Sunday, November 22, 2009

Movie Review: Twilight Saga - New Moon



I know I haven't posted in a long time, and this post isn't even a novel post. But I figured I should do a little update on the paranormal romance world.

So! After a long wait, I was finally able to see the New Moon Movie from the Twilight Saga today. I've already written a book review here so I'm just going to be commenting mainly on the movie. And to get to the bottom line without wasting people's time, the movie was slightly disappointing, but not so much as an absolute don't-watch-it-category movie, mainly because Taylor Lautner had his shirt off for a lot of the scenes.

So first of all, I was so glad that the movie wasn't as disappointing as the last one. I really think that having a higher budget and a different director worked in its favor. And Taylor Lautner was definitely smoking HOT when he took his shirt off.

You know, I admire Taylor Lautner, as he added 30 lbs (or whatever) of muscle on himself so that he could keep his role. And I believe it was a good choice. New Moon portrayed him well, and I bet that a lot of Edward-fans or non-Twilight readers will be joining Team Jacob after this.

But note that I will not be one of those, because my love were for the characters from the books and not the movies. But I do like Taylor a lot, and have no love for Robert Pattinson at all.

Anyway, off topic.

The reason I liked this movie more than the last one was because it was obvious that the director tried hard to stay true to the book for as much as possible. Unlike the first one, no super major scenes were cut, and nothing, at least to me, screamed WRONG like the kiss scene in the first movie. However, I think it stayed a little TOO true on some lines. You know how somethings sounds perfectly fine when it's written, but when spoken, it would just sound cheesy? There were quite a few moments of those in there. >_<

It was nice to see the CGs in this movie were very well done, and I absolutely adore Jacob's wolf form. I was quite worried about seeing some ugly wolves running around until I saw the trailer, but was still worried that they didn't portray the wolves correctly. Luckily they did. THANK GOD!!

Now what's wrong was the Vampires... Ok, I never considered them Vampires, really. I'm sorry to say, but I just kind of treated them as a different species that drinks blood when I read the book. Vampires are supposed to have FANGS!!! If you're a vampire and have no fangs, you're like... handicapped or something. You've got to have fangs to be vampires... But, off topic again.

I don't really blame this movie for how the vampires look. It was set in the first movie, and you can't really change it drastically. So I guess they were forced to "go-along-with-it." But still... >_<

My BIGGEST problem with this movie is Edward though. OMG, he was so hot and so great in the books, but he's just a lame ass ugly white... THING in this movie. I'm going to apologize in advance for people who likes Robert Pattison, but he's terrible!!! He can't act, and every time he speaks, he acts like he's a ventriloquist by not moving his lips at all. I could barely understand him on many occasions!!

Another thing is, and I think Jacob fans would definitely disagree with me, that I believe although Edward wasn't present most of the time in the novel New Moon, I still think that it is a story about Bella and Edward, not Bella and Jacob. It's about how much Bella really loves Edward and for him to realize that leaving her for "her own good" is just not an option. However, this movie did not capture the essence of it. So, it was quite disappointing in that way.

Don't get me wrong though, I still enjoyed the movie on some level, just not the way I was supposed to enjoy it. Oh... Did I mention that Taylor without a shirt on was HOT? Yah, he was HOT!!!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Book Review: One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon


One Silent Night is one of the best stories in the Dark Hunter series. It was a fast-paced, page turner, where Sherrilyn Kenyon turned the all-time villain into the hero of his HEA romance novel.

Summary:

Stryker, the all-time villain of the Dark-Hunter series, the Daimon who's ultimate goal is to destroy Acheron and mankind, was once in love eleven thousand years ago. Forced to divorce his ex-wife only after a year of marriage by his father Apollo, he thought that she was long dead when his father cursed his whole race to die at the age of twenty-seven. After loosing his sister to his eternal enemies Acheron and Nick, he unleashed the uncontrollable War to make his revenge, only to find his ex-wife sent to kill him by Artemis.

Zephyra was surprised when Artemis sent her to kill Stryker, her ex-husband, and she was more than willing to do the goddess' bidding. It wasn't only because Artemis had saved her life so long ago and that she was forever in the goddess' debt, but also because she can finally take her revenge against the one person she had once loved. Eleven thousand years ago, she was young, and she had fallen in love with Stryker and believed in him, only to be divorced by him a year after so that he could go marry another women. But even after so many years and all those hatred towards him, she could still feel their attraction deep inside her.

What I liked:

I think it's very difficult to write a romance story about a villain. It must be sympathetic to a degree, and yet, the characters cannot have a sudden personality change. And I really think that Sherrilyn Kenyon did a great job in this book on those aspects. I did not all of a sudden fall in love with Stryker, but the story that was told about his past and his point of view of things did make me sympathize with him to a degree that I accepted him being able to love another. And I'm also very glad that he remained a villain throughout the story, and not all of a sudden wanted love and peace (ok, love yes, peace, no).

What I didn't like:

The story was way too short. It was a much thinner book, with huge fonts. In a way, I felt somewhat cheated when I first started reading. Did Sherrilyn Kenyon put too many words in her book Acheron that she's sacrificing word count on this book? Luckily, the story made it up for me, so that by the end of the book, it didn't bother me anymore.

Conclusion:

Although there are mixed reaction to One Silent Night, the 13th installment of the Dark Hunter series, by Sherrilyn Kenyon, I thoroughly enjoyed it very much. Although the story was short, I was able to see things on Stryker's side for once, and thought him worthy of his HEA story. I'm very glad that he remained as a villain though, so I do suggest those who are contemplating on whether to read this book or not to keep an open mind, and I believe you will appreciate the HEA of a villain all the more.

All reviews for the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Book Review: Dark Challenge by Christine Feehan (Carpathian/Dark Series)


Dark Challenge, the fifth installment of Christine Feehan's Carpathian/Dark series, was a novel with a decent storyline, less than satisfactory flow, and too many distractions. Hence, my rating of a 3.5 Pink Hearts.

Summary:

Julian Savage was a Carpathian male who was tainted by a vampire at a young age, forcing him to live a solitary life away from his kind and his twin for centuries. The time has come for him to greet the dawn and end his bleak existence, but not before he performs one last task for his Prince, to protect the singer, Desari, targeted by human "Vampire Hunters." But the instant he heard her beautiful voice, he knew he had found his true lifemate.

Desari was a singer with a mesmerizing voice and a talent unmatched by any others. An ancient Carpathian female herself, she traveled for centuries with her family unit of her brother, a couple other Carpathian males, and another Carpathian female, and for centuries she thought they were the only survivors of their kind. Meeting the solitary Carpathian, Julian Savage, she found herself helplessly drawn to him, but now, she must find a balance between being with her lifemate and staying with her family.

What I liked:

Of all the Carpathian/Dark series novels up to this particular book, this story was the only one that deeply explored the changes within a Carpathian male when they finally found their emotions again upon finding their lifemate. In the previous novels, the heroes seemed to have adjusted to their newfound emotions quite easily, which didn't make too much sense to me. However, Julian's story was full of mistakes made due to his new distractions of emotions, and they way he coped with it. I genuinely felt that this book did a great job in tapping deep into the difficulty of the transition for the hero, which made it all the more realistic and believable.

What I didn't like:

While the storyline was decent, Christine Feehan failed to make it flow properly. There were so many sex scenes in this book that made the flow awkward. It was almost as if she was using those scenes to make it so that she could reach the proper word count for her publisher or something. For example, there would be a fight between Julian and the ancient vampire, and then when the vampire retreats because dawn was coming, you would naturally want to know the results of the next battle ASAP. But then, there will be a sex scene right there. And I'd be like, "what???"

And what was worse, was that no matter what the situation was, Desari would always tempt Julian to have sex with her. I mean, it doesn't matter if they were within hearing range of her family, out in the open where it could be dangerous, or when Julian should rest and prepare for a battle. All she wanted was sex, sex and sex. It was almost as if she was a nymphomania. And she didn't even think it's wrong to distract her lifemate when it meant that she could put both of them in danger... that was rather selfish of her, I think.

Another thing about this story was that there was a little too much focus on Desari's brother, Darius. It was almost as if he was the hero of the book rather than Julian. I'm not quite sure about other readers, but when I'm reading a romance novel, I'd like to stay focused on the hero and heroine. I might fall in love with another character, but I would never want him to distract me too much from the main hero of the story.

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, Dark Challenge by Christine Feehan, had the potential to be a much better paranormal romance novel than it really was. The storyline was good, but, unfortunately, delivered rather poorly. If the number of sex scenes could have been cut in half, and not occur in the middle of a suspense buildup, it would have been a much much better book.

Read my reviews of the other novels in the Carpathian/Dark series by Christine Feehan

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Book Review - Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga)


Book three of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, Eclipse, is a paranormal romance novel with a good and interesting plot, but very annoying characters. For that, I can only give the novel a 3.5 Pink Hearts.

Summary:

With her boyfriend being a vampire, and best friend being a werewolf, Bella was torn between love and friendship. As much as she couldn't live without Edward, she couldn't give up her personal-sun, Jacob, even though the two hate each other so much that they want to tear each other apart. As Bella try to work everything out with this complicated relationship, Jacob just had to make things more complicated by insisting her feelings towards him was much more than friendship. And to make matters worse, a group of newborn vampires were roaming Seattle, just an hour or so away from their town of Forks, and an old enemy still lurks in the shadows threatening for revenge.

SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!!

What I liked:

I liked how the plot played out in this story, and their enemy's tactics. It was fresh, and helped to give much more insight about many secondary characters, especially Jasper. I really liked that because for the first two books, he was more like an unnecessary character, with no in depth description or characterization. But in Eclipse, he character finally developed, making him much less of an unnecessary background.

Although I fell in love with Edward in the first book, Twilight, I believe I fell in love with him all over again in Eclipse. It was just amazing how much he loved Bella, and how much he was willing to do for her.

What I didn't like:

I was never a big fan of Bella, mainly because she was just a shallow teenager, who, for no particular reasons, fell in love with a vampire. But she did not officially begin to annoy and piss me off until Eclipse. Throughout the whole story, she was inconsiderate and indecisive. Knowing how much Edward worried about her being with unstable young werewolves, she still chose to run off (multiple times) to see Jacob. Knowing how Edward would be jealous of her being together with another person who likes her more than a friend, she still constantly talk about Jacob in front of him. And then, when she finally realize Jacob's feeling towards her, she tells him no, but still continues to see him all the time. If these actions are not inconsiderate, I don't know what what they are.

In a way, I see Bella's action towards Jacob was due to her insecurity towards Edward, and would just like to hold on to somebody. But that, in my opinion, is seriously cruel. If it was in New Moon, when Edward was still nowhere to be found, I can understand, but he came back, and Bella chose to accept him again. Then why the hell was she leading Jacob on while still clinging onto Edward? Unfortunately, Bella's behavior in Eclipse made me loose a lot of respect for her.

Jacob, was another annoying character. As much as Bella did somewhat lead him on by keep going back to him, she did, after all, repeatedly said that she didn't see him that way, that she only loves Edward, and yet, he kept pressing her. I'm sorry, persistence is good only to a certain point, after that, it becomes annoyance. And that was exactly what Jacob was. And, granted, I never liked Jacob's character in New Moon, I just hated him even more in Eclipse. By 3/4 of the story, he annoyed me so much that every time he appears, I would either want to strangle him, or pray that he would die soon or something.

Conclusion:

With all that said, Eclipse was still a decent read if you have been following the series. However, for me, the only thing that held the book together was a decent plot, and a very yummy Edward. If those two elements were not present or if I'm rating this book solely on Bella and Jacob's character... argh, I don't even want to think about it. But then again, Stephenie Meyer did do a good job wrapping up some of the lines in this book, and will leave you wondering what would happen next.

All reviews for the Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Book Review - Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark-Hunter Series)


Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon is the eleventh installment of the Dark Hunter paranormal romance series, excluding all anthologies and books from the Dream-Hunter series. This is a solid 4.5 Pink Hearts engaging read that answers many questions the readers were dying to know about all throughout the series.

Summary:

Sin was an ex-Sumerian god, who had his godhood stolen from him three thousand years ago by Artemis. Although, listed as one of the Dark Hunters, he didn't hunt daimons, instead his job was to keep the gallu demons, which were created by his pantheon eons ago, in line. Having been betrayed all his life, Sin didn't trust anyone, until this one person came crashing into his life fighting by his side and offering her heart.

Katra was a well hidden daughter of Artemis'. When her mother came to her asking her to kill Sin because he was evil, Katra knew there was more to the story. And the more time she spent with the ex-god, the more she knew she was right. As the gallu demons tried to free the Dimme to destroy the world, she must earn his trust, despise that she was the daughter of his most hated enemy, in time to save mankind.

What I liked:

Devil May Cry was a very pleasant read. The conversations between Katra and Sin was great fun to read, as they were filled with sarcasm. I couldn't help myself laughing out loud many times throughout the story at their dialog. For the people following the Dark Hunter series, this book will answer many many questions unanswered by previous books, which was great. I guess after 11 books, the conspiracy was getting a little too much, so having Sherrilyn Kenyon answering some of the mysteries hinted in previous stories was great and really kept me wanting to read more.

What I didn't like:

Although the storyline was great, Acheron kind of stole the show a bit in this novel. Not that I object him showing up all the time, but I would have liked it a bit more if the focus was more on Sin, the hero of the story. But, by talking about Ash's past, there was a shift of focus in the book. So instead of wanting to read more about Sin, I find myself wanting more of Ash when I was reading. But since this was a love story of Sin and Katra, it would have been better if I find myself thinking more about Sin than Ash throughout the story.

Conclusion:

Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon is a great read that I would recommend to all those who have been following the series. You will definitely have many of your questions answered, and left asking for more. However, for those who have not been reading the series, this book can be a little difficult to follow... in fact, I think many of the Dark Hunter series books aren't that great when read as a stand alone.

All reviews for the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Book Review - Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole (Immortals After Dark Series)


Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole is the third installment of the Immortals After Dark Series. This is a well deserved solid 5 Pink Hearts paranormal romance novel that is sizzling hot with an irresistible storyline.

Summary:

Mariteka the Awaited was a witch who have not yet reached her immortality. She was born to be powerful, and yet, she could not control her powers. Either she fails to cast her spells, or she end up blowing things up. Tired of being looked down on, she entered the Talisman's Hie to prove herself, and she was determined to win. But so was everyone else. Especially Bowen, who she was attracted to instantly the first time she saw him.

Bowen MacRieve entered the Talisman's Hie determined to win the prize that would let him go back in time to getting back the mate he lost two centuries ago. Instead, he found Mariketa, who he was attracted to instantly. Despite of what his instincts were screaming out to him, he decided to ignore it for she was a witch, a race of the lore that he, as a Lykae, despises. And since she was a witch, she must have casted a spell on him making him think she was his mate.

What I liked:

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night was, like the other installments of the Immortals After Dark series, fast-paced, action packed, hot and sizzling page turner. I simply couldn't put the book down.

Before I read this book, I've always thought that Kresley Cole was going to write the story on Bowe getting his mate back, so it was a complete surprise that this story was about him and Mari, who was obviously not the mate who died years ago. The story was an adventurous one, and Bowe really melted my heart when he tried his best not to hurt or scare off Mari when his instincts take over during a full moon.

What I didn't like:

There really wasn't anything that I didn't like about the book. If there MUST be one, it would be the title "Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night," as that has nothing to do with the story really. But other than that, I think the book's perfect.

Conclusion:

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole is a must read. I definite recommend it to anyone who like romance novels with an alpha male hero paired with a strong female who can rival him. Bowe was so sweet that he would melt your heart instantly. However, although this book can be read as a stand alone, I would highly recommend reading the previous two installments in the Immortals After Dark series before reading this book. Especially No Rest for the Wicked, as that story took place directly prior to this one, and will help the reader understand much more about the Talisman's Hie, and the lore world Kresley Cole has created.

All reviews for the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Book Review - Captive Dreams by Angela Knight & Diane Whiteside


Captive Dreams by Angela Knight and Diane Whiteside is a sizzling hot paranormal/futuristic erotic romance. The storyline is great by erotic romance standards, and is just one sexy, kinky read. An absolute 4.5 Pink Hearts material.

Summary:

Both Celeste and Corrine Carson were successful writers of science fiction and romance novels. It wasn't until one day, when they materialized and kidnapped the two sisters to their world that the girls realized that the hot sexy alpha male heroes they created in their novels actually existed, and they had revenge on their mind.

In Bound by the Dragon, Mykhayl Tibronson, High King of Torhtremer, kidnapped Corrine to a his world of dragons and spells. Convinced that Corrine was a sorceress, he accused her for causing all his tortures and misfortunes in the past, and he intended to punish her for all that she had done. Intrigued and sexually drawn to the insatiable Mykhayl, she realized it was true that by writing her novels, she truly was his tormentor. Plagued with guilt and other feelings she'd rather not face, she was determine to help cure his sterility, no matter what it may cost her.

In Bound by the Dream, Jarred Varrain was finally able to get his hands on Celeste, the woman who made his life a living hell. He intended to exact his revenge on her, make her a sex-sub, and then give her to his friend. There was no escaping for her, as he was a cyborg, who was physically enhance, a sensor implanted in his brain, and incomparable skills in bed. Now it was just a matter of getting her out of his system in 14 days so he could give her over to his friend.

What I liked:

As an erotic romance story, both Bound by the Dragon and Bound by the Dream had a rich romance plot with scenes so hot that it sizzle off the pages. That made a very good balance between the romance plot, paranormal/futuristic elements, and erotica, which is difficult to find in other erotic romance stories. I also really liked the fast pace in Bound by the Dream. Angela Knight did a very good job in throwing us right into the story, wasting no time at all, which made it all the more engaging.

What I didn't like:

Bound by the Dragon, however, was slow to start off with as a novella. Unlike Angela Knight, Diane Whiteside chose to describe a lot of elements in her mystical world. That would have worked if the story was a novel; however, as a novella, the pace was just too slow, failing to capture my attention right from the beginning of the story.

Conclusion:

I would admit that I do like Bound by the Dream quite a bit better than Bound by the Dragon, hence, the high overall rating. But as erotic romance stories, they were both above average. So I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes erotic romance that has a well balance romance plot and sizzling sex scenes. Angela Knight will be on my radar from now on, and I will definitely be reading more of her works from now on.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Book Review - Dark Gold by Christine Feehan (Carpathian/Dark Series)


Dark Gold is the third installment of the Carpathian/Dark series by Christine Feehan. It is an intriguing, sensuous read that I've very much enjoyed reading. However, due to certain flaws, which I will discuss later on in this post, I had to debate whether to give it a 3.5 or a 4 Pink Hearts rating. But I guess 4 Pink Hearts it is, because I enjoyed it very much despite that I did not like part of the story.

Summary:

Alexandria Houton loved her little brother and would do anything to protect him from harm. As a psychic, she could be safely turned into a Carpathian and become one of the few that could save the dying race, and now the Vampires hunted her, wanting to claim her as their own. Plunged into the mysterious, yet dangerous world of Carpathians and Vampires, her body turned into a Carpathian by the hands of the powerful Aidan. But, as much as her body embraced both her bond with the attractive stranger and her physical changes, she had yet to accept her fate mentally.

Aidan Savage was a hunter for the mysterious Carpathian race, and the only one that lived with a human family. After 800 years of life without a lifemate, his inner demons were strong, and was close to turning, but that was until he found Alexandria. To heal and cleanse his lifemate's tainted blood from the Vampire's attack, Aidan turned her into one of his kind without her consent. He was determined to give her time to cope, although he found his fight with his inner demon more of a challenge everyday, yet she continued to defy him, continued to deny her new existence and their unbreakable bond. And the latter, he would not allow.

What I liked:

Again, Christine Feehan was really the master of creating perfect men. I love how Aidan loved Alexandria so unconditionally that he was willing to risk himself to allow her time to adjust. I love how he accepted her little brother and gave him the best and everything he wanted just because he was someone Alexandria loved. And I loved it even more that, despite being 8 centuries old and without emotion for the most part of it, once he found his emotion back by meeting Alexandria, he was the most fun and loving person you'll ever meet.

In Dark Gold, I also really liked the fact that Alexandria did not accept the whole concept of Carpathians and Vampires immediately, and that she was in a denial state for quite a bit of time. This part of the plot was handled quite well by the author for most of it, as it was very real and very believable for a normal person to react the way she did when thrown into such a dangerous and foreign world.

What I didn't like:

Although Christine Feehan did handle the "denial-state" quiet well for the most part, it also caused me to dislike some parts of the story. First of all, Alexandria's denial-state dragged on for 3/4 of the story. First she wouldn't believe the existence of Carpathians and Vampires, then when she finally did, she wouldn't believe that she became a Carpathian, then when she finally did, she wouldn't believe the bond of lifemates in her new world. And the whole thing just dragged on and on as if she was just trying to find something to not believe in.

Now the second problem came when she finally was able to accept everything including her love with Aidan. One minute she was still denying that she was not human anymore and that she does not love him, and a minute later she turned around 180 degrees, accepted everything, and was willing to give him whatever he wants/needs...? I couldn't help but keep thinking from that point on towards the end of the story if I've missed part of the story. The transition was just not natural to me.

Conclusion:

Despite the problem with the heroine's personality of extremely repetitive denial and defiance (do we see a pattern here yet?) and a not-so-natural transition to the romance plot of the story, Dark Gold, the paranormal romance novel by Christine Feehan is a very good read that I would recommend to anyone who like the paranormal romance genre. As usual, I loved the hero in this story, and the plot definitely had me turning the pages. If it wasn't for the overdoing of the denial state and the unexpected (in a bad way) transition, I would have no doubt given this book a 5 Pink Hearts, and classified it as a must read.

Read my reviews of the other novels in the Carpathian/Dark series by Christine Feehan

Book Review - Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark-Hunter Series)


Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon is the second installment of her Dark-Hunter series. This fast paced, action packed paranormal romance novel is a wonderful 4 Pink Hearts read for all those who are attracted to hot fanged immortals.

Summary:

Amanda Devereaux was an accountant, conservative and uptight, she actually came from a family obsessed with the supernaturals. Her own twin sister thought herself as a vampire slayer, and even went on patrols every night. Amanda didn't believe any of this and thought that she was the only sane member of the family, until, mistaken for being her twin, she was knocked out cold, kidnapped, and handcuffed to a complete stranger who happened to have a pair of fangs of his own.

Kyrian of Thrace was a Macedonian general from centuries ago betrayed by his beloved wife only to be tortured and crucified by his Roman enemy. Burning for revenge, he sold his soul to Artemis and became a Dark-Hunter, a member of the immortal army she created to defend humans against Daimons, a vampire-like being. When he woke up one night handcuffed to Amanda, the solitary life he enjoyed was about to change.

He was intrigued by her. She was smart, by no means afraid of him, and he wants her for his own. But Dark-Hunter codes states clearly that he cannot have a significant other. The secrecy of their existence and the danger he was constantly emerged in just wouldn't allow it. And now, they were in grave danger. Something out there knew Kyrian's weakness, and worse, it was stalking Amanda.

What I liked:

Night Pleasures is a very entertaining paranormal romance novel. I really liked the world Sherrilyn Kenyon created, and this story is action packed. Her characters were also a great load of fun to read, especially the dialog between Kyrian and Amanda. It was also great to see Julian and Grace and some other characters from the first book Fantasy Lover making guest appearances in this book.

What I didn't like:

Like Fantasy Lover, there were too much "telling", too little "showing" when it comes to explaining Kyrian's past. As much as the rest of the book was fast paced, the part where Kyrian spoke about his betrayal to Amanda slowed down the story by quite a bit. Luckily, his story wasn't as long as Julian's, and the pace picked right back up after that particular section of the book.

There was also this one part of the story where I thought Amanda was a little OOC (Out of Character). She was described as conservative and a bit shy when it comes to dealing with men, but when she tried to help him overcome his worse nightmare, it seemed all her original personalities were gone - like poof. Don't get me wrong, I liked that part of the story, but if she didn't have a personality change all of a sudden, it would have been so much better.

Conclusion:

I really recommend Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon. For those who enjoys action packed paranormal romance novels, this book will open up a whole series of sizzling novels for you in the Dark-Hunter world. Although some books in the series I didn't quite like, which I will be discussing in later posts, most of the stories so far were above average. They could all be read as standalone novels, but reading according to the sequence is highly recommended.

Read Reviews of Other Novels in the Dark-Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Book Review - Dark Desire by Christine Feehan (Carpathian/Dark Series)


Dark Desire is the second installment of the Carpathian/Dark series written by Christine Feehan. This is a great sensual read, for those who likes intense fire-crackling emotion paranormal romance novels. And since I do, I'm giving it a 4 Pink Hearts rating.

Summary:

Jacques Dubrinsky was a once powerful Carpathian who was betrayed and handed over to the human butchers to be tortured and killed. After days of inhuman sadistic torturing, he had given up on life, and even welcomed death when they drove a stick into his chest and buried him in his cellar. During his seven years of imprisonment, the only thing that kept him alive was his mental connection with his lifemat across the ocean.

Shea O'Halloran was an American surgeon, who believed that she has a rare blood disease. For the past seven years, she heard summons of an unknown voice, felt the anguish of an unknown man across the sea. Drawn to the Carpathian Mountains, she found him, tortured, ravaged and mad, yet she felt compelled to save him.

Even though he believed that she was cruel enough to ignore his summon when he needed her the most, he recognized her as his lifemate, and he was determined to claim her as his own, but he was barely sane, and her courage and compassion was the only thing that could keep him from madness. She could see in his eyes his burning desire and unconditional love that she have so desired all her life, but she was afraid to have him become a part of her. And now, the betrayer, the vampire who handed Jacques over to the human butchers, was back, and he wanted Shea.

What I liked:

Dark Desire is very sensual and emotionally intense, and it kept me turning the pages. Although Jacques wasn't quiet sane towards the first half of the novel, he was, nevertheless, hot and yummy. And it was especially touching when Shea was under attack, and he tried to save her although he could barely move in his physical condition.

I also liked how Shea struggled mentally trying not to fall in love with her destined lifemate, because of her past. It made a lot of sense to me, and helped to intensify their relationship on the way. I couldn't help but smile from my heart when she finally accepted their love.

What I didn't like:

As with her previous Carpathian novel, Christine Feehan's heroine likes to defy the hero in whatever way she can regardless of the situation. Although Shea was not as annoying as Raven in Dark Prince, because she was less dumb, and a little more powerful, I was still annoyed by her. It would seem like Christine Feehan had a problem with distinguishing "independence" and pure "stupidity." Sometimes, it seemed that Shea defy and refuse Jacques' protection just for the sake of defying, nothing more. And that, I didn't appreciate.

Conclusion:

Although I do have a slight problem with Shea's stupid moves in the book, it is still a very nice read. Christine Feehan, although, in my opinion, not so good with developing her female characters, is extremely good at making the heros of her paranormal romance novels the man of any women's dreams... well, unless they really dislike alpha males. Once again, if you don't mind a slightly stupid women trying to be independent, Dark Desire is novel I would recommend to all paranormal romance novel fans out there.

Read my reviews on other Carpathian/Dark series novels by Christine Feehan

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Book Review - New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga)


New Moon is the second book of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. Continuing on with the incredible paranormal love story between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, this book is guaranteed to make you cry and break your heart. It is certainly worth a solid 4 Pink Hearts, great read in the paranormal romance novels genre.

Summary:

With Bella recovered from the Vampire, James', attack, she was all the more in love with Edward, and well blended in with the Cullen's family. Until a paper cut on her birthday party ruined everything. Just a week after the episode, Edward broke up with her, and the whole family of Cullen's moved out of Forks in a fortnight, leaving Bella torn and heart-broken.

After being in a zombie-state for months after the breakup, Bella accidentally discovered that she would hear Edward's worried voice in her head if she begin to do things that are reckless. So, when one day she saw some broken bikes to be disposed of by a neighbor, she brought them to Jacob Black, her friend in the reserve, to fix up. The two became very close friends as Bella slowly recovered from her depression, but Jacob wanted much more than friendship from her.

What I liked:

The story was, once again, well-written for the Young Adults genre, and is definitely engaging with many surprises (good and bad). Stephenie Meyer did a fantastic job in describing the emotions Bella went through during and after the break up, and made every single one of her actions thereafter very believable and logical. The reader is bound to be led into a series of emotions throughout the book along with the heroine, Bella Swan.

What I didn't like:

Although the hero remained to be Edward Cullen, the leading male character in New Moon was actually Jacob, as Edward was MIA for almost 3/4 of the book. In the beginning, I didn't really mind having Edward out of the story for a little while, as the book was written in a first person POV, a separation between the two is bound to have him missing for a while. Unfortunately, that part had dragged on for too long. Jacob was not a character I particularly enjoyed reading. Throughout the whole series, for me, he was more of a necessary evil, a character that was necessary only to have the story move on the way it should. Therefore, having him present throughout more than half of the book was somewhat annoying. I couldn't help but to flip through the pages to see how much longer must I endure his presence before I see Edward appearing in the story again. (I was a good girl, and did not skip through chapters though)

New Moon was also not much of a re-reading material. I did re-read some parts a couple of times after I finished the book, however, because the majority of the story was so sad, I wouldn't even want to touch most of it again.

Conclusion:

As much as I did enjoy New Moon of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, and as much as I would recommend the book to those who liked the novel Twilight, please be warned that reading this novel will require the accompaniment of a full box of Kleenex. Be prepared that Edward would not be present for most of the novel, and instead, you will be reading a lot about an immature Jacob. Also, this book cannot be read as a stand-alone, without reading Twilight, New Moon will not make any sense whatsoever.

All Reviews for the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Friday, February 13, 2009

Book Review - No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole (Immortals After Dark Series)


No Rest for the Wicked is the second book of the Immortals After Dark series written by Kresley Cole. This sensual adventurous paranormal romance novel will keep your heart rate up and wanting for much much more. Definitely a solid 5 Pink Hearts material.

Summary:

After making the mistake of showing a Vampire mercy, which cost the lives of her two beloved sisters, the Valkyrie Kaderin the Cold Hearted had lost all her emotions. She felt for nothing, and her only goal in life was to kill every Vampire she sees, and collect their fangs as trophies. Just prior to entering for the Talisman's Hie - the immortal's equivalent to a deadly scavenger hunt - she made a detour intended to rid the Vampire terrorizing a small town in Europe, but instead found a vampire who stirred her deadened emotions.

Sebastian Wroth was the third of the famous Wroth brothers when they were alive. Centuries ago, he was turned, against his will, into a Vampire by his older brothers, and now he stayed in his castle awaiting his death. The moment Kaderin showed up at his castle to finish him, he knew she was his Bride, as his deadened Vampire heart began to beat once again. Although he believed that they belong together, Kaderin thought otherwise, so follow her he did to join the deadly tournament of Talisman's Hie, where the grand price was something that she (and many other contestants) would gladly die for.

What I liked:

No Rest for the Wicked was very imaginative and original, and although both Kaderin and Sebastian had dark pasts, the story was a relative light-hearted read. Most of the plot were focused on the tournament, which showed us the many sides of both our hero and heroine. I soon learned to love Sebastian's gentle nature and his giving personality, and to adore Kaderin as a strong-minded capable women.

As much as I would like Kaderin to fall in love with Sebastian earlier on in the book (or at least earlier than she did, since she didn't until almost the end), Kresley Cole made it completely believable and logical that she didn't. And although there were many times when Kaderin caught herself falling for Sebastian and had to hold back, it never got to a point when I was annoyed with her for doing so.

I also really liked the part where Sebastian admitted to his brother, half way through the story, that he didn't know if he loved Kaderin, but he just had to be with her. I thought that was very real. In the Immortals After Dark series, most couples where bounded by fates to be destined "mates," "brides" or whatever. Many authors writing books with this kind of a theme often fell in the trap that "finding your destined mate" = "falling in love," which isn't necessarily true. I really appreciated that in the No Rest for the Wicked, that mistake was not made, and we could clearly see how and why Sebastian and Kaderin fell deeply in love with each other in the end.

There was also an excellent balance between the romance plot and the tournament. Never a moment did I feel that the Hie was taking over the romance plot at all, instead, it highly complemented it, and drove many situations where the two fell, bit by bit, in love with each other.

What I didn't like:

One of the things... or maybe it's the only thing, that I didn't like about this book was that Kaderin and Sebastian hit it off, physically, a little too early in the story for my taste. They actually made-out the first time they met. Umm... It did got me worrying a little in the beginning, because I don't like female characters (or male characters for that matter of fact) being too casual (yah, call me conservative). However, after continuing with the series, I find out that that was just the away things were in their kind who lives for centuries, which made this a little better for me. But it would be better if that was established earlier in the series.

Conclusion:

Kresley Cole's No Rest for the Wicked is definitely a paranormal romance novel that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes an intense, imaginative plot with a super lovable Vampire hero who knows how to respect and love a strong-minded women. Although I did begin this series with A Hunger Like No Other, this definitely could be read as a stand-alone. But please be warned that you will likely not be able to put the book down until the last page. And when you do, you will likely rush out to the bookstore to get Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, the third installment of the Immortals After Dark series.

All reviews for the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Book Review - Heart of the Dragon by Gena Showalter (Atlantis Series)


Heart of the Dragon is the first installment of Gena Showalter's Atlantis series that had just been reprinted by Harlequin in January 2009. Although it was imaginative to place mythical creatures together with the idea of the legendary island of Atlantis, this paranormal romance novel was somewhat of a disappointment; therefore, I'm only be giving it a 3 Pink Hearts.

Summary:

Shortly receiving a package from her brother, Grace Carlyle found herself lost in the Amazon Jungle trying to find him. But instead of finding him, she stumbled through the portal her brother intended to find into Atlantis, a world full of mystical creatures, and was captured by the sexy-beyond-words Darius.

Darius en Kragin, a shape-shifting dragon, was the Guardian of one of the portals to Atlantis. Having had his own family slaughtered by human "travelers," he was entrusted to kill any beings who dares cross the portal - intentionally or not - in order to protect their land. Over the centuries, he had lost his emotions, until he met Grace, and for the first time as a Guardian, he wasn't able to perform his duty. So instead, he brought her back to his castle and locked her up.

It wasn't long before she was able to escape back to her world, and although he knew he couldn't survive for an extended period of time there, he followed her, convincing himself it was for the sake of the secrecy of his land. Intended only to find her missing brother, together they found out the owner of her brother's company had joined forces with the Vampires in Atlantis to rip the Dragon's castle of wealth and to wipe out their entire race. Now with all that chaos, Darius must sort out his feelings for Grace, and try to save his land while keeping her.

A couple weeks ago, when I just finished Kresley Cole's Kiss of a Demon King and I was in between her books (again!), I saw readers on her board recommending Gena Showalter's Atlantis series. Having seen her "Author Talk" videos, the image of Gena Showalter being super funny was imprinted in my mind, and with some of the nice reviews on Amazon.com, I figured I'd try out the first book of the Atlantis series, Heart of the Dragon. (Oh, ok, I'll admit that another reason I chose to start with this one is because I really loved the cover. SEXY! ;P ) Unfortunately, it disappointed.

What I liked:

The prologue of the book was very well written with the tragic past of Darius and how he became a Guardian. It stirred up emotions that made me serious want a HEA ending for him because of what had happened to him in the past. It also kept the pages turning, because I was eager to see what kind of a mate Gena Showalter had planned for him.

The author also did a good job with Grace's reaction to the idea of her being in another world - Atlantis - when she first realized she was there. Grace actually did go through some sort of shock/denial period prior to her acceptance of where and what Darius was. This was a transition period that is commonly overlooked/missed by some authors, causing their story to range from "less believable than it should have been" to "utterly ridiculous." In the case of Grace, although her shock/denial period wasn't very long, it made sense because of her brother's line of work, and her believing the existence of mythical beings, to a certain degree.

What I didn't like:

Despite the strong prologue, the rest of the book did not live up to the expectations it set. First of all, although Grace's reaction to the world of Atlantis was well-written, her initial reaction to Darius was not logical at all. Ok, I understand that he was the sexiest man on Earth, but it did not make any sense whatsoever to be ogling him when he was ready to take a swing with his sword to end your life.

Secondly, although I could somewhat understand how Darius was interested in her - afterall, he felt emotions and senses for the first time in 300 years when he first saw her - I couldn't understand how that "interest" turned into "love." And the same goes for Grace. From the time they met until they declared (at least to themselves) that they love each other, all that was shown was their lust toward each other. Well, Grace did feel sorry for Darius when she learned of his past, but there was nothing beyond sympathy that was described. So I was taken by surprised when, 3/4-way through the book, Grace all of a sudden realized she was in love with him. I was like "Huh??? What??? How???" (I'm sure if it was possible, my pupils would have turned into question marks or something). It's not that I have any problem with a couple lusting for each other, and then eventually loving each other, but there must be some valid turning point in between. Unfortunately, that turning point was not present in Gena Showalter's Heart of the Dragon.

The whole story was also kind of flat in my opinion. There were several places that could have been more exciting and could have made the book more of a page turner. Unfortunately, the writing style could not put me on the edge of my seat, and, other than the prologue, there was no particular scene where I couldn't put down the book to do something else. Although, for the record, I did finish the book in two days, when I was off and at home with nothing else to do, I never hesitated to put it down for a break or to do something else entirely different.

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, Heart of the Dragon by Gena Showalter is not a paranormal romance novel that I would recommend if you're choosing among a variety of available books. It certainly did not make it to my "Must Read" list. I would admit that since it was the first book I've read by her, it certainly didn't give me the best impression; however, this will not be the last book I'll be reading from her. I do plan to try her Lords of the Underworld series, since I've heard it was better. So, as of now, I'll be putting the Atlantis series on indefinite hold on my reading list, and when I've no more books to read, I might just get back to it and give it a second chance.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Book Review - Dark Prince by Christine Feehan (Carpathian/Dark Series)


Dark Prince is the first installment of the popular Carpathians/Dark series, where Christine Feehan brings us to the sensual, dangerous, paranormal and mysterious world of the Capathians, a species so powerful, yet so lonely it will break your heart. However, despite all the raving reviews out there, I'm only giving this paranormal romance novel a 3.5 Pink Hearts.

Raven Whitney was a powerfully gifted psychic who works for the government to track down the most psychotic murderers in America. She journeyed to the beautiful Carpathian Mountains in Europe to rest her exhausted mind when she heard a cry full of anguish, despair and loneliness that she could not possibly ignore. Being a psychic who could read minds, Raven was no stranger to loneliness, she reached out to Mikhail.

Mikhail Dubrinsky was the prince, and one of the most ancient, of the mysterious and powerful Carpathians, who were often mistaken as vampires by the humans, as they survived on blood, had a much longer lifespan and could burn to death if they were out in the sun for too long. And now, they were on the brink of extinction, because, of some unknown reasons, for centuries, no female Carpathians were born, and many of the young Carpathian children couldn't live past infancy. To make matters worse, many of the Carpathian males were turning into vampires - ruthless killers that preyed on both human and Carpathians alike - because they couldn't find their lifemates, and were ripped of emotions and the ability of seeing colors because of it. Many of the ancients were forced to hunt their once-friends, while on the brink of turning themselves.

When Mikhail met Raven, he was about to end his life so that he wouldn't be consumed by loneliness and turn into a vampire. Her compassion and courage was like a ray of light in his bleak life, and at once he knew he found his lifemate. But his time was limited, for he must claim her at once to prevent himself from turning.

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan is a book that you're bound to fall in love with the hero, Mikhail, if you're into alpha males. Although he suffered much throughout his very long life and was desperate to claim Raven as his mate, he poured his heart out for her, and he took time to make her fall in love with him. Although, as a Carpathian male, he was extremely protective of his lifemate, he compromised much with Raven's modern "independent women" thinking, and tolerated many of her dangerous acts, while he was worried sick about her. Now, where do you get this kind of man in real life??

Christine Feehan also created such a believable world of the Carpathians that will make you rage when the stupid, psychotic and sadistic humans tried to hunt them, and make you root for the Carpathians when they fight. Obviously, it will also make you wish you could meet one of them and become their lifemate. :P

However, Dark Prince also had flaws that also made me want to either put the book down or pull my hair out. First of all, the edition I bought (I'm not sure if it's the same for other editions) needed some reformatting. It was printed in a way that the font were small, and lines were cramped together. It was difficult for the eyes, and didn't leave a good impression.

The book was also repetitive in a sense that the same adjectives where used over and over again. It almost seemed like Christine Feehan had ran out of words to describe Raven's hair or something. And that Mikhail is so unimaginative, that he could only use "little one" as an endearment, and nothing else... it would seem like he couldn't even alternate between that and her name. -_-

And then the thing that bugged me the most when reading this novel was the author's concept of a "strong, independent women." She tried to portray Raven as courageous and intelligent, but in fact, the outcome was that she was a plain retard - ok, I will give her courageous, but retardedly courageous that is. One of Raven's favorite lines in the novel was "I have a brain," but her actions had clearly stated that she didn't have one. She consistently whine about how over-protective and dominating Mikhail was, but never for one second did she understand the difference in strength and power between a human and a Carpathian. She kept complaining that Mikhail would not let her do anything he considered dangerous, and yet 2 seconds after she threw herself into a dangerous situation (which she was warned not to get herself into), she would be lying on the ground, half-dead, and helpless. Now how is that strong and intelligent? In my books, she's probably just 2mm away from TSTL (too stupid to live), and that's only because I've seen much worse in Japanese mangas (comics, if you like). But then, since her character was quite caring, she couldn't be exactly classified as a retarded bitch (thank gods).

So, in conclusion, I don't really recommend Dark Prince. If you're willing to overlook the heroine being retarded, then it's a book you might want to pick up when you have nothing else to read, and are waiting for your favorite authors' books to come out in a couple of months or so, which is exactly what I'm doing now. I am continuing with the series, just because of how yummy the male Carpathians are, but Christine Feehan have yet to change my opinion of her female characters.

I mean, really, it's not shameful to admit to your weakeness...

All reviews of the Carpathians/Dark series by Christine Feehan

Monday, February 9, 2009

Book Review - Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga)


Twilight by Stephenie Meyers is a popular Young Adult Paranormal Romance novel and the first installment of the the Twilight Saga. I've picked up a soft cover copy a couple of months ago in the supermarket due to it's attractive cover (movie cover in fact), and it certainly did not disappoint. The book is a very pleasant read for the ones young at heart and is well worth 4.5 Pink Hearts in my review.

Isabella Swan, who was very particular at being called Bella instead of Isabella, was a 17 years old high school student. After her mother remarried, she volunteered to move from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington to live with her father. The move was a drag to her, she disliked the town Forks, the weather was always gloomy, and she hated the attention that everyone gave her in school, since she was the "new girl" and police officer Chief Swan's only daughter. That is until she met gorgeous Edward Cullen, who acted as if he had bi-polar personalities and wouldn't stop telling her she should be scared of him.

Edward Cullen was a vampire of nearly a century old. He was gorgeous, lightening fast, extremely strong, can read other people's minds and even sparkles like diamonds under sunlight. Having practiced "vegetarianism" along with his family for a long time, his self-control towards human blood had only been second to his sire/father Carlisle, until Bella Swan came to his Biology class to sit by his side. To Edward, Bella was different. Not only was her blood much sweeter than anyone else's, her mind was also silent to him. She intrigued him, and he couldn't stay away from her, but he had to let her know that he was dangerous, far too dangerous for a human.

In Twilight, Stephenie Meyer did a very good job developing both her characters and the plot. Although the whole story was written in Bella's first person POV, it was easy to see how much Edward loved her, and how unselfish his character can be (although one can argue that if he was selfless, he would have just stayed away from Bella, but then we wouldn't have such a book to read, would we?), hence, making him so lovable that I fell in love with him instantly. The fact that he repeatedly warned Bella that she should be afraid of him, and to try to scare her off was also very cute of him.

The plot of Twilight, being a paranormal romance, was very believable, and the introduction of Stephenie Meyer's concept of vampires were also made very smoothly. There was no long awkward explanations, we just found out little bits here and there about them as Bella did. The plot also flowed very well without any unnecessary scenes, and the introduction of James, the antagonist vampire, was, although a little sudden, but not at all unexpected.

The secondary characters in the story was also fantastic, especially Edward's sister Alice Cullen. She was cute, funny and can also see the future. She was my second favorite character in this book, just after Edward. Her character was not only essential to the development of the plot, but also very entertaining to read.

What didn't like about Twilight was that, although, after Edward and Bella got together, everything was logical and lovey-dovey, I did not quite understand why Bella fell so deeply in love with Edward in the begining. Yes, he was drop dead gorgeous, he saved her life, and was everything a girl would want, but that did not lighten the fact that he was a vampire. And Bella, not only that she was not one bit bothered by that fact, she didn't seem surprised either. Now, I did not think that was normal; especially when she didn't seemed to believe in the supernatural before (or at least Stephanie Meyer did not mention that she believed in it). In my opinion, it would probably be better if it was written in a way that she fell for him, but not too hard in the beginning, then gradually began to love him so much that she would have done anything for him.

As for Edward, although his character was very well developed (as in actions did not clash with personality, and how he could melt your heart anytime), he acted like a teenager, or at least, a person under 30 most of the time. He certainly did not have the wisdom a 100 years old vampire should have. I guess one could argue that this is because once you become a vampire, things do not really change, and these "things" include personality and the way they think and act. But nevertheless, the impression it gave me was that Stephenie Meyer's characters were a bit on the shallow side. Yes, Bella being shallow I can understand, because she was only a 17 years old teenager, how can she not be? But the fact that Edward was a little shallow took away quite a few points for Twilight in my books.

Unlike some other reviewers, I had no problem with Bella being "helpless." I didn't believe it was true helplessness in her part. Keep in mind that she was only a fragile human, and she was up against all these strong unbreakable vampires, what else could she do? Put her with the other humans in the story and she would definitely be above average on the weak-strong scale. Plus, one of the things made her seem more "helpless" than she really was, was the fact that Edward had always been over protective. With a boyfriend like that, one is bound to look a little weaker than she really is. And I'm glad that Bella didn't argue about it, like some other female characters in other books, trying to act all tough when she wasn't. (I guess it doesn't take much to see that I really hate characters who act strong and I-can-take-care-of-myself, when the next second, she lies on the floor half dead and helpless because she thought too much of herself. It's better to embrace your weakness and let people help.)

In conclusion, the paranormal romance novel Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone. It would leave a smile on your face by the end of the book, if not throughout most of it. However, do keep in mind that this is a book for Young Adults with aims to satisfy girly fantasies, so the characters does have more shallow personalities, and the quality of writing is not necessarily the best (it did not bother me though). If you'd like to read a well written paranormal romance with truly strong female characters, read the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole instead. But if you're more interested in a light hearted easy read, you should definitely try Twilight if you have not already done so.

In addition, if you liked the movie but have not read the book, I do suggest getting the book. Although I liked the movie too, but the it was low budgeted and have left out or altered many essential scenes. Reading the book would let you enjoy and appreciate the story much much more. And if you have read the book but have not watched the movie, its DVD will be out in March.

All Reviews for the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Book Review - Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark-Hunter Series)

Fantasy Love by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon is an imaginative and original paranormal romance novel that is bound to make you want more. Listed as the first installment of the popular Dark Hunters series, it is more like a prequel as the elements of the Dark Hunters world was not mentioned in the book at all, it is definitely a fascinating read that is well worth 4 Pink Hearts.

Julian of Macedon was a ancient Spartan general cursed into the pages of a book, only to be released for a month at a time when summoned - as a sex slave. During his time, he was a demi-god, powerful in the human world, and which such good looks that almost any women will fall at his feet. Summoned by Grace Alexander, he arrived naked in her living room ready to pleasure her, but was soon surprised by both her refusal and her caring for him that he never had by any other women from before.

Grace Alexander was a sex therapist living in modern day New Orleans, who has been celibate for the past four years... until her eccentric best friend, Selena, brought a mysterious book to her, and she was drunk enough to go through with a spell per Selena's, persistent, request. When Julian actually appeared in her living room, she was beyond shocked. Although he was what every women dreams for, she wasn't about to use him as a sex slave, partly due to her previous experience with her self-centered jerk ex-lover. Suggesting that he should find a way to break the curse, they quickly found out, from Julian's half brother, Eros, the Greek god, that Grace was the key. But helping Julian would mean that she, herself, would have to overcome one of her own demons.

Fantasy Lover is a great read with a lot of sexy materials in it. Sherrilyn Kenyon did a great job of creating a whole new world with funny Greek gods and ancient characters. Although the whole concept was a little far fetched, the author made it believable and it was easy to be absorbed in her world. Julian was sexy and lovable throughout the novel, but what made me really fall in love with his character was the sacrifice he was willing to make, and have made, for Grace in order to spare her from facing her biggest fear. Grace's character was a little more average, down to earth, but her gentle and caring personality had made it very believable when Julian fell in love with her.

Two of the reasons why I've rated Fantasy Lover as a 4 Pink Hearts instead of 5 was the delivery of Julian's history and the time allocation of the story. There are many ways that Sherrilyn Kenyon could have talked about Julian's past, but she chose to have a dialog between the two protagonists. In some cases, this choice could have not been a problem at all. However, in this case, it didn't work well at all. Julian had a very tormenting past, and it ran right from his birth all the way to the point when he was cursed to being a sex slave, and from then to his multiple summons from the past. And to deliver all that in dialog format, it was just a little too much. Half way through, it just became him ranting on and on. Should his past be "shown" to readers by flashbacks or other methods, the quality of this book will definitely increase dramatically.

The time allocation of the story was also a little out of proportion. The time frame of the whole story was about 30 days, yet from the time Julian was summoned until the end of the day after, when they found out the way to break his curse, Sherrilyn Kenyon had written so much that it lasted for half of the book. Therefore, we ended up with half a book talking about the first 1.5 days, and then the other half covering the rest of the 28.5 days. Although this allowed the thorough development of the Sherrilyn Kenyon's world, it limited the interaction and the action of "falling in love." If she had spent a little more time to describe how the two fell so deeply in love with each other, it would definitely earned a better rating too.

Fantasy Lover is a great read that I would definitely recommend. Just be aware that this is one of Sherrilyn Kenyon's earlier books, so her writing was not as fluid as her newer novels. But if you are interested for a imaginative paranormal romance novel that is a little different from the others, this story of Julian of Macedon and Grace Alexander is definitely worth a try.

All reviews of the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon