Anthology - Hot Spell

The great thing about going paperless is that you can take a book and break it into small books. Like an Anthology. Essentially an Anthology is just a book that is divided into several smaller tales. For some reason I can attack four short stories better than one big one.

Yes, it’s the same thing but just like a 200 question test is overwhelming when you break up that test into 4 - 50 question tests it becomes do-able. This has been my plan of attack for those Anthologies I challenged myself to read in the Triple 8 Challenge.

Since we are in the month of October and I am all about paranormals this month I thought it appropriate to tackle a title that has been sitting in my TBR pile forever. Now that I got it in ebook I chopped and split it up into 4 really great stories. There really was no loser in this one, but that should not have surprised me since all but one were well loved authors.

Let’s start with the one author that was new to me:

Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brook: (A) This is the first in Brook’s Guardian series. Anthony Ramsdell would prefer to do anything than to serve as the personal physician to a Major General in the peninsula but the Earl of Norbridge had paid for his studies and he now owed him his livelihood. This was a small price to pay for the future the Earl had put in his hands. Two days before departing Anthony has a strange encounter with Emily, the Earl’s daughter, who he has secretly loved for many years. She is furious with her father and in a rebellious act, seduces Anthony in the library. He promise to return from the war and put thing right, if she will have him. But that was not meant to be.

On the battlefield in Spain he and a friend are attacked by a vampire and he sacrifices himself to save his friend. His sacrifice is not in vain since a Guardian give him the option to either die or serve in protecting humanity. Either way he is not to return to the life he knew. When Michael (head Guardian) pulls Anthony from his training months later, it is because a Nosferatu (a rouge vamp) has attacked the Ames-Beaumont searching for a sword. His friend Colin is about to turn and his sister, Emily is in danger. Michael goes against Guardian law and asks Anthony to return to earth to resolve the matter. This one was the best of all the tales. It was a strong story that did not feel like a short. It was so well written it makes me want to pick up the rest of this series immediately.

The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh: (B+) Another story that did not feel like a short. There were villains, love, character conflicts, even some in-laws and yet I didn’t feel rushed at all! I am a big breeds fan and this title was a treat. Tarek Jordan is a breed in hiding and acclimating to normal life has been a difficult transition.

His current assignment is to search for a trainer from the Breeds lab that had murdered many of his brethren. His current problem is his neighbor, Lyra Mason. She has gotten under his skin and he would do anything to get some of her coffee and fresh baked bread in his belly and if he can get a piece of her as well, more the merrier. Lyra has a few big brothers that are trained Seal soldiers that might not appreciate his intent but if the lady ain’t complaining? In just a few pages I was feeling Tarek’s isolation, his need for more than just a romp. Lyra was feisty and having grown up with overprotective brother, strong willed. She could handle anything thrown at her and more and when she made up her mind to have Tarek, breed and all, she never backed down. Loved her!

The Blood Kiss by Shiloh Walker: (B+) Roman Montgomery is the An Ri Mac Tire, Wolf king of Wolf Clan Montgomery and his brother has been abducted, well not really but almost the same. Seems his little brother Steve ventured into Vamp territory and the House of Capiet has taken him as a prisoner for trespassing. In reality they are testing the new king and Roman rises to the challenge.

When Roman arrives (in secret) to rescue his brother he finds out that there is a celebration that is taking place as Lord Eduard presents his blood child to society, what surprises him most is that the daughter in question is the same young woman he has seen earlier in the plaza painting tourists in a street stand. She had attracted him at that time and now she is revealed to be the daughter of his mortal enemy. Well, he won’t let such a little thing as a long standing feud stand in his way.

This one had so much story in so few pages you could have blinked and you might have missed something but Roman and Julianna (a play on Romeo and Juliet) held their own. Loved the character of Mikhail, a truly old soul that needs a story of his own. Maybe he already has one and I just have not read it. I need to search for it since this book was published several years ago.

The Countess Pleasure by Emma Holly: (B) And last but never least, Emma Holly’s contribution. This one was the most difficult to read just because it takes place in an alternate universe where there are demons and alternate life forces.

Georgiana DuBarry, The Countess of Ware is a widow with the exceptional quality that she is still a virgin (although honestly, if you read enough romance you will ultimately agree that this is not such an exceptional quality). She goes to Bhamjran (the equivalent to Vegas) with the hopes she will discover passion and not regret having put that off for the sake of her husband. She has heard great things about the striptease preformed by Lyan and wanted to see for herself.

Lyan was trapped into the degrading profession after his mother was framed for a crime she didn’t commit. He is force into indentured service until the crime is paid in full. When he finally believes that his debt is about to be paid, further charges are pressed and he looks to a future with no freedom. He has never prostituted himself but when the woman that stirred his blood during his performance approaches him with a proposal he cannot deny himself.

Even though the whole – I slept with you and you turned my world around enough to make me love you- is a line I hate to accept, this story had other things going for it. Yes, Ms. Holly is queen of eroticism, but not just was the sensuality of the story red hot, the world building was very interesting since it paralleled our own world back when the Irish were seen as less, the black were unworthy. The prejudice against the demon race was a great twist to your typical short.

This anthology was definitely worth picking up. If you haven’t had your serving of the paranormal variety this month reach out for this one. Every tale was a success!

Grade: B+

Format: eBook

Beyond Seduction by Emma Holly

For this month's TBR challenge we needed to read a book that had been in our TBR pile for over 6 months. The book I selected is the sequel to lasts month TBR challenge selection. This particular book had been sitting in my TBR pile for close to two years, so I think it qualifies. LOL!

Title: Beyond Seduction
Author: Emma Holly
Year published: 2002
Why did you get this book? It was part of a series. The Sequel to Beyond Innocence, so I had to purchase it because I would have felt that my reading was incomplete without it. Yeah, I know, I'm weird like that.
Do you like the cover? Yes. It was much better than it's predecessor
Did you enjoy the book? I did, but not as much as the first book.
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? Author was not new to me and I have so many of her books in my TBR pile it's disgusting!
Are you keeping it or passing it on? Already posted it in Paperback swap.

Anything else?
Here is the recap: We met Merry Vance in Beyond Innocence. She fell hard for the hero in that book and offered herself to him in a thoughtless act of rebellion. He refused her and lived to marry Florence. Some years have past but Merry still has that high spirit. She is determined not to wed because she wants to become an independent woman. She would like to breed horses. This is a change in character from when we first had met her since she wanted to marry Edward Burbrooke back then.

Merry's mother is being blackmailed by an old lover to promote the marriage of his son with Merry and therefore she has alienated most of her suitors with rumors of her daughters wild escapades, but Merry is not having it and refuses Ernest's proposal. When Merry finds herself cornered she strikes back in the only way she thinks she can. As she sees it the only way to get her parents to back down is by making herself unmarriageable (is that even a word?). She decides to pose nude for the most notorious rake in London, who also is one of the most gifted artist in the area.

Nicolas Craven has been running from his past for over 15 years, which is half of his life. He has renounced his family to make a name for himself as an artist and has been successful in doing so. When he saves a young girl from being attacked outside the Duke of Monmouth's home he assumes it's a servant but her unusual beauty charms him and the artist in him sees a specimen that is itching to be painted. He offers her his card in hopes that she will come and model for him but in truth he doesn't expect nothing to come out of it. The next day she appears on his doorstep with the tale that she has been let go, and he seizes the opportunity to have her model for him.

In truth Merry really didn't expect to give up her virginity to Nic but his charms were too much for him and after he falls into a bout of depression she finally gives into him. Her tenderness and her dedication to him makes Nic regard the encounter as more than his usual paramours and thus begins their romance.

This book was not as erotic as it's prequel. They definitely got it on but in truth it was not as spicy as the first book. While you are reading Merry seems to be the stronger character with a stronger sense of what is right and wrong but in truth, she lied to Nic during the whole of the relationship. Nic never lied to her and when he finally discovered his feeling for her he told her outright that he loved her, but even when Nic spilled out the truth about his life and the relationships in his past, she did not step up to the plate and tell him who she was. So when everything blew up in her face and we actually realize that she was the one with the weak moral fiber, it's hard to sympathize. She appears to be a spoiled brat.

I guess that realization made me lower the grade of the book. It was an entertaining read but it left me a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Nic really deserved better.

Grade: B-

Beyond Innocence by Emma Holly

For Angie W's TBR challenge, I selected a historical that had been sitting in my TBR pile for over 2 years. (Yeah ME!!)

Title: Beyond Innocence
Author: Emma Holly
Year published: 2001
Why did you get this book? I had heard great things by this author and, at the time, I had never read her.
Do you like the cover? Not at all.
Did you enjoy the book? Yes, I did enjoy this one very much.
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? Emma Holly is not a new author to me but this is the first historical I have read of hers. I love her Upyr series.
Are you keeping it or passing it on? I will eventually trade it, but I need to read the sequel Beyond Seduction before I do.

And now with my thoughts on the book:

Edward Burbrooke, Earl of Greystowe, is determined to marry off his younger
brother Freddie after he is caught on his knees in front of a footman. The incident has already started to run around the gossip mills and marriage should stop it in its tracks. Miss Florence Fairleigh recently lost her father, a vicar, and is in need of gambling off her inheritance at a chance to marry well. The allowance she has been given will not last forever and her only chance to avoid having to find employment is to have a season in London and secure a good marriage.

When Edward's solicitor approaches him with the possible match between Florence and Freddie, it seems too good to be true. That is until Edward develops a strong attraction to the girl that would be his sister in law.

I love the way Edward fights his lust so determinedly without much success. The book is strangely erotic starting with the homosexual encounter of the hero's brother, to the scene where the Edward peeps at Florence while at the modiste. The couple doesn't actually engage in sexual intercourse until the very end but the eroticism and the frustrated passion Edward feels carries the story with no need to complete the act. Holly does a fantastic job showing us the frustrations and changes the characters go through. I was a little shocked at the acceptance given to Freddie's homosexual relationship but Holly didn't make light of it, she instead made the acceptance one of love although somewhat awkward. A very excellent read!

Grade:B+