Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Faefever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever, Book 3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 16 September 2008

Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds with devastating consequences.

I never wrote a review for this before. How the hell is that even possible? Scratch that. I know why. This book is ... world-changing, heart-breaking, intense, mind-blowing. I'm not sure that I could ever begin to do justice to the emotions that I feel throughout it.

Even now, even knowing how things turn out, what happens and how it all goes down, I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this book, needing to see, needing to know.

Spoiler-free? This book is amazing. I quoted as much as I could without spoilering anywhere, but there's so much more that I wanted to. Even in this, dark as it sometimes is, there was a great amount of humor, and I wished I could share more of it.

If the walls come down completely, all the Unseelie will be freed, not just the lower castes that are currently managing to get through somehow. The most powerful of the Unseelie Royal Houses will escape." He paused and when he spoke again, his voice was low, urgent. "Myth equates the heads of those four houses, the dark princes, with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."

I knew who they were: Death, Pestilence, War, and Famine.

Mac's Growth: I love how consistently it's increased. Mac doesn't just become stronger and better and smarter. She learns - sometimes difficultly - and grows organically. I know that some people have issues with Mac in the first few books, but I get her. Even when I want her to trust Barrons, I applaud her for not. Yes, he gives plenty of reasons to, but there are those times when his actions are more ambiguous. I love that she doesn't trust him just because. I love that she doesn't really trust anyone, except herself, and she's using all she can to make herself more self-reliant.

But left to my own devices I'd prefer to skim over the events of the next few weeks, and whisk you through those days with glossed-over details that cast me in a more flattering light.

Nobody looks good in their darkest hour. But it's those hours that make us what we are. We stand strong, or we cower. We emerge victorious, tempered by our trials, or fractured by a permanent, damning fault line.

I never used to think about thinks like darkest hours and trials and fault lines.

Barrons: That being said, god-damn, do I love this male. He's so freaking....everything. I can't even help it. The small moments of humour. The moments of approval. The moments where it's very clear he wants to help her become everything she can be. The way he ensures that she maintains her agency. And when he does answer questions? Damn. Love.

"What are you? I said irritably.

"In the Serengeti, Ms. Lane, I would be the cheetah. I'm stronger, smarter, faster, and hungrier than everything else out there. And I don't apologize to the gazelle when I take it down."

V'lane: I don't love V'lane. Never did. But in this book he ... became something different for me. He redeemed himself to a small degree, for a time...

"Your wards are laughable. They could not prevent a nightmare of me from getting in."

Sidhe-Seers: I love that there are more strong females out there. Females that have the will to make their own choices, even in the midst of crisis. This is probably my favorite thing about these books: Women are STRONG. Don't forget it.

"You are not one of us."

"I say she is, and she just got off to a bad start. She didn't have anyone to help her figure things out. How would you guys have done in the same situation? She's just trying to survive, like we all are."

The Plot: OMG. JFC. Everything's coming to a head. Things are getting real.

"Speaking of which, I've decided I see the wisdom of your advice."

"Has Hell frozen over?" he said dryly.

"Funny. I'm not going to ask you questions tonight, Barrons. I'm going to ask you for three actions."

Interest uncoiled like a dark snake in his eyes. "Go on."

This book was the hardest ending for me to read on my first read. It's dark. And final. And there was no Dreamfever in sight for more than a year. I had to wait, and speculate, and wonder. I'm glad I don't any longer.


Grade: A

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Review: Burned by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Burned
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever, Book 7
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 20 January 2015

It’s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing.

MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger.
When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac’s former protégé and best friend, Dani “Mega” O’Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal.

It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil gets blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.

First things first, this cover. I hated it from the moment it was revealed. I mean, COME ON! We'd gone from beauties like this:


Beautiful. Each and every one of them. Then we get that monstrosity up there. It telegraphs sex. I guess that's pretty fitting because it's damn near all anyone in this book thinks about. That cover did not fill me with a great deal of hope, though. Not that I had a whole lot of it to begin with. Iced made me rage. I won't get into it here, but you can check out my review. Then there was the whole testing of the bond between Mac and Barrons that's alluded to in the blurb. I went into this book with some serious reservations. On the other hand, this is Karen Marie Moning! The author that blew me away in the original five books of the Fever series! I have faith! I had hope! I couldn't wait to see her make me eat my words of hate and irritation at Iced.

I'm avoiding SPOILERS for Burned in this review, but fair warning - there are going to be SPOILERS for Darkfever through Iced discussed.

Burned did not do that for me. While I didn't finish it wanting to throw it out the window, stomp on it, burn it, and then scatter the ashes, I also didn't finish with that beautiful feeling of having stepped from a world that amazed, having just listened to the most incredible story, told by a girl with verve, audacity, passion and brains.

I want to end this review on a positive note, I want to think positively about where the series is going in the future - so, I'm starting with the negatives. It took me about 3 days to read this book, only reading a few hours a day, because I spent the entire time taking notes. In the end I have over fifteen pages of notes on this book, and a severe disappointment - but again, I have hope (why, yes, I might be a masochistic optimist) for the future of the series.

Instead of the consuming story I had hoped for, I was treated to 400 pages of the author explaining everything that I, as a reader, was too dense to understand in Iced, sprinkled with a few truly great moments and teasers. Yes, I complained - a lot - about the adult, immortal men in Iced lusting over Dani, a 14-year-old-girl and abusing her. Yes, I said, on more than one occasion, that if KMM wanted to include sex (or innuendo) in this series I wanted it to wait until Dani was older. I don't think that's too much to ask. I was told by the author in interviews that I'd read the story wrong.

That went over well.

So, KMM took to Burned to explain exactly how wrong I was. Every.Single.Thing I had an issue with in Iced is contemplated, dissected, discussed and thought about. That's not even counting the moments where previous canon is being re-written. Things that were clearly stated in the previous six books were suddenly not the same. Facts are twisted. All of it telling me how wrong I was in my interpretation of the events that occurred. From multiple character points-of-view. There were meta-speeches in characters minds repeating the same words I've read KMM say in interviews. I can't even say how much this pisses me off. SHOW me I was wrong, don't tell me; don't have (multiple) characters TELL me. I want to SEE that I was wrong, not hear it. I've been hearing you, KMM, say how wrong I was for the last couple of years. Luckily, this is the only real rage-inducing thing I experienced while reading, and I'm pretty much over it. I get it. I do. KMM took a lot of flack and answered a lot of questions about the choices she made in Iced. Pedophilia was brought up frequently, frequently enough for her to address it in a FAQ (which has since been removed from her blog). That's bound to put anyone on the defensive. So I'm trying not to be too mad about this. I just wish that she'd not felt the need to cram this stuff down my throat and let the story speak for itself.

They fence me in with teenage rules that don’t hold me for shit, seeing how I grew up. You can kill but don’t cuss. Break any rule necessary to save the world but don’t watch porn or even think about having sex. How do they come up with this stuff--hold parental powwows for brainstorming diametrically opposed ethics?

You probably know, if you've read my Iced review, that Ryodan was my biggest problem in its pages. The vibe that he gave off when he was with Dani - one of waiting for her to grow up (she's FOURTEEN, and he's been watching her a LONG time), so he could have the woman she'd become - squicked me out. Then there's the abuse: holding her without food or water for three days, because reasons; slamming her face into a stone pillar, repeatedly; breaking her finger...Yup. I hated him. I hated everything about him. Prior to Iced I had kind of liked Ryodan. I didn't know enough to love or hate, but I was leaning towards like. Then all of that went down - and honestly that felt kind of out of character, too - and I'm not sure I'll ever like the bastard again. I can love an asshole - see Barrons; I can get down with manipulative - see Barrons again; I can handle secretive - hello? Barrons still; but abusive and a pedo vibe? Not so much.

"That's not why I watched over her."

"Bullshit. We all saw the woman she could become."

Anyway, that's rehashing the past. However, that's something that KMM excels at in Burned, so I guess I'm not too far off point. In these pages we learn that everything we thought we knew...we were wrong. Ryodan's not an abusive asshole - he didn't mean to break her finger, he forgot how fragile humans were; he didn't hold her for three days, chained in his basement, because he's a controlling freak - he did it for her own-fucking-good. There wasn't a pedo-vibe to his interactions with her, he was a guardian angel, protecting her, being her pillar, holding the roof up while she re-laid her foundation. What-the-eff-ever. I'm not buying what you're selling, KMM. No matter how many different characters sit and extol Ryodan's virtues, realizing what a nice guy he is.

I find myself questioning everything I thought I knew about Ryodan. Running prior conversations through my mind, realizing the man I believed moderately intelligent and highly manipulative of others--to their own detriment and destruction--is in fact highly intelligent and enormously manipulative of others, but I've begun to suspect it's because he's trying to fix what he perceives as the things they want fixed but don't know how. He sees the bird's-eye view and takes the hard, catalytic actions. Unsettling, disturbing to those of us that don't, makes it easy to call him bastard, heartless.

But why would he bother?

There are only two possibilities: either he wants whatever goal he will achieve by altering that person, or, unfathomable as it is, he cares about the world he pretends to scorn, and the people in it.

Now, maybe, just maybe, if I'd been shown that I was wrong about Ryodan, instead of having every character possible think about it, talk about it, and reflect on it, then I might have eaten my words. I still would have hated what he'd done, but I might have grown to like him again. There was one moment in the book where we were shown that Ryodan might be kinder than we've previously seen - his interaction with Jo - however, it's so heavy-handed, especially on top of all the virtue-extolling everyone else is doing, that it just made me roll my eyes. Take away? Ryodan's not a bad guy. In fact, he's a saint. Check.

This is already getting long, so I'm just going to skip to what I feel like was the checklist for this book.

1. Ryodan's an abuser and giving off strong pedo-vibes? No! He's a nice guy! Here, let me tell you! Check.
2. Dani's too young? We can fix that. Into the Silvers, you go, my girl. Check.
3. We miss Mac! Ahh. Well, she can be the narrator again. Check.
4. What's she been up to? Recap. Recap some more. Recap again. Recap stuff you just were there to experience. Check.
5. End scene of Iced, with Mac holding the Spear on Dani and being pissed at her, not make sense? Explain it away. She didn't know. Don't mind the previous stuff you've been told. It'll change as needed. Check.
6. Christian's too creepy. Can't have that. Fixed. Check.
7. Pedophilia? No way! Meta-speeches by several characters. That'll get the point across. Check.
8. More about the Nine - we must have it! Insert plot-device to allow us to spy on them, getting much more intimate with their thoughts and feelings - which apparently they talk about in private. Check.

One last thing I'm going to complain about...no, two last things. One: Mac's boring internal monologues got on my last nerve. I skimmed a lot of them. There were pages and pages and pages of her telling me stuff I already knew. I know some people complained about these in the first five books, but I swear she wasn't this bad. I guess I'll find out when I re-read. I haven't re-read the books in several years (granted I've re-read them several dozen times so I know them well) but I don't need to be hand-fed every single bit of information. And I know what a freaking linchpin is!

Two: the focus on sex! O.M.G. Honestly. I get it. If I were around Barrons, or probably any of the Nine, sex would be one of my main goals, too. But there's a freaking catastrophe happening around every corner! How about focusing on some of them? The random inserts of sex, thoughts of sex, and voyeuristic viewing of sex throughout the book was just...gratuitous.

Okay, I lied. I'm going to talk about one more thing I didn't like. Going back to the Dani-age thing. Yes, I wanted her older, but I wanted to see her grow up and become the woman she was meant to be. Even if it was in snatches, gradually, whatever. I didn't just want it to happen. And the way it happened? Not loving it. I see where KMM is going with this, and I get it, but I think it's the easy way out - and I never thought of KMM taking the easy way.

Shit. I lied again. Last thing. I promise. I hate, hate, hate, hate that Barrons calls Mac, Ms. Lane still! The intimacy that was gained in Shadowfever is apparently gone. Now they're "islands." Then there's some irritating, manufactured drama that is completely pointless. I could not believe how much drama Mac allowed this to cause.

Speaking of Mac (no this isn't another "thing"), she's no longer the kick-ass, Mac 5.0. She reverted to Mac 2.4 or something. She's passive, in the extreme, a mere narrator for events happening around her, and lacking in any initiative. Apparently, she's done what she came to do, and the rest of the time she's going to sit around watching her version of "reality tv" - and don't get me started on that. She's just lost everything that made me love her. Every once in a while I would catch a thought or action that flitted through her head, but mostly I was amazed that this was the same Mac I'd previously fell in love with.

One thing I do know is things can always get worse, most often at the precise moment you've decided they can't.

And so I remain, as Barrons would pithily say, idiotically passive.

The other effect her passivity has is making her interactions with Barrons seem ... less, somehow. He's the same asshole that I love, but without Mac strong it makes him seem even more an asshole. Of course while Mac is being an idiot - and trust me, she's an IDIOT at times - Barrons really shines, too. Actions speak. I've always trusted his.

Okay. I'm done now with that. I swear. Onto the good - and there are tidbits of good in this novel. They're what is going to make me pick up the next book (where I'm hoping and praying that KMM gets back on track). Unfortunately, most of them could be considered spoilerish - and I'd never do that to you guys. So, I'll be as vague as possible and see what I can do.

I started with a checklist - how about a much more enjoyable list?

1. WeCare - I'm still super interested in this! I need to know what their deal is, who they are, and what they're up to. I feel like they're going to be a problem for Mac and Co. at some point.

2. Mac/Sinsar Dubh - Holy.Shit. I did not see that coming! This storyline is the one I wanted to see the most of in Burned. It wasn't really dealt with a whole lot, so I'm hopeful that the future installments really delve into it. There's some really interesting evolutions and stuff going on here that I need to know more about.

3. Christian - Despite the 'quick fix' I feel that he got for part of his problem, he's not out of the woods yet. I can't help it. I love this guy. I want to see him conquer his demons. I want to see him thrive.

4. Lor - Who knew he'd end up being one of my favorites. Funny as hell, he was one of the bright spots in this book.

5. New Unseelie - YES! That's all.

6. Mac's ... entourage - MUST KNOW MORE! MORE!!!

7. Unseelie King/Concubine - consistently the best scenes. I love them separately, and even better, together. They have real issues that need solving, and I can't wait to see them do it. I hope we get to see them conquer their hurdles. Plus I just want more of the UK, and all his incarnations. There's definitely some interesting stuff going on here.

8. Barrons - He's Barrons. 'Nuff said. One of the few characters that maintained their personality. He is who is he. Period. And I love him. Forever. A quote from a friend of mine, Casey strikes me as absolutely perfect in regards to Barrons: I think Barrons is totally off the charts in terms of sex appeal but I hate all of broody silence and secrets. He makes me feel equal parts I need to punch you in your face/please wear my thighs as earmuffs. Hell, yes. This. For sure.

"Son of a bitch, Mac's ass is--"

"Mine," Barrons says flatly. "You will never go there. You have a problem with Mac, you work it out with me. I am her shield, I am her second fucking skin."

Sexy. That is so damn sexy.

There's actually quite a lot in that list of things that I loved, liked, or am interested in. However, they were bright, shiny moments in a otherwise dull book. The plot was nearly non-existent, Burned suffered from 'middle-book-syndrome', and there's virtually no movement on any of the interesting plot-lines. My big hope is that now that KMM has 'fixed' everything, Feverborn will get everything back on track. Though there was a lot I was disappointed in, I can actually see how it could - mostly - be brought back to the glory that was the first five Fever books. And I'm hopeful. And a masochist, because I'll definitely be reading the next one.


Grade: C-/D+

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Review: Iced by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Iced
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Dani O'Malley, Book 1 / Fever, Book 6
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 30 October 2012

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Okay, I finally went through and gathered my thoughts, from when I first read it, and from discussing it throughout the past year+ with friends.

I've put off writing this review, or even rating this book, since I first read it in 2012. You have to understand where I'm coming from, the Fever series was something I spent FIVE long years reading, rereading, speculating, discussing, and waiting for the completion. And it was beautiful, perfect...EPIC. I loved it. Even now that it's finished it remains at the top of my favorites list. The scope and ability that KMM showed in that novel blew my mind.

I had reservations about Dani. I couldn't stand her voice in Dreamfever and Shadowfever. Feck and Dude was every other word, it felt like, and I wasn't looking forward to reading a whole book of it.

Then I opened Iced and was surprised as hell to find out that I didn't hate Dani. I began to get to know her, to understand her, and her voice was so much different than what I'd previously read that I settled in hoping that my fears were mislaid.

Surprisingly, to me, I actually liked Dani. I don't love her yet, but I could see that happening. There are things she did that irritated the hell out of me, but she's an incredible character - tough and bitten, naive and innocent - rolled into one, believably.

Unfortunately, because there's been no change in age or growth from when we knew her in the Fever series I can't help but feel like KMM changed her to suit her purposes. There's no reason that her voice would change this much considering Iced picks up before Shadowfever even ends. So, while I was relieved and happy that I liked Dani, I was also skeptical about the authorial intent...and worried about what other characters would change to suit their new purpose (with good reason it turns out).

The "mystery" (these are supposed to be episodic books, with a "monster of the week" type of storyline) in this book was weak. Honestly pretty boring and I didn't give a crap about it for most of the story. Up until the last 20%, when it had me riveted, and the climax fight scene was fantastic. I loved how they had to work together, and how well they integrated their very different talents.

And now we're going to come to my main problem. The sexualization of a FOURTEEN year old girl by TWO GROWN ASS MEN. I can't really get into it without spoilers, and the rest of my complaints involve spoilers as well, so read on at your own risk.

1. Ryodan. I liked Ryodan in the Fever books. I thought he was intriguing, a contrast - more civilized and fuck-with-your-mind version of Barrons perhaps (Barrons is, as Mac puts it, with one foot in the swamp). He had a lot of potential and I was interested to read more about him. I *never* wanted him to have a relationship with Dani, at least not until she was older, and this was a concern when I first started hearing about this book.

Turns out I was right to be worried. Ryodan constantly sexualized Dani. Their interactions were constantly threaded with innuendo (that, incidentally, went over Dani's head), and he kept intimating that he was waiting for her to grow up. These moments were portrayed in a positive light, there's no getting around how KMM showed that the innuendo was fun, light, sexy. It's more than obvious that Ryodan wants Dani - maybe not today, but he's got plans and he's acting on them, trying to secure that future, now...despite the fact that she's fourteen.

Add to that the fact that he kept trying to make her dependent on him, and I was nothing but squicked out. The grossness of this relationship was really disturbing.

There's also a huge power imbalance that I'm not even going to get into, because it's pretty easy to imagine. But the fact that Ryodan uses this against Dani infuriates me.

Some really specific examples:
At one point in the book you Ryodan keeping Dani chained up for THREE days. Remember this is Dani, the person that needs to eat all the time (literally) because her metabolism is out of control. Three days with NO FOOD AND NO WATER!! Are you kidding me? She could have died. Honestly, with her metabolism she should have.

Later, I believe it's after Ryodan "dies" and when Dani sees him again he then SLAMS her up against a pillar, bruising her face so badly that she nearly can't see out of it afterwards. He pins her to the pillar and proceeds to breaks her finger. O__O

I can't even...What.the.fuck.

HE BROKE HER FINGERS.

What's Dani do? Cries with relief that he's alive. He's humiliating her. Hurting her. And she's happy he's alive.

Doesn't that sound like abusive dependence to anyone else?



Add to that the fact that Ryodan is either (a) incompetent or (b) someone that's determined to keep Dani in his sphere of influence from now until he can have her. In case (a) he's just worthless - no where near the level of Barrons. In case (b) c'mon, that's just skeevy. She's young, impressionable, able to be molded, and you're going to prey on her now so that you have first shot at her when she's "matured"? Fuck you.

I keep hearing about how Ryodan's supposed to be more epic* than Barrons, but I honestly can't see that happening.

Oh, and while we're at it, let's get this argument out of the way. I keep hearing about how Barrons was the same with Mac. I strongly disagree. Barrons was an ass, I'll agree with anyone there, but (except for the time when he went to her hotel room that first time) he never put a mark on her. He protected her, saved her life multiple times, taught her, showed her how to survive in this new world, gave her information, GAVE HER A WEAPON - The SPEAR (I'm going to come back to this). He was always about making Mac strong enough to take him on. He wanted her able to handle him, not be dependent or subservient to him. Did he use her? Sure. Did Barrons withhold information from her? Yep. Did he act like an ass? Absolutely. But he didn't hurt her, he didn't make it harder for her to protect herself, and he didn't make her less. He helped her build herself up. There's no comparison in my opinion.

The weapon. Barrons gave Mac the Spear. Made sure she was able to protect herself, defend herself. No matter what. We all know that Dani had the sword. At one point in the novel Inspector Jayne (fucker) takes the sword from Dani - believing and arguing that he can use it better than she can. When Dani goes to Ryodan for help, as he's been telling her to do all along, Ryodan REFUSES to help her get it back. Saying that he prefers it with Jayne.

I can't even begin to explain the rage this inspired in me. Just one more way for Ryodan to make Dani dependent on him. Thank goodness that Christian ended up helping her get it back.



There was ALWAYS the choice with Mac/Barrons. No matter what he wanted more than anything, Mac could have walked away and done it her own way. Barrons just, bluntly, told her that no one would be able to help her/save her/protect her/teach her like he would. And that’s what he proceeded to do. Ryodan on the other hand chained Dani up for 3 days without food or water or bathrooms. He slammed her into a pillar, repeatedly, breaking her face. He belittles her.

2. What the hell happened to all the strong female characters? The Fever series was peopled with them. Kat, Jo, Dani, Mac...Kat became weak - unable to make a decision, no matter how much it'd help her sidhe-seers. Jo became a sex object that had no brain. In the Fever series people would say "maybe Jo knows," and here she didn't know what kinetic energy was. She was a sex toy for Ryodan. Blegh. Dani at least remained pretty awesome. Mac was absent for the most part. And every.single.other.female was nothing more than a sex object, a damsel in distress, or window-dressing. No brains, fighting to die for the Unseelie in Chester's, with not a thought between anyone of them that was portrayed.

3. On top of Ryodan's oogling of Dani, you have Christian. His scenes were at least portrayed in a negative light. He was sickened with himself, with the changes happening to him. But on top of the Ryodan stuff it was just too much. Noticing her skull and cross-bone underwear, her "sweet, young curves" nearly made me sick. But I was sick for Christian. He didn't ask for this transformation. He's fighting it; he's often losing that battle, but he's trying. And he always is disgusted with himself later. The ending, and his actions, leave me hopeful that the Christian I know and love is still in there somewhere.

I did enjoy some smaller aspects of it. There's some food shortage issues that I'm interested in seeing more about. The world itself is interesting as hell, still. But I'm afraid to see the characters I know and love destroyed, turned into lesser versions of themselves. I'm going to read the next one, and hope and pray that KMM gets back on track...but I'll probably wait until Jenny's read it and given me a run-down (that she promised :P)


Here's a Q/A with KMM after Iced was released. I'm going to highlight the parts the infuriate me the most. But be warned again. Spoilers ahead.
Q&A Link

Q. Is Dani older in BURNED?

A1. Crimeny, is it really all about sex?

Q. Yes. Now answer my question.

A2. Although Dani is 14 at the beginning of BURNED, she does mature by the end of the book. Someone asked if she would be 17. I said possibly.

No. We're not worried about the sex. I'm worried about Dani being taken advantage of...when she clearly has no idea what these MEN want with her.

Q. Do you write about pedophiles?

A. No. I write about life. I write with verisimilitude. I write about men who look at a 14-year old superhero woman-child (who is also an assassin—where is the moral outrage over that? Priorities, the UK would say, get some) and can see the women she will become one day. I write about men who will do anything to keep her alive long enough to become it—even knowing they may never be the one lucky enough to get her. I write about men who know that being gentle and making pleasant requests of a young woman who is stronger, faster, smarter and has more balls than pretty much everyone on the planet would be as effective as trying to chisel a sculpture from stone using feathers. Ryodan never lusts over Dani. Dancer never lusts over Dani. Christian has a few very realistic death-by-sex Fae moments but there is no question he is drawn to her “light’and her ‘innocence’ not the skull and crossbone panties he glimpses when she is freezing to death that ‘charms’ him. Not turns him on. Charms him. Do they have hard dicks? The 9 and death-by-sex Fae always have hard dicks. The wind blows.They breathe. It’s that simple. I was 13 when I first noticed a man looking at me like he wanted to have sex with me. How old were you? Although I didn’t act on it for a long time after that, I remember to this day being thrilled by it. Exhilarated. I was becoming a woman. Dani is an odd duck: raised by TV she has seen everything the world has to offer but experienced very little of it. She gets the actions, not the emotions. Yet.

Part of what may have been difficult for any readers who felt disturbed by the way I wrote the characters in ICED is this: I have always given my reader a way in to the men, a heroine through which the reader could connect on a sexual and romantic level to the Alpha males I write. ICED is the first book I’ve written that does not do that. I gave you no mature eyes through which to experience romance (of which there is none yet.) There is no woman in ICED through which you can comfortably lust after my Alphas. Yet. Stay with me. Keep the faith. This made it difficult for some readers who tried to view the Alphas through Dani’s vantage and felt an ‘ick’ factor. Well, stop it! You weren’t supposed to do that anyway, LOL.

Of all the condescending responses I've ever read. OMG. FUCK YOU. I DO NOT READ to lust after the Alpha. I don't put myself in the place of the "heroine" so I can experience her lust for the hero. I have NEVER done that. Don't try to lay the blame for your lust filled innuendos and situations on me.

And fuck you very much for telling me I read the novel wrong.


*And then there's this where KMM says Ryodan will "eclipse Barrons".

One last note about Ryodan: He will eclipse Barrons. Blot him right out of your soul’s sky.

Why's he gotta be more than Barrons? Why can't he just be different? Why do I get the feeling this means that there's a Dani/Ryodan HEA in the works?

I do have some theories/speculations that I could go on about where things would turn and make me happy again, satisfied. But I don't know if I can bear to hope for them to happen. I don't foresee any scenario in which I'm happy with Ryodan and Dani ending up together.

Here are a couple of fantastic reviews that I agree with 100%: bean and Cory and Jenny.

Grade: D-

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Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Bloodfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever Series, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 16 October 2007

I used to be your average, everyday girl but all that changed one night in Dublin when I saw my first Fae, and got dragged into a world of deadly immortals and ancient secrets...

In her fight to stay alive, MacKayla must find the Sinsar Dubh — a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over the worlds of both the Fae and Man. Pursued by assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she can’t trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and powerful men: V’lane, the immortal Fae Prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man as irresistible as he is dangerous.

For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them.

**SPOILER WARNING** Likely nothing here will be a big spoiler if you've not read it or the series (WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!) but I recommend reading this series without ANY prior knowledge of what happens or is said - so go read my review for Darkfever, which will give nothing away and then get started. We can talk when you're done in a few days. Don't worry, I'll understand the sleep deprivation and manic actions.

Not once in the seven years of me reading this have I been able to pick up one of the books - to look up a reference or read a favorite scene - that I didn't end up reading the entire series from there to the end. It's addicting and will take over your life...at least it did mine. And I count it time well spent, each of the million re-reads I've done.

Although it may not seem like it, this isn't a story about darkness. It's about light. Kahlil Gibran says Your joy can fill you only as deeply your sorrow has carved you. If you've never tasted bitterness, swet is just another pleasant flavor on your tongue. One day I'm going to hold a lot of joy.

I read this series when it first came out. So I can tell you - reading this series, as dark as it gets, I held onto this quote. KMM said at some point later that this quote was her promise, in Mac's words, that Mac would be happy at the end of the story. Over the next 3 years I desperately held onto that promise, memorized this quote, reminded myself of it every time things got darker than I was expecting in even the most pessimistic corners of my mind. This one quote got me through a lot of the emotional heartache that this series brought me while I had the long waits between books. Thank god for it.

There are only shades of gray. Black and white are nothing more than lofty ideals in our minds, the standards by which we try to judge things, and map out our place in the world in relevance to them.

In the first book Mac said: You want to believe in black and white, good and evil... She's growing. She's learning, she begins to understand that not everything is the way she's always known it to be. One of my favorite (if convoluted) quotes below illustrates that beautifully.

Every time I think I'm getting smarter I realize that I've just done something stupid. Dad says there are three kinds of people in the world: those who don't know, and don't know they don't know; those who don't know and do know they don't know; and those who know and know how much they still don't know.

Heavy stuff, I know. I think I’ve finally graduated from the don’t-knows that don’t know to the don’t-knows that do.

Mac stepped off that plane in Dublin fresh, innocent and more than a little naive. I'm not saying she's made a complete 180, but she's gained some significant ground. She's getting smarter - thinking ahead, planning and actively attempting to understand and unravel this world that she's been thrust into. All while not losing herself.

Barrons has something the rest of us don't have. I don't know what it is, but I feel it all the time, especially when we're standing close. Beneath the expensive clothes, unplaceable accent, and cultured veneer, there's something that never crawled all the way out of the swamp. It didn't want to. It likes it there.

Barrons was one of the big enigmas that kept me guessing and reading and speculating from the moment Darkfever first hit the shelves. I won't kid you - you don't learn a lot about him. He can act like an ass, a dick, and a douche; but I've always loved him. He's the one that keeps Mac alive, keeps her safe (as possible), teaches HOW to survive, gives her the tools to survive. Sure he's not giving her everything, not trusting her completely, but he's helping her to become the stronger person she needs to be.

"What are you Barrons?"
"The one who will never let you die, and that's more, Ms. Lane, than anyone in your life has been able to say to you. More than anyone else can do."

I think this is part of what firmly won me to Barrons side early in this series. I was always intrigued, but his actions up to this point, and this simple statement - backed by the truth - made me a huge fan. I've never lost that love for Jericho Barrons.

One day I was going to write a book: How to Dictate to a Dictator and Evade an Evader, subtitled How to Handle Jericho Barrons.

Their interactions are some of the best I've ever read. Silent conversations abound, smart-ass remarks fly, and truth is buried in each and every moment.

Being touched by Jericho Barrons with kindness makes you feel like you must be the most special person in the world. It's like walking up to the biggest, most savage lion in the jungle, lying down, placing your head it its mouth and, rather than taking your life, it licks you and purrs.

And the oh-so slight building of sexual tension. That takes FOREVER for a payoff (be warned - though at least you don't have to wait YEARS :P)

"I'm sorry your pretty little world got all screwed up, but everybody's does, and you go on. It's how you go on that defines you."

This is another reason I love Barrons. He has a very *his* way of living. His own rules, his own acceptable actions, his own lines he will not cross. He knows what it takes to survive, to thrive, and this is the knowledge that he's slowly but surely passing onto Mac.

"The wisest man is the silent one. Examine his actions. Judge him by them."

Ah, yes. The other quote I took to heart. I judged Barrons by his actions. Sometimes I had to dig deep to get a good picture of what I think was really going on. He's not an easy character to see into. A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma...That's Jericho Barrons.

"One day you will kiss a man you can't breathe without, and find that breath is of little consequence."

A wonderful, intense, thrilling addition to the series. I remember finishing this book and immediately starting Darkfever again when I first read it. Reading it now, I can't even believe that I survived waiting for the next book.



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Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever Series, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 31 October 2006

"My name is MacKayla, Mac for short. I'm a sidhe-seer, one who sees the Fae, a fact I accepted only recently and very reluctantly.

My philosophy is pretty simple - any day nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven't had many good days lately. Not since the walls between Man and Fae came down. But then, there's not a sidhe-seer alive who's had a good day since then."

When MacKayla's sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death - a cryptic message on Mac's cel phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Ma is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysteriou Jericho...while at the same time, the ruthless V'lane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book - because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control both worlds in their hands....

______________________________________________________

You want to believe in black and white, good and evil...but I've learned in the past year that things are rarely so simple.

If anyone hasn't read this series yet (WHY?!) I'm not going to spoil you here. The Fevers are best read, experienced, as they occur. So if you're thinking of diving in (and you really, really should), I recommend you don't even read the blurbs of the future books.

This series. Even now, 7 years since I first read it, I'm still in absolute awe of the brilliance of Karen Marie Moning. So much so that this is the first time I've ever tried, and been semi-successful, in revirwing it. She's created a truly epic story here. I picked it up on a whim. The title got me, the blurb hooked me.

My philosophy is pretty simple – any day nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven't had many good days -lately.

So started an incredibly tense, fascinating, speculation-filled four and a half year journey. I'll never regret picking up that first book when it was initially released. But I will also say that those of you starting it right now, are very, very lucky. The waiting was...intense. KMM ends some of these books with such horrible cliffhangers. And while I had to wait a year between each book, now everyone can devour from book 1, Darkfever to book 5, Shadowfever in a haze of sleepless nights that doesn't lift until you've turned the last page.

The story is told in first-person retrospective POV – definitely my first experience with that type of storytelling, and still probably one of my only. The 'retrospective' part of that description means that Mac is telling the story after she's finished, and there's comments of the 'if only I'd known' sort. I personally loved this, it gave me depth and more to think about, but I also think it will take others a lot of getting used to. The further I got into the story, the more sure I was that this series was going to make me think, and re-read for many years to come. On re-reads something is obvious that may not have been on my first read; KMM had this series so tightly written that clues and asides, notes and building blocks are there from the very start. Five books later I finally realized the significance of some things I'd learned in Darkfever. And even on this time there were little things that struck me anew.

Mac, short for MacKayla Lane, starts out an innocent, naïve, girl from the provincial, rural area of Georgia. A lot of people look at her and think Barbie, and they're not entirely wrong. Mac herself doesn't do a lot to subvert this opinion and frequently – in the beginning – doesn't think much beyond this of herself. She likes pink, sunning by the poolside, tending bar, eating her mom's home-cooking and generally leading as simple of a life as possible.

Then her sister, Alina, dies in Ireland. And Mac finds out there's a whole lot more to her. She has steel under the pink, frilly clothes and attitude. Watching her evolution, which is one that takes time, is so absolutely relatable. Her struggles as she comes to accept these new things happening, what she can do, and even what she needs to do, really drove the story for me. What we might not have realized at the beginning is that Mac is smart. More than just her looks, she's loves her family beyond any recognizable point, would do anything for them, and has the brains, the guts, and the sheer nerve to continue to push herself past her comfort zone. See Mac bluff… is a frequent thought of hers in this book, a necessary one to keep her alive and able; letting her continue her mission to find her sister's killer.

You may get sick of hearing about the Iceberry pink nail polish, or the pearls, skirts, and sandals Mac wears or misses wearing. You might be annoyed by her wishing she hadn't been pulled into such dangerous and trying times. Or when she goes somewhat reluctantly down this path she didn't even know existed. Maybe you'll want to smack her and make her see what's right in front of her. All reactions I've seen. Not mine though. Mac's reactions to what's around her felt utterly and completely real to me. From a normal world, like you and I live in, to suddenly seeing fae – monsters – sitting at a table in the same bar as her. Everything makes sense, has an order, and suddenly she's dealing with things from myth and legend. Faery tales, worse than any you could ever imagine. She may not always like what's happening to her, she may balk at the changes that are thrust upon her, but she always, always ends up doing what needs to be done. It's not easy, but she's still there. With every single experience she has you can see how it's changing her, affecting her and making her into the person she's to become. Her evolution, metamorphosis from pretty-in-pink Mac is done perfectly right. We get to see as she's pared down, each thing honing, shaping, sharpening. You start to see the person she is under all the glamor and polish. And I love her, too. It all makes me respect her; I don't think there are too terribly many people that could go from the sheltered life she started in, to where she ends up.

"Sometimes...one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It is one of the distinguishing characteristics between survivors and victims. Letting go of what was, to survive what is."

As Mac delves deeper into this complex world, we're right along with her. One of the beautiful bonuses with this is that there's never a moment that feels like an info-dump. Information is doled out, some of it even off-screen, and Mac then records it in her notebooks. Determined to keep an intricate, detailed record of what she's doing in case something happens to her, we see everything from her thoughts on the major players, to the fae species and their history – maybe even some things they forgot. Each piece intrigues; every single bit of information just makes you want more. By the end of this book, I had at least a dozen theories on what was going on, where things were, and who people were. Some of them contradictory, and every one could be supported by the text. One of my favorite things to do during the year wait for the next book was speculate, make grand theories, piece tidbits together. I had some doozies.

You heard me mention those 'other players'. Here's where Jericho Barrons comes in. None of them is more intriguing than the enigmatic Jericho Barrons. I don't even know where to begin. Damn. This man. From the very first moment he walked on the page I was in love with his arrogant, cocky, unapologetic, domineering, alpha male self. He's very used to getting everything he wants, when and how he wants it. Then Mac barrels into his bookstore one dusky evening. Little did they both know that meeting was a line of demarcation – as Mac is wont to call it – in both their lives.

He didn't just occupy space, he saturated it…

Barrons is a man of few words. He doles out information as if it's precious, and won't offer excuses, or reasons for why he does what he does, to anyone other than himself. There are explicit reasons for each action he takes, though. He's very precise, and calculating, someone that plans. He's a strategist at heart, you can tell he enjoys a good game of chess – on and off the board. He's absolutely never going to change to be what you want, he is who he is and makes no apologies, doesn't care what anyone thinks of him. Accept, or go the hell away. And even while I'm wondering if he can be trusted, all I want to do is sidle up closer to him.

He wasn't handsome, that was too calm a word. He was intensely masculine. He was sexual. He attracted.

All of that, all these words in this attempt at a review, and I've barely scratched the tip of the iceberg. This book, this series, is intricate and complex. It's filled with mystery, drama, questions and treasure hunts. There's danger around nearly every corner, and surprises mixed throughout. It's little wonder this is one of my favorite series.

On this re-read, finally, I'm attempting to review each book. Hopefully you'll be seeing the rest of them here soon.



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2011: Best Of...

2011 was a year full of extreme highs, and bitterly disappointing lows. I've been doing a 'Best Of' post for a couple of years now, but I'm going to change the format a bit.

A good friend of mine, Kat at Wit and Sin organized hers beautifully - and we all know I can't resist something that's perfectly organized.

Number of books I read (not including re-reads): 202
Number of new-to-me authors I read: 39


Favorite New-to-Me Authors of 2011: Jim Butcher, C.C. Galloway, Kevin Hearne, Josh Lanyon, Sarah MacLean, Nicole Sheldon

Favorite Authors of 2011: Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Kresley Cole, Lynn Kurland, Karen Marie Moning, Riley Shane, Nalini Singh

Solid Read Authors Discovered: Jennifer Estep, Elle Kennedy, Jill Shalvis, C.L. Wilson

Now for the really fun part. I've included not only my favorite new books for 2011 - some of which weren't published in 2011 because I've just found them - books that nearly made the list, and because this year was filled with some horrible let-downs, the Disappointments category. I've never listed one before, and even as I hit 'publish' I'm wondering if I should now...

My Top 25 Books of 2011 (new to me)
Note: Because I hate ranking my favorites, at any time, these are listed in alphabetical order by author (and if needed in series order).

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, Book 5) by Ilona Andrews

I loved this newest addition to the Kate Daniels world. Like each previous edition, it kept me turning pages. In my opinion you can't get better than the combination of fantastic characters and a solid, fascinating world than this series.

River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) by Patricia Briggs

One of my favorite series - Patricia Briggs consistently delivers strong books with two of my favorite characters. I loved that we got so much time with Adam and Mercy together in this one.

Hunting Grounds (Alpha & Omega, Book 3) by Patricia Briggs

Even though Ms. Briggs is one of my favorite authors I'd avoided this series since the beginning. I think because I didn't feel that there was any possible way she could deliver two awesome series simultaneously. I'm so happy to know that I was wrong. Charles and Anna have joined the ranks of my favorite characters.

Heart of Steel (Iron Seas, Book 2) by Meljean Brook

Ever since I first met Yasmeen in The Iron Duke I've been wanting to read more about her, spend more time with her, and see her find the man who would compliment her. I loved everything about this book.

Storm Front (Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher

This series has been on my radar for a long time. I've heard nothing but good things about it and was slightly trepidatious about starting it. I worried it wouldn't live up to what I'd heard. But Harry Dresden is a fantastic character and I can't wait to read more about him.

Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark, Book 11) by Kresley Cole

I stopped reading this series for a while - around book 5 - and just recently started my catch up again this year. Luckily I had 6 books to devour. They were all fantastic, but there was something extra special about this book. I wasn't sure how Ms. Cole was going to handle the redemption of the hero. I went into it thinking it was going to be a very hard sell. I was amazed that she not only pulled it off, she did it beautifully.

Hail Mary (Portland Tide, Book 1) by C.C. Galloway


It's so hard to find good contemporary romances. I grabbed this one because it's a sports romance too. The characters are great and it's obvious that C.C. Galloway knows her football, which is a refreshing change from a lot of sports romances I've read. I can't wait to read more from her.

Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1) by Kevin Hearne

One of my favorite finds of 2011, this series is something fresh and new and interesting. It runs the line between fantasy and urban fantasy. Atticus is a 2,100 year-old druid - the last of his kind. With a deep connection to the earth, both drawing power for his magic from it and feeling the need to protect it, Atticus has been on the run from an angry Celtic god. And now he's been found.

Hexed (Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 2) by Kevin Hearne

Witches. Fallen Angels. And Hunters of darkness. Atticus can't catch a break and gets tangled in a mess that he didn't ask for. But he won't back down from it.

Hammered (Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 3) by Kevin Hearne


This series just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to see what happens with Atticus next!

One Enchanted Evening (DePiaget/MacLeod, Book 21) by Lynn Kurland

This is one of my favorite authors. I found her a few years ago, in a book swap library at work. I'm so grateful I did. I fell a bit behind in her series of books, so I was playing catch up in 2011. Finally, finally I got to Montgomery's book - who I'd been looking forward to since I first met him. I was so happy to see he got a heroine that was perfect for him.

The Adrien English Series by Josh Lanyon - I'm cheating here and putting a whole series, because honestly, I can't choose a favorite out of it. I think this was the find of 2011 for me. (Includes 5 books: Fatal Shadows, A Dangerous Thing, The Hell You Say, The Death of a Pirate King, and The Dark Tide)

This is a fantastic series. Romance, mysteries, heartache and, best of all, a happy ending. I've been glomming up Josh Lanyon's extensive back list ever since I finished it. Adrien and Jake are still my favorite though.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love by Numbers, Book 1) by Sarah MacLean

What a great set of characters! This was a fun, diverting historical romance. Callie and Gabriel were perfect for each other. I'd thought that I had burnt myself out on historical romances long ago. The title of this was what made me decide to give it a chance - and I'm so glad I did. Honestly, this one book made Ms. MacLean an auto-buy author for me. I've been trying to space out her other books, but I've already bought books 2 and 3 to read.

Shadowfever (Fever Series, Book 5) by Karen Marie Moning

A journey started in 2006. I eagerly awaited each installment in Mac's story, and the final year for the concluding story was by far the most interesting. We'd learned so much, but had many more questions. There was a lot I looked forward to, but mostly I wanted to see Mac hold that happiness that she'd been fighting for.

This book blew me away. I was sure my expectations were going to ruin it, but this finish made it my all-time favorite series.

Two-Man Advantage (Seattle Marauders, Book 1) by Riley Shane

After reading The Taste of Magick last year, I was so ecstatic to see another book coming from Riley Shane. AND it was a romance with hockey, which I love. It was an absolute joy to read this story, and I'm happy to say that there are more coming. Thankfully the next Seattle Marauders book is already scheduled (In the Penalty Box coming in March 2012).

Read my review here

Chasing Alex by Riley Shane

A quick reunion story that was sexy and satisfying.

Read my review here

Blood Rose (Realm of Nine, Book 1) by Riley Shane

The first m/f paranormal romance from Ms. Shane. Just wow. I love the world, the characters and the story. I can't wait to see more in this series. I'm especially looking forward to Cáel right now. Though there are quite a few others that have me intrigued.

International Relations (International Relations, Book 1) by Riley Shane

Beautiful start to the story of Connor and Delaney. I loved that the second book in the series came out so closely after this one, because I was excited to see what had happened to this couple I fell in love with.

Winter Wonderland (International Relations, Book 2) by Riley Shane

Years later. Such a sweet story. Even better than the first. I hope we get to visit Delaney and Connor again! Right now there's a story planned for this summer.

Unlikely Protector by Nicole Sheldon

An exciting novella by a debut author. I expect great things if this is how it starts. Nicole Sheldon created a believable, detailed world and kept me  eagerly turning pages caught up in the story and the characters lives.  I've got a couple of full length novels to look forward to this year, according to her website and I can't wait to see where she takes me next!

Read my review here

Make Me, Sir (Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 5) by Cherise Sinclair

When a friend first recommend Cherise Sinclair to me, I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a fantastically layered set of stories set in the BDSM lifestyle that soon became the bar I measured every other BDSM themed erotica by. I look for erotica that doesn't just have sex for sex's sake, but for the very vital reason of furthering the plot, character development or arc. Ms. Sinclair delivers. And this story delivered a compelling suspense story-line too.

Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter, Book 3) by Nalini Singh

It's probably no surprise how huge a fan I am of Nalini Singh. She consistently writes books that keep me up well into the night. I've long considered her a master of the perfect balance of world and characters. Not only does this book have one of the most beautiful, fitting covers I've ever seen, the story inside is not to be missed.

Read my review here

Kiss of Snow (Psy-Changelings, Book 10) by Nalini Singh

Another highly anticipated book this year. I've been waiting for Hawke's story since I first met him back in book 1, Slave to Sensation. Ms. Singh didn't let me down. This is one of my favorites of the series.

Read my review here

Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter, Book 4) by Nalini Singh

Not one, not two, but THREE full length novels that absolutely blew me away. Dmitri was another favorite from the first meeting. I loved everything about this book, most especially his heroine - Honor. I loved it so much that immediately upon finishing it I started at the beginning again.

Read my review here

Lord of the Fading Lands (Tarien Soul, Book 1) by C.L. Wilson

I'm always on the look out for fantasy romance novels. For some reason they seem to be few and far between. I'd had this entire series on my shelf for more than a year before some random urge made me pick it up. And once I started I couldn't stop. This book made me stay up all night reading, until I had to get in the shower to go to work the next day.








Honorable Mentions
Note: These are the books that were just shy of being on my 'Best of' list. I couldn't not mention them, because they're fantastic books.

Grimspace (Sirantha Jax, Book 1) by Ann Aguirre

I'm not usually into science fiction. I think they have a tendency to get a bit too technical for my tastes. However, I gave this one a shot after much prodding. And I was pleasantly surprised to find out how wrong I was. This book has some fantastic characters, and interesting plot, and a really detailed (without being overly so) world. I'm looking forward to reading further in this series, and more by this author.

Bayou Moon (The Edge, Book 2) by Ilona Andrews

I read On the Edge, the first book in the series before ever starting the Kate Daniels series and absolutely loved it. So when this second book came out I was so excited. William is a great hero and Cerise is an interesting, awesome heroine. I've quickly come to the conclusion that I love almost everything by the writing team that is Ilona Andrews.

Geist (Book of the Order, Book 1) by Philippa Ballantine

I admit I was first drawn to this book because of the cover. But Philippa Ballantine quickly drew me into an intricate world with geists (ghosts) and those that protect people from them - called Deacons. Following along after Deacon Sorcha's husband was gravely injured in a geist attack and seeing her battle ghosts, possessed sea creatures and deal with devious humans, all with a new partner in Deacon Merrick was truly gripping.

Demon From the Dark (Immortals After Dark, Book 10) by Kresley Cole

Malkom, the hero of this story, is one of my favorite characters ever. He made me love him from the first. Ms. Cole handles her intricate over-arcing plot beautifully. When I think about the details and timeline she's keeping straight it amazes me. I'm so glad I'm able to read something so, seemingly, well thought out and planned.

 Read my review here

Spider's Revenge (Elemental Assassin, Book 5) by Jennifer Estep

This entire series is enjoyable, if with some flaws, but by the fifth book Ms. Estep brought the main arc to an amazing conclusion. There are more books scheduled and I'm excited to see where Gin goes next.

The Out of Uniform Series by Elle Kennedy - Again with the cheating on my listing, but I eminently enjoyed this series and read them one after the other this year. (Includes 6 books: Heat of the Moment, Heat of Passion, Heat of the Storm, Heat It Up, Heat of the Night, and The Heat is On)

This series was a lot of fun to read. There was very real chemistry and palpable feelings between the characters in this series. I look forward to reading more of her work...after re-reading these, of course.

Spellweaver (Nine Kingdoms, Book 5) by Lynn Kurland

This is actually the second book in the second trilogy set in the Nine Kingdoms world. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil the first series at all, but the Nine Kingdoms is probably my favorite fantasy romance series. Great characters that make me fall in love with them.

The Perils of Pleasure (Pennroyal Green, Book 1) by Julie Anne Long

While there is suspense in this historical romance, I loved that the characters still actually fell in love - not just lust. I was rooting for them the whole way through and look forward to more from Julie Anne Long.

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice, Book 1) by George R.R. Martin

I started this book because of the (then) upcoming HBO series. Full of politics and intrigue, I was mostly drawn in by the characters. I've decided to read a book just before each new season starts, and I'm excited to see where we go next.
Be warned: If you need to know that your favorite characters are going to be okay, this is probably not the series for you. Mr. Martin has no qualms about killing off beloved characters.

Initiate (The Unfinished Song, Book 1) by Tara Maya

I started this book excited by the fresh book description. While it starts out a little slow (probably to be expected with it being the first book in a planned 12 book series), I was soon drawn in and couldn't put down my Kindle. I'm looking forward to reading much more from this author about these engaging characters.

Read my review here

Instant Attraction (Wilder Brothers, Book 1) by Jill Shalvis

A fun contemporary romance set against the backdrop of the Sierra Mountains. Katie and Cameron are both recovering from tragic events that have affected them deeply. Seeing them find peace and happiness with them was a true joy.








Disappointments

Living on the Edge (Edge, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher

I actually wanted to read the Sentinel series by Ms. Butcher, but this was available at the time I looked. It sounded like a good romantic suspense so I decided to give it a shot. After getting more than halfway through I decided I just couldn't finish it. I was just extremely bored throughout and decided this wasn't for me.

This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 5) by Jeaniene Frost

I've enjoyed the first 4 books in this series quite a bit. But this one was a huge disappointment to me. There was something missing here, and I'm still not quite sure what. There's something that kept me from being engaged in the story and characters here. I just didn't really care. I still look forward to each new release by Ms. Frost.

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf, Book 1) by Molly Harper

Perhaps expectations were high for me on this one. I'd heard a lot about the humor of Molly Harper and was looking forward to a good book filled with laugh-out-loud moments. What I got was a bland story, filled with exposition, and what humor there was felt forced.

Dragon Bound (Elder Races, Book 1) by Thea Harrison

There was a ton of love of this book around the blog-o-sphere, but I had far too many problems with it.

Read my review here

Ascension (World of Ascension, Book 1) by Caris Roane

There was a lot of potential here, but the confusing, inconsistent world building and characters that seemed to act in strange ways kept me from really enjoying this book. I'll be happy to give something else of Ms. Roane's a chance in the future.

Shadow Kin (Half-Light City, Book 1) by M.J. Scott

Technical problems kept me from getting into this story, and made it far too easy for me to pick at the flaws that I saw. No seeming direction to the plot, erratic world building, and characters that were both weak and assholes left me with nothing to enjoy.

Read my review here





The disappointments were extremely disappointing, but looking at this list it's easy for me to see that there were far more great moments than bad. I'm looking forward to an even better year in 2012!!

What were some of your favorite, or disappointing, reads of 2011. What are you looking forward to in 2012?