Genre: Historical
Book 1 in the Mist Trilogy
ISBN: 0-446-61912-4
Releasedate: December 1, 2007
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Format owned: MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
PROTECTING HER WAS HIS PASSION
High-born though she is, Kate Campbell isn't afraid to draw her sword. When raiders strike, she rushes into the fray...and is lucky when a mysterious Highlander shields her from a deadly blow. Swept onto his stallion, she soon discovers that her rescuer is her clan's most hated enemy: Callum MacGregor, the man they call The Devil. Yet she cannot ignore his achingly tender touch or the way his fiery gaze leaves her breathless.

POSSESSING HER WOULD BE HIS PLEASURE
Callum MacGregor has taken many Campbell lives, but he's never saved one--until now. Mesmerized by this spirited lass, he wants her by his side, even if it means holding her for ransom. As his fingers graze her sumptuous curves and tangle in her unruly tresses, Callum realizes Kate Campbell is his most dangerous foe of all. For he can't make love to her without betraying his kinsmen and his honor...and surrendering his heart forever.

REVIEW
A new star has risen and her name is Paula Quinn. Ok I know this is not her debut novel but it is the first novel I read off her hand and she makes me hungry for more! Her ability to put her vision to words in a story so compelling that it shook my world and broadened my longing for stories like hers, is rare on my shelves! From the first page I was captured and pulled into the feud between the Campbells and MacGregors in the Scottish Highlands. To see how she puts two characters from these clans together without losing their dignity, bringing a small step into solving this century long hatred between two clans is stunning.

Paula has a talent for writing her stories in the setting it takes place. The use of the Scottish bur and words add so much to the story making it top quality historical romance and puts her right next to Historical icons such as Elizabeth Lowell. She knows how to describe a setting and varies from humor and laughter to sorrow and pain with a romance strangled within, so radiant and passionate, it touches your heart instantly and you can’t do all but love Kate and Callum and the secondary characters whom are involved in this story that is told.

Kate is a loving, caring, strong woman who stands for what she believes is to be true but knows when to adjust her believes when she finds them based on untrue facts. She has an extraordinary mind and willpower within to set right what’s been done wrong. Callum is a man who has a lot to give and wants nothing more than to honor the family he’s born in and carry his name with pride and joy. Circumstances in the past made him the cold hard devil everybody sees him for and will do everything that is needed to protect what he finds is his or belongs to him and his clan. This makes him unapproachable and closed off for love and companionship in his life…. Until he meets Kate… She does things that make him look at things a little more different than he was used to, but her being a “bloody” Campbell doesn’t make things easy for his MacGregor-heart.

The passion between them both sizzles off the pages and the love-making seems are steamy and without overtaking the Historical Romance only add to this heart-warming love-story.

The way Paula sets stone to their love story within this ongoing war between Scottish clans is what stands out in this genre. I have not come across a story like hers in a long time and knowing I still have a trilogy of her to read makes me sigh in relief for stories like this is what makes reading even a bigger pleasure and joy. This is one of those books that opens up those people who aren’t into reading Historical Romance and make them hooked instantly to this genre. It has everything a Historical Romance Reader longs for and wants to see back.

It reads with such ease that it’s hard to put down and the words seems to glide through your mind and soul, touching every core of your being and claims it’s way into your heart. Callum had to grow on me a bit and had to make me open up to him throughout the story, but I grew with him in the way he opened up to Kate, where Graham touched me straight away, so I’m in a glorious mood when I learned his story is next in line! But also the young warrior Jamie has his own uniqueness and Angus – god love him – with his Gillis is such a pleasure to see coming by every time. Paula used the “bruteness” and "brawling" of the true highlanders and implemented it in the story, making it all the more fun to read.

Everything within this story fits, every chapter you read is built up towards the climaxing ending and makes you long to read the following pages. The more you read the more you want to read about his couple and MacGregor clan and their journey towards meeting in the middle where they can take their hands and walk the same line. I’m still drifting on a high and know that whichever novel comes next for me to read of Paula’s hand will be perfection once more as she is talented to no end! Throughout this story her love for Scotland shows, she’s able to channel that love into the pages of her story and I think that is what makes it stand out!

Overall I think A-MA-ZING is all I can say to describe what my overall feel of this novel is and this is an author who will be read and re-read many a time in the years ahead!

5 Stars

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Book 2 in the Tairen Soul series
ISBN: 0-8439-5977-0
Releasedate: October 30, 2007
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
Format owned: MMPB / HC Rhapsody
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Since her earliest memories, Ellysetta Baristani has feared magic, even as she has been inexorably drawn to all things Fey, especially the poetry and legends of Rain Tairen Soul. Now claimed as Rain’s truemate and no longer able to deny her own magic, Ellysetta is swept into the very center of a struggle filled with the magic and darkness she has always feared. The High Mage of Eld wants to capture her. The most murderous dahl’reisen who ever lived wants her dead. And her enemies will corrupt even the people she loves most in their quest to claim her magic for themselves.

REVIEW
The courtship of Rain and Ellysetta take further progression, they grow towards each other and long to be with each other more with each passing hour. Unfortunately the High Mage of the Eld has other plans, what will happen when the truth comes to life? Will they be able to overcome the threat that seemingly is out to doom the rest of the world?

I have a profound respect for people who are able to write a 5-star novel, but to do so on their debut and have a follow up novel with again a 5-star quality is admirable and herewith I speak out loud my admiring respect for the writing abilities and qualities of CL Wilson. Not only was she able to baffle and amaze me with her smashing start of the Tairen Soul series – Lord of the Fading Lands – but even more so, she was able to captivate me and leave me in awe with the follow up in this series – Lady of Light and Shadow.

Where the first part was filled with an innocent blooming love between Rain and Elly, this book was overflowing with passion and strength. Plot wise it was so solid and enormously well written that I’m left with a ferocious hungering need for reading on. I’m very VERY happy I’m able to dive straight into King of Sword and Sky. Not often am I impatient in waiting for a book to be released but I know this series has me fully addicted. It’s all I wanted and so much more!

Ms Wilson is able to write a compelling story, create characters that make you cry in joy, immense pain and in longing desire. There was a built up plot wise that left me with a wholesome feeling throughout the entire novel. It touched me on every level to see the fey-warriors grow. To experience Rain in his courtship for Ellysetta whilst being more in doubt about certain events. Seeing Elly grow from this woodcarvers daughter to a woman who is on her way to become the truemate of the only living Tairen Soul and Queen of the Fading Lands, left me in awe.

In this story The Dark Lord surfaces and events surrounding this plotline happen that give a totally new light to where things might lead. An amazing weave is threaded in between the storylines that makes me, as a reader, purr in ecstasy.

The courtship between Elly and Rain is getting more passionate and stronger, the darkness that was hinted towards in Lord of the Fading Lands is getting more dark and mysterious. When reading this novel you really feel the light and shadows vibrating off the pages, every page you turn consumes you and brings you further and deeper in touch with the characters and plotlines.

It all relates, it all works, it’s stunningly perfect! CL Wilson is a master-weaver of the written word and I admire her for keeping the warriors at bay. It’s books like in this series that makes me realize why it is I love reading so much, it’s for books like these where I feel the want and need to speak out as a reviewer. It’s books like these I NEED in hardcover because they are top-notch Keepers on my Shelves!!!!

5 stars

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Book 1 in the Tairen Soul series
ISBN: 0-8439-5977-0
Releasedate: October 2, 2007
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
Format owned: MMPB / HC Rhapsody
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Long ago, in the magical holocaust known as the Mage Wars, the immortal Fey and their allies fought to defeat the grasping evil of the Elden Mages and their dark-gifted supporters. During those wars, in a fit of grief-induced madness caused by the death of his mate, Fey shapeshifter Rain Tairen Soul nearly destroyed the world in a blaze of tairen fire.

Now, a thousand years later, the fierce Fey king must fight to save his race from the brink of extinction and once again stop the evil rising in the homeland of his enemies, the Eld. The key to his success lies in the mortal city of Celieria, where the Mage Wars began, and with a young woman whose soul sings to him in ways no woman’s ever has, whose presence reawakens the primal fury of the tairen within his soul, and whose vast, untapped power can either save or destroy him and his people.

REVIEW
I’m absolutely awestruck and almost barren for words.

To write a novel that stands out in a series making readers buy the rest is outstanding but to write a novel - a debut-novel nonetheless! - making readers interested in a new genre and opening up to the possibilities of exploring it further is exquisite!!! That is what C.L. Wilson did to me with Lord of the Fading Lands.

She has written a smashing debut-novel. The first book in a new series, creating a unique world with such strong main- and side characters that I’m spoiled for life! She pulls of that, without overshadowing the main-characters, her side-characters are just as involved and important as the main-characters: Rain and Elly.

The emotions described in this novel are so intense, the feelings Rain and Elly experience so strongly putt to paper that it in fact fills your own heart, warming you from the inside out.

I had to get used to the language a bit but because every sentence written in the “fantasy-language” is also translated in English to explain to Elly it was superb!

From the moment when Rain first feels her, till they meet and thereafter their courtship; there is not a single moment I look back on and feel less baffled! Once I read the first chapter and got into the story I straight away got sucked into a story which you just cannot put down. In the way it is written it is easy to read but it’s not a light read. Sometimes I just needed to take a break from reading the story, thinking things through, making a cup of tea and sorting myself out only to find myself automatically being pulled back towards it again to read on!

The courtship between Elly and Rain, the way they are linked together and “feel” eachother; in fact are entwined on all levels is so much better described than the hottest love-scene in most best-selling novels.

CL Wilson has a way of writing that stun me and do I have to say how much I love the fey warriors protecting Ellie. Both quintets!!!! The first ofcourse for the obvious reasons but the second as well. Eventhough they have the same purpose - to protect Ellie - you can feel the difference of their vibe, the way they are, but still to the core are the same. And because most side-characters are intensely linked with Rain and Elly, they become important in the story and added so much onto the storylines, making me hunger for the follow-up novels in this series!!!

Even now, days after reading this story I’m still enchanted by it, it stays with you in a lot of ways. It stirred me emotionally and on many more levels.

Scenes, chapters, this novel in fact, is so well written, put together in such a way that it fits amazingly. The story actually flows through your mind like a river that it seems quiet on the surface, but you know that it’s vibrates and stirs things below the line of sight.

CL Wilson has got a bestselling series on her hands and a lot can be expected of her hands in the future I’m sure. If you haven’t read this novel yet, take a shot you’ll be amazed!!! Beware a new star-author has risen!!!!

QUOTE

Rain when he felt Elly being in danger….

He flung himself from the ground into the sky, flashing instantly into tairen-form. Flames scorched the night sky and his roar of fury rent the air as he followed the path of the mind that called out to him in fear….

5 stars

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

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