REVIEW: LOVER ENSHRINED by JR WARD

I only discovered JR WARD’s books early this year and had no idea what this series was about but I found some of her books on a special price section of my local bookstore and finding the covers and titles quite different and interesting…I thought? Why not? So I bought the first 4 books in the series. 

I became totally addicted. I couldn’t stop reading….as soon as I finished the one I began on the next and before I got to the 4th book I had bought the entire series. 
What fascinates me about her books is that each one has different plot lines, different POV’S, sub-plots and there are secondary characters that we meet and continue to grow so one has a sense of getting to know a little bit more about them and kept in suspense of WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT!!!! 

This book is the 6th book in the series and it’s not really one of my favorites..I am not saying I didn’t like it it’s just that It’s Phury and Cormia’s story but it does not focus that much on them. There is so much happening with other characters that you kind of lose track of their story … 
Phury is very different to the brothers in the previous books. He’s an angst-ridden, artistic, guilt ridden by being secretly in love with Zsadist’s (his twin brother)shellan, Bella, He has spent his life- hundreds of years - making sacrifices for others even giving up one of his legs and celibacy to save Zsadist from slavery and torture. His struggles with his addiction to red smoke and then onto to heroin which nearly kills him.. He’s so out of control that Wrath kicks him out of the Brotherhood….which I thought was pretty grim…even his own brother turned against him. 
Being the person he is…self-sacrificing ---always putting others before himself…doing everything for others safety, even the cost to his life, he volunteers to take Vishous place as Primale to the Chosen so that V can stay with Jane. 
Phury will now have to mate with one of the Chosen to continue the pure line of the next generation of the Chosen and the Brotherhood. His first duty is to mate with Cormia, one of the Chosen who we met in Lover Unbound, who is sweet and gentle and falls in love with him despite his problems…she, sees the other side…how noble and great person he is. But despite knowing he’s in love with Bella, she wants his love and body for herself and no one else, not even to share with the other Chosen. 
Phury soon realizes that he wants only Cormia but can he forsake his duty as a Primale? Their journey takes quite a turn and Phury finally finds a purpose in his life and a solution to the problem with the Chose. …. absolutely amazing. I really admired his courage in not giving up on something he believed was right and moral. He finally finds joy and peace in his life with the woman he loves at his side. The sensuality between them is pure and hot…the real hot scenes happen more between the secondary characters. . I would have loved to see a bit more romance in the story. 

Lots of side plots going on in this book…...I really liked the part where we meet the new brothers..John Mathews who goes through his transition, Qhuinn …love this brother…hot hot….and Blay…..a bit bland…. Just love these sexy, gorgeous guys….black leather, designer labels, the talk..wow…wish I could meet one of them!!!!! It’s another world out there..….exciting, dangerous, dark and oh so cool!!!!!I couldn’t wait to read more about them in the next books…I just know we will get to know them really well. 
Then there’s Bella’s brother Rhev, a sinful looking sympathy, dealer of drugs who owns a nightclub and wears a long sable coat…..he’s a dark and interesting character. 
The lesser are back with a bang….lots of action, fights… a new leader called X and Lash …what a depraved guy!!!! There’s bound to be more about him in the next books. 
And Xhex, the amazon who works at Rhev’s club –wow what a woman!!! I actually believed that she was a gay woman….why I am not sure…just she is so strong, remote, complex and shows no interest in the men around her….I loved her character….sure she will appear in her own book soon….. 

I liked this book much more the second time I read it. I felt a bit more connected to Phury and Cormia’s HEA than the first time I read it 

What I love about this series is the great, strong dialogue and the way the writer makes me feel that I am actually there…I can see the white colors in the Fade, feel the softness of that sable coat –….you can see, smell, taste, feel and hear everything in her books. 
I am so crazy for this series that I read each book over and over again and find them just as exciting as the first time I read them. 

REVIEW: LOVER AVENGED by JR WARD

Lover Avenged is the 7th book in JR Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood Series and it’s the story of Rehvenge – Rehv and Ehlena. Although he is not a member of the BDB, his life is closed entwined with theirs and he is also fiercely loyal to the brothers and their families. 
Rhev struggled his whole life being half Sympath and half vampire. Sympaths are a really scare race and most people are afraid of him and keep well away when he is present at any place. Very few people know what he really is. He suppresses his sympathy side by frequent shots of dopamine at Havers clinic and it is during one of these visits that he meets Ehlena, a vampire nurse who is the only person he has met that is not uncomfortable around him and who shows no fear being with him. 

Rhev has appeared in previous books and I have to admit that I never thought there would be a book about him. I mean he’s a drug lord, owns a club where he sells drugs and he’s not a brother. But in this story we learn that he’s been protecting those he loves for years and we begin to see that he’s a noble and caring person. He is being blackmailed by a woman – omg talk about a scary and evil person…..she must be the wickedest woman I have ever read about!!!! The reason he continues to pay her in money and sick and depraved sex is to keep Xhex (who is also sympathy – more about her later!) and himself from their true sympathy nature being discover which would result in them being banished to the sympathy colony…another horrible sick place… He feels debased, dirty and what woman would understand the things he has done in his life. 

I liked Ehlena. She is devoted to taking care of her ailing father, who has Alzheimer’s and her life has been a daily struggle since they were both ostracized from the glymera (royal vampires) . She is strangely attracted to Rhev but keeps turning down his attempts to get to know her. Why I have no idea!!!! He’s such a gorgeous man!!! The fur coat, cane and blue Mohawk hair….wow! But in the end she discovers his truth about him and stands by him.. , even prepared to die for him. 
The relationship between the two is so heartwarming that you want them to have a HEA…and they do despite having to go through hell to get there…being kidnapped, deaths and those pesky lessers getting in between the action. 

One of the things I like about this series is that characters from the previous books continue appearing so you have the sense of knowing them and learning more about them. 

Wrath and Beth appear and Vishous prophecy about Wrath going blind is coming true. You can feel the pain and fear that Wrath is experiencing as he comes to term that there is no cure and he will eventually become a totally blind King. 

There's Xhex and John Mathews whose story will feature in the next book... 

Lash, the ex BDB brother who we discover is a lesser and son of the evil Omega is up to his old tricks. He is really wicked. 

Tohr, whose wife Wellsie was killed is trying to cope with her death and keeping sane. 

I loved this book. There is so much emotion, it’s fast paced and I was totally engrossed in each page I read. 

REVIEW: THE SCARLETTI CURSE by CHRISTINE FEEHAN

Where are the Carpathians? I asked myself, as I began reading this book. 
But as I continued I realized that there was some kind of connection to a previous book I had read in the Dark Series, Dark Symphony. Antonietta Scarletti, Byron Justicano’s life mate is the descendant of 


Nicoletta and Giovanni Scarletti whose story this book is about. 
Whilst I am not a lover of historical romance I persevered and I was quite surprised – I actually enjoyed this book. It’s a romance story filled with twists and turns, danger, passion, intrigue, suspense, a family curse …more about that later…..which keeps an hold on you until you turn the last page. 


The gothic elements are really scary….the Palazzo Della Morte with its dark turrets, evil looking gargoyles and strange and scary characters that live there it’s not a place one would like to visit!!!! And not forgetting the Scarletti Curse where every woman a Scarletti loves will die. The settings in this story are absolutely fabulous….the descriptions are amazing…you almost feel you are there, right there where everything is happening. 


Nicoletta, the local healer in the village is summoned by the owner, Don Giovanni Scarletti to the castle to heal his niece who is dying from suspected food poisoning. 
Both are strongly drawn to each other and thought she resists her feelings when returning to her village, she cannot deny Giovanni’s request to marry her. 
She is such an interesting heroine – strong, passionate, independent, courageous and not afraid to stand up to obstacles in her life. 


Giovanni is a very interesting hero…tall, dark and handsome both strong and gentle who will fight the evil that threatens to kill not only him but the women he loves. 
The connection between the two is really fabulous and their journey together keeps you on tenterhooks. 


You are kept guessing until the end….great writing, great characters. 


Christine Feehan has such an incredible imagination…I love her writing. 
Don’t miss this book. Even though it’s not part of the Dark Series it’s still a great read. 

REVIEWS: DARK SECRET by CHRISTINE FEEHAN

Great to read about the Carpathians in another world…..the jungles of Brazil where the four De La Cruz brothers, powerful ancient Carpathians had been sent by their Prince, centuries ago  to  fight the spread of the evil vampires and to protect the Carpathian people. It’s the 15th book of the Dark Series.

This is the story of one of those brothers.  Rafael De La Cruz a seductive, passionate, dominant, sexy and dark vampire killer agrees to accompany   the two Chevez brothers, who the faithful human servants to   the De La Cruz family, to the USA to help bring back their nephew and niece back together with their family in Brazil.
Colby Jansen, is independent, strong willed and with a spirit that matches her red hair. She has been taking care of her brother Paul and sister Ginny since the death of their father and will do anything to keep the Chevez family from taking them away from her.
From the first time of meeting each other, both feel a strong attraction and connection and sparks fly between them immediately. Rafael, who is close to turning, realizes he has finally met his life mate….he knows Colby is the perfect woman for him. Being the usual alpha Carpathian male he goes all out in persuading her to accept that they are meant to be together whilst she is irresistibly drawn to him, she tries to fight her feelings for him as she despises his role in trying to take her step-siblings away from her.

There is quite a lot happening here…someone vandalizing her ranch, the threat of a vampire who is trying to turn Colby, a vicious attack on her which causes huge problems with turning her into Rafael’s life mate.
Great writing and the dialogue is really good.  Romantic and sensual you are pulled into their story from the very beginning.. Lots of hot steamy sex between the two.

A few characters from the previous books that you have grown to know ,appear here and there are some new ones that you are keep pretty much in the dark about but you just know that you will be meeting them again in the next books..Like Natalya Shonski…who is she??? Why does she mean when she meets Colby? Who is Vikirnoff Von Shrieder?

I am really into this series. I absolutely adore the Carpathian world and Colby and Rafael’s story is enthralling, dark, sensual and so sexy.

Can’t wait to read the next one in this series which is Dark Demon… Natalya Shonski and Vikirnoff Von Shrieder story…I knew there was going to be a book for them!!!!!!!

REVIEWS: DARK MELODY by Christine Feehan

Dark Melody features Dayan, a dark and handsome Carpathian poet, songwriter and musician with his family band the Dark Troubadours (I just love the stories featuring this band!! Desari, Syndil, Barack…and the rest of family and leopards….)He is close to turning and after seeing to the safety of his family decides to leave them and to perhaps find his own true lifemate. 


Corinne Wentworth, whose husband has been murdered, is 6 months pregnant with his baby and due to her weak heart has very little time to live. She is also telepathic, a musician and songwriter who has been collecting all the Dark Troubadour’s albums. 
She goes to a bar with a friend where Dayan is playing his guitar and from the moment she hears Dayan’s voice and their eyes meet, she knows she has found someone that will change her life and she will never be alone again. Dayan knows he has found, at last, his true lifemate who makes him see colors and feel emotions again. 


Corinne is prepared to die to save her daughter’s life but Dayan knows he will be doomed without her in his life. He will do anything to save her and her daughter. The Carpathian healers offer to help him save their lives to ensure his happiness and will also assist him in turning her into a Carpathian and find a solution to how this will affect her daughter’s life who will be born human. 


heir love story is sweet and romantic. 


I enjoyed this book. 

REVIEW: DARK SYMPHONY by CHRISTINE FEEHAN

The first time I read this book, 10th book in the Dark Series…although you won’t find any hideous vampires fighting the Carpathians but shape-shifters instead. I couldn’t make up my mind if I liked the book or not. 


I began rereading the whole Dark Series this year and decided to give it another go. 
The story is set in contemporary Italy where Byron, an ancient member of the Carpathians meets Antonietta, a Scarlatti descendant from one of her previous books, THE SCARLATTI CURSE, who he realizes is his lifemate. 


I liked Byron Justicano. He has waited a long long time searching for her, the person who will bring light, color and love into his life. He is a charming, kind and patient man. Originally I was a bit disappointed in the heroine, Antonietta. She was so different from the previous females in the series…..she was blind, older…….yes in her late thirties - no virginal young inexperienced girl here….and overweight…and so bossy……okay she did play the piano beautiful…and yes she’s strong with a mind of her own….if she wants sex….and oh boy is the sex juicy and hot hot….she goes out and gets it!!!!! but I just could not imagine Byron going for her. I enjoyed reading it more this time and this little thing did not bother me as much. 
She lives with her family in a castle…..geez talk about a crazy family….they could be the Borgias with all their secrets and devious plans, …..well if you lived in this place you probably would be mad too….dark passages , shape shifters all over the place…..the setting is just too bizarre!!! 


Nice to see Jacques is now happy with his lifemate Shea. We learn more about the jaguar people and meet some new, weird and wonderful and not so wonderful characters….Antonietta’s crazy cousin Tasha and the weird Josef….he really is a strange one. I am sure he will appear in future stories. 


This is not one of my favorite books in the series but I can’t say that I hated it exactly. I did enjoy some parts of the story and some of the characters.