Never been Bit by Lydia Dare (Terra's Review)

Alec MacQuarrie's after-life has become an endless search for pleasure in an effort to overcome his heartbreak and despair. Wandering through the seedy world of London's demimonde, he's changed into a dark and fearsome creature even he doesn't recognize until he stumbles into a magical lass he knew once upon a time and sees a glimpse of the life he could have had.

But the ton is no match for one incorrigible young lady...

After watching each of her coven sisters happily marry, Sorcha Ferguson is determined to capture a Lycan husband of her very own. When she encounters Alec, she decides to save her old friend from what he's become, all while searching for her own happily-ever-after.

Over his dead body is Alec going to allow this enchanting innocent to throw herself away on an unworthy werewolf, but that leaves him responsible for her, and he's the worst monster of them all...

(Terra's Thoughts) Lydia Dare never fails to please. This is a wonderful fulfillment to our naughty Scottish witches that we have all come to love and cherish. This is a story that shows us that we don't always get what we want but do get what we need. True love in it's purest form.

Sorcha Ferguson is the youngest of the coven of Scottish witches and her wonderful gift is with nature. Just a encouraging whisper from her lips to a plant in need of TLC will have said plant spring up faster than hare running to it's bolt hole. Sorcha is the most easy going and less judgemental of the witches and her personality touches all whom she encounters. Will her easy going nature plunge her headlong into the arms of the wrong man or can Sophia save an innocent dear friend from a wronged evil?

Alec MacQuarrie is the poor sap who was head over heals in love with a witch who didn't love him back. Tall and handsome, timid and pure in life has him fall victim to an evil at the other end of the spectrum. His soul lost, his heart broken, will there be a redemption for a wayward lost being such as he? Will his chances of finding love ever pass his way again and if it does will he dare even hope that it can give him back the courage to go for it?

This is a story of what one hopes to come true only to do an about face and go exactly opposite. An adorable story of long friendships that had no possibility of anything more to become such a surprise that both characters really question their own sanity.

Alex is faced with a dreaded decision being thrown against him only to have Sorcha come to the rescue to save him by jeopardising her own reputation. One heartless scandal stopped only to reveal another scandal made of innocence, love, friendship and protectiveness. It only takes a whisper on the wind to bring the house of cards falling down all around them all. Can fate take the past, present and future and tie it up in one neat loving package or will innocence be damned for all eternity?

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402245130
ISBN-13: 978-1402245138

The Wedding Affair by Leigh Michaels (Terra's Review)

The Duke of Somervale's sister's wedding brings together three couples who must sort themselves out to avoid scandal. The handsome Duke persuades Lady Reyne to pretend to be his fiancée so he can avoid the matchmakers but falls in love with her anyway. Lady Reyne's friend Kate discovers how much she has in common with adventurer Andrew Carlisle, and Lady Penelope Townsend discovers new love with her estranged husband.

(Terra's Thoughts) This was a thoroughly delightful story packed with action and romance. Three couples all set with their own story lines but entangled like a spider's web. This was great fun trying to guess who is going to compromise whom, when and where. Gotta watch those dark corners and sneaky out of the way places dear Duke!

We actually have six characters in this story that are the focus of plenty of to do's. How our author keeps her head on straight is a miracle in itself.

First there is the Duke of Somervale and Lady Reyne playing at being betrothed to avoid a mansion full of bride's maids. A chance meeting gives the Duke just what he needs but more than he bargained for. Lady Reyne is short funded so she sees her chance at securing her future in the way she wants it only to have it slip right between her fingers into another destiny. Quite cleaver really.

Secondly, we have Kate who is boarding with Lady Reyne and is a dear friend to her. Kate becomes entangled with Andrew Carlisle whom she knew when she was young and impressionable and despises more than a bed full of fleas. Their encounters through out the story are full of misconceptions with a powerful hunger of attraction that will leave them reeling.

Third, we have Lady Penelope Townsend with her husband. A husband in name only with an incredible chip on his shoulder and a powerful loathing for the woman he married. What can Lady Penelope do to try and get her husband to be the man whom she thought would be her whole world. How does one seduce one's own husband who is not willing to even be in the same room with you? Hmm......a house full of bride's maids with conniving minds and other wedding guests are sure to prove to be some help. Well, at least I would hope so or our Lady is in dire trouble.

The author has given us every element of emotion, seduction, trickery, misconceptions and anything else you would love to throw into the mixture. A very busy book that doesn't confuse you when having to deal with three sets of characters but a very, very entertaining one. I honestly couldn't put the darn thing down for the life of me. It was delightfully fun and I look forward to see what Leigh Michaels comes up with next.

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402244215
ISBN-13: 978-1402244216

Tempted by Elisabeth Naughton (Terra's Review)

DEMETRIUS—He’s the hulking, brooding warrior his fellow Guardians avoid. Too dark. Too damaged. And given his heritage, he knows it’s best to keep everyone at arm’s length.

Isadora is missing. The words pounded through his head like a frantic drumbeat. For her own protection, Demetrius had done all he could to avoid the fragile princess, his soul mate. And now she was gone—kidnapped. To get her back, he’ll have to go to the black place in his soul he’s always shunned. As daemons ravage the human realm and his loyalty to the Guardians is put to the ultimate test, Demetrius realizes that Isadora is stronger than anyone thought. And finally letting her into his heart may be the only way to save them both.

(Terra's Thoughts) Glad I paid attention during High School to my Greek mythology. This is one seriously hot book with all kinds of surprises that one hasn't seen before. I truly didn't know if I should sit on the edge of my seat with all the action or to grab a bib for all the sexual actions. Good gosh!

Isadora is a beautiful princess about to become Queen weather she likes it or not. Her father is failing rapidly and is trying to have Isa binded before he should pass from this world to the next so that she will have a King and consort to watch over her and to make sure the monarchy stays in place in a nation that is at war. Isa is beautiful, petite and delicate. Unfortunately for her it seems like shes on every ones wish list including the Gods and not the very nice ones at that.

Demetrius is the most gorgeous hunk of male walking around but unfortunately he has a stick up his ass with an attitude of I-don't-give-a-shit-so-make-my-day. He is rude, crude, bitchy, sarcastic and just a royal bastard to anyone and everyone. He is only accepted into society because of the markings on his arm that make him one of the Argonauts (Guardians of all that is good). Hmm..........I'll take a piece of tall, dark and brooding Greek male any day if it looks like he does. YUMM!

The story bounces around between different places with tons of action, lots of Greek mythology, plenty of bad guys and monsters with a dash of Gods with horrible tempers and bad manners. There is also tons and tons of sexual heat, lust that will sizzle your panties off and ultra hot sex that will make you want to pounce on the first male that comes into vision. Well at least males that are of age and don't mind being part of a fantasy come true. LOL!

Elisabeth Naughton has given us a story that so reminiscent of some other authors but with it's own cranked up style. A story that can stand alone but there are a few books before this one that would only add a little more spice to this one if you should read them first. Tempted does however leave you lapping your chops for the next book which I truly hope is as powerful as this one.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402260466
ISBN-13: 978-1402260469

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Terra's Review)

Harm no human…

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief—Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meeting the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.

A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster…

Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who’s assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on. He also knows he’s not the one who killed her parents. But Abigail refuses to believe the truth and is determined to see him dead once and for all.

Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they’ve sworn to protect.

(Terra's Thoughts) This was such a delicious treat and I waited ever so long but ooh......it was worth it. The story has a Western US flair that includes more new creepies that what we've seen in previous books. A drawing on the Native American myths and legends gave this the oomph that it needed.

Jess Brady was a notorious killer back in his day. He was probably as bad if not worse than Billy the Kid. He trusted no one until along comes a woman who sees only the good in him and this gives Jess the daring to take the chance at trying to have a normal life. We all know how this one is going to go though don't we.

Abby Yager is a beautiful young thing with a chip on her shoulder and a vendetta twice as big as the Grand Canyon. Having seen her dear mama killed at a young age and then being kidnapped by the Dark Hunters enemies puts Abby in a pickle. Who do you believe when being told one thing but you could swear you seen something different? Who do you believe when presented with the supposed truth by those who kidnapped you but have been the only stability in your life for so many years? Abby has to make a choice between those she's loved for so long and the one man that she instantly falls in love with. A choice between dark and darker, evil vs. mega evil. Can she do the right thing?

I loved the way Sherrilyn Kenyon brought in legends and myths from the Old West and from Native Americans of that area. I found it quite refreshing to have a bit of something different while still running hard with the Dark Hunter story line. They say variety is the spice of life and this is so true with this story. Variety is what gives it the spice and a wonderful life of it's own.

What we have come to love with our beloved Dark Hunters is brought forward with lustre. Action packed with creepies galore, sizzling sex that will ignite that stick of dynamite in Jess's pants along with so much more keeps this fan happy as a pea. I can't wait to see what comes up next as I'm loving the little changes to the original theme.

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (August 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312546599
ISBN-13: 978-0312546595

Winners of Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dina is the winner of the Hardcover copy!

*CrystalGB is the winner of the Audio copy!

Please send your snail mail info to terraontop57 at yahoo dot com. You have fourty eight (48) hours to claim your prize or it will go to someone else. Congrats to our winners and I hope you enjoy your prize!

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon Trailer & Giveaway (US only) Update: 1 Hardcover and 1 Audiobook up for grabs!

I just finished reading this and it is Kick Ass awesome! Love the Southwest flair!  Oh give me some Sundown to do some lovely nasties with!



About the Book

Original Publication Date: August 02, 2011

Setting: Las Vegas, NV

Harm no human…

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters...

This is for the hardcover copy:

Okay now for the fun stuff. St. Martin's Press is allowing me to give away one copy of this most fantastic book to one lucky winner (US residents only) who leaves a post with their email addy. Winner will be picked on August 8th and you have 48 hours to respond to my congrat email or another winner will be chosen. Let's get this one going everyone as it's a quicky and a goodie! Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a goodie to be sure. Good Luck to all!

Update: Oh boy we're going to up the ante! Macmillan Audio has just informed me that they are willing to put up one copy of the Retribution Audiobook for grabs to one lucky winner in the US of A! That's right everyone now you have two chances if you're real good. Thanks to Macmillian Audio for this lovely surprise!

Now how about this for a teaser:
Characters
The Hero: Sundown

Jess grew up hard under the hand of a father who hated him, and a mother who was fighting illness. At age thirteen, he ran away and headed out west where he quickly learned life wasn't fair and it wasn't easy for a boy with no family. By age sixteen, he'd learned to make his living as a gunslinger, train robber and card sharp. He lived his life hard and was ruthlessly shot in the back outside the church where his fiancee...

The Heroine: Abigail

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of Apollites and raised on one belief: Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both Apollites and mankind. They must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meets the man who killed her family... Jess Brady.