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Mageverse #5.5
Hot for the Holidays
Featuring four all-new novellas of sensual surprises and seasonal spirits, this collection includes a new tale of the Breeds from Lora Leigh and a return to the world of the Mageverse from Angela Knight.
Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight
Kat Danilo's childhood turned tragic when her sister become the victim of a serial killer. Years later, she gets a chance at justice when she discovers she'd the daughter of Lancelot, vampire knight of the Round Table. But first, she's got to convince a handsome vampire warrior that she's worthy to gain the magical powers that are her birthright—powers that might help her find her sister's killer.
If the murderer doesn't find her first....
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast
This novella provides a first taste of the world in which Anya's new Dark Magick series is set.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James
The town of Magellan is famous for its woo-woo activity. Naomi is known as an Unbeliever (one who doesn't believe in Magellan's mystical energy). But Naomi must put disbelief aside when her Navajo lover reveals that he is a Changer, a shapeshifter, and has returned to Magellan to protect her from grave anger on Christmas Eve.
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight
Kat Danilo's childhood turned tragic when her sister become the victim of a serial killer. Years later, she gets a chance at justice when she discovers she'd the daughter of Lancelot, vampire knight of the Round Table. But first, she's got to convince a handsome vampire warrior that she's worthy to gain the magical powers that are her birthright—powers that might help her find her sister's killer.
If the murderer doesn't find her first....
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast
This novella provides a first taste of the world in which Anya's new Dark Magick series is set.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James
The town of Magellan is famous for its woo-woo activity. Naomi is known as an Unbeliever (one who doesn't believe in Magellan's mystical energy). But Naomi must put disbelief aside when her Navajo lover reveals that he is a Changer, a shapeshifter, and has returned to Magellan to protect her from grave anger on Christmas Eve.
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
344 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 29, 2009
162 people are currently reading
2912 people want to read
About the author
Lora Leigh
190 books10.1k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
September 27, 2009
Shapeshifters, vampires, and fae, oh my. And they're each and every one smoking hot! "Hot for the Holidays" is a four-story anthology of paranormal stories, each incorporating a nod to the upcoming holiday season. Since I'm a fan of all four authors, what's not to love?
Angela Knight takes us on a short trip to her Mageverse with "Vampire's Ball" and the story of a vamp Knight and a potential Maja (witch). Is their overwhelming passion just a product of her change? When confronted with a demon from her past, they'll have to work together or die.
Next up is Allyson James with "A Little Night Magic". She fell in love with him and then he left her. Now he's back, but his enemies aren't far behind. It's a good thing Naomi's pretty open-minded since her man is now a Mountain Lion!!
"Sweet Enchantment" by Anya Bast looks to be a glimpse of an upcoming series (I hope!) about the Fae. It's a very different take on Romeo and Juliet with each from a different 'court' but meant to be together. Unfortunately, there's that wicked Queen to deal with!
Finally, with a "A Christmas Kiss" Lora Leigh's Breed fans will rejoice. The scientist drugged into betraying her Breed friends gets her happy ending while evading a murderous traitor in the Breed compound.
Four hot stories by four hot authors. Merry Christmas to me!
Angela Knight takes us on a short trip to her Mageverse with "Vampire's Ball" and the story of a vamp Knight and a potential Maja (witch). Is their overwhelming passion just a product of her change? When confronted with a demon from her past, they'll have to work together or die.
Next up is Allyson James with "A Little Night Magic". She fell in love with him and then he left her. Now he's back, but his enemies aren't far behind. It's a good thing Naomi's pretty open-minded since her man is now a Mountain Lion!!
"Sweet Enchantment" by Anya Bast looks to be a glimpse of an upcoming series (I hope!) about the Fae. It's a very different take on Romeo and Juliet with each from a different 'court' but meant to be together. Unfortunately, there's that wicked Queen to deal with!
Finally, with a "A Christmas Kiss" Lora Leigh's Breed fans will rejoice. The scientist drugged into betraying her Breed friends gets her happy ending while evading a murderous traitor in the Breed compound.
Four hot stories by four hot authors. Merry Christmas to me!
January 14, 2011
*** NOTE: This rating is for Lora Leigh's A CHRISTMAS KISS only! ***
I usually have a hard time with short stories but LL's story was a 5-star read to me, so this should be enough to tell you how much I loved it. :)
I don't have time to write a full review now, but I'll try to do it when I come back to read the other novellas in this anthology.
I usually have a hard time with short stories but LL's story was a 5-star read to me, so this should be enough to tell you how much I loved it. :)
I don't have time to write a full review now, but I'll try to do it when I come back to read the other novellas in this anthology.
December 5, 2010
Angela Knight's Mageverse can be confusing, but if you read this short story before any others...this one explains the Mageverse in the simplest, easiest way. In it, a young woman is introduced into the mageverse since she has the potential to become a magi. She is recruited and falls for her sponsor.Good story.
Next was
Allyson James' story "A little Night Music" is great! I've only read her as Jennifer Ashley, and she didn't disappoint here either. I loved the way the Changers and Skinwalker interracted, I LOVED Coyote...the god, yeah the god. His role was hysterical...especially while waiting for the Skinwalker/Alpha of Changers in Mexico to attack them. Coyote offers up a menage, but better than that. You have to read it, it's one of my favorite passages in any book. I'm not typically a fan of stories like this, but it was really well done.
Anya Bast wrote "Sweet Enchantment" and it was very LKH Merry Gentry-ish, but without being confusing or repetative. If you like Laurell K Hamilton, you'll love this story. Bella tries to save the love of her life from execution, even though he rejected and humiliated her in the Seelie Court 30 yrs ago. But he saves her. It seems to be a hint of more to another story maybe? I'll have to look it up.
And in Lora Leigh's Breeds story "A Christmas Kiss" the mating heat between Jessica and Hawke is hot..HAWT! But there's more! Jess' father hates the Breeds and drugged her to give up their secrets since she works security for them. But the betrayal signifies her death. Hawke refuses to believe the betrayal, and luckily for Jess, so does his Alpha. Jess, even drugged, managed to save the 2 female mates of the Alpha and his second before her father's organization tried to kill everyone. Too bad 14 months later, (where the story picks up) that she still hasn't forgiven herself and Hawke still hasn't made her aware that not only does everyone know she's innocent but her life is still in danger! And oh, btw, she's his mate. this would have made a great full-length story. The beginning's a bit confusing and the details of the drug her father gave her aren't clear, but I liked it just the same.
Next was
Allyson James' story "A little Night Music" is great! I've only read her as Jennifer Ashley, and she didn't disappoint here either. I loved the way the Changers and Skinwalker interracted, I LOVED Coyote...the god, yeah the god. His role was hysterical...especially while waiting for the Skinwalker/Alpha of Changers in Mexico to attack them. Coyote offers up a menage, but better than that. You have to read it, it's one of my favorite passages in any book. I'm not typically a fan of stories like this, but it was really well done.
Anya Bast wrote "Sweet Enchantment" and it was very LKH Merry Gentry-ish, but without being confusing or repetative. If you like Laurell K Hamilton, you'll love this story. Bella tries to save the love of her life from execution, even though he rejected and humiliated her in the Seelie Court 30 yrs ago. But he saves her. It seems to be a hint of more to another story maybe? I'll have to look it up.
And in Lora Leigh's Breeds story "A Christmas Kiss" the mating heat between Jessica and Hawke is hot..HAWT! But there's more! Jess' father hates the Breeds and drugged her to give up their secrets since she works security for them. But the betrayal signifies her death. Hawke refuses to believe the betrayal, and luckily for Jess, so does his Alpha. Jess, even drugged, managed to save the 2 female mates of the Alpha and his second before her father's organization tried to kill everyone. Too bad 14 months later, (where the story picks up) that she still hasn't forgiven herself and Hawke still hasn't made her aware that not only does everyone know she's innocent but her life is still in danger! And oh, btw, she's his mate. this would have made a great full-length story. The beginning's a bit confusing and the details of the drug her father gave her aren't clear, but I liked it just the same.
February 2, 2017
** Please not that this review/rating is for Lora Leigh's "A Christmas Kiss" only.
A Christmas Kiss - Rated: 4 Stars
Note: This novella was my first breeds experience and it got me interested enough to start the series.
This one takes place at Haven.
We have Jessica a human who betrayed the breeds, but not because she wanted too. Her father concocted a drug that forced her to do this and she didn’t know. She has lost so much.
Hawke a Breed and Jessica’s mate. He’s known for almost 2 years that he’s her mate, but he had to stay way to prove her innocence and to protect her from the mating heat. He knows if he can’t tell her soon that he will lose her for good.
This one was heartbreaking. I felt for Jessica and her loneliness and everything she lost. She’s drifting. Besides these two working out their issues, we have someone on the inside trying to destroy the Breeds.
It was sexy and hot. I enjoyed seeing this couple celebrate their first Christmas together and with the other Breeds at Haven.
December 24, 2015
24/12 - The best story in the book was definitely Leigh's A Christmas Kiss, possibly because it made the most sense to me as I had already read a few books from the Breeds series. I better understood the world and even recognised a few of the couples from the books I'd previously read. The other story I really liked was Knight's Vampire's Ball. Kat and Ridge were fun together and I would read more from Knight's Mageverse series. Vampire's Ball was a good teaser for the full series.
March 15, 2017
Bastante bien en general un cierre para una historia que se dio a conocer hace varios libros.
June 4, 2010
Angela Knight’s Vampire Ball was yet another installment in her Mageverse series, but it was a rather disappointing read. The series also started with a novella in an anthology, but Lance and Grace’s story at least had “body”, it was nicely written and well-paced.
Kat and Ridge’s story only seemed to be trudging along without much substance. It was simply too short and the characters bland. Not even the timely appearance of Lance could save it from doom.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James also suffered from its shortness. Despite the hurried explanation of the few focal points of the backstory, I found myself scratching my head a few times, wondering just what the heck was going on. I felt too detached from everything that was going on, the characters and everything else.
I’m not much for Native American “legends” of shape shifters and skinwalkers and this story didn’t change my opinion.
Anya Bast’s Sweet Enchantment was a nice respite from the previous two not-so-good stories. It wasn’t anything stellar, mind you, but still the second best in this anthology. It wasn’t even close to K.M. Moning’s depictions of the goings-on in the Seelie and Unseelie courts, but the pacing was good, the story had a natural flow to it, and the two leads endeared themselves to me.
I actually found myself wishing it was longer, I truly wanted to see what happened next.
And now we get to Lora Leigh’s A Christmas Kiss...I’ve been waiting for this story since the epilogue in Aiden's Charity. And let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed. This was a classic Leigh Breed novella with plenty of steamy attraction, steamier action, a little bit of angst, lots of conflicting emotions, great buildup to the finale, and loads of hunky Breeds.
The AC epilogue gave us a tantalizing glimpse into what could’ve been between Hawke, a Wolf Breed and Jess, a traitor working for her father. Well, A Christmas Kiss delivered on that glimpse, explaining Jess’s treason, giving a heart-wrenching description of both Jess’s and Hawke’s suffering in the year of her imprisonment and the three months after her release. The steam rose off the pages in their first "touching but not kissing" scene, the throat constricted at Jess’s first view of her new house, the heart sped up at the confrontation with the villain, and tears rose at the description of the angel with the broken wing.
Wonderful. I’m giving this anthology a 5 star rating based solely on Ms. Leigh’s contribution!
Kat and Ridge’s story only seemed to be trudging along without much substance. It was simply too short and the characters bland. Not even the timely appearance of Lance could save it from doom.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James also suffered from its shortness. Despite the hurried explanation of the few focal points of the backstory, I found myself scratching my head a few times, wondering just what the heck was going on. I felt too detached from everything that was going on, the characters and everything else.
I’m not much for Native American “legends” of shape shifters and skinwalkers and this story didn’t change my opinion.
Anya Bast’s Sweet Enchantment was a nice respite from the previous two not-so-good stories. It wasn’t anything stellar, mind you, but still the second best in this anthology. It wasn’t even close to K.M. Moning’s depictions of the goings-on in the Seelie and Unseelie courts, but the pacing was good, the story had a natural flow to it, and the two leads endeared themselves to me.
I actually found myself wishing it was longer, I truly wanted to see what happened next.
And now we get to Lora Leigh’s A Christmas Kiss...I’ve been waiting for this story since the epilogue in Aiden's Charity. And let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed. This was a classic Leigh Breed novella with plenty of steamy attraction, steamier action, a little bit of angst, lots of conflicting emotions, great buildup to the finale, and loads of hunky Breeds.
The AC epilogue gave us a tantalizing glimpse into what could’ve been between Hawke, a Wolf Breed and Jess, a traitor working for her father. Well, A Christmas Kiss delivered on that glimpse, explaining Jess’s treason, giving a heart-wrenching description of both Jess’s and Hawke’s suffering in the year of her imprisonment and the three months after her release. The steam rose off the pages in their first "touching but not kissing" scene, the throat constricted at Jess’s first view of her new house, the heart sped up at the confrontation with the villain, and tears rose at the description of the angel with the broken wing.
Wonderful. I’m giving this anthology a 5 star rating based solely on Ms. Leigh’s contribution!
December 25, 2009
Four short--hot--Christmas themed stories. Many, if not all, of them were part of a series. Fortunately, I was familiar with two of the series, so knew what was going on in the background. The authors did attempt to run the "Crash Course Series Catchup," but, wow, a lot to absorb and figure out in a SHORT STORY.
Something that bugged me in all the stories were the inexplicable breaks in the printing while the writing continued on as if no break occurred. Weird.
1. Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight was a continuation in her Mageverse series of which I don't care for. King Arthur and the rest of the Knights of the Round Table are vampires who feed off of witches. Many things about this theme don't jive with me. One is how the Knights/Vampires go around mating and deliberately getting women pregnant so they can populate their race. The Knights/Vampires run off to the next human female and pay no attention to any of their children they may or may not contribute into making. Then, there's the way the children are chosen for "the gift." Blech!
Main characters are Ridge Champion (Knight) and Katherine "Kat" Danilo, set in Charlotte, NC and the Mageverse World. Ridge has been asked to "change" Kat with "the gift." Translate into sex three times and a person goes crazy or changes.
3 Stars
2. A Little Night Magic by Allyson James was my favorite of the four. It appears to be part of the Stormalker series, of which I have not read before, but am interested in reading more of. :-)
Jamison Kee is a Native American/changer who fell in love with Naomi in Arizona. He left without any word and two years later he returned ready to make her his mate. His reason for being gone redeemed him and the problems that he brought to her doorstep built the suspense in this short story.
Coyote played a main role here and I'm interested in reading more about his character.
4 Stars
3. Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast felt like it was part of a series and I was l o s t reading this one. Lots of characters were introduced with the feel of prior knowledge and after about 25 pages into it, I decided this wasn't something I was interested in reading.
Did not finish.
4. A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh was a continuation in her Breeds series. Jessica Raines and Hawke Esteban were characters in an earlier book that depicted Jessica as a traitor. I remember Hawke watching his mate being taken away and wondered how that was going to play out. Well, here's their story. Surprising twist. Good tale, nicely done.
4 Stars
Something that bugged me in all the stories were the inexplicable breaks in the printing while the writing continued on as if no break occurred. Weird.
1. Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight was a continuation in her Mageverse series of which I don't care for. King Arthur and the rest of the Knights of the Round Table are vampires who feed off of witches. Many things about this theme don't jive with me. One is how the Knights/Vampires go around mating and deliberately getting women pregnant so they can populate their race. The Knights/Vampires run off to the next human female and pay no attention to any of their children they may or may not contribute into making. Then, there's the way the children are chosen for "the gift." Blech!
Main characters are Ridge Champion (Knight) and Katherine "Kat" Danilo, set in Charlotte, NC and the Mageverse World. Ridge has been asked to "change" Kat with "the gift." Translate into sex three times and a person goes crazy or changes.
3 Stars
2. A Little Night Magic by Allyson James was my favorite of the four. It appears to be part of the Stormalker series, of which I have not read before, but am interested in reading more of. :-)
Jamison Kee is a Native American/changer who fell in love with Naomi in Arizona. He left without any word and two years later he returned ready to make her his mate. His reason for being gone redeemed him and the problems that he brought to her doorstep built the suspense in this short story.
Coyote played a main role here and I'm interested in reading more about his character.
4 Stars
3. Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast felt like it was part of a series and I was l o s t reading this one. Lots of characters were introduced with the feel of prior knowledge and after about 25 pages into it, I decided this wasn't something I was interested in reading.
Did not finish.
4. A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh was a continuation in her Breeds series. Jessica Raines and Hawke Esteban were characters in an earlier book that depicted Jessica as a traitor. I remember Hawke watching his mate being taken away and wondered how that was going to play out. Well, here's their story. Surprising twist. Good tale, nicely done.
4 Stars
May 17, 2010
The story by Angela Knight is part of her Mageverse series. I've never read any of them and probably won't. This story didn't do much for me, although I found the concept of the vampire's relationship to Merlin/King Arthur a new and imaginative twist. C+
The story by Allyson James is called "A Little Night Magic". Started out ok with an interesting story, but towards the end it seemed to get sappy, and one of the characters was a little too raunchy for my tastes. D+
"Sweet Enchantment" by Anya Bast was the first time I've ever read anything by her. I liked her writing even if I didn't really care for the story. It flowed well and was creative. B-
"A Christmas Kiss" by Lora Leigh was by and far the best story in this anthology and after reading, I would have bought this book for this story alone. It was so touching and passionate. I cried. Hawke was the perfect hero in every way. A+
The story by Allyson James is called "A Little Night Magic". Started out ok with an interesting story, but towards the end it seemed to get sappy, and one of the characters was a little too raunchy for my tastes. D+
"Sweet Enchantment" by Anya Bast was the first time I've ever read anything by her. I liked her writing even if I didn't really care for the story. It flowed well and was creative. B-
"A Christmas Kiss" by Lora Leigh was by and far the best story in this anthology and after reading, I would have bought this book for this story alone. It was so touching and passionate. I cried. Hawke was the perfect hero in every way. A+
March 19, 2012
Well, damn. First time I've ever wanted to trade places with a candy cane! Love this cover! Hot for the Holidays was chock full of new to me authors. I have read Lora Leigh before but not anything from the Breeds series that her short story came from. Overall this is a very nice anthology with each story happening during the Christmas season. While I enjoyed Knight's and James' contributions the most each of the authors' contributions were enjoyable and kept my interest. I'd pick up books by any of the authors included without a second thought.
Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight
I really enjoyed Knight's Vampire's Ball which is part of her Mageverse series. It doesn't take long to understand the world that she created revolving around King Arthur and his Knights. It can easily be read without reading the rest of the series. It's an interesting twist on the Knights and Ladies of the round table with them actually being turned into Vampires and Majae when they become the immortal protectors of mankind. Kat Danilo has just found out about this world and is being tested, by Vampire Ridge, to see if she has the strength to survive becoming a Maja. There was a bit of a mystery to be solved concerning a long ago murder and some difficult issues over loss and guilt touched upon. The chemistry between Ridge and Kat was both sweet and steamy. I liked that they had some shared experiences that helped them understand one another. There was a lot happening in very few pages but it worked for me. The only thing that got me a little was how quickly Kat seemed to master her new powers once she had them. The names did have me biting back a grin from time to time with their cheesiness. Ridge Champion, Jimmy Chosen? And the alternate world of Mageverse? Oy. But still a nicely done short story that felt complete and left me interested enough to go pick up the first book in the series.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James
I LOVED this prequel to James' Stormwalker series. After disappearing 2 years earlier and breaking her heart Jaimson returns to protect Naomi and her daughter from enemies who are out to destroy the ones he loves. This one was full of Changers, skinwalkers, pervy trickster gods, a little mystery and some good action scenes all adding up to a great read. Plus I'm just a sucker for couples getting back together after being separated for years and finally getting things right the second time around. I liked Naomi, she's got some sass and spice in her. She practical and doesn't let things knock her down for too long. I loved her reactions to pretty much everything and that she wasn't afraid to let Jaimson know how pissed off she was over his leaving years earlier. Jaimson was a decent guy especially once you knew why he disappeared. He's laid back, in charge, sweet with her daughter who was deaf. Even though it doesn't look like this couple is the focus for the rest of the series I'm still interested to see where it goes from here and getting to see more of Coyote the pervy god.
Favorite line? "Damn all magic-seeking, shamanistic men with gorgeous bodies and long cocks."
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast
For the most part I did enjoy Sweet Enchantment but it wasn't my favorite. There were some interesting parts to the Fae world Bast created with them basically imprisoned and forced to live in a certain contained area and unable to leave. I liked that little twist since usually they're portrayed as all powerful and in control. 30 years after ending their affair ended badly Bella Rhiannon Caliste Mac Lyr and Ronan Achaius Quinn are thrown together again, on the run to save not only his life but suddenly hers as well. Both characters were likable and it was heartbreaking to find out why things had ended so badly between them decades earlier and how much it had hurt both of them.
My big problem with the story and why I didn't like this one as much was the ending. Up until then I was really into the story and the characters. There is a happily ever after of sorts but everything concluded very abruptly. I knew the story was nearly over but when I read the last page it just didn't feel finished. Things were still too up in the air for me and I fully expected at least one more chapter before it was really over so hitting the last page was a shock. I wasn't left with a nice satisfied feeling and sure everything would work out. Not a fan of that. I did like the writing though so will be picking up a full length book of hers to see how she handles endings with one of those. Better, I hope.
Favorite line?
"Just remember it's an invitation to get into bed, not into me."
"I value my balls. I know better than to try anything with you right now."
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
I've read a few of Leigh's books but never one from her Breeds series, even though it's been on my buy list for ages, so I was really looking forward to this story and getting a taste of the series. I did enjoy the story but I think I would have liked it a lot more if I had read the rest of the series first. The terminology, obvious back-story that impacted the couple, and just the Breed world in general. Jessica Raines (human) and Hawke Estaban (breed) are destined mates who have been separated for the last year while Jessica was in confinement and her innocence determined after she was forced to betray the Breeds. Still following along? The story is basically the two of them coming back together and deciding if they want to cement the mate bond between them. At the same time protecting Jessica from an outside threat that's trying to eliminate her. Again I really wish I knew all of the back story on the hero and heroine. While I liked them and was glad they found their happily ever after I think I would have been more invested in them if I knew more about their history. It was still a nice little read with some spicy scenes and some very sweet and thoughtful moments. I'll be hunting down book one of the series.
Originally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight
I really enjoyed Knight's Vampire's Ball which is part of her Mageverse series. It doesn't take long to understand the world that she created revolving around King Arthur and his Knights. It can easily be read without reading the rest of the series. It's an interesting twist on the Knights and Ladies of the round table with them actually being turned into Vampires and Majae when they become the immortal protectors of mankind. Kat Danilo has just found out about this world and is being tested, by Vampire Ridge, to see if she has the strength to survive becoming a Maja. There was a bit of a mystery to be solved concerning a long ago murder and some difficult issues over loss and guilt touched upon. The chemistry between Ridge and Kat was both sweet and steamy. I liked that they had some shared experiences that helped them understand one another. There was a lot happening in very few pages but it worked for me. The only thing that got me a little was how quickly Kat seemed to master her new powers once she had them. The names did have me biting back a grin from time to time with their cheesiness. Ridge Champion, Jimmy Chosen? And the alternate world of Mageverse? Oy. But still a nicely done short story that felt complete and left me interested enough to go pick up the first book in the series.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James
I LOVED this prequel to James' Stormwalker series. After disappearing 2 years earlier and breaking her heart Jaimson returns to protect Naomi and her daughter from enemies who are out to destroy the ones he loves. This one was full of Changers, skinwalkers, pervy trickster gods, a little mystery and some good action scenes all adding up to a great read. Plus I'm just a sucker for couples getting back together after being separated for years and finally getting things right the second time around. I liked Naomi, she's got some sass and spice in her. She practical and doesn't let things knock her down for too long. I loved her reactions to pretty much everything and that she wasn't afraid to let Jaimson know how pissed off she was over his leaving years earlier. Jaimson was a decent guy especially once you knew why he disappeared. He's laid back, in charge, sweet with her daughter who was deaf. Even though it doesn't look like this couple is the focus for the rest of the series I'm still interested to see where it goes from here and getting to see more of Coyote the pervy god.
Favorite line? "Damn all magic-seeking, shamanistic men with gorgeous bodies and long cocks."
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast
For the most part I did enjoy Sweet Enchantment but it wasn't my favorite. There were some interesting parts to the Fae world Bast created with them basically imprisoned and forced to live in a certain contained area and unable to leave. I liked that little twist since usually they're portrayed as all powerful and in control. 30 years after ending their affair ended badly Bella Rhiannon Caliste Mac Lyr and Ronan Achaius Quinn are thrown together again, on the run to save not only his life but suddenly hers as well. Both characters were likable and it was heartbreaking to find out why things had ended so badly between them decades earlier and how much it had hurt both of them.
My big problem with the story and why I didn't like this one as much was the ending. Up until then I was really into the story and the characters. There is a happily ever after of sorts but everything concluded very abruptly. I knew the story was nearly over but when I read the last page it just didn't feel finished. Things were still too up in the air for me and I fully expected at least one more chapter before it was really over so hitting the last page was a shock. I wasn't left with a nice satisfied feeling and sure everything would work out. Not a fan of that. I did like the writing though so will be picking up a full length book of hers to see how she handles endings with one of those. Better, I hope.
Favorite line?
"Just remember it's an invitation to get into bed, not into me."
"I value my balls. I know better than to try anything with you right now."
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
I've read a few of Leigh's books but never one from her Breeds series, even though it's been on my buy list for ages, so I was really looking forward to this story and getting a taste of the series. I did enjoy the story but I think I would have liked it a lot more if I had read the rest of the series first. The terminology, obvious back-story that impacted the couple, and just the Breed world in general. Jessica Raines (human) and Hawke Estaban (breed) are destined mates who have been separated for the last year while Jessica was in confinement and her innocence determined after she was forced to betray the Breeds. Still following along? The story is basically the two of them coming back together and deciding if they want to cement the mate bond between them. At the same time protecting Jessica from an outside threat that's trying to eliminate her. Again I really wish I knew all of the back story on the hero and heroine. While I liked them and was glad they found their happily ever after I think I would have been more invested in them if I knew more about their history. It was still a nice little read with some spicy scenes and some very sweet and thoughtful moments. I'll be hunting down book one of the series.
Originally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
June 9, 2019
Sweet and short — all of these stories were fairly predictable, but enjoyable all the same, with fun world-building that is going to draw me into some new series!
July 26, 2017
A Christmas Kiss
I got this to only read A Christmas kiss. It was a lovely story and wished that it could have stretch just a little more, but overall it was a great read for me.
I got this to only read A Christmas kiss. It was a lovely story and wished that it could have stretch just a little more, but overall it was a great read for me.
December 13, 2009
Over all a pretty good anthology...Definitely one of the better holiday ones!
The Angela Knight story almost made me wish I was a fan of her mageverse series. It was a decent story, if a bit sparse. She has a good writing style, and this may be a decent intro in that series if you haven't tried it yet.
The Allyson James one almost made me wish I was a fan of Native American romances and made me want to retry her books (I started one of hers ages ago, and hated it so much, I haven't been able to pick up another one since). Unfortunately this is probabbly the weakest of the stories. Like Knight's it's a bit sparse, and there are a few details that just don't make sense, but I'm chalking that up to the space limitations. More detail on the 'god''s background or even a bit more history on the legend of Coyote may have helped...If you're like me, and aren't as familiar with Native American folklore, it may feel like you're missing something.
The Lora Leigh was typical of her Breeds stories.. It wasn't her best, but again, probably becasue of the anthology's length contraints...If she'd had more pages to work with, I'm postiive thes story would have been up to her usual standards :)
Lastly...the Anya Bast story (the third one in the book)...If for no other reason you get this, get it for her story! It intro's her new series, and I for one can't wait (and luckily it comes out in another few weeks so I won't have to wait long!) We don't meet the main characters from the first book in the series, this is more like a welcome to the world with some minor backstory... But it's such enticing backstory!
oh and the cover totally looks better up close :p
The Angela Knight story almost made me wish I was a fan of her mageverse series. It was a decent story, if a bit sparse. She has a good writing style, and this may be a decent intro in that series if you haven't tried it yet.
The Allyson James one almost made me wish I was a fan of Native American romances and made me want to retry her books (I started one of hers ages ago, and hated it so much, I haven't been able to pick up another one since). Unfortunately this is probabbly the weakest of the stories. Like Knight's it's a bit sparse, and there are a few details that just don't make sense, but I'm chalking that up to the space limitations. More detail on the 'god''s background or even a bit more history on the legend of Coyote may have helped...If you're like me, and aren't as familiar with Native American folklore, it may feel like you're missing something.
The Lora Leigh was typical of her Breeds stories.. It wasn't her best, but again, probably becasue of the anthology's length contraints...If she'd had more pages to work with, I'm postiive thes story would have been up to her usual standards :)
Lastly...the Anya Bast story (the third one in the book)...If for no other reason you get this, get it for her story! It intro's her new series, and I for one can't wait (and luckily it comes out in another few weeks so I won't have to wait long!) We don't meet the main characters from the first book in the series, this is more like a welcome to the world with some minor backstory... But it's such enticing backstory!
oh and the cover totally looks better up close :p
June 15, 2011
These were all new-to-me-authors, except Lora Leigh. Two of them I liked enough to want to try again.
“Vampire’s Ball” by Angela Knight.
“My father is one of the Knights of the Round Table. And he’s a vampire.”
Really, what more needs to be said. 1 star.
“A Little Night Magic” by Allyson James.
A bit cruder than I enjoy and could have used more time on character development, but I liked the couple. Nummy hero. 2.5 stars.
“Sweet Enchantment” by Anya Bast.
Set in an Immortals-after-Darkish world of modern fae. (They even have a reality show, “Faemous,” though overall it’s darker and more traditional in tone than Cole’s books.) Good reunion story. Will try the next book; the heroine Aislinn is briefly introduced here. 3.5 stars.
"A Christmas Kiss" by Lora Leigh
I don't think I've ever liked a Leigh short story before, but this one is really sweet. 4 stars.
“Vampire’s Ball” by Angela Knight.
“My father is one of the Knights of the Round Table. And he’s a vampire.”
Really, what more needs to be said. 1 star.
“A Little Night Magic” by Allyson James.
A bit cruder than I enjoy and could have used more time on character development, but I liked the couple. Nummy hero. 2.5 stars.
“Sweet Enchantment” by Anya Bast.
Set in an Immortals-after-Darkish world of modern fae. (They even have a reality show, “Faemous,” though overall it’s darker and more traditional in tone than Cole’s books.) Good reunion story. Will try the next book; the heroine Aislinn is briefly introduced here. 3.5 stars.
"A Christmas Kiss" by Lora Leigh
I don't think I've ever liked a Leigh short story before, but this one is really sweet. 4 stars.
November 15, 2009
I just wanted to say that I am highly pleased with the satisfaction that this novel has given me. I used top work long hard hours in a DENTAC unit in the army leaving me with many lonely nights. This book awoke many sexual prownesses that I never knew I had inside of me. Co-workers do not understand me, and the way I i feel on the inside. I get a lisp just thinking about this novel. Last night I read my favorite chapter and I could feel my back perspire from the intense sexual passion i have yet to experiance in my own life.
July 4, 2018
Love the stories in this book even after reading a second time!
July 31, 2019
Four paranormal romance novellas from four top authors revolving around the theme of sensuality and Christmas...woohoo...
In 2010, Allyson James' "A Little Night Magic" was nominated for the RITA Award by Romance Writers of America for Romance Novella.
The Series
"Vampire's Ball", Mageverse #5.5
"A Little Night Magic", Stormwalker #0.5
"Sweet Enchantment", Dark Magick #1
"A Christmas Kiss", Breeds #13.5
The Stories
Angela Knight's "Vampire's Ball"
A well done novella, providing a good bit of background on the Mageverse with a sobering explanation of why these immortal witches and vampires avoid contact with their children.
The characters include Kat Danilo, a fitness instructor who cares for her suicidal mother, Mary, who thought Kat's father had been John Lance. Karen had been Kat's older sister; Jimmy Chosen had been Karen's boyfriend. Grace du Lac is a Majae mated to Lancelot du Lac (Hot Blooded: "Seduction's Gift", 0.5). Caroline is Lance's daughter-in-law.
Eighty-year-old Ridge Champion has been a vampire, a Magi, for the past sixty years, and Kat is his first (and only) conversion. Morgana Le Fay leads the Majae. Janice was the Majae who had brought Ridge over. King Arthur leads the Magi.
They live in the Mageverse, a parallel universe where magic is strong. The Healing Clinic is a magic one. Petra is a spiritual healer. A Truebond is a deep magical union between a Majae and a Magi. An alien, Merlin, had converted the knights and ladies of the Round Table and made it possible for their descendants to become immortal. Those descendants are the Latents. Direwolves were created by Merlin to act as a counterbalance.
Allyson James' "A Little Night Magic"
This story introduces James' Stormwalker series, casually mentioning Janet Begay, the primary character who first appears prominently in Stormwalker , 1. This short story is all about a Navajo shaman who unexpectedly discovers he's a Changer and his arduous journey to understand it and get back to the woman he loves.
Based in Magellan, a crossroads, the characters include Jamison Kee, a Navajo shaman, latent mountain lion shifter, and a renowned sculptor. Naomi Hansen has a deaf daughter, Julie, whose books are her connection to the world. Naomi and the Medinas run Hansen's Garden Center, her parents' old business. Paco Medina is a mechanic. Heather Hansen is Naomi's cousin who owns Paradox, a new age store in Magellan. Jamison's grandfather doesn't appear to like Naomi.
Nicole is a high school friend of Naomi's who lives in Flagstaff. Alex Clay is an Apache shaman and hawk shifter in Whiteriver. Maude McGuire is married to the chief of police. Amy is Maude's missing daughter. Jamison knows a Janet Begay, a half-Navajo, who investigates mysteries but moved to Flagstaff. Matto and Lira are Changers from Mexico.
Changers are shapeshifters. A skinwalker requires a hide to change.
Anya Bast's "Sweet Enchantment"
This was terrible.
Lora Leigh's "A Christmas Kiss"
This novella immediately starts with conflict: the joy and warmth of the winter holiday season versus the coldness of betrayal. Leigh takes her time, teasing it out as to why Jessica is imprisoned and yet not. It also provides a handy reason why Hawke is so wrought up.
It is somewhat annoying as Jessica whines on about how she can't be with Hawke until she finally comes out with the why.
The characters at Haven, the Colorado Wolf Breed Compound on Wolf Mountain, include Jessica Raines, former military, who was drugged into betraying the wolves and has been imprisoned for a year. Her father and brother were part of a pure-blood organization. Craig Raines is Jessica's uncle who is in prison.
Hawke Esteban, an advisor on security and communications issues, is a Wolf destined to mate with Jessica, if she proves true. Wolf Alpha Wolfe Gunnar (Hope is his mate; Primal Heat: "Wolfe’s Hope" (Wolf Breeds, 1), 8.5) is in charge. Jacob Arlington, who is his second-in-command, is mated to Faith ( Jacob’s Faith (Wolf Breeds, 2), 9). Aiden Chance is Haven's head of security and mated to Charity ( Aiden's Charity (Wolf Breeds, 3), 10), who recently gave birth to a son.
Ashley, Sharone, and Emma True are sisters and Coyotes. Amanda Bear is the daughter of a former president and mated to a Coyote. Anya Delgado, the Coya, is mated to the Coyote Alpha, Del Rey ( Coyote's Mate , 13). Mordecai is a steel-hard Coyote; Rule is a Lion who normally works Jonas Wyatt's (the director of Breed Affairs) personal security. Dr Armani is a Breed medic. Todd Bennett works in the communications center and is/was Jessica's friend. Advert is a small town outside Haven.
The Cover and Title
Oh, yeah, the cover is also hot for the holidays with a partial frontal view of a man on the left with a chiseled torso, his hand hooked in the waistband of his blue jeans and a striped candy cane tucked behind it, pointing the way. The background is of a stone fireplace, a Christmas stocking hanging from the mantle. At the very top on the right is a yellowish orange info blurb of the two more prominent authors (in white text), another info blurb of the other two authors. At the man's wrist is the title in a red script tilted like a Christmas card signature. At the very bottom is another info blurb telling us these are short stories, novellas.
The title tells it all, for each couple is Hot for the Holidays.
In 2010, Allyson James' "A Little Night Magic" was nominated for the RITA Award by Romance Writers of America for Romance Novella.
The Series
"Vampire's Ball", Mageverse #5.5
"A Little Night Magic", Stormwalker #0.5
"Sweet Enchantment", Dark Magick #1
"A Christmas Kiss", Breeds #13.5
The Stories
Angela Knight's "Vampire's Ball"
A well done novella, providing a good bit of background on the Mageverse with a sobering explanation of why these immortal witches and vampires avoid contact with their children.
The characters include Kat Danilo, a fitness instructor who cares for her suicidal mother, Mary, who thought Kat's father had been John Lance. Karen had been Kat's older sister; Jimmy Chosen had been Karen's boyfriend. Grace du Lac is a Majae mated to Lancelot du Lac (Hot Blooded: "Seduction's Gift", 0.5). Caroline is Lance's daughter-in-law.
Eighty-year-old Ridge Champion has been a vampire, a Magi, for the past sixty years, and Kat is his first (and only) conversion. Morgana Le Fay leads the Majae. Janice was the Majae who had brought Ridge over. King Arthur leads the Magi.
They live in the Mageverse, a parallel universe where magic is strong. The Healing Clinic is a magic one. Petra is a spiritual healer. A Truebond is a deep magical union between a Majae and a Magi. An alien, Merlin, had converted the knights and ladies of the Round Table and made it possible for their descendants to become immortal. Those descendants are the Latents. Direwolves were created by Merlin to act as a counterbalance.
Allyson James' "A Little Night Magic"
This story introduces James' Stormwalker series, casually mentioning Janet Begay, the primary character who first appears prominently in Stormwalker , 1. This short story is all about a Navajo shaman who unexpectedly discovers he's a Changer and his arduous journey to understand it and get back to the woman he loves.
Based in Magellan, a crossroads, the characters include Jamison Kee, a Navajo shaman, latent mountain lion shifter, and a renowned sculptor. Naomi Hansen has a deaf daughter, Julie, whose books are her connection to the world. Naomi and the Medinas run Hansen's Garden Center, her parents' old business. Paco Medina is a mechanic. Heather Hansen is Naomi's cousin who owns Paradox, a new age store in Magellan. Jamison's grandfather doesn't appear to like Naomi.
Nicole is a high school friend of Naomi's who lives in Flagstaff. Alex Clay is an Apache shaman and hawk shifter in Whiteriver. Maude McGuire is married to the chief of police. Amy is Maude's missing daughter. Jamison knows a Janet Begay, a half-Navajo, who investigates mysteries but moved to Flagstaff. Matto and Lira are Changers from Mexico.
Changers are shapeshifters. A skinwalker requires a hide to change.
Anya Bast's "Sweet Enchantment"
This was terrible.
Lora Leigh's "A Christmas Kiss"
This novella immediately starts with conflict: the joy and warmth of the winter holiday season versus the coldness of betrayal. Leigh takes her time, teasing it out as to why Jessica is imprisoned and yet not. It also provides a handy reason why Hawke is so wrought up.
It is somewhat annoying as Jessica whines on about how she can't be with Hawke until she finally comes out with the why.
The characters at Haven, the Colorado Wolf Breed Compound on Wolf Mountain, include Jessica Raines, former military, who was drugged into betraying the wolves and has been imprisoned for a year. Her father and brother were part of a pure-blood organization. Craig Raines is Jessica's uncle who is in prison.
Hawke Esteban, an advisor on security and communications issues, is a Wolf destined to mate with Jessica, if she proves true. Wolf Alpha Wolfe Gunnar (Hope is his mate; Primal Heat: "Wolfe’s Hope" (Wolf Breeds, 1), 8.5) is in charge. Jacob Arlington, who is his second-in-command, is mated to Faith ( Jacob’s Faith (Wolf Breeds, 2), 9). Aiden Chance is Haven's head of security and mated to Charity ( Aiden's Charity (Wolf Breeds, 3), 10), who recently gave birth to a son.
Ashley, Sharone, and Emma True are sisters and Coyotes. Amanda Bear is the daughter of a former president and mated to a Coyote. Anya Delgado, the Coya, is mated to the Coyote Alpha, Del Rey ( Coyote's Mate , 13). Mordecai is a steel-hard Coyote; Rule is a Lion who normally works Jonas Wyatt's (the director of Breed Affairs) personal security. Dr Armani is a Breed medic. Todd Bennett works in the communications center and is/was Jessica's friend. Advert is a small town outside Haven.
The Cover and Title
Oh, yeah, the cover is also hot for the holidays with a partial frontal view of a man on the left with a chiseled torso, his hand hooked in the waistband of his blue jeans and a striped candy cane tucked behind it, pointing the way. The background is of a stone fireplace, a Christmas stocking hanging from the mantle. At the very top on the right is a yellowish orange info blurb of the two more prominent authors (in white text), another info blurb of the other two authors. At the man's wrist is the title in a red script tilted like a Christmas card signature. At the very bottom is another info blurb telling us these are short stories, novellas.
The title tells it all, for each couple is Hot for the Holidays.
September 20, 2020
I read this as part of the anthology Hot for the Holidays - the link won't populate
I haven't read one of this author's books in a long time. Enjoyable story. I think because it was a short story the angst didn't drag on forever which I liked. 3 stars.
I haven't read one of this author's books in a long time. Enjoyable story. I think because it was a short story the angst didn't drag on forever which I liked. 3 stars.
November 30, 2017
"A little night magic" was the true stand-out in this book. I really liked that one. The rest were just OK.
November 11, 2022
Only read Lora Leigh’s story tbh.
Want to read
September 13, 2018I read the Lora Leigh story on 9/12/18 and really enjoyed it. Hawke is one of the sweetest breeds and I wish he had gotten a full-sized novel.
April 5, 2012
This is like literary crack for your eyeballs.
Crack for the eyeballs. Highly addictive, expensive, and a hard habit to break.
4 short novelettes about people finding love and romance during the Christmas season.
I bought this novelette for the cover. It's .... intriguing..... and oh so alluring!
THE ROMANCE SCALE of all 4 novelettes, is
Vampire's Ball is hot and graphic.
A little Night Magic is so so older experienced lovers reunite.
Sweet Enchantment is warm mushy and slurpy love.
A Christmas Kiss is a reluctant virgin skipping all the amateur stuff and going straight to flaming hot.
"A Christmas Kiss" by Lora Leigh is a novelette about the "Breed". The heroine betrayed the group while she was unwillingly drugged by her own father. Although she somehow managed to save the Breed mates, she was still imprisoned by the Breed for a solid year in virtual solitary confinement as they `determined her innocence'. She was threatened with execution and abandoned by the man she loved during the long incarceration. 3 months after her release, someone is trying to kill her, and the hero declares his `love' for her although he did not contact her during the entire `confinement' (a term which was used maddingly often - they never called it jail or incarceration or false imprisonment). The Breed did not treat her well, yet she still wants to be a part of their community and friends with people who were willing to condemn her to death when she was truly innocent. Ugh!
My biggest complaint, is that I'm not a Breed series fan. Yet. They expect you to know what they are and how the Breed universe works without adequate explanation. I assumed they turned into werewolves or something. But the novelette, like all Lora Leigh books, draws the reader in. It sucks you into its vortex and you find yourself ending up abandoning all your chores and projects to finish it. I'd liken her stories to crack for the eyeballs. Highly addictive, not necessarily good for ya, expensive, and a hard habit to break. And here ah go again, buying more of `em!
"Vampire's Ball" by Angela Knight literally made me laugh. It's one of those `you have to do the `magic' 3 or more times in order to become a witch' stories. The heroine is the daughter of Sir Lancelot. That's right. King Arthur's friend. As an adult, she suddenly finds out she's the progeny of Sir L, and oh - there's more. She's going to go off to a ball with a super sexy vampire who will get to `sponsor' her initiation into the world of the magic, by bleeping her at least 3 times. There's some back story about her sister being murdered, and she saves the life of her suicidal mother. Overall, a simple silly way to waste your time.
"A Little Night Magic" by Allyson James is about a loose twit who acts irrationally. She meets a guy, brings him to her bed the first night with her deaf kid in the house no less, lives with him for years, he disappears without a word for 2 years, then he shows up. She takes him back into her heart and bed without much hand wringing or ado. It's ok, cause see, he suddenly turned into a mountain lion, it scared him, and his answer was to abruptly leave without a word to his `soul mate' (who I might add he never bothered to marry), gets captured by a gang of changers, then escapes. They fight off a gang of murderous changers, then decide to marry. It's ok and well written, but I'm not a shape changer story fan.
"Secret Enchantment" by Anya Bast is a complicated story about fairy land. The hero gave up his love `for her own good' so she can remain at court and so that she would never have children with him and thereby possibly reveal the secret of her tainted blood. Now the hero is condemned to death. The heroine risks all to save him, and he rejects her again! It's a maddingly story about 2 people who can't seem to get their love life timing right. I liked it, and will look up this author to read more of her stories.
Crack for the eyeballs. Highly addictive, expensive, and a hard habit to break.
4 short novelettes about people finding love and romance during the Christmas season.
I bought this novelette for the cover. It's .... intriguing..... and oh so alluring!
THE ROMANCE SCALE of all 4 novelettes, is
Vampire's Ball is hot and graphic.
A little Night Magic is so so older experienced lovers reunite.
Sweet Enchantment is warm mushy and slurpy love.
A Christmas Kiss is a reluctant virgin skipping all the amateur stuff and going straight to flaming hot.
"A Christmas Kiss" by Lora Leigh is a novelette about the "Breed". The heroine betrayed the group while she was unwillingly drugged by her own father. Although she somehow managed to save the Breed mates, she was still imprisoned by the Breed for a solid year in virtual solitary confinement as they `determined her innocence'. She was threatened with execution and abandoned by the man she loved during the long incarceration. 3 months after her release, someone is trying to kill her, and the hero declares his `love' for her although he did not contact her during the entire `confinement' (a term which was used maddingly often - they never called it jail or incarceration or false imprisonment). The Breed did not treat her well, yet she still wants to be a part of their community and friends with people who were willing to condemn her to death when she was truly innocent. Ugh!
My biggest complaint, is that I'm not a Breed series fan. Yet. They expect you to know what they are and how the Breed universe works without adequate explanation. I assumed they turned into werewolves or something. But the novelette, like all Lora Leigh books, draws the reader in. It sucks you into its vortex and you find yourself ending up abandoning all your chores and projects to finish it. I'd liken her stories to crack for the eyeballs. Highly addictive, not necessarily good for ya, expensive, and a hard habit to break. And here ah go again, buying more of `em!
"Vampire's Ball" by Angela Knight literally made me laugh. It's one of those `you have to do the `magic' 3 or more times in order to become a witch' stories. The heroine is the daughter of Sir Lancelot. That's right. King Arthur's friend. As an adult, she suddenly finds out she's the progeny of Sir L, and oh - there's more. She's going to go off to a ball with a super sexy vampire who will get to `sponsor' her initiation into the world of the magic, by bleeping her at least 3 times. There's some back story about her sister being murdered, and she saves the life of her suicidal mother. Overall, a simple silly way to waste your time.
"A Little Night Magic" by Allyson James is about a loose twit who acts irrationally. She meets a guy, brings him to her bed the first night with her deaf kid in the house no less, lives with him for years, he disappears without a word for 2 years, then he shows up. She takes him back into her heart and bed without much hand wringing or ado. It's ok, cause see, he suddenly turned into a mountain lion, it scared him, and his answer was to abruptly leave without a word to his `soul mate' (who I might add he never bothered to marry), gets captured by a gang of changers, then escapes. They fight off a gang of murderous changers, then decide to marry. It's ok and well written, but I'm not a shape changer story fan.
"Secret Enchantment" by Anya Bast is a complicated story about fairy land. The hero gave up his love `for her own good' so she can remain at court and so that she would never have children with him and thereby possibly reveal the secret of her tainted blood. Now the hero is condemned to death. The heroine risks all to save him, and he rejects her again! It's a maddingly story about 2 people who can't seem to get their love life timing right. I liked it, and will look up this author to read more of her stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2016
Sexy Paranomal Collection of Novellas
HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS contains four novellas that are paranomal romances and which have a small relationship with Christmas season.
VAMPIRE BALL by Angela Knight -- This novella is part of the Mageverse series. Kat Danilo finds out at the age of 26 that her father is one of the Knights of the Round Table and a vampire and that Kat herself might become a witch. Kat decides to try and become an immortal in order find out who killed her sister and seek justice. In order to be transformed, Kat must convince Ridge Champion (himself a vampire) that she is worthy. I thought the connection between these two characters was weak in the beginning but it got better as the novella progressed. For me, the problem was the sexual relationship started without any real interaction between the main characters. I thought their relationship got better as the story continued. Rating: 3 stars.
A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC by Allyson James -- This is the prequel to the Stormwalkers series. Naomi is an Unbeliever who doesn't believe in the magical energy to be found in the town of Magellan. She has a deaf daughter. Several years ago, she had a Navajo lover named Jamison Kee until he disappeared without a word to her. After two years, he has returned and he tells her that he is in fact a Changer -- a shapeshifter. This was my favorite of the book. I liked the interesting twist on the shapeshifter theme. Jamison and Noami were a treat together and Noami's daughter was so cute. I would read more of this series based on this novella. Rating: 4.25 stars.
SWEET ENCHANTMENT by Anya Bast -- This is a second chance romance story about Bella Mac Lyr and Ronan Achais. The two reside in a realm of magic. Bella is supposedly possessing light magic and Ronan has dark magic. When Bella comes to offer marriage to save Ronan's life, he rejects her. He wants her to come to him, but only for one reason. Years ago, he rejected her because he did not want her tainted by his blood. Now the two may have another chance, if Ronan doesn't get executed and if they can find a place for themselves. I enjoyed this story although there was a lot of world building involved that limited the romance from my perspective. I still didn't really understand Ronan's motivations in the past for rejecting Bella in such a cruel fashion. Despite this, I enjoyed the story. Rating 3.5 stars.
A CHRISTMAS KISS by Lora Leigh -- This novella is number 19 in Leigh's Breed series. It is the story of Jessica Raines a human who unwillingly betrayed the breeds when her father drugged her. After a year, she has been released from custody although her movements are still restricted. Now Hawke Esteban has come back into her life. As a breed, Hawke has keep his distance from Jessica in order to allow her to be cleared, but now he is ready to claim his mate. I loved the connection between Jess and Hawke. They have a sweet romance despite all the drama surround it. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I would read more based on this story. Rating: 4 stars.
HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS contains four novellas that are paranomal romances and which have a small relationship with Christmas season.
VAMPIRE BALL by Angela Knight -- This novella is part of the Mageverse series. Kat Danilo finds out at the age of 26 that her father is one of the Knights of the Round Table and a vampire and that Kat herself might become a witch. Kat decides to try and become an immortal in order find out who killed her sister and seek justice. In order to be transformed, Kat must convince Ridge Champion (himself a vampire) that she is worthy. I thought the connection between these two characters was weak in the beginning but it got better as the novella progressed. For me, the problem was the sexual relationship started without any real interaction between the main characters. I thought their relationship got better as the story continued. Rating: 3 stars.
A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC by Allyson James -- This is the prequel to the Stormwalkers series. Naomi is an Unbeliever who doesn't believe in the magical energy to be found in the town of Magellan. She has a deaf daughter. Several years ago, she had a Navajo lover named Jamison Kee until he disappeared without a word to her. After two years, he has returned and he tells her that he is in fact a Changer -- a shapeshifter. This was my favorite of the book. I liked the interesting twist on the shapeshifter theme. Jamison and Noami were a treat together and Noami's daughter was so cute. I would read more of this series based on this novella. Rating: 4.25 stars.
SWEET ENCHANTMENT by Anya Bast -- This is a second chance romance story about Bella Mac Lyr and Ronan Achais. The two reside in a realm of magic. Bella is supposedly possessing light magic and Ronan has dark magic. When Bella comes to offer marriage to save Ronan's life, he rejects her. He wants her to come to him, but only for one reason. Years ago, he rejected her because he did not want her tainted by his blood. Now the two may have another chance, if Ronan doesn't get executed and if they can find a place for themselves. I enjoyed this story although there was a lot of world building involved that limited the romance from my perspective. I still didn't really understand Ronan's motivations in the past for rejecting Bella in such a cruel fashion. Despite this, I enjoyed the story. Rating 3.5 stars.
A CHRISTMAS KISS by Lora Leigh -- This novella is number 19 in Leigh's Breed series. It is the story of Jessica Raines a human who unwillingly betrayed the breeds when her father drugged her. After a year, she has been released from custody although her movements are still restricted. Now Hawke Esteban has come back into her life. As a breed, Hawke has keep his distance from Jessica in order to allow her to be cleared, but now he is ready to claim his mate. I loved the connection between Jess and Hawke. They have a sweet romance despite all the drama surround it. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I would read more based on this story. Rating: 4 stars.
November 21, 2010
Vampire’s Ball by Angela Knight: 4 stars. This is number 9 in the Mageverse series. I have not read any of the series, but the author did a fantastic job of not confusing me. I figured this would a difficult story for me to get into. There are so few pages in the story, so many books into this series; I expected to be very confused. This was not the case. The author did not fill in the blanks through a ton of rehashing either, she explained the Mageverse world just enough for the story to flow. I enjoyed Ridge & Kat’s story. Their romance develops quickly, it has to. They have been put together so that he can assist her with activating her Gift. I am definitely intrigued enough about the Arthurian aspect of this story combined with vampires, werewolves and Majae, that I will read more this series.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James: 4 Stars. This is the prequel to the Stormwalker series. This was something different! The author has combined Native American culture in a fantasy. This story is filled with Changers, shaman and skinwalkers. Jamison walked out of Naomi’s life two years ago with no explanation. Now he has stepped back into her life and brought trouble on his heels right to her doorstep. He has come back to protect her and also explain what has changed in him that caused him to leave in the first place. I will definitely be reading more of this series. The character Coyote seems like he will play a role as a cryptic helper in the future books.
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast: 2 Stars. This is the prequel to the
Dark Magick series. If you are a reader that enjoys reading books about the Fae, Seelie and Unseelie Court, you will enjoy this series. I however have noticed it is not for me. I am also not a fan of a romance where there characters are rekindling a past relationship.
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh: 4 Stars. This is number 20 in the Breed series. The story takes place at Haven the Wolf/Coyote compound in Colorado. This is Hawke & Jessica’s story. This story has similar conflicts to the Breed series other books. There is a completely non altered human & a breed. There are the trust hurtles that must be overcome. Of course, there is the ever present evil doer in the Breed compound who has evil intentions of killing as many Breeds as possible. The repetition of these books should get on my nerves, but they don’t. I LOVE the Breed series.
A Little Night Magic by Allyson James: 4 Stars. This is the prequel to the Stormwalker series. This was something different! The author has combined Native American culture in a fantasy. This story is filled with Changers, shaman and skinwalkers. Jamison walked out of Naomi’s life two years ago with no explanation. Now he has stepped back into her life and brought trouble on his heels right to her doorstep. He has come back to protect her and also explain what has changed in him that caused him to leave in the first place. I will definitely be reading more of this series. The character Coyote seems like he will play a role as a cryptic helper in the future books.
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast: 2 Stars. This is the prequel to the
Dark Magick series. If you are a reader that enjoys reading books about the Fae, Seelie and Unseelie Court, you will enjoy this series. I however have noticed it is not for me. I am also not a fan of a romance where there characters are rekindling a past relationship.
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh: 4 Stars. This is number 20 in the Breed series. The story takes place at Haven the Wolf/Coyote compound in Colorado. This is Hawke & Jessica’s story. This story has similar conflicts to the Breed series other books. There is a completely non altered human & a breed. There are the trust hurtles that must be overcome. Of course, there is the ever present evil doer in the Breed compound who has evil intentions of killing as many Breeds as possible. The repetition of these books should get on my nerves, but they don’t. I LOVE the Breed series.
December 12, 2009
Great read. Multi-author anthology. I loved three out of the four stories.
VAMPIRE'S BALL by Angela Knight Good read; it is a Mageverse story and slots in after Master of Dragons and before Master of Fire. Very likable characters although 'caution' does not seem to appear in the heroine's dictionary. The complications with her Mom and biological father add depth to the story.
A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC by Allyson James Good read. This is listed as a 'prequel' to her Stormwalker due out in May 2010. The story, and the hero and heroine, are being manipulated by Coyote - the trickster demigod of southwestern legends. As always he has his own agenda, the implication is that they will be appearing as supporting characters in Stormwalker. I love Coyote and Loki and Monkey and other trickster gods from various folklores. Allyson James does her usual outstanding job; writing complex characters doing things you care about. Her southwest setting is beautifully written as well. Just a hint - she has another Coyote story which seems to be unrelated but I really loved: Howlin' available in ebook from Ellora's Cave.
SWEET ENCHANTMENT by Anya Bast Although well-written this story jars - mostly [IMO:] because the other three are contemporaries with strong paranormal elements. This is a story of Seelie and Unseelie politics set in the world of the Fae Courts. According the author's website, this is a 'taste' of her new Dark Magick series.
A CHRISTMAS KISS by Lora Leigh Good read - a Wolf Breeds story - this one takes up 1 year after the events of Aiden's Charity. Jessica is the human who betrayed them. Hawke is her mate. Although he has spent the year away from her, he has spent the time proving her [relative:] innocence. Now she has been released and Hawke wants her to choose him; it's why he has been so careful to avoid anything that would trigger the mating heat in her although he still burns... Complications abound including the fact someone is trying to kill her.
VAMPIRE'S BALL by Angela Knight Good read; it is a Mageverse story and slots in after Master of Dragons and before Master of Fire. Very likable characters although 'caution' does not seem to appear in the heroine's dictionary. The complications with her Mom and biological father add depth to the story.
A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC by Allyson James Good read. This is listed as a 'prequel' to her Stormwalker due out in May 2010. The story, and the hero and heroine, are being manipulated by Coyote - the trickster demigod of southwestern legends. As always he has his own agenda, the implication is that they will be appearing as supporting characters in Stormwalker. I love Coyote and Loki and Monkey and other trickster gods from various folklores. Allyson James does her usual outstanding job; writing complex characters doing things you care about. Her southwest setting is beautifully written as well. Just a hint - she has another Coyote story which seems to be unrelated but I really loved: Howlin' available in ebook from Ellora's Cave.
SWEET ENCHANTMENT by Anya Bast Although well-written this story jars - mostly [IMO:] because the other three are contemporaries with strong paranormal elements. This is a story of Seelie and Unseelie politics set in the world of the Fae Courts. According the author's website, this is a 'taste' of her new Dark Magick series.
A CHRISTMAS KISS by Lora Leigh Good read - a Wolf Breeds story - this one takes up 1 year after the events of Aiden's Charity. Jessica is the human who betrayed them. Hawke is her mate. Although he has spent the year away from her, he has spent the time proving her [relative:] innocence. Now she has been released and Hawke wants her to choose him; it's why he has been so careful to avoid anything that would trigger the mating heat in her although he still burns... Complications abound including the fact someone is trying to kill her.
November 23, 2011
It's a known fact that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Well, I did just that when I chose this e-book from Library-to-Go. I did not get what I thought I was getting from the cover. SPOILER ALERT: There are NO men in any of the four stories in this book with candy canes in their pants. It's just false advertising.
What we do have are four short and steamy paranormal romance stories that have to work like the Dickens (tee hee) to try to add any kind of Christmas tie in. I read paranormal romance plenty, so even though I wasn't expecting this genre in the book, I should have had a winner. However, I haven't read any of these series and did not know what the hell was going on.
There's a Mageverse story, which is some kind of vampire universe that corresponds with King Arthur and the Knights of the round table and some kind of witches. Huh?
There's a Stormwalker story which is about Coyote the Trickster and Native American shapeshifters. I did ok with following along this one.
There's a Dark Magick story involving Seelie & Unseelie fairies (fae) and I'm just going to stop here because I never knew what the devil was happening in this story.
Then there was a Breeds story. Breeds #20 to be exact. Never heard of the series and clearly never read one through nineteen. It was pretty good, but I think there was a lot going on that I just didn't understand.
Did I mention how ridiculous it was to try to add a holiday theme into each of these stories?
Well, I guess I'm overthinking a book that I picked because it had a hot man with a candy cane in his pants on the cover. We truly cannot judge a book by it's cover. I'd like to say I've learned my lesson, but I will surely do it again. :)
What we do have are four short and steamy paranormal romance stories that have to work like the Dickens (tee hee) to try to add any kind of Christmas tie in. I read paranormal romance plenty, so even though I wasn't expecting this genre in the book, I should have had a winner. However, I haven't read any of these series and did not know what the hell was going on.
There's a Mageverse story, which is some kind of vampire universe that corresponds with King Arthur and the Knights of the round table and some kind of witches. Huh?
There's a Stormwalker story which is about Coyote the Trickster and Native American shapeshifters. I did ok with following along this one.
There's a Dark Magick story involving Seelie & Unseelie fairies (fae) and I'm just going to stop here because I never knew what the devil was happening in this story.
Then there was a Breeds story. Breeds #20 to be exact. Never heard of the series and clearly never read one through nineteen. It was pretty good, but I think there was a lot going on that I just didn't understand.
Did I mention how ridiculous it was to try to add a holiday theme into each of these stories?
Well, I guess I'm overthinking a book that I picked because it had a hot man with a candy cane in his pants on the cover. We truly cannot judge a book by it's cover. I'd like to say I've learned my lesson, but I will surely do it again. :)
November 9, 2024
Вълчи Породи #6 - Джесика (Човек) и Хоук (Вълк)
"Целувка за Коледа" в Читанка
С Джесика се срещнахме в книгата на Ейдън и Чарити. Джесика е дъщеря на влиятелен мъж подкрепящ групировките, които са против Породите. Когато разбират, че Джесика е шпионин издавал тайна информация за породите в Хейвън, дома на вълчите Породи, тя трябва да попадне под ударите на закона и да бъде екзекутирана като предател. Само дето тя ги е предала против волята си, дрогирана от тайното вещество, което принуждава хора и породи да вършат неща против волята си. Хоук, който познаваме от книгата на Джейкъб и Фейт, знае, че Джес е неговата половинка и се бори със зъби и нокти, за да докаже невинността й, докато в продължение на година тя е държана като затворник от вълчите породи. След събитията в книгата на Меркюри, където д-р Ели беше дрогирана със същият опият, Джесика най-после е обявена за невинна и освободена. Сега Хоук може да й разкаже за всичко, което е правил, за да я опази жива и здрава, и най-после може да предяви претенциите си над нея.
Книжката е малка, сладка и се чете за нула време. Познаваме Хоук от предишни книги и сега станахме свидетели на всички жертви и усилия, които е направил за Джесика.
"Целувка за Коледа" в Читанка
С Джесика се срещнахме в книгата на Ейдън и Чарити. Джесика е дъщеря на влиятелен мъж подкрепящ групировките, които са против Породите. Когато разбират, че Джесика е шпионин издавал тайна информация за породите в Хейвън, дома на вълчите Породи, тя трябва да попадне под ударите на закона и да бъде екзекутирана като предател. Само дето тя ги е предала против волята си, дрогирана от тайното вещество, което принуждава хора и породи да вършат неща против волята си. Хоук, който познаваме от книгата на Джейкъб и Фейт, знае, че Джес е неговата половинка и се бори със зъби и нокти, за да докаже невинността й, докато в продължение на година тя е държана като затворник от вълчите породи. След събитията в книгата на Меркюри, където д-р Ели беше дрогирана със същият опият, Джесика най-после е обявена за невинна и освободена. Сега Хоук може да й разкаже за всичко, което е правил, за да я опази жива и здрава, и най-после може да предяви претенциите си над нея.
Книжката е малка, сладка и се чете за нула време. Познаваме Хоук от предишни книги и сега станахме свидетели на всички жертви и усилия, които е направил за Джесика.
August 27, 2016
Vampire's Ball - Angela Knight - 4 Stars - I really enjoy Knight's spin on Avalon. It's one of my favorites. Kat and Ridge are really good characters, so are Lance and Grace. I look forward to learning more about the Mageverse.
A Little Night Magic - Allyson James - 3 Stars - Good story but kind of drawn out a bit longer than it needed to be.
Sweet Enchantment - Anya Bast - 1 1/2 Stars - OMG finally done! This story was equal parts too slow and too fast. Over detailed and terrible pace.
A Christmas Kiss - Lora Leigh - 4 3/4 Stars - Lora Leigh never fails me. I was captured by the 1st chapter and totally addicted to the following 9. Though this is the first time I've encountered Hawke and Jess I must say I love them just as much as I love her other characters. Though their story was short I felt it was complete.
A Little Night Magic - Allyson James - 3 Stars - Good story but kind of drawn out a bit longer than it needed to be.
Sweet Enchantment - Anya Bast - 1 1/2 Stars - OMG finally done! This story was equal parts too slow and too fast. Over detailed and terrible pace.
A Christmas Kiss - Lora Leigh - 4 3/4 Stars - Lora Leigh never fails me. I was captured by the 1st chapter and totally addicted to the following 9. Though this is the first time I've encountered Hawke and Jess I must say I love them just as much as I love her other characters. Though their story was short I felt it was complete.
December 24, 2009
The 1st story is a Angela Knight Mageverse. Lancelot send's Ridge after his daughter Kat to find out if she is a Maja. She must return with Ridge to Mageverse to find out. She is not happy about leaving her mother because she has tried to kill herself before. And Christmas is the worst time.
and now he's back. And she is pissed that he thinks he can just walk back into her and her daughters lives again. He says he can explain. But all she wants to say is "I got over you" but really she didn't. Naomi has missed Jamison so terribly bad that all she wants to do is make love to him. But first things first.
The 3rd story is by Anya Bast. Its about the Fae. And quite frankly I found it quite enjoyable. The two in this story have lots of obsticles to overcome. Bella has been in love with Ronan for over 30 years. They are from different courts. Like being of two different races. It just isn't done in this time. This story is what they have to overcome.
The 4th is the best by Lora Leigh. Another Breed story. This is Jessica and Hawke's story.
and now he's back. And she is pissed that he thinks he can just walk back into her and her daughters lives again. He says he can explain. But all she wants to say is "I got over you" but really she didn't. Naomi has missed Jamison so terribly bad that all she wants to do is make love to him. But first things first.
The 3rd story is by Anya Bast. Its about the Fae. And quite frankly I found it quite enjoyable. The two in this story have lots of obsticles to overcome. Bella has been in love with Ronan for over 30 years. They are from different courts. Like being of two different races. It just isn't done in this time. This story is what they have to overcome.
The 4th is the best by Lora Leigh. Another Breed story. This is Jessica and Hawke's story.
December 2, 2024
There are some really good authors in this genre of paranormal spicy romance but I’ve also encountered some truly awful ones. I had high hopes that this anthology might introduce 1 or 2 new good authors for my reading pleasure and it DID. The first story by Angela Knight had some promise. The character building was decent. The world building had promise. But the dialog? Ug. It was like teenagers talking. I DID like that there was no profanity. Other than the speed bump of the immature dialog, this writer is skilled and even though there were a couple of hiccups for me (initial sex scene was a bit cringy because they had just worked out without showering, and Kat allowing her suicidal mom to have sleeping pills), I enjoyed reading her work. Though she lacks just a bit in environmental descriptions, she is masterful in the bedroom scenes: “He gave one nipple a delicate nibble, using just enough tooth, just enough pressure. Swirls of candied heat made her writhe.” She did not skimp on the spice like other authors and their one and done at the end of the book. Angela Knight gave us several session of deliciousness. I plan to seek out more of her work.
The second story by Allyson James gripped me from start to finish. It was like no other tale in this genre, yet had many of the same elements: fated mates, shifters, alpha males. It took place in Arizona and encompassed Native American culture and beliefs. The male MC was a Navajo mountain lion shifter whose family didn't have any other shifters, and who didn't know he was a shifter until he was well into adulthood. The female MC was a normal white single mother of a deaf daughter. The characters were well developed, and the world building was so believable that it didn’t even seem like fantasy to me. For me, the story immersed me into a culture I’d always been fascinated with, the Navajo. I liked that neither of the MCs were royal or wealthy, but average everyday people like me because it was a break from the normal story in this genre. I also liked that there wasn’t any profanity and that the dialog flowed and of course I got my happily ever after.
3rd book by Anya Bast
The world building in this third story was outstanding as was the political intrigue and the slow burn between the two MCs. One of the conflicts was that Bella, the female MC, lived in the fae seely court, but her secret was that she somehow had unseely blood somewhere in her dna because when she was a child her dark wishes, such as the destruction of her motther’s piano so she wouldn’t have to take lessons anymore, or the breaking of a water main so she could have a break from school, were coming true. Once she realized it, she had to discipline her thoughts and keep her secret, even from her parents or they would all be put out of the court and left destitute. We all must control our own thoughts but can you imagine the temptation to be able to ruin your enemy’s life or to cause harm to someone who hurt you or your loved ones? Then there is the conflict of the man she loves sentenced to death and refusing her offer to save his life by marrying her. She loved him enough to extend the offer even though he’d spurned and broke her heart decades earlier. All this was set up before we were even 20% into the story. However, after that, it was not as pleasurable for me to read. It was a good love story but once the world had been built, there were a lot of "holes" in it, a lot of unanswered questions. The fact that I didn’t rush back to read when I was interrupted by guests, or meals, or appointments, proved to me that this was not a story that I particularly enjoyed. Of course it never tripped me up like stories with really bad writing. In fact there was nothing wrong with the writing. No grammar or spelling errors, no inconsistencies, nothing immature. The dialog was fine. The intimate scenes were detailed and effectively enticing. It just felt like it was a piece of a bigger story that was left untold.
The last story by Lora Leigh grabbed me right away because it was set in Colorado, my home. It was, by far, the best when it came to the sexual tension and fulfillment. I’m certain my heart rate went through the roof while reading those parts. The only thing that tripped me up was the name of the shifters, Breeds. The word can be a verb or a noun, and every time Leigh used the word, it confused me because I had to decided if it was one or the other and then once I did that, I had to realize that it didn’t have the normal meaning, that it was actually the name of the species Jessica was living with. For instance “How could any of the Breeds trust her now?” My first thought was that there were a lot of different shifters breeds, and none of them would trust her. But then I had to remember that “Breeds” was the name of the entire group living at this compound. In my opinion, it would have better served the story to have named the group something different like Lycan, or Shifters (although no one ever shifted into an animal so I feel like I missed something), or some made up name. Even the name “The Bred” would have been easier to the flow of the story. Once I finished the story, I read about the author and learned that she has another set of books all about the Breeds. So, perhaps once I read those, this one will make more sense to me. It cracked me up that the name of the alpha wolf Breed was Wolfe. I liked that Leigh called the season “Christmas” rather than yule, like every other author in the anthology. My favorite scene was when the two lovers left the Christmas Eve party to spend the rest of the holiday alone together in their new home, next to their first Christmas tree and where Hawke gifted her their first ornament to hang on it which he'd had made specifically for her depicting the two of them, and then he kissed her passionately planning on showing her more ways that he loved her. The next scene was my least favorite. But you’ll have to read it to find out why.
All in all, I found 4 new authors that I'd like to read more of their work.
The second story by Allyson James gripped me from start to finish. It was like no other tale in this genre, yet had many of the same elements: fated mates, shifters, alpha males. It took place in Arizona and encompassed Native American culture and beliefs. The male MC was a Navajo mountain lion shifter whose family didn't have any other shifters, and who didn't know he was a shifter until he was well into adulthood. The female MC was a normal white single mother of a deaf daughter. The characters were well developed, and the world building was so believable that it didn’t even seem like fantasy to me. For me, the story immersed me into a culture I’d always been fascinated with, the Navajo. I liked that neither of the MCs were royal or wealthy, but average everyday people like me because it was a break from the normal story in this genre. I also liked that there wasn’t any profanity and that the dialog flowed and of course I got my happily ever after.
3rd book by Anya Bast
The world building in this third story was outstanding as was the political intrigue and the slow burn between the two MCs. One of the conflicts was that Bella, the female MC, lived in the fae seely court, but her secret was that she somehow had unseely blood somewhere in her dna because when she was a child her dark wishes, such as the destruction of her motther’s piano so she wouldn’t have to take lessons anymore, or the breaking of a water main so she could have a break from school, were coming true. Once she realized it, she had to discipline her thoughts and keep her secret, even from her parents or they would all be put out of the court and left destitute. We all must control our own thoughts but can you imagine the temptation to be able to ruin your enemy’s life or to cause harm to someone who hurt you or your loved ones? Then there is the conflict of the man she loves sentenced to death and refusing her offer to save his life by marrying her. She loved him enough to extend the offer even though he’d spurned and broke her heart decades earlier. All this was set up before we were even 20% into the story. However, after that, it was not as pleasurable for me to read. It was a good love story but once the world had been built, there were a lot of "holes" in it, a lot of unanswered questions. The fact that I didn’t rush back to read when I was interrupted by guests, or meals, or appointments, proved to me that this was not a story that I particularly enjoyed. Of course it never tripped me up like stories with really bad writing. In fact there was nothing wrong with the writing. No grammar or spelling errors, no inconsistencies, nothing immature. The dialog was fine. The intimate scenes were detailed and effectively enticing. It just felt like it was a piece of a bigger story that was left untold.
The last story by Lora Leigh grabbed me right away because it was set in Colorado, my home. It was, by far, the best when it came to the sexual tension and fulfillment. I’m certain my heart rate went through the roof while reading those parts. The only thing that tripped me up was the name of the shifters, Breeds. The word can be a verb or a noun, and every time Leigh used the word, it confused me because I had to decided if it was one or the other and then once I did that, I had to realize that it didn’t have the normal meaning, that it was actually the name of the species Jessica was living with. For instance “How could any of the Breeds trust her now?” My first thought was that there were a lot of different shifters breeds, and none of them would trust her. But then I had to remember that “Breeds” was the name of the entire group living at this compound. In my opinion, it would have better served the story to have named the group something different like Lycan, or Shifters (although no one ever shifted into an animal so I feel like I missed something), or some made up name. Even the name “The Bred” would have been easier to the flow of the story. Once I finished the story, I read about the author and learned that she has another set of books all about the Breeds. So, perhaps once I read those, this one will make more sense to me. It cracked me up that the name of the alpha wolf Breed was Wolfe. I liked that Leigh called the season “Christmas” rather than yule, like every other author in the anthology. My favorite scene was when the two lovers left the Christmas Eve party to spend the rest of the holiday alone together in their new home, next to their first Christmas tree and where Hawke gifted her their first ornament to hang on it which he'd had made specifically for her depicting the two of them, and then he kissed her passionately planning on showing her more ways that he loved her. The next scene was my least favorite. But you’ll have to read it to find out why.
All in all, I found 4 new authors that I'd like to read more of their work.
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