Tour Review: Seal of Destiny by Traci Douglass

Title: Seal of Destiny

Series: Seven Seals #1

Author: Traci Douglass

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy Fiction, Supernatural Fiction

Elements: Immortals, Demons, Angels

Publisher: Crimson Romance

Format: PDF, 158 Pages

ISBN: 9781440563430

Release Date: January 21, 2013

Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating:

Purchase Here: Kindle

Tagline(s): Love conquers all . . . but can it stop the Apocalypse?

Summary: Mira Herald is having the worst life ever. Not only is she plagued by horrific nightmares starring the Devil himself, she’s now the target of a power-hungry, rogue minion, freshly sprung from Hell and bent on her destruction. To complicate matters further, she’s acquired a stalker. One who insists he’s a divine warrior sent for her protection because she houses an ancient relic with the power to unleash Armageddon. Last time Mira checked, she wasn’t insane. Still, all this celestial mayhem is enough to drive a girl crazy.

Kagan is a member of the Scion, an elite team of immortal warriors selected by Divinity to aid mankind and save the world. After a century alone, Kagan is summoned for a new mission. He’s eager to begin. Eager until he’s informed his mission consists of protecting a woman with no clue to the power she wields. Plus, his briefing fails to prepare him for his new target’s cosmic-sized attitude problem. As Divinity’s sworn servant, he’s required to fulfill his duty. His oath, however, does not require him to be enthusiastic about his new assignment or warm-and-fuzzy toward his new compatriot. He plans a wham-bam rescue and a quick return to solitude.

The minion attacks—with the backing of a mysterious organization—and all Hades erupts, putting a fast end to any whirlwind escapes. Accustomed to staunch independence, Mira’s survival now requires full cooperation and an unwavering belief in Kagan. The battle-hardened warrior is also forced to chose: between duty and desire. Amidst the turmoil, Kagan and Mira’s undeniable passion draws them closer to each other and down a path neither expected but both yearn for, more than they ever knew.

Will love save the day? The world’s fate depends on the answer.

Review:

REVIEW WILL BE POSTED AFTER 12 PM.

Exclusive Excerpt Seal Of Destiny:

“Basta!” Kagan grabbed her by the arm and twisted slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to let her know he meant business as he directed her to a corner booth. He ignored the half-full beverages and coats scattered on the seats and shoved Mira into the confined space. When the booth’s original owners took issue with his hostile takeover, Kagan dispatched them with a lethal glare. He wasn’t sure where the girl had gotten the idea his mind was damaged, but he was damn sure he didn’t like it. He moved in behind her to block her escape.

“Oh, hell, no!” After several unsuccessful strikes to his muscled physique, Mira tried to slide out beneath the table. The angle proved too awkward. Defeated, she shoved as far away as she could into the corner and propped those killer boots on the seat in front of her in warning. “You better let me out of here, asshole, before I call the cops! I caught you stalking me, pervert!”

Kagan took a deep breath. He never lost his cool in battle, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Pervert? You’re of age, si?”

Mira glared. Kagan ticked through their earlier interactions, searching for a reason behind her intense hostility. His preternatural instincts sensed her intention before her hand reached his carotid. He blocked her quickly, locking her small hand within his and forcing it to the table beneath his own. Her pulse raced against his palm. He took another swig of beer then flashed his most endearing grin. “Let’s start over.” He released his bottle and extended his hand. “I’m Kagan.”

She refused to acquiesce. Kagan spoke in quiet tones meant to calm, to reassure. “I know I’m a stranger, but we have things to discuss.” He glanced around the crowded club, at the bodies packed tight. “We can’t do it here, though—no privacy. My apartment is close. Why don’t we go there and talk?”

Mira kicked him hard in the thigh.

“Merda!” Kagan grabbed his throbbing leg. “What’s in those damn boots? Marble?”

“Let me out of here, jackass, before I sideline your baby-maker!” Mira struggled within the tight confines of the booth. As she squirmed, the spicy scent of her shampoo wafted, and he was overcome with the strangest urge to plunge his hands into the riotous mass of her hair, to feel it curl around his fingers. She tugged on the hand pinned beneath his, and his thumb traced over her thudding veins. His heart pounding along with hers. The odd tingle sped through his torso, and his mouth turned to cotton. Her gaze blazed up at him, a swirling mix of green and golden brown. He noted the dark smudges below and wondered what kept her from slumber.

Dolce Cristo! Kagan looked away, fought for control. This was getting way out of hand. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d bedded a woman, but apparently it had been far too long.

About this Author:

Traci is the author of paranormal/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.

A storyteller since childhood, she began putting her tales down on paper in November 2011 after the idea for the Seven Seals Series occurred to her in a dream. She finished the first draft of what was to become Seal of Destiny in one month and decided to pursue a full-time writing career in January of 2012. Life has now been a rollercoaster, crash course in pursuing your dreams.

Traci is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of Seal of Destiny won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers. Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series and a new futuristic detective series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.

Website: http://www.tracidouglass.net
FB Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/TraciDouglassAuthor
Twitter: @Traci_Douglass
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8112113-traci-douglass
Publisher: www.crimsonromance.com

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Challenge Review: The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Lie
Series: Lords of the Underworld #6
Author(s): Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction

Elements: Demons, Immortals, Angels, Deities

Setting Location(s): Budapest, Hungary ; Hell ; Titania ; Chicago, Illinois ; Greece
Publisher: HQN Books, Harlequin Books

Format:  Mass Market Paperback, 444 Pages
ISBN: 978037377416
Release Date: June 29, 2010
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 5/5

Purchase Here: Kindle // Mass Market Paperback

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Forced to his knees in agony whenever he speaks the truth, Gideon can recognize any lie—until he captures Scarlet, a demon-possessed immortal who claims to be his long-lost wife. He doesn’t remember the beautiful female, much less wedding — or bedding — her. But he wants to . . . almost as much as he wants her.

But Scarlet is keeper of Nightmares, too dangerous to roam free, and a future with her could mean ultimate ruin. Especially as Gideon’s enemies draw closer . . . and the truth threatens to destroy all he’s come to love . . .

Review:

As Keeper of Lies, Gideon can recognize when he's being lied to, but when he meets Scarlet, the Keeper of Nightmares, and she tells him that she's his wife, Gideon can't tell if she speaks true or false. I won't say much on the truth of the matter, but I will pose these questions: What if someone caused you to believe something so completely that there is no room for doubt? What would you do if it all turned out to be false? Where Scarlet remembers a whole life with Gideon before their possession, Gideon only remembers snippets, and none of it is what Scarlet remembers. So who's memory is correct? Even with this possible falsehood between them, Gideon and Scarlet still manage to love each other. It's a painful road they take to get to that point, but it's also beautiful. We also find out an interesting tidbit about their demons, Lies and Nightmares.

While Gideon and Scarlet's story is the main one in The Darkest Lie, there are three smaller plotlines that set up the stories for future books. One is about Amun and how he was overrun by demons while helping Aeron free Legion from Hell. The next is about Sienna and how she feels used and betrayed by Paris, but her rage at Cronus for making her the new Keeper of Wrath has her trying to escape and find Paris for help. And the final one is about Strider and how he finds Haidee, who is actually Hadiee, the woman responsible for Baden's death, and captures her to bring back to the fortress. Like I said earlier, these three plotlines will set up the next three books in the Lords of the Underworld series, so they're kinda important to pay attention to.

Some observations I noticed in The Darkest Lie are that Cronus, as his age regresses, seems more friendly than when he was first released from Tartarus. This really shows that age does make your more cranky, LOL! And another that should be watched for is that William may or may not be Lucifer's brother. He also may or may not have a connection to the Four Horsemen. Nothing about William is made clear, but we are given small nuggets to keep us guessing.

The Darkest Lie is about uncovering what is true and false. It's about finding what's worth risking everything for. It's about knowing when it's time to let go and when it's time to keep holding on. And it's about realizing that though your mind may not know the truth, your heart will always lead you true. Truth and lies were the foundation for Gideon and Scarlet's relationship, but their hearts never lead them astray. While the lies caused them untold pain and sorrow, the truth gave them unknown joy and happiness.

I can't wait to read Amun's story in The Darkest Secret. How will he rid himself of the demons overrunning his body? How can one female, hated by the Lords for centuries, save Amun in his darkest hour?

About this Author:

Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27 and now, four years later, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen books, with eleven more on the way in a thrilling blend of genres: breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, MTV, Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated in French, Italian and Korean. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”. 

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Challenge Review: The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Passion
Series: Lords of the Underworld #5
Author(s): Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction

Elements: Demons, Immortals, Angels, Deities, Fallen Angels, Harpies, Psychic Abilities
Publisher: HQN Books, Harlequin Books

Format:  Mass Market Paperback, 442 Pages
ISBN: 9780373774555
Release Date: May 21, 2010
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 5/5

Purchase Here: Kindle // Mass Market Paperback

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: For weeks, the immortal warrior Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence. An angel-demon-assassin has been sent to kill him. Or has she? Olivia claims she fell from the heavens, giving up immortality because she couldn't bear to harm him. But trusting - and falling for - Olivia will endanger them all. So how has this mortal with the huge blue eyes already unleashed Aeron's darkest passion?

With an enemy hot on his trail and his faithful demon companion determined to remove Olivia from his life, Aeron is trapped between duty and consuming desire. Worse still, a new executioner has been sent to do the job Olivia wouldn't...

Review:

Aeron, Keeper of Wrath, has been freed from his blood lust curse thanks to the sacrifice his friend Paris, Keeper of Promiscuity, made by giving up the one woman he can't forget. Aeron has taken it upon himself to care for Paris, who has fallen into a dangerous depression, as a way to repay his friend for saving him. But Aeron can't understand Paris's draw to a human, with their short lifespans and weaknesses. And he feels that he has no need for such things.

"One day, someone's going to fascinate you, draw and ensnare you, and you'll crave her with every cell in your body. I hope she drives you insane. I hope, for a little while at least, she denies you, leading you on a merry chase. Perhaps then you'll understand a glimmer of my pain."

These men are more honorable and unselfish than their counterparts, the Hunters. Would a Hunter give up his own happiness to save another Hunter, like Paris did for Aeron? From what I've seen of them so far in the series, I think not. The Lords are far from the evil the Hunters accuse them of being.

After Aeron pretty much dares Cronus to bring him a woman who will "torment and deny" him, he meets Olivia. Only thing is, Cronus didn't send her and it's Aeron who torments and denies her. Olivia is the angelic presence that Aeron had felt watching him. But unable to fulfill her orders to kill him, she fell from the heavens. "So here I am. Yours." She fought her way out of hell to be with Aeron. The Problem? Legion hates Olivia and wants to kill her. But because of the sacrifice Olivia made to save Aeron's life, he won't allow it. Thus begins the catfight to end them all. Legion won't let Olivia have Aeron without a fight.

This leads Legion to literally make a deal with the devil. Lucifer offers Legion a human body more beautiful than Olivia's, and she'll be able to keep it as long as she can seduce Aeron into sleeping with her. But such deals are never that easy. Let's just say that if Legion fails, Lucifer's revenge against the One True Deity will be way easier to achieve. And he wants his High Lords to make it possible.

We meet a new Lordess in The Darkest Passion. Her name is Scarlet, she's Rhea's daughter, and the Keeper of Nightmares. Scarlet seems familiar to Gideon, Keeper of Lies, but he can't remember from where. "Well, well, well. Lies. It really is you. We're together again at last." Scarlet apparently knows Gideon very well, she even claims to be his wife. TO PART IS TO DIE. This line will be very important in the future.

A few other tidbits we learn in this book are that The Unspoken Ones will give the Lords the Paring Rod for Cronus's head; Olivia reveals some details about Ashlyn and Maddox's babies (yes, I said babies);  and Cronus and Rhea are more like the Lords than they ever thought. Quite a lot happens in this book.

**SPOILERS** Finally, Danika finishes a new painting that fortells Aeron's death. According to Lysander, the only way to protect those he loves is for Aeron to die. Let me tell you, it broke my heart when Wrath said goodbye to Aeron, then my heart was shattered when the other Lords came out and saw what happened to Aeron. Their grief was palpable and I get teary just thinking about these strong warriors weeping for the death of their friend.

Something good did come of Aeron's death. There may be a way to free Baden, the former Keeper of Distrust and Aeron's best friend, from the afterlife realm Zeus created for the Lords. Aeron swears to Baden that he will find that way to release him.

The Darkest Passion, I feel, is the most emotional book in the series so far. My favorite book in the Lords of the Underworld series was Maddox's story, that is until I read Aeron's in The Darkest Passion. The next Lord to have his story told is Gideon in The Darkest Lie. Is Scarlet really his wife, or have they both been lead to believe in a lie?

About this Author:

Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27 and now, four years later, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen books, with eleven more on the way in a thrilling blend of genres: breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, MTV, Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated in French, Italian and Korean. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”. 

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Tour Review: The Vampire's Hope by Danica Winters (Giveaway)

Title: The Vampire's Hope

Author: Danica Winters
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Vampires, Immortals
Publisher: Books To Go Now
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B0099917I2
Release Date: September 10, 2012
Source: Tour Host {FMB Book Tours}
Rating: 4.5/5

Purchase Here: Kindle

Tagline(s): Is there a place for hope in the world?

Summary: Ellie Smith, an emotionally stunted dancer, finds more than she bargains for after her human life is taken by the vampire, Master Liam. Once inside the Vampire’s underground lair, the Keres Den, she meets Ian, an immortal Viking warrior, who is infiltrating the soulless prison.

As Ellie begins her training, she learns that the dark tunnels around her are filled with even darker secrets. As the truth of her existence come to light, she is faced with a choice—does she let her past dictate her future, or can she begins to feel again?

Short Review:

I loved The Vampire's Hope. It was very sweet and I loved the concept of the story. It would be great if there were more to Ellie and Ian's story.

About this Author:

Danica Winters is an Amazon best-selling romance author based in Montana. She is known for writing award-winning books that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and often a touch of magic. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Montana Romance Writers, and Greater Seattle Romance Writers. She is a contributor to magazines, websites, and news organizations. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, the outdoors, and the bliss brought by the printed word.

GIVEAWAY: 

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Review: Hidden by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Title: Hidden
Series: House of Night #10
Author(s): P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Vampyres, Deities, Immortals, Shapeshifters
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Hardcover, 302 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-59442-8
Release: October 16, 2012
Rating: 5/5

Tagline(s): When friends stand together, Darkness won't stay hidden for long.

Summary: At last, Zoey has what she wanted: the truth is out. Neferet's evil has been exposed, and the High Council is no longer on her side--but she's far from done wreaking havoc in the vampyre world. First, a mysterious fire ravages the stables. Then, Neferet makes a devastating move that will test them all.

With the seeds of distrust sown and Darkness breeding chaos at the House of Night, everyone must band together--but that's proving to be more difficult than ever before. The twins are barely speaking and the House of Night's former enemy, Kalona, has now become their warrior, pushing their trust to the limit. To top it off, Zoey is pretty darn sure she might be losing her mind. She saw something when she looked at Aurox through the Seer Stone that she can hardly explain to herself, let alone her friends. Is it possible that Heath has come back in a different form? Is that why Zoey's so intrigued by Aurox, when it's so obvious that he's dangerous? And who would believe her if she told them? Zoey knows that following her instinct about Aurox might by just what they need to defeat evil...but if she's wrong, it could cause the destruction of those closest to her.

With the tension at a breaking point and friendships on the line, can the nerd herd come together to stop the spread of Darkness before it's too late?

Review:

The tension really is at a breaking point in Hidden. Neferet has been outed and shunned by the High Council. Friends and enemies are changing sides. And Darkness is coming out of hiding.

When I read Lenobia's Vow, I wondered whether Travis could be Martin reborn. It was when Lenobia described the color of their eyes that left me thinking that Martin has kept his promise and come back to her as Travis. When the stables caught fire, shortly after Lenobia had awakened from dreaming of that long ago night when Martin saved Lenobia and died in a similar stable fire, I feared they were going to repeat history. Lenobia's strength in the face of a possible repeat of the worst night in her life was amazing, and that strength and determination saved Travis. This moment in the very beginning of the book not only bridges Lenobia's Vow and Hidden, but it also sets the stage for this tension filled continuation of the House of Night series.

I was very moved by Aurox and his struggle to be on the side of Light, even though he was created of Darkness. I think one of the most powerful moments was between Aurox and Grandma Redbird. She showed him kindness and forgiveness when he felt hopelessness and loneliness in the aftermath of Dragon's death and the reveal ritual on the lavender farm. We know that Zoey saw Heath when she looked at Aurox through the Seer Stone, so the question is: Does Aurox have genuine good within him, or is it only Heath's influence? I think Heath helped it along, but that Aurox is genuine about wanting to be on the side of Light. But because he was made of Darkness, he will have a near constant struggle to remain on the side of Light.

With Thanatos taking over the role of High Priestess of the Tulsa House of Night, Zoey kind of takes a step back from the leadership role. When Neferet goes to the City Council and involves humans in vampyre affairs, even slandering members of Zoey's group, a sort of war of wits, battle of wills, takes place between Neferet and Thanatos. While it's a well-deserved break for Zoey, I loved watching Neferet and Thanatos trying to one-up each other at every turn.

There were so many unexpected occurrences that kept me on my toes. Some weren't that surprising, and some were completely shocking. One of the shocking events was the appearance of Kalona's brother and Nyx's Consort, Erebus. He tries to get Kalona to leave the Tulsa House of Night and to stay away from vampyre society. Kalona refuses, stating that he will not be an oath breaker again. Supposedly Nyx knew nothing of Erebus's actions, but I found that hard to believe. Being a goddess, Nyx would know everything happening with her people.

And something I'm sure everyone will be happy about is that Damien may have found someone, not to replace Jack, but the space left behind by him, when he met the human reporter, Adam Paluka. It'll be interesting to see where that will go.

A lot of changes, good and bad, happened in Hidden, and I can't wait to see what impact they have in the next book.

Quotes:

"...the fact that what the eye can see is not what's actually the most important thing about a person. The most important thing is what's hidden inside."

"Heath was my humanity. And now it looks like he's become your humanity."

About these Authors:

 

P.C. Cast was born in the Midwest, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. After her tour in the USAF, she taught high school for 15 years before retiring to write full time.  Ms. Cast is a New York Times Best-Selling author and a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame.  Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and the Laurel Wreath. P.C. Cast is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. If your organization is interested in information about her workshops or presentations, please contact her personal assistant, Camden Clark, at camdenclark.pa@gmail.com. If the request is specific to her young adult series, you may contact her St. Martin’s publicist, Rachel Ekstrom, at rachel.eckstrom@stmartins.com. Ms. Cast lives in Oklahoma with her fabulous daughter, her spoiled cat, and her adorable Scotties!

Kristin Cast is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author who teams with her mother to write the House of Night YA series. She has stand alone stories in several anthologies, as well as editorial credits. Currently Kristin attends college in Oklahoma where she is focusing on attaining her dream of opening a no kill dog rescue shelter in midtown Tulsa.

Tour Review: The Earth Painter by Melissa Lee (Guest Post)

Title: The Earth Painter
Series: Painter #1
Author: Melissa Lee
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Immortals
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Format: PDF  
ISBN: 9780615634753  
Release Date: August 28, 2011
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating: 5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: The Sculptor was alone. The world was gray, as it always had been.

And then the Sculptor said, “It is time…

Time for color,

Time for more,

The beginning.”

With a word, three sculptures became aware. And they needed to paint.

There was Ocean, Sky, Land, and Life all painted into place.

Then it ended, just as quickly as it started. Then the painters were no longer needed.

But they were still…AWARE.

And it was in this awareness that the battle began. And continues.

When a self-conscious young woman discovers the boy in drama class is actually the immortal who painted the world into being, she becomes the target of another painter who could shatter not only her new sense of hope, but her world, as well.


Review:

When Holly's father loses his job, her and her family move to her parent's hometown. Now Holly is starting at a new school and dreading every minute of it. But when she enters the theater for her drama class, she sees a boy sitting on the stage who no one else seems to notice. Thus begins Holly's emotional journey of self-discovery and finding a love that just may break her heart.

The Earth Painter is like an artistic version of the creation myth. There is the Sculptor (the Creator, God) who created a giant sphere, bit it was devoid of life or color. So he created three beings known as Painters. Each Painter had an assigned area--Walden paints the sky, Fritz paints the water, and Theo paints the earth (these are reminiscent of the Greek gods Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades). The Painters gave the world for and the Sciences--Physics, Astronomy, Biology, Geology, and Chemistry--gave the world function. But no Painter is to paint humans, that is strictly left to the Sculptor. Painters are not invisible, but they are to remain unnoticeable and not draw attention to themselves.

Now since Painters are basically unnoticeable, it brings about the question of why Holly noticed Theo without him drawing her attention to him. Only the Painters, Sciences, and their creations can notice each other without trying--and since human creation is only by the Sculptor's hand--what could possibly cause Holly to notice Theo? She can't see the other Painters or any of the Sciences without notice being brought to them. I had an inkling about the cause of this once a certain lost painting was mentioned, and I was right when it was revealed at the end.

Holly's mother is a character that annoyed my so much that, if I could have jumped into the pages of the book myself, I would have slapped her while yelling, "Grow up, woman!" I can't stand adults who behave like children in the sense of causing low self-esteem in their kids through verbal abuse and bullying--not to mention throwing tantrums when they don't get what they want. I really enjoyed seeing Holly grow out of her self-esteem issues and stand up to her mother, instead of allowing her mother to continue walking all over her.

Holly still retains some of those issues, though, when it comes to Theo. She develops feelings for Theo, but being a Painter, Theo can't feel human emotion. This leaves Holly confused, heartbroken, but still curious. There is a kiss that occurs that resulted in something so unexpected and surprising that the cliffhanger is going to leave me really curious about what will happen next. I can't wait to read the sequel to The Earth Painter! 

Book Trailer: 

 
About this Author:

Melissa Lee is a wife and stay-at-home-mom of 3 young boys. She’s been making up stories in her head for as long as she can remember but only got serious about it in 2007, after reading Twilight and rediscovering her own dreams to write. Finally, she put her Journalism degree to use and started writing and hasn’t stopped since. She has studied fiction writing at various conferences, and from numerous writing coaches.

She signed her first contract with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing in 2011.

http://melissaleeweirdfiction.blogspot.com/

EXCERPT:

I got to drama a little late because my AP history class ran over. Ms. Jones walked to the middle of the stage. Paint splattered overalls replaced her normal dressy style “Listen up everyone. Our scripts still aren’t here so we are going to get busy painting scenery. We have canvases ready for painting. If you are talented in art, you can work on the forest backdrop. If you are not good with a paint brush, you are not excluded from helping. You will work on the stones walls for the castle. All you do with those is paint the whole canvas gray. Then later someone from the art department will go over it to make the stone outlines.”

She was about to walk off when she remembered something. “Oh and because of her excellent performance, Holly Scruggs will be performing her monologue for the parent teacher night scheduled next week.”

I stood there for a second while people half clapped and half chanted they were glad I’d done a good job instead of them as they got busy putting on paint smocks and heading to different painting stations.

I trudged up the steps to the stage and looked at the canvas destined to be stonewalls. I sighed grateful they had something simple I could work on. Surely, I could manage painting the whole thing gray. It was bad enough when my mom yelled at me at home. I didn’t want that here in front of everyone.

I grabbed a painting smock and snapped it up before grabbing a brush to dip in the bucket of gray paint.

“Why are you painting a gray wall when you could be painting a forest?” Theo asked from behind me.

I turned around so he could see me roll my eyes. “Um…because not everyone can paint like you.”

“Tsk…sure you can. All you need is a little guidance.” Theo took my hand and dragged me to the larger canvas no one had started on. I followed without protest. I didn’t mind Theo showing off to impress me. It was kind of flattering. My heart skipped a beat.

But instead of me standing back to watch him, he stood behind me, and took hold of my right hand while nuzzling his face by my ear.

“First, let’s start with green. The forest is made of different shades of green. Green means growth and life,” he whispered. His breath tickled my earlobe. Goose bumps pimpled down that side of my body in response. He guided my brush into the paint and then across the canvas with soft gentle strokes. My eyes fluttered when he tucked strands of my hair behind my ear. I’d never been held by a boy before. The feelings and thoughts were more than I could comprehend.

 “If we mix the green with a touch of black, mix white for gray, we can create shadows.” He mixed the colors on a piece of cardboard box he held for a pallet.

We moved from side to side, up and down, covering the blank canvas with gentle strokes. His words still tickling each time he spoke. My heartbeat quickened and my breathing became a little more labored. I watched in amazement as my brush changed the canvas from white to shapeless shades of green and then into a forest thick with vegetation.

As the brush glided along the canvas, I breathed in deeply, the scent of pine trees rushed up my nose. I shook my head and tried to focus on the trees we were painting. The flat painted trees suddenly became three-dimensional. A brown and white bunny hopped into a bush and stirred the leaves, causing me to turn my head towards the motion just before a squirrel scurried up an oak tree carrying a nut in its mouth.

I swallowed and my breath caught as the trees began to surround me. For a second I was sure I was in a real forest. I could smell it. I could hear the leaves rustle while at the same time I could feel Theo still holding me guiding my brush across the canvas. My knowledge of what was true and my senses were in conflict.

Was the room spinning? My stomach was moving with it, or at least it felt like it. My mind couldn’t process what I saw or thought I saw while painting. I was sure the paint fumes were making me high. I had to get away from them. I stepped back from the canvas to get a grip on myself.

The dizziness continued and my stomached tightened. My breathing became quick and shallow. The room grew dim while stars sparkled over me. I was afraid I might faint or throw up. I pulled out of Theo’s grasp and bent over to catch my breath. Ms. Jones and some of the other students looked up to see what was wrong with me. It was bad enough to feel sick, but it would be too embarrassing to throw up or faint in front of the class.

“Holly, did you paint that?” asked Ms. Jones—her eyes wide with wonder.

I looked up at the painting. The forest was immaculate, but just a flat painting, not the real one I was sure I’d just been in with Theo.

Guest Post by Melissa Lee:

I can write thousands of words about made up people and worlds all day long, but a couple hundred words for a blog ties my brain in knots.

That’s because I am a fiction writer. Fiction writing is like breathing to me. Before I started this vocationally, I always had stories and characters in my head. They got in the way at every job I’ve ever had, making me seem ditzy. I mean you can only listen to one person at a time and how do you explain to your boss that the people in your head won’t shut up and let you do your work? That will not only get you fired but carted off in a white jacket.

Last year, while putting away laundry in my son’s room I saw a teen girl in an auditorium. She was meeting a strange but handsome young man who was an immortal in the middle of a battle at her school and she was being invited to join it. I try not to be a nosey person in general, but when people take up residence in my head, I feel like I have a right to get to know them. So I asked these people in my head questions until I found out the girl’s name was Holly and the boy’s name was Theo and he was The Earth Painter, the artist responsible for all the beauty of the land. There were 3 painters in all, one land, one for sky and one for sea. But all three had been retired and the running of Earth had been given over to beings called Sciences. They brought logic and order to the pure creativity of the painters and continue to tweak it. But Fritz, The Water Painter, was not happy with how life on Earth turned out. There’s a secret buried under the high school and Holly must help Theo protect it. 

Once I knew all that, I sat down and wrote The Earth Painter. But at the end of it, there was more to Theo and Holly’s story. That’s why I’m finishing up The Man Painter, due out November 2012. I hope you will read them and get to know the people living in my head and come to love them as I have.

PART OF....

Tour Review: Redheads are Soulless by Heather M. White (Giveaway)

Title: Redheads Are Soulless
Series: Red Trilogy #1
Author: Heather M. White
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Psychic Abilities, Immortals
Publisher: Heather M. White
Format: Kindle Edition
ISBN: 9781475227611
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Source: Tour Host {SupaGurl Books}
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: High school senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.

When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.

Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.

Review: 

Throughout history redheads have either been cursed or worshiped, reviled or revered. Some legends say that redheads are soulless, where others say that they have special powers. Sofia Black definitely has special powers, but is she soulless? 

Sofia Black is just trying to get through her senior year so that she can leave the horribleness that is her life behind. Her mother is an alcoholic and addict. Her classmates are relentless in their teasing. And her teachers treat her with pity. But everything changes one day when Jason Morgan walks into the room. He takes an immediate interest in Sofia and she can't figure out why he's being so persistent. 

Jason's persistence pays off though and Sofia's walls come crumbling down. He's sweet, romantic, and most of all, understanding. But just as everything seems to be falling into place, Robbie, Jason's twin brother, moves to town. Sofia's world is once again turned upside down. Now she's wondering which brother is the good one, and which wants her dead. 

Living in a small town isn't easy when your mother is an alcoholic and everyone knows it. But Sofia doesn't let all the whispers and murmurs drag her down. Sure, it's hurtful, but it also makes her more determined to leave it all behind when she goes off to college. I loved how strong Sofia was in such a crappy situation. And even when she can't take anymore, breaks down for a good cry, she picks herself back up and moves on. 

Then there's the steamy love triangle between Sofia, Jason, and Robbie. Who doesn't like twin brothers vying for their attention? But there's more than a hint of danger when one of them wants Sofia dead. Which one that is, Robbie or Jason, you won't find out until the end of the book, but it's totally unexpected and you get to enjoy some really steamy-hot make out sessions. I'll leave it up to your imagination as to who those sessions are with. ;) 

Though there isn't much information on the different types of immortals given except for the color of their hair, I thought that it was an interesting and new concept. Roggeras are all redheads, Quartheras all have black hair, and then there's the Hortribue, which we're not really given any info on except that they are extremely dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. They all have supernatural abilities, and those abilities can be dangerous, especially when used the wrong way. Sofia is a Rogerra, Jason and Robbie are Quartheras, and Adrianne (the enemy) is a Hortribue. Supposedly they are the last of their kinds after the war that took place. I hope that we are given more information about these immortals in future books.

I thought that some things could have used some refining, but I really loved this story and its characters. I can't wait to read about what happens next!


About this Author:

Hi! I am Heather M. White, the author of the Destiny Saga, the Vampire Hunter Series and the upcoming novel Redheads are Soulless! It's so nice to meet you!

I am a returning resident to Arkansas. I just migrated south from Saint Louis, MO with my husband. We have been married a year. :)

I love to write. I have been writing since I was a kid - literally. I decided in the 2nd grade I would write a book. I wrote lots of stories and poems... And did I mention I wrote over 200 songs? (Yeah, I'm a musician too). So I wrote my very first novel at the ripe age of 14... My Mom still has it :-/. Ok, so maybe it wasn't my best work, but I had a LOT of fun writing it!

I started college at the young age of 17. (I graduated high school at 16). And my English papers were always a hit in my classroom. Somebody told me "you should make that story into a book". I pushed it to the back of my mind... Until recently.

I LOVE TO READ. Besides writing it is my absolute favorite thing to do.

I also love the TV series: Supernatural and Vampire Diaries... More like obsessed. I have seen every episode of Supernatural EVER. And I kind of have an obsession with Damon... And I'm watching American Idol this season because my friend Lauren Gray is on there! GO LAUREN!

I play music. I have played the guitar for 10 years, bass for 8 and drums for about 9. I use to play guitar in a band. We were actually good. But my bass player got pregnant and my drummer got engaged. And I decided music wasn't my "main" passion anymore.

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Review: The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Whisper
Series: Lords of the Underworld #4
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Paranormal Romance
Elements: Immortals, Sirens, Vampires, Deities, Harpies, Demons
Publisher: HQN Books, Harlequin Books
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 406 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-373-77392-3
Release Date: September 1, 2009
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): He is the keeper of Doubt and his entire world's about to be rocked.

Summary: Bound by the demon of Doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers. So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern...until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more.

Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she'd fall for a kind human who wouldn't rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling their enemies for the claim to Pandora's box turns out to be nothing compared to the battle Sabin and Gwen will wage against love....

Review:

The Darkest Whisper shows us that even the strongest and most confident individual has doubts. Sabin, leader of the Greece Lords and Gwen, the timid and youngest daughter of the Skyhawk harpy clan, have to overcome their doubts and insecurities to find the truth.

Sabin's demon is Doubt. His demon targets an enemy's insecurities and makes them doubt themselves. This is a great weapon against the Hunters. Sabin is the most driven Lord in the war with the Hunters, a drive that is fueled by the murder of his best friend, Baden, keeper of Distrust. Though Doubt is beneficial to battle it's not beneficial to an intimate relationship. All the women Sabin has been involved with have doubted themselves so much that they eventually met an unfortunate end. This has lead Sabin to forsake romance and commit himself further to the war with the Hunters. That is until he met Gwen.

Gwen has her own share of doubts--in fact, she steeped in doubts, and was named Gwendolyn the Timid because of them. She doubts her own strength and ability to control her darker side. But Sabin knows her true strength and knows that she would be a lethal addition to his battle with the Hunters, if he can only get her to stop doubting herself (which is a feat in itself for someone possessed by Doubt himself). What he doesn't expect is for Doubt to fear Gwen's harpy...

The Darkest Whisper is the most action-packed book in the Lords of the Underworld series so far. It starts off right away with the Lords searching the pyramids of Egypt for the Cloak of Invisibility and coming upon a facility breeding immortal Hunter children. The Hunters kidnap immortal women, rape them, and then take the children away from the mothers after they are born to train them as Hunters to fight against the Lords. Sabin and the other Lords take out the Hunters in the facility and free the women--some of whom are already pregnant. Gwen is one of the women the Hunters kidnapped, but she was left physically untouched thanks to the power of her harpy. The Hunters were too terrified of her and kept her locked up, forced to watch the other women being abused and not being able to do anything to help them. The attack on the breeding facility was a huge blow to the Hunters and they keep trying to get Gwen and the other women back by launching attack after attack. The chemistry between Gwen and Sabin at that first meeting was instantaneous, but each has doubts and worries that keep them from moving toward anything romantic.

I thought that the harpy consort concept was interesting. I was wondering about Sabin's ability to calm Gwen when she's going harpy. Consorts are forever, and it's very rare that a harpy finds her consort. A harpy is an independent free spirit, but every so often she will find a male that pleases her. His touch and smell become like a drug to her, and his voice soothes her fury. So it's like no matter how much Gwen and Sabin fight against it, they will keep coming back to each other because they will want no one else.

We get to see more of Paris, Aeron, and Torin's POVs. Paris is still lamenting Sienna's death and is now drowning himself in ambrosia-laced alcohol to relieve the pain. Aeron leans of Paris' sacrifice and tries everything in his power to help Paris, all the while feeling invisible eyes watching his every move. And Torin contemplates his relationship with Cameo while he watches a pointy-eared brunette walk the streets of Buda on his computer screens.

A new POV we get to see is from Gideon. He is the most misunderstood Lord because he can't say what he really means to say, being possessed by Lies. But in his POV we get to see his true thoughts since he "never lies to himself." I thought it was interesting that while Gideon was thinking about the other demons and what they could do compare to him, that he felt a longing when thinking of Nightmares that he couldn't explain. It'll be interesting to see what happens with that.

I enjoyed the guest appearance from Nix of the Immortal After Dark series by Kresley Cole. Her appearance is small and she doesn't say anything, but there are hints that Nix might be Torin's special lady. I don't know how that would work out, but Torin is the next Lord on my "Most Intriguing" list--I mean, he can't touch anyone at all--so I'd love to read his story.

There is a surprise revelation about Galen, keeper of Hope, toward the end that really threw the Lord for a loop. This series just keeps getting better and better with each new installment. I can't wait to read Aeron's story in The Darkest Passion.

About this Author:

Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27 and now, four years later, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen books, with eleven more on the way in a thrilling blend of genres: breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, MTV, Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated in French, Italian and Korean. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”. 

PART OF....

Challenge Review: Tempted by Elisabeth Naughton

Title: Tempted
Series: Eternal Guardians #3
Author: Elisabeth Naughton
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Immortals, Demons, Deities
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca, Sourcebooks Inc.
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 411 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-6046-9
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): DEMETRIUS--He's the hulking, brooding warrior even his fellow Guardians avoid. Too dark. Too damaged. And given his heritage, he knows it's best to keep everyone at arm's length.

Summary: Isadora is missing. The words pound through his head like a frantic drumbeat. For her own protection, Demetrius did all he could to avoid the fragile princess, his soul mate. And now she's 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.

Review:

Tempted is the third book in Elisabeth Naughton's Eternal Guardians series. We get to see behind the masks of Isadora and Demetrius, two of the most complicated characters in this series. Isadora finally comes into her own, and we learn why Demetrius is the way he is.

In Marked, Isadora was a shy princess who was easily pushed around. In Entwined, she realized that is she wants to change her world for the better, she needs to become stronger and grow a backbone. And finally in Tempted, we see Isadora become who she was always meant to be. She has found an inner strength that just shines though. She's not going to let anyone use her--especially not the Council.

I never really liked Isadora until I read Tempted. I don't like weak heroines, and that's exactly what she was until this book. But in Tempted, Isadora becomes stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. She's going to make a great queen.

*Sigh* Demetrius. There is just something about a guy who has that tough, hard exterior, but the soft, caring center, that's irresistible. Like candy with a yummy, gooey center. Demetrius has a really dark past that has left it's scars. He's more than just the typical Argonaut, and the secrets of the past have come back to haunt him. He knows that Isadora is his soul mate and he will do anything to protect her. But before he can give himself completely to Isadora, Demetrius has to overcome the darkness inside himself and step back into the light.

I loved Demetrius from the very beginning of this series. But seeing his strength, his determination, his restraint, and his deep love for Isadora, made me love him even more.

On a side note from the main story, I was pleasantly surprised by Orpheus. His love and concern for both Isadora and his brother, Gryphon, was really touching. And I felt really bad for Nick, Demetrius's brother and the leader of the Misos, by the end of the book. I can't say much because of spoilers, but you'll know what I mean once you read it for yourself.

I loved this books and I can't wait to read Orpheus's story in Enraptured.

About this Author:

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full time from her home in western Oregon where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards including the prestigious RITA® awards by Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, The Golden Leaf and the Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her at www.elisabethnaughton.com to learn more about her and her books.

Tempted is the fourth book I've read for the Mythology Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Reading Between the Wines Book Club.

Challenge Review: The Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Pleasure  
Series: Lords of the Underworld #3  
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Immortals, Demons, Deities, Angels
Publisher: HQN Books, Harlequin Books
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 374 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-77524-8
Release Date: July 1, 2008
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): He can bear any pain but the thought of losing her...

Summary: Reyes is a man possessed. Bound by the demon of pain, he is forbidden to know pleasure. Yet he craves a mortal woman, Danika Ford, more than breath and will do anything to claim her--even defy the gods.

Danika is on the run. For months she's eluded the Lords of the Underworld, immortal warriors who won't rest until she and her family have been destroyed. But her dreams are haunted by Reyes, the warrior whose searing touch she can't forget. Yet a future together could mean death to all they both hold dear....

Review:

In The Darkest Pleasure, unlike in the first two books in the Lords of the Underworld series, we get to read the story from, not only the main characters Danika and Reyes's POV, but also the POVs of Paris, Sabin, and Aeron. Each has their own pain to work through. Some are able to overcome that pain and find happiness and some aren't.

Reyes's demon is Pain. His demon urges him to cause pain. When Reyes came out of his demon haze all those years ago, he discovered that he could satisfy the demon's need for pain by inflicting it upon himself. A life ruled by pain rarely, if ever, offers a chance for pleasure. But when Reyes meets Danika, she enhances his pain but also gives him the greatest pleasure. All Reyes needs to worry about is not whether she'll accept him as who ans what he is, but what will happen to her once she does. Pain has changed all of the women Reyes has ever been with and he doesn't wish that upon Danika.

(SPOILERS) And Danika has her own problems to deal with. It is discovered that she is the All-Seeing Eye, one of the artifacts the Lords are searching for. It runs through her family bloodline, and that is the reason Cronus ordered the death of her and her family. That way no one would be able to use her against him. When Aeron asked her what she sees of the heavens and the underworld, this is how she described it:

"I see great evil and unerring goodness. I see death and life. Darkness and rainbow colors. Demonlike creatures who destroy, screams all around them. Angels who repair the damage, songs of glory humming from their wings."

It's hard to imagine dreaming of these things; whether terrifying or peaceful, it's got to be a huge burden to carry. I can understand why she would work through it by painting what she has seen, to "purge" it from herself.

Another revelation is actually discovered through one of Danika's dream-vision paintings. Galen, keeper of Hope, is leading the Hunters! Who would have thought that Hope was a demon? And it turns out that he's probably the worst demon out of all the Lords. Hope is a demon who purposely raises expectations, only to crush them, leaving nothing but despair in it's wake. And the man is no better. Galen is two-faced and a master of deception. He will easily pretend to be a friend to your face, but once your back is turned he has no problem stabbing it. Where Aeron's demon, Wrath, has black wings; Galen's demon, Hope, has snow-white wings like those of an angel. This helps Galen deceive the Hunters into believing that he's been sent from Heaven to help them rid the world of the Lords, and in turn use the Hunters for his own devices without them even realizing. He was also the one to convince the warriors to go after Pandora's Box in the first place. He is the ultimate cause of all the Lord's torment. To think that the greatest evil in the world is actually Hope. It's mind-boggling.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that Paris's POV was really moving. He's lamenting Sienna's death. He doesn't know whether to blame himself, the Hunters, or the gods, but he wants someone to pay for him losing her. He ultimately chooses to beseech the gods, Cronus to be exact, to bring her back to him. But like all deals with the gods, there's always a catch. Cronus, in the end, makes Paris choose between Sienna and Aeron. If he chooses Sienna, Cronus will give her to Paris just as she was before her death. If he chooses Aeron, Cronus will relieve Aeron of the blood lust curse. I'll leave you to find out who Paris chose, but I'll say that the choice is one that completely tore Paris apart. When I first started the Lords of the Underworld series, I was most intrigued by Lucien and Reyes and was dying to know more about them, but after reading The Darkest Pleasure Paris has become the most intriguing character and I desperately want to know if he'll ever be rid of the torment he went through in this book and find happiness.

About this Author:

Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27 and now, four years later, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen books, with eleven more on the way in a thrilling blend of genres: breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, MTV, Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated in French, Italian and Korean. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”. 

The Darkest Pleasure is the third book I've read for the Mythology Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Reading Between the Wines Book Club.

Challenge Review: The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Kiss
Series: Lords of the Underworld #2
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Immortals, Demons, Deities
Publisher: HQN Books, Harlequin Books
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 375 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-77232-2
Release Date: June 1, 2008
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): He is ultimate darkness--and all-consuming desire... / She has tempted many men...but never found her equal. Until now.

Summary: Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death--a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining....

Review:

The Darkest Kiss is a real beauty and the beast tale. There's Lucien, the keeper of Death--scarred and tormented--and Anya, the goddess of anarchy--gorgeous and strong--who loves him. She sees past his scars and is able to love Lucien, as well as his demon. And Lucien is able to find comfort and happiness with Anya.

Lucien's demon is Death. He's tasked with escorting the souls of the dead to their final resting place, whether that's Heaven or Hell. This is an emotionally stressful job because he sees what Heaven and Hell are like, and he's left yearning for the peace Heaven offers but knows he'll never have. And because Lucien can see a soul's last few moments of life, the knowledge he's left with becomes a burden he doesn't want. Lucien has a very intimate view of life and death; he's even had to escort the soul of the woman he had loved, and that has left its mark on him. To make sure that no other woman could ever love him again, he scarred his own face and burned part of his body to keep them away. But when he finally meets Anya, the goddess of anarchy, in person, he meets the one woman who sees his scars as beautiful and can see past them to the man he is underneath.

When I read the first book in the Lords of the Underworld series, The Darkest Night, Lucien was one of two warriors that really intrigued me. He's the scarred leader of the warriors and the incarnation of Death, so he was shrouded in mystery and I was dying to know more about him. We also meet Anya toward the end of The Darkest Night, but she was just the disembodied voice of a goddess and we only got a glimpse of her when she appeared to Ashlyn. So she was just as much of a mystery as Lucien. But we get the full scoop on them in The Darkest Kiss. And apparently the kiss of death is irresistible.

In The Darkest Kiss, we learn that Lucien is just a man scarred, literally and figuratively, by his past. By lost love, his job of escorting souls, and just wants peace and happiness for himself and his friends. Anya want to be able to find a man that she can finally trust to love and give all of herself to. She wants people to see that she is important and not minor in any way. Both want acceptance, peace, happiness, and love--and they find all of that in each other.

The search for Pandora's Box is in full swing, and they find out that they need four artifacts, guarded by Hydra, to locate the box--the All-Seeing Eye, the Cloak of Invisibility, the Cage of Compulsion, and the Paring Rod. The four artifacts are spread out all over the world and can be found somewhere in these four locations: South Africa, the Arctic, the States, and Egypt. While all of this is going on, Lucien is ordered by Cronus to kill Anya, Paris finds and loses a woman who stirs him like no other, and Aeron escapes the dungeon leaving death in his wake.

With Aeron's escape in The Darkest Kiss, Reyes and Danika's story is set up further for The Darkest Pleasure. And Paris and Sienna's story is also set up and introduced when he was captured by Hunters in this book. The Lords of the Underworld series just keep getting more exciting with each new addition.

About this Author:

Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27 and now, four years later, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen books, with eleven more on the way in a thrilling blend of genres: breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, MTV, Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated in French, Italian and Korean. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”. 

The Darkest Kiss is the second book I've read for the Mythology Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Reading Between the Wines Book Club.

Challenge Review: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Night
Series: Lords of the Underworld #1
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Immortals, Demons, Deities, Psychic Abilities
Publisher: HQN Books, Harlequin Books
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 379 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-77522-4
Release Date: May 1, 2008
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): His Powers--Inhuman. His passion--Beyond Immortal...

Summary: All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To End the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member--a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger that calms their torments...and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction--and a soul-shattering test of love....

Review:

This first book in the Lords of the Underworld series, The Darkest Night, is full of mythology and steamy romance. But the story is kind of slow and doesn't really pick up until the end. With many books that start a series, the first book sets up the world and the characters, and that's usually what makes it seem slow. Many readers don't like books like this, but I really enjoy them because these books are the introduction to the series.

Maddox is one of twelve immortal warriors who were once protectors to the gods. When those gods chose a woman to guard a box holding the worst demons, pride overtook the twelve and they killed the woman--Pandora-- and opened the box, unleashing all the demons inside upon the world. As punishment, the twelve warriors were to house the demons within themselves and were then banished from the heavens.

Maddox's demon is Violence. This makes him the strongest, most violent, and most lethal of the twelve Lords. For thousands of years he's been tormented. But one day when the hill to their fortress is breached, Maddox goes out expecting to find Hunters invading their home, but instead he finds Ashlyn. Ashlyn went in search of the Lords hoping that they could help her control her ability to hear the voices of the past. Both know their own share of torment, and have only ever found peace and happiness when they are together.

In other reviews I've read for this book, readers found the romance between Maddox and Ashlyn full of drama and the dialogue cheesy. But I really love the relationship Maddox and Ashlyn have. I found it sweet and even fragile at times. Maybe it's the strength of their bond that I loved most. A love that is so strong that absolutely nothing can destroy it is something that we can only wish for in the real world.

We also get to meet to other women who will play major roles in upcoming books, Danika and Anya. They are both left as mysteries at the end of The Darkest Night (which is only right, otherwise there would be nothing to tell in the future). We'll get to learn more about Anya in The Darkest Kiss and Danika in The Darkest Pleasure, books two and three in the Lords of the Underworld series.

About this Author:

Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27 and now, four years later, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen books, with eleven more on the way in a thrilling blend of genres: breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, MTV, Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated in French, Italian and Korean. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”. 

The Darkest Night is the first book I've read for the Mythology Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Reading Between the Wines Book Club.