'Shadow's Claim' The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist #1 by Kresley Cole

 Received from the Publisher 

From the BLURB:

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people, striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself -- until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore's most fearsome villains. 

Desperate to earn her guardians' approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails -- even though she's lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure. 

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina's heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium's worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away -- or stoke Bettina's own desires to a fever pitch...

Trehan Daciano is the vampire master known as ‘Prince of Shadows’, from Dacian. His job is killing and his people and realm do not exist – they are a myth and a rumour, and anybody who is unlucky enough to discover the truth about their existence will find themselves at the pointy end of Trehan’s sword. This is the fate for one man called Caspian, who left the Dacian realm but will not live to speak of it. 

Princess Bettina of Abaddon is twenty-two years old and preparing to have the rest of her life mapped out for her; at least, her love life. After a vicious attack left her powerless, Bettina agreed to let her uncle Raum and godmother Morgana hold a contest to find her a husband – letting a number of vicious warriors from different demon realms fight for her hand, and her crown.

Bettina is hoping that her best friend and soldier, Caspian, will enter into the contest and promise to put aside his Casanova ways to become her husband. But he is adamant that he won’t live through the night, and speaks cryptically of goodbyes on the eve of the contest. 

On the eve of the contest Trehan follows Caspian’s trail to a room . . . and a scent draws him in further, leading him to a beautiful woman sleeping alone who awakes to his presence and starts ravishing him. And with her kiss, Trehan’s dormant heart starts beating. He has found his bride.

‘Shadow’s Claim’ is the first book in a new spin-off series from Kresley Cole’s ‘Immortals After Dark’ series called ‘The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist’. 

I loved Kresley Cole’s early books in her ‘Immortals After Dark’. I enjoyed meeting the werewolves, vampires and valkyries which populate her paranormal romance series. But the twelve books in her series were very intricately connected – with each book offering an alternate perspective from previous storylines. But eventually it got to the point where the storylines started to feel a little stale, and I was beginning to hope for a new crop of characters. Lo and behold – Cole brings out a new series which is still set in the same universe as ‘Immortals After Dark’ (and actually, her twelfth ‘Immortals’ book, ‘Lothaire’ gave hints about this new series) but we get a new cast of characters. And while some characters from ‘Immortals’ will still be appearing in this new series (Nyx has a small but adorable cameo, Lothaire is a Daciano vampire) half the fun of this new book is just meeting these new characters and getting excited for their future stories.

I’m excited to get Caspian’s perspective; since he’s set up as a Casanova demon who is unbelievably selfish but possibly on a path to reform, and hopeful that he’ll meet his ‘mate’ one day soon. Then there’s Salem, Bettina of Abaddon’s ‘nanny’ of sorts, who is a phantom/sylph and as punishment for an unknown crime, he can only take form in inanimate objects. Salem is really funny, and he keeps telling Bettina that before he was condemned, he was a real looker and ladies-man (something Bettina’s godmother, Morgana, corroborates). Then there’s Trehan’s intriguing family members – the cousins he constantly battles, one called Viktor is particularly vengeful and delicious and a female cousin called Kosmina who has never been permitted to leave Dacian. I’m looking forward to getting all of these POV books.

But as for ‘Shadow’s Claim’ and Trehan/Bettina’s story – I can’t say I loved it as much as ‘A Hunger Like No Other’, but I did enjoy it more than some of Cole’s most recent books. If the characters faltered anywhere it’s simply in the fact that, compared to the vivaciously funny valkyrie characters, Bettina isn’t quite as interesting. But, in all fairness, Bettina was attacked and as a consequence has become very introverted and afraid to leave the safety of her tower. I understand that Trehan was kind of the perfect match for Bettina, being a warrior and able to protect her, but I would have loved it if there’d been a longer look at Bettina standing on her own two feet. 

“I agreed to the tournament.” 

“Why in the gods’ names would you? And why would you ever surrender your blood for a summoning medallion?” Talismans like that were common enough in the Lore. But the demon had to give up blood willingly for it to work. 

She murmured, “They willed it.” Before he could ask what she meant, she attempted a brisk demeanour. “Once the competition begins, I will be completely prepared to wed whoever may win.” Yet her voice broke a bit on the end.  

Completely prepared – and terrified. 

I love that Coles’s universe is expanding and we are getting a new cast of characters to get excited over. Bettina and Trehan were cute and I enjoyed their romance, but I’m more excited over the possibility of some of the secondary characters around them.

4/5 

'Lothaire' Immortals After Dark #12 by Kresley Cole

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD

Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER

Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED

Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

Lothaire is an exiled heir. Legitimate King to the thrones of two vampire factions – the Horde and Dacia – he has spent centuries trying to take what is rightfully his. Plagued by his mother’s dying wishes for her little prince, Lothaire has gained a name for himself as ‘The Enemy of Old’ – and he earned it well and bloody.

A prophecy foretells that Lothaire can only take the two thrones with a blooded bride by his side. Good thing then, that his initial instincts that a mere mortal girl living in the Appalachia Mountains proved incorrect, she is not his bride . . . instead, Lothaire’s intended is a cursed goddess, who has taken up residence in this girl’s body.

Elizabeth Peirce has a demented goddess living inside her body. Nothing, not exorcism or death by lethal injection, will rid Elizabeth of Soroya’s menace. And when a red-eyed demon swoops down and commands Elizabeth to keep his bride safe, she knows her soul is doomed and her body will be taken from her.

‘Lothaire’ is the twelfth book in Kresley Cole’s ‘Immortals After Dark’ paranormal romance series.

This twelfth book is, without a doubt, the most-anticipated in Cole’s series. Lothaire piqued fan’s interest as the ‘Immortals’ bad-boy du-jour, especially with his appearance in book eleven, ‘Dreams of a Dark Warrior’. Lothaire very much came across as an ‘out for himself’ cruel villain. He doesn’t care a fig for others and is wholly consumed with his own desires – mainly, the crowns of two vampire factions. Lothaire’s special vampiric power comes from gaining memories from those he takes blood from. And he uses his ‘ability’ with great cunning and little sympathy. He was deliciously dark and dangerous, and many fans swooned and drooled at the prospect of his book . . . not least of all because the paranormal romance genre has taught readers that, the more devilish the rogue, the better the HEA. Which might be why ‘Lothaire’ doesn’t quite live up to the hype of fan’s lofty expectations . . .

We learn from the start that Lothaire despises humans. They killed his beloved mother, and ever since then he has treated them as little more than fleas. So when Lothaire felt a draw to the Appalachia Mountains, and a young human child called Elizabeth Peirce, he was convinced there was some sort of mistake. He felt no blooded-bride pull towards her, but regardless kept returning to the Mountains at various times to see her turning from a child to woman. Still, he was disgusted by the mere thought of a human for his bride, and was relieved when he returned one day to find a thousand-years old goddess had taken up residence in Elizabeth’s body. A goddess called Soroya, who kills indiscriminately and is making Elizabeth’s life hell. But she is powerful beyond measure, and far more likely to be Lothaire’s intended life mate. Not least because Lothaire cannot fathom being bonded to a human, let alone a ‘hillbilly’ human’;

“How do you know it’s not me who’s . . . blooded you?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Because fate would not slight me so unspeakably. I'd seek a noon-day sun if I were paired with one such as you.”
“Such as me,” she repeated blandly. She’d been mocked too often over her lifetime to take offense. Her skin was as thick as armour.
“Yes, you. An ignorant, mortal Kmart checkout girl.” He took the sharpest knife from his place setting, absently turning it between his left thumb and forefinger.
“Kmart? I should’ve been so lucky. Those jobs were hard to come by. I worked at my uncle’s outfitter shop.”
“Then you’re even worse. You’re an outfitter checkout girl with aspirations for Kmart.”

Now all Lothaire needs is a magic ring to kill Elizabeth’s soul, make Soroya a vampire and keep her preserved in Elizabeth’s body forever. No problem. Except that an evil mummified she-villain is hot on their tail and he has one month to blood his bride . . . all while resisting the annoying allure of the human, Elizabeth Peirce. No problem.

I think one of the down-falls of this particular ‘Immortals’ book, is the lack of secondary characters. I think the last time an ‘Immortals’ book was focused primarily on just two characters was in the second instalment, ‘A Hunger Like No Other’, which also had a kidnap/hostage storyline. But the problem with doing a similar story in this twelfth book is simply that, as a reader, you miss that cast of hilarious and unique secondary characters we’ve come to know and love. We have become so used to a cache of Valkyries, Berserkers, Witches and Lycans that to read a book in which they make minimal appearances (mere paragraphs in some cases) feels lacking somehow. And when Lothaire is such an anti-hero, the book felt doubly claustrophobic because his hatred of Elizabeth and humanity becomes a little too all-encompassing and dreary. I think the book only started to pick up for me towards the end, when Elizabeth starts hanging out more with Lothaire’s resident oracle, a poison-skinned Immortal called ‘Hag’. And when Thaddeus (the Eagle Scout/Quarterback and half-vampire of book eleven) makes a delightful reappearance, acting as Lothaire’s only best-buddy. When these other characters were thrown into the mix, the story started to feel more like an ‘Immortals’ instalment, when Lothaire and Elizabeth had these other people to bounce repartee off of, things got funny and a little more light-hearted.

As it is, because much of the book is just Lothaire and Elizabeth, the progression of their relationship also came across as a hellacious case of Stockholm Syndrome. Lothaire really makes it hard for Elizabeth to fall for him – what with his total degradation of her humanity, family, socio-economic standing etc, etc, etc. And I also had a problem with the fact that pretty much the only thing that draws these two together is good looks. Lothaire laments that Elizabeth is so beautiful, because it makes resisting her that much harder. And when Elizabeth can find nothing redeeming in Lothaire, she still falls for him (presumably because he’s pretty on the outside, regardless of being ugly on the inside). It’s not a great message to send out – all looks, no substance – and it’s disappointing because Cole’s characters are usually deliciously witty and crass, laugh-out-loud funny and with a certain verve that makes them irresistible, despite otherwise prickly demeanours.

Still, the book did pick up towards the end . . . when Lothaire starts interacting with other vampires and Elizabeth meets the Valkyrie. When surrounded with these secondary characters we have come to know and love, the book’s pace picks up and careens us towards a most fulfilling and interesting end. Not to mention things just get a heck of a lot funnier when more Immortals are added into the mix;

Then, to the sounds of a shocked chorus of Valkyries . . .
— “Oh, come on, the vamp won’t actually do – DUDE! She fucking did it!”
— “Ellie’s my best friend.”
— “I liked her before I even met her – you hate her compared to how much I like her.”

And I was over-the-moon with the ending, because it hints at more Lothaire appearances in book thirteen in a truly cunning twist of fate. And I do think that Lothaire’s character transformation at the end of this book will make him easier to swallow in upcoming ‘Immortals’ appearances . . . as it is, Lothaire is a bit too much of the evil anti-hero throughout a lot of this book. Perhaps we needed him diluted with a bit more humour (even of the mocking variety), but for me the much-anticipated ‘Lothaire’ instalment was a wee bit underwhelming.

3/5

'Dreams of a Dark Warrior' Immortals After Dark #11 by Kresley Cole

From the BLURB:

HE VOWED HE’D COME FOR HER . . .

Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . .

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . .

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

Regin is cursed to love one man, and lose him, over and over and over again. . .

The Valkyrie first met mortal man Aidan the Fierce when she was twelve years old. Nine years later they became lovers, until the night that Aidan was brutally murdered before her eyes. But he vowed he would come back for her, would never be kept from his beloved Reginleit, his Radiant One.

Over the centuries Aidan came back, again and again, always a warrior. Regin found and loved Aidan in four different reincarnations. And each time he dies right after remembering who he is, and what Regin means to him.

Now Aidan is back, this time as Declan Chase – ‘magister’ and hunter of immortals. He’s tasked with finding the infamous Valkyrie, Regin, and locking her in a cell to be experimented on and cracked open.

But when Chase inevitably remembers who he is, and how much Regin means to him, will he be able to live with what he has done to her as the Magister?

‘Dreams of a Dark Warrior’ is the eleventh book in Kresley Cole’s ‘Immortals After Dark’ paranormal romance series.

I love Cole’s series. Eleven books in and I still come into each new novel with giddy anticipation, and I’m very rarely disappointed with her heady mix of action, humour and romance. But I have to admit that with ‘Dreams’ I was a little underwhelmed.

In keeping with Coles’s usual timeline overlap, the eleventh book retraces over the storyline of ‘Demon from the Dark’. That book was also set in the immortals holding facility, but told from Carrow’s captured perspective. This time around we get the view from both imprisoned Regin, and her captor, Declan Chase.

I am a little bit over the prison-setting at this point. The twelfth book in the series is ‘Lothaire’, and I have a feeling that we might just be going back to the prison (for a little while at least) because a bit of Lothaire’s background takes place during his confinement. I do understand that this is Cole’s MO – she looks at the same events, from a different character perspective and lends new plot dimensions to ground that readers have already tread. But usually her settings are grandiose and exotic – she has taken us to the Scottish Highlands, picturesque New Orleans and even an Amazonian jungle. And if she’s not taking readers off the continent, she at least sets a good portion of her books in the always fun Val Hall – sorority home of the Valkyrie’s. So, by comparison, the immortals prison is just a little ho-hum.

I did like Regin and Chase/Aidan’s romance. It’s fraught with tension and drama, of the star-crossed, doomed-love variety. I thought Aidan and Regin had a wonderfully epic back story. But as the novel progresses we come to realize that Regin didn’t really, truly love Aidan . . . and that didn’t ring quite ring true for me. I admit, I thought it would be tricky for Chase to accept that Regin could love him, while remembering Aidan – but I also thought it was a minor cop-out to say that this beautiful, grand romance she had with Aidan wasn’t really all it was cracked up to be.

Of course this is ‘Immortals After Dark’, and Ms Cole brings the funny. Regina is a total crack-up, as is her prison cellmate, the fey Natalya. It’s always the case that the funniest moments intermingle with the high-drama, and that’s once again true in ‘Dreams’;

Regin cocked her brow at a dead guard’s machine gun. She hooked her foot under it, hiking it up to catch it.
Natalya said, “Have you ever fired one of those?”
Lorekind scorned them. The weapons were so tackily human. “Look, I've seen Terminator. How difficult can it be? Now, let’s go find Tiger!”

One thing I really liked about this book was introduction of a new Immortal call Thad. He’s a seventeen-year-old cellmate of Regin and Natalya’s, who has only just realized he is part-vampire when some storm-trooper-wannabes dragged him into the prison. To say he’s not coping well is an understatement. But underneath it all Thad is still a Texan quarterback and Eagle Scout, and some hilarity ensues when Natalya very nearly makes him her jailbait. I loved Thad, and I hope his appearance hints that he’ll get his own book one day soon.

All in all, ‘Dreams of a Dark Warrior’ kind of paled in comparison to bigger and better ‘After Dark’ books. I have high-hopes that Lothaire’s book will bring the series back on a high, because his story (and questionable sexuality) were very amusing in this eleventh book.

3/5

'Demon from the Dark' Immortals After Dark #10 by Kresley COLE

From the BLURB:

A DANGEROUS DEMON SHE CAN’T RESIST . . .

Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he’s pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A MADDENING WITCH HE ACHES TO CLAIM . . .

Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

TRAPPED TOGETHER IN A SAVAGE PRISON . . .

In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

‘Demon from the Dark’ is the tenth book in Kresley Cole’s ‘Immortals After Dark’ paranormal romance series.

Carrow Graie has been kidnapped. Along with hundreds of other immortal creatures, from vampires to nymphs, she has been captured by human military-types who lock her up in glass cages and intend to do experiments on her witchy-self. The stakes are raised when a witch from Carrow’s coven is murdered, and her daughter taken prisoner. Now Carrow has to rescue herself, and little witch Ruby. And it just so happens that the humans have a proposition for her...

Carrow is to travel to a demon dimension and retrieve a vemon (demon-vampire hybrid) to be bought back to the prison for experimentation. There are only four vemons in the entire world, so Malkom Slaine is very rare indeed. . .

Carrow is on a mission - capture Malkom and bring him back to be experimented and tortured. Should be easy, since Malkom is a horned, ravenous, hairy beast. . . but what happens when Carrow introduces him to personal hygiene and he keeps saving her life in the demon dimension? What happens when Malkom turns out to be hot and hunky and Carrow suddenly can’t stand the idea of betraying him?

I wasn’t sure going into this tenth instalment, since I've had a few hits and misses with the ‘Immortals After Dark’ series. I tend to only like the books concerning the Lycans and Valkyries – because I love the Lycan’s Scottish brogue and the Valkyrie have some hilarious secondary characters (Nucking Futs Nix!).

I was also a little sceptical about this tenth book because Carrow and Malkom were completely unknown characters to me. I hadn’t been anticipating their story, because they weren’t secondary characters in past book. Carrow may have been mentioned in passing, but not enough to pique my interest about her HEA.

So I went in to ‘Demon from the Dark’ very sceptical, but I came out with a new ‘Immortals’ heartthrob to lust after!

‘Demon from the Dark’ is a paranormal retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Carrow is a witchy party-girl who grew up in the lap of luxury, but had an isolated childhood. She has had many boyfriends, but few honest relationships... until she travels to a demon dimension and meets Malkom Slaine.

I was initially wary of Malkom as a love interest because his physical description is so foul. He’s tall and towering; with wildly long hair, no concept of tooth-brushing, caked-on dirt and he eats chicken blood. Eew. To top it off, Malkom has two large horns above his ears and is a blood-drinking vampire. Carrow’s first-impression of Malkom is not helped by a language barrier between them. Malkom can only speak demon, Carrow only knows some Anglish and neither of them can understand a word the other says. . . Kresly Cole’s signature hilarity ensues;

Occasionally he shrugged without interest.

“I should name you Wilson the Volleyball. You understand as much as Wilson did and respond as infrequently. What’s that?” She cupped her ear as if the demon had spoken. “No, no, you’re right, Wilson was more hygienic.”

Malkom definitely starts out beastly, but is eventually transformed. Carrow bathes him, introduces him to a tooth-brush and cuts his hair, and realizes that beneath the dirt is a burning hunk o’ vemon man! We also learn that there’s more to Malkom than the ravening beast he starts out as. He actually has a very tragic past; he was a child blood-whore and sex slave, then he was a prince’s friend, royal betrayer and when Carrow meets him he is in the midst of his centuries-long punishment. . . he’s perhaps the most complicated ‘Immortals’ man we’ve met in the series, but he’s also the sexiest.

Carrow and Malkom’s sexual relationship starts out rocky. Malkom recognizes Carrow as his mate from the moment he smells her, but the language-barrier prevents him from explaining his maddening lust to her. . . there’s no rape, but Carrow has to lay down the law where Malkom’s lustfulness is concerned;

But his size. Avoiding intercourse with him had been wise. “Am thinking your file is too big for my computer to access, big guy,” she absently muttered.

But when these two do get hot n’ heavy. . . watch out! They burn up the page! These two are the absolute cutest couple to come out of the ‘Immortals After Dark’ series. Their Beauty and the Beast, will-they-or-won’t-they tension is delicious and Malkom is so manly and rough around the edges! I loved these two together, and I especially adored Malkom. ‘Demon from the Dark’ is my favourite ‘Immortals’ book after ‘A Hunger Like no Other’ – and that’s a big call!

5/5

'Pleasure of a Dark Prince' Immortals After Dark #9 by Kresley COLE

From the BLURB:

Can the beast seduce a beauty and make her love him...? A promise of pleasure ...from a brutal warrior determined to protect her. Never far from her bow, Lucia the Huntress is as mysterious as she is beautiful. But the secrets she harbors could destroy her-and those she loves-and every day brings more danger. It isn't safe for her to be with Garreth MacRieve, yet whenever she sees the fierce werewolf with his smoldering eyes, she finds herself surrendering to his kiss. An uncontrollable need ...that can only be sated with her touch. From the shadows, Garreth, prince of the Lykae, has long watched over Lucia, the lovely little Valkyrie who alternately maddens him and inflames his lust. He aches to claim the seductive creature as his own and keep her safe from harm, but first he must convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do that he'll exploit Lucia's greatest weakness-her desire for him.

‘Pleasure of a Dark Prince’ is the latest instalment in Kresley Cole’s ‘Immortals Afetr Dark’ series.

I started out absolutely loving this series. First book, ‘A Hunger Like No Other’, is one of my all-time favourite paranormal romance novels. It tells the story of werewolf king, Lachlain MacRieve, and his discovery of half Valkyrie/vampire mate, Emmaline. Since that first instalment, the series has spanned out to tell the story of other members of Emma’s Valkyrie family and Lachlain’s werewolf clan – and the series now stands at 9 books, with a 10th coming later this year.

I haven’t been as in love with recent books in the series. Books #5 and #6 focused on a new supernatural ‘Lore’ population of vampires and demons – and my interest started to wane. I am happy to say though that my love for this series is once again ignited with book #9, ‘Pleasure of a Dark Prince’.

Part of the reason that I loved this new installment is that it’s set during the timeline of book #1, ‘A Hunger Like No Other’. This new story is told from two new perspectives; Lachlain’s younger brother, Garreth and Emma’s aunt, Lucia the Archer. These characters appeared in book #1, and Ms. Cole did dangle fascinating tidbits - heavily hinting that their story would be told eventually. It has taken Kresley Cole nine books to get around to Garreth and Lucia’s story – but it was worth the wait!

I like that in ‘Dark Prince’ Cole has gone back to the basics of the series. The story once again focuses on the Valkyrie and Lykae (werewolf), and fan-favorite characters make their reappearance. Lachlain and Emmaline are back, as are Nucking Futs Nix (the Valkyrie soothsayer), werewolf Bowen and plenty more.

I especially loved the fact that a good portion of the book takes place at the Valkyrie home base (/sorority house) ‘Val Hall’. The Valkyrie females are a hilarious bunch: they’re all roughly one-thousand-years-old, a little bit wacky but still very contemporary and spout mile-a-minute witticisms and pop-culture references that keep me laughing.

“I hope they’re in town. I want to face them!” Regin stood and brandished one of the two swords that she usually wore in sheaths crisscrossed over her back – in addition to the dagger sheath she customarily wore on her forearm. “I’ll lunch on their balls!”

That was Regin’s new threat: to lunch on enemies’ balls. “Reege, when you threaten males with that, I don’t think it has the result you intend. They think less ‘Lunchables’, more ‘tea bag’.”

“Huh? Whatever!”

The second-half of the novel takes place in the Amazon jungle. Ms. Cole really loves grandiose settings for her novels, she has taken readers from the Scottish Highlands to New Orleans… and she clearly relishes the opportunity to write a more exotic location. There are piranhas, alligators and bloodthirsty natives, and Cole has a lot of fun with her location. She also introduces some interesting new secondary characters, including a drunken riverboat captain called Travis and a she-man called Izabel. I really hope we read these characters again, because Cole has written a very interesting subplot for them and I want to continue with it.

But the best thing about ‘Dark Prince’ is the steamy romance between Garreth and Lucia. These two are at loggerheads with one another – mainly because Garreth is not prepared for such a stubborn female for his mate. There’s real tension between these two, and it equates to some very H-O-T smutty scenes:

Just before he took her clitoris between his lips, he growled. “Come hard for your male,” then he suckled her.

“Ah, gods!” Her thighs fell wide open as she wantonly bucked to his mouth. Lightning flashed like bomb bursts outside. “Oh, yes!” She drew a breath, needing to scream again. But he put his palm over her mouth for her to cry out against.

I loved this book! I thought I was done with this series, but Kresley Cole has reminded me what I first loved about ‘Immortals After Dark’, and she dangles some very enticing future plot lines toward the end of ‘Dark Prince’. This is a steamy, romantic and fantastic paranormal romance read.

BIG thanks to ‘book addict’ Patti for gifting me this copy (and a delicious praline!).

5/5

‘Demon from the Dark’ coming 31 August 2010

'Dark Desires After Dusk' Immortals After Dark #6 by Kresley COLE

From the BLURB:

A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can't resist...

Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

A tormented warrior she should fear, but can't deny...

Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon's wicked touch.

Surrender to dark desires...

Yet just when he earns Holly's trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs -- and claim his heart?

This is the 6th book in Kresley Cole’s ‘Immortals after dark’ series.

I struggled with plot logistics in this novel. Cade (the ‘kingmaker’) and his Kingly brother Rydstrom have been appearing spasmodically throughout the ‘Immortals’ series. I admit, I’ve never really grasped their storyline. Its been told in drips and drabs throughout the various books, but always in passing between characters and never with much detail.

Even in this book, the story behind how Cade lost Rydstrom his demonic thrown is told a little too hastily to grasp. In fact, I was a little hazy on the entire plot of ‘Dusk’. For one thing, the action kicks-off from page one and sets out a fast pace from there on in. Kresley Cole is relying on the reader remembering tidbits from previous books – like the fact that NÏx predicted Rydstrom would regain his crown when he found a sword that would kill demon-rival Omort. Or the fact that Omort’s brothrer, Groot, owns this sword. Kresley Cole is also hoping that readers will remember the fact that Cade has been spying on a human female for the last year after bumping into her at a college campus. It was a good thing Cole kept repeating her character’s motivations in one-line catch-phrases, or else I would have been a little confused; “Cade had to trade his female for Groot’s sword”, etc.

I did like Cade; he was cheeky, funny and totally smitten on Holly.

He knew it was ridiculous. He was an ancient immortal, a brutal mercenary, head of a crew of soldiers of fortune. And yet Cade looked forward to nothing – except seeing her.

But maybe my liking Cade had a little something to do with his linguistic-similarity to Bones from Jeaniene Frost’s ‘Night Huntress’ series. Cade speaks in a British accent, constantly throwing out words like ‘chit’, ‘tosser’ and ‘pet’. And I’m a sucker for a British accent….

I did feel that Cade was underdeveloped as a character. He’s been harbouring guilt over losing his brother’s crown nine centuries ago – yet Cole never gives him a really cathartic scene in which he comes to terms with his guilt. Maybe that’s coming in book 7, since that one deals with Rydstrom, but it’s a gaping hole in ‘Dusk’.

Holly Ashwin (human turned Valkryie) was a so-so character for me. As a human she battled OCD which had her needing her life organized in divisions of three and not being able to eat or drink anything contaminated by her own hands. I actually think Cole could have pushed Holly’s OCD even further – because once she turns Valkryie she pretty much has her compulsions under control, despite complaining otherwise. I think if Cole had given Holly an extreme case of chronic OCD it would have been a bigger triumph for her character to overcome, and a more distinct transformation.

One thing I can’t fault is Kresley Cole’s sex scenes. She never crosses the line into trashy, and she manages to shake things up in all of her books; never relying on the same clichéd descriptions or positions. It's actually pretty impressive how she manages to keep things steamy.

The general plot of ‘Dusk’ confused me a little, and just when I thought I had a pretty good grasp on everything; Cole rushes the ending. Cade betrays Holly in a very vicious way, and it’s at this point that emotions are wrought and the stakes are heightened. But Cole wraps things up too neatly and quickly.

This is probably the worst of the ‘Immortals’ books so far, IMO. I would prefer the books to concentrate on the Valkryie living in Val Hall, or the Scottish werewolves; but that’s just my preference.

2/5

'Wicked deeds on a winter's night' Immortals After Dark #4 by Kresley COLE

From the BLURB:

Her breathless kiss haunts him...

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed -- until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible...

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction...

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul -- or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

This is Kresley Cole’s third book in her ‘Immortals after dark’ series. We met Bowen MacRieve in the first book ‘A hunger like no other’ as Lachlain’s best friend and cousin still reeling after the death of his mate 180 years ago. Bowen and Mariketa both appeared in the second book ‘No rest for the wicked’ as players in the Hie (Amazing Race-style treasure hunt). ‘Wicked deeds on a winter’s night’ starts out by filling in the story-gaps of the second book by revisiting the Hie. The first half of the novel is set in Guatemala as Bowen, Mariketa and a handful of other Hie-players try to make their way out of the jungle.

Bowen has been a fascinating secondary character for 2 of Cole’s books now, and I was really happy to finally read his story. Before the book even begins you know that Bowen and Mariketa have a lot going against them – mainly Bowen’s still grieving over his dead mate (after 180 years!). So there is a real element of ‘will-they-or-won’t-they?’ because the emotional stakes are so high and seemingly insurmountable.

There is quite a bit of action in this book too – plenty of fights and near misses, and all set in an exotic (and dangerous) location. Cole is great at the edge-of-you-seat stuff and there’s plenty in ‘Wicked deeds’.

I was a bit conflicted about the character of Mariketa. She has an interesting background and history, and is made even more fascinating by the fact that she is the witches’ future leader. Except for the small problem of having no control over her powers and being an ‘underachiever’ (or as she calls herself, an ‘overfailer’). My problem was her similarities to Emmaline Troy (from ‘A hunger like no other’) – both are half fey (Emma is fey/vampire while Mariketa is fey/witch) and both women are contending with Alpha males who resent their attraction to the females. I felt like I’d read this story before between Emma and Lachlain.

Nevertheless, if there is one thing Kresley Cole excels at it’s steamy romance. Her sex scenes are fabulously sensual and her men are always yummy Alpha’s. Bowen is a great character – funny, cheeky, flirtatious but ultimately cautious about getting his heart broken again. Together Bowen and Mariketa make a great, funny couple;

She inwardly shook herself. “MacRieve, when I settle down it’s going to be with a male that has - oh, I don’t know - a sense of humor, or of modesty. How about a lack of scathing hatred toward witches? Maybe a zest for life? Too much to ask that he’s born in the same millennium?”

I love this series, it’s one guaranteed to please. Because the timelines between books are so close it can be a bit difficult to pick up where the action last left off – but Cole’s speedy pace means there’s never a dull moment.

3.5/5