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.

Challenge: Mythology Romance Reading Challenge

  The Mythology Romance Reading Challenge is hosted by Reading Between the Wines Book Club!  

Mythology Romance Reading Challenge

• This challenge will run from April 1, 2012 – April 30, 2012
• The goal is to read as many romances with mythology elements as you can within this time frame. One book, two books, or ten – it’s up to you, there is no set number! Books read prior to 04/01/12 do not count. You can join at anytime throughout the challenge and sign up at Reading Between the Wines.
• Books can be read in any format: bound, ebook, audio.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
• Post this reading challenge on your blog so that you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for it. Please include a link back to this post so other readers can join in the challenge too. Then make sure to add your link to the linky below.
• You do not need to be a book blogger to participate. However, all entrants must give their thoughts on each book read. For reviewers, you will be asked to provide a link to your posted review for the novel.  GoodReads, Blogs, Amazon, B&N, ect. For non-reviewers, you will be asked to submit a short review or share your thoughts on the book you read. This is mandatory so that we can verify your reads; if you do not do this your entry will not count.   
• When you’ve completed a book for the challenge please submit it through the entry form linked below. Every book you read you will need to return here to submit it for the challenge. You can do this as you read or all at once, just make sure to keep track of your reads. A GoodReads shelf is a great way to do this. 
• For all your hard work there will be a giveaway at the end of the challenge! Every time you submit a completed book you earn one entry. Submit 5 books, you get 5 entries, and so on. One randomly selected participant will receive a $15 gift card to one online book retailer, or one book valued at $15 or less from The Book Depository.
• Any questions? Feel free to contact me at Readingbetweenthewines10@gmail.com or leave a comment below.
• Here are a few reading suggestions from the mythology romance sub-genre, you can also just type that into Amazon and get plenty of hits;

Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series

Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series

Jessica Andersen’s Nightkeeper’s series

Stephanie Julian’s Forgotten Goddesses series

Alyssa Day’s Warriors of Poseidon series

Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardian’s series

Tina Folsom’s Out of Olympus series Allison Pang's Abby Sinclair series

North of Need by Laura Kaye

Platinum Passion by Jennifer Lynne