Book Binge

Judith's review of The Dark Side of Dreaming by Ann Bruce.

When she finds herself bound to a stranger's bed, former cat burglar Cleo Moran knows she should have stayed in retirement. However, the thought of ending the cursed dreams that plague her sleeping hours was simply too enticing to resist. She also feels a strong sensual pull to her captor--but knows better than to act on it.

At first, Sasha Michaels wants only his captive's professional expertise and contacts to track down the man who attacked his sister. Then Cleo wakes up and with words and action, stirs something much more primitive within him. Neither understanding nor willing to accept her resistance, Sasha attempts to bind Cleo to him with sexual ties.

Their tentative relationship, however, is jeopardized by secrets on both sides--and a common enemy who is escalating in violence.

This is a story that is wrapped in ancient mystery, a family curse, long-forgotten relics of an ancient civilization and an affair of the heart that was 25,000 years old. It embraces hot loving and betrayal, hunger and lust, fantasy and reality. Cleo and Sasha come together in a clash of hidden agendas and raw need. What could be anymore riveting in a love story?

Cleo knows she is a burglary has-been--she has been retired for five years and seems to have lost her touch--at least that is what she believes when she finds that Sasha Michaels, owner of the home she has burglarized, has caught her and tied her--fully clothed--to his bed. All this in order to find a 12-inch statue that, along with its corresponding mate, had been removed from an ancient South American ruin several decades earlier. Cleo has tried to buy it from Sasha. He refuses to sell, so she is attempting to steal it. She wants to return it to the ruin in order to lift what she believes is a curse on her family, one that has been plaguing them with dreams and nightmares for decades. Sasha really could care less about the statue--he wants to find the man that has attacked Elena, his sister, who is an antiquities expert and who holds the statue Cleo wants. The attacker believes himself to be the re-incarnation of an ancient Shaman. This story gets stranger and stranger.

Now Cleo has been attacked and Sasha's driver Eric has reported the attack to Sasha. When he finds Cleo bruised and bleeding, he acts on his attraction to her--gently and as a way of comforting her. She responds and their affair begins.

Ms Bruce has written a complicated story that involves the reader in the contemporary and the ancient, in hate and love, in lust and the greed for power. There are not a host of characters here; the cast is small. But each plays an important part in the unfolding of this tale, and it is not until the very end that all the curious strands of this story come together sufficiently to make sense out of what has been mysterious and puzzling.

This story is well written. The author displays obvious ability in crafting a story that keeps the reader's interest and draws each one into the web of the story--because that's exactly what it is--an erotic web of sex, intrigue, hidden agendas, family loyalty, and an ancient curse. It took me a few pages to sort some of this story out. I think the author intended it to be that way. By doing so I think the world of shadows and darkness was displayed and the reader felt like (s)he was wandering in a literary maze. The way is finally made clear, but not before the true depth of evil is explored.

This is not an excessively long work, but it has sufficient length to tell a complicated story without belaboring scenes and dialogue. The encounters between Cleo and Sasha are very erotic and their relationship has to go through a few ups and downs as they try to work through this difficult situation. So much the better for the reader, eh? Fantasy romance fans will find this an interesting book, IMHO, as will fans of erotic works. I think it was a very good read. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

This book is available from Ellora's Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr. J's Book Place.

Tracy’s review of Stud by Brigit Zahara

When it comes to sex, street hooker Sasha is a guy to die for. His blow jobs are things of legend, his thing is guaranteed to make you blow. Everybody wants him. But few can afford him.

So when mysterious, magnetic and immortal Kyan offers 5K for one night, Sasha ditches semi-regular and, as it turns out, very jealous, Tanner for a night he'll never forget.

In more ways than one.

FYI - This review contains spoilers.

Sasha is a high-priced hooker that is worth every penny. When a gorgeous, compelling man offers him $5,000 for one night he’s more than happy to oblige. But one of his semi-regulars, a married magazine mogul, is more than a little ticked that Sasha has chosen Kyan over him.

Sasha and Kyan head off to Kyan’s penthouse for a night of hot, steamy sex. Though Sasha had some misgivings about Kyan at first he soon falls into the wonderful experience of non-stop erections.

When Sasha wakes up the next evening he really wants to stay with Kyan but is again uneasy about why he feels so attracted and pulled to the beautiful man. What exactly does Kyan have that Sasha wants so badly?

This was an interesting novella that brought a hooker and what seemed like a gorgeous but “normal” businessman together. Only there’s more to Kyan than just good looks – he’s a vampire who’s chosen Sasha as his one and only; the one person that he wants to turn and subsequently spend the rest of his life with. I gotta say that the vampire aspect of this book took me a bit by surprise. Yes, the blurb says immortal but for some reason I wasn’t thinking vampire – my bad. That being said it kind of worked for me.

Sasha seems to be getting a bit tired of the hooker life but doesn’t quite know what else to do with himself. Kyan is obviously looking for that one man to make him happy for the rest of his long life. The thing I think I liked about the book was that it didn’t go straight to the “I love you’s”. It ended more on a HFN note but you knew that the two men would be together forever.

The only part that I didn’t like was the jealous john. He was a bit of a knife-wielding psycho and what he did to Sasha made me cringe with distaste. Not something I want to read about on a regular basis! lol

In the end it wasn’t too much of an in depth story but the great sex and gorgeous men more than made up for it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This book is available from Extasy Books. You can buy it here in e-format.

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place.

Kris' review of Magician's Chains by Michelle Polaris

Jesse and Savin shared one strange, hot kiss and an even stranger mystical connection over a decade ago. Now reunited at a BDSM-flavored erotic magic show in Las Vegas, Jesse finds Savin performing as the Dominant magician. He's one sexy, powerful package, and Jesse fights the call to expose himself to Savin, giving up body, soul and heart. But dark fae nightmares prophesy a more dangerous magic than stage tricks at work as their lives collide.

Jesse has given up on his dreams after a personal tragedy. Savin's only dream is to be human, although he is not. Drawn to one another, the men enter into a weekend Master/slave contract. In Savin's chains, Jesse submits, letting loose destructive passion and grief. Both resist the craving to make their bond permanent, sure that if they do they place one another in jeopardy. If they cannot accept the magic they create together and their joined destinies, the survival of two worlds will be at stake.

Rowena's review of Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas.

Hero: Leo Hathaway
Heroine: Catherine Marks

He is everything she wants to avoid…

For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters—a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges’ older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response—and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.

She is not at all what she seems…

Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine’s respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever—unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires…

"And you still love her," Catherine's voice was bleak. "That's why you'll never marry."

"No. I have an extraordinary fondness for her memory. But it was a lifetime ago. And I can't ever go through that again. I love like a madman."

"It might not be like that again."

"No it would be worse. Because I was only a boy then. And now, who I am. What I need. It's too much for anyone to manage." A sardonic laugh rustled in his throat. "I overwhelm even myself, Marks."

Desperation drove her into the arms of a devil...

Grace Gauthier had taken a position as governess hoping to find security and peace in a life that had very little of either. She’s always yearned for a good marriage, a family, and a home, but it was not to be. And when the brutal murder of her employer leaves her unprotected and alone—as Scotland Yard’s prime suspect—she has no one to turn to except the mysterious and reclusive Lord Ruthveyn.

A dark-eyed Lucifer, Ruthveyn guards his secrets carefully. His shadowed past as the Queen’s most trusted agent in India is the stuff of whispered rumor, as is his mixed ancestry. Deeply moved by her plight—and haunted by her beauty—Ruthveyn is determined to save Grace by unmasking a killer. But his growing passion for her soon places his own heart at risk and threatens to expose his dark gifts—and his dark society—to the world…

Prologue

She could hear him breathing.

Icy talons of fear shredded the fabric of sleep and brought Ellie Mulder instantly awake. Old habits had her keeping her muscles lax, her eyes still closed as she strained to identify what had alerted her. When she did, her blood ran as cold as the frigid Colorado wind beating against the windows.

The sound was the same snuffle snort that warned her whenever he was coming for her. He’d returned, just like he’d threatened. He’d snatch her from her bed, from her house and this time, she’d never get away. Not ever.

Her eyes snapped open, a scream lodged in her throat. The old terrors were surging, fighting logic, fueled by memory. It took a moment to see through the veils of the past and notice her familiar surroundings.

She was home. In her room. In her bed. And Art Cooper wasn’t here. He would die in prison.

A long sigh of relief shuddered out of her. The bright illumination of the alarm clock on her bedside table said one-eighteen A.M. The sleep scene on her computer lit the corner of the room that held her desk. And the large aquarium on the opposite wall was awash in a dim glow. She often ‘forgot’ to turn it off.

The items had been chosen because of the light they afforded. Her mom and dad had worried when she’d needed doors open and lights blazing to go to bed at night. But they’d been happy when she’d casually mentioned wanting a computer. Had expressed an interest in tropical fish. Had selected things to decorate her bedroom like the brightly lit alarm clock. Those things were normal, the psychologist said. And Ellie knew it was important that she seem normal. Even if it was a lie.

The slight noise sounded again and she tensed, her hand searching for the scissors she kept on the bedside table. But even as her fingers gripped the handle, her mind identified the sound. It was the gurgle of water in the overflow box for the aquarium. Not Cooper’s asthmatic breathing.

The realization relaxed her, but she didn’t replace the scissors. She kept them clutched in her hand and brought them close to her chest, the feel of the small weapon comforting. Learning her daughter slept with a knife under her pillow had made her mother cry. So Ellie pretended not to need that anymore.

She had become very good at pretending.

So good that her mom and dad had been thrilled with her new interest in Kirigami several months ago. She’d heard the psychologist tell them that the act of creating, of folding and cutting paper into pretty shapes would be very therapeutic for her. So there was never any fuss about the constant paper scraps on the floor. Fresh supplies appeared on her desk without her ever having to request them.

Only she knew that the new hobby was an excuse to keep a sharp pair of scissors with her at all times. And the psychologist was right. That part, at least, was very therapeutic.

The initial flare of panic had ebbed. She listened to the blizzard howl outside the windows and found the noise oddly soothing. Bit by bit she felt herself relax. Her eyelids drooped.

She had the half formed thought that she needed to replace the scissors before her mom came in the next morning to check on her. But sleep was sucking her under, and her limbs were unresponsive.

It was then that he pounced.

The weight hit her body, jolting her from exhaustion back to alarm in the span of seconds. She felt the hand clamped over her mouth, the prick of a needle in her arm and fear lent her strength beyond her years. Rearing up in bed, she flailed wildly, trying to wrest away, trying to strike out. She tasted the stickiness of tape over her lips. Felt a hood being pulled over her head.

There was a brief flare of triumph when the scissors met something solid, and a hiss of pain sounded in her ear. But then her hand was bent back, the weapon dropping from her fingers and numbness started sliding over her body. She couldn’t move. The hood prevented her from seeing. A strange buzzing filled her head.

As she felt herself lifted and carried away, her only thought was that she was being taken.

Again.

Win a copy of Deadly Intent here.

Kylie Brant is visiting Book Binge today. The newest book in her Mindhunter series, Deadly Intent is out on November 2nd and it's awesome!!

To a writer, people are endlessly fascinating. Every single one of us, no matter how mundane our lives or routines. Whether it be our utter predictability, our opinions, or experiences, each of us always has some trait or quality that could wind up in a book someday. Because people are unique,so must our characters be. What formed us, what shaped our attitudes and beliefs, what caused our fears, fed our flaws is infinitely intriguing. It’s been said that nothing bad ever happens to a writer—it’s all material :).

Reviewers often mention my characters when they summarize the plot, and I take pride in that. Because for me, the characters are the story. If I don’t care about the story people, a writer can’t get me to stick around for the twists and turns in even the most compelling plot. I want to invest in the story people. And I don’t want them thrown under a bus at the end.


It’s been said that my heroines are always a bit damaged, and I guess that’s true. Trauma shapes us, often dramatically. And what emerges in a person from a tragedy is what I find truly interesting. Regardless of how objective a character strives to be, he or she still sees the world through their own unique filter. And often responding to the events of the plot is made harder because of the personal obstacles the characters have to overcome.

That’s certainly the case in DEADLY INTENT. As a forensic linguist, Macy Reid is very familiar with the patterns and nuances of language. As a former kidnap victim, she’s all too aware of the tragic consequences of that experience. So she’s uniquely qualified to be placed on the team looking for an eleven-year-old girl who has been kidnapped—for the second time.

She and fellow Mindhunter consultant Kellan Burke work with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on a race against the clock to find Ellie Mulder before the madman holding her can carry out his threats. The case brings up uncomfortable memories of Macy’s own past. But it’s Kell who causes the most discomfort. After the one night they’d spent together months ago, she’s found him impossible to forget. Paired together on the investigation, he’s impossible to ignore. And so are the feelings he ignites inside her.

What are your favorite type of characters to read about? The kind who make you root for them to the bitter end? Is there any specific sort of character that you won't read?

Casee's review of Deadly Intent (Mindhunters, Book 3) by Kylie Brant.

Forensic linguist Macy Reid is an expert on kidnapping, having been abducted when she was a child. So, she is the perfect investigator to be called in when a Denver tycoon's eleven-year-old daughter is abducted-for the second time. But Macy's biggest stumbling block may be a member of her own team: Kellan Burke, the wise-cracking, rule- breaking investigator who relishes getting under Macy's skin-and who just may be the man to help her confront the demons from her past.

Rowena's review of Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas.

Hero: Capt. Christopher Phelan
Heroine: Beatrix Hathaway

She harbors a secret yearning.

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?

He is a world-weary cynic.

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…

Casee's review of Impulsive by HelenKay Dimon.

Katie Long was supposed to be undercover. She was just supposed to watch Deputy Prosecutor Eric Kimura at his ex's wedding and gather intel on his campaign for prosecutor. But he's a lot hotter in person, and the kind of intel they accidentally shared in the hotel bathroom might lose both of them their jobs. Especially since it seems to be a recurring incident. Is it possible for a one-night stand to last ten days?

Kimura isn't usually the impulsive type. He's driven, he's ambitious, and he knows what he wants—a respectable future in Hawaii politics. Which means wild half-public sex with a beautiful stranger in a short little caterer's skirt is just tabloid fodder waiting to happen. Conveniently, just as his campaign is coming under attack. Sabotage, media gossip, and an insatiable desire for a woman he just met? If he's not careful, Counselor Kimura might lose all control...

NOOKcolor vs NOOK

Barnes & Noble today unveiled NOOKcolor, the first full-color touch Reader’s Tablet. Designed for people who love to read every kind of content imaginable, NOOKcolor delivers the ultimate reading experience and features:

 

• A stunning 7-inch VividView Color Touchscreen and a thin, beautiful and highly portable design
• The first full-color touch device dedicated to reading everything and built on Android
• Access to the largest bookstore with an unprecedented selection of over two million digital titles a single search away
• Read bestsellers to favorite magazines in full color, and interactive children’s picture books and enhanced cookbooks
• Easy and fast book downloads in seconds over Wi-Fi
• The most social reading device ever built; you’re only touches away from sharing with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email.
• The new LendMe App, which enables NOOKcolor users to view LendMe books in their friends’ Barnes & Noble digital libraries and request to borrow a title they’ve been meaning to read
• 8GB of space plus expandable memory to store it all your digital books, magazines, newspapers and children’s books

NOOKcolor is now available for pre-order at www.NOOKcolor.com and at Barnes & Noble stores tomorrow for $249, and will begin shipping on or around November 19. 

Debuting on NOOKcolor is NOOK kids, a state-of-the-art digital reading experience for children which brings storytime to life with nearly 12,000 interactive kids’ picture books and children’s chapter books.

The company also announced a partnership with the third largest US bookseller, Books-A-Million, in which NOOK products will be sold as the exclusive eReading devices at Books-A-Million’s 229 stores. With this announcement, NOOK products will be available in all Barnes & Noble , Best Buy and Books-A-Million stores and 2,500 Walmart stores, as well as online.

 

Ian Wentworth arrives in London with one goal: revenge. Now a duke of enormous wealth, he should settle down to the business of marrying and producing heirs. But nightmares of an ordeal from his past haunt him at every turn. All those he believes responsible have paid with their lives. All but one: Viola Bennington-Jones, the lovely Lady Cheshire. And he will not rest until he sees the tempting beauty suffer.

Viola keeps her secrets – and there are many – safe from society's prying eyes. When she first spies Ian at a glittering ball, the rush of recognition immediately turns to panic. Does he remember the tender touches that once passed between them? Does he feel the electric passion that binds them still? Or does he blame her for the awful horrors her kin bestowed upon him? The enigmatic duke holds her captive: in desperate thrall to his powerful sensuality, her future – and her heart – in his hands.

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Casee's review of His Darkest Embrace by Juliana Stone.

A solitary hunter with no regard for the human world, Jagger Castille is a shifter living on the edge. A woman who calls him enemy will give him reason to live...
Jagger is a creature of the night -- Skye Knightly soars in the sun. Natural adversaries, they are now joined in a mission entrusted to Skye's family centuries ago: Nothing less than the salvation of the Earth.

Wounded and bitter, Jagger sought escape in the solitude of the jungle, driven by a need to disappear forever...until a mysterious shifter who calls to his soul and feeds a yearning long forgotten, pulls him from his dark path. A courageous warrior, Skye's passion is equal to Jagger's own-but can she trust a man whose secrets are as devastating as her own?

It all comes down to this. One month of voting your heart out and this is what it all comes down to. Two heroes battling it out for the #1 spot in our Rachel Gibson hearts. The winner of this round takes the cake!

In the right corner we have the hockey player with the most memorable tattoo: