NR: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Lover Unleashed

Black Dagger Brotherhood #9

J.R. Ward

Hardcover, 489 pages

Published March 29th 2011 by NAL Hardcover

ISBN 0451233166

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either. When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul. As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

GoodReads

5 Loveys!

Lover Unleashed was simply amazing! I loved every second of this new BDB novel and could not bare to put it down for even a minute.

Payne and Manny had explosive chemistry right from the start and a true, emotional connection that could not be denied. Their entire relationship was touching and Manny’s support of Payne was beautiful. I’m disappointed we didn’t see more sexy time between them because there was another couple that took up a lot of the novel but you will find no complaints about that from me! Though I did miss the mating ceremony.

Then we have my favorite part of the whole book, Vishous. Him and Jane go through some heartbreaking times and it really tugged at my heart. Just thinking about it right now is making me tear up. But I could see both side’s point of view and being a V lover I totally sympathized with him. Butch really comes through as his brother, helping this couple over a huge mountain in their relationship. I just can’t say enough how much I loved these scenes with the trio. We saw a whole new side of V here which just added to his multiple dimensions and made me love him even more, which you would think is impossible but it’s not!  Ward has added a whole other layer onto this fabulous brother.

Qhuinn and Blaylock also had some scenes in Lover Unleashed and I’m really hating how their relationship, or lack thereof, is getting drawn out but Ward threw in an interesting twist towards the end with the lovely Layla. And I really want to see where this is heading and I have to say *ducking head* I’m not with the majority of BDB fans here. LoL But I think Qhuinn is heading into the right direction and maturing a lot.

As to the plot, Lover Unleashed was more about the characters and their relationships then action so some readers may be disappointed with that but I am not one of them. We had a few Lessers pop up but the plot took a side trip away from that and the big bad with some interesting new characters in the Band of Bastards! Sounds intriguing, no? I can’t wait to see where these new, bad brothers take the story in future installments. There was also a new detective introduced, Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, and we will see more of him in the next Fallen Angels novel, Envy!

The ending felt rushed and I wanted more more more but despite that I loved Lover Unleashed, it’s moved its way to the top of my favorite BDB novels! This is definitely a must read novel from a have to read series! 

Series NR: The Feral Warrior Series #1-4 by Pamela Palmer

The Feral Warrior Series #1-4

By Pamela Palmer

Eons ago, before the rise of human civilization, two immortal races battled the Daemons for control of the earth. The Mage, or magic ones, and the Therians, the mighty shape-shifters. Though traditional enemies, the Mage and Therians banded together to overcome the High Daemon, Satanan, ending his reign of terror and destroying his armies. The cost of victory was high. To win that ultimate battle, both races were forced to mortgage nearly all their power. Only one Therian among each of the ancient lines of shape-shifters was left with the power of his animal. Nine remain.

They are the Feral Warriors.

Desire Untamed

Kara MacAllister's quiet small-town life is transformed forever the night a powerful stranger rips her from her home, claiming she is the chosen one – the key to his survival. Spiriting her away into the rain-soaked night, Lyon reveals a truth Kara can barely credit. She's immortal, and the only one who can save his race. And deep within her, he arouses a fierce, primal hunger beyond anything she's ever imagined. But only when their lives are threatened by an ancient evil will Kara and Lyon realize they have found a love they would risk their immortal souls to claim...and a powerful desire that could never, ever be tamed.

Obsession Untamed

Every time she closes her eyes, Delaney Randallsuffers another nightmare. A brutal serial killer has found his way inside the tough, take-no-prisoners FBI agent's head. Now she lives the murders through his eyes, from his deadly approach, to his victims' screams. Until the night he breaks into her apartment and she fears she's going to be the next to die. But the man who snatches Delaney from her home isn't the murderer. He's Tighe, a dangerous Feral Warrior who needs her and her visions to stop the rampages of a creature as inhuman as he is evil. Tighe has little use for humans, but as he and Delaney join forces to track the dark fiend, he falls for the intense beauty and becomes wild with an obsession as untamed as his heart.

Passion Untamed

Though the Mage witch Skye has a gentle heart, demonic forces have enslaved her, forcing her to kidnap Paenther, a powerful and dangerous Feral Warrior. Even chained and naked, Paenther is a cunning prisoner who seduces her, body and soul, turning captive into captor. Paenther's pride demands revenge against the enchantress who emerged from the deep woods like a sensual vision and enthralled him, even as she makes his body burn with passion. Despite his fury over her treachery, Skye's gentle beauty calls to his soul, calming the wild chaos within him, and stealing his heart. But when evil threatens, Paenther and Skye's only chance at survival is to trust in one another…and the power of love.

Rapture Untamed

The most combative - and tormented - of all the Ferals,Jag is a predator who hunts alone - until daemons terrorize the human population. To stop them, he partners with Olivia, a flame-haired Therian temptress as strong as she is beautiful. But Olivia is no ordinary immortal. The survivor of a vicious supernatural attack, she possesses a deadly and forbidden skill - one that must remain hidden, especially from the powerful Feral Warriors.

As Jag and Olivia's sensual dance of dominance and seduction gets wilder and hotter, a dark force sets its sights on Olivia, threatening to destroy everything she has vowed to protect. And the only one who can save her soul is the arrogant jaguar shifter she lusts for but dares not love.

4 Loveys!

The Feral Warriors is a dark and sexy series; every page will leave you craving for more of these delicious warriors.

The series focused on a group of fine warrior males with troubled pasts that meet and fight for their lady loves, which is not as easy as it sounds. Each novel focuses on a different warrior and their HEA.

To balance out the romance and keep the story entertaining there is suspense and action; with the nine Ferals fighting against Daemons; nasty little evil creatures trying to release the High Daemon, Satanan and take over the world.

Each warrior has their own little gifts and ability to shift into a specific animal and fight the Daemons to protect the humans and the world. If that wasn’t enough, Mages (magick users), who have long been enemies of the Therians, have joined with the Daemons in the war. These creatures worship the Goddess, Mother Earth, and when one of the Mages is killed Mother Earth gets upset, which adds interesting plot twists. How are they to dispatch a threat that will in turn anger the very Earth they are fighting to save?  Will the Ferals prevail and make the world safe again or will the Daemons succeed, causing all Hell breaks loose, literally?

Each novel is well written, the relationships between characters is well developed, the group dynamic intriguing and the dialogue between each is entertaining. Bad boy Jag in Rapture Untamed is my favorite so far but I love each warrior and their own feisty heroines that keep them on their toes. 

The Feral Warriors is an exciting series and a great read. If you like The Dark (Carpathian) Series, Midnight Breed Series and Jacquelyn Frank's series then I definitely recommend these to try out.  Super for all paranormal romance and urban fantasy lovers. 

Guest Post with author Amanda E. Alvarez of Hunting Human

Today I have a special guest joining PRA; the fantastic author of Hunting Human, Amanda E. Alvarez! You can catch my 4 Lovey review on the novel here. A big thank you to Amanda for taking the time to stop by, I hope that you enjoy her post lovelies!

*~*~*

One of the things that I get asked the most is where I came up for the idea for my debut novel, Hunting Human.  The easy answer is that I came up with the idea while fighting off an afternoon snooze in the back of my constitutional law class several years ago.  But the truth is that is the easy answer.  Yes, the initial idea for Hunting Human was born of boredom.  But it took years and years and years before that idea finally blossomed into a full blown plot.  For some of those years I just sort of let the idea rattle around in my head.  I’d think about it every now and again in the shower.  Or in traffic.  Or while in line.  Sometimes those ruminations were productive.  Bits of dialogue would filter through, sometimes small scenes.  But more often than not I just thought about the characters, what they were like, what their dreams and fears were.  Then, a couple of years later I finally decided that I wanted to try my hand at actually writing the novel.  The first two or three chapters came fairly easily – after all, I’d been thinking about the story for a really long time.  Huzzah!  I can do this… or so I thought.  Once the initial burst of writing ran through my system I found myself stranded, wondering where to go, what to do.  All the ideas, snippets and thoughts I’d had in line, in the shower, and in traffic suddenly abandoned me.

So I stepped back.  I took classes.  I found a writer’s group.  I looked at the characters differently.  I looked at the story differently.  And ultimately, I boiled everything down to one single question: what story did I really want to tell.  It wasn’t a story about werewolves.  Not really.  The story I wanted to tell was a story about people.  One in particular: Beth.  I’ll admit that I loved paranormal romance novels.  I loved the idea of hidden worlds and exceptional people.  Abilities have always fascinated me, so it didn’t surprise me that I wanted to write a book about them.  What did surprise me was how I wanted to approach that story.  At the time, I remember thinking that most of the paranormal romances I’d read dealt with characters that either had lived with the paranormal their entire lives or were introduced to it by someone they trusted; someone who could answer their questions and guide them through it.  This lead me to the single most important question that ever occurred to me when writing Hunting Human: What would happen if someone completely ordinary, someone like you or I, was violently introduced to the paranormal world with no help, no guide, no nothing?  That story interested me.  That was the one I wanted to explore.

So I stepped back again, I looked at Beth and Braden and the story I was working on and bent and shaped and morphed it until it laid out the journey I wanted my characters – particularly Beth – to take.  I didn’t pull punches in Hunting Human.  I dropped Beth into a nasty situation, one she doesn’t understand and one she can’t control.  Then I made it worse.  I snatched away her best friend.  I took away her understanding of the world and of her place in it.  I made her deal with being a werewolf for years, on her own and without any help.  It’s painful and scary and isolating.  And when I finally let her turn the corner, take her first steps into the future I yanked the rug out from under her again.  I made her face her worst fears, both in the man she loved and in the enemy she loathed.  And in herself.  Because at the end of the day, the question I set out to answer was a human one.  What would Beth do?  What would I do?  What would you do?  What would anyone do when confronted with something so dark, twisted and terrifying and then woke up to realize the nightmare was never going to be over?  I hope the answer is survive.  Survive and hang on, tooth and nail, until life settles and living can begin again.  Beth’s road wasn’t easy.  And she doesn’t make perfect decisions.  But she doesn’t quit, she puts one foot in front of the other and keeps going.  And though her journey is ugly, imperfect and paranormal, it is a human journey.  One of acceptance and forgiveness and love.  And that story was the result of years of thought.  Years of wondering ‘what would an average person do?’

About the Author:

Amanda was born and raised in Texas - and due to an unfortunate three year stint in Michigan - doesn't plan to ever live anywhere where flip-flops and sweatshirts don't constitute winter attire. Often audacious and adventurous, she tends to find herself in a slew of dangerous (and hilarious!) predicaments (law school and fighting raccoons in dumpsters) and thankfully has many friends ready to lend aid (while they laugh.)

When not lawyering, writing, or thinking about going to the gym Amanda is often caught sampling local cupcake offerings and planning to someday co-open an evil bakery and sell dastardly desserts. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas with one regular-sized cat and one jumbo-sized cat, and can be seen writing in public places frequented by hot guys (strictly for research purposes, of course!) with her friends and fellow writers Killer-Cupcake and Pantherista (names omitted to protect the not-so-innocent).

You can find Amanda: on the Web, on Facebook, on Twitter

You can read the first chapter of Hunting Human HERE.

Today's Relapses 04/26/11

Born of Shadows by Sherrilyn Kenyon 

Hardcover: 432 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

ISBN-10: 0446573256

ISBN-13: 978-0446573252

In a world where the League and its assassins rule, where betrayal and treachery are everywhere . . . the only survivors are those ones who are . . . BORN OF SHADOWS                       For Caillen Dagan, a defiant soldier of fortune, survival isn't a right, it's a brutal daily battle. Moving through the Ichidaian universe like a wraith, his brushes with the law and death are legendary. But when an act of rare heroism reveals his hidden birthright, he's forced into a world much more dangerous and cold-hearted than the bloody streets where he was raised-one of obscene wealth and lethal politics.Ferocious and determined, Desideria serves as an official bodyguard for her queen. Born of questionable genetics, she will do anything to prove herself worthy of the weapons she carries and the position she's won by combat. But when she uncovers a ruthless plot to assassinate the queen and overthrow her country's government, Desideria is caught in the crosshairs.With assassination contracts out on both of them, Caillen and Desideria must learn to fight together or die alone. And if they fail, their governments will fall into the hands of an unimaginable evil.

Savage Nature by Christine Feehan 

Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Jove

ISBN-10: 0515149330

ISBN-13: 978-0515149333

Danger lurks in the shadows and desire shimmers in the sultry heat as leopard shifter Drake Donovan is sent to a Louisiana bayou to investigate a murder. He's ready for anything except the insatiable hunger that rocks him when he meets Saria Boudreaux, a woman with a compelling motive-and ability-to distract him from the task at hand...

Mercy Burns by Keri Arthur 

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Dell; Original edition

ISBN-10: 0440245702

ISBN-13: 978-0440245704

DARKNESS DESCENDS. LOVE ABIDES. BUT . . . MERCY BURNS                           Mercy Reynolds is a reporter in the San Francisco Bay area, but she’s also more—and less—than human. Half woman, half air dragon, she’s a “draman”—unable to shift shape but still able to unleash fiery energy. Now something will put her powers to the test.Mercy’s friend Rainey has enlisted her help to solve her sister’s murder. Then a horrible accident claims Rainey’s life, leaving Mercy only five days to find the killer: If Mercy fails, according to dragon law, Rainey’s soul will be doomed to roam the earth for eternity. But how can Mercy help when she herself is a target? With nowhere else to turn, she must join forces with a sexy stranger—the mysterious man they call “Muerte,” or death itself, who’s as irresistible as he is treacherous. But can even Death keep Mercy alive for long enough to find her answers?

Big Bad Beast by Shelly Laurenston 

Paperback: 320 pages

Publisher: Brava

ISBN-10: 0758231709

ISBN-13: 978-0758231703

When it comes to following her instincts, former Marine Dee-Ann Smith never holds back. And this deadly member of a shifter protection group will do anything to prove one of her own kind is having hybrids captured for dogfights. Trouble is, her too-cute rich-boy boss Ric Van Holtz insists on helping out. And his crazy-like-a-fox smarts and charming persistence are making it real hard for Dee to keep her heart safe...Ric can't believe his luck. He's wanted this fiercely independent she-wolf from day one, but he never expected teamwork as explosive as this. And now is his last chance to show Dee what she needs isn't some in-your-face Alpha male - but a wily, resourceful wolf who'll always have her back in a fight...and between the sheets.

Bound by Darkness by Alexis Morgan 

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Pocket Star

ISBN-10: 1439176043

ISBN-13: 978-1439176047

Caught between two worlds, a powerful warrior must choose between impossible destinies when he meets a woman whose love will either make or break him. . . .As the daughter of a Regent, Sasha has long known about the secret underworld of the Paladins and their work protecting her kind from the dark forces on the other side of the energy barrier. So when she is sent on her first solo investigation, on the path to becoming the first female Regent, she is determined to get the Seattle Paladins in line. Offering sanctuary to their Kalith enemies is simply unacceptable! But when she meets Larem, she is inexorably drawn to a dark and valiant warrior who is not at all what he appears to be. As the power struggle between Regents and Paladins rages on, someone starts making attacks on her life. Sasha must choose between loyalty to her own kind and the warrior she loves . . . with the very fate of humanity hanging in the balance.

Ascension by Sable Grace 

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Avon

ISBN-10: 0061964409

ISBN-13: 978-0061964404

The gates of hell have opened, and one woman will stand in the crossfire as the Dark Breed—vampyre, demons, shape shifters—and mankind fight their last battle for survival.Kyana is half Vampyre, half Lychen . . . and the last of her kind. Determined, dangerous, and damned, she has no love for the mortals who have imprisoned and misused her. But when the Order of Ancients entrusts her with a mission—to find the key that will send the Dark Breed back into Hell for eternity—Kyana has no choice but to accept.She is furious to learn her assignment comes with an escort . . . Ryker, a demigod and fierce warrior who long ago found a way under her skin and stayed there. In a shaky alliance, they discover an ancient cult with dangerous motive and a god who seeks to destroy all others. And as Kyana begins to feel the heat that threatens to bind her to Ryker, she knows she has to resist. For it could only mean the undoing of them both . . .

Hush by Cherry Adair

Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition

ISBN-10: 1439153825

ISBN-13: 978-1439153826

A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.A one-night stand that will change his life forever.Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, deathdefying escape separates them and nearly claims Zak’s life . . . until his recovery reveals a baffling new sixth sense.An unexpected diversion with lethal consequences.Now, to find his missing brother, Zak and the mysterious Acadia Gray will have to out-smart, out-gun, and out-maneuver not just the brutal kidnappers but also a new player who joins the adrenaline game: a ruthless opponent who wants the Stark brothers dead—at any cost.

Cover of the Week- Eternal Hunger

Eternal Hunger (Mark Of The Vampire #1)

by Laura Wright

Paperback, 384 pages

Published October 5th 2010 by Signet

ISBN 045123149X

                                                                                                 In the dark, fear and desire are one... 

Alexander Roman wants nothing to do with those of his vampire breed. Fate places him at the door of Dr. Sara Donohue, who is dedicated to removing patients' traumatic memories. But as their world's collide, Sara and Alexander are bound by something even stronger as one becomes hunter and the other, prey. And Sara's only chance of survival is to surrender to the final-and most unimaginable-desire of her life.

I have this wonderful novel with the nummy cover sitting on my shelf right now saying "Read me. Read me."

Giveaway Winners!!!

Happy Saturday lovelies, I hope everyone is having a eggtastic weekend.

We have some giveaway winners to announce:

First from author Leia Shaw's guest post; the winner of an ecopy of Destiny Divided is....

TheJay2xA

And the three winners for a copy of Larissa Ione's Eternal Rider are....

Elaina W.

Tammie L.

Jill P.

Winner's information has been sent to the author/publisher and they will be sending these items out to you shortly. All winners were chosen using random.org. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter tomorrow!

Series NR: Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason

Gardella Vampire Chronicles

By Colleen Gleason

Beneath the glitter of dazzling 19th-century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil...

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy of hunting vampires, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake.

The Rest Falls Away

Beneath the glitter of dazzling 19th-century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil...
In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy of hunting vampires, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake.

Rises the Night

The glorious nineteenth-century city of Rome gives rise to a new threat from the Immortal Undead...
Victoria Gardella has been a vampire slayer for just over a year, balancing her life as a peer of Society with the dangerous role that takes her out on moonlit streets, stake in hand.

The Bleeding Dusk

The undead of Rome are racing to unravel an ancient mystery – and only one woman can stop them...
As Rome prepares for its Carnivale, the new leader of the city's vampire hunters – Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy – must prove herself as never before.

When Twilight Burns

After narrowly escaping from Rome, she returns to London, where not even sunrise can stop a vampire's carnage...

As Shadows Fade

In the fifth and final chapter of her story, Victoria Gardella faces a greater evil than ever before as London is besieged by malevolent entities no mortal was ever meant to encounter...

5 Loveys!

I was enthralled from the first page of The Rest Falls Away until the end of As Shadows Fade. I devoured all five Gardella novels with in a week.

The Gardella Vampire Chronicles is a historical paranormal romance with a heroine, Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy, struggling to balance her normal life with her not so normal. I don't want to give any spoilers but she has a lot to deal with throughout the series; along with a few love interests with a bit of a love triangle later on.

Gleason takes the classic route with vampires, not adding anything crazy without explaining why. The one thing that is off about the classic vampire myths is nothing permanent and I’ll leave you guessing with that one.

The series arc is full and well rounded with romance, mystery, murder and treasure hunting. Each character is endearing and well fleshed out with incredible world building, you can easily picture yourself hunting down the dark alleys with Victoria.

The only thing I was disappointed with was the end, and that is because a certain character didn't get their HEA. But who knows, Gleason might write one for that character someday and if she does I will definitely be reading it.

The whole series is centered on the same characters so if you don't like trying to remember a million different characters throughout the series you'll like this one. I recommend this to historical romance, paranormal romance and urban fantasy lovers. A must read series! 

NR: The Vampire Dimitri by Colleen Gleason

The Vampire Dimitri

Regency Draculia #2

Colleen Gleason

Paperback, 377 pages

Expected publication: May 1st 2011 by Mira

ISBN 0778329828

Courtesy of NetGalley

Dimitri, also known as the Earl of Corvindale, should be delighted that the headstrong Maia Woodmore is getting married. His mortal ward and houseguest has annoyed—and bewitched—the Dracule nobleman too long, and denying his animal cravings grows more excruciating by the day.Miss Woodmore's family has a rather…complicated history with the immortals and she herself possesses a keen sensibility far beyond mere women's intuition. Marriage will give her safety, respectability and everything else a proper young lady could wish for. Everything, that is, except passion.In the looming battle between Dracule factions, all pretenses will shatter as Maia and Dimitri come together in an unholy union of danger, desperation and fiercest desire.

GoodReads

3.5 Loveys!

The Vampire Dimitri was a good read from a sensational author. Though I feel that this series can’t stand up to Gleason’s Gardella’s it is still an enjoyable read.

However, the first half of this novel I could of skipped with the exception of maybe two scenes. I would of thought that The Vampire Dimitri, being the second novel in the Regency Draculia series, would of started off after the events in The Vampire Voss but the first 150+ pages was a recounting of that first book from the two main characters, Maia and Dimitri, point of view. In The Vampire Voss, there were numerous scenes from their POV, so it was a bit redundant to go into it again here.

Once you get past that and into the second half of the novel though, it starts getting good.

I loved the main characters here, Dimitri and Maia. Dimitri has been searching for a way to break his convent with Lucifer from almost the very beginning and he utilizes all his time and resources for this purpose, leaving very little to socialize or leave his study - period. And because of the circumstances surrounding his pact with the devil he is wary to trust others, especially women. His loyalty, strength and sense of right & wrong though really made me admire him. 

Maia is a strong, spunky, take-charge woman who sometimes got to be a bit long winded but entertaining. I really liked these two’s dialogues with each other, their back & forth, and the determinedness to do the right thing for those they care for despite the loss to themselves. Their relationship and romance was a bit slow going but it’s always nice to take a break from the hot & heaviness found in a lot of the romance genres.

The writing and world building was fantastic, just what I expect from Colleen Gleason. If it weren’t for my issues with the first half of the novel The Vampire Dimitri would have had a higher rating. Overall though it was a good read and I look forward to the next in the series. This one hinted at a possible love triangle in The Vampire Narcise, which I am a sucker for. 

Today's Relapses 04/19/11

Twilight Prophecy by Maggie Shayne

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Mira

ISBN-10: 0778329801

ISBN-13: 978-0778329800

According to ancient prophecy, there's only one chance to avert the complete annihilation of the Undead. Twins James William and Brigit Poe, part human, part vampire, believe that they are that chance. In truth, the key lies with the reclusive—and mortal—scholar Lucy Lanfair.
As Armageddon approaches, antivampire sentiment fuels a war neither side can win, driving James to abandon his moral code and draw Lucy into a deadly battle she wants no part of.But Lucy soon realizes that she holds this powerful immortal's soul in her hands and that it's her destiny not only to stop a war but to save him from his inner darkness. If she fails, his race will die—and so will her heart. Is the power of love strong enough to save the world?

Forever Vampire by Michele Hauf 

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: HQN Books

ISBN-10: 0373775725

ISBN-13: 978-0373775729

Vail the Unwanted is a pure-blooded vampire. But raised by Faery, he has neither home nor peace, and when his aid is sought in the recovery of a priceless diamond gown, his price is information. Specifically the whereabouts of his accursed father. His goal is revenge, and the supernaturally sexy Lyric, the icy blond vampiress with whom he must work, is a distraction he can't afford.Outwardly as cold as the diamond dress in which she was kidnapped, Lyric has her own secrets. Desperate to break free from her criminal family, she aligns herself with the brooding Vail. Together they seek justice while each secretly works for freedom and a fresh start. For Lyric that means holding herself apart, even from the smoldering blue-eyed Vail. For Vail, it means a battle to the death for revenge—and for a temptress he can't deny.

The Vampire Dimitri by Colleen Gleason

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Mira

ISBN-10: 0778329828

ISBN-13: 978-0778329824

Dimitri, also known as the Earl of Corvindale, should be delighted that the headstrong Maia Woodmore is getting married. His mortal ward and houseguest has annoyed—and bewitched—the Dracule nobleman too long, and denying his animal cravings grows more excruciating by the day.Miss Woodmore's family has a rather…complicated history with the immortals and she herself possesses a keen sensibility far beyond mere women's intuition. Marriage will give her safety, respectability and everything else a proper young lady could wish for. Everything, that is, except passion.In the looming battle between Dracule factions, all pretenses will shatter as Maia and Dimitri come together in an unholy union of danger, desperation and fiercest desire.

Cover of the Week: Vampire in Atlantis by Alyssa Day

Greek mythology, sexy warriors and a vampire? Who can resist?

Release Date: June 7th, 2011

GoodReads

The most unexpected of all allies to Poseidon's warriors has proven to be the fiercest-Daniel, a vampire and Night Guild mage. But even the strongest alliance can be destroyed when a vampire's oath crosses paths with a maiden's quest, and an eleven-thousand-year-old desire is reborn.

Character Interview & Giveaway with Adrian Phoenix's The Makers Song

PRA: I am incredibly excited to interview Dante Baptiste and Heather Wallace today. Heather and Dante are two fabulous characters from Adrian Phoenix's The Makers Song Series.

I know Dante’s not a big fan of interviews so I’ll try to be gentle. *looks over at Dante and grins* Well, unless you like it rough. *winks*

Dante: *laughs, the sound low and warm* Gentle? Ain’t familiar with that word. I only know rough, so go on, give me your best, chère. 

PRA: *looks over at Heather* Haha, sorry!

Heather: *smiles and flaps a hand* No need to apologize. I’m getting used to it. Hardly anyone says a word to Dante that isn’t brimming with sexual innuendo. Even me. *grins* I mean look at him.

Dante: *snorts*

Heather: *plants a quick kiss on his lips* Talk and innuendo I can deal with. But touching or kissing or groping – now that’s another matter altogether.

Dante: *teasing smile* Aw, I love it when you go all alpha female on me, catin.

Heather: *arches an eyebrow* And if someone was touching or kissing or groping me in front of you, Baptiste?

Dante: Depends. Do you want to be touched or not in this little scenario?

Heather: Does it make a difference?

Dante: *snorts* Mais fucking oui, chérie . If you wanted it, then the toucher or kisser or groper ends up with a few broken bones and just a bit of internal bleeding. No big deal, yeah? But if you didn’t want it, then the motherfucker’s dead.

Heather: Dead? Seriously?

Dante: In a heartbeat.

Heather: *teasing smile* Aw, I love it when you go all alpha nightkind on me, cher. But so not necessary. I’ve got a gun and know how to use it. Plus I have all my hand-to-hand combat skills learned at the Academy and during my career with the FBI. Anybody caught groping will find himself planted face first into a wall, kissing the brick.

Dante: *laughs* C’est ma femme. Me, I get to watch, yeah?

Heather: *winks, a mischievous smile on her lips* We’ll see, Baptiste.

PRA: *blushes* Okay, let’s get started. Dante, I know music is a big part of who you are. What inspired you to start writing your own songs?

Dante: To be honest, p’tite—I don’t remember. The first song I wrote, the reason why, what inspired me, is all part of my childhood, part of the memories stolen from me; memories I still hope to reclaim one night.

But as far as writing songs now, it’s like breathing, y’know? Like drinking in blood. Natural. Don’t think about it much. Music pulses through my veins, pools in my heart. I let it flow out through my fingertips and across the strings of my guitar. And then I sing – whatever’s raging inside – I give it voice. *laughs* Sounds more dramatic than it is, chère.

Von: That’s a relief, because you were sounding pretty poetry-ass cheesy and lame, man. But I know that’s the creative side of you, little brother, so I’m here to keep it all real. *winks at Crystal* Hey, darlin’, what’s shaking? I thought I’d drop by and translate for the artist here, if that’s all right. TRANSLATION: Dante writes songs in his head pretty much all the time, then plays with himself. I mean, his guitar.

Dante: *rolls his eyes* Thanks for setting the record straight on that.

Von: *wicked grin* Anytime, man.

PRA: *laughs* Heather, what’s your favorite song of Dante’s?

Heather: There’s several I love, “Falling” and “Underneath Her Window”, but one of my very favorites is one he wrote especially for me. Remember? In the courtyard? After our argument?

Dante: *laughs* Oh, I remember, catin.

PRA: Can you sing a few lines for us Dante? *bats eyelashes at him*

Von: *bats eyelashes too* Yeah, oh pretty, pretty please?

Dante: Dude. Never do that thing with your eyelashes again. *shudders* Not pretty.

Von: Maybe if I wore eyeliner or kohl or whatever the hell you call it like you . . .

Dante: No. Not even then.

Von: *laughs*

Dante: But on you (nods at Crystal) or Heather – all kinds of cute. Okay, here’s the song

*sings in a low and husky voice*: She ain’t afraid to tell me when I’m wrong and she ain’t afraid to catch me when I fall. And she’s been long overdue a song, ma belle femme, my queen of the mean right hook, my red-haired catin.

Dante: *switches to a clear and sexy falsetto which makes Von lift his eyebrows* And she calls me her pigheaded man, her maestro of stubborn, her very own puh-puh-puh pigheaded man . . .

PRA: *dreamy sigh* What’s the craziest moment you’ve had with a groupie, Dante?

Dante:  *laughs* Think I’ll keep that one to myself, p’tit. I wanna keep breathing.

Heather: Hey, whatever you did before we met, doesn’t matter.

Dante: *snorts* Uh huh. Sure. Famous last words. Sorry, chère. Ain’t touching that one.

PRA: *grins* Now for a question all the ladies want to know the answer to: On a scale from 1-10, how good of a kisser is Dante, Heather?

Heather: I’d give him a 15.

Von: *shakes his head* A little high, doll. I’d rate him a 10.

Heather: *arches eyebrow* If you added in tongue?

Von: Oh. Well. Then it’d be a 15, yeah. *looks at Dante* But he never slips me any.

Dante: *flips him off with double birds*

Von: *returns the gesture*

PRA: Dante, how old were you when you got your tattoo and what made you get a bat over your heart?

Dante: Don’t know how old I was,  p’tite. I did it sometime before Lucien found me on that wharf on the Mississippi, so I musta been . . . *he frowns* I just found out that I’m almost 24 years old and I’ve known Lucien for 5 years, so figure I was 17 or so when I got it. *shrugs* I’d started forming my own household – I’d met Von and Simone and Trey – and I needed to come up with a symbol to identify out house and to keep mortals under our protection safe from other nightkind.

Heather: Kind of like a cattle brand? Marking property?

Dante: Other nightkind saw it that way, yeah, catin. That’s how they used their household symbol. I chose the bat because it seemed like true nightkind. Plus I was making fun of the fanged assholes who made it necessary.

PRA: What made you open up your own club, and how did you come up with the name, Club Hell?

Dante: I wanted a place to showcase new musicians and local talent, a club that was focused on the music. Hell, it is New Orleans, yeah? *winks* And I named it Club Hell for the same reason I named the band Inferno . . .

PRA: Have you ever read the book, Dante’s Inferno?

Dante: Yup. And that’s the reason behind my answer above, chère. *grins*

PRA: Dante, how did it feel when you got your wings? Do you like flying? Practiced on your landings any? *grins*

Dante: It hurt like hell at first, p’tite. I honestly didn’t know what the fuck was happening. Caught me off-guard, for true.

Heather: *softly* Me too, Baptiste.

Von: Me three. But man, they look good on you—like they’ve always been a part of you. You were just a late bloomer, little brother. Now, once you learn a little grace . . . right now, you’re clumsy as sin with ‘em and funny as hell.

Dante: *snorts* That’s me, the evening’s entertainment.  I wasn’t sure I liked them or wanted them. But, I’m adjusting and they’re starting to feel more natural. But I gotta admit, I love the rush of flying. Landings? *laughs* Not so much. But I’m learning.

Von: To my vast amusement. Thanks, man.

*another mutual exchange of extended middle fingers between Von and Dante*

PRA: *laughs & shakes head* What do you think about Dante’s wings, Heather?

Heather: They’re gorgeous and I’m getting used to them. I was caught off-guard at first, but, yeah, I’m liking them. A lot. *smiles at Dante*

PRA: I haven’t been to New Orleans yet but want to visit soon, what’s the first thing I should do when I get there?

Dante: Oh, hell, we gotta get to N’awlins, p’tite. The first thing you should do is head for the French Quarter, get yourself a big-ass hurricane at a to-go window and walk the Quarter and just drink it all in – the smells, the music, the madness of Bourbon Street, the stroll on down to the river.

Von: Then get yourself another big-ass drink and head over to Club Hell on St. Peter. *winks*

Heather: I think the first think you should do is go to the Café du Monde in the French Quarter—on Decatur Street—and have beignets and café au lait. It is to die for.

PRA: Do you have any idea what the evil author has in store for you guys next? *waves at Adrian* Hi, Adrian, you know I love you!

Adrian: *waves* Love you back!

Heather: I’m hoping we get a chance to catch our breath, relax a little, but . . .

Dante: We don’t know what’s in store. Yeah, a little quiet time would be appreciated for true.

Von: Damn straight.

PRA: Thanks for the great interview guys, and I wish you the best of luck!

Dante: Merci beaucoup, chère. It was a fun interview.

Heather: It was. Thanks so much for having us!

Adrian: Thanks for having us! Here’s a little more info about the books:

You can read a chapter from the book that started it all. Here’s a link to a sample chapter of A Rush of Wings.

With Book Four, Etched in Bone, Dante faces his destiny and searches for a way to accept it on his own terms. To make his life, his own, at long last, and with Heather at his side. The former FBI agent is more than his partner and lover, she is also his anchor, his beacon, guiding him back from the edge of madness when his shattered past rises up and swallows him. But in Heather’s human family awaits an unexpected enemy. One who could force Dante to choose his darkest destiny—as the Great Destroyer.

Here’s a link to the first two chapters of Etched in Bone.

Etched in Bone was also a featured read for March on BN.com’s Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Book Club – which I’m very excited about.

Here’s a link for the first chapter of Black Dust Mambo.

Thanks so much for having me! It’s been a blast. You can also find me at:

Website  My blog  Facebook  Facebook Fan Page  Twitter  MySpace  Goodreads
Dante's Club Hell Forum
Dante's Club Hell Yahoo Group
Pocket After Dark

~*GIVEAWAY*~

Adrian is graciously offering a signed copy of anyone of her books, winner's choice, to one lucky reader! 

To enter, just leave a question or comment for Adrian or one of the Maker's Song gang. Make sure to leave a way to contact you with your comment! 

Giveaway will end at 11:59 pm on April 28th. One winner will be chosen at random using random.org and notified via email. Winner then has 48 hours to respond to winning notification before another winner is chosen. Open Internationally. Good luck!