Review: Blessed by Ann Mayburn

Blessed by Ann Mayburn

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 4

Blurb

Shay is an ordinary college girl with an extraordinary birthright. Handsome professor Aiden Klemenson singles her out as a potential Chosen of the benevolent Gods of Creation, and his perfect woman. He tries to convince Eliana that she is born to do the work of the Gods, but her upbringing hasn’t given her much faith in gods or destiny. Despite her better judgment, desire burns between them with an enchantment all its own.

The Gods of Destruction will stop at nothing to keep Eliana from fulfilling her destiny: to become a formidable warrior against evil. Cunning and deceitful, they send demons and magical serial killers to exterminate her before she can become a threat. With Aidan’s guidance, Eliana realizes that in order to survive she must accept her fate and learn to harness the fierce magic within her--and open her heart to his love.


Stacey's Review
 
Set in Washington, D.C. in a new type of society where Gods and Goddesses are worshipped in a vast array of temples, we meet Eliana and Aiden. Though I read the books in this series out of order, in no way did it mess with any of the events or storyline. These books are so well written and it’s easy to find yourself immediately drawn in. I love that while Ann Mayburn included these characters in the second book, she also maintained the integrity of their own personal story. Not giving away too much in her second book in the series. And oh my, is their story good!

Eliana is a junior in college. Her biggest worry has been passing her classes and working at a garden center. Until now. Being a daughter of atheists, she never in a million years would think she would find herself in the middle of a battle over her between Creation and Destruction. But that’s exactly where she ends up. Throw in the fact she has a huge crush on one of her professors that she denies to herself, and the sparks fly.

She soon learns that her professor, Aiden holds all of the answers. Between working at a garden center, school and a roommate who happens to be a witch, Eliana must find a way to protect and ready herself for her time of choosing. And Aiden isn’t the only one who wants to help her with her decision. She is approached by demons who try to persuade her as only demons can. She is tormented by her boss at work and constantly harassed by a college punk who doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “No.”.

Eliana finds herself at the hands of a madman hell bent on raping, torturing and killing women. A man filled with such hate that only one thing could put a stop to his crimes. Trapped, tied up and drugged, Eliana must find the courage to defeat him and survive. Can she? Will she find her path to Creation and her God or will she lose and find herself in the arms of Destruction?

Every single time I read one of Ann Mayburn’s books (and I have now read four), I find myself so involved that I think of little else for days afterwards. She has created an amazing society in Washington, D.C. and, I love visiting. Her characters, though they have strengths beyond us mere mortals, they also have weaknesses. They may be Chosen by the Gods, but their human sides will have you choosing them every single time.

Another amazing book!!!

5 Tea Cups!

      

Review: Rapunzel by Selena Kitt

Rapunzel by Selena Kitt

Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Genre: Erotic Romance

Heat Rating: 3

 

Blurb
 
Rachel runs Rapunzel’s, a high-end salon on the lower level of a downtown Chicago high rise and lives happily in self-imposed exile in an apartment at the top of the tower—that is until Jake Malden walks in with his teen daughter, Emma, and presents Rachel with a dilemma. Young Emma is determined to defy her mother’s wishes and get her long, beautiful, untouched hair cut off so she can donate it to charity to honor a friend with cancer. Rachel’s decision to cut the girl’s hair starts a snowball of drama, turmoil and hidden secrets rolling downhill on a course with destiny that no one is able to stop, one that ultimately threatens not only Rachel’s livelihood, but her slowly melting heart as well.

Warnings: This title contains graphic language and sex and makes mention of vibrators, hockey, cappuccinos, silk panties, thigh highs, cheerleaders, big bald gay men, lawyers, ex-wives and contains one very hot, very sexy, and quite unforgettable limo ride.


Stacey's Review

Another installment of Selena Kitt’s wonderfully wicked fairy tale’s. She takes everything you’ve ever thought you knew about happy endings and shows you what TRUE love really is. I have loved every single one of her books in this series and I have never been disappointed. These are the fairy tales you can truly believe in.

Rachel owns a high end salon that caters to the rich. She spends day and night making other people achieve the one thing she no longer can. The ability to feel beautiful. Sure, she has long, gorgeous, flowing hair—but it’s a wig. You see, Rachel is sick and she has been receiving cancer treatments, which have caused her to lose her own gorgeous locks. If she has it her way, none of her ritzy clientele will ever know that her hair isn’t her own.

When a 17 year old girl and her newly divorced father come into Rachel’s salon, everything changes. Who knew a 17 year old girl would be the source of her newfound courage. When Rachel decides to ler her hair down, literally, in front of the girl’s father, he does what she expected him to do….he leaves.

When he returns, he makes his feelings perfectly clear to Rachel. He wants to see her. All of her. He won’t settle for anything less. Can they overcome their obstacles together? Or are they doomed to never get their happy ending?

3 ½ Tea Cups!

 

   

Review: Dance of the Gods by Ann Mayburn

Dance of the Gods by Ann Mayburn

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Genre: Fantasy Romance

Heat Rating:3
 

Blurb
 
Locked in a demonic curse, Carmella Ramirez has lost the will to love. Once she was the star of the Ramirez Samba School and lived a charmed life. Now, thanks to bitchery and voodoo, she's the school's seamstress and living in the ghetto. At night, a succubus overtakes Carmella's body and uses her to lure men to their death. As the corpses pile up, those controlling Carmella plan to sacrifice her to their demonic god and blame her for all the men the succubus killed.

Her only hope is Sean Kalmus--a world famous musician and warrior of the Celtic God of Music, Maponus. Sean is in Brazil to DJ for the Ramirez School at this year's carnival. Maponus orders Sean to find and rescue Carmella, who is Sean's Comhcheol--the perfect harmony to his soul's melody.
With Sean's help, Carmella will have to call on her strength, his magic and their love to break herself free before she becomes known as Brazil's most notorious serial killer.


Stacey's Review
 
Everytime I read one of Ann Mayburn’s books I am inspired, transported and completely enthralled. Her books are filled with knowledge, passion and an imagination I have never seen elsewhere. At the end of every book, I feel as though I was there. Dance Of The Gods may be a novella, but it definitely doesn’t fall short by any means.

Carmella is a young woman who could have allowed her losses in life change her. But she didn’t. She has taken each and every bad card she has been dealt and still remains strong. She is a heroine everyone can love. I myself, felt the need to protect this young woman. However, when she is backed against the wall, she proves how powerful believing in yourself can truly be.

She has no idea she has been possessed by a succubus. Carmella has been luring married men to their deaths and she doesn’t remember a thing. She is a sexy demon by night and a mousey seamstress for her father’s Samba School by day. When an attractive young man starts to bring out the real Carmella, she will face her demon head on and only her God will be able to save her. But has she already given in to the dark side? Her burning desire to be loved will be the deciding factor.

Set in Rio, how could it be anything except HOT? Filled with gods, adventure and passionate characters. From a dingy BDSM club to high dollar hotel rooms, you will enjoy every step of this sensual Dance Of The Gods.

4 1/2 Tea Cups!

 

      

Review: Alpha Panthers by Becca Van

Alpha Panthers by Becca Van

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 4

 

Blurb
 
April Waterson has just waved good-bye to her best friend and work colleague after a ritual Friday night out for dinner and drinks. She heads toward a cabstand and begins to feel ill. When April's vision finally clears, she finds herself in an unfamiliar forest, surrounded by gigantic trees. She falls asleep leaning against a large tree trunk.

April finally awakens and finds herself in a palatial-style mansion with two Alpha shape-shifting panthers, Gage and Saxon Kian, claiming she is their mate. She attempts to escape and finds herself being rescued by another shape-shifter, only this time it's a bear. Ben Koku knows April is his mate as well. He asks April to accept his claim so he may help her deal with the dominant, arrogant panther shifters, and she accepts.

Will the three men be able to convince April she is a worthy mate for the three of them?


Stacey's Review
 
In Alpha Panthers, Terra Form 1, Becca Van takes us from the plains of Nebraska into the deep, dark forest of Terra Form on another earthly plane. Terra Form is a loand of shapeshifters and filled with menage’s of the human and animalistic kind.

A story that starts out with a far from classic love triangle involving two were-panthers and a woman. We are witness to not only a ménage with two men but also woman and panther. I have to be honest, it didn’t sit well with me.

However, I pulled up my professional boots and plodded on through to the heart of the story.
A woman in a strange land, claimed and marked by two men/panthers who believe she is their mate, also comes across a were-bear who also believes he has claim to her-- in the process. This making her life even more complicated. Far from her normal, solitary life in Nebraska. Who will she choose? Will she accept her newfound destiny or fight tooth and nail to get out of there and back to her lonely life on another plane? The main story line is easy to focus on if you are not into the human having sexual acts with animals type thing.

Becca Van has written a very steamy read. Her imaginative crafting and phenomenal word weaving gives us a view much different than your run of the mill shifter stories.

I recommend this to ménage fans but with the warning of scenes involving post shifting sexual acts.

3 Tea Cups!

 

Review: Mastered By A Wolf by Belladonna Bordeaux

Mastered By A Wolf by Belladonna Bordeaux


Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 4
 

Blurb

Eliza Dogood is a half-fae-maid coming into maturity and suffering all the growing pangs caused by this life-altering time. The one aspect she’s finding harder and harder to cope with are the lurid fantasies. It’s not uncommon for her kind, but having put herself on the shelf, Eliza faces a lonely future with only her naughty dreams to keep her warm at night. Until she meets him.

William Cope has never considered how a life-mate might affect his solitary werewolf life. He’s about to find out. Eliza is the perfect woman for him. Not only is she gorgeous, she’s a willing slave too. A single caveat has put the brakes on their mating. Eliza is fae. His bite will destroy her.

Contains: light bondage, domination/submission, anal sex


Stacey's Review
 
To be quite honest, Mastered By A Wolf is the very first Historical Paranormal Romance I have ever read. Before I opened this book, I was full of skepticism and preconceived notions. However, once I opened it and began to read—I could not put it down. Meeting Eliza Dogood and William Cope, turned out to be an amazing experience.

Set in 1814 London, this story is about a half fae/ woman who is not fully aware of her powers fae or womanly and a beast of a man/werewolf who is incredibly comfortable with his own abilities. A game of slave and master begins and as it goes on, you see they are not so very different. The chemistry between these two is evident from their very first meeting. A primal need apparent for them both. It isn’t until they almost lose each other, that they find what they have both needed all along. A true, earth shattering, mind boggling love that Eliza and William would sacrifice anything to hold onto.

Belladonna Bordeaux has forever changed my opinion of historical romance stories. She has opened the mind of this skeptic with her wonderfully imaginative story of fae, vampires, elves and werewolves. This story proves that Historical Romance is not just for your Grandmother anymore.

Because of Mastered By The Wolf, I am a newly turned Paranormal Historical Romance follower. She has proven to me that the old adage “Never judge a book by it’s cover”, couldn’t be more true. I’d hate to have missed such a truly fabulous love story. Now, I will no longer slide past the Historical Romance section with averted eyes. Instead, I will search it out with an open mind and heart.

5 Tea Cups!