Beauty is a Beast

Welcome to the future! The year is 3025, and humans are fast becoming extinct. Nizhoni of Mojave Earth Clan knows her spirit guide will protect by giving her the power of the wolf. When she unwittingly bites another human, she flees.

Michael of the Air Clan has searched for the woman he calls Beauty; the one who turned him into a creature of the moon. When he finds her living among the Mojave, he believes he can finally claim her. There's only one problem. She's already married.

Together Nizhoni and Michael must battle her former lover, the Yee Naaldlooshi, or feared skin-walker. The fate of their love and humankind hang in the balance. If Beauty can't have her mate and save the world, she's going to be a real Beast.

Woah. Zombies. Didn't expect that. And werewolves. And Native American spirit guides. And vampires. And ghosts. And Skin-walkers. And, well, there's a lot of stuff in this short story. And a whole lot of history to the characters that's surface is only skimmed.

Overall, it was good. I like the chief with his riddles as well as the variety of characters. It should have been a longer book though. There's too much substance for it to be just a quick read.

To The Max

A guy. A girl. A silver pole…

As owner of Jensen Securities, Max Jensen lives by one simple rule: Never take your eyes off the target. Once he spies lithe little Jordan Landon wrapped around a pole, though, his eyes aren’t the problem. It’s keeping his mind on his job.

Her job as a pole-dancing instructor might cause a few raised eyebrows, but it’s what she does on a speeding motorcycle that kicks Max’s protective instincts into overdrive. And puts the hurt on his determination to keep his hands to himself.

Years ago, Jordan left her wealthy, disapproving family behind to pursue her dream of opening her own dance studio. Approaching a hottie in a bar was easy in her college days, but now? If she wants him, she’ll have to put her big-girl panties on and go for it.

Once alone, their inhibitions disappear faster than their clothes. But when someone breaks into Jordan’s home, Max finds himself in an uncomfortable position—as the target of Jordan’s suspicions about his real motives.

I nearly laughed to the point of pain while reading this story. Max and Jordan were basically the same person. Both of the higher class of wealthy Americans that have, for reasons of freedom and passion, decided to turn away from their mothers' standards and rules to embark upon their own route in life.

When their paths collide, Max's protective instincts roars to the forefront and he somewhat instantly becomes the poster-boy for a man smitten. The constant amusing plays of thoughts in both Max and Jordan's minds made the story even better. The hot sex certainly never left a minute for boredom.

While not everything was believable, such as the hasty progression of their relationship and reaction to a certain disregarded necessity, for a fictional romance it was spot on. It oozes humor as well as tingling talk and play at sex. I could fill my Goodreads Quotes with the hilarious one-liners from this book. Charley horse. Priceless.

Congratulations. You won an out-of-practice, dried-up pole dancer. Woohoo!

Spider's Bite: Elemental Assassin #1

My name is Gin Blanco. They call me the Spider — the most feared assassin in the South (and a part-time cook at the Pork Pit BBQ joint.) As a Stone elemental, I can hear the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet and feel the vibrations of the soaring mountains above me, though I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

After a ruthless Air elemental double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way. I may look hot in a miniskirt, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble when irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine agrees to help. The last thing a coldhearted killer needs when she's battling a magic more powerful than her own is a sexy distraction ... especially when he wants her dead just as much as the enemy.

Assassinations and pork? OMG awesomeness!

When it comes to romancing an assassin, there's only one kind of person worthy of the challenge- another assassin. Certainly not a cop which is exactly what Donovan Caine is. And Gin and Caine have their own history, beginning with Gin killing Caine's rapist of a partner for no charge a few months ago.

So... although I'm sure Caine will be the target of the on and off again relationship just waiting to be birthed, I kept my eye out for other possibilities. Fletcher, her mentor. Finn, her surrogate brother. Brutus, a fellow assassin. Each and all crossed off the list for one reason or another. Sorry Brutus.

Actually I think Gin summarized the romance with Caine just perfectly when she described sex with Finn- 'adequate, but unremarkable'.

I don't ordinarily like my heroines to be promiscuous but virgin assassins are just wrong so Gin's past and male-like perspective on sex sat just fine with me. I like that she's already been with Finn. Cuts away the mystery of the unknown and adds a casual play to their relationship. No tension, with a been there; done that air about them.


It's one of those where no one is safe. Where the options are endless and sometimes the most unlikely route is taken. Sometimes not. It's dark. It's bloody. It's descriptive on an almost surreal level. I loved it.

Easily the best I've read of urban fantasy.

Although, it's a bit wordy. And long. Very long. Did I mention it was long?

Happy May!