What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sentinels #2.5
On the Hunt
14 hrs and 42 mins
Four of today’s most intriguing paranormal authors entice readers deep into the shadows, where vampires, immortals, and other supernatural creatures heat up the night...
ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy
Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again...
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
While searching for a meteorite, Nora Mendina is arrested by her sheriff ex-husband—who's only gotten hotter than the Nevada desert since she last saw him. When the meteorite breaks open, the few survivors gain extraordinary powers, unleashing a crazed super genius killer. Can Nora and her ex stop the murders…while igniting a new love affair?
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he's never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.
STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne
Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple.
Four of today’s most intriguing paranormal authors entice readers deep into the shadows, where vampires, immortals, and other supernatural creatures heat up the night...
ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy
Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again...
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
While searching for a meteorite, Nora Mendina is arrested by her sheriff ex-husband—who's only gotten hotter than the Nevada desert since she last saw him. When the meteorite breaks open, the few survivors gain extraordinary powers, unleashing a crazed super genius killer. Can Nora and her ex stop the murders…while igniting a new love affair?
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he's never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.
STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne
Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 10, 2015
149 people are currently reading
2045 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Ivy
141 books5,179 followersI'm not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother's knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.
Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!
I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.
--From authors website--
Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!
I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.
--From authors website--
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
August 13, 2016
This review is only about Rebecca Zanetti's The Scorpius Syndrome #0.5
I'll make this short:
The world is facing a pandemic, bacteria from space have taken a piggyback ride on a meteor and infect humans. These humans either die, go crazy and/or have heightened intelligence. Nora is a scientist and specialized in bacteria. Her ex-husband Deacan kidnaps her under the order of the government to research this looming pandemic.
* I had a bit of a tough time connecting with the characters, Nora was a bit boring. Deke was allright, I suppose but...
*...he changes his mind like (hopefully) his underwear, the only thing he doesn't change his mind about is the heroine and his love for her. In the beginning he says he is a different man than he used to be. Within the span of a couple of weeks he decides, nope, can't be different, will always be a warrior.
* The heroine couldn't live with him being a warrior and angry all the time when she was young. Granted, a couple of years have gone by...but she has reservations in the beginning of the story and at the end she's totally fine with it.
* They go at it like rabbits while the bacteria is spreading amongst people and a villain is infecting people on purpose. Also, the heroine has a lot of reasons to not sleep with her ex-husband yet she loses half of her super-intelligent brain when he is around.
* The villain has three chances to infect the heroine yet she always escapes.
Given that this is a novella I can imagine it is hard to make the characters shine in such a complicated world. I did like the world building and the prospect of a post apocalyptic world so I really look forward to reading the first full novel in this series. The writing is fluent and it does make you want to read on. Rebecca Zanetti definitely has talent!
I'll make this short:
The world is facing a pandemic, bacteria from space have taken a piggyback ride on a meteor and infect humans. These humans either die, go crazy and/or have heightened intelligence. Nora is a scientist and specialized in bacteria. Her ex-husband Deacan kidnaps her under the order of the government to research this looming pandemic.
* I had a bit of a tough time connecting with the characters, Nora was a bit boring. Deke was allright, I suppose but...
*...he changes his mind like (hopefully) his underwear, the only thing he doesn't change his mind about is the heroine and his love for her. In the beginning he says he is a different man than he used to be. Within the span of a couple of weeks he decides, nope, can't be different, will always be a warrior.
* The heroine couldn't live with him being a warrior and angry all the time when she was young. Granted, a couple of years have gone by...but she has reservations in the beginning of the story and at the end she's totally fine with it.
* They go at it like rabbits while the bacteria is spreading amongst people and a villain is infecting people on purpose. Also, the heroine has a lot of reasons to not sleep with her ex-husband yet she loses half of her super-intelligent brain when he is around.
* The villain has three chances to infect the heroine yet she always escapes.
Given that this is a novella I can imagine it is hard to make the characters shine in such a complicated world. I did like the world building and the prospect of a post apocalyptic world so I really look forward to reading the first full novel in this series. The writing is fluent and it does make you want to read on. Rebecca Zanetti definitely has talent!
June 9, 2016
3.5 - Places came and went, even people. But her books always travelled with her. Stars!
On the Hunt was definitely a book of two halves for me, in that I have read books by two of the authors (Rebecca Zanetti & Alexandra Ivy) and have no previous reading knowledge of the other two (Dianne Duvall and Hannah Jayne).
Weirdly, or maybe it’s just coincidence, I actually enjoyed the two novellas by the authors I was already aware of more than the two I wasn’t.
Alexandra’s was full of myth and magic, and although book 2.5 in a series, it was easy to read and nothing was confusing in relation to the characters or the storyline. Whereas I struggled with both Hannah Jayne’s and Dianne Duvall’s offerings because of that reason, they felt like they were very much part of a series, and I felt like I was missing something with both of them.
”I’ve changed.”
”I haven’t.”
“Good.”
Rebecca’s offering Scorpious Rising is the prequel novella to her new Scorpious Syndrome series. As you would expect she gives the reader an uber alpha male and a sassy, feisty female character along with a fast paced storyline to keep you interested.
”Your mind may not be clear or your heart. But your body knows who owns it.”
My only bug bear is once again her use of odd dialect in relation to her characters accent, I have never heard a Scotsman in today’s times use the words Mayhaps or Garna, I may be wrong, and it was only a small niggle. This was an interesting start to the series, I am interested to see where she takes it in the first full length book Mercury Rising, due for release January 2016.
All in all a great little selection for the PNR reader, I think with mixed collections such as this you are always going to enjoy some of the offerings more than others, but on this occasion they were all pretty entertaining.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
On the Hunt was definitely a book of two halves for me, in that I have read books by two of the authors (Rebecca Zanetti & Alexandra Ivy) and have no previous reading knowledge of the other two (Dianne Duvall and Hannah Jayne).
Weirdly, or maybe it’s just coincidence, I actually enjoyed the two novellas by the authors I was already aware of more than the two I wasn’t.
Alexandra’s was full of myth and magic, and although book 2.5 in a series, it was easy to read and nothing was confusing in relation to the characters or the storyline. Whereas I struggled with both Hannah Jayne’s and Dianne Duvall’s offerings because of that reason, they felt like they were very much part of a series, and I felt like I was missing something with both of them.
”I’ve changed.”
”I haven’t.”
“Good.”
Rebecca’s offering Scorpious Rising is the prequel novella to her new Scorpious Syndrome series. As you would expect she gives the reader an uber alpha male and a sassy, feisty female character along with a fast paced storyline to keep you interested.
”Your mind may not be clear or your heart. But your body knows who owns it.”
My only bug bear is once again her use of odd dialect in relation to her characters accent, I have never heard a Scotsman in today’s times use the words Mayhaps or Garna, I may be wrong, and it was only a small niggle. This was an interesting start to the series, I am interested to see where she takes it in the first full length book Mercury Rising, due for release January 2016.
All in all a great little selection for the PNR reader, I think with mixed collections such as this you are always going to enjoy some of the offerings more than others, but on this occasion they were all pretty entertaining.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
November 30, 2019
On the Hunt is a collection of short stories by some amazing Paranormal Romance authors.
ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy is the story of a beautiful healer who will never forget the man who got away. When Mika and Bailey find their paths have crossed once again neither one is willing to let go. A beautiful second chance romance with action and paranormal fun, ON THE HUNT is one delicious blend of fun!
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti is a story of Nora (a beautiful and talented scientist) and Deacon (her smoking hot ex). When these two ex-lovers are thrown into the middle of a medical crisis the stakes are high for a cure to be found and for these two to find their HEA!
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall is the story of Yuri and Cat. Yuri is a man who can see spirits and Cat is the spirit that is dwelling in his house. What happens when the unthinkable happens?
STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne is the story of a Vampire fashion designer and what happens when her boyfriend becomes a baby vamp. With action and suspense, this vampire short story will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire read!
Overall, paranormal romance fans will enjoy this paranormal blend of romance, action, and smoking hot alphas! I listened to this on audible and I highly recommend it! ★I listened to this book on Audible.Com !
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
December 18, 2015
Wow you guys! What an incredible collection of authors and short stories! This is a must read for diehard fans of any or all of these authors. On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy was a sexy fun romp into the supernatural. Mika and Baily are the epitome of second chance romance. Loved every second.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti is going to be one of her biggest hits! It is a nail biting, ripped from the headlines kind of a read. Smart, exhilarating dialogue keeps you turning the pages into the night. Simply put I adore book one and can’t wait to get into this series again!
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duval is a hauntingly beautiful read for her fans. A bit confusing at times however I liked this ghostly read :)
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne was a fun little read from a “new to me” author. PNR fun is all I can say about this one. The story was a quirky kind of read to me. I am sure many will like it.
All in all a great collection from some of my favorite authors and a nice introduction to a new one!
Follow us on
KT Book Reviews
January 20, 2016
This review is only for
Prequel
The Scorpius Syndrome by Rebecca Zanetti
I started this novella prequel immediately when I realized my ARC of Mercury Striking mentioned that the whole pandemic was explained in this prequel. The story had its own romance pairing. Nora and her sexy, bossy, ex-husband Declean McDougall
Wow this guy was like the Alpha incarnate. He even growled and this isn't paranormal.. Well it's almost post apocalyptic but still he's human. Just extraordinarily so.. Male
8 years since they divorced and aside from Nora thinking how she tried to get over him.. Dating several men and even moving in with one.. But they all failed. Nothing regarding Deck moving on.. Because I fully believe he just wanted her back always. They were like kindling and a spark. So hot.
Ms Zanetti has an amazing way at world building. I encountered this in another series. She sucks you in easily. I love post apocalyptic stories and am always on the hunt for my "safe" romance in this genre . I'm so glad I signed up for the next installment because I'm already hooked and intrigued by Lynne's story. I'm a little bummed she had a love interest in this book... And I'm hoping that there is zero chance of a triangle in Mercury Striking. But either way here goes.. I'm diving in.
Prequel
The Scorpius Syndrome by Rebecca Zanetti
I started this novella prequel immediately when I realized my ARC of Mercury Striking mentioned that the whole pandemic was explained in this prequel. The story had its own romance pairing. Nora and her sexy, bossy, ex-husband Declean McDougall
Wow this guy was like the Alpha incarnate. He even growled and this isn't paranormal.. Well it's almost post apocalyptic but still he's human. Just extraordinarily so.. Male
8 years since they divorced and aside from Nora thinking how she tried to get over him.. Dating several men and even moving in with one.. But they all failed. Nothing regarding Deck moving on.. Because I fully believe he just wanted her back always. They were like kindling and a spark. So hot.
Ms Zanetti has an amazing way at world building. I encountered this in another series. She sucks you in easily. I love post apocalyptic stories and am always on the hunt for my "safe" romance in this genre . I'm so glad I signed up for the next installment because I'm already hooked and intrigued by Lynne's story. I'm a little bummed she had a love interest in this book... And I'm hoping that there is zero chance of a triangle in Mercury Striking. But either way here goes.. I'm diving in.
March 14, 2016
I’m a fan of three of the authors in this anthology, and I must say they did not disappoint with these novellas.
4Stars On the Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
A novella from The Sentinals series. In this world Ms. Ivy created there are high-bloods amongst humans. High-bloods are humans with hidden and powerful abilities, who was outcast by humanity because they fear their abilities. Mika is a Sentinal, a hunter, who is faster and stronger than mere humans. Mika takes his Sentinal duties very serious, and except for the one woman he loved, nothing is more important to him. Years ago he fell in love with Bailey, a Healer, but then she left him without a word. Now he crosses paths with her again, while tracking one of the kids from their monastery.
Bailey is used to being second choice, she had years of experience with her parents, who had more time for their students than for her. And because she was afraid of the same thing happening with Mika, she left him, but she never stopped loving him. After healing a scared high-blood, she is confronted with Mika who is looking for young Jacob. And seeing Mika brings back the question of whether she made the right choice in leaving him.
This was a sweet second-chance love story. I really liked Mika and Bailey, and found their romance very sweet.
4.5Stars Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
An introduction to the new series by Rebecca Zanetti, The Scorpius Syndrome. A meteor falls to earth, and a dangerous bacteria is released. Nora Mendina, a microbiologist, is detained and brought to DC on her first day of vacation by her ex-husband, Deacon McDougall. He needs her help in finding a cure for the deadly bacteria. And he’s intent on proving to her he’s a changed man, and that they were always meant to be.
Nora and Deacon met when they were very young, they fell in love and got married. But when Deacon returned from war, neither he nor she knew how to help him with the anger and darkness he had acquired, and they divorced. Now both are older, but the passion and love they shared is still there. Will they be able to fight this time for their love, and will Nora and her best friend, Lynne Harmony, be able to stop the bacteria infection before it becomes unstoppable?
I loved this novella. Nora was strong-willed and Deacon a very dominant hero. I have always had a weakness for a Scottish brogue, and Deacon was just yummy. I loved their romance, and the fact that even after all the years apart, their chemistry and love was just as strong.
The plot with the deadly bacteria infection was fascinating, and I can’t wait to read more of this series. A definite winner.
4Stars Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
Anyone who reads the Immortal Guardians series, and has read Night Unbound would love this novella. After reading Night Unbound, I was quite devastated by what happened to the Russion Immortal Yuri Sokolov. But now I can happily say that after reading this sweet and wonderful novella, I’m very happy with how things turned out for him. A sweet and very romantic novella, and a must read for fans of this series.
2.5Stars Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
This was my first book by this author, and although it was very quirky and funny, I just couldn’t find the same connection with it like I did with the other novellas. The writing was good, but most probably because I haven’t read this series I just didn’t enjoy it that much.
May 2, 2016
While I only read Rebecca Zanetti's Scorpius Rising, the reason why I'm even giving this a two is because the Scorpius thing seems a bit interesting. Also, I don't feel that the other authors in the anthology deserve to be given a one because I didn't read their stories. I may end up reading them at some point, but I haven't done so yet.
While the Scorpius bacteria was interesting at first, it quickly got overshadowed by the lacklustre romance and the purportedly genius villain who was actually a complete idiot.
First, the romance. This is a second chance romance. The h and H, Nora and Deacan, were married at eighteen and divorced twenty-five. And they've now been divorced for eight years. Nora was the one who divorced him and he let her walk away without once trying to stop her. During the eight years, he's never tried to reach out to her. If you're hoping that they'll hash out their previous issues and work things out that way, you're going to have to find a different book.
The entire romance was so fucking forced. Instead of them resolving their previous issues and naturally falling back into things with one another, everything about their new relationship is forced time and again.
Now the genius but super idiotic antagonist.
Anyway. I also had an issue with the writing. While it's not horrible, I noticed that the author has a tendency to want to list out every single action of a character during dialogue exchanges.
Just waaaay too many actions. Sometimes they can be distracting, as they were for me. I kept noticing how the author felt the need to include actions along with almost every single line of dialogue. This isn't necessary. And I'm sure that there are people who won't notice or won't mind, but it was something that I noticed that bothered me a lot.
While the Scorpius bacteria was interesting at first, it quickly got overshadowed by the lacklustre romance and the purportedly genius villain who was actually a complete idiot.
First, the romance. This is a second chance romance. The h and H, Nora and Deacan, were married at eighteen and divorced twenty-five. And they've now been divorced for eight years. Nora was the one who divorced him and he let her walk away without once trying to stop her. During the eight years, he's never tried to reach out to her. If you're hoping that they'll hash out their previous issues and work things out that way, you're going to have to find a different book.
The entire romance was so fucking forced. Instead of them resolving their previous issues and naturally falling back into things with one another, everything about their new relationship is forced time and again.
Now the genius but super idiotic antagonist.
Anyway. I also had an issue with the writing. While it's not horrible, I noticed that the author has a tendency to want to list out every single action of a character during dialogue exchanges.
George nodded. “I know.” His gaze sharpened. “Just in case, I have the vice president under tight security.”
Deke grimaced. “How’s he feeling after the heart attack last month?”
“Not good.” George rubbed his chin. “I’m glad we kept it quiet.”
The government kept a lot quiet, but Deke was okay with that. For now. He lifted an eyebrow. “I hate to sound cold, but who’s third in line? Just in case? Is it you?”
George’s eyes widened. “Hell, no. How can you not know the order of succession?”
Deke shrugged. “Don’t really give a damn until it matters to my job.”
George shook his head. “Third in line is the Speaker of the House.”
“A politician?” Deke winced.
“We’re all politicians, jackass.”
Deke snorted a laugh. “Oh yeah. I forgot.”
George studied him like a hawk searching for dinner. “You’ve seemed more at ease since the crisis started than you’ve been all last year.”
“How so?” Deke took another sip and allowed the aged liquor to heat down his throat.
George shrugged. “You’re a man of action, McDougall. Always have been and always will be. Strategizing, being on the sidelines, hasn’t been good for you.”
Deke shifted in his chair. “I’ve done my time, and I’ve done my action. I’ve earned peace.”
Just waaaay too many actions. Sometimes they can be distracting, as they were for me. I kept noticing how the author felt the need to include actions along with almost every single line of dialogue. This isn't necessary. And I'm sure that there are people who won't notice or won't mind, but it was something that I noticed that bothered me a lot.
September 3, 2015
This is a paranormal anthology with four very different novellas and as with most anthologies I enjoyed some more than others. It is difficult to get enough world building into a novella for the reader to be inside the author's world and have a strong plot and character development, but these all accomplish that goal.
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy is about a world of highborn warriors, healers, witches and other paranormal creatures who live among humans. Warrior Mika Tanner is sent on a mission which brings him back to the lover he lost. Bailey Morrell is a Healer for the highborn and must decide if she prefers her life of freedom from the highborns' strict rules or the warrior she left behind. This novella has a strong plot and romance, a side mystery, also. I really enjoyed these characters.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti is about an outbreak of a bacteria from outer space. It kills many, but if you survive your brain is changed, not for the better and you can continually pass on the bacteria. Deacon Devin McDougall is a present day soldier with all the characteristics of his Highland ancestors. He works for the government and must make hard decisions about the infected. He brings his ex wife and bacteriologist Dr. Nora Medina to work with the brightest from the CDC to try to find a cure. They still have different views of government that haven't changed since their split, but due to this threat, they must now come together to survive. The romance is very good and hot in this novella, but I didn't believe some of the ways the plot was handled in regards to the epidemic.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall is about a world of immortal warriors who all have different special talents and battle against vampires and the mortals who follow them. Yuri is an immortal warrior who can see ghosts. He has learned not to let them know he can see and hear them, but he breaks his own no involvement rule for Cat. Catherine has been dead for many centuries and is shocked when Yuri acknowledges her. They find out they can be together in dreams, but there are consequences. The romantic ending was sad, but satisfying.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne is about a world with vampires and shapeshifters with a slightly comedic twist. Nina LaShay is the vampire designer of Drop Dead Clothing. Her boyfriend is Pike, who is a Hawaiian bird shifter, photographer. Her nephew, Vlad, is also a vampire who lives with her. Someone is turning runway models into vampires and overshadowing Nina's new fashion line. Nina, Pike and Vlad must stop the master vampire changing models and uncover the mystery designer trying to steal her spotlight. This is more of a fun mystery than a romance.
Thank you to Kensington Books, Zebra and Net Galley for allowing me to read a free ARC of this anthology for an honest review.
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy is about a world of highborn warriors, healers, witches and other paranormal creatures who live among humans. Warrior Mika Tanner is sent on a mission which brings him back to the lover he lost. Bailey Morrell is a Healer for the highborn and must decide if she prefers her life of freedom from the highborns' strict rules or the warrior she left behind. This novella has a strong plot and romance, a side mystery, also. I really enjoyed these characters.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti is about an outbreak of a bacteria from outer space. It kills many, but if you survive your brain is changed, not for the better and you can continually pass on the bacteria. Deacon Devin McDougall is a present day soldier with all the characteristics of his Highland ancestors. He works for the government and must make hard decisions about the infected. He brings his ex wife and bacteriologist Dr. Nora Medina to work with the brightest from the CDC to try to find a cure. They still have different views of government that haven't changed since their split, but due to this threat, they must now come together to survive. The romance is very good and hot in this novella, but I didn't believe some of the ways the plot was handled in regards to the epidemic.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall is about a world of immortal warriors who all have different special talents and battle against vampires and the mortals who follow them. Yuri is an immortal warrior who can see ghosts. He has learned not to let them know he can see and hear them, but he breaks his own no involvement rule for Cat. Catherine has been dead for many centuries and is shocked when Yuri acknowledges her. They find out they can be together in dreams, but there are consequences. The romantic ending was sad, but satisfying.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne is about a world with vampires and shapeshifters with a slightly comedic twist. Nina LaShay is the vampire designer of Drop Dead Clothing. Her boyfriend is Pike, who is a Hawaiian bird shifter, photographer. Her nephew, Vlad, is also a vampire who lives with her. Someone is turning runway models into vampires and overshadowing Nina's new fashion line. Nina, Pike and Vlad must stop the master vampire changing models and uncover the mystery designer trying to steal her spotlight. This is more of a fun mystery than a romance.
Thank you to Kensington Books, Zebra and Net Galley for allowing me to read a free ARC of this anthology for an honest review.
September 19, 2015
On The Hunt, is a collection of short stories by 4 authors (3 that I am very familiar with)all were good but a few were a bit slow for me. I am a fan of Alexander Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti and Dianne Duvall so were familiar with their stories. Hannah Jayne this is the first book I have read from her. All in all they were good but could only give it a three star.
September 18, 2015
This anthology is a pretty mixed bag of mostly paranormal romance. It features a few stories from ongoing series… none of which I was familiar with. Here’s a breakdown:
On the Hunt – This is my first story from Alexandra Ivy, and served as a pretty good introduction to her Sentinels series. She clearly lays out the basics of the world from the beginning, so I never felt lost and it was easy to focus my attention on the romance.
Mika is a Sentinel, a warrior trained to defend the world’s “high bloods,” essentially beings with magical powers who live apart from the human world. It’s been 10 years since the last time he saw Bailey, the lovely healer who he thought he was going to marry. You see, Mika is dedicated to his calling. He lives in the Sentinel compound and embraces all that comes with that. Bailey wanted freedom, though. She chafed against the rules and the limitations, ultimately choosing to leave so she could live life on her own terms.
Now a tracking job has landed her back in Mika’s path. Of course, neither has stopped loving the other. Time and distance has only made them more appreciative of the bond they share. So this is a second chance at love story, and it’s put together well. I felt like Ivy did a good job of making me understand these two, establishing their feelings in these hundred pages or so. The only thing that bothered me is ultimately, one of the characters has to turn their back on the feelings and wants that were enough to separate them in the first place. Yes, the romance works out, but it didn’t feel balanced. Even with the little surprise at the end, only one of these characters is really having to sacrifice for the sake of love. That’s not cool.
Rating: B/B-
Scorpius Rising - Argh!!! I was so CLOSE to loving this one.
(*Deep breath*) The story started out really good. Nora is a super-smart scientist who has been divorced from her husband Deacan for the past eight years. As the story begins, he is on board a military plane which snatches her from her vacation to work on a top secret government project. A bacteria from a meteorite has infected a handful of people, but it’s deadly and it’s spreading fast. From the get-go, it’s clear that Deacan wants her back. He regrets the man he was, who drove her away and he is trying to change his ways and settle down for her.
The virus outbreak and plot surrounding its containment is very well done. So is the sexual tension between Deacan and Nora.
I really am a fan of Rebecca Zanetti. It was her name of the cover that made me pick up this book. But in the last 10%, this story really got my dander up.
Rating: I don’t want to talk about it.
Phantom Embrace – This story is part of Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians series and it felt very obvious I was jumping into a story in progress. Best I can tell, this story happens at the same time as the events of Night Unbound, book 5 in the series, just told from the POV of a different character. As a result, there were times I felt like Duvall was trying to put too much in the story that a new reader would not understand… and at times summarizing events that probably played out over time in the other book. That was tough for me, as someone unfamiliar with the series, but based on how it all played out, this would probably be a great addition for people already familiar with the books.
Yuri is a Guardian who helps protect the world from evil vampires. He can also see ghosts, including the lovely Cat who haunts the home where he has been staying. At first, she has no idea that he can see her, but he finally reveals his ability and the two fall in love. There aren’t many ways that a love story involving a ghost can have a HEA, so expect a bittersweet ending. I liked this one fairly well, but I think it would have been much better if I had read the series leading up to this point. (Side note: I liked this story enough to go on to read the other books in the series –and I ended up totally loving them. Then, I read this one again and enjoyed it even more.)
Rating: B on the first read/ B+ on the second
Stake Out had a definitively different feel from the other stories in the anthology. While the first three were romances, this one was not. While it wasn’t a bad story, it was very out of place among the others. It was more a quirky contemporary UF about a vampire fashionista whose models are turning up dead on Fashion Week.
The main character is from Hannah Jayne’s Underworld Detection Agency. But this works fine as a standalone. There is a love interest here but it’s very secondary to Nina’s obsession with “winning” Fashion Week and stopping her newly turned vampire model from a killing spree. A little too glib for me and the tone too light from what I like in my Urban Fantasy.
Rating: C+
*ARC provided by publisher
On the Hunt – This is my first story from Alexandra Ivy, and served as a pretty good introduction to her Sentinels series. She clearly lays out the basics of the world from the beginning, so I never felt lost and it was easy to focus my attention on the romance.
Mika is a Sentinel, a warrior trained to defend the world’s “high bloods,” essentially beings with magical powers who live apart from the human world. It’s been 10 years since the last time he saw Bailey, the lovely healer who he thought he was going to marry. You see, Mika is dedicated to his calling. He lives in the Sentinel compound and embraces all that comes with that. Bailey wanted freedom, though. She chafed against the rules and the limitations, ultimately choosing to leave so she could live life on her own terms.
Now a tracking job has landed her back in Mika’s path. Of course, neither has stopped loving the other. Time and distance has only made them more appreciative of the bond they share. So this is a second chance at love story, and it’s put together well. I felt like Ivy did a good job of making me understand these two, establishing their feelings in these hundred pages or so. The only thing that bothered me is ultimately, one of the characters has to turn their back on the feelings and wants that were enough to separate them in the first place. Yes, the romance works out, but it didn’t feel balanced. Even with the little surprise at the end, only one of these characters is really having to sacrifice for the sake of love. That’s not cool.
Rating: B/B-
Scorpius Rising - Argh!!! I was so CLOSE to loving this one.
(*Deep breath*) The story started out really good. Nora is a super-smart scientist who has been divorced from her husband Deacan for the past eight years. As the story begins, he is on board a military plane which snatches her from her vacation to work on a top secret government project. A bacteria from a meteorite has infected a handful of people, but it’s deadly and it’s spreading fast. From the get-go, it’s clear that Deacan wants her back. He regrets the man he was, who drove her away and he is trying to change his ways and settle down for her.
The virus outbreak and plot surrounding its containment is very well done. So is the sexual tension between Deacan and Nora.
I really am a fan of Rebecca Zanetti. It was her name of the cover that made me pick up this book. But in the last 10%, this story really got my dander up.
Rating: I don’t want to talk about it.
Phantom Embrace – This story is part of Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians series and it felt very obvious I was jumping into a story in progress. Best I can tell, this story happens at the same time as the events of Night Unbound, book 5 in the series, just told from the POV of a different character. As a result, there were times I felt like Duvall was trying to put too much in the story that a new reader would not understand… and at times summarizing events that probably played out over time in the other book. That was tough for me, as someone unfamiliar with the series, but based on how it all played out, this would probably be a great addition for people already familiar with the books.
Yuri is a Guardian who helps protect the world from evil vampires. He can also see ghosts, including the lovely Cat who haunts the home where he has been staying. At first, she has no idea that he can see her, but he finally reveals his ability and the two fall in love. There aren’t many ways that a love story involving a ghost can have a HEA, so expect a bittersweet ending. I liked this one fairly well, but I think it would have been much better if I had read the series leading up to this point. (Side note: I liked this story enough to go on to read the other books in the series –and I ended up totally loving them. Then, I read this one again and enjoyed it even more.)
Rating: B on the first read/ B+ on the second
Stake Out had a definitively different feel from the other stories in the anthology. While the first three were romances, this one was not. While it wasn’t a bad story, it was very out of place among the others. It was more a quirky contemporary UF about a vampire fashionista whose models are turning up dead on Fashion Week.
The main character is from Hannah Jayne’s Underworld Detection Agency. But this works fine as a standalone. There is a love interest here but it’s very secondary to Nina’s obsession with “winning” Fashion Week and stopping her newly turned vampire model from a killing spree. A little too glib for me and the tone too light from what I like in my Urban Fantasy.
Rating: C+
*ARC provided by publisher
May 1, 2016
Note - I only read Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti and Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall.
Both 4 stars
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti - 4 stars
This is a prequel novella to The Scorpius Syndrome series.
A meteor has crashed into earth, bringing with it a highly infectious bacteria that kills most of its victims, but leaves the survivors either with enhanced abilities or and / completely stripped of their humanity. Nora is a brilliant microbiologist who is bought in by the government to work with the CDC to try and find a cure. And coming to collect her is none other than her hot, military-man ex-husband, Deacon.
Nora and Deke had a mad love when they were younger and married when they were just 18 before their different lives and their hot-headedness tore them apart. Now it’s 8 years later and they have both grown up and have realized that what they had was the once-in-a-lifetime connection that people rarely find. And while Nora is determined to do her job and go home, Deke is determined to win back his girl.
This novella is fast-paced, exciting, romantic and super sexy. Nora and Deke’s chemistry is absolutely sizzling, and there’s a great mix of sexy time and swoony romance as they find their way back to each other. All while faced with death and horrifying violence as they battle to keep the bacteria under control while they find a cure. But betrayal and sabotage may cause the end of the world as they know it.
It’s a great start to a new series that I’m really excited to dive into. Rebecca Zanetti does suspenseful, action-packed romance so well and with a brilliant set-up, I can’t wait to go on with the story of Nora’s best friend and fellow microbiologist, Lynne.
4 stars.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall - 4 stars
Book 5.5 of the Immortal Guardians series, this short gives us the story of Immortal Guardian Yuri. Time-wise, it takes place during the events of Night Unbound, Zach and Lisette’s story, which is a hugely intense time for the Immortal Guardians. They are facing down an enemy unlike any they have seen before, and the warriors are under threat and gearing up for an epic battle.
But while it’s all going down, Yuri is falling in love. Born with the ability to see ghosts and spirits, he learned the hard way not to interact with them in any way less they become fixated on him and he never gets any peace. But there is a woman who hangs around David’s house where the Guardians all gather, and occasionally follows him out onto missions. She is beautiful, yet sad, and he feels himself unexpectedly drawn to her, so one night he reaches out to her.
Cat is the deceased sister of Immortal Guardian, Bastien. She was murdered by her vampire husband over 300 years ago, and she has watched over her brother and the other warriors since he became one of them. She has been drawn to Yuri since she saw him, but had no idea that he could see her. And as soon as he initialises contact, it’s like the floodgates have been opened. They have watched each other for so long, spending time in each other’s company, that it is as if they already sort of know each other. But now that they can converse, they spend time together watching movies, listening to audiobooks and talking about anything and everything. They both revel in every moment that they have together, and Yuri finds himself returning early from his hunts just to that he can spend time with Cat. But they are in an impossible situation.
I really enjoyed this novella. Yuri has always been a bit of a background character in the series up to this point, and I really enjoyed getting to know him more. I loved watching him and Cat fall for each other, and I loved the way that they made things work between them. And despite their circumstances, this book has all of the emotion, feeling and passionate romance as others in the series.
I love how their story played out, and finished it with a huge grin on my face. It was a great read and a very meaningful addition to the series. I am so happy that Diane Duvall gave us this story.
4 stars.
Note - Again, I’d definitely recommend reading these books in order to get the full impact of the story, and this one is spoilery if you haven’t already read book 5, so please don’t skip anything!
Both 4 stars
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti - 4 stars
This is a prequel novella to The Scorpius Syndrome series.
A meteor has crashed into earth, bringing with it a highly infectious bacteria that kills most of its victims, but leaves the survivors either with enhanced abilities or and / completely stripped of their humanity. Nora is a brilliant microbiologist who is bought in by the government to work with the CDC to try and find a cure. And coming to collect her is none other than her hot, military-man ex-husband, Deacon.
Nora and Deke had a mad love when they were younger and married when they were just 18 before their different lives and their hot-headedness tore them apart. Now it’s 8 years later and they have both grown up and have realized that what they had was the once-in-a-lifetime connection that people rarely find. And while Nora is determined to do her job and go home, Deke is determined to win back his girl.
This novella is fast-paced, exciting, romantic and super sexy. Nora and Deke’s chemistry is absolutely sizzling, and there’s a great mix of sexy time and swoony romance as they find their way back to each other. All while faced with death and horrifying violence as they battle to keep the bacteria under control while they find a cure. But betrayal and sabotage may cause the end of the world as they know it.
It’s a great start to a new series that I’m really excited to dive into. Rebecca Zanetti does suspenseful, action-packed romance so well and with a brilliant set-up, I can’t wait to go on with the story of Nora’s best friend and fellow microbiologist, Lynne.
4 stars.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall - 4 stars
Book 5.5 of the Immortal Guardians series, this short gives us the story of Immortal Guardian Yuri. Time-wise, it takes place during the events of Night Unbound, Zach and Lisette’s story, which is a hugely intense time for the Immortal Guardians. They are facing down an enemy unlike any they have seen before, and the warriors are under threat and gearing up for an epic battle.
But while it’s all going down, Yuri is falling in love. Born with the ability to see ghosts and spirits, he learned the hard way not to interact with them in any way less they become fixated on him and he never gets any peace. But there is a woman who hangs around David’s house where the Guardians all gather, and occasionally follows him out onto missions. She is beautiful, yet sad, and he feels himself unexpectedly drawn to her, so one night he reaches out to her.
“I can feel your sadness … I wish I could alleviate it, little one.”
Cat is the deceased sister of Immortal Guardian, Bastien. She was murdered by her vampire husband over 300 years ago, and she has watched over her brother and the other warriors since he became one of them. She has been drawn to Yuri since she saw him, but had no idea that he could see her. And as soon as he initialises contact, it’s like the floodgates have been opened. They have watched each other for so long, spending time in each other’s company, that it is as if they already sort of know each other. But now that they can converse, they spend time together watching movies, listening to audiobooks and talking about anything and everything. They both revel in every moment that they have together, and Yuri finds himself returning early from his hunts just to that he can spend time with Cat. But they are in an impossible situation.
“How I wish I could hold you in my arms.”
… “As do I.”
I really enjoyed this novella. Yuri has always been a bit of a background character in the series up to this point, and I really enjoyed getting to know him more. I loved watching him and Cat fall for each other, and I loved the way that they made things work between them. And despite their circumstances, this book has all of the emotion, feeling and passionate romance as others in the series.
“I’ve waited five hundred years to find you. Five hundred years to love you.”
“I’ll come to you.”
I love how their story played out, and finished it with a huge grin on my face. It was a great read and a very meaningful addition to the series. I am so happy that Diane Duvall gave us this story.
4 stars.
Note - Again, I’d definitely recommend reading these books in order to get the full impact of the story, and this one is spoilery if you haven’t already read book 5, so please don’t skip anything!
July 27, 2015
I love anthologies for two reasons. One, they give us more of the characters we enjoy. Two, they’re a wonderful way to get to know new authors. Fromm this anthology I was really, truly looking forward to reading Yuri’s story by Dianne Duvall, but I’ve also read other series by Rebecca Zanetti who I know is a wonderful author. I’ve never read anything by Alexandra Ivy or Hanna Jayne, but as I mentioned before, this is a good opportunity to get to know their writing style and creations.
In Phantom Embrace, Dianne Duvall gives us the bittersweet story of Immortal Guardian Yuri Sokolov and Catherine Seddon. Don’t misunderstand, it’s a great story told like only Dianne can and it does have a happy ending. It’s just that loving a ghost has its drawbacks. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Yuri’s immortal existence can be summed up in three words: “hunt, sleep, repeat.” For centuries he’s had his kindred and duties as a guardian. He’s also felt a deep loneliness. But since he was transferred from New York to David’s house in North Carolina he’s felt a companionship that’s hard to explain, because he’s the only one who can see the lovely ghost he’s been spending time with.
Since he was a boy he could see and talk to phantoms. He also understood that relating with them wasn’t a good idea. But this particular ghost who had been following him on his hunts and to his room didn’t feel threatening at all. Once he decides to interact with Cat, he quickly bonds with her deeper than with any other living person he’s known. But as he knew, there’s always a downside when it comes to the phantoms that roam the Earth. Could mere companionship be enough? Can love persevere between Cat and Yuri? > ►♫
I fell in love with these Immortal Guardians right from the start and have eagerly followed each of their tales. Enjoying Dianne’s wonderful story telling and relishing the ties she creates between the main characters from each book while bringing back the rest of the gang. Each character is different but they have common denominators like loyalty, fierce protectiveness and a gooey center that make them very appealing.
The story about Yuri was slightly different though. Not because he isn’t all these things, on the contrary. But because of how things ended in Night Unbound, the previous book in the series. I was more eager than usual to get to know further about him. And albeit not a full length novel, we get everything from backstories, explosive confrontations and fight scenes, to the sweet and sexy development of the main characters’ relationship, more of the overall plot and of the Immortal Guardians we’ve met in the past. So every component needed for a great paranormal romance packed in this great novella.
I liked getting to know about Cat’s past, which was interesting and surprising. I loved Cat and Yuri’s relationship, though unusual, bloomed. It made me smile with its tender and sultry moments, thrilled me with its action and excitement and even though bittersweet, it also gave me a satisfying and happy ending for Yuri and Cat.
I can’t wait to be introduced to the rest of these authors and their work. The complete list of novellas and authors:
ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
In Phantom Embrace, Dianne Duvall gives us the bittersweet story of Immortal Guardian Yuri Sokolov and Catherine Seddon. Don’t misunderstand, it’s a great story told like only Dianne can and it does have a happy ending. It’s just that loving a ghost has its drawbacks. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Yuri’s immortal existence can be summed up in three words: “hunt, sleep, repeat.” For centuries he’s had his kindred and duties as a guardian. He’s also felt a deep loneliness. But since he was transferred from New York to David’s house in North Carolina he’s felt a companionship that’s hard to explain, because he’s the only one who can see the lovely ghost he’s been spending time with.
Since he was a boy he could see and talk to phantoms. He also understood that relating with them wasn’t a good idea. But this particular ghost who had been following him on his hunts and to his room didn’t feel threatening at all. Once he decides to interact with Cat, he quickly bonds with her deeper than with any other living person he’s known. But as he knew, there’s always a downside when it comes to the phantoms that roam the Earth. Could mere companionship be enough? Can love persevere between Cat and Yuri? > ►♫
I fell in love with these Immortal Guardians right from the start and have eagerly followed each of their tales. Enjoying Dianne’s wonderful story telling and relishing the ties she creates between the main characters from each book while bringing back the rest of the gang. Each character is different but they have common denominators like loyalty, fierce protectiveness and a gooey center that make them very appealing.
The story about Yuri was slightly different though. Not because he isn’t all these things, on the contrary. But because of how things ended in Night Unbound, the previous book in the series. I was more eager than usual to get to know further about him. And albeit not a full length novel, we get everything from backstories, explosive confrontations and fight scenes, to the sweet and sexy development of the main characters’ relationship, more of the overall plot and of the Immortal Guardians we’ve met in the past. So every component needed for a great paranormal romance packed in this great novella.
I liked getting to know about Cat’s past, which was interesting and surprising. I loved Cat and Yuri’s relationship, though unusual, bloomed. It made me smile with its tender and sultry moments, thrilled me with its action and excitement and even though bittersweet, it also gave me a satisfying and happy ending for Yuri and Cat.
I can’t wait to be introduced to the rest of these authors and their work. The complete list of novellas and authors:
ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
February 23, 2016
The arc for On the Hunt by Alexandra Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti, Dianne Duvall, Hannah Jayne Kensington Books was kindly provided to me via Netgalley.
Anthologies are a mixed bag but I felt I stacked the deck to my benefit being I am familiar with the majority of the series & authors included in this book. Below I included a premise of each story complied in this anthology followed by my thoughts & ratings for each.
Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
Premise:
Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again...
My thoughts:
Sadly I wasn't a fan of this story. I thought the dialougue stiff & the charecter development unimpressive. The story felt like an originally written regancy or historical type romance that was "revamped" to fit into the paranormal romance genre. The paranormal aspects felt like filler to me.
Rate 1 star
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
With a deadly disease spreading like wildfire across the country, microbiologist Nora Medina needs to focus all her energy on stopping the pandemic. Playing with dynamite—in the form of her way-too-hot ex—is the last thing she should be doing. But forced to work with Deacan McDougall against unexpected enemies with the seconds ticking by, she knows the explosion is coming...
My thoughts: The timeframe in this story felt contemporary. I found the science & circumstance plausible. The characters multidimensional & extremely likable (especially Nora & her BFF) The H was a typical alpha male but he made an effort to conform to what he thought was healthier & more appealing to the h. This story suprised me in that it ingolfed my interest comepletely. I read it in one sittting & was anxious to look into the series. In general I'm not a fan of highlanders but the apocalyptic world & science was irresistible to me. It turned into my choice of mind candy.
Rating: 4 solid stars
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he's never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.
My thoughts: I should start my confessing I find a romantic tale in which one of the protagonists is a ghost cruel. It's unbelievably sad to find love after death with a live person. We all know the only suitable option available for the coupling to be successful, so that ruins the ending straight away. However, my preconceived notions on this type of romance did not detour me from enjoying it. The author did a fantastic job of setting the scene, the chemistry, & entire process of falling in love was heartfelt. What can I say except the story pulled on my heart strings.
Rating: 4 stars
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple.
My thoughts: This was a nice bit of fluff. It was a mystery set during fashion week & the entire plot was fantastically absurd. It's the type of story you read to simply be entertained & escape reality.
Rating: 3 stars
===============================================
This book counts towards my Cliterary Genius 2016 A to Z book challenge. Letter O
Anthologies are a mixed bag but I felt I stacked the deck to my benefit being I am familiar with the majority of the series & authors included in this book. Below I included a premise of each story complied in this anthology followed by my thoughts & ratings for each.
Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
Premise:
Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again...
My thoughts:
Sadly I wasn't a fan of this story. I thought the dialougue stiff & the charecter development unimpressive. The story felt like an originally written regancy or historical type romance that was "revamped" to fit into the paranormal romance genre. The paranormal aspects felt like filler to me.
Rate 1 star
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
With a deadly disease spreading like wildfire across the country, microbiologist Nora Medina needs to focus all her energy on stopping the pandemic. Playing with dynamite—in the form of her way-too-hot ex—is the last thing she should be doing. But forced to work with Deacan McDougall against unexpected enemies with the seconds ticking by, she knows the explosion is coming...
My thoughts: The timeframe in this story felt contemporary. I found the science & circumstance plausible. The characters multidimensional & extremely likable (especially Nora & her BFF) The H was a typical alpha male but he made an effort to conform to what he thought was healthier & more appealing to the h. This story suprised me in that it ingolfed my interest comepletely. I read it in one sittting & was anxious to look into the series. In general I'm not a fan of highlanders but the apocalyptic world & science was irresistible to me. It turned into my choice of mind candy.
Rating: 4 solid stars
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he's never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.
My thoughts: I should start my confessing I find a romantic tale in which one of the protagonists is a ghost cruel. It's unbelievably sad to find love after death with a live person. We all know the only suitable option available for the coupling to be successful, so that ruins the ending straight away. However, my preconceived notions on this type of romance did not detour me from enjoying it. The author did a fantastic job of setting the scene, the chemistry, & entire process of falling in love was heartfelt. What can I say except the story pulled on my heart strings.
Rating: 4 stars
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple.
My thoughts: This was a nice bit of fluff. It was a mystery set during fashion week & the entire plot was fantastically absurd. It's the type of story you read to simply be entertained & escape reality.
Rating: 3 stars
===============================================
This book counts towards my Cliterary Genius 2016 A to Z book challenge. Letter O
April 25, 2016
3.5 stars. But my favorite read was the Dianne Duvall short. I really LOVED that story, it flowed with the series. LMAO that Yuri loves granny panties.
ON THE HUNT (The Sentinels #2.5) by Alexandra Ivy - ★★★ Mika and Bailey were interesting but I think I would have enjoyed this better if I had a background in the series. This story featured a second chance at love for a healer and the sentinel. I am glad that their wounded pride took a back seat to their love and they were able to deal with the issues preventing them from being together. I would like to read this series and then try this novella again.
SCORPIUS RISING (Scorpius Syndrome, prequel) by Rebecca Zanetti - ★★★. This story would make an excellent tv show as it had all the elements for drama. Deadly disease, psychopath on the loose, a couple rediscovering love and trying to establish boundaries and political intrigue. Nora and Deacan were married but became estranged. 10 years later, they are thrown back together as a deadly bacteria has been introduced to mainstream society. This one is going to be giant series when it gets going and I am anxiously awaiting book 1.
PHANTOM EMBRACE (Immortal Guardians, #5.5) by Dianne Duvall - ★★★★★. This story was the titan of this anthology. Perhaps it stood so because I am intimately acquainted with the series and it is one of my favorites but WOW!.I will NOT admit that I cried. I will just say that it was a dusty on the train and the wind blew the dust in my eyes! But I felt this one for real!
In the last book, Night Bound, we saw Yuri and Stanislov fall to the rogue vampires who attacked the Immortal Guardians. This book was the like the last couple of episodes before that book’s finale. It was emotional, it was sweet and it continued the storyline while detailing a romance between Yuri and Cat (Bastian’s sister). If you are a fan of this series, then this book will be an excellent addition.
STAKE OUT (Underworld Detection Agency #6.5) by Hannah Jayne - ★★½. I am not familiar with this author but it was okay. I would have enjoyed it more if I had some context from the prior stories. I thought Nina and Pike were kind of entertaining. Nina was a fashion designer and a newly made vampire. Someone is murdering her models, and her boyfriend Pike helps her try to figure out who is stealing her shine. I need to read a couple of this author’s prior stories before I decide if I enjoy her writing style.
**Special thanks to Kensington via Netgalley and Tantor Audio for advance reading copy given in exchange for an honest review.
ON THE HUNT (The Sentinels #2.5) by Alexandra Ivy - ★★★ Mika and Bailey were interesting but I think I would have enjoyed this better if I had a background in the series. This story featured a second chance at love for a healer and the sentinel. I am glad that their wounded pride took a back seat to their love and they were able to deal with the issues preventing them from being together. I would like to read this series and then try this novella again.
SCORPIUS RISING (Scorpius Syndrome, prequel) by Rebecca Zanetti - ★★★. This story would make an excellent tv show as it had all the elements for drama. Deadly disease, psychopath on the loose, a couple rediscovering love and trying to establish boundaries and political intrigue. Nora and Deacan were married but became estranged. 10 years later, they are thrown back together as a deadly bacteria has been introduced to mainstream society. This one is going to be giant series when it gets going and I am anxiously awaiting book 1.
PHANTOM EMBRACE (Immortal Guardians, #5.5) by Dianne Duvall - ★★★★★. This story was the titan of this anthology. Perhaps it stood so because I am intimately acquainted with the series and it is one of my favorites but WOW!.I will NOT admit that I cried. I will just say that it was a dusty on the train and the wind blew the dust in my eyes! But I felt this one for real!
In the last book, Night Bound, we saw Yuri and Stanislov fall to the rogue vampires who attacked the Immortal Guardians. This book was the like the last couple of episodes before that book’s finale. It was emotional, it was sweet and it continued the storyline while detailing a romance between Yuri and Cat (Bastian’s sister). If you are a fan of this series, then this book will be an excellent addition.
STAKE OUT (Underworld Detection Agency #6.5) by Hannah Jayne - ★★½. I am not familiar with this author but it was okay. I would have enjoyed it more if I had some context from the prior stories. I thought Nina and Pike were kind of entertaining. Nina was a fashion designer and a newly made vampire. Someone is murdering her models, and her boyfriend Pike helps her try to figure out who is stealing her shine. I need to read a couple of this author’s prior stories before I decide if I enjoy her writing style.
**Special thanks to Kensington via Netgalley and Tantor Audio for advance reading copy given in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2015
You know that feeling when a 12 ft long dessert table is standing before you and you can have a taste of everything on the table without guilt? Yeah, it’s like that, On the Hunt is four brief tales from four powerful authors and a feast for the imagination, best part, they are all calorie-free! Alexandra Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti, Dianne Duvall and Hannah Jayne each have concocted short stories in their creative mental kitchens and the results are simply amazing. Looking for some quick, entertaining and intriguing reading? This is the way to visit with both old authors and new.
From healers to guardians, vampires to genius killing machines, there is never a dull moment!
I received an ARC edition from Zebra in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 25, 2015
Publisher: Zebra
ISBN-10: 1420125133
ISBN-13: 978-1420125139
Page Count: 384 pages
Genre: Paranormal Anthology
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
From healers to guardians, vampires to genius killing machines, there is never a dull moment!
I received an ARC edition from Zebra in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 25, 2015
Publisher: Zebra
ISBN-10: 1420125133
ISBN-13: 978-1420125139
Page Count: 384 pages
Genre: Paranormal Anthology
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
August 25, 2015
ARC REVIEW
On the Hunt is a collection of four novellas by Alexandra Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti, Dianne Duvall, and Hannah Jayne. All the stories have the same theme of hunting or being hunted. I loved three out of four of these the last one just isn't my cup of tea, I really didn't like anything about it.
On the Hunt: Alexandra Ivy
An in between novella for the Sentinel series. Mika has always loved Bailey. But for reasons of her own, aside being very head strong, parts ways from Mika. Years later Mika is tracking down a boy and it leads him straight to Bailey's front door. After all those years no matter how hard she tried Bailey could not forget Mika and her love for him and his sudden reappearance is doing things to her head. When the runaway boy leads Bailey into a trap by a psycho looking to live forever Mika is her only hope and she knows it's only a matter of time before he does.
I love this series and I am always happy to see another HEA to come out of the universe. On the Hunt is an action packed and feel good romance. I love a good second chance romance.
SCORPIUS RISING: Rebecca Zanetti
Disregard what the the goodreads.com blurb it is very wrong, the only thing right is their is a strange pandemic going on and it's not killing everyone but mutating some. Nora Mendina just started her well deserved vacation when a bunch of government agents basically kidnap her. The man behind it is her ex-husband Deacan MacDougall. Deacan has very much changed since she left the damaged military man she once knew the only thing that hasn't changed was his feeling for her. Unfortunately getting back together wasn't the reason for her abduction. A meteorite landed in the Nevada desert and the group of students who found it got sick with some kind of alien bacteria. As one of the world's leading Microbiologist and her best friend the are racing to find a cure. While trying to find a cure her assistant is contaminated and goes crazy and starts spreading the bacteria. Deacan is determined to stop the pandemic and convince Nora she still loves him.
I loved this story it was a brilliant beginning to the new series. It's exciting and romantic, and so in depth detail wise. It reminded me a little of The Andromeda Strain mixed with Fated. Great story I can't wait for more
PHANTOM EMBRACE: Dianne Duvall
Yuri Sokolov has lived a long time as one of the Immortal Guardians, and as such he has special abilities even when he was human he could see and talk to ghosts. Cat Seddon haunts the home of the Immortal Guardians, her brother is the only connection she had to the mortal plain and since he's an Immortal Guardian that's where she stays. Cat has become fascinated with one of the Russian guardians, she follows him and watches him, never knowing that he could see her too until one day he spoke to her. From them on out they created a close friendship than soon developed into something more. They even found a way to visit each other in Yuri's dreams. But with dangers unbounding against the immortals and Yuri getting more reckless. Cat is afraid he is injuring himself on purpose, he is but not for the reason she thinks. The more injured he is the longer his healing sleep is the more time her has with her.
This was a very bitter sweet one for me to read. It takes place before and during Night Unbound and if you've read it, you know what happens to Yuri at the end of the book. The entire thing made me want to cry it is such a sweet and romantic story that doesn't seem like it should have a happy ending, but it had me crying like crazy.
STAKE OUT: Hannah Jayne
Unlike the rest of the Underworld Detection Agency, this one is told from Nina's point of view. Nina has made her break in the fashion world and is now getting rest for Fashion Week in New York. Until some pretty stiff competition shows up and starts showing up Nina. Next thing she know the model she just fired for hitting on her boyfriend winds up dead in her studio, and then undead and running amok and changing the rest of the models. Nina, her photographer boyfriend, and her nephew try and track down the bite happy model and find out who is behind it all before it ruins Fashion Week and her career.
I just didn't like this one. I didn't like Nina or any of the other characters, the story seemed bland nothing about it really stuck out to me as special. It just isn't my personal preference.
On the Hunt is a collection of four novellas by Alexandra Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti, Dianne Duvall, and Hannah Jayne. All the stories have the same theme of hunting or being hunted. I loved three out of four of these the last one just isn't my cup of tea, I really didn't like anything about it.
On the Hunt: Alexandra Ivy
An in between novella for the Sentinel series. Mika has always loved Bailey. But for reasons of her own, aside being very head strong, parts ways from Mika. Years later Mika is tracking down a boy and it leads him straight to Bailey's front door. After all those years no matter how hard she tried Bailey could not forget Mika and her love for him and his sudden reappearance is doing things to her head. When the runaway boy leads Bailey into a trap by a psycho looking to live forever Mika is her only hope and she knows it's only a matter of time before he does.
I love this series and I am always happy to see another HEA to come out of the universe. On the Hunt is an action packed and feel good romance. I love a good second chance romance.
SCORPIUS RISING: Rebecca Zanetti
Disregard what the the goodreads.com blurb it is very wrong, the only thing right is their is a strange pandemic going on and it's not killing everyone but mutating some. Nora Mendina just started her well deserved vacation when a bunch of government agents basically kidnap her. The man behind it is her ex-husband Deacan MacDougall. Deacan has very much changed since she left the damaged military man she once knew the only thing that hasn't changed was his feeling for her. Unfortunately getting back together wasn't the reason for her abduction. A meteorite landed in the Nevada desert and the group of students who found it got sick with some kind of alien bacteria. As one of the world's leading Microbiologist and her best friend the are racing to find a cure. While trying to find a cure her assistant is contaminated and goes crazy and starts spreading the bacteria. Deacan is determined to stop the pandemic and convince Nora she still loves him.
I loved this story it was a brilliant beginning to the new series. It's exciting and romantic, and so in depth detail wise. It reminded me a little of The Andromeda Strain mixed with Fated. Great story I can't wait for more
PHANTOM EMBRACE: Dianne Duvall
Yuri Sokolov has lived a long time as one of the Immortal Guardians, and as such he has special abilities even when he was human he could see and talk to ghosts. Cat Seddon haunts the home of the Immortal Guardians, her brother is the only connection she had to the mortal plain and since he's an Immortal Guardian that's where she stays. Cat has become fascinated with one of the Russian guardians, she follows him and watches him, never knowing that he could see her too until one day he spoke to her. From them on out they created a close friendship than soon developed into something more. They even found a way to visit each other in Yuri's dreams. But with dangers unbounding against the immortals and Yuri getting more reckless. Cat is afraid he is injuring himself on purpose, he is but not for the reason she thinks. The more injured he is the longer his healing sleep is the more time her has with her.
This was a very bitter sweet one for me to read. It takes place before and during Night Unbound and if you've read it, you know what happens to Yuri at the end of the book. The entire thing made me want to cry it is such a sweet and romantic story that doesn't seem like it should have a happy ending, but it had me crying like crazy.
STAKE OUT: Hannah Jayne
Unlike the rest of the Underworld Detection Agency, this one is told from Nina's point of view. Nina has made her break in the fashion world and is now getting rest for Fashion Week in New York. Until some pretty stiff competition shows up and starts showing up Nina. Next thing she know the model she just fired for hitting on her boyfriend winds up dead in her studio, and then undead and running amok and changing the rest of the models. Nina, her photographer boyfriend, and her nephew try and track down the bite happy model and find out who is behind it all before it ruins Fashion Week and her career.
I just didn't like this one. I didn't like Nina or any of the other characters, the story seemed bland nothing about it really stuck out to me as special. It just isn't my personal preference.
May 6, 2016
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
Star time: 0:00
3-3.5 stars
This was a good story. I liked Mika but found Bailey to be a bit annoying. The reasons she gave for running away from a her relationship with Mika were kind of lame and even when the real reasons came out I still wasn't thrilled with them. I think it was best that the story was short because having to deal with Bailey's issues in a full length novel would have been too much...at least in a shorter story the annoyance factor was much lower. The story itself was pretty good and I liked Mika. Things did end well with Bailey and Mika together and starting a HEA.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
Start time: 3:14
4 stars
This was a very good story. Nora and Deacan are both likable characters and the story had a good balance of action and romance. Nora and Deacan met at 16 and fell in love. They married young but his military career and her distrust of the government made things difficult and they divorced. They couldn't forget each other though and when the Scorpius disease starts they're brought back together. It's not an easy reunion but they do come back together in the end. There is a bit of an open ended as far as the action plot goes though and I wonder if there will be more stories after this.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
Start time: 7:41
4.5-5 stars
***Warning...spoilers are present in the review of this story****
Yuri is an Immortal Guardian and has spent the past 500 years hunting vampires and protecting humanity. TBH, I was really surprised to see that he got his own story because (as you'll know if you're current on the Immortal Guardians series) he dies at the end of book #5, Night Unbound. The majority of this story takes place during the time frame of Night Unbound, explaining how Yuri (who has a gift that enables him to see spirits) meets Cat and they fall in love...regardless of the fact that she's a spirit and Yuri alive. I really liked the relationship that they managed to have together but obviously it was limited. Yuri's death was sad but it allowed him and Cat to be together fully so although it's bittersweet, they do get a HEA together.
I really enjoyed this story and loved Yuri and Cat together. I sort of wish there was more to their story but the way thing stood, I can see it would have been hard to make it longer. I do hope that Yuri and Cat will be part of the series in the future...I could see them being a help to the Immortal Guardians in the future. :D
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
Start time: 11:35
3-3.5 stars
This was a good story. I will say that I've never read anything by this author before and might try more of her work in the future. Nina, the heroine, was alright but there were certain things about her that I wasn't majorly hot on. Also, the story focused on fashion and as someone that would probably be considered a Tomboy I wasn't really into that type of story. I think with another heroine/subject matter I would have liked it better since the author's writing seemed to be pretty good.
Basically, this story is about Nina trying to make her mark as an up and coming new fashion designer while hiding the fat that she's a vampire in a world of "breathers". Her pursuit of fashion greatness is put in danger when one of her models is turned into a vamp and Nina, her nephew Vlad and her (maybe?) boyfriend Pike have to go on the hunt for the newbie before she wreaks havoc. They get things worked out in the end but while the romance angle seems like it's heading towards a good conclusion but is left a little unresolved...maybe it'll be addressed more in later books.
Overall, this was a very good anthology that I'd give around 4 stars so I'd recommend it.
* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a pretty good job.
Star time: 0:00
3-3.5 stars
This was a good story. I liked Mika but found Bailey to be a bit annoying. The reasons she gave for running away from a her relationship with Mika were kind of lame and even when the real reasons came out I still wasn't thrilled with them. I think it was best that the story was short because having to deal with Bailey's issues in a full length novel would have been too much...at least in a shorter story the annoyance factor was much lower. The story itself was pretty good and I liked Mika. Things did end well with Bailey and Mika together and starting a HEA.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
Start time: 3:14
4 stars
This was a very good story. Nora and Deacan are both likable characters and the story had a good balance of action and romance. Nora and Deacan met at 16 and fell in love. They married young but his military career and her distrust of the government made things difficult and they divorced. They couldn't forget each other though and when the Scorpius disease starts they're brought back together. It's not an easy reunion but they do come back together in the end. There is a bit of an open ended as far as the action plot goes though and I wonder if there will be more stories after this.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
Start time: 7:41
4.5-5 stars
***Warning...spoilers are present in the review of this story****
Yuri is an Immortal Guardian and has spent the past 500 years hunting vampires and protecting humanity. TBH, I was really surprised to see that he got his own story because (as you'll know if you're current on the Immortal Guardians series) he dies at the end of book #5, Night Unbound. The majority of this story takes place during the time frame of Night Unbound, explaining how Yuri (who has a gift that enables him to see spirits) meets Cat and they fall in love...regardless of the fact that she's a spirit and Yuri alive. I really liked the relationship that they managed to have together but obviously it was limited. Yuri's death was sad but it allowed him and Cat to be together fully so although it's bittersweet, they do get a HEA together.
I really enjoyed this story and loved Yuri and Cat together. I sort of wish there was more to their story but the way thing stood, I can see it would have been hard to make it longer. I do hope that Yuri and Cat will be part of the series in the future...I could see them being a help to the Immortal Guardians in the future. :D
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
Start time: 11:35
3-3.5 stars
This was a good story. I will say that I've never read anything by this author before and might try more of her work in the future. Nina, the heroine, was alright but there were certain things about her that I wasn't majorly hot on. Also, the story focused on fashion and as someone that would probably be considered a Tomboy I wasn't really into that type of story. I think with another heroine/subject matter I would have liked it better since the author's writing seemed to be pretty good.
Basically, this story is about Nina trying to make her mark as an up and coming new fashion designer while hiding the fat that she's a vampire in a world of "breathers". Her pursuit of fashion greatness is put in danger when one of her models is turned into a vamp and Nina, her nephew Vlad and her (maybe?) boyfriend Pike have to go on the hunt for the newbie before she wreaks havoc. They get things worked out in the end but while the romance angle seems like it's heading towards a good conclusion but is left a little unresolved...maybe it'll be addressed more in later books.
Overall, this was a very good anthology that I'd give around 4 stars so I'd recommend it.
* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a pretty good job.
July 21, 2015
I've been a fan of three of the authors featured here for several years and relished the chance to read more by them. Furthermore as a fairly new to me author is included I thought it would be an excellent way to sample more of her work. Anthologies are usually a great way to just dip your toe in so to speak so I was very pleased when Netgalley approved me to read this book.
The first story by Alexandra Ivy takes us back into her Sentinel world and features a second chance romance . Featuring Mika a naturally gifted Hunter and the woman he loved and lost Bailey. Bailey is a Healer but when Mika is sent on a mission to track a missing teen the trail leads straight to Bailey! Not as full of paranormal elements as some stories but nevertheless an interesting read that gets this reader in the mood for more Sentinel books.
Scorpius Rising is the prequel to Ms Zanetti's new series and pulls us headlong into a world that's about to experience the aftermath of a deadly virus escaping. Thrown into it's path are Nora , a scientist specialising in microbiology and Deacan, trusted advisor to the Presdent and coincidentally Nora's ex husband! An intense story with a truly scary plot and I must not forget to mention an awful lot of heat!
If you have read Night Unbound then you will find this alternative view very satisfying. Yuri can see Ghosts but as a Guarduan knows his role in the world is to stop the Vampires . Trouble is there's one particular Ghost who he has tried ignoring but for some reason no longer wants to. Cat might be dead but there's nothing wrong with her eyes and Yuri is one very special guy. What starts out as friendship soon blossoms into something much more but there's no way for the couple to be together or is there? I loved this and will say no more as I've no wish to spoil it but will say don't start with this book but seek out Darkness Dawns and enjoy the journey.
Hannah Jayne is a relatively new name to me and I've only read one other book in her Underworld Detection Agency series. Nina is a Vampire and a very successful fashion designer. Whilst under the stress of preparing for a big show her world implodes as one of her models is found dead and then somehow awakens as a Vampire! Just who turned the model and why is just the beginning of Nina's troubles though as now there's an out of control and hungry Vampire loose! Nina needs help and her crazy nephew Vlad and boyfriend Pike are it. Sorry but I didn't really connect with Nina and didn't feel any chemistry between her and her boyfriend which was a shame.
I am a little dissappointed by this book if honest as I'd read some of the work here ( because that's how it feels!) in the previous offering Predatory. Also as I write this it's quite expensive as an ebook compared to many other anthologies which are often offered at low introductory prices. I realise it's not the authors who set the prices but as it's not a lot cheaper than the paperback version I do feel readers are slightly being taken advantage of. Bottom line is if all four stories are new to you then recommended particularly if you have previously followed their series.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
The first story by Alexandra Ivy takes us back into her Sentinel world and features a second chance romance . Featuring Mika a naturally gifted Hunter and the woman he loved and lost Bailey. Bailey is a Healer but when Mika is sent on a mission to track a missing teen the trail leads straight to Bailey! Not as full of paranormal elements as some stories but nevertheless an interesting read that gets this reader in the mood for more Sentinel books.
Scorpius Rising is the prequel to Ms Zanetti's new series and pulls us headlong into a world that's about to experience the aftermath of a deadly virus escaping. Thrown into it's path are Nora , a scientist specialising in microbiology and Deacan, trusted advisor to the Presdent and coincidentally Nora's ex husband! An intense story with a truly scary plot and I must not forget to mention an awful lot of heat!
If you have read Night Unbound then you will find this alternative view very satisfying. Yuri can see Ghosts but as a Guarduan knows his role in the world is to stop the Vampires . Trouble is there's one particular Ghost who he has tried ignoring but for some reason no longer wants to. Cat might be dead but there's nothing wrong with her eyes and Yuri is one very special guy. What starts out as friendship soon blossoms into something much more but there's no way for the couple to be together or is there? I loved this and will say no more as I've no wish to spoil it but will say don't start with this book but seek out Darkness Dawns and enjoy the journey.
Hannah Jayne is a relatively new name to me and I've only read one other book in her Underworld Detection Agency series. Nina is a Vampire and a very successful fashion designer. Whilst under the stress of preparing for a big show her world implodes as one of her models is found dead and then somehow awakens as a Vampire! Just who turned the model and why is just the beginning of Nina's troubles though as now there's an out of control and hungry Vampire loose! Nina needs help and her crazy nephew Vlad and boyfriend Pike are it. Sorry but I didn't really connect with Nina and didn't feel any chemistry between her and her boyfriend which was a shame.
I am a little dissappointed by this book if honest as I'd read some of the work here ( because that's how it feels!) in the previous offering Predatory. Also as I write this it's quite expensive as an ebook compared to many other anthologies which are often offered at low introductory prices. I realise it's not the authors who set the prices but as it's not a lot cheaper than the paperback version I do feel readers are slightly being taken advantage of. Bottom line is if all four stories are new to you then recommended particularly if you have previously followed their series.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
November 2, 2025
What do you get when you take 4 renowned paranormal authors in one book? A wonderful anthology, 4 great novella length stories and a fabulous way to feed that craving for the next book in that series you love.
Packed full of supernatural, immortals, paranormal and things that go bump in the night, On the Hunt brings us just enough of Ivy, Zanetti, Duvall and Jayne storytelling to whet our appetites.
I received this ARC copy of On the Hunt from Kensington Books - Zebra in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication August 25, 2015.
My Rating: 4 Stars
Packed full of supernatural, immortals, paranormal and things that go bump in the night, On the Hunt brings us just enough of Ivy, Zanetti, Duvall and Jayne storytelling to whet our appetites.
I received this ARC copy of On the Hunt from Kensington Books - Zebra in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication August 25, 2015.
My Rating: 4 Stars
May 13, 2016
Review for:
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
Rating: 2 stars
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
Rating: 4 stars
SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
Rating: 2 stars
PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
Rating: 4 stars
December 31, 2015
3.5 stars overall. I am still a sucker for these anthologies, and much prefer these collections of shorts to the new box sets with full length novels - those are just too much of a time commitment whereas these are great for filling in the gaps during those time challenged weeks...
On The Hunt - Alexandra Ivy (Sentinels connected short, 86 pages.)
For the most part I liked this paranormal romance connected short, the leads Sentinel Mika, who is on the hunt for a missing trainee, and free spirited healer Bailey have a history - they broke each other's hearts when they were young. They still have great chemistry and I liked seeing them try to get beyond the things that drove them apart in the past. Plus, there's a decent little background story to add some peril and clarify priorities. My one nit is that I disliked the Mika's pet name, 'little one', for Bailey - she didn't like it and it felt sort of demeaning to me. Still, overall, I liked this and am looking forward to Wolfe's story - he has a brief cameo here. (3.5 stars = I liked it)
Scorpious Rising - Rebecca Zanetti (Scorpius series prequel, 115 pages.)
I liked the first half of this story, with a second chance romance in the foreground and a pandemic in the background. Essentially, the background story which sets the stage for a new series is a fight against a zombie plague where the zombies are smart, and human looking. Leading man Deacan is on the government side pulling together a team to find a cure and his ex-wife Nora is a bacteriologist conscripted to help. I liked Deacon at the start when he was a 'changed man' trying to win back Nora, and nowhere near as much later as circumstances force him back in the warrior mode and Nora discovers that Deacon is actually even more alpha and domineering than when they were together.
I found the pandemic part of the story disturbing because the incurable highly infectious virus turns the survivors - who were formerly very likable characters - sociopathic and rapaceous so that you can't feel any sympathy for them. Oh, my final nit is that there is a heck of a lot of smexy times in the romance part of the story for the length. (4 stars = I really liked it, for the first half, and 2.5 stars = okay, for the second)
Phantom Embrace - Dianne Duvall (Immortal Guardians connected short, 94 pages.) There is a ton of series recap in this one for newbies, which also serves as a refresher for 'oldbies', and this story overlaps Lizette's. Somehow amidst all the catching up with the gang there was enough time for a slow build romance between Guardian Yuri and the life challenged Cat. There is time for the pair to establish a friendship and to fall in love before they finally figure out a way around their lack of ability to touch. HEAs in ghost love stories are always problematic, but this does soften the blow a bit for those of us who follow the Series and who came into this knowing Yuri's fate. (3.5 stars - I liked it)
Stake Out- Hannah Jayne (Underworld Detection Agency connected short, 89 pages)
This story is off genre - paranormal chick lit as opposed to the romance focused like all of the rest of the collection - and different in tone from the rest as well since it doesn't take itself too seriously, and I actually enjoyed this. This is the second story I've read about Fashionista, now fashion designer, vampire Nina Lashay, so I was happy that this I've one worked better for me. Poor Nina is on the verge of launching her fabulous new fashion line when a mysterious newcomer starts hijacking her limelight. And to make things worse, she has to run around doing damage control when one her models dies and ends up undead. The story is over the top, but I was in the mood. (3.5 stars - I liked it)
ARC via NetGalley-release date August 25th
On The Hunt - Alexandra Ivy (Sentinels connected short, 86 pages.)
For the most part I liked this paranormal romance connected short, the leads Sentinel Mika, who is on the hunt for a missing trainee, and free spirited healer Bailey have a history - they broke each other's hearts when they were young. They still have great chemistry and I liked seeing them try to get beyond the things that drove them apart in the past. Plus, there's a decent little background story to add some peril and clarify priorities. My one nit is that I disliked the Mika's pet name, 'little one', for Bailey - she didn't like it and it felt sort of demeaning to me. Still, overall, I liked this and am looking forward to Wolfe's story - he has a brief cameo here. (3.5 stars = I liked it)
Scorpious Rising - Rebecca Zanetti (Scorpius series prequel, 115 pages.)
I liked the first half of this story, with a second chance romance in the foreground and a pandemic in the background. Essentially, the background story which sets the stage for a new series is a fight against a zombie plague where the zombies are smart, and human looking. Leading man Deacan is on the government side pulling together a team to find a cure and his ex-wife Nora is a bacteriologist conscripted to help. I liked Deacon at the start when he was a 'changed man' trying to win back Nora, and nowhere near as much later as circumstances force him back in the warrior mode and Nora discovers that Deacon is actually even more alpha and domineering than when they were together.
I found the pandemic part of the story disturbing because the incurable highly infectious virus turns the survivors - who were formerly very likable characters - sociopathic and rapaceous so that you can't feel any sympathy for them. Oh, my final nit is that there is a heck of a lot of smexy times in the romance part of the story for the length. (4 stars = I really liked it, for the first half, and 2.5 stars = okay, for the second)
Phantom Embrace - Dianne Duvall (Immortal Guardians connected short, 94 pages.) There is a ton of series recap in this one for newbies, which also serves as a refresher for 'oldbies', and this story overlaps Lizette's. Somehow amidst all the catching up with the gang there was enough time for a slow build romance between Guardian Yuri and the life challenged Cat. There is time for the pair to establish a friendship and to fall in love before they finally figure out a way around their lack of ability to touch. HEAs in ghost love stories are always problematic, but this does soften the blow a bit for those of us who follow the Series and who came into this knowing Yuri's fate. (3.5 stars - I liked it)
Stake Out- Hannah Jayne (Underworld Detection Agency connected short, 89 pages)
This story is off genre - paranormal chick lit as opposed to the romance focused like all of the rest of the collection - and different in tone from the rest as well since it doesn't take itself too seriously, and I actually enjoyed this. This is the second story I've read about Fashionista, now fashion designer, vampire Nina Lashay, so I was happy that this I've one worked better for me. Poor Nina is on the verge of launching her fabulous new fashion line when a mysterious newcomer starts hijacking her limelight. And to make things worse, she has to run around doing damage control when one her models dies and ends up undead. The story is over the top, but I was in the mood. (3.5 stars - I liked it)
ARC via NetGalley-release date August 25th
August 21, 2015
Just when you think that books can’t get any better, you get an anthology by 4 mind-blowing authors.
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
We are taken into the Sentinels world where Mika Tanner, a hunter is tasked with solving a sudden disappearance of an apprentice. Fortunately for him, Bailey Morrell, his childhood friend and ex lover, may know more than she thinks. As a healer, Bailey sees more than she should and unfortunately for them, if they want to answers, they will have to work together to get them.
Although it was a short-ish story, On the Hunt didn’t disappoint. It was action packed, suspenseful, romantic, with an off the charts chemistry and many twists.
Mika and Bailey were incredible characters. They were total opposites with different beliefs about their kind which is what tore them apart in the first place. Mika wants to do his duty while Bailey is a free spirit. What a pair!
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
I was so very excited to read this particular story. Scorpius Rising is the prequel to Zanetti’s brand new series, Scorpius Syndrome and I really can’t wait for Mercury Striking, the first book (Jan 2016)
In case you don’t know, the Scorpius Syndrome series is a dystopian one so in this book we get to see how the world ends.
Nora Mendina is the best scientist in her field. When she’s called in a case she knows that she will need help to find a cure for this foreign virus. A virus that could very well be our end.
What is more chocking is the fact that it’s her ex-husband, Deke who brought her in to help. Nora will do anything to find a cure for the virus while Deke will fight for what they used to have. Nora and Deke were such a dynamic couple. I loved the way they worked together and how easily but steadily they came together once again.
The nightmare isn’t over yet. This is just the beginning and I loved it. I can’t wait for more.
Phantom embrace by Dianne Duvall
This is part of the Immortal Guardians series and tells the story of Yuri, an Immortal with the ability to see spirits and Cat Seddon, an unusual spirit.
Yuri knows to ignore the spirits he sees or else they find an opportunity to torment him. So when he sees the amiable spirit in David’s house, he can’t understand why Seth doesn’t banish it from the house until he finds out the truth.
Cat is Bastien’s dead sister. She was brutally murdered by her husband who tricked Bastien into believing that Roland killed her. Cat has nowhere to go but stay besides her brother. So when Yuri notices her, Cat is relieved that she has finally found someone to talk to but at the same time she’s anxious. She hasn’t talked with anyone for a very long time but with Yuri everything is different.
I think this was the most special story in the book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved all four stories but Phantom Embrace had a bittersweet HEA!
Stake out by Hannah Jayne
Hannah Jayne is the only new author for me in the anthology. I was a bit skeptic before reading her story but as soon as I read it I understood why she was part of this anthology: she ROCKS!
Nina LaShay is the best vampire fashion designer in New York. She is preparing for the fashion show when her model is attacked and turned into a vampire. With the help of her boyfriends and her nephews, Nina will have to find out who is attacking models and turns them before it’s too late.
Stake out was so much fun. I loved the suspense and all the action. I didn’t really connect with Nina but I loved her boyfriend and her nephews!
On the hunt was so much fun to read. It was an incredible, breathtaking and simply beautiful compilation of four mind-blowing stories.
*ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Posted on: http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.gr/...
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
We are taken into the Sentinels world where Mika Tanner, a hunter is tasked with solving a sudden disappearance of an apprentice. Fortunately for him, Bailey Morrell, his childhood friend and ex lover, may know more than she thinks. As a healer, Bailey sees more than she should and unfortunately for them, if they want to answers, they will have to work together to get them.
Although it was a short-ish story, On the Hunt didn’t disappoint. It was action packed, suspenseful, romantic, with an off the charts chemistry and many twists.
Mika and Bailey were incredible characters. They were total opposites with different beliefs about their kind which is what tore them apart in the first place. Mika wants to do his duty while Bailey is a free spirit. What a pair!
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
I was so very excited to read this particular story. Scorpius Rising is the prequel to Zanetti’s brand new series, Scorpius Syndrome and I really can’t wait for Mercury Striking, the first book (Jan 2016)
In case you don’t know, the Scorpius Syndrome series is a dystopian one so in this book we get to see how the world ends.
Nora Mendina is the best scientist in her field. When she’s called in a case she knows that she will need help to find a cure for this foreign virus. A virus that could very well be our end.
What is more chocking is the fact that it’s her ex-husband, Deke who brought her in to help. Nora will do anything to find a cure for the virus while Deke will fight for what they used to have. Nora and Deke were such a dynamic couple. I loved the way they worked together and how easily but steadily they came together once again.
The nightmare isn’t over yet. This is just the beginning and I loved it. I can’t wait for more.
Phantom embrace by Dianne Duvall
This is part of the Immortal Guardians series and tells the story of Yuri, an Immortal with the ability to see spirits and Cat Seddon, an unusual spirit.
Yuri knows to ignore the spirits he sees or else they find an opportunity to torment him. So when he sees the amiable spirit in David’s house, he can’t understand why Seth doesn’t banish it from the house until he finds out the truth.
Cat is Bastien’s dead sister. She was brutally murdered by her husband who tricked Bastien into believing that Roland killed her. Cat has nowhere to go but stay besides her brother. So when Yuri notices her, Cat is relieved that she has finally found someone to talk to but at the same time she’s anxious. She hasn’t talked with anyone for a very long time but with Yuri everything is different.
I think this was the most special story in the book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved all four stories but Phantom Embrace had a bittersweet HEA!
Stake out by Hannah Jayne
Hannah Jayne is the only new author for me in the anthology. I was a bit skeptic before reading her story but as soon as I read it I understood why she was part of this anthology: she ROCKS!
Nina LaShay is the best vampire fashion designer in New York. She is preparing for the fashion show when her model is attacked and turned into a vampire. With the help of her boyfriends and her nephews, Nina will have to find out who is attacking models and turns them before it’s too late.
Stake out was so much fun. I loved the suspense and all the action. I didn’t really connect with Nina but I loved her boyfriend and her nephews!
On the hunt was so much fun to read. It was an incredible, breathtaking and simply beautiful compilation of four mind-blowing stories.
*ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Posted on: http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.gr/...
June 4, 2017
On The Hunt - 3 Stars
This is another bland entry in a bland pnr series from Alexandra Ivy. In this case, it's a second chance at love story between moping sentinel Mika and flghty witch Bailey. The first part of the story was a throwaway bit about Mika planning to get Bailey back. The story was livened near the end with the bit about Jacob and his family, and the plot against him. The bad guy Brotherhood was mentioned, but not really in play here. The story was nice enough, but had little to nothing to do with the series; and did less than nothing to push the series forward.
I skimmed through the Jayne entry, and have long since stopped reading the Duvall series. The jewel in the anthology is Scorpius Rising. This is definitely a dystopian series I plan to follow.
Scorpius Rising
I came back to pick up on this novella because I was about to start Mercury Striking, the first full length book in Zanetti’s new “Scorpius Syndrome” series. I wanted to know Lynne’s background and function in the series before I started her story.
This was about the very beginning of the pandemic, and told about where it came from and how it spread. Nora Medina is a brilliant microbiologist, while her ex-husband Deacan McDougall works for the shadowy government branch investigating the bacteria and its spread. I rather liked this story, the dystopian nature of what is to come when Scorpius spreads through the population I find quite intriguing. I think I'm going to enjoy the series and looking forward to the next book.
On a personal front, Deacan is sorry that he let Nora divorce him, and is looking for a second chance with her. Their steamy times were sizzling; and the light D/s nature of their bedroom antics shed light on Deacan's needs without being overwhelming. A lot was packed into this ss. I've not been the hugest fan of Zanetti's work, but I think this dystopian series may be right up my alley.
On to Mercury Striking...
This is another bland entry in a bland pnr series from Alexandra Ivy. In this case, it's a second chance at love story between moping sentinel Mika and flghty witch Bailey. The first part of the story was a throwaway bit about Mika planning to get Bailey back. The story was livened near the end with the bit about Jacob and his family, and the plot against him. The bad guy Brotherhood was mentioned, but not really in play here. The story was nice enough, but had little to nothing to do with the series; and did less than nothing to push the series forward.
I skimmed through the Jayne entry, and have long since stopped reading the Duvall series. The jewel in the anthology is Scorpius Rising. This is definitely a dystopian series I plan to follow.
Scorpius Rising
I came back to pick up on this novella because I was about to start Mercury Striking, the first full length book in Zanetti’s new “Scorpius Syndrome” series. I wanted to know Lynne’s background and function in the series before I started her story.
This was about the very beginning of the pandemic, and told about where it came from and how it spread. Nora Medina is a brilliant microbiologist, while her ex-husband Deacan McDougall works for the shadowy government branch investigating the bacteria and its spread. I rather liked this story, the dystopian nature of what is to come when Scorpius spreads through the population I find quite intriguing. I think I'm going to enjoy the series and looking forward to the next book.
On a personal front, Deacan is sorry that he let Nora divorce him, and is looking for a second chance with her. Their steamy times were sizzling; and the light D/s nature of their bedroom antics shed light on Deacan's needs without being overwhelming. A lot was packed into this ss. I've not been the hugest fan of Zanetti's work, but I think this dystopian series may be right up my alley.
On to Mercury Striking...
July 15, 2015
Four PNR stories in a box -
Alexandra Ivy´s On the Hunt -
Young lovers separate over a difference in beliefs, but years later are still not over each other. Now Mika´s latest mission as Sentinel brings him up close and personal with Bailey again. He never expected her being in jeopardy, but soon he´s got to do everything he can to save them both.
PNR romance, action, suspense and smutty fluff in a great combo.
Rebecca Zanetti´s Scorpius Rising -
When a global threat against human life is spreading faster than a usual virus, Deke, as the Presidents advisor, brings in Nora to help in the search for a treatment. Can this be contained or is humanity in jeopardy?
Think Contagion with a PNR twist =)
Dianne Duvall´s Phantom Embrace -
Yuri is used fighting against the Vampires as an Immortal, but when his ability to see and interact with ghosts brings him to Cat, all changes. Finally connecting with a woman, getting another best friend, but how could it work when she´s not of this world any longer?
PNR, ghosts, emotions and action in a great combo. Had me bawling at times.
Hannah Jayne´s Stake Out -
Vampire Nina is finally getting her chance to make it as designer, she´s about to show her works at the New York Fashion Week, but a pesky murder gets in her way. Why is it that everything happens to Nina? With the help of her nephew Vlad and her shapeshifting boyfriend Pike, they go on a mission to find the murderer and save Nina´s career.
PNR romance, action, mystery, suspense and smut in a great combo. The one author I haven´t read before, but I´ll be sure to find more from her =)
Great combination of Paranormal romance, action and smut, perfect for the summer read!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Alexandra Ivy´s On the Hunt -
Young lovers separate over a difference in beliefs, but years later are still not over each other. Now Mika´s latest mission as Sentinel brings him up close and personal with Bailey again. He never expected her being in jeopardy, but soon he´s got to do everything he can to save them both.
PNR romance, action, suspense and smutty fluff in a great combo.
Rebecca Zanetti´s Scorpius Rising -
When a global threat against human life is spreading faster than a usual virus, Deke, as the Presidents advisor, brings in Nora to help in the search for a treatment. Can this be contained or is humanity in jeopardy?
Think Contagion with a PNR twist =)
Dianne Duvall´s Phantom Embrace -
Yuri is used fighting against the Vampires as an Immortal, but when his ability to see and interact with ghosts brings him to Cat, all changes. Finally connecting with a woman, getting another best friend, but how could it work when she´s not of this world any longer?
PNR, ghosts, emotions and action in a great combo. Had me bawling at times.
Hannah Jayne´s Stake Out -
Vampire Nina is finally getting her chance to make it as designer, she´s about to show her works at the New York Fashion Week, but a pesky murder gets in her way. Why is it that everything happens to Nina? With the help of her nephew Vlad and her shapeshifting boyfriend Pike, they go on a mission to find the murderer and save Nina´s career.
PNR romance, action, mystery, suspense and smut in a great combo. The one author I haven´t read before, but I´ll be sure to find more from her =)
Great combination of Paranormal romance, action and smut, perfect for the summer read!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
August 26, 2015
Join in thrilling adventures as you go on a hunt with Sentinel Mika Tanner and help Nora Mendina search for a cure while joining Immortal Yuri Sokolov as he faces a different kind of eternity and then join Nina LaShay as she searches for a baby vamp in the Big Apple in this spectacular collection of paranormal romances.
Four fascinating worlds draw readers in and holds them spellbound thought this anthology. Each story has lots of sizzling passion and romance, danger and excitement and capture the heart as the strong captivating characters strive for their happily every afters and the fast paced smooth flowing plots are well written with vivid details that capture the imagination bringing each one to life while intriguing events keep readers glued to the pages.
Anticipation builds throughout On the Hunt as Sentinel Mika Tanner searches for a runaway, finds his only love and a deadly enemy threatens life as they know it. Scorpius Rising introduces readers to an intriguing new world where a meteorite causes some deadly chaos and reunites Nora Mendina with her ex-husband. Phantom Embrace builds lots of expectation as the Immortal Guardian Yuri Sokolov faces an eternity with a star crossed love while a new danger may have Yuri embracing eternity in a different way and in Stake Out, Nina LaShay’s life becomes more complicated when she has to find and stop a beautiful baby vamp from taking too big of a bite out of the Big Apple.
Each world is fascinating with their own unique elements and sexy characters that guarantee that the readers will come back for more. I always enjoy my visit to each of these worlds and these stories are no exception as I was enthralled with each and every one from beginning to end and I can’t wait for the next chance to visit each of those worlds.
-Eva
Four fascinating worlds draw readers in and holds them spellbound thought this anthology. Each story has lots of sizzling passion and romance, danger and excitement and capture the heart as the strong captivating characters strive for their happily every afters and the fast paced smooth flowing plots are well written with vivid details that capture the imagination bringing each one to life while intriguing events keep readers glued to the pages.
Anticipation builds throughout On the Hunt as Sentinel Mika Tanner searches for a runaway, finds his only love and a deadly enemy threatens life as they know it. Scorpius Rising introduces readers to an intriguing new world where a meteorite causes some deadly chaos and reunites Nora Mendina with her ex-husband. Phantom Embrace builds lots of expectation as the Immortal Guardian Yuri Sokolov faces an eternity with a star crossed love while a new danger may have Yuri embracing eternity in a different way and in Stake Out, Nina LaShay’s life becomes more complicated when she has to find and stop a beautiful baby vamp from taking too big of a bite out of the Big Apple.
Each world is fascinating with their own unique elements and sexy characters that guarantee that the readers will come back for more. I always enjoy my visit to each of these worlds and these stories are no exception as I was enthralled with each and every one from beginning to end and I can’t wait for the next chance to visit each of those worlds.
-Eva
August 22, 2015
Four truly gifted authors come together for this paranormal collection. There's a little something for everyone. Plenty of action and lots of steamy passion among these pages to keep you reading well into the night. This is the first anthology that I've thoroughly enjoyed in a very long time. Now I have more book series to add to my TBR pile. Awesome job ladies!
September 3, 2015
Everything about this book was an alluring hook for me, title, cover, authors, blurb...yeah, all of it. I was very excited to pick this one up and dive in.
As it is an anthology, I'll post up 'mini' reviews as I go for each story. Two are authors I've read and two are authors that are new to me so looking forward to this nice blend of cozy familiar and shiny new.
On the Hunt by Alexandra Ivy 3.5 stars
#2.5 The Sentinels
Like the title says, Mika, a fierce Sentinel hunter is on the hunt for a missing boy who is a Sentinel in training at the New Orleans monastery. The hunt turns personal when he encounters the woman he loved and who inexplicably left him ten years before. She wanted to be a 'free spirit' and apparently his life had too many stifling rules. The priority is the boy, but then he is turning his hunting skills on Bailey and she won't get away from him this time.
Mika and Bailey's love story wasn't a draw for me because ten years have gone by and neither did a thing particularly Bailey whose idea it was to break it off by doing a runner with no explanation. I waited to see if she had a legit reason to flake out, stay gone, and get snarky when they next encountered...nope, not really. Fortunately, the rest of the story was engaging with gritty action. I like the Sentinels series and can't wait for more.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti 5 stars
#.5 Scorpius Syndrome
A bacteria on a space rock becomes an infection that kills, that nearly kills, and even more chilling, it changes and alters the survivors. Nora, one of the country's top scientists in the field is brought in and she is brought in by none other than her ex, a big modern warrior highlander. They are so different, but she can't deny the chemistry. Deke lost her once, but now faced with this grave crisis, he will take his second chance and not let go.
This sci-fi thriller grabbed me from the opening pages and kept me enthrall to the end. I'm pretty sure I didn't breath a few times. Deke and Nora are sold gold and their hard, no holds barred moments as a couple were as captivating as the moments when they are fighting for their very lives. I need the next book in this series pronto.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall 4.5 Stars
#5.5 Immortal Guardians
Well, that one was a bitter-sweet, needed a tissue yet happy ending. My first time with this series so starting in the middle was a bit rough, but there was enough there to get me sorta up to speed. I had no trouble getting into the story.
I don't want to spoil this one, but it is essentially about an Immortal Hunter whose job is to take down the bad vampires feeding on and killing humans who falls for an unattainable woman because she is a ghost that only one with his gifts can see and hear. But he is living and she is not so how could it ever work? And his job has become more dangerous with the increase of trouble from one of their own creating supersoldier vampires.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne 3.5 Stars
#6.5 Underworld Detection Agency
New to me author and series. I had no trouble getting up to speed on the worldbuilding do to the author filling that in, but it did take a bit for me to realize that the tone was lighter and laced with snarky humor. The heroine wasn't that appealing to me, but I had a good time with the overall romp and mayhem feel to the story.
Nina is a vampire clothing designer. She has her nephew with her and her special guy along as she sets out to take the NYC fashion world by storm. Unfortunately, someone is turning her models into vamps and furthermore and more ominous, there is a new mysterious designer out to snatch her place.
So, all in all, this anthology really hit the spot. I enjoyed the sampling of paranormal worlds, the variety of situations and tones of story, and I really liked that now I have a few more series that I must return to. As anthologies go, this was a strong one and I can recommend it to the paranormal romance fan who either has a series to keep up with or would like to sample the wares of other writers. Be warned, most stories are part of an ongoing series and would work better in series order though in a pinch, the reader would probably be alright since I managed without having read some of the series.
My thanks to Kensington Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
As it is an anthology, I'll post up 'mini' reviews as I go for each story. Two are authors I've read and two are authors that are new to me so looking forward to this nice blend of cozy familiar and shiny new.
On the Hunt by Alexandra Ivy 3.5 stars
#2.5 The Sentinels
Like the title says, Mika, a fierce Sentinel hunter is on the hunt for a missing boy who is a Sentinel in training at the New Orleans monastery. The hunt turns personal when he encounters the woman he loved and who inexplicably left him ten years before. She wanted to be a 'free spirit' and apparently his life had too many stifling rules. The priority is the boy, but then he is turning his hunting skills on Bailey and she won't get away from him this time.
Mika and Bailey's love story wasn't a draw for me because ten years have gone by and neither did a thing particularly Bailey whose idea it was to break it off by doing a runner with no explanation. I waited to see if she had a legit reason to flake out, stay gone, and get snarky when they next encountered...nope, not really. Fortunately, the rest of the story was engaging with gritty action. I like the Sentinels series and can't wait for more.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti 5 stars
#.5 Scorpius Syndrome
A bacteria on a space rock becomes an infection that kills, that nearly kills, and even more chilling, it changes and alters the survivors. Nora, one of the country's top scientists in the field is brought in and she is brought in by none other than her ex, a big modern warrior highlander. They are so different, but she can't deny the chemistry. Deke lost her once, but now faced with this grave crisis, he will take his second chance and not let go.
This sci-fi thriller grabbed me from the opening pages and kept me enthrall to the end. I'm pretty sure I didn't breath a few times. Deke and Nora are sold gold and their hard, no holds barred moments as a couple were as captivating as the moments when they are fighting for their very lives. I need the next book in this series pronto.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall 4.5 Stars
#5.5 Immortal Guardians
Well, that one was a bitter-sweet, needed a tissue yet happy ending. My first time with this series so starting in the middle was a bit rough, but there was enough there to get me sorta up to speed. I had no trouble getting into the story.
I don't want to spoil this one, but it is essentially about an Immortal Hunter whose job is to take down the bad vampires feeding on and killing humans who falls for an unattainable woman because she is a ghost that only one with his gifts can see and hear. But he is living and she is not so how could it ever work? And his job has become more dangerous with the increase of trouble from one of their own creating supersoldier vampires.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne 3.5 Stars
#6.5 Underworld Detection Agency
New to me author and series. I had no trouble getting up to speed on the worldbuilding do to the author filling that in, but it did take a bit for me to realize that the tone was lighter and laced with snarky humor. The heroine wasn't that appealing to me, but I had a good time with the overall romp and mayhem feel to the story.
Nina is a vampire clothing designer. She has her nephew with her and her special guy along as she sets out to take the NYC fashion world by storm. Unfortunately, someone is turning her models into vamps and furthermore and more ominous, there is a new mysterious designer out to snatch her place.
So, all in all, this anthology really hit the spot. I enjoyed the sampling of paranormal worlds, the variety of situations and tones of story, and I really liked that now I have a few more series that I must return to. As anthologies go, this was a strong one and I can recommend it to the paranormal romance fan who either has a series to keep up with or would like to sample the wares of other writers. Be warned, most stories are part of an ongoing series and would work better in series order though in a pinch, the reader would probably be alright since I managed without having read some of the series.
My thanks to Kensington Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2015
This review and more can be seen at http://gothicmoms.blogspot.com/
This anthology begins with Alexandra Ivy's On The Hunt with a Sentinel in search of a lost acolyte, and also for the Healer he let slip away. Unlike most authors who attempt to put a full blown love story into a short, their's is one that had already developed and blossomed throughout the years, until she left him practically at the altar. But don't look for simple romance here, there is also action, drama and not one dull moment. And a revelation at the end that will leaves fans bucking their eyeballs out of their heads. For readers new to this series, you'll be craving for the rest. For fans of this series, you won't want to miss out on this one.
Rebecca Zanetti takes us away from the Realm and into the human world where Kryptonite effects more than just Superman. A meteorite has touched down on earth and its more than just an innocent rock. And those who survive the infection are the most dangerous to society at large. While scientist Nora Mendina struggles to find an antibiotic that will kill it, she also must come to terms with how she still feels about her ex-husband. There might not be any fangs in this one, but enough excitement, action and heat that paranormal fans will still be very happy with this read.
Kinda had mixed feelings about Phantom Embrace. I loved it all in all, as I truly love the series as a whole. But, the ending, to me, was sort of a double-edged sword whose arc I saw slicing from the beginning. Though it was indeed a beautiful love story that would do any Greek scribe proud. Fans will learn more of Yuri's background and really see into the heart of him, and love him all the more. As he begins to fall in love with an unexpected character, they Guardians face one of their biggest threats. Vampires who are not only trained in combat, but have an even deadly tranquilizer than before. The question is will they be able to find and eliminate this threat before its too late?
Someone really needs to tell Nina LaShay to just give up on the runway, especially during fashion week. In Hannah Jane's Stake Out Nina is attempting to prepare her models for the catwalk, and yet again has a rival with other plans for her. At least this time around she isn't being accused of murder. Its' worst, the model she just fired has been turned, and its up to her to find and stop her before the Big City has a much smaller population. You don't have to be a fan of the series', or even have read it, to enjoy this laugh out loud paranormal comic relief.
On the Hunt is perfect for all paranormal lovers. There is something for everyone within these stories, and perfect samples of a few fantastic series'.
This anthology begins with Alexandra Ivy's On The Hunt with a Sentinel in search of a lost acolyte, and also for the Healer he let slip away. Unlike most authors who attempt to put a full blown love story into a short, their's is one that had already developed and blossomed throughout the years, until she left him practically at the altar. But don't look for simple romance here, there is also action, drama and not one dull moment. And a revelation at the end that will leaves fans bucking their eyeballs out of their heads. For readers new to this series, you'll be craving for the rest. For fans of this series, you won't want to miss out on this one.
Rebecca Zanetti takes us away from the Realm and into the human world where Kryptonite effects more than just Superman. A meteorite has touched down on earth and its more than just an innocent rock. And those who survive the infection are the most dangerous to society at large. While scientist Nora Mendina struggles to find an antibiotic that will kill it, she also must come to terms with how she still feels about her ex-husband. There might not be any fangs in this one, but enough excitement, action and heat that paranormal fans will still be very happy with this read.
Kinda had mixed feelings about Phantom Embrace. I loved it all in all, as I truly love the series as a whole. But, the ending, to me, was sort of a double-edged sword whose arc I saw slicing from the beginning. Though it was indeed a beautiful love story that would do any Greek scribe proud. Fans will learn more of Yuri's background and really see into the heart of him, and love him all the more. As he begins to fall in love with an unexpected character, they Guardians face one of their biggest threats. Vampires who are not only trained in combat, but have an even deadly tranquilizer than before. The question is will they be able to find and eliminate this threat before its too late?
Someone really needs to tell Nina LaShay to just give up on the runway, especially during fashion week. In Hannah Jane's Stake Out Nina is attempting to prepare her models for the catwalk, and yet again has a rival with other plans for her. At least this time around she isn't being accused of murder. Its' worst, the model she just fired has been turned, and its up to her to find and stop her before the Big City has a much smaller population. You don't have to be a fan of the series', or even have read it, to enjoy this laugh out loud paranormal comic relief.
On the Hunt is perfect for all paranormal lovers. There is something for everyone within these stories, and perfect samples of a few fantastic series'.
July 2, 2016
*Book source ~ NetGalley
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy ~ 3 bites and a nibble
Sentinel Mika Tanner and healer Bailey Morrell were once a couple, but their differences split them up. Years later an incident with a Sentinel in training and dangerous enemy bring them together again. Can they make it work this time around?
While I like this story, I didn’t like it as much as the other two I’ve read in the Sentinel series. I just didn’t have a connection with the characters and while I like Bailey, I thought Mika was too overbearing. He comes across as an ass of the first order.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti ~ DNF 2 bites for the pandemic part
Microbiologist Nora Medina and her team have been kidnapped by their government in an effort to stem a pandemic. Too bad her ex-husband Deacan McDougall is head of the black ops that are keeping them secure.
I’m not a fan of old relationships being rekindled, but the pandemic part made it interesting. Unfortunately, I discovered in Chapter 5 that Deacan had been in the Marines long after the author had called him a soldier multiple times. A Marine is a Marine (and it’s capitalized!) and soldiers are Army. I’m not interested in reading about a Marine being called a soldier, it pisses me off, so I stopped right there.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall ~ 5 bites
Immortal Guardian Yuri Sokolov can see spirits and he’s been obsessed with one he keeps seeing around. Cat Seddon has been a spirit for a very long time, but there’s something about Yuri that draws her. An immortal and a spirit, what kind of relationship are they going to have? Only one way to find out.
I love, love, love the Immortal Guardian series and this short story (#5.5) is a wonderful and unique addition to a really great line up. Even though it’s short it lacks nothing in development and has all of the trademarks I love from the longer books: humor, suspense, steaminess, romance, mystery, awesome action and I mentioned the humor, right? The ending is both heart wrenching and heartwarming. Don’t skip this one when making your way through the series.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne ~ No rating
This series no longer interests me, so I didn’t read it.
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy ~ 3 bites and a nibble
Sentinel Mika Tanner and healer Bailey Morrell were once a couple, but their differences split them up. Years later an incident with a Sentinel in training and dangerous enemy bring them together again. Can they make it work this time around?
While I like this story, I didn’t like it as much as the other two I’ve read in the Sentinel series. I just didn’t have a connection with the characters and while I like Bailey, I thought Mika was too overbearing. He comes across as an ass of the first order.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti ~ DNF 2 bites for the pandemic part
Microbiologist Nora Medina and her team have been kidnapped by their government in an effort to stem a pandemic. Too bad her ex-husband Deacan McDougall is head of the black ops that are keeping them secure.
I’m not a fan of old relationships being rekindled, but the pandemic part made it interesting. Unfortunately, I discovered in Chapter 5 that Deacan had been in the Marines long after the author had called him a soldier multiple times. A Marine is a Marine (and it’s capitalized!) and soldiers are Army. I’m not interested in reading about a Marine being called a soldier, it pisses me off, so I stopped right there.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall ~ 5 bites
Immortal Guardian Yuri Sokolov can see spirits and he’s been obsessed with one he keeps seeing around. Cat Seddon has been a spirit for a very long time, but there’s something about Yuri that draws her. An immortal and a spirit, what kind of relationship are they going to have? Only one way to find out.
I love, love, love the Immortal Guardian series and this short story (#5.5) is a wonderful and unique addition to a really great line up. Even though it’s short it lacks nothing in development and has all of the trademarks I love from the longer books: humor, suspense, steaminess, romance, mystery, awesome action and I mentioned the humor, right? The ending is both heart wrenching and heartwarming. Don’t skip this one when making your way through the series.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne ~ No rating
This series no longer interests me, so I didn’t read it.
August 9, 2015
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
Four wonderful, unique and intense stories.
I have not read two of the four authors that were represented in On the Hunt. But I am now fans of all of them. From Vampires to spirits, to healers and soldiers on a mission to save the world. These four stories were hot, scary, intense and sweet. A little of everything that makes up a great book.
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
This was a short sweet story of a Healer named Bailey who ran away from her love to find herself. Mika was a guardian sentinel sent to find a missing sentinel. I felt that I did not miss anything with Mika and Bailey. I felt that I have known them through many books. I was instantly rooting for this couple the moment Mika showed up.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
Rebecca has done it again. This story went from sweet to scary intense in a moment’s notice. Deacan a soldier trying to stop a deadly virus from going global enlists the help of his ex-wife Nora who is a scientist. The villain in this story really gave me chills.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
This was a little weird for me but that is what made me like it. Yuri and Cat are ghosts. Ghosts can get their HEA too. I did not know any of the characters so I felt a little lost. But from what I could get of it I liked.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
This was just ok for me. It was cute. Nina was fun to read. I felt like I was reading a episode of Buffy the vampire slayer. Does that make sense? But it was fun to read.
From what I gather after finishing the book is that three of the four stories are not new stories. This is the only problem I had with it. I think these anthologies should just be new storylines that way the reader is not missing out on anything. But aside from that I did get introduced to some authors that are new to this reader and I will be searching them out.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
Four wonderful, unique and intense stories.
I have not read two of the four authors that were represented in On the Hunt. But I am now fans of all of them. From Vampires to spirits, to healers and soldiers on a mission to save the world. These four stories were hot, scary, intense and sweet. A little of everything that makes up a great book.
On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy
This was a short sweet story of a Healer named Bailey who ran away from her love to find herself. Mika was a guardian sentinel sent to find a missing sentinel. I felt that I did not miss anything with Mika and Bailey. I felt that I have known them through many books. I was instantly rooting for this couple the moment Mika showed up.
Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti
Rebecca has done it again. This story went from sweet to scary intense in a moment’s notice. Deacan a soldier trying to stop a deadly virus from going global enlists the help of his ex-wife Nora who is a scientist. The villain in this story really gave me chills.
Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall
This was a little weird for me but that is what made me like it. Yuri and Cat are ghosts. Ghosts can get their HEA too. I did not know any of the characters so I felt a little lost. But from what I could get of it I liked.
Stake Out by Hannah Jayne
This was just ok for me. It was cute. Nina was fun to read. I felt like I was reading a episode of Buffy the vampire slayer. Does that make sense? But it was fun to read.
From what I gather after finishing the book is that three of the four stories are not new stories. This is the only problem I had with it. I think these anthologies should just be new storylines that way the reader is not missing out on anything. But aside from that I did get introduced to some authors that are new to this reader and I will be searching them out.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews