Tall, Dark & Lonely by R.L. Mathewson

R.L. Mathewson’s Tall, Dark & Lonely had me hooked from the first page. When Ephraim wakes up chained to a bed with the maid calling him the devil, I was intrigued and wanted to know more. It just got better after that. The events of Ephraim’s immortal beginnings, in the first 20 pages of the book, happened so quickly that I was breathless by the time the story jumped 200 years to the present day.

The relationship between Ephraim and Madison develops quickly after a rough beginning. There really wasn’t much of a reaction from Madison upon finding out Ephraim was a vampire. The vampire issue becomes more of a humorous part of their relationship problems than a serious obstacle.  The dialogue was excellently written and I found myself laughing many times throughout the book because of the sarcasm and exasperation the characters displayed with each other. There were parts of the story towards the end that felt rushed, but not enough that it took away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I felt there could’ve been more information given to us about the “Sentinels” and “Pytes”. The end of the book was left pretty open so I’m hoping that means we will learn a lot more when the author continues the series. In whole, this book was a great read. I look forward to reading any future work from Ms. Mathewson.

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From Pyte Series Webpage: http://www.rlmathewson.com/pyte.html

Things are finally looking up for Madison. After years of scraping just to get by she lands her dream job and finally has a decent down payment for a house so she can move her brother and sister into a real home. It's too bad nothing ever goes the way it's supposed to. When the mother that abandoned them years ago suddenly shows up and moves them to New Hampshire Madison has no choice but to go or lose the siblings who are more like children to her. Shoving her dreams aside yet again Madison tries to make a life for her siblings only to find that nothing is going the way it should. It's really cold, her fifteen year old sister acts like a hooker in training, men act funny around her, her boss is a real prick, she feels like an outsider, her best friend turns out to be a sixteen year old smartass and the incredibly handsome guy renting the room adjoining hers not only hogs the bathroom taking three showers a day and leaving her with cold water, but he also has a secret. A secret that she becomes a bit obsessed with and can't let go no matter how many times she's warned off.

Ephraim learned long ago not to show any emotion or allow himself to get attached to humans. What was the point? They came and went and he remained. This time wouldn't be any different or so he thought. When his land lady told him her grandchildren were moving in he didn't expect much, well other than to be left the hell alone. What he didn't expect was to have to fight bloodlust every time he so much as caught a whiff of his delectable neighbor's scent or her bombarding him with questions every time she cornered him. If that's not bad enough a Master from his past has found him once again and is demanding his blood and is willing to do anything to get it, even using the beautiful pain in the ass neighbor that makes him feel more than pain for the first time in centuries.

A Second Chance At Forever

A Second Chance at Forever is the second book in the Dark Kiss Trilogy. Ms. Strange continues the series with even more in-depth characters and a story that is even better than the first. The way Ms. Strange writes makes the emotions seem so real that you are drawn into the story laughing and crying right along with the characters. With a tremendous amount of twists in the story, there was never a time when it got predictable or boring. Even during lulls in the action, there was so much going on personally between the characters you didn’t want the dialogue to end, even what was left unsaid. Before you read this book, you need to read My Love Eternal to really understand what’s happening and the reasons behind the emotions involved. A Second Chance at Forever went far beyond my expectations and has left so much open for the third book in the series that I can’t wait to read what’s going to happen next.

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A Second Chance at Forever takes us to San Francisco, a little over two years since the apparent death of Rachel’s vampire lover and maker, Giovanni, at the hands of the Demarais’ vampire hunters. Eli, Charles, and Rachel have settled into their new lives as best as they can. Rachel, still struggling with the loss of Giovanni, is having a very difficult time facing the feelings that Eli has for her and the lines that she is crossing with him. Even with Giovanni gone she can’t help but feel as if she is betraying him with every inch she gets closer to Eli. Eli, ever the patient friend and lover, is willing to settle for second place. He knows that Rachel will always love Giovanni, but his feelings for her are too strong to deny. Rachel continually lets Eli know that she will never love him like she loves Giovanni. He can have her body and part of her heart, but her soul is for only one man. When she begins to be plagued with horribly painful visions and hearing a voice calling her name, she blames the guilt over her feelings for Eli.

When Charles makes the announcement that he has made plans to attack and destroy the Desmarais family and their entire organization, the visions/voices become more frequent and more real. With the help of several vampire allies, the group successfully infiltrates the Desmarais compound only to discover something that will change them all forever. Rachel knows that lines have been crossed and things can never be the same for any of them. Will Rachel get a second chance at forever or lose everything that has made her eternal life worth living?

Blood Destiny: A Blood Curse Novel by Tessa Dawn

Tessa Dawn’s Blood Destiny was one of those books I could not put down from the first page to the very last!  Jocelyn’s character is tough, but completely overwhelmed when she is thrust into a world she only thought existed in horror films. Nathaniel is a sexy, seductive, and powerful vampire. However I loved the fact that Nathaniel and all his brothers have such a sensitive emotional side to them, making them seem more human than monster.  Blood Destiny was a perfect book to start the Blood Curse Vampire Series! Every one of the characters is so deeply woven into the story that it leaves you completely enthralled with them all. I anxiously await the second book in the Blood Curse series, Blood Awakening, coming later this year. Such a powerfully seductive group of brothers are sure to keep our eyes glued to the pages for many books to come.

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 As an agent for a special division of homeland security Jocelyn Levi has seem some pretty gruesome and vial things. Nothing she has seen can compare to the evil she encounters while following a lead on women being sold into slavery and murdered by a strange cult of some kind. When Jocelyn witnesses firsthand the true visage of evil, she runs for her life. Her mind won’t let her accept what she’s seen and her fear holds her hostage in the middle of the dark forest. As she screams in fear she has no idea that her life is about to change forever.
Nathaniel Silivasi and his family, the sons of Jardon, the Light Ones, have lived in the beautiful Rocky Mountain valley for centuries. As a descendant of Celestial Gods and humans, Nathaniel and his brothers are part of an ancient line of powerful vampires. His forefathers committed horrible crimes against the women of their civilization and were cursed, along with all of their future bloodline. Unable to produce female children, only twin sons are born of which the first must be sacrificed to appease the Gods. Coming to the aid of a terrified woman will either become his saving grace or leave him to an agonizing death.
Once Nathaniel and Jocelyn’s paths cross they are no longer in control of their own destinies. Bound by an undeniable power, they must overcome their own fears of the future and stand against the darkness that wants nothing more than to destroy everything that Nathaniel and his family hold dear. The Dark Ones, the sons of Jaegar, will stop at nothing to reign supreme and bring back their ancient ways.

Caressed by Moonlight by Amanda J Greene

A wonderful debut novel in the Rulers of Darkness series, Amanda J Greene's Caressed by Moonlight takes us back in time when rumors and opinions from high society were enough to ruin a "lady". I loved Victoria's character because of her strength and wit. I found myself laughing at the way she continually put Dorian in his place even though he is such a powerful vampire used to being respected and feared. The relationship that starts as a matter of necessity and lust turns in to a love that can stand against any adversity. The secondary characters are all fascinating and worthy of their own books. I would love to read more about Falcon, Raphael, Jacques, and Sonya. Caressed by Moonlight is a story that any lover of romance literature will enjoy, whether you're a vampire fan or not. The vampire part just makes it all the more enjoyable!

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It’s early 1800’s England and Victoria Kensington is in a difficult situation. Orphaned and unable to care for her young sister she is forced to sell off her family’s estate and move to her Aunt’s home in the city.  There her Aunt, who makes no secret of her deep contempt for Victoria, give her 1 month to find a suitable husband or she will be thrown out of the house and lost guardianship of her dear sister.  Knowing she is penniless, she doesn’t see how she could bring anything to a marriage. With the help of her best friend Lana she begins her search through the eligible men in the city. During one of the many parties her friend Lana forces her to attend she meets the handsome Prince Dorian Vlakhos. Her friend, and the rest of society, warns her away from him. With a reputation as a libertine, he is not the marrying type and will do nothing but tarnish her already strained image as a “proper lady”.

Dorian Vlakhos is no ordinary gentleman. He’s actually a powerful Vampire King. He is fighting to save his clan from complete destruction while faced with a terrible curse that will inevitably end his immortal life, like so many kings before him.  When Dorian meets Victoria, he knows he will do anything to have her. After many failed attempts to seduce the headstrong Victoria, a single kiss throws them both into a storm of emotions. Bringing about feelings that both Dorian and Victoria know they would be best to ignore.

When Victoria comes to Dorian for help he offers his home and marriage. Knowing he will be going back to his country soon he feels it’s a win/win situation. He will have her in his bed and she will be free of her Aunt. He will leave her well suited to care for herself and her sister, without him having to worry about hurting either of them. What Dorian doesn’t know is that Victoria is no wilting flower to sit back and allow him to leave without her. Showing Victoria his true nature is sure to scare her off, but it changes nothing in her eyes. Determined to save her marriage and his soul they embark on one of the most dangerous journey’s either has faced. Death, deceit, and war are parts of Dorian’s life that may be too much for Victoria’s mortal soul to survive.

Breathless by Scott Prussing

Scott Prussing’s Breathless is a vampire romance novel that breaks out of the predisposed storyline that tends to follow the young vampire romance genre.

Breathless, while appropriate for a young adult, will draw in readers of all ages.  Prussing’s use of vivid visual details and captivating moving characters made it very easy for me to step into the story. All the characters are brilliantly built into the story and are impossible to forget. By the end of the story I was so emotionally connected to the characters I wanted to contact the author to find out what happened next. I even found myself liking the “bad guy”. Breathless is a breath of fresh air and a truly captivating read. I sincerely hope Scott Prussing adds additional books to continue this fabulous story!

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I don’t normally don’t include the “back of the book” in my descriptions, but I honestly couldn’t describe it any better than Scott Prussing has done himself.

Weston College freshman Leesa Nyland has been fascinated by vampires since she was three years old. That's when her mom started acting weird, insisting sunlight hurt her skin because she'd been bitten by a one-fanged vampire. But fascinated doesn't mean Leesa believes. Any more than she believes in blue fire, people who live for centuries, and kisses that can kill. But when her beloved older brother disappears after warning Leesa not to come looking for him, she is forced to consider all these and more. She also has to figure out what to do about her mysterious new boyfriend. She knows Rave likes her a lot-so why won't he kiss her? And why is he always talking about vampires? As Leesa draws closer to finding her brother, she faces some gut-wrenching decisions. Should she risk her mom's life trying to "cure" her? Should she continue seeing Rave, after he reveals his dangerous secret? And most terrifying of all, should she make the ultimate sacrifice-give up her humanity-to save her brother?

Make Mine Midnight by Annmarie McKenna

Annmarie McKenna’s Make Mine Midnight is a steamy and emotionally captivating story. Any fan of MMF stories will love the relationship between Mason, Hunter, and Claire.

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When Claire’s neighbor invites her to his New Year’s Eve party she accepts knowing she’ll be in her usual spot along the wall writing notes in her little notebook and sipping her drink. Claire may be a wallflower, but she’s also an erotic romance writer. Sex in her imagination is quite vivid, in real life, not so much.

Noticing a god like specimen across the room she jots down some notes for a possible storyline with him as the hero, along with the sexy dream standing right next to him. When she sees them making their way over to her she can’t help but feel her whole body thrumming with excitement even though they surely aren’t coming for her, or are they.

Hunter and Mason have been dreaming of Claire since high school. Back then they were invisible due to their lanky bodies and “computer geek” reputations. College did their bodies good! They are still the computer geeks, but now they have bodies that women drool over. They could have just about anyone at the party, but their eyes are only on Claire.  They’ve planned this moment for years and they have some New Year’s resolutions of their own; to have Claire between them by midnight and keep her with them for good.

Claire’s own list of New Year’s resolutions just happens to include ending up in someone’s bed for the night. So when the two sexy dreams come up to her and invite her to dance she decides to let herself just enjoy it.  Realizing who Mason and Hunter are comes as a shock, but not as much of a shock as being invited to spend the night with not just one of them, but both of them at the same time.

One night with Hunter and Mason was more than she ever dreamed it could be. Unfortunately now the sexy men are trying to do the “right” thing and give her up so she can find a normal life with just one man. Too bad that’s not what she wants. Claire is going to set them right and get her “happily ever after,” with both her men!

Luxuria by Nicci Sefton

Nicci Sefton’s Luxuria is a great story of first loves, teenage crushes, trying to fit in at a new school, and oh yeah, the most popular girls just happen to be vampires. The relationship between Derrick and Annabelle is believable and draws you in very quickly. The supporting characters are just as well written and developed as the two leads. I don’t normally read or review books in the YA genre, but I found this book to be very well written and thought out for such a young author. Nicci Sefton has a bright future as an author if she continues to develop her talent with original ideas and well written stories.

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When Derrick Clark steps into Madison Prep for his first day he’s not sure what to expect. All he knows is this school is nothing like his old school. Luckily he recognizes several people from his old school that had also been transferred.  The day turns out to be pretty typical until he see’s Annabell Crystal. She’s the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen and he’s drawn to her even more than the rest of the school seems to be. Along with her two sisters Lucy and Precious, the Crystal’s are the talk of the school. All the girls want to be them and all the boys want to date them. There is just something so different about them. When Derrick is paired with Annabell in poetry class, as well as being cast as her partner in the school play, he falls head over heels for her.  Unfortunately Annabell seems to feel nothing but irritation for him. Her disdainful attitude towards him doesn’t keep Derrick from pursuing her even against the warnings of the other students that the girls don’t date, ever.

Eventually Derrick gets under Annabell’s tough exterior and as the relationship grows he finds out their secret. The Crystal’s are vampires. Derrick refuses to give up Annabell even though she continually tells him that she is dangerous for him. But love is love. Derrick stands behind his declaration of love against Annabell’s denial of her feelings and the fact that her family has forbidden her from having any kind of relationship with him.

When a powerful vampire from the past comes to claim Annabell for himself, the relationship between her and Derrick may be the death of both of them.