JR Ward – Lover Eternal
Genre: Paranormal
Book 2 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood
ISBN: 0-451-21804-3
Releasedate: March 2006
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc.
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.

Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

REVIEW
OMG!!! I love this series. Wrath and Beth had me shook up and hooked onto this series but Rhage and Mary have me hung to their story like bees to honey! I just had to spend my every free moment reading on : it captivated me - even had me dreaming about the brotherhood! I'm still in awe. Ofcourse I needed a box full of paper tissues! When a story does that to me... than it's a sublime high for me!

JR Ward has created such an immense wonderful brotherhood with warriors that (I anyway) long to meet in my life - even if it's just once - but then again I know I wouldn't go for less knowing these beautiful gorgeous warriors would walk around for real...

The lesser-part is something it can do without because the story itself is so strong! In the end of this story it blended in more into knowing why it is mentioned in this series, but JR Ward writes in such a magnificent way. The love story woven into it is so strong that it doesn't need it, but strangely enought it does fit...

What keeps me brilliantly into this series is that towards the end of each story you are left with a cliffhanger. Eventhough Rhage and Mary were the centre of this story, towards the ending Zsadist and Bella encounter eachother; and knowing Zsadist's story is next; I am left eager to start in it. And what's up with Butch and Marissa? Their story is coming in a few months - sigh - how can I waith that long?!! But I have to say Vishous captured my heart!!!!

JR Ward is brilliant in the way she has written this series. It's like following a series on TV that you're really into - ie. for me 'Prisonbreak'. You just can't wait till you see the next episode to know what's coming!!

Although it did fit in this story, especially when you get to know Rhage's curse a bit - my love-thirst heart took a turn and screamed 'Noooo!!' When Rhage did something and only hours later declared Mary his love for her. It did fit into the whole story; it all strangely fitted like a glove. It was like reading/going through an emotional roller-coaster. And when Rhage went to the Scribe Virgin with his request and the conditions she had laid out, 'a box of tissues' wasn't enough anymore. At some point I remember crying and laughing at the same time.

The following quote left me wondering once again 'is Jesus his own father???'

"And she would have been convinced the mother of God had been under those black robes just now."
Rhage replied : "Actually, that was the Scribe Virgin. Who's a lot of things, but not Jesus's mom. At least, not as far as our lexicon goes."
I always thought that God and the Virgin Mary created Jesus -> so they were his father and mother - making God and Mary in some wicked way lovers; if not, this whole thing is twisted....

Hmmm now this is going to bug me all week....

5 Stars

JR Ward – Dark Lover

Genre: Paranormal
Book 1 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood
ISBN: 0-451-21695-4
Releasedate: September 2005
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc.
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

REVIEW
Lately I have read so many vampire-novels that I thought 'oh no, not another one'. But I heard so much about the Black Dagger Brotherhood Warriors that my senses started tingling, my hands started shaking and my mind kept saying: 'read-it; read-it; read-it'. I finally gave in and all I can say is: "Yes I am truly and utterly a self-confessed Vampire-addict with a thirst for more". And after reading Dark Lover, on top of it all I have a hunger for Rhage; a longing for Zsadist...you get my point. Especially those who have also read this series, I'm hooked!!!!

I had some trouble at first getting the glossary fixed in my head, because, lets face it, all vampire novels have that good/bad world combined in one, but all authors want their own terms to make them different from all the rest. But once I got the hang of it I got sucked in the story.Wrath and Beth are great characters. Beth is a very strong self-reliant woman and with all the testosteron "me tarzan, you jane" Alpha Males in this series that is exactly what this novel needed to make it spectacular. Sparks flying around from the moment BEth and Wrath meet. Let's be honest, don't we all long for that instant chemistry that leads to great sex?! Not you??? Well I say : I do!!!The story is marvellous, absolutely formidable, but... always that small but... what kept slowing me down while reading it was the whole Lesser-section in between. It felt like a novel within the novel and not something that was actually part of the story. There were connecting points - yes - but it didn't do it for me. Towards the end it came together a bit more, but the parts in between didn't connect as a whole story. I've been told this will be better in part 2 & 3 of this series.

Despite all the Vampire Series out there after reading this book, I felt like JR Ward has turned it around in a whole new packeage/scenery which makes it interesting, fun, and refreshing. I really loved the way she has written it and although some rough language is used in a way I thought 'isn't it a bit much' but then realized that it suits the Warriors so perfectly. What however did bother me a bit was, that sometimes abbreviations were used like : BMOC handsome; and like BVD's underwear - I mean I never heard of those before and I lived in Ireland.... Maybe she should have put those in her glossary as well... just for those outside the USA who are not common with them.

But all in all JR Ward has claimed her way into my heart with these superb Warriors. Definitely an author who has all my praise!!!! I couldn't wait to start in the next novel so (cheeky grin) I already have and all I can say is hmmmm yummy!!!!

4 Stars

Karen Marie Moning – Kiss of the Highlander

Genre: Paranormal
Book 4 in the Highlander series
ISBN: 0-7394-2057-7
Releasedate: September 2001
Publisher: Dell Publishing
Format owned: MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
A laird trapped between centuries...
Enchanted by a powerful spell. Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he'd ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side...

A woman changed forever in his arms...
Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern - to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she's ever seen? Or that once he'd kissed her, he wouldný let her go?

Bound to Dustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves...

REVIEW
I can say so many things about the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning, but this story has is all!!! Funny, witty, loving, sad, frustration, name any emotion you can feel and it's added in this novel in such a manner that reading it made me want to finish it as quickly as possibly to see what the outcome was, but now that I have I wish I hadn't because I loved reading it so much, absolutely adored the Scottish laird Drustan MacKeltars character!!!! And Gwen Cassidy as well, strong but emotional characters. Talking about instant Karma within this book. I know that not many other novels can top this story for me anyway. The built up was great, described scenes in such an erotic manner that after reading it I even longed for a sigaret... and I doonna even smoke meself!!!!!

Brilliantly written in a captivating way. It makes me want to look under every stone, in every cave and places beyond my knowing to find my own Drustan MacKeltar. How I envy Gwen Cassidy for she had found him first ;-P ...

After reading this novel could one all but do grade it with the maximum amount of stars? I say Nay!!!!

5 Stars

Karen Marie Moning – Beyond The Highland Mist
Genre: Paranormal
Book 1 in the Highlander series
ISBN: 1-5872-4879-4
Releasedate: March 1999
Publisher: Dell Publishing
Format owned: MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Alluring laird
He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart - until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistably challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a mariiage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at an arm's length - but his seduction played havoc with her resolve.

A prisoner in time
She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite in her. Not even the barriers of time and space could keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about flowing the promptings of her own passionate heart. Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side...

REVIEW
I know the novels in this series are portrait by Karen as though you can read them as stand-alones or in any particular order, but I seriously advice everybody to read this book first because to me it did came across as necessary! (In fact sticking to the known reading order is best…) This is the last book I’ve read out of the – up to now – 7 released novels in this series and small things are clearer to me now, small things that made a connection in the other books. This book is certainly top notch for me. The crème-de-la-crème, the icing on the cake, Belgium chocolate complete with strawberry-filling! Name it all.

Absolutely great characters putt down perfectly in their setting. Although from the start I kept wondering ‘What is happening to the little kitten Moonshadow now that Adrienne is in 1513!’ I just couldn’t help myself. All’s well and good and I really was sucked totally into the story but what about that darn cat, it just didn’t leave me alone. A long deep sigh ofcourse when it all ended well for the cat!

I’m not really the person to use “devour” in my reviews but once in a while it’s the perfect word to describe what it was and I just devoured this book. What I particularly loved as well is that the time span was stretched out; not the meet you today-marry you tomorrow kinda thing, but things reveal themselves over the time span of a year.

A remarkable story, of a godsmackingly beautiful Scottish Laird who falls head over heals for his future wife who dares to say no and won’t fall for the good-looking fairytale prince again… eventhough he awakes every bit inside of her…

I am not a particular big fan of Adam Black, and after reading this story I don’t really like him at all. I would have loved to kick his sorry little egotistical, self-centered spoiled fairy-ass to the heavens and back for doing what he did!

Ok, I think point very well made clear, I do love the dark/brooding/me-tarzan-you-jane Alpha Males and they can be dark but Adam Black is just a bit too dark for the likes of me… But nonetheless his character fits completely into this series and Karen just knows how to putt a character to paper really well.

The story itself was breathtaking. My heart just fluttered the whole time and I would recommend this book to just about anybody! Very well written, it just has everything you want in a story. So all my praises for Karen Marie Moning for introducing us to these wonderful novels that together make the Highlander-series!

Quote Grimm:
“Either I can stay up here and freeze my ladycrackers off trying to fins a falling star, or you can do something about it yourself. I – and my freezing nether regions – would thank you most assuredly.”

4,5 Stars

Karen Marie Moning – The Highlander’s Touch

Genre: Paranormal
Book 3 in the Highlander series
ISBN: 0-7394-1365-1
Releasedate: November 2000
Publisher: Dell Publishing
Format owned: MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
A warrior of immortal powers
He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely, accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty - and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was also the woman he was sworn to destroy.

A woman caught in the mists of time
When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st century woman never dreamed she was falling... into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real... and too dangerously arousing. irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her... plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that the man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own...

REVIEW
I had trouble getting into this story. To me, after 'to tame a highland warrior' it was too quickly a changeover between a highlander to part "fae". But maybe that is because I haven't read 'beyond the highland mist' yet, I know Adam Black makes an appearance in that as well. Once or twice in the first 2 chapters I felt that this might not be a book for me to read on, the changeover from current century to 700 years ago came rapid and I felt it should have been a bit more detailed, it was like in the beginning I missed parts of the story but once Circenn Brodie and Lisa Stone had encoutered eachother I got into the story immensely and enjoyed it very much, I had great laughs about the cleaning swipes for guns, also know to us present selves as tampons.... I would have loved to have seen the look on Circenn's face once he was told the true use for it, but then again, I can imagine....

Glad to say, I have recently (24th September 2006) seen the movie 'Braveheart' for the first time (I know, shame on me....) as Karen Marie Moning makes some references to this movie, which again made me have giggle-figs.

I am not one for quoting from stories but I have to share this one because it made me roll over with laughter:
Imagine king Robert the Bruce ~almighty, majestically, prowing with power~ hugging 21st century Lisa Stone who admired him and his legend, at that point thinking she was to wed Circenn saying while broadly smiling : "May you be as fertile as the hare. We need dozens of his sons in this land."He laughed and patted her abdomen. Lisa blushed, concerned that he might pat her breasts and inquire about her nursing abilities.

Overall a great read with a lot of humor. To me it's worth 4 stars at least!!!

4 Stars