Mass Market Paperback; 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra Books (September 6, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1420109871
ISBN-13: 9781420109870
Genre: Anthology; Horror; Paranormal; Short Story
Main Characters: Derek & Maggie
For Sale At: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
New Orleans native Dr. Maggie Dillon thought she left her past behind her - until she's enraptured by a handsome patient who has been possessed by a malevolent spirit. To find a cure, Colby revisits her magical roots - and unleashes a primal lust too vital to ignore...

REVIEW
Musician Derek, finds himself on the mental ward of a hospital after being possessed by a ghost on the verge of getting his revenge. In an act of despair he tries to get rid of this ghost who is trying to take over his body in the only way he knows how and that is to take his own life. However, Chief Resident Maggie Dillon is his tending physician and their instant attraction might be the one thing left to safe him.

I had no idea what to expect from this author as this anthology in Nocturnal was the first story I’ve read by her hand, but I was pleasantly surprised by the original and intriguing read. As a firm believer of ghost-possession, this book held an extra suspense factor in the plotline, especially as it was written in the first person. Through Maggie’s eyes you could see the possession take over and I got goose bumps in the process each time it occurred.

It’s quite difficult to get a grip on and feel for the main characters in Anthology stories because they are quite short reads. But for me the way it played out in My Soul To Take, worked well . The connection between the two leading characters was solid and real. Emotions were as well worked-out as can be expected from an Anthology-story. Both characters had a soft side to them, and the dreamy character of a musician mixed well with the practical and down to earth side of a physician, both not Alpha, both not Beta but both a unique addition to each other, just as it often is in real life. It gave it an extra plus for me.

I absolutely adored the fact a Voodoo Priestess from New Orleans, was helping out on the exorcism. The feel of the ritual and how it was set up was amazingly done, in both horrifying and cleansing way.

For me this Anthology is definitely a reason to pick up another book by Clare Willis.

4 Stars

Mass Market Paperback; 385 pages
Publisher: Medallion Press (June 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0758241283
ISBN-13: 9780758241283
Genre: Erotica Romance / Fantasy
Book: Book five in the Lords of Satyr series
Main Characters: Dane Satyr & Evangeline Delacorte
On sale at: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
When Dane Satyr approaches Eva for her services as a matchmaker, she offers him more than just introductions. Dane has discovered that Eva is a Satyr like himself, full of insatiable passion and dark desires. Their attraction combusts instantaneously, unlocking pleasures that neither can resist repeating...even as Eva seeks out a mortal bride for Dane.

REVIEW
Eva finds herself roaming on grounds where she’s not supposed to be and walks straight into the life of Satyr- Dane. Instantly there is an attraction giving Dane a certain strength and freedom that he keeps fighting to overcome on the night of the change, but Eva’s own personal differences makes her running away from him and into the safeness of her own home.

Events lead them in different directions, to find hhuman partners to marry but their attraction seems too strong to be denied!

With this new novel in the LORDS OF SATYR series Elizabeth Amber has brought her characters in new twists and turns making the world even more intriguing and compelling than before. If you already are a lover of her writing and men, this book will not disappoint and if you are new to her series the first trilogy is amazing but this book enhances the reading experience even more.

Dane is the sort of hero, that eats, sleeps and breathes the core element of Alpha Male in this novel, and with each step he made you experience just that. He’s instantly likeable and despite his traumatic past, he remains a strong person, determined to reach a certain goal and go for it.

Eva is just a genuinely loving female, with her own set of insecurities and mystery around her. With a heart of gold I felt she truly belonged to Dane and separate as well as together they made a tight fit. Their romance could be felt by the heart and as a couple they absolutely have the X-factor for me.

This was such a great story filled with emotions, drama, suspense and erotic scenes, making my heart flutter each time I had to put it down, as it anxiously awaited the next moment I was able to read another page. Even though sometimes I realized the complexity of the story, it reads with such ease that, the full extent of it, hit me when I turned the last page and started putting my mind around writing the review.

The way Elizabeth Amber uses tools and instruments from within the eroticism scene and weaves it into the story making it, not only functional but pleasure heightening, while reading the story of Dane and Eva in DANE, is superb. And despite the fact that the ways of the Lords of Satyr are still the same in the core elements, but so completely different within each romantic encounter that my reading experience within this series is such an enhancing one, making this world grow as the series continues on.

Though the beginning was slow at pace it all came together why it was a bit slow to start. Dane has this whole other side that had to be explored and Eva, well she is truly a unique person and has her own way in exploring her sexual desires when a man is not at hand! AS soon as the story unfolds, your pulled straight into the Satyr-world where evil is vile and eroticism is at an all time high.

In this book Bastian and Sevin (the next installments in this series) have come to pass and the right buttons were pushed to have tickled my fancy, so all one can do is, look forward to the next release as they are, once more, lick able men! This book had a perfect ending to me for Dane and Eva, but as well as for some secondary characters making me sighing to satisfactory.

QUOTE that left me in total ecstacy:
“I’m not going to tell anyone.”
“What are you going to do?” she demanded in a ravaged voice.
“Do?” His mouth touched hers, butterfly soft. “I’m going to undress you. Here on my big bed, and kiss you, and hold you, and come inside you. All.” A kiss. “Night.” Another kiss. “Long.”

4,5 Stars

Mass Market Paperback; 385 pages
Publisher: Medallion Press (June 4, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1605420964
ISBN-13: 9781605420967
Genre: Historical Romance
Book: Book four in the Knight’s series
Main Characters: Edouard de Lanceau & Juliana de Greyne
On sale at: The Book Depository Store

SUMMARY
A Knight’s Persuasion tells the story of Edouard, firstborn and heir of the great lord Geoffrey de Lanceau. Due to certain circumstances he finds himself betrothed to the sister of Lady Juliana de Greyne, whom, upon first meeting, he falls in love with. Events leave Juliana unconscious on a riverside bank, while Edouard passes by on mere coincidence. When seeking shelter and a healer at his father’s friends keep they find themselves locked in a tower by his father’s enemies. From there on things unfold rapidly, as his father’s enemy is on a quest for revenge.

REVIEW
Edouard, as a hero, is not the typical Alpha Male nor Beta man, but is somewhere in between. He feels a strong attraction towards Juliana but honor-bound as he is, a series of events betroth him to her sister. He, however, never forgets Juliana, and in this his strong sense of honor gnaws at him, making him a star-crossed lover. At the same time he holds everything I need my knight in shining armor to be!

I sense that Juliana is a soft sweet person, going out of her way to help others without putting her own needs ahead. Creative and sensitive, but strong minded as well (and not only towards the positive side of things).

The characters on their own do not stand out to me, but when forced together they make a strong team and have a connection that came across as real and loving. And because this occurs, it makes their story compelling and satisfying to read.

When I first started reading this novel, I felt a bit confused as to where the story took place and in which time-frame. A time-span of a year is spread over the pages of a few chapters. It gave me a feeling of being rushed through various built ups in plotlines and it gave me a lose-threaded base on which this story had to be built upon. In some ways certain things had to be explained, but I’m not sure if it really added to the story for me. I think it might have come across better when in due time these storylines were explained as the story progressed – starting from Edouard and Juliana meeting again at the riverbank - in the setting of flashbacks.

The suspense factor acted as an ambrosia for me, hooked me onto the story and I was not able to put it down till the last page was turned, leaving me satisfied and hungering for more at the same time. Veronique, the villain in this story is really villainess. When I first stumbled upon her in this story I felt an instant dislike towards her, and the way she turned events around, brainwashed her son, twisting events for her own personal gain and vendetta made me hate her. All my praises for this, I love villains who are bad to the core, it gives the story a great suspense and definitely spices things up!

Up until the very end plotlines evolve and reveal themselves in total surprise and up until the very end I kept wondering will they, or won’t they get their happily ever after. I was glad it ended up in a way that Edouard kept his honor bound character as to me that was one of his best qualities.

However, having said that, when the story took more root in a slower pace, I really enjoyed it and Catherine Kean’s writing style appeals to me very much. Her characters all have their own uniqueness and add to the story. And the way the historical back-drop was described and blended in made me linger in the thirteenth century.

A few side-characters got my attention and I hope these will get their own story in this series as well. I for one would love to see what will happen to Tye, and Kaine totally got my attention with his wickedly rogueish ways! All in all, Catherine Kean made her way to my keepers-shelves!

4 Stars

Genre: Historical
Book 1 in the Druids Glen series
ISBN: 1-58608-832-7
Releasedate: July 2006
Format owned: eBook
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Laird Connall MacInness was born to a clan that for centuries has been charged with the guarding of the sacred Druids. 'Tis a duty he has always met with a willing heart, until the day his sister, a Druid priestess, goes missing, and the very Druids he has protected refuse to help him find the last remaining member of his family. Then a 300 year old prophecy places a Druid priestess in his hands for safekeeping. 'Tis the chance at revenge that he's been waiting for, but is he willing to pay the cost his revenge will demand--the loss of his mate and the future of Scotland?

A willing lass…
Glenna MacNeil wants only to be free, to find the purpose of her life. When she is told to look for the dark laird that would free her, she eagerly goes with the powerful laird who fights her clan, not realizing she has set in motion events that will change the course of history.

REVIEW
The first novel in a new series, a new author for me and normally that means getting used to a new style in writing, new storylines to get used to but funnily enough this time around I just eased into the story straight away!

It’s a story easy to read, you pick up on moods, emotions, scenes straight away. I’ve seen the movie Mists of Avalon a few times and I had a particular feeling with that movie and whilst reading this lovely novel by Donna Grant she made me have that same feeling ~ eventhough ofcourse the storylines are very different.

Connall and Glenna are great characters. It’s nice to see how Glenna grows from a timid; scared lady to a strong powerful Druid in control. Connall I don’t see as a real me Tarzan you Jane Highlander. You can really sense his longing for a family where love leads the way. A bit thickheaded needless to say, but nonetheless loveable!

What I love most about Donna’s writing is when in scenes words were spoken by the characters, they actually had the “aye’s; nay’s ; and most important “ye’s”. I always “hear” different voices with the characters as I read a story and when a Highlander-novel is written in such a way the Scottish burrs actually come automatically. The Scottish language used by Donna is adding such a great Highlander feeling that it makes your heart flutter by just reading the sentences.

The storylines themselves were typically Druid/Highland making it for me a good novel in between my paranormal/fantasy books which are more heavyset. This series is definitely a keeper on my shelves to balance the heavy dramatic action filled novels with the lighter set A-list authors like Donna Grant.

It’s a good solid start in a new series and promises a lot for the books still to come!

3,5 stars

OMG! What can I say? Enthralling, catching, highly erotic and satisfying to the very core of your being! When you start reading this novel you’re being pulled into the story and a world which you just cannot put down till you finished reading the last word written. I compare it to the forbidden fruit which you secretly do eat and afterwards enjoying the fact you can still lick the juice of your fingertips! And still Nicholas is whispering to me. This is definitely a story that will stay with you a while after you finished reading it.

The story-lines of the Lords of Satyr are refreshingly new to me. I can’t really say what kind of genre it falls into apart from the Erotic one – and Erotic it is – but it’s holding a genre in the likes of fantasy/paranormal/historical. Never before have I read such scene’s filled with wickedly delightfulness, described in a way it really comes across as erotical, and making you feel tingled up, nearly longing for Nicholas to cuddle up next to you, showing you what he’s all about.

In my opinion some books in this genre are on the border of being pornographic: the story being more about the sex-scenes instead of the story. But when, like Elizabeth Amber, you are able to write Erotica Novels where you forget the genre and being sucked into a story filled with such passion, rituals, magic and love, then to me you are top-notch A list quality!

Nicholas and Jane both are in their own way perfect for each other. It was so touching to see Jane needing to get used to what she was, trying so desperately all her life hiding her abnormalities and Nicholas just accepting her straight upfront for who she is. And Nicholas… – just purring perfect as a great man. Of course I had to putt my own self aside when he had to relief himself in a way I would never accept it from my man, but all things set aside, it did perfectly fit in with the story. And because it totally fit in the story and was described in such a way that you could clearly see the logic in it, I was able to fathom it and accept it for what is was and needed to be for him.

There was this amazingly perfect balance between the characters; the story and the world Elizabeth has created. I can hardly wait for the next novel to be released. After reading this novel, Elizabeth left me eager to read along and see what will happen with Raine en Lyon and not to forget Emma of course! Elizabeth, straight away in this first novel, was able to set the strongly different characters of the Lords of Satyr to paper and to be honest – I just love Lyon! I’d say he’s the rake in this bunch, the one who does as he pleases and does not feel like settling down really! I so am curious to see what he’ll do once his time has come! I mean, this all came to me, especially after that one scene with him, a waterfall, and sex – that’s all I’ll say but once you read this novel you’ll just know what I mean.

Honest to say, Elizabeth Amber has totally baffled me with this novel, making it reach above all my expectations. Daring to shift things around, but not losing the fact it’s still about two people emerging with each other in sacred vows and growing towards loving each other. To me this novel held everything I needed/longed to see back in a story and knowing as soon as Raine is out I’ll be the first to dive into his story. Can’t wait to see if he finally is able to find his bride – he had a somewhat more difficult time with seeker her out than Nicholas did and I say he’s a bit frustrated about that! Elizabeth – don’t make him wait too long – that’ll be torture (wickedly grinning)!

A slamming debut for an author that shoot straight up to my A-list shelf!