Kitty’s House of Horrors (Kitty Norville, Book #7) by Carrie Vaughn. © 2010 Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 9780446199551. Paperback. Paranormal/Thriller. 292 pages. $7.99 US. [ Purchase ] Source: review copy from publisher

Synopsis: After defeating the djinn summoned by the vengeful vampire priestess she encountered in Vegas, and making a few unexpected friends in the Paradox PI team, we re-join Kitty Norville—late-night radio show host and the world’s first celebrity werewolf—a year later back at the KNOB station in Denver, Colorado.

This time around Hollywood has come calling to Ms. Norville’s door. Approached by two young up-and-coming reality television producers our heroine is pulled into something she never thought she’d do by a couple of friends. After being flown into a deserted lodge with the other cast members, things begin to turn from strange to downright life-threatening seemingly overnight. Read the rest of this entry »

Kitty Raises Hell (Kitty Norville, Book #6) by Carrie Vaughn. © 2009 Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 9780446199544. Paperback. Paranormal/Thriller. 322 pages. $6.99 US. [ Purchase ] Source: Half.com purchase

Synopsis: When we last saw celeb werewolf Kitty Norville, she had been confronted by an enigmatic word—Tiamat—burned into the door of her beloved restaurant and pack hangout, New Moon. It was then she learned that the gauche cliché of “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is nothing more than a lie. But the brand on the door was only the beginning. Soon, danger and murder surround Kitty’s life and she is faced with an even bigger evil that forces her own view of the supernatural to broaden.

Yet, when a mysterious vampire rolls into town claiming he has the power to save her and her pack, can Kitty fully trust him? Throw in an unexpected reminder of days gone by, and you have yourself a massive mix of marvelous mayhem that could only come from best-selling author, Carrie Vaughn. Read the rest of this entry »

Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand (Book #5) by Carrie Vaughn. © 2009 Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 0-446-19953-2. Paperback. Paranormal Romance. 301 pages. $6.99 US. [ Purchase ]

They’ve won their freedom, become the new alpha couple in town, struck a deal of equality with the city’s vampires, opened a new restaurant (aptly named New Moon) and now Kitty and Ben are going to make it all official—the human way at least—by tying the knot. Deciding they are overwhelmed by all the matrimonial hoopla, the couple make a plan to elope in, where else but, Las Vegas, Nevada—the city of neon temples, Wayne Newton, drunken mistakes and Elvis impersonators.

Their secret is not much of a secret anymore once wind of the nuptials gets back to Kitty’s boss at the station. He decides this is a perfect time to take her popular radio show to television with a “Live from Vegas” hour. Kitty agrees and is excited for all the week in Vegas has to offer, but that’s until they arrive and she delivers a message for Rick to the Vegas vampire master. The meeting leaves her feeling odd and once she realizes her hotel is full of bounty hunters, her hackles are continuously on the rise and she has the feeling that something is not quite right in this crazy, neon-signed town. Come on, did you really think Kitty could ever have a normal wedding? HA! Read the rest of this entry »

Shadowlight (Kyndred, Book #1) by Lynn Viehl. © 2009 Signet. ISBN 9780451412782. Paperback. Paranormal Romance. 336 pages. $7.99 US. [ Purchase ]

Source: Amazon Purchase

From the Publisher: “With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone’s darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn’t know is that a biotech company has discovered her talent and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA.

Gaven Matthias is forced to abduct Jessa himself so he can protect her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can’t read. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them to run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover if Matthias is her greatest ally-or her deadliest enemy.”

Jessa is a new type of human, one of many scattered and trying to find each other.  Jessa has an ability that makes her wanted and hunted.  Enter Matthias who is much more than he seems.  Is he a kidnapper or a savior?

I liked this story, it has science, mystery, love and the paranormal.  It will grab you, and keep you and hopeful make you ask for more.  I know it did for me!  What was different about this is that the story isn’t just about one thing in particular rather a group of events that are all tied in together.

Dark Need (Book #3) by Lynn Viehl. © 2006 Signet. ISBN 9780451218663. Paperback. Paranormal Romance. 304 pages. $7.99 US. [ Purchase ]

Source: Amazon Purchase

From the publisher: “Homicide detective Samantha Brown is a tough, highly decorated cop. But twelve lonely years after she nearly died of a gunshot wound, she aches with a deep inner longing. In pursuit of a deranged killer, her only clue is a medieval cross inscribed “Lucan”-the name of the owner of a new nightclub near the murder scene. Drawn into a seamy underworld, Samantha falls for Lucan-who believes he’s a vampire and Samantha is his reincarnated first love. Now, she must save this mysterious, seductive man who seems beyond redemption if he is to fulfill her deepest, darkest desires.”

Part three of the Darkyn series, and in this book we learn a little more about the war between the Darkyn and the Brethren.  We have repeat appearances from Alex and Michael and Alex’s brother John.  The poor man can’t seem to stop himself from getting in the middle of things…

In this story we also have murder and mayhem which is tied into the hero’s past, if you hated Lucan in previous books you might like him a little better now, since we know WHY he is the way he is.  Again the romance was the shaky bit of the story but I decided after book one not to look at it as the main thing in the book rather a side story that is not really important to the whole scheme of things.  The thing about this story is that from the start you are not sure if Lucan is a good or bad guy.  What is different about this book is that it leaves you with a cliff hanger and you need to have the next book handy to read through.  Another enjoyable part of the series as a whole.

Private Demon (Book #2) by Lynn Viehl. © 2005 Signet. ISBN 9780451217059. Paperback. Paranormal Romance. 304 pages. $7.99 US. [ Purchase ]

Source: Amazon Purchase

From the publisher: “Night after night, Jema Shaw’s dreams have become a haven for Thierry Durand. But his nocturnal visits have placed her in danger and brought her between two ancient enemies: the Brethren and the Darkyn.”

Jema is a delicate sickly heiress, who works in a museum (and owns it), while Thierry had just been put together by Dr. Keller from If Angels Burn and is not completely sane yet from all the torture and betrayal he suffered.  This is Part two of the Darkyn series.

This book was a delight to read.  The romance between Theirry and Jema was slowly developed, and the suspense and action in the story was nicely done.  We got a continuation from the first story in the series which also helped us get to know the players from that story and how they impacted upon the hero and heroine of this story.

I think the author found her rhythm in this book, she finally settled on this series being a mixture of romance and paranormal with the romance playing a secondary yet influential part in the story.  There are many surprises in the story which always keep you on your toes.  The themes in the first book are developing in the second and the stories are a continuation of each other. Very dark, gritty, modern, but with elements of the past deftly woven into the framework, this story stakes its claim on the vampire paranormal romance, giving us a different kind of vampire lore.

If Angels Burn (Book #1) by Lynn Viehl. © 2005 Signet. ISBN 9780451214775. Paperback. Paranormal Romance. 304 pages. $7.99 US. [ Purchase ]

Source: Amazon Purchase

This is the first of a series by Lynn Viehl about vampires which she calls Darkyn. Alexandra Keller is a reconstructive plastic surgeon with a practice in Chicago and Michael Cyprien is a millionaire from New Orleans, with a dark secret; he is a Darkyn. The story mainly revolves around the three main characters who are Alexandra, Michael and Alexandra’s brother, John.

I’m going to start with the most unconvincing part of the story which is the romance between Alexandra and Michael. To put it bluntly, there wasn’t one. There are instances where they were attracted to each other and one instance of sex but they went from I don’t like you to I love you in 2 seconds flat which was really not believable. I believe that if the author had a little more time to develop the relationship it would have been easier as it is but the other parts of the story took over. Read the rest of this entry »