to compete on the Ball Court with her best friend Honovi and the other boys. Instead of marriage, she daydreams of traveling beyond the mountains that surround her small village. Only Honovi knows and shares her forbidden wish, though Aiyana doesn’t realize her friend has a secret wish of his own…

When Aiyana’s father arranges her marriage to a man she hardly knows, she takes the advice of a tribal elder: Run! In fleeing, she falls into the hands of Spanish raiders and finds herself being taken over the mountains against her will. Now Aiyana’s on a quest to return to the very place she once dreamed of escaping. And she’ll do whatever it takes to survive and find her way back to the people she loves.

*Blurb taken from author’s website*

Captive Spirit is the debut novel from author Liz Fichera. Set back in the sixteenth century in the area now known as Phoenix, Arizona we follow the story of Aiyana, a young tribal woman of the White Ant Clan. Her whole life she has wanted to be a boy more than a girl, she wants to play ball, hunt and fish. She despises cooking, basket weaving, and all things domestic.

When her father and the tribal leader plan an impromptu wedding to a man she doesn’t know or like, she takes the advice of the seer, and runs as fast as her feet can carry her. Once she is hidden away, she hears her best friend Honovi coming to get her, and all of a sudden is taken and knocked out from behind. When Aiyana awakes, she finds herself far from home and in the hands of Diego, a Spaniard who wants to trade her to the Apache people for gold.

As they travel further up the mountains and away from the only home she has ever known, Aiyana realizes that as much as she wanted more in her life, now all she wants is to get home and find her loved ones. With the help of Honovi, the two must escape the Spaniard’s, the Apache tribe, and the extreme mountainous weather to return to their home.

While Carina Press markets this book as a Romance novel, I don’t really know that I would say the emphasis is on the romance. Sure Aiyana and Honovi realize that their love for each other has grown from more than just best friends, but the foundation of the story to me was really about Aiyana’s struggles with being kidnapped, and her desires to reach her home.

Being from the Arizona desert, I could relate completely to the area and the history. I was amazed at how well Fichera painted the scenery, and how vivid the images came to mind. Not being the kind of fan who goes out on the hunt for historical fiction in the time of the Native Americans, I was happily surprised when the story sucked me in and kept me anticipating the next page.

I became incredibly wrapped up in Aiyana’s journey. Her fears of never again seeing home, her desires to get away from her captors at any cost and her devotion to save Honovi regardless of the consequences all became my priorities as well. I can’t even recall off hand of another character who so totally and completely sucked me into their life story, that even at 2:00 am, I refused to put the book down.

 Being the huge romance fan that I am, I wish there would have been a little more between Aiyana and Honovi. I knew from the beginning how deeply Honovi felt for Aiyana and towards the end she finally realized that the love she had for her best friend became something more. To me it really seemed as if their having to rely solely on only each other to survive, that trust become the foundation upon which their relationship was built.

 To those fans out there who love Historical Fiction without a ton of romance, this book is definitely one you should pick up. The characters were believable, the plot twisted, and the romance didn’t dominate the storyline.

 All in all, I give Captive Spirit 4 out of 5 stones of gold.

Liz is doing an interview and giveaway today over at my blog! Come check out her inspiration behind Captive Spirit and enter for a chance to win!

Review – Captive Spirit by Liz Fichera is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get this book: Bought

Release Date: Out now

Blurb taken from author’s official website:

Leyla Karimi can’t keep her eyes off the hunky guy living in the house behind her. How could any woman resist ogling Dr. Mason Barrett, especially when he makes it so easy by parading around in his skin and skivvies?

If it was only their age difference, she would have made a move a long time ago. Except Mason is more than a neighbor. He’s her baby brother’s oldest friend. It’s not like they can have a casual fling and walk away in the morning.

Mason’s been doing a little lusting—okay a lot—for quite some time. When he catches Leyla peeking, it’s a sure sign she could finally be ready to heat up his nights with loving. One taste of her lips, though, and he doesn’t want a “little” of anything. He wants it all.

Unwilling to jeopardize a lifetime of friendship for a one-night stand, Leyla is reluctant to throw caution to the wind. When he’s kissing her senseless, though, it’s hard to remember all the reasons why she should hold back…

When I read the review of Veiled of Desire over at Pearl’s World of Romance, I instantly downloaded it from Amazon Kindle. Let me tell you, half of the time I hate my impulsive ebook spending. The other half, it makes me a happy bunny. In this instance, I’m a happy bunny indeed.

Veiled Desire is a very enjoyable novella, and despite it’s short length, manages to pack in a sensual, luscious romance between two likeable leads. Leyla Karimi has known Mason Barret since he was a 10, and she was a 14 year old. He was, and still is, best friends with her younger brother, Sasha, and Leyla and Mason are very good friends themselves.

Veiled Desire doesn’t have much of a conflict. It’s a straight forward romance with both Leyla and Mason ready to jump in and explore their attraction to one another. Mason knows that he wants Leyla for the long haul, and it’s not long before that Leyla realises it too. As I said, there’s not a lot of conflict, apart from Leyla’s brother, Sasha, who is very protective, and sees his sister as the Virgin Mary. Sasha does come across as very funny, and he acts like a typical younger brother who is dismayed that his sister could have a sexual relationship with someone – especially his best friend!

The sexual scenes between Mason and Leyla were sensuous, lush, and very warm. These scenes were wonderfully written, and the character’s personalities didn’t get lost amongst them. As it’s a novella, everything does tie up very quickly; Sasha finding out about their relationship, and his reaction straight afterwards. What I liked most was that Mason didn’t feel guilty about his and Leyla’s relationship, and Leyla sorted out her brother in no time at all by acting as the stern older sister.

If your looking for a short  romance, with a very hot and spicy bedside manner, I would definitely recommend this novella.

I give Veiled of Desire, 4.5 stars.

Review: Veiled Desire by Alisha Rai is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Publish Date: 6/29/10

How I got this book: Borrowed from a friend through Barnes & Noble Lend Me! Program

*Blurb from Goodreads*

As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted…and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man—just to avoid spinsterhood?

Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix’s friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul—and it’s becoming clear that Christopher won’t come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru’s disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru’s letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep…and when Christopher comes home, he’s determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix’s innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love—and a passion that can’t be denied…

Kleypas has a winner with the 5^th and final installment of the Hathaway series. I have loved and adored this series since the first book, Mine Till Midnight. Kleypas in one of my favorite historical romance authors, and she does not disappoint!

In Love in the Afternoon we finally get to find the happily ever after for the youngest of the Hathaway brother and sisters, Beatrix. She is a wild and free spirit, tending to care more for the wounded animals she finds out in the forest than she does for the pigs in the London ballrooms. On a whim, she writes a letter to Captain Christopher Phelan, pretending to be her friend Prudence.

For months the two correspond, Christopher tells Beatrix all about the hardships of war, and Bea does her best to bring him a bit of normalcy with her letters. When the war is over and Christopher returns home, he is upset to learn that the Prudence he has come to love through his letters, is not the woman he thought she was. But once he spends some more time with Beatrix, he finds out that she was the writer of the letters.

For Beatrix and Christopher, finding love is the easy part of their relationship. The hard part is finding a way to deal with the spoils of war, the heartache of loss, and the harsh reality of life.

I have been waiting, somewhat patiently, for this book. I adore Beatrix, and think she is such a beautiful character with her love of animals and understanding of human nature through the study of animal behavior. She is this sweet and beautiful young woman with insight into so much more than meets the eye. I knew that she would require a special kind of man to love her and accept her.

One of the things that Kleypas does best is relay the honesty in tough issues. In this book, she did an excellent job of showcasing the hardships of war. Christopher comes back with some classic signs of PTSD, and struggles with ways to handle it. He isn’t perfect after what he witnessed, and he has problems believing in himself again. The struggles that he goes through while sad and depressing, are accurate and beautiful at the same time. Plus, the way that Beatrix really brings him back to life is heartfelt.

One of the other great things about this book is that the happily ever after really extends to everyone. There is no villain in this book, no one left down and out at the end, and to me that is special. While Pru was somewhat childish in her dealings with Christopher, she ends up happy. The rest of the Hathaway clan, while not very prevalent in the story line, are all accounted for and pleased with the path their lives have taken.

I felt that this was a great end to the Hathaway series, and loved watching this family’s struggles and adventures.

All in all, I give Love in the Afternoon 4.5 out of 5 pet hedgehogs!

Review – Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

NIGHT MYST by Yasmine Galenorn is book one of her new Indigo Court series.  It will be available as a Berkley MMPB on June 29, 2010.  I was also able to find it available in Kindle and Nook formats.  In the interests of the FTC rules, for full disclosure, I was sent an ARC of NIGHT MYST by the publisher for the purpose of this review.  I will also admit that I enjoy reading her Otherworld series, so I when I was offered this opportunity, I jumped on it.

From the back cover as pulled from: http://www.galenorn.com/IndigoCourt/index.php?body=ic-nightmyst.htm

“Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the Dark Fae in order to harness their power.  Instead, they created a demonic enemy more powerful then they dared to dream.  Bent on enslaving the world, the Vampiric Fae have been quietly massing their strength for centuries.  Now, Myst, queen of the Indigo Court, is rising again…and a long-prophesied war is brewing…

Born a witch, Cicely Waters can control the wind.  When her Elemental warns her that her aunt and cousin are in danger, she packs her Pontiac GTO and returns home for the first time in twenty years.  But the magical town of New Forest, Washington has changed.  The Indigo Court holds the city in fear; people are vanishing, and strange deaths plague the town.  Swept into an unexpected and passionate reunion with her trusted childhood friend Grieve, the Fae prince who taught her how to harness the wind, Cicely finds herself with a fierce and territorial lover.  But Grieve has become enslaved by Myst’s court, and now both lovers must walk a fine line to survive the machinations of the Vampiric Fae Queen.  Caught between two evils, both vying for supremacy, Cicely must fight for her family and her future.  As she discovers the hidden secrets to her own heritage, will she lose her soul in the process?”

Ms Galenorn’s first Indigo Court book, NIGHT MYST, provides a whirlwind of intrigue, mystery, dark sensuality, and a remainder that nothing is exactly as it appears to be on the surface – especially when dealing with Vampires and Fae. One of the challenges when starting a new series is balancing world building with character development, story progression and setting the hook.  Ms Galenorn surpasses that challenge by allowing the reader to experience New Forest’s world through Cicely, as she struggles to merge her childhood memories with the current reality and while dealing with her new responsibilities in the middle of this Fae war. Cicely is a very likeable character, with her main fault, to me as revealed so far, being that she believes in the goodness of the people she encounters and that what they present is who they really are.  Grieve, her childhood friend is a very torn individual.  His bond with Cicely still exists and might be what ends up saving New Forest but it has been and will continue to be tested.  Ms Galenorn included non-stop action and efficiently showed that sometimes the obvious easy way out doesn’t exist, and instead her characters are forced to choose between the lesser of the bad available choices.  She also doesn’t make it easy for the reader to develop a pure hatred towards Queen Myst because while I despise what she has done, I can also understand some of her motivation.  All of Ms Galenorn’s characters are complex and while some of their actions are predictable, it is never to the point that you can identify exactly what is going to happen when.  I look forward to seeing if Queen Myst’s evilness grows as the series progresses and more is revealed.

Throughout NIGHT MYST, she pushes, challenges and forces her characters to grow by dealing with painful and dark situations while also including a touch of hope.  As a reader I sympathize and feel for her characters, and how the hits never seem to stop coming. But as a testament to Ms Galenorn’s skill, I am never left with the sense that they do not have a chance to succeed.  I am actually challenged writing this review without including any spoilers because of the layers upon layers of complexity that Ms Galenorn has included in both her characters and their world, so I apologize for the brevity of my comments.

I enjoyed reading NIGHT MYST and give it 4 of 5 stars.  I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a dark, edgy, sensuous read that never lets up on the tension.

Ms Galenorn has graciously agreed to answer some reader questions in addition to giving The Book Pushers an interview which will be posted at the end of June. So if you have any questions you would like Yasmine to answer, pop on over to the blog on the 30th of June and join us. There will also be a giveaway – open to US/Canada only.

Thanks and happy reading!

P.S. Due to being in the middle of a military deployment, my fellow bookpushers will be responding to comments until I have internet access on a regular basis again.

Review: Night Myst by Yasmine Galenorn is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get this book: Review copy from Simon and Schuster Kids.

Release date: Out now.

Don’t Tell

Official blurb taken from back of the book:

In Don’t Tell, Lauren knows that by returning to the town where her mother drowned seven years ago, she’ll be reliving one of her most haunting memories. When she arrives, she is propelled into a series of mysterious events that mimic the days leading up to her mother’s death. Maybe her mother’s drowning wasn’t an accident after all…and maybe Lauren is next.

Don’t Tell centres around teenager Lauren, who has arrived back at her hometown where her mother tragically drowned seven years ago. Lauren has agreed to stay with Jule, her Godmother, who was best friends with her mum. When Lauren arrives, she meets Jules’s daughters: her childhood friends Holly and Nora. Nora was the one who came upon Lauren’s dead mother floating in the lake, and ever since then – to Lauren’s dismay – Nora has become very disturbed. And for some reason, Nora does not want Lauren there. Holly is more friendly to Lauren, and they pick up their friendship. Lauren also meets her childhood friend Nick, and an attraction between them is evident from the start, but things are complicated when Lauren finds out that Nick is dating Holly. Lauren’s stay brings back painful memories, and when suspicious happenings befall Lauren, she starts to think that her mother’s death wasn’t an accident, and someone really wants Lauren dead.

I enjoyed Don’t Tell a lot more than the first book in the Dark Secret series. And Don’t Tell doesn’t feature reincarnation. Huzzah! It again features mystery and a ghostlike type of plot, but what I liked most about this story was that it delivered on the spooky level – especially Nora.

What I liked about Lauren was that she was so normal, and when strange and violent incidents are directed towards her, she has realistic reactions and does the normal thing and goes to the police even though others don’t believe what’s happening to her. In a way, Lauren was the adult of the story as Jule, her godmother, came across as quite immature: leaving her daughter Holly to sort out the financial business of the house, ignoring the suspicious things happening to Lauren. And in many ways, I found Jule to be quite despicable, in letting her daughter Nora – who obviously had problems – go without any help whatsoever, and simply ignoring it because it was easier. And Lauren sees this, and wonders why. So despite her being a teenager, Lauren came across as quite adult in Don’t Tell, and with a distant father, and a dead mother – who wasn’t the best mum when she was alive – Lauren comes across as older than she is.

I did like the side romance between her and Nick which wasn’t heavy or too adult in tone. It was light hearted and Nick didn’t come across as the broody dark mysterious teenager hero. He acted, and sounded his age which was quite refreshing. Their romance features a tiny bit of teenager angst, with him dating Holly. When Nick becomes very distant towards Lauren, I wondered why, as it seemed to happen without any reason. But when the reasoning becomes apparent towards the end, that’s when things started going slightly downhill for me. The story was paced brilliantly until the end, and it seemed like all of the answers suddenly had to be answered in the last two chapters. So I felt it ended up like an explosion of plots shooting in all directions. You learn more about Jules, and who she really is, and that felt so out of the blue. You then learn what really happened to Lauren’s mother, and again it was all explained towards the end, and it just felt so rushed. The same as Nick’s reason for being distant, which became too complicated. I think that if the story could have been longer, the events that exploded towards the end could have been paced more evenly.

But nonetheless, Don’t Tell is a very enjoyable story that features a strong mystery, and a romance that makes for a satisfying read. I give Don’t Tell 4.5 stars.

Overall, I give the Dark Secrets omnibus 4.5 stars.

Review: Part Two: Dark Secrets by Elizabeth Chandler is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

I must admit that I had almost given up on this series – mainly because of the lack of emotional build up between Kitty and her mate Ben. But Kitty’s House of Horrors, which IMHO, is the best book in the series. It brought me back, and I was willing to give this series another chance. Kitty Goes to War is the 8th instalment of The Kitty Norville Series.
Here’s the blurb from the book:

Kitty Norville, alpha werewolf and host of The Midnight Hour, a radio call-in show, is contacted by a friend at the NIH’s Center for the Study of Paranatural Biology. Three army soldiers, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan, are being held at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. They’re killer werewolves−and post-traumatic stress has left them unable to control their shape-shifting and unable to interact with people. Kitty agrees to see them, hoping to help by bringing them into her pack.
Meanwhile, Kitty gets sued for libel by CEO Harold Franklin after featuring Speedy Mart−his nationwide chain of twenty-four-hour convenience stores with a reputation for attracting supernatural unpleasantness−on her show.

Very bad weather is on the horizon.

After the intense experience in Kitty’s House of Horrors, this book is a little more chilled out – well as chilled out as Kitty’s life could be. Even though Kitty has her hands full dealing with the soldiers and Franklin, this book flows really well. One of the things I really like about this book is the pace. There is a lot going on, but I didn’t feel it was rushed and there are no “fillers” to pad the book out. The reason I didn’t give this book a 5 star is because in a way this book is an “in between” book in the story arc, which is adding to the main storyline of the vampire’s “long game”, and the way Vaughn delivers the action is superb, but her portrayal of romance is somewhat limited.

This book addresses the relationship issue I mentioned earlier in the previous books. With Cormac back on the scene, it’s easy to see the reason behind Kitty’s choice of mate. Kitty will always get herself in the middle of the action, trying her best to help people and stirring up the supernatural world in the process. She can’t help it; she is a radio talk show host. Ben just lets her be and lets her take the centre stage while he helps her in whatever situation she gets herself into.

Kitty enlists Cormac’s help to investigate Franklin and Speedy Mart. She notices that Cormac has been behaving strangely. Is it a result of being locked up for 2 years or something more mysterious? I am very glad that Cormac is finally back. His skill, knowledge and friendship is going to make the series even more exciting and Kitty could really use a friend with the life she leads. Now that Kitty’s “pack of three” is back together, I feel like they are ready to take on the world.

Kitty stays true to herself and tries to believe that there is humanity in werewolves. We get to see more of her pack’s dynamics, and Ben. I find it interesting that Kitty and Ben are not the strongest werewolves but they hold the pack together by their personalities. I like how Kitty learns when to ask the pack to do something, and when to give order as an alpha. The Denver pack as a whole haven’t got strong werewolves – as their previous alpha killed off any potential threat, but they are making a big impact (through Kitty) in the supernatural world. All in all, I really enjoyed Kitty Goes to War and I give it 4 Stars.

Review: Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

A lady must be prepared for anything . . . when marrying a scoundrel.

Sadie Moon once thought she was in love. Then her dashing husband left her to seek his fortune, and she had no choice but to transform herself from a heartbroken waif into London Society’s favorite fortune-teller. But even she could not have foreseen Jack’s return—until their paths cross in the last place either would have expected: London’s most exclusive house of pleasure.

Now wealthy and successful, Jack Friday has everything he’d ever dreamed of . . . except Sadie. He swears he will never trust the woman who broke her promise to wait for him, though his passion for her burns as hotly as ever before. But love, like the past, comes back to haunt them—drawing them into a web of intrigue and betrayal that could save or destroy them both.

Review: When Marrying a Scoundrel by Kathryn Smith is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get the ebook from: ARC from author.

Release date: Out now.

This review contains some spoilers.

Blurb taken from Carina Press’ official website:

Austria, 1804

Eight years ago, composer Arie De Voss claimed his late mentor’s final symphony as his own and became an icon. But fame has a price: fear of discovery now poisons his attempts to compose a redemptive masterpiece. Until a new muse appears, intoxicating and inspiring him…

Mathilda Heidel renounced her own musical gift to marry, seeking a quiet life to escape the shame surrounding her birth. Sudden widowhood finds her tempted by song once more. An unexpected introduction to her idol, Arie De Voss, renews Mathilda’s passion for the violin—and ignites a passion for the man himself.

But when lust and lies reach a crescendo, Arie will be forced to choose: love or truth?

Lou: I have to admit, this was so refreshing having a book set in a different country, with characters that have different nationalities than British or American. While historical romance is my favourite genre, it’s such a change to have characters that are not of the peerage. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with reading about Duchess’ and Dukes – I enjoy them immensely – but it’s a wonderful change to read characters in a setting where they come across as people who have different problems to combat compared to people in the higher class. And with Song of Seduction, it was purely about two people who had scandals in their past to overcome, and not the usual scandals of sex, elopement, or a child out of wedlock.

Has: Exactly! This was focused on characters who were not aristocratic and in a sense it felt more realistic. I think this is what made the book stand out for me. The romance was internal focusing only on Arie and Mathilda, rather than external from outside obstacles. Its more difficult to write that sort of plot I think, but it was definitely more fulfilling for me as a reader. And their past scandals and issues ended up as a bridge where they could relate to one another. The tone and the rich language really reflected that too. It was so rich and vibrant. It really felt like I was savouring a visual feast.

Lou: The writing used was so lyrical and melodious. This book was wordy, and there was no rush of instant sex and hormones exploding all over the page in a race to consummate the deed. This book was very emotional, and Mathilda and Arie were two very unique characters – in the sense that they were so scared and hesitant of their own feelings. Usually, you either have the hero or the heroine as the leading character acting as the pursuer, but in Song, there was no pursuer, but a slow coming together of two damaged individuals. Mathilda not being able to get over her past marriage and thinking that she wasn’t allowed to love or be free again to play music, to Arie screwing up everything in words because of not knowing how to act around Mathilda, and the overwhelming guilt of his plagiarism.

Has: I really loved the slow but steady build up of their getting together. It really felt like a dual musical performance; the language, imagery and tone when they each encountered each other was like a piece of music. And the overall pace of the book flowed really well, and their chemistry when they were playing together, and when they challenged each other really came alive. I liked the fact that they were both each other’s muses, and brought out the best in each other. Although it did bring out heartache and memories, but that was needed to move on and heal for both Mathilda and Arie.

“Even if her mind objected, she took the violin and bow he offered. A melody followed quickly thereafter. Sad and defiant, awed and frightened, her sudden composition became an elegant, moving encore to the storm of emotions she had survived.

He should have expected as much, but surprise shivered along his backbone all the same. A lifetime of experience suggested she would merely hack at the strings in a performance akin to her artless sobs. But Mathilda remained a special case. More than a study in the physical process of overcoming grief, her composition painted a graceful portrait of turbulent intelligence and deeply rooted insecurities. The spontaneous piece left Arie joyful, alive with awe, and a shade of envious green.”

Lou: While I admired the lyrical prose, towards the middle, I did find myself thinking of there being an overload of it, and I found myself skipping some descriptions. There is definitely emotional angst to this book, and it did feel like a roller coaster of emotions with Arie and Mathilda both making mistakes, and not knowing where to step around each other. But the sensuality between them was so lush, and the heat level was freaking smoking hot. They both weren’t very experienced, but they definitely brought out their sexuality to the core.

“Mathilda kissed her maestro with the unrestrained passion of a woman who held nothing in reserve. Her mouth became a partner to his and toiled at the happy task of learning him. Thoughts of retreat vanished. Impatience demanded more. The connection she had sensed on stage proved a mere prelude to this, a more staggering intimacy. Words, melodies—those powerful means of communication became ungainly barriers.

But rhythm…she understood rhythm. In the midst of their kiss, she wanted to melt into the man who held her enthralled. The steady push and withdraw of their tongues became her native language. It beat in her blood, a rising tide of delight surging beneath her skin.”

Has: I actually thought the angst worked, and it didn’t feel overwrought or over dramatic for me where there could have been a danger of that actually happening. Both are very artistic and passionate people, and Mathilda and Arie have closed themselves due to doubt and guilt because of their past. Their music and their encounters were catalysts to release all of that pent up emotions. I definitely agree about the sensuality element. I have to say that there is a love scene in this book where they really took the time to seduce and explore each other – and it was oh so very hot! I actually think (and I have read quite a few erotic romances) this had one of the best love scenes that actually combined sensuality with real emotions.

Lou: And the love scenes weren’t riddled throughout the pages which I was glad of – as these days, I find myself skipping the sexual scenes if books are overloaded with them. The emotional intensity between Mathilda and Arie was of a mental state, and in a non sexual way also – there was sexual desire, but it wasn’t the main element. Arie was so damaged, and he wanted Mathilda so badly, but he pushed her away with his words. He didn’t want to be her musical idol when he had been living a lie for so long. I did think that Mathilda holding up Arie as her idol, and fantasy love while her husband was alive did feel in a way immature in nature, but with her past life of her parents, perhaps she needed that fantasy to cling on to.

Has: She needed that dream and fantasy. Her past was a prison of expectations and a lack of passion. Music was a way to express herself, and although Arie was her idol, in a way the revelation of him being not perfect helped to crack that fantasy. It showed the real man beneath her idolisation. Also, she had a teen crush on him, and he soon shattered her illusions when he confronted and challenged her in the beginning, and she needed that. But his music helped to draw her out of her shell.

Lou: And I really liked that Arie didn’t take her idolisation for pleasure, nor did he graciously thank her. He was rude, he was snappy, and he did indeed break that illusion which enabled Mathilda to step out into the real world again. But he still couldn’t mention the plagiarism to her. It felt like if that lie become known to Mathilda, then everything else around him would crumble down. There was definitely a darkness to this story with the horrible childhoods they had, and there was a darkness shrouding them.

Has: I agree about the darkness, and it was of their own making too, but it helped because they both shielded each other towards the end.

Lou: The ending brought the book to a nicely closed finish I thought. Mathilda turned out to be the pursuer towards the end, but I loved that she didn’t remonstrate with him, but just accepted him and his faults – especially when he left. Overall, Song of Seduction is a wonderful romance story that has a rich prose, and two unique characters that weren’t of the norm in romanceland. I’d say bring on more characters and books with both hero and heroine that aren’t of the peerage. I definitely think more historical romance books with different nationalities and settings are needed. Spice it up a little . I give Song of Seduction 4.5 stars.

Has: I agree! I thought this was a fantastic and memorable romance with a great eye for historical detail, and I love the juxtaposition of the imagery that their music illustrated and that reflected their courtship. It was definitely for me a visual, lyrical and evocative book with two flawed, but real characters who found each other. I just love the fact that unlike other romances, it was a simple love story but raw with its emotional intensity with music and redemption at its heart. I am also eagerly looking forward to the follow up, Portrait of Seduction! I also give Song of Seduction 4.5 stars.

Joint Review: Song of Seduction by Carrie Lofty is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Real love has no limitations.

Kidnapped by slavers, Lizzie Petrule was dragged in chains across the Great Sea to the corrupt empire of Meridal. There beneath a floating citadel and an ocean of golden sand, lies a pleasure den for gladiators-and a prison for the maidens forced to slake their carnal thirst.

Despite impossible odds, against imponderable magic, three men have vowed Lizzie’s return: Justin, her suitor; Leon, her father; and Ril, the shape-shifting but war-weary battler. Together, this broken band can save her, but only with a word that must remain unsaid, a foe that is a friend, and a betrayal that is, at heart, an act of love.

This is the second book in the Sylph series by L.J Mcdonald. Ever since I found out that Ril would be the hero of the second book, I have been anticipating his story. The book starts off a few years after the events from The Battle Sylph where the inhabitants of the free sylphs and humans have built up their settlement. However, the tranquillity does not last long when Lizzie – during a trip at a local trading port – gets kidnapped by slavers and is transported to a desert kingdom to become a sex slave for enslaved Battle Sylphs. Ril – the Battle Sylph who was hurt badly and permanently damaged in the last book – goes with Lizzie’s father Leon, and Lizzie’s wannabe suitor Justin across the great ocean to follow and save her from the slavers. But they all end up changing things irrevocably.

I loved Ril’s character from The Battle Sylph and I found that this book was even better than the first. I felt it was tighter in plot and even though the pace was slower, it concentrated more on the development of the romance which was something that the first book didn’t focus on enough for me. It was also good to explore the wider world and the new setting which was a stark contrast of the Sylph and human settlement. And the rich and exotic land of Meridel was a perfect contrast to the small valley human/Sylphs settlement. I especially loved the Gladiator type setting, and how different the Sylphs were treated in this environment compared to other kingdoms. It showed how torturous and twisted it was for the sylphs and human slaves, and in many ways it was a harsher life compared to what the Battle Sylphs in the previous book faced – since this was for entertainment purposes. It also felt more epic in scope and the aftermath I feel will definitely have repercussions for future generations as well as neighbouring kingdoms.

I thought that Lizzie’s character was slightly more developed than Solie, and that helped to strengthen and establish the romance between her and Ril. I also loved that Ril wasn’t fully healed from the previous events in the first book, and it was a permanent thing which was interesting to see because I half expected that he would be somehow healed. And again, L.J Mcdonald again surpasses tropes and expectations which I was happy to see because it gave Ril’s character more depth. Shattered in mind and in body from the previous book, Ril did not think he was worthy of Lizzie – even though he imprinted himself on her as a child. Although I am not a fan of the imprinting/Soul Mates trope, L.J Mcdonald’s take does work and fits into the world-building and it did not appear icky or forced in any way. It was also a good point to have her other potential suitor Justin as a contrast and rival to Ril’s imprinting – although Lizzie never had any strong feelings for him, but I found that this trope was well done.

My only gripe is Justin’s character. I found his character pretty whiny and annoying. His role in the latter part of the book became redundant – especially since a lot of focus was set on him in the story, but towards the end of the plot it fizzled out and was ignored. I was kind of disappointed because it felt the tension and hate he had with Ril was leading up to something, but nothing happened and it was anti-climatic. Maybe this plot point might be resolved or explored in the next book.

The Shattered Sylph by L.J Mcdonald is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter