Review - Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

Men of the Otherworld
A Collection of Otherworld Tales, Volume 1
Kelley Armstrong
Bantam
January 27, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-553-80709-7

Book Blurb:
New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong has captivated readers with her spellbinding Women of the Otherworld series. Now, for the first time, in this collection of four tales she gives center stage to the men who love these sexy, supernatural women—the men who live on the other side of humanity…the wild side.

As a curious six-year-old, Clayton didn’t resist the bite—he asked for it. But surviving as a lone child-werewolf was more than he could manage—until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home…and introduced him to the Pack. So begins this tantalizing volume, featuring three of the most intriguing members of the American Pack—a hierarchical founding family where bloodlines mean everything and each day presents a new, thrilling, and often deadly challenge. For as Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts but to navigate Pack politics—including showing his brutal archnemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is....

From the nature of fear, weakness, and courage, to the triumph of belonging and the complications of love and loyalty, these mesmerizing tales reveal the trials of a werewolf coming-of-age, and lay bare the hearts and minds of the men strong enough for the women of the Otherworld—and adept enough to take on two worlds.

My thoughts:
Men of the Otherworld is a collection of short stories, and while fans may have read many of them as they were shared on the author’s website, it’s wonderful to have them together in one bound book. The collection is nicely finished with a new Jeremy and Jaime story in the end.

From Jeremy’s birth that was unwanted by his father Malcolm, to his role as adoptive father and mentor to Clayton, the stories provide many answers. Ms. Armstrong solidly establishes the origins of some favorite werewolves, keeps readers engrossed as the tales unfold, and always leaves them wanting more.

Proceeds from Men of the Otherworld are going to World Literacy of Canada.

To learn more about the men and women of the Otherworld, please visit Ms. Armstrong’s website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry

Road Trip of the Living Dead
Amanda Feral, Celebrity Ghoul, Book 2
Mark Henry
Kensington Books
February 24, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-7582-2524-5

Book Blurb:
Celebrity party girl Amanda Feral is back from the dead, and hungrier than ever for a good time. With her zombie gal pal Wendy and vampy gay sidekick Gil, this stone cold fox is dressed to kill, on the prowl, and ready to take a big juicy bite out of Seattle's supernatural nightlife. But what's a zombie chick to do when her "Mommie Dearest" gets sick? If you're Amanda Feral, you can either ignore the wicked old witch-or bury the past by visiting Ethel before she kicks it. Amanda's not thrilled about the idea of crossing three states just to be criticized. But Wendy, who's always looking for fresh meat, is up for the adventure. And Gil, who just launched his "luxury" resurrection business, needs to disappear because a pissed-off client is out for his blood.

First, they pack their stiletto pumps and plasma into a skeevy rattrap on wheels that used to be a Winnebago. Then, with a little help from a Korean-ghost hood ornament, a masochist named Fishhook, and a slew of "moderately accurate" psychics, they hit the highway-their way. Of course, they'll have to navigate past some neo-Nazi skinheads, a horny dust devil, a hunky werewolf cop (who could pass for an underwear model) and an unsightly horde of Kmart shoppers. But for this glamorous gang of ghouls this trip is about to take a dangerous detour that could give road kill a brand new meaning.

My thoughts:
When an unforeseen incident with Gil’s business venture sends him on the run, and Wendy’s badgering on why she should make peace with her mother before her impending death starts to get to her, Amanda agrees to a road trip. Seeing Ethel, the mother she despises, will give her the opportunity to tell her exactly what she thinks of her one last time. With chaos and death following them from state to state, facing her mother briefly takes a back seat as the trouble making trio picks up new passengers, solves a mystery, and hunts down psychics along the way.

This is the second installment in the Amanda Feral, Celebrity Ghoul series. Mr. Henry has an incredible talent for keeping his characters unique and making them impossible for readers to forget. Road Trip of the Living Dead offers all of the ghastly death and dismemberment that fans are expecting, along with more humorous scenes than ever. If you can stomach a bit of gore with your giggles then this fiendishly fun story and its footnotes are sure to be a hit.

To learn more about Road Trip of the Living Dead, please visit Mr. Henry’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - You're the One that I Haunt by Terri Garey

You’re the One that I Haunt
Nicki Styx, Book 3
Terri Garey
Avon Books
February 24, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-06-158203-5

Book Blurb:
The devil went down to Georgia . . .

Nicki Styx has always known that the devil's in the details—but does he have to move in next door, too? Worse, he won't take no for an answer. Nicki would never leave her beloved boyfriend, ER doc Joe Bascombe, but hell hath no fury like a devil scorned. He's determined to make Nicki's life a living hell—even if it means exposing Nicki as an unwilling ghoulfriend to the dead.

Now, just when she was getting used to being able to see and hear—and help—spirits, Nicki's got a whole new set of problems. With ghosts descending from all sides, the bereaved knocking down her door, and Joe trying to take things to the next level, Nicki may finally be in over her head. It would be so easy to dance with the devil . . . but if Nicki crosses over to the dark side, she may never leave.

My thoughts:
After a brush with death, Nicki Styx started seeing spirits and while helping them find peace is the right thing to do, it isn’t an easy task. When the devil himself opens a shop near her own, and makes it clear that his interest in her is far from harmless, Nicki finds herself with more troubles than ever.

Nicki’s boyfriend, Joe Bascome, the man who once saved her life in the ER, has just had one of many bad days at work. Little does he know it’s about to get worse when the woman he couldn’t save comes looking for vengeance and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. Caught between the woman he loves and the job he’s worked so hard to secure, Joe may be forced to make a very difficult choice.

This is the third novel in the Nicki Styx series, and for Nicki living with the dead is about to take a drastic turn. Ms. Garey takes readers on a new ghostly adventure, adding a surprising twist to the storyline. While unfolding at a slower pace than the previous installments, You’re the One that I Haunt is entertaining and blends the horrors and humor that’s become Nicki’s life. The ending will leave readers wondering, and looking forward to the next visit with Nicki and her friends.

To learn more about You’re the One that I Haunt, please visit Ms. Garey’s website: HERE

You can get a sneak peek inside You're the One that I Haunt at the publisher's website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Blood Blade by Marcus Pelegrimas

Blood Blade
Skinners, Book 1
Marcus Pelegrimas
Harper
January 26, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-06-146305-1

Book blurb:
Welcome to the nightmare . . .

There is a world you don't know about, inhabited by supernatural creatures of darkness-vampires, werewolves, and all manner of savage, impossible beasts that live for terror and slaughter and blood. They are all around us but you cannot see them, for knowledge of their presence-so close and so hungry-would surely drive any ordinary human insane.

But for centuries a special breed of hunter has kept the monsters at bay, preventing them from breaking through the increasingly fragile barriers protecting our mortal realm.These guardians are called skinners.

But beware . . . for there are very few of them left.

My thoughts:
The closest Cole Warnecki comes to excitement in his life is at the controls of the video games he designs. In need of some time off, he accepts an invitation on a hunting trip, thinking that this vacation will get his creativity flowing and help him work out some bugs in his current project. What he finds soon after his group reaches the lodge is that nothing could have prepared him for what came next, but Cole manages to survive.

Granting a dying man’s last wishes, Cole meets up with Paige, a Skinner in Chicago. She’s among the few who are brave or crazy enough to guard the human race against the supernatural creatures most know nothing about. Now Cole will have to decide where his future lies.

This is the first installment in the Skinners series. Mr. Pelegrimas snares the reader’s attention early on with this intriguing story, and provides a steady stream of action at every turn. Blood Blade is vividly detailed, making it impossible not to be swept up in the fight. In the midst of death and destruction there is a softer side that should please romance fans and leave them eager for more of in the next Skinners release.

To learn more about Blood Blade, please visit the website of Mr. Pelegrimas: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione

Desire Unchained
Demonica, Book 2
Larissa Ione
Forever
February 24, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-446-40098-5

Book Blurb:
Pleasure is their ultimate weapon . . .

Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn't resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy.

A Seminus Demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he'd seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever.

As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts-or succumb to a madman's evil plans.

My thoughts:
Shade is a Seminus Demon who, along with his brothers, runs a hospital that specializes in those who are other than human. His nature, as well as a curse, causes him to be a love them and leave them kind of guy. One woman through the years got under his skin, and he’s about to realize that she never really left.

Runa Wagner blames Shade for the attack she survived, and for what she’s become. Now trapped and held in a dungeon by someone out to destroy Shade and his brothers, they find themselves bound together in a way that only death may be able change.

This is the second book in the Demonica trilogy and centers around Shade and Runa. Ms. Ione adds many twists and turns to her demon filled world that shock and delight in equal measure. The relationships are steamy and the secondary characters help to enrich the storyline. Desire Unchained is a captivating read with the love and support shown between brothers, and should appeal to readers who enjoy sizzling romance with their fantasy.

To learn more about Desire Unchained, please visit Ms. Ione’s website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Mona Lisa Darkening by Sunny

Mona Lisa Darkening
Monére: Children of the Moon, Book 4
Sunny
Berkley
January 6, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22647-6

Book Blurb:
From the time she was an orphan child, Mona Lisa knew she was different—but she never knew how different. As a Mixed-Blood daughter of the Monère, she rules her own domain in the Louisiana Bayou. But her life of power is about to be lost, and Mona Lisa must survive a realm in which she is divided from within…

On the vernal equinox, when night equals day and the barriers between worlds become gossamer thin, Mona Lisa gathers her people beneath the full moon. Instead of drawing down the replenishing white light of the moon, a terrifying darkness descends upon her and takes her into NetherHell—the cursed realm of the damned. In this place, the evil queen whose essence shares Mona Lisa’s body is strong enough to fight her host for control—and she does.

But in NetherHell, Mona Lisa’s internal struggle is only the beginning. Captured by a Gargoyle warlord who wants her for his own, Mona Lisa is torn from both within and without by desire, love, and ecstasy. And when her first love crosses the boundaries of the world to rescue her, she must choose her own destiny—before others choose it for her…

My thoughts:
Mona Lisa is a mixed-blood queen among the Monére. As children of the moon they gather to bask in its light when the moon is full. This night is a special one, the vernal equinox, and something has taken advantage of the wekened veil between worlds. With her people gathered around her, darkness snatches her away and she finds herself in another realm, one that’s worse than Hell.

NetherHell is home to the damned, and it’s not long before a warlord’s henchmen capture Mona Lisa. He’s a gargoyle separated from his people, lord of his own domain, and she may be just what he’s looking for. She’ll do what she must to survive, but soon enough those she loves will find her, and when they do choices will have to be made. Sharing her body with the presence of a former queen has been a well-kept secret, but now that secret may have the power to take Mona Lisa’s decision out of her hands.

This is the fourth novel in the Monére: Children of the Moon series. With a fine eye on detail, Sunny transports readers to another realm right along with her characters. Mona Lisa Darkening is a well-balanced emotional tale of love, loss and the risks taken for happiness. A wonderful series that fans of fantasy with a dark and sexy side shouldn’t miss.

To learn more about Mona Lisa Darkening, please visit Sunny’s website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Kill For Me by Karen Rose

Kill for Me
Karen Rose
Grand Central
February 2, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-446-51030-1

Book Blurb from the author’s website:
Six teenage girls have been kidnapped. Five have been murdered. One survived. Only she can reveal the secrets of a disturbing ring of people who kidnap and sell teenage girls on the black market. But those responsible for the crimes will do whatever it takes to maintain her silence.

Susannah Vartanian and Luke Papadopoulos have both sworn to stop the murderers for their own personal reasons. The investigation will lead them to the shady realm of Internet chat rooms, where anyone can mask their identity. They soon discover a chain of deception so intricate they don't know who to trust. Finding comfort in each other's arms, they begin to unravel the intricately knotted threads, but the killers are ruthless and determined, and won't hesitate to take extreme measures to insure their anonymity and keep their business intact. When Susannah discovers an unexpected link to the girl she is trying to save, her life is soon in danger and Luke will do everything he can to save the woman he loves.

My thoughts:
As teenage girls are being kidnapped, used, and sold to the highest bidder, Susannah Vartanian returns home to the place where it all seems to have started. Dutton, Georgia, holds the secrets she keeps from her past, things she’d rather not remember. She’s an assistant DA in New York who encourages victims to speak out against the crimes they’ve endured. Now it’s Susannah’s turn to take a stand. With her help the GBI has more leads on their current case, and they hope to stop the twisted people involved in destroying young lives.

Luke Papadopoulos is an agent with the GBI and has seen more than his share of crimes against children. Young girls are disappearing and the trail leads back to the Dutton area, a place where an insane killer has struck before. From the first time Luke sees Susannah he’s attracked to her, and seeing her strength through the case those feelings grow stronger. They each carry emotional scars that make relationships difficult, but if they survive this case they may still have a chance.

Kill for Me picks-up after Scream for Me and provides some shocking revelations as the story unfolds. Ms. Rose executes an intricate plot and does it with amazing skill. Dark secrets paint a vivid picture as young lives are forever destroyed by some of the worst evils seen in humanity. This is suspense at it’s darkest best.

To learn more about Kill for Me, please visit Ms. Rose’s website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Patricia Briggs Upcoming Tour Dates

The publicist for Ms. Briggs and her Mercy Thompson series was kind enough to share the following information:

Here are the upcoming tour stops for national-bestseller Patricia Briggs, whose FIRST hardcover, BONE CROSSED:A Mercy Thompson Novel, is being published by ACE on February 3.

As you know, Patricia is a fantastic writer whose creativity and respect for a good storyline and characters make the Mercy Thompson series so exciting and unpredictable. It is a refreshing opportunity to become immersed in a dangerous and magical world where you can’t predict what is coming, with an ending that never disappoints.

Kicking off her tour in Seattle, Patty will be traveling to the following cities and stores:

February 3
University Books
7:00PM
Seattle, Washington

February 4
Third Place Books
7:00PM
Lake Forest Park, Washington

February 5
Powell’s Books (Beaverton Store)
7:00PM
Portland, Oregon

February 6
Borderlands Books
7:00PM
San Francisco, California

February 7
Mysterious Galaxy Books
2:00PM
San Diego, California

February 8
Barnes & Noble (Bella Terra)
2:00PM
Huntington Beach, California

February 9
Borders (Waters Place)
7:00PM
Ann Arbor, Michigan

To learn more about The Mercy Thompson series and Bone Crossed, please visit Ms. Briggs: HERE or ACE (A Penguin Group imprint): HERE


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews