Twilight Desires (Morgan Creek, Book Three): Amanda Ashley

“Sofia Ravenwood was once fascinated by vampires—their seductive power, their inhuman strength, their dark desires.  Then one of them attached her family, and she threw out her goth attire and vowed to keep clear of her enemies. Until she heard about Ethan Parrish:  a sweet, sizzling-hot former college football player, turned into a vampire against his will.

 

“Wandering the deserted streets of Morgan Creek, Wyoming, Ethan’s sure he’ll be alone forever—a monster like him deserves nothing else.  Then beautiful, complicated Sofia agrees to meet him, fangs and all.  The need she ignites in him is more than just the pulse of her blood or the scent of her skin.  But he’s not the only bloodsucker desperate to make her his own…”

 

Here we are!  This is Ashley’s third and newest installment in her Morgan Creek series.  *In the name of full disclosure, I did receive an advanced copy of this book directly from the author, herself, in exchange for my honest review.*  The book’s official release date was August 28, 2018 (though the cover of the copy in my possession states it'll be available in September of 2018), but, knowing I review books and have reviewed her books in the past, Ashley reached out to me and kindly offered to send an advanced uncorrected proof to me.  I, of course, was happy to read it.  I did, however, first need to read the preceding two books in this series!  If you’ve read those recent reviews, then you’ll know I had some mixed feelings.  I liked some of the characters and really appreciated the uniqueness of the plot surrounding the location of Morgan Creek, itself, but some things didn’t strike me as outstanding.  I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what this book has to offer.  We were introduced to both Sofia and Ethan in the second book in the series (Sofia is Micah’s younger sister and Ethan is Holly’s cousin) – more so Sofia than Ethan.  From what I already know about them, Sofia is a bit of a spitfire and Ethan has no qualms about giving Saintcrow, his sire, any attitude or lip.  I’m looking forward to seeing how Ethan’s dynamic plays out with the other vampires in Morgan Creek – especially because he’s always believed in vampires and hated them so much – and I’m really hoping we continue to see Sofia’s attitude and spunk.  I have felt that the biggest thing this series has been lacking is a really unique, standout female lead; I’m really hoping Sofia can accomplish this task.




***




I'm about 75 pages into this book after starting it last night.  It's a much easier read and I like the pace of the story; I think Ethan's confusion and frustration coming to terms with his new life as a vampire is well-written.  So far, Sofia does seem better developed than the other female leads I've encountered and I hope it continues.  It feels like she really does have a life of her own and, while some of her attitudes and behavior is a bit immature, I think it suits her age well (she is, after all, only 19).  Ethan has an attitude and a bit of a death wish.  I like seeing a change in him when he's around Sofia.


However...Sofia has a feels "her heart swell with love" 31 pages into the story...thirty...one...pages...(Ashley 31).  I found it unbelievable and unrealistic, especially because she and Ethan had only met a couple of times at that point.  It almost makes me wonder if that was a hiccup in the writing because there haven't been any mentions since then.  One other hiccup is the fact that Ethan keeps taking her to bars and out for drinks (she likes tequila sunrises)...but she's only 19.  I am not upset over the fact that she's underage-drinking, I just can't quite figure out how it's so easy for her to get a drink absolutely everywhere they go.  Ethan hasn't even considered that it might be more difficult to take a 19-year-old out to a bar.  Granted, Ethan does most of the ordering, but no fake ID has been mentioned and no one's bothered to card her.  It's just a little too easy, almost as if we (conveniently) forgot how old she actually is.




Some moments have felt a bit scattered and contradictory.  POTENTIAL SPOILERS:  The scene where Mateo uses a human henchman to kidnap Sofia seems a bit random and ill-planned; on top of the fact that I'm not really sure why he had Sofia locked in a basement while he fed on another woman he'd kidnapped.  It seemed like a lot of trouble for not a lot of real reason.  The biggest issue I've taken thus far is with Ethan's very irrational, mercurial mood in Chapter 10.  I get being upset because Sofia hasn't called; however, he'd just had a wonderfully productive planning meeting about the changes he wants to make to Morgan Creek.  He seemed to be getting exactly what he wanted.  From one sentence to the next, Ethan transforms into a self-loathing, suicidal maniac willing to do whatever it takes to get Saintcrow to come and put him out of his misery.  It felt very sudden and I actually had to put the book down and wonder, "What the heck just happened here?"  We'll see how this progresses.




One other little plot hole I feel the need to mention:  Earlier in this review, I state that Ethan always hated vampires.  This statement stemmed from Holly's statement in book two that, when Ethan was a child, he always used to carry around objects to ward off vampires.  Last night when I was reading, Ethan indicated that he'd never really believed in vampires.  Hm.




***


I finished this book just over a week ago; however, I was in an airport on my way out of state (sans computer), so I didn’t get a chance to finish my review on this until this morning.  I ended up liking Ethan a good amount and I liked Sophia more than I’ve liked other female leads in this series.  I particularly liked the conflict between Ethan and Sophia’s older, rightfully-protective brother (and vampire), Micah.

I do have to say that I found the romance to be a bit hasty.  (***Minor spoiler:  I found the marriage between Ethan and Sophia to be pretty rushed.  I get excitement and all that, but it was borderline unbelievable.  I found their attraction to feel more natural than their actual love, if that makes any sense.***)  However, I liked their banter and the sparks between them.  I think their romance felt the most realistic to me of all of the three books I’ve read in this series.

There was a decent villain in this book in the form of a vampire who wanted to bring Morgan Creek back to its “glory days” when wandering humans were kept captive by a coven of vampires.  However, I kept waiting for more like-minded vampires to join in the fight and give Ethan and Saintcrow a better run for their money (on top of the fact that I expected Saintcrow to call upon Micah when the proverbial shit really hit the fan and Kadie went missing.  It felt strange that a vampire so in love with his mate wouldn’t call upon every single resource at his disposal when it came down to it.  Who cares of Micah and Holly were on what would technically be their second honeymoon (they went to New York first at the end of their book)?  That felt a bit odd to me.)  These like-minded vampires were hinted at and I kept waiting for something to happen with them, but it never did.  The greater threat came into play with the introduction of another supernatural being:  a witch.  There were a couple of them in this book and I would say (from my relatively limited knowledge) that they were pretty “purist” as well, which sticks nicely with the rest of Ashley’s writing.  Even though there was more tension in this book with the variety of conflicts and some decent “bad guys,” I still found myself longing for the big knock-down, drag-out battle scene.  I know if I were Saintcrow, I’d want revenge in the worst way.  Nothing would be able to stop my desire for blood; my own safety be damned.  The way this was handled made him seem a bit more fragile than one would expect from a master vampire.  I feel like I’m spending quite a bit of time on Saintcrow in this review and he’s not even the male lead.  I think this is because the series really does revolve around him.  Another reason is probably because I like him more now than I did in even his own book.  I feel like I really got to see the charm, wit, and acerbic sense of humor/sarcasm that I didn’t quite get to experience earlier.  I love it when characters develop and Saintcrow has done so.  ***Minor spoiler:  Also, the whole walking in sunlight thing was VERY convenient and I’m not too sure I cared for it.  The rest of Ashley’s vampires are very “purist” and that’s something I truly respect, so perhaps this is what rubbed me the wrong way.  I may have forgiven it for Saintcrow, but as soon as Ethan was allowed to do so, that killed it for me.  What goes hand-in-hand with this is my opinion that Saintcrow seemed overly generous with his master vampire mojo.  He let Micah drink from him, thereby instilling in him heightened powers; he drained Ethan again and let him drink, affording him additional powers and abilities (like walking in sunlight).  I feel like these were things that he should have kept very close to the chest, regardless of circumstances or who the other vampires were.  These abilities are what allow him to be so powerful, to lord his strengths over other vampires and maintain control over his domain.  Eternity is a long time and, should Micah or Ethan ever decide to turn their backs on him, they would now present a greater threat.  Something to think about.

***

Overall, I think this book was my favorite of the series.  Ethan gives Micha a run for my favorite male lead in the series.  I think Micah has a better sense of humor, but Ethan has a much better “tortured, angst-ridden, moody male” vibe about him.  I liked Ethan’s head-butting with Saintcrow, but (as previously mentioned) some of the interactions felt a bit forced or nonsensical (as in, they weren’t quite what I was expecting or they didn’t quite fit with Ethan’s emotional state).  I enjoyed the development of Saintcrow, but this proves how the series really does focus on the male leads.  Kadie and Holly really fell to the wayside in this book.  I expected a lot more from Holly as a secondary character, especially because she was the one who helped hook up Ethan and Sophia.  Instead, when it came time for Ethan and Micah to meet, she really took a big leap into the background.  I thought her rapport with Sophia (and as a calming, rational person in Micah’s life…or death, if you’re a stickler for semantics) would go a long way toward developing the plot and conflict, but it didn’t really.  I’m curious to see if other vampires from Morgan Creek will crop up in future books.  Jokes were made that the rest of Micah and Sophia’s family should be turned into vampires since they’ve already gotten a good start, but I don’t know if I expect this to be an actual hint to future stories.

I’m honored that Ashley chose to send me an advanced copy of this book to review.  I’m always thrilled whenever an author reaches out to me and I’m more than happy to contribute my own (tiny) voice to the conversation.  I recommend this book to vampire romance purists out there.  While the romance is a bit tamer than I’m used to, I think this presents a good alternative to those who find other authors a bit too “raunchy.”  There is romance; there are quality classic vampires.  If this is what you’re looking for, then Ashley’s writing is right up your alley.  I had my criticisms for each of the books in this series, but I tend to write much more in-depth reviews when I know an author will see it.  I would want the breadth and depth from anyone who was reviewing my own writing, so I feel like I’m doing a service to the writing community.  I found aspects which could have been expanded upon and some things I felt worked well.  The underlying plot of Morgan Creek is unique, interesting, and creative.  There is a ton of potential here for even more books in the series.

Happy reading!

One Night of Scandal (Farleigh Sisters, Book Two): Teresa Medeiros UPDATED

 "Proper decorum has never come easy for Carlotta Anne Farleigh -- not even on the night of her debut.  As she waits to make her entrance, she's drawn to the darkened house next door, the supposedly abandoned home of Hayden St. Clair, the man society has dubbed the 'Murderous Marquess.'  This latest adventure thoroughly compromises Carlotta's reputation, leaving her betrothed to the handsome, mysterious marquess and on her way to the wilds of Cornwall to be married.






"Despite the circumstances of her betrothal, Lottie sees something thrilling and surprisingly tender about her dark, unreachable groom.  But before she'll surrender to the yearnings in her heart, she must unlock the secrets of Hayden's past, no matter how scandalous -- or perilous -- they might be."

My (very old) original review for this book can be found HERE.  I read it a decade ago, almost to the month, which is pretty neat.  I'm quite enjoying seeing how my tastes have changed over the years, as well as my reviewing style.  Clearly, I've become a more developed, advanced writer and a more analytical reader.  I suppose this makes me a convert to re-reading books, whereas before I was staunchly opposed to reading any book -- no matter the material -- more than once.

I'm nearly halfway through this book and, having recently read A Kiss to Remember, it's nice that the characters are still so fresh in my mind's eye.  For a character so young, Lottie made a rather large impact (pun only partially intended) in the first book.  Knowing this book took place about a decade later and that Lottie would be its female lead, I was looking forward to really seeing her character develop.  She hasn't lost her wit, cunning, nor her attitude -- despite what I suspect to be Sterling's best attempts at gently shaping her to society's dictates without breaking her spirit.  Indeed, she's still extremely high-spirited and, were she not, I don't think she'd be enough of a challenge for Hayden to take an interest.  I appreciate that what finally made him agree to wed her were not the usual attributes held by a lady of the gentry, but her mind and the learning most women did not usually possess.

Hayden is a very mysterious character.  We see a good deal from his point of view in the very beginning of the story (when Lottie has her little adventure and winds up mucking up all of her family's grand plans for her), but less as the chapters go on and they near his imposing estate in Cornwall.  Normally, I might complain that I don't feel as connected to the male lead because of this; however, in Hayden's case, I appreciate the way in which the situations are written because it maintains his mysterious nature and his very troubled, tortured, lonely past.  We still get important glimpses into his mind and point of view; therefore, he remains a prominent character rather than being overshadowed by Lottie's rather formidable presence and perspective.




It's a pleasure to see how all of the characters have aged and changed over the decade between this book and A Kiss to Remember.  George is all grown up.  Sterling and Laura are still happily married and now have children of their own; they're still very much over-the-moon in love.  Sterling hasn't lost any of his quick temper, nor has Laura lost any of her motherly kindness and inclinations toward her siblings.  Even Cookie makes appearances, though I've only read mentions of Dower thus far.


Because it has been so long since I originally read this book, I am looking forward to seeing the twists and turns that come.  I love re-exploring the mysteries and surprises Medeiros has in store, as well as seeing the tension between Lottie and her new husband really come to a head.




***


Well I finished off this book fairly quickly.  Medeiros is always a fun, entertaining read; this book was no different.  Her characters are always extremely lively -- especially her more entertaining female leads.

Lottie fits rather nicely into that category.  I think her character stayed very true to the little hellion we’re introduced to in A Kiss to Remember.  She’s very unconventional, but this turns out to be exactly what she needs in order to win over her new husband and find her place in his secluded life/world.  Her passion for writing is extremely relatable to those of us who have writing in our veins.  I particularly liked how she applied her talents to her life as Hayden’s wife.

I know I mentioned earlier how the sparseness of Hayden’s perspective maintained the mysteriousness of his character.  While this remained true throughout the rest of the book (though we did get more glimpses once we were privy to some of the secrets he’d been keeping), I did wind up wanting a tad bit more from him.  He was tortured and complex; there is no denying that he suffered a great deal in his life (and was pretty much the quintessential Gothic male lead -- at least, in appearance) and all of this served to create a well-rounded male lead, but I wanted to experience him falling in love with Lottie just a little bit more (this isn’t really a spoiler…it IS a romance novel, after all).  This didn’t reach the point of detracting from the story; it’s just a personal opinion.

Medeiros went to great lengths to set up the perfect setting and scenes for Lottie’s new life and adventure in Cornwall.  As usual, her descriptions are vivid and you feel as if you’re watching a film or even there beside the characters.  Her writing has a way of enveloping you in the drama and beauty of the world in which her characters live.  Her books truly are an escape.

All this being said, I think Medeiros managed to touch on some very powerful themes and messages in this book.  It was rather darker than others I’ve read by her, but don’t let this deter you.  It retains its sense of lightheartedness (thank you Lottie) which gives it its characteristic Medeiros charm.  There’s a touch of the supernatural, which really usually isn’t my cup of tea in a book such as this (I tend to like my supernatural in blatantly supernatural worlds and realms – like vampire novels or whole underworlds crafted by their authors).  I think it was handled well and remained subtle until the very last moment that it could not remain so any longer.  Overall, the characters were touching, the backstories were moving, and it’s always a pleasure to see recurring characters.  I reiterate that I’m discovering that I’m more of a fan of her more recent works than I am of her older ones, but Medeiros remains a powerful, talented voice in this genre.

While I really enjoyed this book the first time around, I think I appreciated the Gothic influences a great deal more this time.  If Gothic literature is your cup of tea, then you'll absolutely adore this book.  If not, then it's still a gem of a romance novel.

Twilight Dreams (Morgan Creek, Book Two): Amanda Ashley

"Holly Parrish has never met anyone like Micah Ravenwood:  his dark eyes, his movie-star smile, the indefinable way he looks at her.  Even when she thought he was no more than another client for her investment firm, her lust overpowered her logic.

"But she never expected this attraction to whisk her from her busy southern California life to a silent and eerie ghost town in Wyoming.  Only vampires call the deserted place home--and one of them is Micah.  He says he's brought her to Morgan Creek for her safety, that vicious creatures are hunting her.  But how can Holly trust him?  One look and she can see the need barely restrained behind Micah's polite words.  The heat of his kiss, the pleasure of his touch--none of it can tell her whether he wants her as his lover--or his prey..."






I'm about 50 pages in and I think I already like this book more than I liked the first in this series.  I feel like this is due in large part to the fact that I have already seen a great deal more from Micah's perspective than we did Saintcrow's.  We met Micha in the first book and, given our first "meeting," I wasn't certain how much I would like him as a hero of his own story.  He actually feels more developed with a solid backstory.  Knowing what we do of his family and history (especially having a good percentage of the story told from his point of view thus far) I feel like I care about him more already.  I sympathize more with him; hopefully the trend continues.






Holly is still pretty generic.  She is pretty, smart, does her chores every Saturday, and loves to eat.  So far, she doesn't differ very much from Kadie (other than her career) and she's still pretty generic.  I hope she develops more as the story goes on.






We've also been introduced to some villains already, which is nice.  I like starting a book off with an undercurrent of conflict; it makes for a better story and a more intense read.  I think, perhaps, this is some of what the first book in this series was missing.  Granted, Saintcrow and the rest of the vampires in Morgan Creek are technically the villains, but we don't get an external villain until much, much later in the book.  This is probably why it felt like the story (and Kadie's conversations and conflict with Saintcrow) kept going in circles.  There had to be something to keep the story moving until an external villain could be introduced.  I like the villains thus far and I'm looking forward to the inevitable clash.






I'm hoping for a bit more of an explanation as to why Holly (who works solely in a formal business world) would be meeting a prospective new employee at a goth club.  It feels a bit unbelievable and REALLY unprofessional on his part.  Maybe it was a trap?  I'm hoping to find out more as I continue onward.






***




I still prefer the development of Micah's character to Saintcrow's.  I feel the sympathy toward him that was missing for me in the first book of this series.  I care about him more.  He feels more tortured, perhaps because, in some ways, he's still coming to terms with his vampire existence.  Holly, on the other hand, feels very similar to Kadie (i.e. generic).  They have the same reaction and mentality toward vampires (which I suppose is reasonable), the same obsession with food, and no real defining hobbies or traits (personality or physical) that set them apart or make them unique from a caricature of what, perhaps, someone expects a modern woman to be.  Take away their physical descriptions and professions...and they're basically the same woman.  They're both virgins (there's nothing wrong with this, but I'm definitely noticing a trend:  the men are very possessive, the women are innocent virgins, there's a lot of steamy kissing, and the sex usually winds up very vanilla (nothing but missionary) -- man, does this last one make me sound like a kink, but I promise I'm not).  Neither of them really seems to have a defining history or past.  Both of them occupy themselves the same ways (nothing more than movies and books).  Their scenes always seem to start with or involve food (usually overly-descriptive, mass quantities of food).




I still like the fact that this book has more tangible villains; it makes for a more exciting read.  Even if Holly is falling a bit flat for me, I think the plot is moving well and it doesn't feel as "trapped in a cycle" as Kadie and Saintcrow's book did.




***


Well, I finished this book last night and I can safely say that I did end up liking it more than I did the first in the series.  Kadie and Saintcrow played large roles in this sequel and, I can say with definitiveness now, that Kadie remains rather underdeveloped (as does the relationship between Kadie and Saintcrow).  Saintcrow did gain a little bit more individuality in this book (which is surprising because he was not the male lead), so it made him a bit more interesting.


I did end up liking Micah a great deal more than Saintcrow in the first book.  As a male lead, Micah was better developed, more individualized, and had a much better-explained backstory.  This is probably due in large part because he's such a young vampire that he still has living human relatives.  It helped show what he was like as a human and gave me a much better sense of who he was as a character.  (Now, I'm not saying that the only reason Saintcrow was underdeveloped was because he had no living human relatives...there are a lot of ways he could have become more well-rounded.)  He was witty and his personality suited his age.  I understood his attraction to Holly a bit better than I did Saintcrow's to Kadie, but it still fell a little bit short.  I'm stuck asking the same question:  What makes these women so damn unique?  They may be attractive and resistant to their vampiric charms, but that could be any one of hundreds, if not thousands, of women.  We see very little of Holly's family life (until the very end of the book) and nothing of her friends.  I felt like there was a big feud being hinted at when Holly mentioned that he father was a believer in vampires and hated them with a passion, but it never came to fruition.  Holly remained pretty flat, never quite setting herself apart from any other female lead in a vampire romance novel.  She loves the man; she is put off by the vampire; and she doesn't long for eternal life, but will accept it if it means she never has to leave the man she loves.  (Possibly a minor spoiler:  This is just a side note and I may be reading too much into this, but I REALLY cannot imagine any modern twenty-something picking fingertip veils for her bridesmaids...  This choice shattered the illusion for me because it felt really dated.)


I still had a few issues with the flow of the dialogue and there were some repetitive phrases, words, and conversations that simply struck me the wrong way.  This probably won't bother others as much, but I wanted to at least mention it.


I did mention before that I liked the fact that there were more tangible villains in this book.  It turns out that there were a few (we're introduced to another later in the book) and this made for a more dynamic plot.  However, I admit that the "big fight scenes" felt a little bit anticlimactic.  The action was fairly glossed over.  I didn't feel like I was watching an intense battle, rather hearing a quick account of what took place.


The last few chapters did set up the protagonists and villain for the third book in this series, which is scheduled to be released in a few weeks (and of which I also received an advanced copy in return for my honest review).  If these few chapters were any indication, we're in for our most combative male lead yet.  I am pretty certain I know who his female counterpart will be and I hope she matures and becomes a better-developed female lead than we've seen previously.


Overall, I liked this book more than the first in this series.  I appreciate that Morgan Creek is like the vampires' base -- their haven -- and I look forward to seeing how this continues and what becomes of the town now that there's no one to take care of it.  What will Saintcrow decide to do with it?  The story has potential, I just hope we get to see a more dynamic female lead.

As Twilight Falls (Morgan Creek, Book One): Amanda Ashley

"Photographing ghost towns across the American West, Kadie Andrews takes a wrong turn and ends up in Morgan Creek--a spot that isn't on the map.  It's a quaint little place, but there's something off about its complacent residents.  And when twilight falls, it takes on a truly sinister air...

"Unable to run, or to find any way out, Kadie finds herself a prisoner, hunted for her blood.  Still more disturbing, her spirit and beauty have captured the attention of master vampire Rylan Saintcrow.  When he looks into her eyes, she can see his hunger.  When he takes her in his arms, she can feel his power.  When he presses his lips against hers, she can taste his need.  Saintcrow may be the most compelling creature she's ever imagined, but Kadie knows in her heart that he is also a man.  A man who needs a woman.  To want him, desire him, crave him.  To be his willing prisoner--for all eternity..."








I haven't read anything by Amanda Ashley in quite some time, but she reached out to me and asked if I would be willing to review her newest book, the third installment in this Morgan Creek series.  My answer was, of course, yes!  She sent me an advanced copy of Twilight Desires a month or two ago and I've only just now gotten my hands on the first two books in the series.  It certainly wouldn't do to read them out of order!  I'm only a few chapters into As Twilight Falls and I've only just now realized how long it has actually been since I read a true vampire romance novel.  I don't quite count Sherrilyn Kenyon in this "true vampire" genre because her Dark-Hunters aren't actually vampires at all, they are just the beings off of which the legends were created.  When I say "true vampire," I mean Anne Rice-style or Stoker-style vampire (and the Twilight Saga doesn't count, not that I've ever even picked up those books).  These are vampires who don't stray far -- if at all -- from the traditional vampiric mythology.  There's something to be said for traditionalism and I can appreciate both sides of this spectrum:  authors who take the myth and use it for their craft; and authors who take the myth, turn it on its ear, and create something wholly unique at the risk of not actually creating a vampire at all.  Ashley is more of a traditionalist, which is something to be respected.






So far, I find the premise of Morgan Creek to be pretty intriguing.  Like I mentioned, it's still very early in the book; everything is still being developed and I still haven't learned all that much about the characters or their motivation.  I'm looking forward to continuing onward.






***




Thus far, I'm liking the premise of the town of Morgan Creek, but I do have a lot of questions and I'm looking forward to finding the answers.  I've also just met Saintcrow and I really would love to see more of his point of view.  Thus far, we've focused a great deal on Kadie and I need to really care about a male lead in order to become invested in a book. Granted, I'm still very early on in my reading, but I look forward to what's coming.  For that matter, I want to know more about Kadie.  I'm not very invested in her yet, either.  I know very, very little about her personality or her background.  I realize that a lot of writing is going toward setting up the odd, isolated town of Morgan Creek and having Kadie come to terms with the fact that vampires do exist, but I'm looking forward to finding out what make Kadie so special -- what draws Saintcrow to her?




***


I'm now a little bit more than halfway through this book.  I still like the premise of Morgan Creek -- the fact that it's a hidden vampire haven headed by a powerful master vampire.  I think Ashley put a lot of thought and care into creating a livable, believable (as far as vampire storylines go) scenario.  I really have to admit that I'm still not in love with either of the leading characters.  What makes them special?  Kadie has no really special defining characteristics or even a fantastic personality and, as far as female leads go, I'm struggling a bit with her.  The fact that she's a photographer seems to be the most interesting thing about her, though there is VERY little evidence of this in her day-to-day life.  I feel like someone who has dedicated her life to this art would look at the world through a different lens (pun intended); having her see the beauty in certain things, appreciate her surroundings or something, would lend her character a bit more interest.  For that matter, the rest of her character is pretty run-of-the-mill.  She likes shopping, chocolate, and overeating (and there seems to be a heavy emphasis placed on exactly what the characters eat at every single meal, which becomes a little bit repetitive...especially when characters like Kadie eat large quantities at a time).  She doesn't have any flaws as far as I can tell -- nothing that makes her feel more realistic.  I have yet to see what makes her so fascinating and attractive to Saintcrow.  I'm also really not sold on Kadie's internal and external dialogues.  She flashes back and forth between wanting Saintcrow and hating him with such rapidity that it's difficult to invest in.  I can understand the fact that Ashley is trying to show that Kadie is at war with herself, but having the same conversation again and again makes the story drag.  I long to see her develop more as a character.




As far as Saintcrow goes, I really want to see more of his point of view.  In the 216 pages that I've read, I doubt there have been anywhere near 50 pages from his perspective.  I'm definitely used to a more even balance and I've found this balance necessary when writing for this genre.  As unsold as I am on Kadie, I'm almost even less invested in Saintcrow.  He has SO MUCH POTENTIAL!  He could be so interesting, so tortured; instead, he seems almost robotic.  His attraction to Kadie and his love for her feel a bit flat.  Desire, I can see, but only on the most basic of levels because he's male and she's an attractive female.  As for why she's the first woman he's loved in 900 years...I don't quite know why.  He does mention that he's not sure what draws him to her, but this ends up feeling like a little bit of a cop-out.  Sure, he's dark, mysterious, sexy, and dangerous...but what beyond these things makes him a well-crafted male lead?  I'm uncertain at this point.  I hope to discover something in his past that makes him fearful of love (other than that he is a vampire and unwilling to put himself at risk).  I want to know why and how Kadie has changed him so much.  As Saintcrow's world starts to fall down around him, I hope to see more depth and range from both him and Kadie.




***


Alright!  I finished this book late last night.  The ending was tied up in a very neat little bow (like most books in the romance genre).  I was able to predict some of the things that happened...well, most of them, to be honest.  Some things were better explained than others and I found a few minor plot holes (things that probably should have been caught by an editor).  I don't know if they became more numerous toward the end of the book, but there were a few sprinkled throughout and I definitely noticed them more toward the end.  They weren't horrible or glaring, but they were definitely present (i.e. Saintcrow was able to enter a house into which he'd not previously been invited; someone Kadie was VERY close to was told by Saintcrow that she was aware he was a vampire, but when this person questioned her, he behaved shocked that she knew...and I'm certain it wasn't an act; a fledgling vampire who had NO training or instruction somehow knew about the complex blood bond between Kadie and Saintcrow, as well has how to use it, etc.).  In addition to this, there were so many repetitive conversations, internal dialogue, and phrases (i.e. "sickening thud" was used a few times within a paragraph of each other and there are a lot more adjectives which could have been used; the scenes with Kadie's mother have some repetitive phrases and the conversations felt rather trite; and if a man had an English accent it was always a "slight English accent").  These struck me the hardest and "bothered" me.  I realize what was trying to be conveyed -- Kadie's indecision and vacillation between whether or not to trust and love Saintcrow -- but it left the characters feeling flat.  Not to mention I don't feel like the attraction between the two main characters was ever fully formed.  I never saw what made Kadie so special.  I did see a little bit more of what attracted her to Saintcrow, but it rarely went past the physical.  I think part of the issue is what I mentioned before:  We see SO LITTLE from Saintcrow's perspective that he felt underdeveloped.  Other than being a vampire, I saw almost nothing that made him unique or really a stand-out male lead.  He had no flaws.  Sure, we see some very minor snippets of his past, but many of them are in Kadie's dreams, so we can't really be certain how much she imagined and how much Saintcrow put there.


Reading back through the progression of this review (because I actually had the time and patience to review as I read (thanks RAIR method!) and I can see how badly I wanted/needed more development and uniqueness to the main characters from the very beginning.  I still very much enjoyed the premise of Morgan Creek.  This Venus Fly Trap-like sanctuary for vampires was really creative and I don't think I've ever encountered anything like it before.  Unfortunately, the character development fell a bit flat for me.  There was so much potential to create unique and exciting characters, but they ended up coming up short.  I'm about to start the second book in this series, so we'll see if being introduced to the male lead in this first book helps the depth of the characterization.

Night Embrace (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Five): Sherrilyn Kenyon UPDATED

I actually finished reading this book about a week or so ago, but I've been hemming and hawing over how to handle these updated reviews (especially since I've been reading so many of them lately).  It's not a "problem" I have had to address before.  On one hand, I like adding my updated information to the original reviews themselves so the information is all in one place and it's easy to see how my writing/reviewing style has changed over the years.  On the other, I don't get "credit" for reading the book in this year's "book tally" on the right side of this blog.  I ended up going with creating a new review, marking it "UPDATED" and I plan on including a hyperlink to the original review for those of you who want to see what I thought of the book the first time around.  Now, I have to figure out a way to go back and update those reviews I previously just tacked onto the original reviews.  Some of those happened in 2017, so I'm trying to see if there's a way to post-date reviews...  I'm sure I'll figure something out!

Moving on to this review!  I seem to have been on a Sherrilyn Kenyon kick as of late.  I made my husband dig out my enormous box of books from under the stairs (where they're stored only because we haven't put of a bunch of shelves for them yet) and it was like a treasure chest.  I ended up having to read the UK version of this book and the English nerd in me was interested by the fact that it used apostrophes as quotation marks.  It drove me crazy at first, but I got over it (after regaining my husband about the oddity and having him roll his eyes at me, of course).

I originally read this book in 2008 and you can find the review here (along with the official text from the back of the book - it seemed silly to include it on this review too).  Clearly, I felt as if it was one of the most amazing things I'd read and I fell in love with Talon.  While I still enjoyed it (especially the lively sense of humor Kenyon manages to weave throughout), I didn't cry this time.  I think it's because my reading material has been inundated with heartbreaking, gut-wrenching backstories lately, and I'm slightly desensitized.  Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it.  I found Sunshine charming, but I got a very different visual image of her this time around -- not sure why.  I love seeing recurring characters and I appreciate when an author is able to incorporate them into another character's book.  Seeing Julian and Kyrian again was a treat (especially when they had to come rescue him from Sunshine's apartment).  I loved Acheron in this book.  While we see him in Kyrian's book, I don't think he played as big a role and we certainly don't get to see as much of him or learn as much about him as we do in this book.  His relationship with Artemis is insanely complex and twisted (and I will now say that House of the Rising Son makes a little bit more sense to me...if only a little...).  The biggest comment I will make is that some of the dialogue was jarringly awkward.  One perfect example is when Nick and Acheron are drinking and Nick is grabbing a bite to eat.  Nick's mother orders food for Acheron (being the loving, concerned mother she is).  When Acheron gives the food to Nick, Nick realizes he's never seen Acheron eat (which is an odd time for the realization after his years of working with Acheron), and then he flat out mentions it to Acheron.  It's just awkwardly formulated and I think Kenyon is a much better author than that.  In addition to this, the use of "baby" endearments was a bit off-putting.  I'm not saying it can't be used, it just didn't feel like it fit the characters well, and it felt overused at times.

Overall, I think Kenyon has a knack for creating characters with brilliant gravitational pulls.  We feel drawn to them and are instantly empathetic.  Talon's backstory was rich and his tragic history coupled with his unique abilities and life as a Dark-Hunter made for an interesting story.  I liked Sunshine, but I found myself a little bit annoyed by her - I can't quite put my finger on why.  There were great plot twists in the story that kept it fun and exciting, so much so that I finished it in just a couple of days.  While I can appreciate that Kenyon was setting up a few other books with her inclusion of Vane, Valerius, and Zarek, I think she spent quite a bit of time on them - more so than I'm used to with her other books.  She usually introduces them, but doesn't really spend entire chapters in their point of view.  Part of me wonders if this was due, at least a little bit, to a need to fill in more information when Talon and Sunshine's story was a bit shorter than she wanted.  I certainly don't feel like the book suffered for this, but a noticeable amount of this book was dedicated to other characters.

This was a dark, yet oddly light-hearted read (oxymoron much?).  We're introduced to complex subplots and other rich personalities and characters.  I definitely recommend this installment in this complex, creative Dark-Hunter series.

Her Fearful Symmetry: Audrey Niffenegger

"Audrey Niffenegger's spectacularly compelling second novel opens with a letter that alters the fate of every character. Julia and Valentina Poole are semi-normal American twenty-year-olds with seemingly little interest in college or finding jobs. Their attachment to one another is intense. One morning the mailman delivers a thick envelope to their house in the suburbs of Chicago. From a London solicitor, the enclosed letter informs Valentina and Julia that their English aunt, whom they never knew, has died of cancer and left them her London apartment. There are two conditions to their inheritance: that they live in it for a year before they sell it and that their parents not enter it. Julia and Valentina are twins. So were the estranged Elspeth and Edie, their mother.

"The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders the vast and ornate Highgate Cemetery, where Christina Rossetti, George Elliot, Radclyffe Hall, Stella Gibbons, and Karl Marx are buried. Julia and Valentina come to know the living residents of their building. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword-puzzle setter suffering from crippling obsessive compulsive disorder; Marijke, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including--perhaps--their aunt.

"Author of one of the most beloved first novels in recent years, Niffenegger returns with an unnerving, unforgettable and enchanting ghost story, a novel about love and the tenacity of life--even after death."

I really enjoyed Niffenegger's first book and this one was no exception. I finished this book at almost two this morning because I just couldn't put it down.

It started off very heart-wrenching and progressed at a steady pace. Even the parts where the twins were wandering London gave insight into their characters. I loved the settings (partially because I'm from some where around the area where the Chicago portion of the story takes place and I'm dying to go to England to study abroad and see London.) Her descriptions of the places were beautiful. Even Highgate Cemetery had a very hauntingly etherial appeal to it--even for someone like me who has a bit of an..."aversion" to cemeteries. I think I may even go to visit the cemetery when I go to England.

I enjoyed Robert as a character because he was the perfect foil to the "Americanness" of the twins. He was sweet and kind and slightly awkward, which the author manages to make attractive. My heart broke for him when he lost Elspeth. Martin--because he lived in his own OCD world, trapped in his flat without the woman he loves--almost seems like he has his own side-story. This provided a relief from the density of the rest of the book. He was very difficult not to feel for. He was a brilliant man, trapped in his flat because the world has become too difficult to handle. The twins were functionally disfunctional--though this sounds funny, this is the only way to describe it...you'll understand when you read it. Valentina quickly became my favorite twin; I think because I saw a lot of myself in her. (Not in the way when she...well...I can't give anything away, so you'll just have to figure out our relationship to one another.)

Overall, this book was intense and morbid in a Victorian-gothic romance-sense. Quite a bit darker than her other book that I've read, this book was deep and intense and made you think. I look forward to reading more from her because of the brilliant twists and turns and the surprises that keep you salivating for more.

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One): Rick Riordan

"PERCY JACKSON is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he'd angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

"Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of a betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves."

My aunt was reading this book because her daughter had loved it so much. When she finished it, she gave it to me and told me that I would enjoy it. Well...I did!

When the movie adaptation of this book came out, I was interested, but I never ended up seeing it. Now, however, I'm definitely going to have to try to get my hands on it. (I certainly hope it's at least half as good as the book.) The characters were very well-written, carefully planned, and interesting--though a little young in my opinion to undertake such tasks as they did in the book (I know, I know, they're children of the gods...they have abilities that we don't and are fully capable of such things...but not all of the twelve-year-olds that I've met!) Percy and his friends were mature beyond their years and, though I occasionally stopped and wondered if a twelve-year-old would be capable of doing such a thing or thinking a certain way, this really kept the plot moving. I don't think I could have handled it if it dragged on and on with a whiny, confused twelve-year-old narrator. Instead, Percy kept everything flowing and the way that the story was written definitely maintained a fast pace.

Something else that was note worthy was the way the author incorporated Percy's dyslexia and ADHD into his heritage. This was creative--though a blatant way of getting in touch with all of the kids that have ADHD and dyslexia. It was cute, but personally bothered me a little because how many more kids are going to want to not pay attention and claim they have these because they want to be part god? (Can you tell I think ADHD is over diagnosed? I'm NOT saying that it doesn't exist, just that there are way too many kids that either claim to have it and haven't bothered to be diagnosed, yet use it as a huge excuse (I can name several...) and parents who can't handle their children and look for anything to blame BUT themselves. However, I will get off that controversial topic and back to the review. Sorry!)

The modern descriptions of the gods were really neat. In fact, if you like this style and sort of mythological background (and you're a bit more mature than the regular reading demographic of this book), and you like a bit of romance; you should totally check out Sherrilyn Kenyon's DARK-HUNTER SERIES. It's similar to this and the gods are just as interesting. You can find more information and a reading order if you look up "Sherrilyn Kenyon" or "Dark-Hunter Series" on my blog.

Anyhow, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series. I'll attach a review of the movie as soon as I see it.

Night Embrace (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Five): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Dear Reader,

“Life is great for me. I have my chicory coffee, my warm beignets, and my best friend on the cell phone. Once the sun goes down, I am the baddest thing prowling the night: I command the elements, and I know no fear. For centuries, I’ve protected the innocent and watched over mankind, making sure they are safe in a world where nothing is ever certain. All I want in return is a hot babe in a red dress, who wants nothing more from me than one night.

“Instead, I get a runaway Mardi Gras float that tries to turn me into roadkill and a beautiful woman who saves my life but can’t remember where she put my pants. Flamboyant and extravagant, Sunshine Runningwolf should be the perfect woman for me. She wants nothing past tonight, no ties, no long-term commitments.

“But everytime I look at her, I start yearning for dreams that I buried centuries ago. With her unconventional ways and ability to baffle me, Sunshine is the one person I find myself needing. But for me to love her would mean her death. I am cursed never to know peace or happiness—not so long as my enemy waits in the night to destroy us both.

“Talon of the Morrigantes”

After reading this book, I decided several things. One: Talon has become one of my favorite characters of all-time! Two: Sunshine is EXACTLY like my friend Carolynn…it’s scary! Three: Acheron is beyond awesome! From reading the previous books, I pictured him to be this incredibly hot, muscular in his mid-to-late-twenties. In this book, the readers get to see a new side of him and realize that he’s younger than he seems.

Anyway, Talon’s story LITERALLY HAD ME BAWLING!!! The way this book was written really tugged at my heartstrings…hard… His pain was so terrible and I couldn’t imagine having to suffer through what he has. I found myself laughing along with the characters as well as crying with them. Once again, Sherrilyn Kenyon has worked her magic!

I did have some...I don't know...confusion about certain parts of the book though. After reading Dragonswan, I came to understanding that Slayers were very animalistic and were basically out to get everything and everyone. After reading this book, I came to a far different conslusion. The Slayers were very secluded (though they did say that they ate human flesh) and their main priority was to watch over their pack. They weren't the completely viscious creatures I thought they were. I thought this was interesting because it was from a different point of view.

Not to mention I found the ULTIMATE quote that defines the Dark-Hunter existence!!! Zarek (you meet him in this book) says, “…let me give you the job description. Me, Dark-Hunter. You, Daimon. I hit, you bleed. I kill, you die.” Yeah…Zarek’s pretty much the ultimate badass… ; )

Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Four): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Dear Reader

“Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking vampires that prey on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power? That is my exixtence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but I am known to none. And I love every minute of it.

“Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt. Or in Amanda’s case, one buttoned all the way up to her chin. She’d smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal—in other words, me.

“My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Yet every time I look at her, I find myself wanting to try again. Wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exists.

“Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there’s any way a woman like Amanda can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he’s not sure it will ever beat again.

“Kyrian of Thrace”

I officially LOVED this book! I found myself laughing so many times and Kyrian’s as well as Nick’s sarcasm was fantastic. It was so well-written that I could practically hear their actual conversations. Amanda was a pretty decent character—not one of my favorites, but I liked her nonetheless. Kyrian was fantastic and I REALLY loved how Kenyon brought back Julian and Grace’s family. It took me a while at first, but I finally got that this Kyrian was the Kyrian that Julian talked about in his book, Fantasy Lover. I thought that was neat and really awesome to have their stories meshed in such a way.

Kyrian’s past was one of the most violently descriptive I’ve ever read…it was fantastic and I found myself cringing on many occasions. His pain was at a whole new level I’d never before read and I really have to commend Kenyon for her brilliance.

The plot in general was AMAZING! I adore how Kenyon seems to have thought of everything! The whole Dark-Hunter thing is so fantastic and I could not find any flaws in her writing of it—and believe me…I’m a bit of a bitch like that where I try to find flaws…and I couldn’t!!! (I don't want to give too much away so I will just reiterate how great the plot was! She even brings back some other characters from stories...and you'll have to read to find out who!!!) I so look forward to reading the next in this TRULY captivating series!!!

*****UPDATE 12/18/2017*****

I can't believe it's been more than nine years since I first read this book!  How time flies!

I seem to be on a bit of a Sherrilyn Keyon re-reading kick lately, which is so odd because I NEVER re-read books.  I don’t think I am going to make a habit of re-reading books, but I’ve actually been enjoying doing this with Kenyon’s books for the most part (perhaps, mostly because it has been so long since I read them that it feels “new” enough).  One thing has remained true over the years:  I still feel like the overarching plot is brilliant.  Kenyon has created this amazing sub-world rich with history, backstory, and she put an astounding amount of forethought into it.  I have always enjoyed her angsty male leads and writing in their tragic backgrounds really rounds them out and, rather than make them pitiable, actually makes them rich and interesting – it’s a very fine line to walk.  She is so wickedly creative in the ways she develops their pasts and the natures of their very unique deaths.

I enjoyed Kyrian, but perhaps more so because of his past than anything.  I found his “present” character to be slightly lacking the attitude and impulsiveness Julian and other characters kept claiming he was known for.  Of course, it was there, just not to the degree that I expected.  Amanda is a decent character and she is a nice foil for her twin sister, Tabatha.  Rather than have her as another “weird” Deveraux sister, her normalcy (or, rather, “attempted” normalcy) and skepticism was a believable counterpart to the oddness of the world to which Kyrian introduces her.  Rather than have her jump into the world of the Dark-Hunters headfirst, she did seem to keep it at arms’ length for an acceptable amount of time.  I think I would have liked to have seen her feelings develop for Kyrian in a more rounded fashion.  They seemed to hit rather suddenly with little “provoking” on Kyrian’s part.  As she is pondering her feelings later in the book, she considers his laugh and his smile, though I don’t believe those things happened all that often prior to her contemplations – at least not to the degree that they could believably be parts of the reason she is falling for Kyrian.

Another comment I have to make is one I also made in my review for Fantasy Lover…I think the writing was not quite up to the level I remember it being, nor is it on par with other authors I’ve enjoyed throughout the different shades of the romance genre.  There were unnecessary words, odd (obvious) descriptions, and mediocre metaphors (I don’t have the book in front of me, but I there’s a line which reads something like, “He twisted like an agile cat;” on the surface, it seems fine, but it was inelegant and boring in the context).  Another issue I had was the sheer plethora of “afterthoughts” experienced by most of the characters.  I don’t believe I’m giving anything away, but forgive me if I am:  One of the greatest examples of this was when Amanda leaves Kyrian’s home after he instructed Acheron to watch over her.  After she’s already left, Amanda very briefly ponders why Acheron would have allowed her to leave after what Kyrian had said.  Okay. Fine.  It is what it is, but it felt unnecessary.  It could have all been avoided with one line from Acheron where he says something like, “I don’t give a damn what you do, little girl.  I’m no babysitter and I certainly don’t take orders from Kyrian.”  I think this would have fit in with the plot and Acheron’s character just fine and would certainly have avoided another instance of this awkward afterthought.  It was unnecessary and broke the flow of anticipation.  There are more than a few times this happens throughout the book.  I think Kenyon has such amazing talent that she doesn’t need all of this extraneous explanation and description.  She is a fantastic weaver of stories and brilliant crafter of characters that these things just brought this book down a hair.  I wonder if – as I continue making my way back through this series – that the writing will change a great deal.  This book is still one of her early ones, so I suppose we shall see!  Perhaps I’m just being hypercritical and a bit unfair…  I’ve sat here trying to find a better way to say this without sounding pompous, but I think my slight change in enjoyment of Kenyon’s writing style is because I’m so much further along in my education than I was the first time I read her works.  Since then, I’ve achieved a Master’s Degree in English and I’m much more used to really breaking down works of literature and performing thorough analyses.  I don’t think it’s necessarily fair of me to bring this lens to this application, but I don’t think I can un-train myself.

Regardless of my overly-critical analysis, I still enjoyed the book.  It took me a little bit to get going, but I finished it in a matter of a weekend once I did.  It’s a very, very entertaining read.  I truly love how I always loose myself in the world of the Dark/Dream/Were-Hunters whenever I pick up Kenyon’s books.  There are so many facets to the characters, stories, and the underlying plot that it’s easy to see how this might happen.  I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the world Kenyon has created.  I recommend this book as the first “official” Dark-Hunter installment and I look forward to moving on in the series.

Side note:  Even though Nick is a supporting character, I find him fantastic.  Kenyon managed to cram so much personality into him.  I find myself wondering if she was inspired by someone in her life when she wrote him.  His attitude and personality were entertaining and provided a breath of fun and sarcasm so needed in this otherwise intense story.  I loved him the first time around and I continue to feel the same way about him – this is the mark of an excellent character.