Category Archives: Paranormal Romance

Review: Heart of Iron – Bec McMaster

May 7, 2013

Heart of Iron

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Expected Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Casablanca
Author’s Website: http://www.becmcmaster.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, London Steampunk Series
Series Best Read In Order: Yes, but might work well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves:
Favorite Tropes: Darker Debuantes, New Twist on Vampirism, Forbidden Romance, Rags to Riches

Official Blurb:

Lena Todd is the perfect spy. Nobody suspects the flirtatious debutante could be a rebel against London’s vicious elite—not even the ruthless Will Carver, the one man she can’t twist around her little finger.

Will Carver, is more than man, he’s a verwolfen and he wants nothing to do with the dangerous beauty who drives him to the very edge of control. But when he finds Lena in possession of a coded letter, he realizes she’s in a world of trouble. To protect her, he’ll have to seduce the truth from her before it’s too late.

What Worked For Me:

  • One thing that I loved so much about the first book has spilled over quite well into the second — that of the very creative original mythology surrounding the old tales of vampirism and werewolves. The concept of the Blue Bloods still fascinates me, and I was very pleased with the ability to explore the verwolfen side of the story in this book.
  • I loved the scene where Will’s instinct began to take over. I would love to say more, but it’s a spoiler, but suffice it to say, that was quite likely my favorite part of the story.
  • Mercury! *bounces with excitement* Mercury’s book is next! Okay, so that part doesn’t count towards the final rating, but the scenes involving Mercury and Mercury’s identity do, and they were a definite favorite of mine as well.
  • As a major fan of the first book in the series, I was thrilled that Blade and Honoria played a rather large part in this tale as well.  As someone who hadn’t read that book in quite some time, I was also pleased that while they featured heavily, they never overtook the story of Lena and Will, and simply added a bit of richness to the story rather than making it seem more of a continuance of their own story.
  • Two words: Virgin. Hero. *cheeky grin*
  • On that same thread, I’ve always loved stories where there’s a bit of animal intensity — where instincts overrule normal human thinking when it comes to a character’s mate. In fact, that’s probably why I’m so drawn to paranormal romance and the like so much to begin with, but I digress. The chemistry between Will and Lena has always existed, but it was certainly ramped up quite a bit in this book, and when they finally get past the stumbling blocks that were keeping them apart, the earth moves. *fans self*
  • The climax of the story (no, not that climax, ya perv…) was not at all what I’d expected, and I loved that

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I didn’t really care for the villain. Even though I understood that the Blue Bloods are intended to be on a higher level of creepy, the villain was a bit too much of the mustache-twirling variety for my tastes, and didn’t really seem scary so much as he just seemed… gross.  

I was a huge fan of the first book in this series, Kiss of Steel (YOU CAN READ MY REVIEW HERE), and so when I saw this one was available, I knew I had to snatch it up. While I still find myself a bit more fascinated with the Blue Bloods and the mythology of vampirism in this series than I do the Verwulfen, I can’t deny that Will and Lena absolutely shine in this story.

With an enormous amount of chemistry and sexual tension, not to mention the forbidden aspect of their romance, they made an amazing pair, and when you throw in the intrigues of court and the new worries of a treaty between the Blue Bloods and the Verwulfen clans from other countries, I was simply glued to the pages. 

4halfA very solid 4.5/5 Stars

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Review: Wicked As She Wants – Delilah S. Dawson

April 30, 2013

Wicked As She Wants
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Expected Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Pocket Books
Author’s Website: http://delilahpaints.blogspot.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, Blud Series
Series Best Read In Order: Works Well As A Standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: “Lost Princess Anastasia” is a wee bit overdone, Tiny Heroine
Favorite Tropes: Enemies To Lovers, Secret Identity, Amazing World-building

Official Blurb:

The second book in the darkly tempting Blud series, featuring a vampire princess who embarks upon a dangerous journey to claim what is rightfully hers.

When Blud princess Ahnastasia wakes up, drained and starving in a suitcase, she’s not sure which calls to her more: the sound of music or the scent of blood. The source of both sensations is a handsome and mysterious man named Casper Sterling. Once the most celebrated musician in London, Sangland, he’s fallen on hard times. Now, much to Ahna’s frustration, the debauched and reckless human is her only ticket back home to the snow-rimmed and magical land of Freesia.

Together with Casper’s prickly charge, a scrappy orphan named Keen, they seek passage to Ahna’s homeland, where a power-hungry sorceress named Ravenna holds the royal family in thrall. Traveling from the back alleys of London to the sparkling minarets of Muscovy, Ahna discovers that Freesia holds new perils and dangerous foes. Back in her country, she is forced to choose between the heart she never knew she had and the land that she was born to rule. But with Casper’s help, Ahna may find a way to have it all…

What Worked For Me:

  • Casper. Oh, Casper. The broody, tortured wastrel musician with a mysterious past and a carefully guarded secret, as well as a rather sharp temper — I adored him.
  • Even though I’ve since gone back and rectified the situation, at the time of reading this book, I had not read the first book in the series, Wicked As They Come, and as such, was completely unfamiliar with not only Casper’s origins, but also of the majority of the “rules” of their world. Even so, I was never truly lost, and I really appreciated how well the story stood on its own. I would, of course, recommend reading the series in order, if for nothing else than to simply better appreciate the cameo of Trish and Criminey, but I do think that newcomers to the series will get along just fine.
  • On a similar note, I am so in love with the concept behind the alternate reality of Sangland and Freesia, and the world-building is simply perfect.  The parallels to our world were just right, with a perfect balance between the familiar and unfamiliar, always keeping me on my toes as I never knew what surprises were in store next.
  • The entire adventure on the dirigible was pure and utter genius. I won’t spoil things with details, but there was hilarity, danger, and plenty of character development for Casper, Ahna, and Keen, which was lovely.
  • I’ve long been a fan of the “enemies to lovers” vibe, and the tension and chemistry between Casper and Ahna was delightful.  I especially enjoyed Casper’s occasional (and surprising) outbursts of temper, balanced in by Ahna’s truly vicious threats of bodily harm.
  • I really enjoyed watching Ahna go from cold, arrogant princess who really and truly planned on doing Casper and Keen harm just as soon as she was physically recovered enough to do so, to actually thinking of humans (or Pinkies, in their world) as “people”, rather than just a lower class of being. It was a slow transition, and one that wasn’t always pleasant to watch, but her character grew so much over the course of the novel, while still remaining “her”.
  • I refuse to give spoilers, but part of the development of Casper’s character later in the book was brilliant, and I loved how he had to adjust to certain things. Yes, that’s vague, but I think you’ll understand once you read it.
  • On a similar note, even having not read the previous book in the series at this point, I did enjoy the little cameo with Tish and Criminey.  I especially loved how Tish’s gift worked out in the end.
  • There was tons of chemistry with the previously mentioned “enemies to lovers” bit, as well as the forbidden aspect to their romance. Not only was Ahna a princess who was trying to reclaim her throne, and therefore very likely to be forced into a political marriage in the future, but as a Bludwoman, she was forbidden from forming a romantic attachment with a Pinkie — it was considered to the other Bludmen to be a form of bestiality of sorts, and a social faux pas that she couldn’t possibly recover from and still be able to retake the throne.  That forbidden edge added a delicious push and pull to their romance, with both aching for one another but never quite willing to give in.
  • I loved the twists at the end. From the music to the actions Ahna had to take, the climax of the book was full of surprises.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I really disliked the fact that Ahnastasia was so small that she could pass as a child, or at bare minimum, a tween. It was said early on that Casper initially mistook her for a “starving child”, and while yes, she filled out in the hips and chest area once she was no longer emaciated, she still only came up to his chest or chin. I’m not a fan of big strapping heroes and teeny tiny heroines. There’s just something squicky about it to me, so that was a big drawback for me once the actual romance and love scenes came into play.

With pirates, dirigibles, evil witches, vampires (called Bludmen, thank-you-very-much), lost princesses, power struggles, assassins, and even man-eating unicorns, the world that Ms. Dawson has created fascinated me from the very first page and even after the final sentence, I had to go back and re-read some of my favorite parts, because I simply wasn’t ready to be finished yet.

I loved the forbidden aspect of the romance between Ahna and Casper, but even more than that, I think what really grabbed me in this book was the character development of Ahnastasia herself. She changed, oh so gradually, from the selfish, cold, entitled princess into someone who actually looked at the viewpoints of others, who would sacrifice some of her own happiness to give someone she cared for what they needed, and someone who was willing to challenge the entire foundation of society for what she felt was right. Yet, even with all of those changes, fundamentally, she was still the same person, and by the time the book was done, I couldn’t believe just how much I loved her character, especially given how much I despised her in the beginning.

Casper, as well, was a fascinating character — a charming, handsome rogue, who is obviously a little too fond of the bottle and is rather surprisingly short on temper.  The secret he harbors will be instantly recognizable to fans of the series, but I myself had not yet read the first book when I started this one, and the mystery was something I greatly enjoyed.

I could gush about this book for hours (in fact, poor Mr. Romanceaholic has had to listen to me prattle on about it for quite some time, I assure you), but rather than ramble, I will simply say that this is now one of my favorite series, with Casper and Ahnastasia in particular being my favorite couples thus far (having gone back and finally read all of the previous stories in the series), and that I will be fiercely stalking this series for a long time to come.

5starsA resounding 5/5 Stars.

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Book Spotlight/Giveaway – Death’s Servant – C.J. Ellisson {Closed}

April 28, 2013

BookSpotlightGiveaway

 

deathsservant

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Note from the Publisher: This book is special priced at 99 cents for a limited time only. The story is a great introduction to the series and can be enjoyed without having read the other titles first.

Jonathan Winchester has clashed with his alpha one too many times. After another argument he leaves the Manitoba pack, his only home since the werewolf attack that changed his life. He returns to his home state of Virginia to start a new life free of pack politics. Jon finds work and meets a young waitress, Raine, who appears to be a lone werewolf, too.

As their relationship progresses, Jon’s embroiled in more intrigue than he bargained for and a danger bigger than he can handle. He’s running scared until his own alpha tendencies surface, making him unable to leave the pretty werewolf’s problems behind. The young man is desperate to save Raine—even if his efforts may lead him straight to death.

Journey along in this first prequel novel involving the favorite characters from the bestselling V V Inn series. Written at reader demand, this stand-alone story explains how the beloved Jonathan came to serve the deadly redheaded vampire, Dria.

Excerpt:

Death’s Servant

Chapter One

“Jon!” Romeo’s deep voice follows as I stride quickly down the hall. “Get back here.”

I round the top of the stairs and descend at full speed, skipping steps in my haste to leave. Anger pulses like a living beast beneath my skin. If I don’t get the hell out of here, my alpha and I will come to blows.

The urge to fight, to answer the call of my inner wolf, colors my vision, tinting the werewolf pack’s large home in a wash of red haze. Claws itch to descend through my clenched fists, and the brush of fur waiting to erupt tingles my skin.

“This is not over.” Romeo’s booming shout thunders through the house. “Get back here now, or don’t ever come back!”

This time he’s getting what he threatens. What’s so crazy about suggesting a support network for wolves? Why am I suddenly the object of scorn and ridicule? Is organizing packs somehow a threatening concept to our way of life?

A tiny voice inside whispers, Your suggestion of such a change goes against everything a werewolf pack stands for.

Could that be true? Would instilling communication among hundreds of Weres hurt us as a species?

 I block the denials I’ve heard for months. Doesn’t make sense. Could Romeo’s resistance stem from something bigger? Should I listen to the gossip saying I’ve evolved into an alpha faster than anyone expected? There is only one male alpha per pack, not two; one mated pair deciding the fate of their wolves, and those who don’t agree must leave. Or fight for supremacy.

 I barrel out the front door and sprint toward the detached garage, where a few of the single wolves have bedrooms in the space above the cars. I throw open the door, the heavy steel bouncing off the siding in my unchecked rage. I need to talk to Lori, my werewolf girlfriend in the pack. I’m ready to leave and want her with me.

My inner beast gnashes its teeth, ready for a challenge, eager to return and face the man who saved my life less than a year ago. Tamping down the temptation, I rush the inner stairs three at a time. The scent of half a dozen wolves lies heavy in the confined space, confusing the rational part of my mind struggling to remain in control.

 I recall our past in an effort to still my raging desires—I owe this man my life. Romeo found me lost and afraid when I awoke in the hospital, uncertain of what I’d become. Elsa, his wife, sensed immediately I was different, discouraging her mate to allow me into their pack.  Romeo didn’t care. He recognized me for what I truly was—a scared college kid who didn’t know what the fuck happened to his well-ordered life.

 When I reach the upper hall, I’m jolted out of my calming reverie by sounds of passion. I smile, wondering who Kotsana has lured to his waterbed now.

“That’s it, baby,” a familiar female voice coos softly. “You know I like it good and deep.”

The instant anger near the surface of my mind threatens to overwhelm me. I stop cold—leaning a hand on the wall, gasping to catch my breath—while my packmate screws my girlfriend beyond his shut bedroom door.

About the Author

C.J. Ellisson is the USA Today Bestselling author of the NYT Bestselling book, Vanilla on Top, the bestselling V V Inn series, and several erotica shorts. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze. Unlike most full-time authors, she’s also battling severe chronic illness. C.J. works daily to put her Lupus into remission and continues to fight numerous bacterial infections while her immune system slowly attacks her body. She turned to writing when she could no longer work outside the home and claims the escape of penning contemporary fantasy, erotica, and erotic romance has helped save her sanity.

To learn more about C.J. and her other books, please stop by the author’s website (http://www.cjellisson.com) or visit her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/c.j.ellissonfanpage.

Giveaway time!

Snag an awesome swag pack from C.J. Ellisson and the V V Inn Series! Just leave a comment below to be entered to win!

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Review: Bound In Death – Cynthia Eden

April 27, 2013

Bound In Death

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Expected Release Date: April 15, 2013
Publisher: Cynthia Eden
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.cynthiaeden.com
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com (Personal Purchase)
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 5, Bound In Series
Series Best Read In Order: Works Well As A Standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: None
Favorite Tropes: Betrayal, Amnesia, Mates For Life

Official Blurb:

She can’t remember him…
He can never forget her.

For over two hundred years, alpha werewolf Alerac O’Neill has been searching for his mate, Keira McDonough, a woman who was taken from him and imprisoned by a dark vampire master. He’s hunted for her, endlessly, using vampire blood to extend his life. He has become a vicious predator, feared by all the supernaturals. His hold on reality seems to slip more each day because he is consumed by her.

Only…the woman he discovers in a small Miami bar isn’t the Keira that he remembers. In fact, this woman doesn’t remember anything. She calls herself Jane Smith, and she has no memory at all of Alerac—or of her own past.

Now that she’s been found, Alerac knows that his enemies are going to start closing in on her. Jane may try to act human, but she’s not. She’s a pureblood vampire princess, incredibly powerful and incredibly valuable. His enemies want to use her, her enemies want to destroy her, and Alerac—he just wants her.

If he can’t make her remember him, then Alerac has to seduce Jane into loving him once again. Because now that he’s found her, he’ll fight hell—and every sadistic vampire that stalks the night—in order to keep her safe at his side.

Some bonds go deeper than the flesh. Some go beyond life. Beyond death.

Jane will soon learn that a werewolf’s claiming…is forever

What Worked For Me:

  • Love the betrayals on many levels, from the fact that Alerac had used Kiera in the beginning to get close to her clan, to the backstabbing and betrayals that occur later in the book.
  • I’ve always enjoyed the amnesia trope, and I really enjoyed that it didn’t go the cliched route as with many stories that involve memory loss.
  • On a similar note, I loved the indecision on whether Jane/Kiera should even really attempt to regain her memories, and the back and forth that she and Alerac both went through in the decision as to whether to pursue that avenue.
  • There were quite a few sub-plots and twisty-turny bits that I really enjoyed, many of which really took me by surprise.
  • This doesn’t count towards the final rating, but I really hope that two certain characters get their own book. (It will be obvious when you read it which characters I’m talking about.)
  • I loved the little details such as Alerac’s eyes.
  • Of course, as with any Cynthia Eden book, the chemistry was lovely and the love scenes were intense and delicious.
  • I am already familiar with the series, and therefore am also already familiar with the “rules” so to speak of the universe that these characters live in, so many of the developments in the plot came as no surprise to me at all (including the Big Twist at the end, sadly). Even so, I think this would work very well as a standalone, and the rules of this universe blended seamlessly with the issues that these characters faced, which I appreciated.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • Super duper picky point, but there’s a moment when a character uses the word “vampire” in a situation where they clearly meant “werewolf”, and yes, it annoyed me enough that I made a note of it. A minor issue, to be sure, and not one that actually counted towards the final rating enough to change it, but still, it pulled me out of the story when I read it.
  • How the heck do you pronounce Alerac? Again, not a big issue, but it’s a bit hard to really get into a story when I’m not sure how to pronounce the main character’s name. I was having flashbacks to Hermione Granger and the massacre that was my pronunciation of her name until it was actually explained to me.

One minor issue where the word “vampire” was used in a place that should have very obviously been “werewolf” (and yes, I’m picky, and that drove me a bit bonkers for a minute), but other than that, a very solid read.

Full of love, lust, anger, grief, betrayal, and revenge, with Ms. Eden’s trademark delicious chemistry thrown on top, I couldn’t put it down, and there’s a beautiful potential for a folllow-up book with some secondary characters who also quickly captured my heart.

4halfA very solid 4.5/5

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Review – Silent Warrior – Pocket Star – Lindsey Piper

April 22, 2013

Silent Warrior

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Expected Release Date: April 22, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Pocket Star
Author’s Website: http://www.lindseypiper.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 0.5, Dragon Kings
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Whirlwind Romance, HFN Instead of HEA
Favorite Tropes: Animalistic Mating,

Official Blurb:

An exciting, emotionally charged prequel to “The Dragon Kings” trilogy, featuring warriors fighting for their lives in violent Cage matches to guarantee their clans’ survival.

A silent woman ashamed of her criminal background becomes a Cage warrior to seek redemption. An unrepentant fortune hunter chooses combat over death to appease a mafia family. Although rivals in battle, they find common ground when seeking their clan’s stolen idol, but for vastly different reasons. Neither one suspects that love will begin when he becomes the first man in five years to hear her speak.

What Worked For Me:

  • I loved that Hark had a phobia that was so at odds with the big badass smart-mouthed warrior that he presented to the world.
  • The rough urgency between “Silence” and Hark was really hot. *fans self*
  • On a similar note,  I loved that “Silence” was so unapologetic about taking a disposable lover for the night, even though she was far from what I would call promiscuous. As a strong, capable character, her boldness in the bedroom (or the alleyway, or the floor, or the.. well, you get the idea) fit with her overall persona, and honestly I would have been disappointed if she had been anything other than a demanding lover, despite my usual preference for more timid females in my romances.
  • There was plenty of action of the beat-you-bloody variety as well, which added wonderfully to the gritty, dark vibe of the whole story, and kept the pacing fast and furious throughout the story.
  • The Ritual Of Thorns. Ho-lee-Crap. That was the most romantic, brutal, sweet,  terrible, awesome, horrific, incredible “marriage” ceremony I have ever seen on the written page. I loved it. I want to quote it for you (but can’t, since my copy was a review copy), because I swear to you folks, I almost dropped my Kindle — the concept and execution was simply incredible, and in my mind, the best thing about this story.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I never have been and likely never will be a fan of whirlwind romances, and this was no exception, though I admit I did see the appeal of two members of the patient Sath clan being so impetuous.
  • Ug! Brick wall ending.  While I was thrilled with the Ritual of Thorns (seriously, went back and re-read it like eight times), I was so disappointed that the book ended almost immediately afterwards. I get that this is a prequel, and as such is an introduction to the series, and that maybe, just maybe we’ll get more of Hark and “Silence” in the future *crosses fingers*, but it still kills me not to have a good solid Happily Ever After.  To be fair, I will (albeit grudgingly) admit that in this particular instance, the author almost certainly did make the right choice in giving them a Happy For Now ending, because these two characters are never going to be rainbows and sunshine, and maybe, just maybe, for them, this ending is a Happily Ever After.  But still I grumble. ;)

I’ve had my eye on this series ever since I got to read a snippet of the forthcoming first book in the series, Caged Warrior, due out in June of this year, and so I snapped up this novella as soon as I had the chance.

Dark and unapologetically gritty, this story was full of pulse-pounding action, and earthy heat that keeps you begging for more.

I loved that the heroine was a true warrior — she isn’t one of those supposedly “strong” heroines who suddenly turns weak and dependent on a hero halfway through the story. Instead, she lives up to her reputation as a fearsome warrior, and gives our hero, Hark, a real run for his money.

While I’m never one for a whirl-wind romance, and I didn’t care for the fact that the ending was more of a Happy For Now than a Happily Ever After, there was no denying that the courtship between these two, and the ending of the story simply fit with these two characters and the world that they lived in.

There was also one of, if not the most romantic scenes ever, despite the blood and brutality involved.

04stars
A very solid 4/5 Stars.

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Review: A Bit of a Bite – Cynthia Eden

April 12, 2013

A Bit of a Bite

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Expected Release Date: March 23, 2013 (Reissue) – Originally appeared in “Entangled” Anthology (September 2011)
Publisher: Self-Published
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.cynthiaeden.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Pacing moves too quickly
Favorite Tropes: Hero in Pursuit, Marked Mates, Physically scarred heroine

Official Blurb:

A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.

Originally part of an Entangled anthology.

What Worked For Me:

  • The chemistry between Ava and Julian was perfect. I’m a huge fan of what I call “hero in pursuit” stories, where the hero is the one who is more interested in forming a permanent relationship with the heroine than the heroine is with him, and Julian’s animal intensity that comes along with being the Alpha of his pack was to die for.
  • Giving Ava and Julian  the back-story that she did, Ms. Eden neatly sidestepped a bit of the “whirlwind” romance thing that I typically shy away from in romance, while still giving them plenty of unresolved issues to work through in this novella.
  • I also loved the mystery surrounding the deaths on the border of the Vampire and Werewolf territory. I won’t give spoilers, so I can’t say too much on the subject, but I was surprised by the outcome, and loved the twist.
  • I loved the mythology of the werewolves in this story, where they were born and not made.. or were they? ;)

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • The pacing felt a little rushed, which is often the case with novellas. Ms. Eden did a good job with not rushing the relationship portion of the story, by giving Ava and Julian a bit of a past together, but even so, the fast pacing made the story feel a bit shorter than I think it actually way.
  • I really wish we’d gotten a little more history on Ava’s scars. As it was, we got the basic gist of what happened, in a sort of cursory, fly-by way, but I would have loved a bit more depth on that sub-plot.  This rather ties in with the pacing issue mentioned above.

If you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Cynthia Eden’s work, for the main reason that the chemistry between her characters is always wonderful. Ava and Julian have this delicious push and pull going on, with Julian more interested in a relationship than Ava is, and heaven knows I do love a hero in pursuit.

There’s tons of action, a nicely twisty mystery, and of course, that delicious tension and steam we’ve come to expect from Ms. Eden. While the pacing was a little rushed at times, and I think could have benefited from a slightly longer story length, it was still a very enjoyable read.

3half
3.5/5 Stars

At the time of this review, this novella is free as a standalone on both Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. Prices are subject to change at any time without notice — always check prices before completing any purchase.

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Review: Wicked As They Come – Delilah S. Dawson

April 4, 2013

Wicked As They Come

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Expected Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Pocket Books
Author’s Website: http://delilahpaints.blogspot.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Blud Series
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Love Triangle (Minor) , Public nudity (minor)
Favorite Tropes: Hero In Pursuit, Fated To Be Mated, Alternate Dimension (Steampunk)

Official Blurb:

First in a steampunk-tinged paranormal romance series in which a woman is transported to a world filled with vampires and magic. When nurse Tish Everett forced open the pesky but lovely locket she found at an estate sale, she had no idea she was answering the call of Criminy Stain, from the far off land of Sang. He’d cast a spell for her, but when she’s transported right to him, she’s not so sure she’s ready to be under the spell of another man. (It didn’t go so well last time with controlling, abusive, domineering Jeff.) If only Criminy wasn’t so deliciously rakish….

Half the inhabitants of Sang are Pinkies—human—and the other half are Bludmen, who in Tish’s world would be called vampires. But they don’t mess with any of the bat/coffin/no sunlight nonsense. They’re rather like you and me, just more fabulous, long living, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.) But when the evil Mayor of Manchester (formerly Bludchester) redoubles his efforts to rid Sang of the Bludmen once and for all, stealing Tish’s locket in hopes of traveling back to her world himself for reinforcements, Criminy and Tish must battle ghosts, sea monsters, wayward submarines, a secret cabal, and thundering Bludmares to get the locket back and allow Tish to return home…but has she found love with Criminy? Could she stay in Sang forever?

What Worked For Me:

  • The world-building is what truly made this book. I love the world of Sang, with its Bludmen and Pinkies, it’s complicated politics, it’s close parallels to our world, and all the wonderful little touches of magic.
  • I adored the caravan, with all of its colorful characters. I’ve always had a soft spot for carnivals of olde, and the band of misfits that make up Ciminy’s caravan, both the Pinkies and the Bludmen, quickly found a way into my heart.
  • Criminy is absolutely delicious. He’s got the whole “danger” thing being that he’s a Bludman while she’s only human, but more than that, he’s darkly sexy, he’s talented in actual magic instead of just sleight-of-hand, and he’s a Carnie for crying out loud… Not to mention the fact that from the moment he sets sight on Tish, he’s completely and utterly devoted to her.  His dark sensuality was what originally drew me in, but his determination that Tish be allowed to make her own choices was what really made me fall for him in the end.
  • I liked Tish a lot more as the story went on than I’d originally anticipated.  I wasn’t too sure about the First-Person Point of View at first, but I quickly realized that it couldn’t have been done any other way, and though some of Tish’s indecisiveness grated on my nerves at time, her resilience and adaptability really was pretty impressive. I don’t know too many people who would have found themselves in her situation who could’ve not only made it through without some sort of nervous breakdown, but who could have actually taken control as she did.
  • I admit I wasn’t too sure about the whole going back and forth between Sang and our world at first, but as the story progressed, I couldn’t get enough of the idea. All of the little twists and surprises that Ms. Dawson throws at as in relation to that as the story goes on, too, kept me glued to the pages.
  • Bludmen, love spells, clockworks, corrupt governments, ghosts, magic, riots in the streets — there’s truly never a dull moment, and yet I never felt as though anything was rushed over, or that the story was bogged down with too many details.
  • The chemistry between Tish and Criminy was scrumptious. I love a story where the hero is the one trying to convince the heroine to stay with him, and the added edge of danger with his being a Bludman and her being a human was wonderful.  The pacing of their physical relationship was just as perfect as the pacing of the rest of the story, and I loved that even though Tish was a little gun-shy after having been hurt so badly in her last relationship in our world, she didn’t try to “punish” Criminy for her ex’s mistakes as many romance heroines are wont to do.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I don’t like love triangles in my romance, and even though this one is admittedly a minor one, and thankfully doesn’t extend beyond this book, it was still annoying to have Tish so wishy-washy when she had someone so obviously devoted to her.
  • Even though it didn’t bother her, it’s still a pet peeve — the heroine is naked in front of a stranger in the beginning of the book. Blech.

I had actually started to pick up this book once before and then put it down, because I’m not usually one for the whole “alternate dimension” thing, and was put off by the fact that Tish arrived in Sang wearing no more than her birthday suit (which, if you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll realize is a pet peeve of mine).

I’ve read the short stories set in this world, The Mysterious Madam Morpho and The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance and enjoyed them, but still, I never quite got around to really getting started in this one.

Oh, how foolish I am.

The world that Ms. Dawson has created is full of magic and treachery, with the parallels to our world giving it just enough familiarity to keep it from being too fantastical to grasp. The creatures of Blud, the various clockworks, the corrupt government, Tish’s “glancing”, Criminy’s scrumptious sensuality, and all the twists and turns of the plot had me absolutely glued to the pages.

While I didn’t care for the love triangle, minor as it was, and I am still a tiny bit annoyed that Criminy got to see Tish’s goods in the beginning of the story before they’d even really met, this was, hands down, one of the best books I’ve read all year, and I’m kicking myself for not having read it sooner.

5stars5/5 Stars

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