Evangeline Ames has rented a country cottage far from the London streets where she was recently attacked. Fascinated by the paranormal energy of nearby Crystal Gardens, she finds pleasure in sneaking past the wall to explore the grounds. And when her life is threatened again, she instinctively goes to the gardens for safety.

With Evangeline’s skill for detection, and Lucas’s sense of the criminal mind, they soon discover that they have a common enemy. And as the energy emanating from Crystal Gardens intensifies, they realize that to survive they must unearth what has been buried for too long…
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

I have been an Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle, Jayne Ann Krentz fan since I discovered each name separately and was shocked years later to discover they were the same person (yes she has written under other names too). Each had their own particular writing style and era in which their stories were set. While I enjoy each pseudonym I started with Amanda Quick so opening up a new Quick story is like settling down to chat with an old friend.

I know she will give me a spunky heroine who doesn’t tend to limit her interests to those designated as appropriate for women. I will have a heroine who is intelligent, stubborn, and things a lot of societies trappings are ridiculous. She will have some sort of emotional support whether from family, friends, or servants and she will drive the hero absolutely crazy because she refuses to think and behave in a manner predictable to him. I will get a hero who is usually misunderstood by society in general, possibly emotionally scarred by a woman and as a result avoids anything to do with the women of society. They also tend to have connections with some unsavory or outlandish characters. On top of characters whose interactions I thoroughly enjoy I also know I will get a mystery, adventure and maybe a suspicious death or two or three…

I am happy to say that Ms Quick once again met my expectations. She starts off with a bang as Evangeline, the heroine, awakens to discover someone has invaded her rental cottage and she flees into the night. As that incident continued to unfold the first suspicious death that the reader is aware of occurs. The reader is also introduced to Lucas Sebastian, the hero, and his right hand man Stone. Neither of them fit the typical mold for a well-to-do landowner and his man.

As I continued reading, the relationship between Lucas and Evangeline started unfolding. Both had different expectations once they realized a mutual attraction existed and that expectation really didn’t follow the usual gender split. Even though I understood where their opposing viewpoints came from I found it amusing as they maneuvered through those obstacles. The introduction of Evangeline’s two friends as well as Lucas’ half siblings helped to flesh out the primary characters and also caused me to guess who the books after Crystal Gardens will star as their main characters. The local villagers were also a treat to see as they provided a sense of normalcy and grounding to the story.

While Lucas and Evangeline were struggling with their feelings towards each other they continued working together to determine the reason behind some of the suspicious deaths. From the start of the book it was evident that Lucas suspected a connection between his investigation into his uncle’s death and the event that caused Evangeline to temporarily move to the country. I liked how Ms Quick drew several different people into the investigation and also how she handled the link without taking the easy way out. Any further details on that would result in a major spoiler.

All in all Ms Quick gave me a satisfying comfort type of read. I had romance, mystery, and some paranormal elements all nicely entwined. I am looking forward to the next books in the Ladies of Lantern Street series.

I give Crystal Gardens a B

Links to purchase:

Crystal Gardens

Review – Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

HELL TO PAY

Leo Bailey may have been born to poverty, but ruthless business sense and sparkling intelligence have made money worries a thing of his past. It doesn’t hurt that the Devil himself has granted Leo the ability to read the future.

But even infallible predictions are a déclassé commoner’s trick to some members of the ton. They’ll never see Leo as their equal—one good reason to prove himself their better. And a noble marriage is an obvious start.

Bookish Anne Hartfield, daughter of a baron, is hardly the flashiest miss on the marriage market. But her thoughtful reserve complements Leo’s brash boldness in an attraction neither can deny. A whirlwind courtship sweeps Anne and Leo into a smoldering marriage before either can believe their luck. But happiness built on Leo’s dark powers can’t last. Soon, Anne will have to save her husband…or lose her heart…
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

I was lucky enough to be able to review the first book of Ms Archer’s Hellraisers series Devil’s Kiss last year and I really enjoyed it. As a result when we were offered the opportunity to review Demon’s Bride I leaped at the chance. Once again Ms Archer sucked me in from the very start. You do need to read Devil’s Kiss first because that provides information about The Hellraisers, their goals, how the initial bargain was struck and the potential consequences of that bargain. Demon’s Bride begins shortly after the tumultuous events end in book one.

I have read about arranged marriages, betrothals from birth, and marriages for a price but I have never seen a wedding feast where that was so explicitly known between bride and groom yet the majority of the guests were oblivious. The feast and the night that followed seemed to set the tone for their relationship. He kept his relationship with the other Hellraisers and their common bond a secret but was completely open about his drive for financial success and how he planned to use the wedding feast invitation as a way to soften up some of his potential targets. While Leo could have claimed his rights as Anne’s husband the very first night instead, after noticing her trepidation was growing he decided to seduce her over time and not press until she was ready.

I really enjoyed how both Leo and Anne decided to make the best of what they had and to make something good of it. Their conversations about growing up, their goals and how Anne volunteered to do things she really didn’t enjoy for the purposes of helping her husband were wonderful to see. This was a breath of fresh air compared to the majority of the historical that I have read where the burden of making the marriage work falls mainly on the wife. Yet despite their growing bond the specter of Leo’s bargain with the Devil and his secrets hangs over them. As thoughts of Anne started distracting Leo from causing the financial downfall of other men on the ‘Change, the Devil’s representative started working harder to gain control of Leo’s soul. Ms Archer kept the action going because while Leo was dealing with the Devil, the ‘Change, his plans with the other Hellraisers to hunt down and destroy James Sherbourne, Earl of Whitney, the hero of Devil’s Kiss Anne was receiving warnings about her husband and his friends by a female ghost and by the selfsame Whitney.

It was really intriguing to watch both Anne and Leo grow and struggle emotionally throughout the book. They dealt with doubts about each other, doubts about the relationship they had been building, and doubts about their individual self-worth. Each had to individually confront their fears and decide which path they were going to take towards their future. Some rather interesting events occurred at the end, which I think will lead to some rather tense times for the remaining Hellraisers.

Ms Archer provided me with action, high stakes, a sweet romance, and some serious curiosity about what happens next.

I give Demon’s Bride an A

Links to purchase:

Kindle

Review – Demon’s Bride by Zoe Archer is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Christian Notte’s story, the sixteenth book in the Argeneau series is set on an island paradise called St. Lucia. After a bad relationship and an even worse divorce, Carolyn decides to go on a long overdue and much needed vacation with the ‘girls’. Only the rest of the vacationers didn’t get the memo. Around every corner there seems to be another couple celebrating their honeymoon or anniversary and the few single men she does see are far too young to even consider, including an irresistibly attractive rock violinist she meets. It’s really too bad he’s so young but in the end it doesn’t matter because according to his cousin, Giacinta, women in general aren’t Christian’s type. But there’s a catch, Christian needs Carolyn’s help. He needs her to be his beard (to play the part of his fake girlfriend) for the week to appease his ‘machismo’ family. Carolyn just can’t seem to say No and decides to help Gia’s cousin. The only problem is that being around Christian and acting like they are a loving couple is wreaking havoc on her emotions. Carolyn’s thoughts keep drifting back to places they shouldn’t, like kissing his full lips or feeling his broad shoulders under her fingertips… good lord, she’s in trouble.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I’ve long been a huge fan of the Argeneau books by Sands, and when I saw this book focused on the always charming Christian, long lost son of Marguerite and Julius, I was super excited to pick it up. I’ve been waiting for his story for awhile, and I enjoyed it.

Carolyn is getting over a horrible divorce and her friends convince her to go away on vacation. While there she runs into Marguerite, who knows she has just found her son’s lifemate. When the house band cancels, Christian and his cousins come in to save the day, and hopefully give Christian the change to win Carolyn’s heart. Too bad for Christian she is hesitant to go out with a younger man or even get involved with anyone. In order to get alone time with Carolyn, Christian’s cousin tells her that he is gay, and needs someone to act as his girlfriend.

Christian doesn’t want to lie to Carolyn, but agrees that it might be the best way for them to get to know each other. As they become friends, the sexual sparks fly back and forth between them hotter than either expected. Although it takes awhile for Christian to melt Carolyn’s heart, he eventually wins her over. But everything on vacation is not as it seems…. Will Christian be too late?

I absolutely LOVED the way Sands set this book up. Christian having to pretend to be gay was incredibly hilarious. There were so many moments when I found myself cracking up out loud. Between Christian’s cousin Zanipolo trying to prove that he wasn’t the gay one, Marguerite doing her match-making, and Julius stepping in to try and help his son woo his lifemate, there were lots of giggles. I liked the whole charade and thought it worked well, both with Carolyn’s character and the story overall.

I really enjoyed Carolyn at first, however, as the book went on, I felt as if she was too busy wallowing in her own self-pity to see anything else. She came across as stuffy and uptight at times, and those were the moments I wanted to wring her neck. She was also depressed and at times a little pathetic with the pity parties. I would have liked to see her try harder to get over her crappy ex-husband and the bitter divorce. Especially after Christian told her the truth. It seemed as if she was more worried about what they would look like: her an older woman and him a younger man, than what they actually felt for one another. I was a little disappointed in that.

I adored Christian, I think he is just such a sweet guy, so caring towards those close to him. He deeply cares for the mother he just found (I love the moments when he gets to hear Marguerite go all gaga over his calling her “mom”), and he is also protective and caring to Carolyn once he realizes who she is. I would have liked for him to be a little more assertive, especially after Carolyn ran the first time. I wanted him to fight a little bit harder for her, but I loved the way their relationship resolved and ended.

About a quarter of the way through, I kept thinking about how much I continued to dislike one of Carolyn’s friends, and thought that particular twist in the storyline was a little left field and not necessarily an integral part of the story. I, for one, could have done without it. I found that the other secondary characters were all a hoot: Carolyn’s best friend Genie, Christian’s band-mates and cousins, Captain Jack… They were fun and great characters that added a lot to the overall story.

All in all this wasn’t my favorite Argeneau book, but also not my least favorite. I was glad to see Christian get his HEA, but wished that Carolyn would have proved to be the best mate for him sooner than she did. I got a sneak peek at the next book in the series, and I have to admit that I am soooo excited to read the next book!! This series continues to be good reads for me.
I give Under a Vampire Moon a B-

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Kindle eBook

Review – Under a Vampire Moon by Lynsay Sands is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Never fear the pain. Fear what lies behind it…

Product Warnings
Contains a heroine with enough fight in her to put the 300 to shame. And a hero who knows how to take a punch
This blurb came from Goodreads here.

I have been reading and enjoying Ms Walker’s Grimm’s Circle series since they started in 2009 so I was really excited when we were asked if anyone wanted to do this review. Grimm Tidings is the 6th novel in this series. I have found this world and its various characters fascinating. The basic world premise is that there are varying levels of demons whose goal is to possess humans and use those possessed humans to feed and enjoy according to their specific nature for example murder, torture and mayhem. The human must give permission for the possession so the demons have perfected their art of subtle influence until they are firmly rooted and can take control. Once that happens only death can end the possession.

All hope isn’t completely lost because Guardian Angels of a sort do exist. They are known as the Grimm and they fight to both kill demons, prevent their possession and unfortunately kill possess humans. Each of them has a particular skill they can use but they also have to learn how to fight to the death. They have incredible healing powers and will live for a very long time but becoming a Grimm isn’t easy. You have to die a really horrible death then at that moment be offered the choice and accept it. Even after all of that, the Grimm have human feelings and have to deal with their own traumatic pasts while fighting to save humanity. One of the things that Ms Walker has done with this series that I really enjoy is come up with a story for the Grimm. A story that keeps anyone from thinking they are real and instead they appear to be just a character in an old wives tale. Discovering which Grimm is credited with which story is an added benefit of reading these.

This particular Grimm story, while continuing to deal with the huge influx of demons working together, focuses mainly on how to solve the problem of a person being offered and accepting the choice to become a Grimm who maybe wasn’t the right person, or wasn’t ready, or didn’t understand. In other words what happens if the individual who offered the choice has potentially made a mistake. Jacob has been assigned as the last attempt to rescue Celine from the chains of her past so she can live as a Grimm and not seek out the death that she chose to avoid.

Watching Jacob try all sorts of different ways to reach through Celine’s wall of guilt and regret was fascinating. Celine was a combination of passive-aggressive behavior and active resistance to anything anyone told her. She thought that if she managed to get all of the older Grimm who trained new Grimm to give up on her then she could go back, back before her choice, back before trying to intervene and help someone out, back before she stormed out of the restaurant. But what she doesn’t realize is that Jacob has more reasons not to give up on her. He also doesn’t want to use his gift to undo her chains because he knows first hand what devastation it can cause. At first I thought that Jacob was just trying to avoid inflicting more pain on Celine then she currently had but then I realized that Jacob needed healing too.

I did enjoy how Jacob handled things when he finally decided that he had to use his gift on Celine. He was both gentle and implacable refusing to let her continue to believe that everything would have been alright if she had done something differently. Then how he kept an eye on her as she healed. He let her grieve and didn’t cheapen how she felt while continuing to work with her training. As Celine healed, their shared dreams became more than conversation as did their feelings for each other. The work out room scene when Celine finally realizes some of what Jacob feels for her is one of my favorite parts. They move from physical exertion to lust to bewilderment in one highly charged conversation. I think that moment seemed to crystallize their entire relationship as they struggled to come to terms with their feelings.

Grimm Tidings was a good installment that also gave warning of some potentially serious events to come. Things appear to be building with the amount of demon activity and the leader of the Grimm is experiencing some difficulties controlling his power. Jacob and Celine make a good addition and I think their mutual stability together will be needed.

I give Grimm Tidings a B

Links to purchase

Nook

Review – Grimm Tidings by Shiloh Walker is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

His past is a mystery, even to him-a werewolf with memories so lost in a fog that even the Hunter’s healers cannot help him. More than a century ago, Toronto awakened on an unfamiliar street, naked and alone- and dogged by the unanswered questions of his enigmatic existence.
The vampire Sylvia is no Hunter. She’s a mercenary who just barely skates this side of what the Hunters consider acceptable. All she wants is to hunt her quarry, and make a lot of money. Her newest prey is a devious killer. But her newest complication is of a more intimate sort: a blonde, blue-eyed werewolf who interferes with her plans in so many exquisite ways.
This blurb came from Goodreads.

I have a confession to make. I first discovered Ms Walker’s writing through one of her Hunter’s books. I don’t remember exactly which one but it was before the series moved to NY publishing. After reading the first one I found the backlist, and have eagerly anticipated each new release. When Ms Walker asked if any of The Book Pushers were interested in reviewing it I leaped at the chance. Unfortunately the publisher has decided that Hunter’s Rise will be the last of the Hunter’s series they will be offering so that made me almost want to save the book because if I never read it then the series can never end. Since I had agreed to review Hunter’s Rise I sucked my bottom lip back up and got started. I was hooked from the opening lines. This is one of those books that I sat in my car in the parking lot reading because I really didn’t want to have to stop.

Ms Walker took two people who had been so broken by the cause of their transition, one to a shifter the other to a vampire, that they couldn’t tolerate being around others for a long period of time and made them fit each other. They do what they have found they are good at, but they are haunted by memories or in Toronto’s case a lack of memories. It is that very haunting that causes Sylvia to take on some of her jobs pro-bono, to decline other jobs and sometimes provide information to the police. She also doesn’t really have a home and has used a variety of names as she moves from place to place. Toronto does have a place that he calls home but doesn’t feel like he really belongs there. If anything he lives to provoke fights so people will leave him alone. He also makes trips back to the location where he was found as he tried to find out about his past. His obsession with his past has kept him from progressing any further towards what he COULD be.

I am not going to talk much about what drew Sylvia and Toronto together because it is so very interwoven with who they are that I am afraid of spoiling the book. They are both after the same person; Sylvia because she was hired and Toronto because the Hunters need to find the person of interest before Sylvia does. The Hunters want answers and information while Silvia just wants him dead. I will give this warning, Ms Walker brings up and deals with some harsh realities that could be a trigger to certain people. They are handled extremely well and not glossed over with the actions and their aftermath.

I loved Sylvia and Toronto, and their interactions had me alternating between laughing and sighing. They were both so wounded and mistrusting yet couldn’t resist depending on each other. Each had a certain skill that they needed as they continued to try to track down their target. I also liked how I found out about their previous lives through flashbacks and nightmares. As they learned about each other I also learned about them, what made them tick, what drove them. I also enjoyed how each had to grow individually and decide what they wanted then work to get it. This was certainly not an easy path to their HEA even after they gave into their mutual physical attraction.

I also enjoyed seeing how previous couples were doing. I liked being able to know that their HEAs were continuing and they continued to settle in and explore their relationships. The supporting cast was also important in fleshing out the story and the fact that Sylvia and Toronto didn’t live in their own isolated bubbles.

As some of you might have seen on my comment on Goodreads that Ms Walker has done it again. I partially guessed one of her twists but despite how much attention I pay I am always caught by surprise as all the pieces fall into place. I think one of the things I really enjoyed with Hunter’s Rise is that the book didn’t end when the bad guys were vanquished because that would have tied things up too conveniently. I am sad that this will be the last one and wish I could continue to read more.

I give Hunter’s Rise an A

Links to purchase

Barnes & Noble |

Review – Hunter’s Rise by Shiloh Walker is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back-at least not all the time.
Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can’t choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. But Maria, who loves him without hesitation, wouldn’t trade their unusual relationship for anything.
Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she’s been telling about her life have turned into lies she’s telling herself…
This blurb came from Goodreads.

I have read and own at least one copy of everything Ms Shinn has published with Ace Books so when I heard she was coming out with a new novel I was extremely interested. Then when I found out that it was the first of a new series called Shifting Circle I was even more excited. When we were offered a copy to review I could barely interrupt my happy dance to ask for it. I started reading The Shape of Desire during my lunch break and had to be reminded to go back to work. After I got home from work my plans to cook dinner quickly turned into eating leftovers.

Ms Shinn’s way of painting a picture with words was fully evident in her latest work. At first I wasn’t sure what I thought of the picture I was getting because unlike her previous novels this one seems more firmly set in “the real world” despite its elements of fantasy. I don’t think I was expecting that. Yes, real-world themes do tend to wind their way through fantasy but the very elements that make it fantasy also create a sort of a cushion for the reader. That cushion was nonexistent for me. The heroine had an actual life with a job, friends, family and her lover for 15 years that she has to keep secret from everyone. Unlike “traditional shapeshifters” who are human most of the month Dante is in his altered state most of the month so he has lost the ability to really function in normal society. Not to mention that one of the reasons he loves Maria is that he knows she will never give away his secret. But then a string of mysterious deaths by what appears to be wild animal attacks occurs in the general area when Dante is off wandering.

Dante himself is very secretive. Yes he loves Maria and has bit by bit told her some about his shifting but he has never appeared to her in a shifted form. He doesn’t like to talk about where he goes, what he does, or even what shape he is in. He also refuses to completely depend on Maria but shows up starving, dirty, slightly feral, and usually with healing wounds. His secrecy, especially when a death hits rather close to Maria, makes it hard for her to continue to have faith that she isn’t lying to herself about Dante and his innocence.

The unfolding of their past relationship through flashbacks interposed with their present day life together sold me on their love and trust. I also got the hint that while shapeshifters were rare, more exist than people think. Like Maria I have my suspicions about a certain 4-legged visitor she had. I enjoyed how Dante and Maria worked through their issues in a rather believable way. This book really made me think more then most do as I was reading it. It wasn’t the type of thinking that interrupted my enjoyment or my reading but it was a deeper resonating book that I think will stay with me for quite a while. Like I said earlier this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting from Ms Shinn but the journey she took me on was a good one. As an aside even though I think the woman on the cover appears younger then Maria felt to me, I really love how the cover speaks to the story.

I give The Shape of Desire a B.

Links to purchase

Barnes & Noble | Amazon Book
| Kindle eBook

Review – The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publisher: Kensingston
Publish Date: Out today
How we got this book: From the publisher

Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy—especially for a shapeshifting bear. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she — tiger who’s bringing his passion out of hibernation…
Marcella Malone is a member of an elite feline protection unit, and Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she’s joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who’s got her entire species in his ruthless sights. But there’s no denying that beneath that big, burly exterior is a man who knows how to rub her in all the right ways…
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

E: Bear meets Girl is the seventh in Ms Laurenston’s Pride series. Welcome Fatin to The Book Pushers. Thank you for joining me in this discussion *g*.

Fatin: I’m so thrilled you asked me to do this with you, thank you!

1. What is it about Ms Laurenston’s writing that draws you in and keeps you coming back for more?

Fatin: The wicked humor she puts into her books. I know when I start a new Shelly Laurenston or G.A. Aiken book that I’m in for a fun ride and I try not to read them in public because the majority of them have me giggling like crazy to the point that I get weird looks if I read them out in public. Actually, that also goes for reading them at home. The girls, especially my oldest, always ends up making a comment of “You’re laughing that much over a book?” I am looking forward to the day that she’ll take me up on my offer to see why I laugh so much when reading Shelly’s books.

E: I love the over the top characters, men and women both. Their personalities are so distinct and even when a character appears to be less openly fierce then the others their hidden depths come out. I also really enjoy how her characters and their relationships aren’t limited to their same species but still have to deal with prejudice and cultural differences. The heroines never sit back and wait to get rescued but sometimes need someone to calm their reaction slightly. Their friends are around not just as the trusty sidekick acting as a foil but you can actually see why they became friends and are still really good friends. In other words the friends are just as crazy as the primary characters. I always know that when I read something that Ms Laurenston, also writing as G. A. Aiken, has written I will start off giggling and end up in full-blown laughter. In fact when I am re-reading for the umpteenth time I will often start giggling in advance of certain scenes.

2. What were your thoughts about Marcella “Bare Knuckles” Malone when she first arrived in this series? What do you think about her now?

Fatin: I think I remember saying “ouch!!” the first time I read a scene between her and Dee-Ann. Mercy, they’re vicious in their fighting and yet there’s also a friendship in between all that physical fighting. From the start of Bear Meets Girl, Cella had me giggling off and on with the way she acted with Crush and with her family. Her loyalty to her family, team and to the Group was everything to her. She is who she is and she makes no apologies for it.

E: When Marcella first showed up I had no idea she would become a heroine. I thought she was just another example of how Dee-Ann never really got along with most people but I should have known better. Getting to see inside her mind and her struggles with her family, her daughter who well…lets just say they didn’t quite understand each other, and then her fears regarding her sports career. I never would have guessed. There was the way she handled both ‘Ric” van Holtz and ‘Bo” Novikov in their regular discussions about the management of the hockey team. The way she tormented poor Crush and yet demonstrated that she paid attention to what he wanted. Her determination to take down whomever was after her kind. Marcella ended up being extremely complex and a lot of fun to learn about.

3. What about Lou “Crush” Crushek? And his total obsession with hockey?

Fatin: I was hoping Crush would get his own story when we met him in the previous book, Big Bad Beast. He’s so by the books when it comes to his job and then he’s put together with Dez, Smith & Cella and he had no idea how to react. So funny! His obsession with hockey was hilarious. He was so standoffish at times but then when it came to hockey he was such a super-fan and I loved seeing his reaction every time Bo was around.

E: Lou was such an enigma in his earlier appearances. He never had much to say, did appear to get along with McDermont aka Dez but also seemed to be just one of many. I loved his hockey obsession because it brought so much depth to his character. One of the many scenes that made me laugh was when he got to meet a few of his hockey heroes in person. I have come to the conclusion that, so far, bears appear to be the most stable of all the guys. Umm *remembers other bears* or maybe they are just harder to rile up. Crush was the perfect balance for Marcella with his absolute horror of her to begin with and then later how he finagled to get her to see she had a lot more then just being “Bare Knuckles”.

4. What did you think about the villain(s)? Do you think they got what was coming to them?

Fatin: They were so cold-blooded that yes, they did get what was coming to them and I’m slightly bloodthirsty that I wanted it to be worse. See? Bloodthirsty. Heh.

E: There were three different types of villains. The ones that enjoyed hunting Shifters, the mastermind behind that particular organization, and then those directly targeting Crush and Marcella due to her involvement with him. The first group I think directly gets what is coming whenever they get caught. The third group also had a less then pleasant ending. I will admit I was glad Crush didn’t have to do something I think he would have regretted for the rest of his life. As for the mastermind…well you will just have to see. *evil grin*

5. How about the inclusion of the supporting cast, both those new to the series and old friends?

Fatin: I loved seeing all the previous characters in the story. This series is just so fun to read. I’m hoping Cella’s BBF Jai will have her own story in the future.

E: I really enjoy seeing throughout this series how characters I have met in previous books are currently doing. I think it adds to Ms Laurenston’s world. Watching them stay true to their previously established personalities while continuing to deal with the ever-changing situations is always fun. I think it also supports how characters with a cameo appearance in an earlier book have their starring role in a later book. With Ms Laurenston continuously introducing new characters the series stays fresh. I also get to wonder about who I think might be the next to have their story told.

6. What did you think about Crush and Bare Knuckles together?

Fatin: They were perfect. He needed someone like Cella in his life to shake it up some. I absolutely loved how she told him she loved him. That was just…so Cella. Anything different would have just felt very off in that scene, you know?

E: I enjoyed their personality differences and think that each one provided something the other needed. They seemed to fit the saying that “opposites attract” in a very good way. Crush needed some excitement and focus in his life outside of his job. Marcella needed someone who saw her as more then a hockey player and bare knuckles fighter. Together they provided me with a lot of laughs.

7. What was your favorite scene or quote?

Fatin: There were so many. The first scene when they wake up in bed together. The scene where Crush finds out who Cella is on the hockey team. The scenes with Blayne and Crush, how he didn’t know how to handle her. His gushing super-fan moments with the team and Cella’s father. Oh, and the scenes where Cella pretended that her daughter was too young to care for herself and Crush thought she was the worst mom ever. Those had me giggling.

E: I think my favorite scene is when Crush was panicking about his hair cut and ends up meeting Blayne who drags him to Gwen who cuts his hair. I thought that scene totally captured all three of their personalities.

8. Any other thoughts on Bear Meets Girl?

Fatin: I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the series. Although Bo and Blayne’s book is still my favorite of the whole series, Crush and Cella are now in the #2 spot for me.

E: With Bear Meets Girl I think Ms Laurenston went back to the humor and depth of characterization that I found sadly missing in Big Bad Beast. The complexity of her plot threads keeps growing as hockey, various secret enforcement groups, humans, and different species politics are all involved in taking what appears to be very simple and adding several different layers between the good guys and the bad guys. Sometimes it seems as if different enforcement organizations were making things worse because none of them were willing to work together. I was caught up wondering who was going to get to the mastermind first and what was Crush going to do about his own personal threat as things continued to escalate. And umm the smexy times were really hawt!

9. What do you think is going to happen to the Bear Protection Council (BPC) that keeps turning up?

Fatin: I don’t even know now that the head of it is no longer in charge. Will be interested to see who will take over.

E: I don’t think they are going to completely go away but I think we might see some potentially messy politics amongst the bears as they decide who is going take it over and what role they will play in the overall shifter community.

10. Who would you like to see next?

Fatin: At first, since I’ve read this whole series, I was hoping Hannah or Abby would get their story. Probably Hannah before Abby but now? Meeting Sophie and seeing that little bit of Mikey Callahan, I’m actually interested in those two characters more. What makes Sophie who she is?

E: I am torn between Hannah, the oldest of the hybrids, rescued by Blayne in Beast Behaving Badly and Sophie, the poor full human, who got involved because she rescued a shifter who was escaping from the clutches of the hunters.

We both decided this book was an A.

Links to purchase:

Amazon Book | Kindle eBook

Joint Discussion – Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Attempted Murder. Passion. Betrayal. It’s a dog-eat-dog world.
Claudia Hunter is on a road trip through the Nevada desert when she sees the body of a dog on the side of the highway. Pulling over to investigate, she quickly determines that the enormous animal is clinging to life. While working to save him with the help of the local vet, Claudia realizes there’s something about the creature that seems more. Other. Wyr. Which makes this case of animal cruelty attempted murder.
Too injured to shape shift, Luis Alvaraz is reluctant to tell Claudia what he knows about his attack, afraid it will only make her a target. But the sheriff is corrupt, and his attackers know Luis is alive and vulnerable. To make matters worse, a sandstorm is sweeping into town, and if they’re going to survive the night, Luis will have to place all his trust in Claudia.
Warning: Take a gorgeous man temporarily stuck in the dog house, add a strong, take-no-prisoners woman, mix in encroaching enemies and a raging sandstorm and stir to combine. Enjoy with a freshly opened can of whoop-ass.

This blurb came from the author’s website here.

E: We here at The Book Pushers continue to be mad Thea Harrison fans so when we found out that we had not one but two new stories from her this month much dancing ensued. While I liked the two main characters and thought the overall storyline was interesting, the romance between them didn’t really work for me. The change in setting to the desert and from major power players/serial killers to a different level of “evil” helped flesh out Ms Harrison’s world. And I LOVED the pack of Tarot cards.

MinnChica: I’m such a sucker for Harrison’s Elder Races books, and while there were some things I liked about this story, there were also things I didn’t. When I read a Thea Harrison book, I’ve already come to expect certain things: a strong alpha hero, a sweet and endearing heroine, and a romance between the two of them that leaves me feeling as if all my dreams came true. For me, this story had the characters, but lacked the romance. Like E, I do enjoy that the series of books from Samhain seem to be following the Tarot cards. It’s a neat little side plot that keeps things interesting.

E: Claudia Hunter is a rarity among romance heroines. She is older, doesn’t really have dreams of HEA, and had made her living as one of an elite unit until their last mission ended up costing almost all them their lives. She is the type of woman who is very comfortable with guns and feels like they are part of what she grabs everyday like some women feel about make-up. Yet despite the toughness necessary to do well in her chose occupation she also has a very soft side as evidenced by her refusal to let the “very large dog” die on the side of the road or be humanely put down. She doesn’t have any huge powers but she has trained to use what she possesses to its utmost. I would rather have someone like that on my side then a person with immense power and no idea of how to best wield it. I enjoyed her differences and what that hinted towards women’s roles in the Wyr.

MinnChica: I too enjoyed Claudia. She was different (in a good way) from Harrison’s other heroines. She was strong and independent and at a later stage in life than any of the previous heroines. She wanted to be alone and travel around and drift through life as the wind blows her. I also enjoyed Luis, with what little time we spent with him. It felt as if the majority of the novella was told within Claudia’s POV, maybe because Luis spent a lot of the book in his Wyr form. But once we got the chance to see him, it was obvious he was both a warrior and had a kind heart. He didn’t let Claudia push him away or run him out of town because of their age difference. Instead, he put his own life on hold for the chance to follow her. That had me melting just a bit at the end!

E: Luis, I did like him! He was so determined not to let Claudia go. What I also really enjoyed is that despite his desire to protect and keep Claudia safe he accepted the fact that she could do some things better and by trusting her to do her part he could bring the cavalry to the rescue. Claudia’s reaction to Luis when she first saw him in human form was priceless! He certainly used his obvious physical charms to his advantage when it came to sneaking through her defenses. My favorite supporting character was the “retired” vet. He was smart, patient and I think if Luis hadn’t been who he was, he might have tried to keep Claudia local.

MinnChica: I have to admit though, the romance between Claudia and Luis was very lackluster. This novella felt more like it belonged in the urban fantasy genre than paranormal romance. I didn’t really feel any lasting connection between Claudia and Luis, and while I hope they get their HEA, everything between them seemed to be left very up in the air. I hope that Harrison revisits these characters in the future, because I think it would be neat to see where they go from here.

E: I agree with you MinnChica, this read more like an urban fantasy with the world and adventure taking the central aspect of the story and the romance as a sideline. I was more willing to believe that where the novella ended was the start of Claudia and Luis working towards a permanent relationship not establishing one. It would be fun to catch glimpses of them in later instances to see how the two “warriors” are juggling their rather strong personalities. Like always I enjoyed Ms Harrison’s writing and find her world very enthralling. This one just didn’t provide the romance I am used to coming from her. If you go into reading this with that expectation I think it will really satisfy.
I give Natural Evil a B-.

MinnChica: All in all I had some mixed feelings about this novella. While I absolutely love the Elder Races universe, and enjoyed seeing even more of the Wyr ways, I had certain expectations going into the book that I didn’t think were met. I desperately wanted a deeper connection between Claudia and Luis and was a little disappointed with how their romance turned out. I think that readers definitely need to go into this story shelving any romance-specific expectations and just enjoying the ride. I will say I am SUPER excited to see where the next novella takes us, especially if we get to follow the young Medusa character.
I give Natural Evil a C+

Links to purchase:

Kindle eBook

Joint Review – Natural Evil by Thea Harrison is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The full moon is their mistress. They are predators of pleasure and pain. Feared by humans, envied by werewolves, the Dire Wolves are immortal shifters, obeying no laws but their own bestial natures. Once they were many, but now only six remain, a dangerous wolfpack forever on the hunt…

Rifter leads the pack, embracing the lifestyle and ethics of an outlaw biker even as he battles an ancient enemy who has become a new, powerful force. But with his Brother Wolf raging inside him, howling to be unleashed, he needs to satisfy his hungers. And when he meets a drop-dead gorgeous blonde drinking alone in a bar that caters to both human and inhuman, Rifter’s primal instinct is to claim her.

Gwen has her own desires, long unfulfilled. She hopes a passionate night with the leather-clad, Harley-riding biker will ease her suffering. The seizures that have wracked her body her entire life are incurable—and they’re killing her.

But none of that will matter if Rifter can’t stop the growing threat to them all–trappers who are determined to enslave humankind and use the Dire wolves as part of their nefarious plan.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I was so looking forward to this book, especially when the words bikers and werewolves appeared on the page together. Unfortunately for me, the book just didn’t live up to the high expectations I had going in.

Rifter is the leader of the small Dire wolf pack and fighting day in and day out to keep life as he knows it from imploding. The weretrappers are after them, the witches have plotted against them, and the werewolf packs are in a state of civil unrest that has him wishing his immortality was a thing of the past. When he meets the frail human Gwen, he finds that for the first time in a long time, he has a reason to want to live.

Gwen knows she is dying and has a few things she wants to scratch off her bucket list before she does. When she gets pulled into Rifter’s world, she never expected that they might possibly know a way to save her. Although their world is in turmoil, Gwen will do everything in her power to help Rifter grow stronger, save his pack and live to fight another day by his side.

Tyler is known for her alpha heroes and phenomenal skills in creating realistic romantic suspense, but for me, this paranormal just didn’t suck me in as much as I hoped. I was hoping that the new biker, Dire wolf and ex-military heroes would stand out and have me flipping pages faster than ever. Instead, I felt as if nothing jumped out as fresh and original. The writing was wonderful and the suspense done well, but it just didn’t have that extra bit of pizazz I was hoping for.

I have to say, I really enjoyed Rifter though. Tyler has always been able to create incredible and wonderful alpha males that rock my world. He was an alpha male to the extreme, without being a total jerk. He almost had a little bit of a reluctant hero thing going on, especially when it came to leading his Dire wolves. He knew he could kick some ass, and wasn’t afraid to do it on the battlefield, but he was humble enough to not want to be their king. I liked his own internal struggle with that, and has final acceptance of the role. I can tell you that I would FOR SURE follow Rifter anywhere he wanted me to. *wink*

I thought that the potential for Gwen’s character was off the charts, especially when she came across so bold and strong in the first chapter. But for me, she seemed to never quite live up to her potential as a character. It took her awhile to get to the point where she was not only comfortable in her own skin, but was comfortable with Rifter. I wanted her to be a stronger presence in their lives, and just didn’t connect with her until the very very end.

One other aspect I really enjoyed was the suspense. I can always count on Tyler to keep me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I do think the overall story arc of this series will be an interesting one to follow, and I am excited to see where she goes with it. While I wish the romance was a bit more steamy and developed, I think the world she created has some wonderful potential.

All in all I thought the first book in the Eternal Wolf Clan series has wonderful potential and a good starting point for the series. The world has a great overall story arc going and I am excited to see in what direction Tyler takes things. The band of brotherhood between the Dire wolves reminded me of so many other paranormal romance series, and is one that I continue to love. While I would have loved to be pulled more into the romance between Rifter and Gwen, I enjoyed their story.
I give Dire Needs a C+

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Review – Dire Needs by Stephanie Tyler is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Ophelia retired from life as a prostitute, but her new position is even more complicated. Managing the bloodhound manor in Iron Creek is difficult and time-consuming, a job she enjoys less with each passing day. Then there’s her inconvenient attraction to Hunter. The newly turned hound seems eager to enjoy her company, but wary of anything more intimate.

Having survived the violence of his first full moon out of a cage, Hunter isn’t looking forward to his first new moon. Ophelia offers to be the woman who sates his needs during the three long days of sexual fury, but he can’t abide the thought of hurting her in a state of mindless lust. Especially since she longs to settle into a respectable life, and his needs are anything but respectable.

Their mutual goal is simple: avoid entanglements. It’s a solid plan, at least until a vampire drug lord and a couple of nosy Guild representatives force them to work together to defend their friends and everything they hold dear–including each other.

Warning: Contains a mostly feral, vampire-hunting hero and a tough survivor of a heroine whose retired-hooker heart is more steel than gold. Also included: dangerous frontier intrigue, fancy brothels, mad-scientist weapons and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

MinnChica: I’ve been a huge fan of Moira Rogers for as long as I can remember, and one of the things I love most is the unique worlds they create. The Bloodhounds series is one of those worlds that is so different and special and I gobble up each new release. After reading about Hunter’s struggles in the first book, I couldn’t wait to see where Rogers’ would take his character. I absolutely loved the way Hunter still struggled with his new Bloodhound ways, but acclimated to everything.

E: Poor Hunter! My heart goes out to him. Unlike the other Bloodhounds who somewhat volunteered for the transformation even if they didn’t know what they were really getting into he was not given the option to volunteer. Nor was he transformed by the scientists with their established program to include mentorship but by a definite criminal and another person whose motives are questionable at best. Like MinnChica I have been sucked into this world from the first page. I really wanted to see how Hunter was going to survive now that he isn’t kept in a cage and what was going to happen to Ophelia. At the end of Wilder’s Mate there was a line about how Ophelia had changed which implied something happened to her that caused her emotional distress. Two wounded distrusting people paired up trying to find themselves and each other. That to me is a recipe for a very enjoyable read and Moira Rogers did not disappoint.

MinnChica: I couldn’t wait to see what would happen with Ophelia, the former whore turned house-mistress and Hunter the caged wild-thing who was turned against his will. These two had so much angst between the two of them, and yet their relationship was somewhat calm and soothing to them both. I wanted to smack Hunter on the head every time he turned his back on Ophelia, especially in the beginning of the story. I understood his reluctance, his fear of hurting her. Yet I wanted him to suck it up and trust in his new instincts.

E: Hunter’s refusal to trust himself was annoying but when you think about where he came from he was dealing with some extremely unfamiliar territory. He also never spent any of the crucial moon times with another person but locked in his cage going violently crazy. I think if I didn’t know that the violent crazy would change focus I wouldn’t want to be around anyone either. Especially not someone that I had come to care for. Ophelia’s former occupation was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because she knew how to handle Bloodhounds and what they were like but a curse because it meant Hunter would have a hard time believing that Ophelia meant what she said. I was amazed at how many times she continued reaching out to Hunter despite his rejections. I think at first it was she didn’t want him to suffer because it wasn’t his fault and then as she started to care for him…

MinnChica: I agree that at times I wanted Ophelia to just throw in the towel and walk away, but I loved how it all ended up for them. Once the two got over themselves and came together, they were great together. I was also glad that Hunter was able to let himself go and get the chance to kick some ass. I loved the “final showdown” and how that all played out. Rogers’ does such a wonderful job telling a story, and there wasn’t much I didn’t love about this one.

E: Besides the overall relationship between Hunter and Ophelia we also got to see some of what goes into “policing” a town in these very different days. It was very fascinating to catch some glimpses of the internal politics with the Bloodhounds, their creators and the territorial war against the vampires. I will admit I had my concerns when two strange visitors showed up in town and had undue interest in Hunter, Archer and Nathanial. I was worried about what they would do and if they would push any of the characters I have come to enjoy to do the unforgivable. Like always Moira Rogers built up the tension and then fixed the issues with a very believable solution that required all concerned parties to make some decisions and take certain actions .

MinnChica: All in all, I really enjoyed the second installment of The Bloodhounds series. Hunter and Ophelia were both amazing characters, and I loved the way their relationship played out. I was glad to see them both rely on the other for support and assistance in dealing with their new lives. I also liked the introduction of two new characters in the Bloodhound world, and was excited to see the series get a more definitive direction to take. I’m excited to see where Rogers’ takes this series, how it will all play out. I can’t wait for the next one!
I give Hunter’s Prey a B+

E: Hunter’s Prey was a wonderful addition to the Bloodhounds series. Not only did we get the almost star crossed lovers between Hunter and Ophelia we could also watch the rest of the characters we met in Wilder’s Mate continue to grow and settle into their new lives. Things are anything but safe and comfortable out on the border so to see these hardened people find something soft and caring is just great. Between the twisting politics, the hinted at but not quite said I think we are in for a rare treat as this series continues.
I give Hunter’s Prey an A-/B+

Links to purchase

Nook | Kindle eBook

Joint Review – Hunter’s Prey by Moira Rogers is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter