Frank, Jacquelyn. Hunting Julian. (New York: Zebra, 2009). ISBN – 9781420104257.

Main Characters: Julian Sawyer and Asia Callahan

Related Works: This is the first book in Jacquelyn Frank’s new series The Gatherers. Books in the series include the following:

1. Hunting Julian – story of Julian Sawyer and Asia Callahan
2. Stealing Kathryn – story of Kathryn and Adrian

Description from the Book:

As a Gatherer for his colony, Julian Sawyer travels to Earth to bring back the Chosen – women who possess energy potent enough to help revitalize his people. the stunning, silver-clad beauty who strides into his club one night radiates a sensual magnetism unlike any he’s encountered, and Julian realizes that Asia Callahan is not just Chosen, she is his kindra: his one true mate.

For months, Asia has traced the beautiful and mysterious Julian across the country, convinced that he’s behind the disappearance of her sister and a dozen other women. She believes he’s a ruthless killer, but she discovers that the truth is far more shocking. Taken to a strange, hazardous realm she never knew existed, Asia will face the ultimate choice – between abandoning the life she’s always known, and forsaking a passion as dangerous as it is powerful.

My Thoughts:

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what my reaction is to Hunting Julian. I have been a big fan of Frank, since I first read one of her Nightwalker stories. Since then, I have absolutely loved everything Frank has written. I picked up this book with heavy expectations. I was certainly caught up in the story early on. However, once Julian and Asia left Earth for Beneath, I started to have difficulties with the book. I think that my reaction is because I couldn’t really connect with Julian’s world. Beneath is another dimension that exists far beneath Earth. The colony is built on the sides of some massive cliff with no visible ground. There are a bizarre system of nets strung between the cliffs to catch children that might fall off the walkways that go from level to level. These walkways have no railings because of many types of predators that exist.

The people of Beneath live on energy – this is what they feed on. They are currently starving because of a reoccurring plague that has killed off the majority of their women. Gatherers from various colonies travel to Earth and take Chosen women back to Beneath so that they can server as breeders (the women are given a choice). Julian is a Gatherer. While on Earth, he meets Asia and quickly realized she is his mate – his kindra. Kin relationships are quite rare – and are something that have the ability to put out enough energy to save their entire colonies.

This was something else that seemed very odd to me. After Julian and Asia have sex for the first time, they give off enough positive energy to feed Julian’s whole world. All of the infirm children were well; the ghostly Ampliphi (ruling body) were all corporeal; no one was starving; and everyone knew the source of the healing energy. While the concept of energy from lovemaking as healing energy is totally cool, this made for a bizarre situation where Julian’s people began to suffer again when he and Asia did not make love again for a while. This made Julian and Asia’s relationship less about them and more about saving his people – a somewhat unromantic concept for me.

Also, Asia got on my nerves a bit. She was an extremely strong and independent women who was unwilling to open herself up to the idea of love. Given her standoff nature, the fact that Julian kidnapped her was something she found it very difficult to overcome. I understood her position, I really did, but got tired of her repeated refrain of “I can’t be what you need.”

Now, I don’t mean to be harsh. I think that Frank has an incredible imagination and comes up with some incredibly different worlds. I believe that with subsequent stories, I will get used to the world of Beneath (I’m pretty sure that I was put off by the Shadowdwellers world at first). I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Stealing Kathryn. Adrian has already captured my interest.

Read first on January 1, 2010

Hill, Joey W. Beloved Vampire. (New York: Berkley, 2009). ISBN – 9780425227954.

Main Characters: Jessica Tyson and Lord Mason

Related Works: This is part of Joey W. Hill’s Vampire Queen series. The other books in the series include the following titles:

1. Vampire Queen’s Servant – story of Lady Elyssa and Jacob Green
2. The Mark of the Vampire Queen - continuation of the story of Lady Lyssa and Jacob Green
3. A Vampire’s Claim – story of Lady Daniela and Dev
4. Beloved Vampire – story of Jessica Tyson and Lord Mason
5. Vampire Mistress - story of Gideon Green and Mistress Anwyn and Daegan Rei – to be published in May 2010

Description from the Book:

After escaping the depraved servitude of a vampire master she killed, Jessica has found her way to the sunbaked desolation of the Sahara, where she hopes to perish.Then she hears the tale of Farida, an enigmatic beauty lost to the Sahara three hundred years ago, who long-ago desire for the legendary vampire Lord Mason awakens the same desire in Jessica.

Lord Mason has lived as a recluse for centuries, brooding over the loss of his beloved. Then he meets Jessica, and his passions are reborn. So is his obsession with the past. But the more Jessica’s fatal curiosity reveals of Farida, the closer she gets to Lord Mason’s secret-something forbidden, something irresistible, something he must keep hidden forever if Jessica is to be his new love . . . for eternity.

My Thoughts:
Joey W. Hill has a gift for delving deep into the emotions of her characters. This is certainly the case in Beloved Vampire whose heroine, Jessica, is a very damaged soul. She had been subjected to extreme horrors at the hands of a vampire master – one she was eventually able to kill. The death of her master leaves her dying. She decides to journey to the desert to find the final resting place of Farida – a woman whose diary she has been reading. Farida’s descriptions of her love for Lord Mason are what gave Jessica the strength to free herself from her master. So she plans to find Farida’s tomb so that she can die there. Of course, nothing is that simple. Lord Mason is actually at the tomb and finds himself having to fight off Jessica’s guides. When Jessica is injured, Lord Mason finds that he cannot let her die. He marks Jessica as his third-marked servant removing the ties to her former master.

When Jessica wakes up, she finds herself in servitude to Lord Mason. It seems as if she has just traded servitude from one vampire to another. She certainly doesn’t settle in easily and is unwilling to believe that not all vampires are as easy as her former master. She fights Lord Mason and his servants while struggling to come to grips with her new situation. Mason and his two other third-marked servants set out to woo Jessica – to prove to her that she is safe in her new home. As the story unfolds, Mason and Jessica find peace with each other and their vampiric bond with one another.

I found this a very fascinating tale. Both Jessica and Lord Mason were characters that captured my imagination – as tortured souls often do. There were, however, several issues that I thought were left unresolved. As I mentioned, Lord Mason had two third-marked servants before he met Jess. The two, Enrique and Amara, are a married couple that serve all of the needs of their master – including his sexual needs. While Mason and Jessica each deal with jealously at various points in the story, the author doesn’t really deal with the relationship between Mason, Enrique and Amara and how that relationship would change with the addition of Jessica into the household. Mason hasn’t truly bonded with the two servants, not wanting to break their marital bond. However, we never really get to see how Amara and Enrique deal with  Jessica once she and Mason consummate their relationship. In fact, the two married servants are away for a good portion of the latter part of the book. I guess I found that odd.

My other issue comes from the BDSM aspects of the story. I’ve read several of Hill’s earlier works, and this is a running theme. In this book, we are told several times that Hill’s vampires are a dominant lot who look for naturally submissive humans for their servants. Lord Mason tells Jessica several times that if she chooses to stay with him, he will demand her surrender. I think he backs off on this a bit because of the abuse that Jessica suffered at the hands of her former master. I understood this, but felt that Hill kept telling us that vampires require submission and fell a bit short of that mark.

I do admit that part of my reaction in this vein comes from the fact that I have read several of Hill’s earlier works – works that were published by smaller publishers – works that portrayed some rather extreme BDSM practices (and the characters’ emotional reactions to these practices). I tend to forget that when authors make the jump to major publishing houses, the more extreme aspects of their plots are often tamed down considerably.

Read first on December 27, 2009

This is a list of my favorite books from 2009. There are a couple of caveats. This list is restricted to paper books that were new reads in 2009. I need to go through the ebooks and try to remember them all at some point. However, at this point, I’m just excluding them.

• Seduced at Midnight - Jacquie D’Alessandro
• The Courtesan’s Wager - Claudia Dain
• Scandal – Carolyn Jewel
• Evermore - Lynn Viehl
• Maverick – Lora Leigh
• Submission – Cherie Feather
• Darkness Revealed – Alexandra Ivy
• To Seduce a Sinner – Elizabeth Hoyt
• Bound to Please – Lilli Feisty
• Not Quite a Husband – Sherry Thomas
• The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie – Jennifer Ashley
• This Duchess of Mine – Eloisa James
• Confessions of a Little Black Gown – Elizabeth Boyle
• Wed Him Before You Bed Him – Sabrina Jeffries
• What Happened in London – Julia Quinn
• Rapture - Jacquelyn Frank
• My Forbidden Desire – Carolyn Jewel
• Mastered by Love – Stephanie Laurens
• Dawnkeepers – Jessica Andersen
• Laid Bare - Lauren Dane
• If Looks Could Chill - Nina Bruhns
• Born of Fire - Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Kiss of a Demon King - Kresley Cole

Books I Have Read in 2009:

1. Her Secret Lover – Sara Bennett
2. Hot Nights – Shannon McKenna
3. Dangerous Ride – Vonna Harper (re-read)
4. Soul Deep – Lora Leigh (re-read)
5. Only Pleasure – Lora Leigh
6. Plum Spooky – Janet Evanovich
7. Seduced at Midnight – Jacquie D’Alessandro
8. Between the Devil and Desire – Lorraine Heath
9. New Moon – Stephanie Meyer
10. Standing in the Shadows – Shannon McKenna
11. The Edge of Impropriety – Pam Rosenthal
12. Dawnkeepers – Jessica Andersen
13. Ultimate Weapon – Shannon McKenna
14. Kiss of a Demon King – Kresley Cole
15. Behind Closed Doors – Shannon McKenna
16. Out of Control – Shannon McKenna
17. The Bride Price – Anne Mallory
18. The Heir and the Spare – Maya Rodale
19. The Vampire Who Loved Me – Teresa Medeiros
20. Always Look Twice – Geralyn Dawson
21. All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire – Kerrelyn Sparks
22. Her Kind of Hero – Diana Palmer (anthology including The Last Mercenary and Matt Caldwell: Texas Tycoon) read again
23. When a Stranger Loves Me – Julianne MacLean
24. The Ambassador’s Daughter – Paige Tyler
25. Dark of Night – Suzanne Brockmann (Part 1: Sophia and Dave, Part 2: Decker and Tracy, Part 3: General Thoughts)
26. The Sins of Lord Easterbrook – Madeline Hunter
27. Dark Secret – Christine Feehan
28. Enough Love for Two – Maggie Casper (ebook)
29. Retreat – Mari Carr (ebook)
30. Dangerous Games – Charlene Teglia (ebook)
31. Taken – Lillian Feisty (ebook)
32. Chance of a Lifetime – Portia da Costa (ebook)
33. The Invitation – Lacy Danes (ebook)
34. Librarian By Day – Paige Tyler (ebook)
35. Arresting Abby – Cheryl Dragon (ebook)
36. Club Shadowlands – Cherise Sinclair (ebook)
37. Danger Zone – Sierra Cartwright (ebook)
38. The First Sin – Cheyenne McCray
39. The Courtesan’s Wager – Claudia Dain
40. Scandal – Carolyn Jewel
41. The Rogue and the Royal – Maya Rodale
42. Dream Warrior – Sherrilyn Kenyon
43. Coyote’s Mate – Lora Leigh
44. Dreaming of You – Lisa Kleypas
45. Secrets of Surrender – Madeline Hunter
46. To Sin with a Stranger – Kathryn Caskie
47. My True Love – Cheryl Holt
48. Seduce Me at Sunrise – Lisa Kleypas (re-read)
49. Bound – Sasha White (re-read)
50. Erin’s Fancy – N.J. Walters (re-read)
51. Club de Sade – Claire Thompson
52. Dangerous Desires – Julia Templeton
53. Enticements – N.J. Walters – (anthology including Capturing Carly and Craving Candy)
54. Rituals of Passions (Brides of Caralon 1) – Lacey Alexander
55. The Edge of Desire – Stephanie Laurens (re-read)
56. Evermore – Lynne Viehl
57. See No Evil – Allison Brennan
58. Night Hawk – Lora Leigh – short e-story from Elite Ops series
59. Covert Lessons – Mari Carr (ebook)
60. One Night with Anubis – Grace Samuels (ebook)
61. When in Rio – Delphine Dryden (ebook)
62. Dark Need – Lynn Viehl
63. Maverick – Lora Leigh
64. Total Surrender – Cheyenne McCray
65. The Kissing Game – Suzanne Brockmann
66. To Romance a Charming Rogue – Nicole Jordan
67. Stay the Night – Lynn Viehl
68. Temptation and Surrender – Stephanie Laurens
69. Wolf Unbound – Lauren Dane
70. Submission – Cherie Feather
71. Darkness Revealed – Alexandra Ivy
72. Cowgirl Up and Ride – Lorelei James (re-read)
73. If Angels Burn – Lynn Viehl
74. The Prime Objective – Ginna Gray
75. Private Demon – Lynn Viehl
76. Night Lost – Lynn Viehl
77. Twilight Fall – Lynn Viehl
78. Love with a Perfect Scoundrel – Sophia Nash
79. Bride of a Wicked Scotsman – Samantha James
80. To Seduce a Sinner – Elizabeth Hoyt
81. The Dangerous Duke – Christine Wells
82. Seduced by Darkness – Delilah Devlin
83. Diamond in the Rough – Diana Palmer
84. Bedded for the Spaniard’s Pleasure – Carole Mortimer
85. The Art of Desire – Cherie Feather
86. Dangerous Games – Jayne Ann Krentz – anthology including The Devil to Pay and Wizard originally published as Stephanie James
87. The Prince of Pleasure – Nicole Jordan
88. Branded As Trouble – Lorelei James (ebook)
89. Chance’s Rules – Reese Gabriel (ebook)
90. Standoff – Lauren Dane (ebook)
91. Fated – Lauren Dane (ebook)
92. Prey - L.A. Day (ebook)
93. Learning Control – Ann Jacobs (ebook)
94. Anna in the Middle – Barbara Elsborg (ebook)
95. Dance of Submission – Reese Gabriel (ebook)
96. Jaxey’s Master – Reese Gabriel (ebook)
97. Kiss Me, Kate – Mari Carr (ebook)
98. VoyEx – Liz Andrews (ebook)
99. The Vampire’s Bride – Gena Showalter
100. Heartbreakers – Caitlyn Willows – anthology including What about Love?, Crazy on You, If Looks Could Kill and Magic Man
101. Some Like it Wild – Teresa Medeiros
102. The Club – Sharon Page
103. Her Notorious Viscount – Jenna Petersen
104. The Warlord’s Daughter – Susan Grant
105. Tempt the Devil – Anna Campbell
106. Nauti Intentions – Lora Leigh
107. Riding on Instinct – Jaci Burton
108. Tempted at Midnight – Jacquie D’Alessandro
109. The Australian’s Society Bride – Margaret Way
110. Fury Calls – Caridad Pineiro
111. Compromised – Kate Noble
112. A Rake’s Guide to Seduction – Caroline Linden
113. Secrets of a Duchess – Kaitlin O’Riley
114. Wild Card – Lora Leigh (re-read)
115. The Gilded Web – Mary Balogh
116. The Perfect Pen – Amanda Quick
117. Mercenary’s Woman – Diana Palmer (re-read)
118. Desperado – Diana Palmer (re-read)
119. The Patient Nurse – Diana Palmer (re-read)
120. September Morning – Diana Palmer (re-read)
121. The Case of the Mesmerizing Boss - Diana Palmer (re-read)
122. Lover Avenged – J.R. Ward
123. Submissive Desires – Carolyn Faulkner
124. Dance of Seduction – Elle Kennedy
125. Something Naughty This Way Comes – Kaenar Langford (ebook)
126. Sugar and Spice – Mari Carr (ebook)
127. Consort – Kim Knox (ebook)
128. Dark Citadel – Cherise Sinclair (ebook)
129. First Taste – Lyra Marlowe (ebook)
130. Unfair Advantage – Qwillia Rain (ebook)
131. Into the Darkness – Delilah Devlin
132. Red-Hot Summer – anthology with Reckless by Maya Banks, Color My Heart by Red Garnier, Heat of the Moment by Elle Kennedy and Lady Sings the Blues by Mallery Malone
133. Taboo – Jess Michaels
134. Unbroken – Maya Banks – anthology including the stories Undenied, Overheard and Understood
135. Bound to Please – Lilli Feisty
136. Simply Shameless – Kate Pearce
137. At Love’s Command – Samantha Kane
138. Always a Scoundrel – Suzanne Enoch
139. Hunter’s Edge – Shiloh Walker
140. Relentless – Laurne Dane
141. Chains – Shiloh Walker – anthology including Renee: Chains of Rebellion, Lacey: Chains of Longing and Sherra: Chains of Memory
142. All About Men – Shannon McKenna – anthology including Something Wild, Meltdown and Touch Me
143. Surpassing Fantasy – Elle W. – anthology with many short stories
144. The Case of the Confirmed Bachelor – Diana Palmer (re-read)
145. Dangerous Ties – anthology including Personal Possessions by Devyn Quinn, Captive Heat by Jodi Lynn Copeland, and Rapture Bound by Anya Howard
146. The Case of the Missing Secretary – Diana Palmer (re-read)
147. Lionhearted – Diana Palmer (re-read)
148. The Australian – Diana Palmer (re-read)
149. Connal -  Diana Palmer (re-read)
150. The Virgin’s Secret – Victoria Alexander
151. Not Quite a Husband – Sherry Thomas
152. Mastering the Marquis – Vanessa Kelly
153. To Beguile a Beast – Elizabeth Hoyt
154. The Naked Baron – Sally Mackenzie
155. Edge of Desire – Rhyannon Byrd
156. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie – Jennifer Ashley
157. This Duchess of Mine – Eloisa James
158. Ashes of Midnight – Lara Adrian
159. Heartless – Diana Palmer
160. Highland Scandal – Julia London
161. Led Astray By a Rake – Sara Bennett
162. Strong Silent Type – Lorelei James (ebook)
163. Terms of Surrender – Becky Barker (ebook)
164. The Cowboy Way – Cat Lovington (ebook)
165. Seducing Jane Porter – Dominique Adair (ebook)
166. Educating Jane Porter – Dominique Adair (ebook)
167. Reinventing Jane Porter – Dominique Adair (ebook)
168. Kyle’s Bargain – Katherine Kingston (ebook)
169. Capturing Casey’s Heart – Maggie Casper (ebook)
170. Spanking Sara – Alyssa Brooks (ebook)
171. Stress Relief – Diana Hunter (ebook)
172. Two Loves for Alex – Claire Sullivan (ebook)
173. All She Wants for Christmas/The Trouble with New Year’s Resolutions – Paige Tyler
174. Sweet Persuasion – Maya Banks
175. Don’t Bargain With the Devil – Sabrina Jeffries
176. Graceful Submission – Melinda Barron (re-read; first time in paper)
177. A Hint of Wicked – Jennifer Haymore
178. Tied Up, Tied Down – Lorelei James (re-read; first time in paper)
179. Scandalizing the Ton – Diane Gaston
180. The Confessions of a Duchess – Nicola Cornick
181. Confessions of a Little Black Gown – Elizabeth Boyle
182. Regan’s Pride – Diana Palmer  (re-read)
183. Savage Obsession – Diana Hamilton (re-read)
184. Dark Guardian – Rebecca King (re-read)
185. Guardian Angel – Julie Garwood (re-read)
186. Trial of Innocence – Anne Mather (re-read)
187. Paper Rose – Diana Palmer (re-read)
188. Brotherly Bonds – Brynn Paulin – anthology including On Your Knees, All Chained Up, Master Me,  and Gentle Control (re-read – first time in print)
189. A Rogue of My Own – Johanna Lindsey
190. Eclipse – Stephanie Meyer
191. Secret Thirst – Evangeline Anderson
192. Sins of a Wicked Duke – Sophie Jordan
193. Breaking Dawn – Stephanie Meyer
194. Leather and Lace – Taylor Tryst
195. To Taste Temptation – Elizabeth Hoyt
196. Wed Him Before You Bed Him – Sabrina Jeffries
197. Real Men Last All Night – anthology including Cooper’s Falls by Lora Leigh, Luring Lucy by Lori Foster, The Edge of Sin by Cheyenne McCray and Wanted: A Real Man by Heidi Betts
198. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen – Janet Evanovich
199. Darkness Burning – Delilah Devlin
200. Secret Ties – Opal Carew
201. A Duke to Die For – Amelia Grey
202. B.A.D. Attitude – Sherrilyn Kenyon
203. Seduce the Darkness – Gena Showalter
204. Auctioning Charity – Reese Gabriel (ebook)
205. Eye of the Storm – Ann Jacobs (ebook)
206. Everything Nice – Mari Carr (ebook)
207. Hard on Miss Hardin – Lyla Sinclair (ebook)
208. Illegal Moves – Dalton Diaz and Samantha Cayto (ebook)
209. Papaya Paradise – Brigit Zahara (ebook)
210. Riding Out the Storm – Desiree Holt (ebook)
211. Beg Me – Desiree Holt (ebook)
212. Interlude – Desiree Holt (ebook)
213. Running Wild – Saskia Walker (ebook)
214. Seduced by the Neighbor – Crissy Smith (ebook)
215. What Happens in London – Julia Quinn
216. Rapture – Jacquelyn Frank
217. Four Dukes and a Devil – anthology with The Irish Duke by Cathy Maxwell, The Duke Who Came to Dinner by Elaine Fox, The Devil to Pay by Jeaniene Frost, The Catch of the Century by Sophia Nash, and Charmed by Her Smile by Tracy Anne Warren
218. My Forbidden Desire – Carolyn Jewel
219. Passion Unleashed – Larissa Ione
220. Outback Heiress, Surprise Proposal – Margaret Way
221. Wickedly Ever After – Michelle Marcos
222. Surrender to the Devil – Lorraine Heath
223. For the Earl’s Pleasure – Anne Mallory
224. Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress – Elizabeth Boyle
225. My Wicked Marquess – Gaelen Foley
226. Fair Game – Jasmine Haynes
227. Midnight’s Master – Cynthia Eden
228. The Charade – Mackenzie McKade
229. Veteran’s 1: Through the Fire – anthology including Through the Fire by Liz Andrews and Risen from Ash by Rachel Bo
230. Bound by Your Touch – Meredith Duran
231. Mastered by Love – Stephanie Laurens
232. A Duke of Her Own – Eloisa James
233. Hot Pursuit – Suzanne Brockmann
234. To Ruin the Duke – Debra Mullins
235. The Infamous Rogue - Alexandra Benedict
236. Otherwise Engaged – Suzanne Brockmann
237. Tasting Fear – Shannon McKenna
238. Bengal’s Heart – Lora Leigh
239. Bad Moon Rising – Sherrilyn Kenyon
240. Skykeepers – Jessica Andersen
241. The Sheik’s Captive – Honey Jans
242. The Second Betrayal – Cheyenne McCray
243. Since the Surrender – Julie Anne Long
244. Laid Bare – Lauren Dane
245. Beauty and the Duke – Melody Thomas
246. One Weeks as Lovers – Victoria Dahl
247. The Undoing of a Lady – Nicola Cornick
248. Blood Surrender – edited by Cecilia Tan
249. Pleasure Unbound – Larissa Ione
250. Desire Unchained – Larissa Ione
251. My Wicked Enemy – Carolyn Jewel
252. The Scandals of an Innocent – Nicola Cornick
253. Pleasure – Jacquelyn Frank
254. Rough, Raw and Ready – Lorelei James (first time in paperback)
255. Holiday Heat – anthology with Unraveled by Jaci Burton and Sweet Charity by Lauren Dane
256. To Wed a Wicked Earl – Olivia Parker
257. The Darkest Whisper – Gena Showalter
258. Should Have Been a Cowboy – Lorelei James (ebook)
259. Tempting Grace – Anne Rainey (ebook)
260. Stolen Earth – Loribelle Hunt (ebook)
261. Into the Lair – Maya Banks (ebook)
262. Dear Sir, I’m Yours - Joely Sue Burkhart (ebook)
263. The Trust She Yields – Jennifer Leland (ebook)
264. Sting of Desire – Lilli Feisty (ebook)
265. The Pearl at the Gate – Anya Delvay (ebook)
266. Punishing Tabitha – Evangeline Anderson (ebook)
267. Spitfire – Mari Carr (ebook)
268. Submissive with Benefits – Reese Gabriel (ebook)
269. Restrain Me – Alyssa Brooks and Larissa Lyons (ebook)
270. Heat Seeker – Lora Leigh
271. How to Dazzle a Duke – Claudia Dain
272. Angels’ Blood – Nalini Singh
273. Most Wanted – Sasha White
274. Songbird – Maya Banks (ebook)
275. Blade’s Desire – Leah Brooke (ebook)
276. Her Best Man – Michelle Houston (ebook)
277. Blind Date – Lucynda Storey (ebook)
278. Just Between Friends – Dakota Trace (ebook)
279. Compromising Situations – Emma Wildes (ebook)
280. A Rose of Any Other Color: Book 2 Maledom – anthology (ebook)
281. Price of Passion – Susan Napier – Harlequin Presents (ebook)
282. Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch – B.J. Daniels – Harlequin Intrigue (ebook)
283. An Indecent Proposition – Emma Wildes
284. Tie Me Die – Tracy Wolff
285. Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts – Natalie Acres (ebook)
286. Dining In – Elise Logan (ebook)
287. Jesse’s Hands – Emily Ryan-Davis (ebook)
288. Love Slave for Two – Tymber Dalton (ebook)
289. Love Slave for Two: Family Matters – Tymber Dalton (ebook)
290. Cattleman’s Club: Patton’s Way – Jenny Penn (ebook)
291. Sweet Restraint – Beth Kery
292. The Cowboy and the Lady – Diana Palmer (re-read)
293. Tempt Me at Twilight – Lisa Kleypas
294. Wicked All Day – Liz Carlyle
295. A Wicked Lord at the Wedding – Jillian Hunter
296. Someone to Watch Over Me – Lisa Kleypas
297. Atlantis Rising – Alyssa Day
298. Shoot to Thrill – Nina Bruhns
299. Voyeur – Roxy Harte (ebook)
300. Educating Rose – Lissa Matthews (ebook)
301. Submissive Dreams – Ashley Ladd (ebook)
302. Persuading Suzanne – Amy O’Connor (ebook)
303. The Gift – Honey Jans (ebook)
304. Red Ribbons and Blue Balls – Tia Fanning
305. Immortal Danger – Cynthia Eden
306. Hot for the Holidays anthology – including Vampire’s Ball by Angela Knight, A Little Night Magic by Allyson James, Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast and A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
307. Covet – J.R. Ward
308. Shadowlight – Lynn Viehl
309. The Earl Claims His Wife – Cathy Maxwell
310. When Seducing a Duke – Kathryn Smith
311. To Seek a Master – Monica Belle
312. Sweet Surrender – Maya Banks
313. Tucker’s Claim – Sarah McCarty
314. Indiscreet – Carolyn Jewel
315. Born of Night – Sherrilyn Kenyon
316. Bound by Design – Natasha Moore
317. Maison Domine – Skylar Kade
318. The Initiation of Isabella – Jenna Ives
319. Pink Buttercream Frosting – Lena Matthews
320. Caleb – Sarah McCarty
321. Victorian Brats – volume 1 – Melinda Barron
322. Deep Kiss of Winter – anthology with Untouchable by Kresley Cole and Tempt Me Eternally by Gena Showalter
323. No One But Madison – Doreen Orsini
324. Master of the Shadowlands – anthology with Club Shadowlands and Dark Citadel by Cherise Sinclair
325. The Secret – Julie Garwood (re-read)
326. The Winter Man – anthology including Silent Night Man and Sutton’s Way by Diana Palmer (re-read)
327. Simply Wicked – Kate Pearce
328. To Desire a Devil – Elizabeth Hoyt
329. Desire’s Awakening – Gail DeYoung (ebook)
330. Master’s Runaway – Gail Starbright (ebook)
331. Ningaloo Nights – Tracey Cooper-Posey (ebook)
332. Tie Me, Tease Me – Reese Gabriel (ebook)
333. Darkness Unleashed – Alexandra Ivy
334. Luke:  Armed and Dangerous – Cheyenne McCray
335. The Untamed Bride – Stephanie Laurens
336. What the Duke Desires – Jenna Peteresen
337. Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel – Lorraine Heath
338. The Care and Taming of a Rogue – Suzanne Enoch
339. Saving Grace – Julie Garwood (re-read)
340. All Jacked Up – Lorelei James (ebook)
341. Roughrider – Shawna Moore (ebook)
342. If Looks Could Chill – Nina Bruhns
343. Surrender to Fire – includes Fyre Brand and Surrender by Lora Leigh (re-read)
344. Heart of Darkness - includes The Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter, Love Me to Death by Maggie Shayne and Lady of the Nile by Susan Krinard
345. Beyond the Dark – includes Dragon Dance by Angela Knight, Caught by the Tides by Diane Whiteside, Queen of All She Surveys by Emma Holly and In a Wolf’s Embrace by Lora Leigh
346. The Maverick – Diana Palmer
347. Born of Fire – Sherrilyn Kenyon
348. Born of Ice – Sherrilyn Kenyon
349. The Man in the Black Leather Mask – Evangeline Anderson (ebook)
350. Rigger – Kelly Jamieson (ebook)
351. Beloved Vampire – Joey W. Hill
352. Wild Instinct – including stories Garrett, Daire and Curran – Sarah McCarty
353. Take Me Again – MacKenzie McKade
354. Shades of Midnight – Lara Adrian

Books I Have Read this Month:

1. If Looks Could Chill – Nina Bruhns
2. Surrender to Fire – includes Fyre Brand and Surrender by Lora Leigh (re-read)
3. Heart of Darkness - includes The Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter, Love Me to Death by Maggie Shayne and Lady of the Nile by Susan Krinard
4. Beyond the Dark – includes Dragon Dance by Angela Knight, Caught by the Tides by Diane Whiteside, Queen of All She Surveys by Emma Holly and In a Wolf’s Embrace by Lora Leigh
5. The Maverick – Diana Palmer
6. Born of Fire – Sherrilyn Kenyon
7. Born of Ice – Sherrilyn Kenyon
8. The Man in the Black Leather Mask – Evangeline Anderson (ebook)
9. Rigger – Kelly Jamieson (ebook)
10. Adored – Tina Donahue (ebook)
11. Beloved Vampire – Joey W. Hill
12. Wild Instinct – including stories Garrett, Daire and Curran – Sarah McCarty
13. Take Me Again – Mackenzie McKade
14. Shades of Midnight – Lara Adrian

McCarty, Sarah. Wild Instinct. (New York: Berkley, 2009). ISBN – 9780425227619.

Main Characters: Sarah Ann and Garrett; Teri and Daire; and Rachel and Curran

Related Works: This is part of McCarty’s Wild series: Books in the series include the following:

• Running Wild - stories of Donovan and Lisa Delaney, Kelon and Robin Delaney and Wyatt and Heather Delaney
• Wild Instinct - stories of Garrett and Sarah Ann, Teri and Daire and Rachel and Curran

Description from Book:

Garrett - Rejected from werewolf society because of his human blood, he is one of the most infamous rogue weres. Now, he’s been promised pack status in return for saving three women from certain doom. He never expects to find his mate in the midst of his mission, but he does. And as the heat rises between them, so do the risks.

Daire - A powerful rogue who rejected the strict rules of werewolf society, he has resigned himself to never finding a mate. Then he joins forces on an unusal rescue mission. In Teri, he discovers the one woman who can make him burn, but claiming her won’t be easy, for Teri is a woman who’s been taught to fear the beast within him.

Curran – Rogue, Protector, hunter. His job is simple: find the fugitive were-woman and bring her in. Trapping his bounty has never been a problem, yet this time his prey is the haunting Rachel, a woman of secrets. Claiming her will put both their lives in jeopardy, but once he finds her, he’s never letting her go.

My Thoughts:

I think that I might be burnt out on romance novels with werewolves – or maybe they weren’t my favorite topic to begin with, and I’m not too keen on reading any more about them. I’m not sure. I do remember reading the first book in the series, Running Wild, and being on the fence about whether or not to continue reading forthcoming books.  I definitely did not get that vested in the characters in that book. Also, I often don’t enjoy books with three distinct, but connected stories. However, there are several of Sarah McCarty’s earlier works that I absolutely adore. This prompted me to get Wild Instinct.

Overall, my reaction to Wild Instinct is quite similar to that of Running Wild. I didn’t really bond with any of the characters and found that the shorter stories didn’t help with character development. As such, I didn’t really care too much about the characters or about whether or not they were able to find true love. In fact, I can’t actually remember too much about any of the stories because I ended up skimming the majority of them. I feel compelled to stress that I didn’t read this book closely – and I think that my reactions to this book are more about my current annoyance with werewolves than the work itself. I am a fan of Sarah McCarty’s other series and definitely do plan to continue reading those.

Read first on December 28, 2009

Books I Have Read This Month:

1. Darkness Unleashed – Alexandra Ivy
2. Luke:  Armed and Dangerous – Cheyenne McCray
3. The Untamed Bride – Stephanie Laurens
4. What the Duke Desires – Jenna Peteresen
5. Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel – Lorraine Heath
6. The Care and Taming of a Rogue – Suzanne Enoch
7. Saving Grace – Julie Garwood (re-read)
8. All Jacked Up – Lorelei James (ebook)
9. Roughrider – Shawna Moore (ebook)

Books I Have Read:

1. Covet – J.R. Ward
2. Shadowlight – Lynn Viehl
3. The Earl Claims His Wife – Cathy Maxwell
4. When Seducing a Duke – Kathryn Smith
5. To Seek a Master – Monica Belle
6. Sweet Surrender – Maya Banks
7. Tucker’s Claim – Sarah McCarty
8. Indiscreet – Carolyn Jewel
9. Born of Night – Sherrilyn Kenyon
10. Bound by Design – Natasha Moore
11. Maison Domine – Skylar Kade
12. The Initiation of Isabella – Jenna Ives
13. Pink Buttercream Frosting – Lena Matthews
14. Caleb – Sarah McCarty
15. Victorian Brats – volume 1 – Melinda Barron
16. Deep Kiss of Winter – anthology with Untouchable by Kresley Cole and Tempt Me Eternally by Gena Showalter
17. No One But Madison – Doreen Orsini
18. Master of the Shadowlands – anthology with Club Shadowlands and Dark Citadel by Cherise Sinclair
19. The Secret – Julie Garwood (re-read)
20. The Winter Man – anthology including Silent Night Man and Sutton’s Way by Diana Palmer (re-read)
21. Simply Wicked – Kate Pearce
22. To Desire a Devil – Elizabeth Hoyt
23. Desire’s Awakening – Gail DeYoung (ebook)
24. Master’s Runaway – Gail Starbright (ebook)
25. Ningaloo Nights – Tracey Cooper-Posey (ebook)
26. Tie Me, Tease Me – Reese Gabriel (ebook)

with Carolyn Jewel’s Indiscreet. I so enjoyed Jewel’s last historical release, Scandal and her paranormals – and was so looking forward to Indiscreet. It is weird, I find myself quite sympathetic to both the hero (Foye) and the heroine (Sabine). However, I’m just not that into the book. I’ve gotten to the point where Foye helps Sabine escape a pasha’s palace after her uncle dies and I have to force myself to keep picking the book up again.

I wholeheartedly agree with this review posted on Book Binge. It isn’t the characters, but the plot that is off. It seems that I lost interest right about the time that Foye declares his love for Sabine. I don’t quite know what is left for the two but danger, but I am not all that eager to find out. I am sensing that I will probably skim the rest of the book as quickly as possible to avoid all of the angst that I see coming the way of the the star-crossed lovers.

Singh, Nalini. Angels’ Blood. (New York: Berkley, 2009). ISBN – 9780425226926.

Main Characters: Elena Deveraux and Raphael

Related Works: This is one of Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter novels.

• Angels’ Pawn- the story of Ashwini and Janvier – ebook prequel to the series
• Angels’ Blood- the story of Elena Deveraux and Raphael
• Angels’ Judgment – the story of Sara and Deacon – this takes place prior to Angels’ Blood and is in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds
• Archangel’s Kiss – continuation of Elena and Raphael’s story

Description from Book:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best – but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option – even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other – and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break . . .

My Thoughts:

This was my first Nalini Singh book. I found it a very enjoyable read. I certainly enjoyed the characters of Elena and Raphael. Angels, however, aren’t so much my thing. Vampires, I am fine with. I can’t quite say why angels (especially angels with wings) make it difficult for me to suspend my disbelief – but, they do. I did get caught up enough in the story to be interested in following Elena and Raphael’s journey in the next book.

Read first September 2009