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Showing posts with label Dark Hunters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dark Hunters. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Review: The Guardian
The Guardian
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: Nov. 1, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin’s
Dark Hunter #21
(Dream Hunter #5)
ISBN: #978-0312550059
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (345 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Library
About the book:
|
As a Dream-Hunter, Lydia has been charged with the most sacred and dangerous of missions. She’s to descend into the Nether Realm and find the missing god of dreams before he betrays the secrets that could kill all of them. What she never expects is to be taken prisoner by the Realm’s most vicious guardian.
Seth’s time is running out. If he can’t hand over the key to Olympus and the heart of Zeus, then his own life and soul will be forfeit. No matter the torture, he hasn’t been able to break the god in his custody. But when a rescuer appears, he decides to try a new tactic.
When these two lock wills, one of them must give. But Lydia isn’t just guarding the gates of Olympus, she’s holding back the darkest of powers. If she fails, an ancient evil will roam the earth once more and no one...
What I’m talking about:
|
For those of you that have followed me for a while, you probably know that Ms. Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series is one of my favorites; however, I have been disappointed with the last few books. I feel that the overall story arc has been lost in an ever too-expanding mythology, and that the individual stories were beginning to suffer for it. I was this close to not reading The Guardian, but then I was told by another that this story was worth the read and brought the story back to basics.
Well, I’m sad to say that The Guardian was a big disappointment to me.
Lydia is a sweet, but fierce woman. In an effort to save the only father she’s ever known, Dream God Solin, she travels to a horrible hell dimension where she is captured by the creature tormenting her father. Seth has been lied to, betrayed, used and tortured beyond any of your worse nightmares for 4,000 years. He holds Lydia in hopes that Solin will hand over the one thing that will free them all... “the key.”
In general, I never felt a connection between Seth and Lydia. For me, there was no real romance - heck, they didn’t even really kiss until the book was two-thirds over. I felt that cared about one another, but I never saw a spark ignite. The sizzle factor in this book was pretty non-existent.
Seth has been held captive and misused for so long, it baffled me that he was able to deal with Lydia at all. All too often, Seth seems way too well adjusted: having normal feelings of lust and desire for Lydia, wanting to protect and care for her... It just didn’t seem plausible based on the descriptions of his torture. Then later, when the couple FINALLY get together, he knows how to be gentle and caring with Lydia. I just didn’t buy it.
Lydia had some great moments, but wow - was she a bit whiney and easily antagonized. For example, after the pair final escape from the hell they’ve been in, she gets all bent out of shape when a (stranger) woman asks Seth for directions and was flirting with him. It was ridiculous how badly she overreacted.
As for the overall story, I felt that it never really went anywhere. Malevolent god Noir wants the key to Olympus so he can kill off the Greek pantheon. Some Dream Hunters betray Solin. Bad guys want to kill Lydia. The climax and conclusion of the story was abrupt and I felt didn’t hold many satisfying answers.
I will say that there are parts of this book that were well written and enjoyable to read. And maybe a new-comer to the series would like it more than I. It could be I’m a bit harsher on this book because I loved this series and have been disappointed recently. Whatever the case may be, I have to say The Guardian was a take it or leave it kind of book for me.
My Rating:
|
Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Labels:
Friday, August 12, 2011
Review: Retribution
RetributionAuthor: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: August 2, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Dark/Dream Hunters #20
ISBN: #978-0312546595
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Hardcover (432 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Library
About the book: |
Harm no human…
A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.
Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters...
What I’m talking about: |
This is going to be a hard review to write. I’ve put it off as long as possible, so here I go...
According to Goodreads, this is the 20th Dark Hunter book, and if you include the novellas, it’s even higher than that. I’ve read them all. The Dark Hunters Series has been one of my favorites over the past several years. But... I have to say that I feel the series is losing steam and heading downhill. What started as an amazing series mythology and intricately spun world, has turned into a confusing stream of words and names. I was a bit mortified that Ms. Kenyon added yet ANOTHER pantheon and set of rules into her series. This series already has the single most complex set of rules of any I read, WHY add more to it?! And it seems that she has dropped several key characters and open-ended subplots for a couple books now. As a long-time series reader, I was very frustrated with these points.
However, if you take this book completely out of the series and look at Retribution on its own, the book is an enjoyable read. The Native American mythology was very interesting. I was a bit overwhelmed trying to understand how all the players fit in, but in the end, it didn’t deter me from enjoying the story.
Jess was a wonderful character. I enjoyed his dark side and strength. He was a complete cowboy gentleman, full of humor and so laid-back. I wanted him all to myself! Misguided Abigail took a little while to grow on me - I mean she started out as Jess’s enemy! The build-up of their relationship was mostly non-existent, and with only one sex scene in this book, you may feel like you got gypped in the romance department. However, they do fall in love as their growing adoration actually plays out in “flashbacks and memories” from past lives. It mostly works, but I found myself sometimes wishing for more (and slightly confused).
So, in the end, I do recommend this book to both new comers and Dark Hunter regulars. Because the mythology is a new one, it’s not a bad place to start; however, you are missing out on some AMAZING stories if you don’t go back and read the earlier books.
My Rating: |
Liked it, but I had some issues - recommend (B)
Monday, August 8, 2011
Contest Winner - Retribution
I would like to thank everyone for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About for my second SUMMER READING GIVEAWAY. I want to give special thanks to Tara from Zeitghost Media for supplying this month’s giveaway: RETRIBUTION by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Thank you also to existing and new GFC followers!
Every person that commented on the post was entered into the contest - one entry per person. The winner was selected using random.org.
The Winner:
Angela Brown
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I’m sending the winner a message; please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address so I can send you the books! You have until Friday August 12, 2011 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner. The book will be mailed to you directly from Zeitghost Media.
Look for more contests coming up in August and September!
Thank you and Happy Reading!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Summer Reading Giveaway 2 - RETRIBUTION
Hello readers... How are you enjoying this WICKED HOT summer? Well, I want to help heat it up even more with another SUMMER GIVEAWAY!! This time I have:
...Harm no human…
A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.
Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters...
One lucky winner will receive Sherrilyn Kenyon’s newest Dark Hunter book: RETRIBUTION for some fun summer reading.
RETRIBUTION
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release: August 2, 2011
Hardcover (432 pages)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The Rules: To be entered, you must leave a comment telling me your favorite summer read (new or old). You do not need to be a google follower of my blog, but it always appreciated. Contest is open from August 2, 2011 until Monday August 8, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. If your email is not part of your profile, please leave it so I may contact the winner. One entry per person. Contest is restricted to US and Canadian mailing addresses only. One (1) winner will be selected from eligible entries using random.org. The book will be mailed to the winner from Tara from Zeitghost Media.
For more information about RETRIBUTION, check out Ms. Kenyon’s website HERE.
Thanks and Happy Reading!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Sunday Snippets #29
From Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
WARNING - THIS SNIPPET IS RATED M for Mature!
Grace felt Julian's presence. Turning around, she saw him outside the shower, completely naked. Her gaze feasted on every inch of that golden body, but it was his warm, charming smile that absolutely stole her heart and made her breathless.
Without a word, he stepped inside.
"You know," he said with a casualness that astounded her. "I found something interesting this morning." She watched the water fall over him, slicking his hair back until it fell in short, wet ringlets about his face.
"Did you?" she asked, resisting her impulse to reach up and capture one of those locks between her fingertips. Or better yet, her teeth.
"Mmm," he said, running his hand up the long cord of the shower until he took the shower head from its cradle. He turned the dial to a soft massage. "Turn around."
Grace hesitated before she obeyed.
Julian ran his gaze over her sleek, wet back. In all his life, he'd never seen a woman more inviting. She was everything he'd ever dreamed of having and yet he dared not hope. Dared not dream. He lowered his gaze down her voluptuous curves. Her legs were slightly parted as she stood. An image of spreading them wider and plunging himself into her tore through him. Struggling to breathe, he aimed the shower head at her shoulders.
"That feels so good," she whispered.
Julian couldn't speak. He clenched his jaw to keep himself from yielding to his body's ravenous demand for hers. His need to touch her was so profound that it made a mockery of the one he felt for food and water while trapped in the book.
Grace turned to him, her face glowing. She reached around him and picked up the washcloth and soaped it. Julian didn't move as she bathed him. Her hands slid over his chest and abdomen, firing his hunger for her even more.
He held his breath in eager anticipation as her hand moved lower and lower. Grace bit her lip as she touched the rigid muscles of his stomach. She looked up to watch Julian watch her. His eyes were half-closed, and he appeared to be savoring every stroke of her hands on his skin. Wanting to please him, she ran the cloth over the coffee-colored curls at the center of his body. He sucked his breath in sharply as she reached between his legs to cup him gently in her hand. She smiled again as she felt a shudder run through him.
The look of pleasure on his face delighted her. Her heart pounding, she moved her hand up to gently massage his swollen shaft.
She heard the shower head hit the side of the tub an instant before he enveloped her in his arms and buried his lips against her neck.
Grace trembled from the sensations as their wet bodies entwined. The love she felt for him swelled through her, begging for a miracle that would let them have a life together. In that instant, she wished she could feel him inside her. Feel him take possession of her body the way he had her heart.
As his lips tortured her with pleasure, he brought his thigh up between her legs. The tiny hairs on his leg teased her in a way that melted her will.
Feverishly, Grace rubbed herself against his wet, sleek thigh, relishing the feel of his strong muscles contracting between her legs as he continued to suckle her throat. Oh, how she loved this man. How she longed to hear him tell her that she meant as much to him as he did to her. He ran his hands over her back, then her front.
His gaze scorched her as he lowered her to the bottom of the tub.
"What are you?" Her words ended in a gasp as he plunged his tongue into her ear. She felt his arm flex as he reached for the shower head and brought it back to pummel her body with its pulsating heat. He moved it in slow, sensuous circles over her breasts, her stomach. On fire from the stimulation of the water and his body, she struggled to breathe.
Julian shook all over in desperate need. He wanted to please her in a way he'd never wanted to please anyone. He longed to see her writhing beneath him. Hear her screaming out her release. Nudging her thighs farther apart, he moved the shower head to spray between her legs. Grace choked as an indescribable pleasure ripped through her. "Julian?" she gasped as her body quivered from the feel of his fingers inside her, filling her, teasing her while the water heightened his moves.
Never, never had she experienced anything like it. He rotated his wrist, circling the pulsating water around her until she couldn't stand it.
When her climax came a second later, she screamed from it.
Julian smiled while he held his body rigidly still to keep from filling her. Even so, he wasn't through with her. He would never be through with her.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Review: No Mercy
No MercyAuthor: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: #0312546564
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Format(s): Hardcover, 343 pgs; e-book
From the author’s website:
Live fast, fight hard and if you have to die then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she’s ever faced before.
Shapeshifter Dev Peltier has stood guard at the front of Sanctuary for almost two hundred years and in that time, he’s seen it all. Or so he thought. Now their enemies have discovered a new source of power- one that makes a mockery of anything faced to date.
The war is on and Dev and Sam are guarding ground zero. But in order to win, they will have to break the most cardinal of all rules and pray it doesn’t unravel the universe as we know it.
What I’m talking about:
I adore Ms. Kenyon’s Dark Hunter Series. The mythology is extremely interesting and complex. So if you haven’t read any of the earlier books, you may find yourself a bit lost with the terms, abilities, etc. Be warned, if you haven’t read the series, this book (and review) contains spoilers from the previous books.
No Mercy picks up a few months after the end of the previous book, Bad Moon Rising. The Peltier family (a pack of bear shifters) is trying to run their family bar, Sanctuary, after the deaths of their parents. With this story, we learn that brother, Dev, isn’t sure he wants to stay around and thinks about getting a fresh start away from his siblings.
When Dark Huntress, Sam, rides her motorcycle to Sanctuary and into Dev’s heart and mind, she doesn’t expect to enjoy the peace and comfort only he can give her. The two quickly take advantage of their mutual attraction and engage in a hot, steamy one-night stand. Yet neither can shake their desire, and the attraction quickly grows into something more.
The story line focuses primary on Sam and Dev’s relationship; however, evil Daimon lord, Stryker, wants Sam for his own nefarious plans. This gives the couple plenty of opportunities to explore and analyze their mutual attraction. Their love is forbidden, and we are reminded that they “can’t be together” often. The plot involves one-time friend, turned baddie (maybe?), Nick Gautier. We start to learn more about what is happening to Nick, and it was nice to see the tie-ins with Ms. Kenyon’s spin-off YA series, The Nick Chronicles. (For a review of the first book from that series, go HERE.)
I blew through the front half of this book. Ms. Kenyon’s writing and this series are like candy for me. It was easy to read and didn’t contain the complexities that the more recent Dark Hunter books have held. The plot moved quickly and it was enjoyable. But I did find that Ms. Kenyon relied on plot twists and storylines that are almost a bit cliche.
MINOR SPOILER ALERT:
An example of this “cliche story telling” is what brings Sam and Dev together... Her Dark Hunter power is that she can read emotions and history of people by touch - that extends to touching any object that has been touched by any individual. She goes through her existence plagued by the “voices” and images of all those around her. Yet, when she touches Dev, she gets nothing but silence. This is peaceful for Sam. I don’t know about you, but I saw that coming as soon as we found out Sam’s power. I felt like “been there - done that” a few times through the book.
END SPOILER ALERT.
The second half of the book is full of old friends (we see some Dark Hunters and other figures from earlier books) and high adventure. Sam and Dev have multiple challenges to her life, to his life, etc. that they have to get through in order to be together. We watch them fall in love through it all, yet they still feel like they can’t be together. We get the standard “break up scene” - you know the one where one of the parties lies and says that they cannot be together and it was all just fun... again, it’s a “been there - done that” moment.
I think my issues can all be tied to the fact that I have set the bar high for Ms. Kenyon and this series, and in my mind, this book just didn’t stand up to many of the other Dark Hunter stories. Overall this book is good and fun to read. I liked Dev and Sam and even with their cliches. I enjoyed reading more about Nick and many of the other Dark Hunter favorites. I do encourage first time readers to go back and start at the beginning so you get the full impact of this wonderful series. (for the series reading order, click HERE).
My Rating:
3.5: Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Review: Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Infinity: Chronicles of Nick
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Chronicles of Nick Series Book #1
(with direct tie-in to the Dark Hunter Series)
ISBN: #0312599072
Genre: Young Adult - paranormal
From GoodReads:
At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.
Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.
But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.
As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?
What I’m talking about:
WARNING: there are mild spoilers contained in this discussion.
Nick is your “typical” 14-year old boy... trying to fit in, hoping the girls will like him, etc. Little does Nick know that his city (New Orleans) is full of paranormal activity and his classmates range from human to shifter to demon (and some other things we don’t know about). Oh, and not to mention that Nick is destined to be the destroyer of humanity and evil incarnate. Sounds like a lot, but surprisingly, this tale is lively, witty and full of action. It highlights the best of Kenyon’s Dark Hunter (DH) world and expands on the already amazing series. Nick is a good kid, and it will be interesting to watch him struggle with right and wrong as he comes into his powers and gets closer to the betrayals that set him on the path of destruction.
One of the best themes through the book is Nick’s love for his mom. It is tender and sincere. Their moments together are wonderfully written and make my heart ache for the Nick I love from DH. I hope that Nick’s love for his mom and her love for him is what will eventually save him from his destiny.
Newcomers to Kenyon’s DH world will surely enjoy her world-building - she’s one of the best in the business. Fans of Kenyon’s DH series should note that this book begins a rewrite of the “history” that was developed in the first 20+/- DH books. But how will these “true events” (as Kenyon states on her website) play into Fate as defined by Kenyon? If Fate says Nick is going to be the Malachai, can Nick go back in time and prevent himself from turning into the evil/uncaring Malachai? DH fans have been taught that FATE will eventually find its way, but in Infinity Nick says NO WAY to his FATE, and he is taking matters into his own hands. I like this concept and I want Nick to have a happy ending - a better life than where he’s headed in the DH series. It’s like JJ Abrams version of Star Trek - it resets the mythology and the world we all know as “real.” I just don’t know how happy I am that it’s going to take 10 books to tie into the DH series.
For readers of DH, the Chronicles of Nick must be thought of as part of the DH series, and if you planned on skipping it - don’t. This series will have major repercussions on the DH series. While it is a critical path for DH fans, I feel this story will be equality if not more enjoyed by first time series readers. One problem I found while reading was that I was constantly trying to recall all the events from the DH series and figure out if each part of Infinity matched what I had read in the other books. This gave me a headache after a while!
The book makes for an excellent YA read without dumbing down Kenyon’s normal humor and story lines. Nick is a lovable character and I think newcomers and veteran DH readers alike will enjoy getting to know him in Infinity.
My Rating:
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sunday Snippets #11
From Dream Chaser by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Xypher jerked her toward Jesse. "Both of you stay back."
Simone wasn't about to argue given the size of the creature headed toward them and the fact that his skin appeared to be boiling and smoking. He was dressed in a flowing black cape that obscured everything but those creepy red eyes. He went for Xypher so fast, she could barely see it. The two of them tore into each other.
Xypher flipped the demon, who rolled and shot a blast of fire at him. He deflected the fire, then flung his hand out as if to return it to Smokey the Demon.
It didn't work.
The demon laughed. "Poor Xypher. Having trouble?"
"At kicking your ass, Kaiaphas? Never." The cloak vanished. In the darkness, the
demon's boiling skin articulated into something that looked like leather. His face mutated into that of a gargoyle while the cotton of his clothes turned into sleek black armor that clung close to the muscular contours of his body. Still those eyes glowed like bright embers from a fire. Kaiaphas pulled out a short sword and twirled it around his body before he lunged at Xypher who sidestepped the blade. A silver vambrace appeared on the arm that wasn't wearing the bracelet. Xypher used it to twist the blade out of the demon's hand. But before he could capture it, Kaiaphas caught it in his left hand and stabbed at him again.
Spinning around, Xypher shoved the demon.
Kaiaphas staggered, then caught himself.
Kaiaphas laughed. "You've improved."
"Yeah, little boys grow up eventually." Xypher kicked at him, but Kaiaphas caught his leg and snatched it up.
Xypher turned a midair somersault to land on his feet. He ran at the demon and caught him about the waist. They fell back, still fighting. Simone wanted to run, but remembered that so long as she wore the bracelet she couldn't go far without killing them both. "Find a weapon," she whispered loudly to Jesse as she started looking around for a tree limb or something she could use to help Xypher beat back the demon.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday Snippets #4
From Dance With the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
His life had been so unfair.
She trailed her hand up his muscular arm, to bury it in his hair so that she could stroke his scalp. "Make love to me, Zarek. I can't take away your past, but I can hold you now. I want to share my body with you, even if it's only for a little while."
He pulled her forcefully against him and kissed her heatedly. She moaned, arching her back as he laid her back down on the floor.
Astrid kicked her shoes off, then removed her pants and panties. She pulled her shirt off and unsnapped her bra.
She should be embarrassed--she'd never stripped in front of anyone before. Never been naked while they were clothed.
Yet she was not ashamed.
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