Berrr's Vow (Zorn Warriors, #4)

Berrr's Vow
Laurann Dohner
Zorn Warriors, book four
ebook, 147 pages
Published October 22nd 2010 by Ellora's Cave Publishing
ISBN 9781419929205

Kidnapped from Earth and transported to planet Zorn to be sold as a sex slave, Shanna is one angry, frightened woman ready to fight anyone who tries to touch her. Raised in foster care, she’s not going to take any crap off some alien men no matter how big, terrifying or muscular they are. Before she can be sold, she’s freed by a huge, sexy Zorn warrior... a warrior with the most beautiful blue eyes she’s ever seen. Shanna demands he take her under his protection when she realizes she’s stuck on Zorn.

Hyvin Berrr, the leader of Zorn, thinks humans are helpless and weak. Shanna decides to teach the big hunk he’s wrong by knocking him on his backside. He might think she’s playing but she’s trying to teach him a lesson. She’s not sure if she wants to fight her feelings for the sexy alien, though if a woman has to lose a battle, this just might be the one time to concede.

• I have honor. I am Hyvin Berrr.

I'm not big on alien romance, but I decided to kick off September with one from Evangeline Anderson who is all kinds of awesome with her writing. First, though, I had to break open Berrr's Vow which has been on my TBR for a little over a year. It first came to my attention through Redd who doesn't give out five stars very often. When she slapped them on this one's review I admit, I was intrigued.

And I get it. I can totally see how her kindle got honored with Berrr's name. Shanna, on the other hand... man, that chick can talk. Their arguments could go on forever. Her with her human logic and Berrr with his Zorn comprehension. Not that any sane woman wouldn't totally side with Shanna, but damn, take a breath with a double dose of chill pills, lady!

I hadn't read any other books from this series-or of Dohner-and despite being warned not to start here, I don't believe I missed out on much. Certainly nothing that left me lacking an understanding of the Zorn world. And I even got a peek at Ariel and Ral from book one, and even Rever who bound to Brenda in book three (no interest in that one). Funny how the average Goodreads ratings improve as the series goes on.

Based on this, Dohner's definitely a keeper. 4 out of 5 stars.


Redd's Goodreads Review (hidden for spoilers)

Lethal Rider: Lords of Deliverance #3

Lethal Rider
Larissa Ione
Lords of Deliverance, book three
ISBN 9780446574501
ebook, 464 pages
Published May 22nd 2012 by Grand Central Publishing

They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

I am far too smitten with these Horsemen!

Opening paragraph and I was already cracking a smile. Regan's having a BOY! Too many stories screw little things like this up. Soldiers get the daughters. Demons and warriors get the sons. Words to write by, people.

Than and Regan's story began in the last book alongside Limos and Arik's. To sum it up... Than has always believed his virginity was the key to keeping his seal from breaking. To lose it meant losing his soul and joining the evil forces, taking them all one step closer to the Apocalypse. The powers that be believe something else. That his child is the key. They therefore send the guardian, Regan, to seduce him and carry the child for the side of good. Did I mention the Horsemen and the guardians are suppose to be on the same side?

Well... successful in her quest, Regan goes into hiding and it's now about eight months later. Than's brother and sister, Ares and Limos, have kept him bound to a hospital bed by paralysis. He knows nothing of the child and has spent the last months fantasizing about ending Regan's life, and kicking himself for all the sex he's missed out on.

• From virgin to father in zero to sixty.

I've loved all of the Horsemen. Ares (War), Limos (Famine), and even what I've seen of Reseph (Pestilence) whose seal truly has broken. Limos was rather hilarious, but Than is the lord god of smartasses. I wondered who'd win more of my affection from the very beginning, Ares or Than, and as always, innocence tipped the scale in Than's favor with the weight of an earth-crushing comet. His story is, of course, hot as hellfire (they each are) but a deep plunge of emotions as well. Ares lost a family once while a family is all Thanatos ever wanted. He's the most broken by what he's become. He's the most in need. And that paired perfectly with Regan.

And now, Limos wants a baby. Sheesh!

They all agree. Reseph was the best of them. But after getting inside Than's head-and heart-I'm not sure that's even possible. In all honesty, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this one nearly as much had I read it before the birth of my son. Is there anything motherhood doesn't change?? Oh, I still prefer my books sans babies but I can tolerate them a bit better now. And Than is ideal for what I want for my child. To be capable of bloodshed, but driven from his very soul to protect.

The series itself didn't advance very much for most of this installment. Being that Pestilence (Reseph) has always had a special need to torture Thanatos, since apparently they were the closest of the siblings, it's basically him just fucking with Than and plotting to destroy his child. And killing. Lots of killing. Than's walkers. Cara's hellhounds. Limos's entire household. And even Than's tattoo artist. His goddamned tattoo artist!! Has Pestilence no shame?? And uh, no weaknesses?

The new game plan in thwarting the Daemonica's Apocalypse was to trigger the Biblical end of days first. And they needed to find their father to do it. Too bad his identity is still a mystery.

In the end, Than destroys Pestilence and sends Reseph to Hades. It's Reaver who puts in motion a way for Reseph to redeem himself, without his memory or loss of sanity. So Reseph's story is next and I admit, I already feel jipped by the plot but I'm sure it will come around. We've got to make it to Reaver and Harvester's story. And I so know there's a story there!

So what'd they name the baby? I was dying to find out! There are worse baby names, but jeeze... Logan?!

5 out of 5 stars.

Previously in the series:

The Wolf Within

The Wolf Within
Sondrae Bennett
ebook
Published November 21st 2011 by Lyrical Press
ISBN 9781616503369

Will his love be enough to keep her safe?

Julie doesn't know what to think when the man she's had a crush on her entire life--a man she thinks is meant to be her sister's mate--starts flirting with her after she returns home from college. The harder she tries to distance herself, the harder he works to win her over. He can't want to mate with her...a freak born a full human among shifters. So why won't he accept her rejection?

Brendan waited years for Julie's return. Now that she's finally home, there's nothing to keep him from her...not even her three alpha wolf brothers. But he's not the only one after Julie. Something is stalking her and Brendan's protective instincts toward her kick in, but at what cost?

When the unthinkable happens, will Julie and Brendan's love give them the strength they need to persevere?

WARNING: This title contains explicit sex.

All right. We're back on track!

After graduating college and ending a disastrous relationship with a cheating boyfriend, a very human Julie returns home to her family of alpha wolf shifters and finds her girlhood crush, Brendan, eager to claim her as his mate.

He's her sister's best friend and the one guy all other men are measured against. He's also got the self control of a saint, the patience of a monk, and he doesn't go around carrying condoms in his wallet. *swoon*

They're sappy and sweet. A paranormal fairy tale. But Julie's really not so bright when you get down to it. For growing up in a house and town of shifters, she's awfully naive. She doesn't even have the basics down. How they act. How they think. Hell. How they can scent others. Why it didn't enter Julie's pretty little head that jeeze, maybe the scent of the guy you spent all night screwing might be lingering around her body a bit, I'll never understand. 3 out of 5 stars.

Hawk's Challenge

Hawk's Challenge
Linda O Johnston
ebook
Published October 1st 2011 by Harlequin Nocturne
ISBN 9781459215016


Hawk shifter Lt. Autumn Katers is proud to be a member of the Alpha Force, a highly covert military unit made up of shapeshifters like her. Her latest assignment: get close to bestselling thriller author Logan Valliere. His latest book's plot features a special ops team suspiciously similar to the Alpha Force, and Autumn has to find out who's been helping him with his research.

Flirting with Logan is a natural part of the job...but she never imagined she'd feel so attracted to her sexy subject. Giving into the temptation to go him with him can't hurt her mission--but will it ruin her potential future with Logan if he finds out how she's deceived him?

Sour disappointment took hold of me with this one. The plot itself came off as dull and the characters didn't do anything at all to change it. Even the smut bored me. With a shifter and a writer leading your cast, this book could have been and should have been so much better than it was. 2 out of 5 stars.

Demon Heart

Demon Heart
Sable Grey
ebook
Published January 18th 2012
ASIN B006ZPTCUS

Adrian Black got kicked out of hell and now he's looking for the key to get back in before his sister destroys any chance of his return. He locates the jewelry store that might provide him the key and thinks he might take a soul or two back with him for extra demon points. He doesn't expect Annie Sellers to hold on to her soul...or his heart.

No. No. And yeah, hell no!

There aren't many leading men in romance books that I hate. I could probably count them on one hand actually. But Adrian Black is definitely going on the list. He's one of those self pleasing bastards that gives shit to everyone. A man every stupid woman out there thinks she can change and no matter how completely horrible he is, she keeps taking him back. There is absolutely no redeeming qualities in this guy. Even for a demon!

So, yes, I'm reading into this and totally creating a mountain out of that infamous mole hill. Oh well. I've got a nerve and this one sure as hell hit it. 2 out of 5 stars.

Blood Moon (Moonstruck, #1)

Blood Moon
Silver James
Moonstruck, book one
ebook, 99 pages
Published May 5th 2012 by Silver James Books
ISBN B0080UST5K
Obtained through Amazon's Lending Library

Army Major Hannah Jackson knows where the skeletons are hidden at the Pentagon and now she’s been tasked with keeping the secrets of Army Special Sci Ops Unit 69—the Wolves—and their secret is a doozy. That a civilian corporation wants to exploit the Wolves is a matter of pressing concern.

Sergeant Major Ian McIntire doesn’t trust Hannah as far as he can throw her—and that’s quite a ways considering he’s an alpha werewolf. The woman is a pain in his butt and with the Blood Moon coming, the unit needs to complete their mission and get home before tempers flare. While she might know most of their secrets, the one she doesn’t know about the moonstruck Wolf might just get them all killed.

When a covert operation goes wrong, Mac must trust Hannah to save his men—and his heart. Secrets, lies, and betrayals are more personal under the full moon, but when a Wolf loves a woman, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

Warning: Pursue an alpha Wolf at your own risk. Hot sex, bad words, and action of the blood and guts kind will ensue.

Army Special Sci Ops Unit 69? Really??

Okay, so these two are cute together. Hannah's a stubborn gal with steel armor encasing a fragile femininity. Mac, well, he's your typical alpha male save that he knows when to shut up and just agree, humor the girl, and call it a day. I loved how they could pull a total one eighty from cold, militaristic banter to OMG, I'll protect you, baby. Moonstruck, indeed.

It's cheesy in the good way. Not in that Unit 69 bad way. It's also one of those fast paced mate-claimings. Hannah accepts it well enough, albeit after a flash of hysteria. At least Mac had it in him to threaten to kill her if she aborted his pup. 3 out of 5 stars.

Daybreak (Dark Age Dawning, #3)

Daybreak
Ellen Connor
Dark Age Dawning, book three
Paperback, 312 pages
Published December 6th 2011 by Berkley Sensation

The Change Is Forever.

Their mission was to save the world.
Their destiny was to fall in love.

It's been twelve years since the Change, and Penelope Sheehan is one of the few still practicing magic for the good of humanity in this dark, dangerous world. Determined to infiltrate the notorious O'Malley organization, she poses as an abducted girl—until a furious lion thwarts her mission. When the beast turns into a devastatingly handsome man, she recognizes in him the troubled boy she once knew.

Since becoming a skinwalker, Tru Daugherty has allowed his animal nature to take over. Aloof and cynical, he takes no interest in making the world a better place. He's a creature of instinct and impulse, living only to satisfy his senses—ignoring his scarred heart. He's also the best man to help her bring down the O'Malley crime ring.

Fighting alongside the last holdouts of humanity, they unleash a passion that tempts them to risk everything for love. But if they succeed, Tru and Pen hold the power to brighten the Dark Age for all time.

It's not very often that a reader gets to know the protagonists of a series while they're still children. A very special insight it is. And since I've forgotten most of the details of the many different series I'm begun a journey through due to my maternity hiatus, I figured I'd pick back up with book three of Dark Age Dawning since I was planning to skip book two anyway. So now, the feeling of being a tad lost is justifiable.

Tru is the same cynical bastard he was as a child, presently seeking either death or a good fuck. Whichever, whatever, whenever. He has, however, managed to hold on to his humanity, a feat very few Skinwalkers have managed to achieve after the Change. Tru is a lion shifter and while I'm not big on the feline corner of the shifter world. Tru's isn't half bad. He's found himself a "pride" to protect. Now, we just have to wait for the man in Tru to come around to the idea.

Penelope is just as disappointing to Tru as he is to her. Now known to countless rebels as the Orchid, Pen is basically out to save the world. With her healing and semi-mind reading powers she grasps each and every opportunity to put some good back in the tattered world, with the ultimate goal of taking out the dictator O'Malley if ever she can locate his hidden fortress. For that, and to protect the orphaned Adrian, she bargains for Tru's aid. With sex as payment once the destination is met.

The plan is first, for the child's sake, to get to Georgia. Why the hell does anyone seek refuge in Georgia?! Along the way, it's a kiss for each day. One on day one. Two on day two. And so on. Tru's idea, as Pen needs familiarity before she can go to bed with a man. Meanwhile, Tru finds himself battling between the instinct to connect and the urge to break away. They've both been hurt, lost, and abandoned. Jenna and Mason, from book one, could only heal just so much.

There were things I didn't expect in this book. Tru being the advocate of love being one. His past after leaving Mason and Jenna, another. In all honesty, it soured him for me. I get it, and saw the necessity of it. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Kudos to Pen for setting a strong first ground rule. LOLs to Tru for that rather unique admission of love. And sighs of satisfaction for them both. Yays. She chose him. 4 out of 5 stars.

Previously in the series: