Werewolves Be Damned: Magic & Mayhem #1

Available at Amazon.com

Werewolves Be Damned
Stacey Kennedy
Magic & Mayhem, book one
ebook, 267 pages
Published April 15th 2013 by Entangled Publishing
ISBN 9781622661046

Nexi Jones—part witch, part guardian, and wannabe kick-ass warrior—can’t throw a punch or conjure the simplest magic. But that doesn’t stop her from hunting the werewolves who slaughtered her human family. She’ll have her revenge, but only if Kyden, the elite guardian, would get the hell out of her way.

Kyden can’t decide if Nexi wants to get herself killed or if she just has no clue what she’s doing. But her father made it clear: keep Nexi safe…or else. Of course, the more Nexi runs toward revenge, the more she needs Kyden’s aid, and as she grows into her power and confidence, so does his desire to protect her. The only problem? She’d rather he dropped dead.

But when a vampire paints a bull’s-eye on Nexi’s back, she’s hard-pressed to deny Kyden and the help he’s offering. Even if it means getting her revenge will be a little bit harder. At least it will still be as sweet.

Stacey Kennedy is one of those authors whose work I either love (An Everlasting Bite, BB#1 and A Deadly Whisper, Watchers #1) or I just.. don't (Forever Bound and Whispers of Evil, Watchers #2). This, was one I just didn't, and couldn't, enjoy. And neither could I finish.

You could be born in a cave, raised under a rock, and possibly still know more about the paranormal than Miss Nexi Jones. The girl drove me batty. After just four chapters, in which I had to endure Kyden explaining glamour to the child -and she still couldn't grasp the concept!- I had to call it quits. Sitting through an entire book with a cast of characters who are forced to placate this wanna be avenger at every turn would have been excruciating. And I'm just not that kind of masochist.

DNF

Forever Bound

Forever Bound
Stacey Kennedy
ebook
Published April 22nd 2011 by Decadent Publishing
ISBN 2940011273988

Josie Harper had boyfriends, lovers, and even friends with benefits. None of them could satisfy her. Something had always been missing—something she was now desperate to find.

Gavin Scott longed for the perfect submissive. A woman worthy of the gift he could give to her as a Dom. Most failed to meet his expectations and he’d all but given up hope.

A high class match-maker in Las Vegas brings Josie and Gavin together. Tonight, Gavin will introduce Josie to the world of BDSM. As he skillfully guides her through the experience, Josie isn’t the only one captivated. Gavin is in awe of her control, someone this new to the lifestyle shouldn’t possess this great of a talent.

During their journey, Josie will find the missing piece of her soul and Gavin will meet the woman who was born to submit to him.

I *love* Stacey Kennedy's Blue Bloods series and especially The Watchers series so far, but book two of The Watchers, Whispers of Evil, is still on my shopping list. Until I can get my hands on a copy, I decided to try to appease myself with her first BDSM, Forever Bound.

There are some things I just don't respond to well in BDSM books, or in erotica in general, and damn it, this particular story not only focuses on just those very things but the entire story revolves around them, giving me absolutely nothing else to aid in the balance. So, it's for very personal reasons of taste that I give this one a 0 out of 5 stars- 1 star for the sake of Goodreads, but other than that I couldn't find a single thing that I could say deserved even that. =(

Declan & Tori: Hunters #1

Declan & Tori
Shiloh Walker
The Hunters, book one
ebook, 127 pages
Published October 16th 2003 by Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc.
ISBN 9781843606635

She was just doing her job, tracking down a nutcase who was stalking a young dancer. And then the unspeakable and impossible happened. She was bitten.

A newly turned vampire, Tori is alone and starving and she doesn't know what to do. But she knows who to turn to-gorgeous, mouthwatering Declan-a police detective who has a few secrets of his own.

I am not, by any means, a fan of vampires. Whether they sparkle, burst into dust, explode into light, or any other of the imaginative twists forced upon the folkloric race. So I made a huge mistake by prematurely committing myself to reading this series. It proves -yet again- that just before I absolutely adore an author, it doesn't mean I can tolerate everything he/she puts out.

This was just the oh-so-wrong book for me, so my review -0 out of 5 stars- has nothing to do with the writing or anything of that nature but directed moreso to the substance therein. I was determined to finish but by the end I was left growly, pissed off, disgusted, and in desperate need of a palette cleanser.

What's the worst death possible for a shifter? Cuz I'm dealing that out to Declan. Tenfold.

First of all, I don't care for wolf shifters that like to be fed from. Secondly, there is no talking out your muzzle when in wolf form. And thirdly, there is no damn sharing! Declan went from 1) She's mine. Don't touch -to- 2)Okay, I'll share, but her ass is mine -to- 3)Okay, you can have her ass now -to finally- 4) You fuck her. I'll watch.

Are you freaking kidding me!? No. No. No. Share your wives all you want. There is no sharing mates!

Despite the things I did like... the vulgarity and the teaching that for the sake of the world some people do in fact deserve to die... there was way too much that left me reeling. Near the middle I thought sure, I could read this. It's tolerable. Wrong! It completely spiraled downhill from there.

And yet, if you like menage, paranormal exhibitionism/voyeurism, casual sex, borderline bestiality, and a wolf who claims 'Mine' but doesn't do a damn thing about proving it... then this is a book for you. Me? I have no interest whatsoever in continuing the series and even less interest in ever reading another word about Eli.

As I said, 0 out of 5 stars.