A Kiss of Blood by Pamela Palmer

A Kiss of Blood is the second book in Pamela Palmer’s Vamp City series, and while this too is dark, provocative, and sexy, as is the first book, we see a more compassionate side to both Arturo and Quinn. I became more invested in the beings who live in Washington, VC, and wanted to see them set free from the nightmare that was becoming their lives. Without a doubt, this world Ms. Palmer has created is unique, the characters complex, and once I started, I couldn’t put it down.

From the cover:

One of the few humans who managed to escape the deadly twilight world of Vamp City, Quinn Lennox vows to never return. But the vampires want her back, for only she has the power to renew the magic of their crumbling world and free the vampires trapped within.

When the dangerous and all-too-seductive Arturo Mazza comes for her, Quinn knows she can never trust him after the betrayal she suffered at his hands. But with her beloved brother's fate hanging in the balance, and her own power beginning to emerge, she chooses to risk all on yet another perilous journey back to Vamp City. And though she tries to deny it, her heart begins to hold hope that even a ruthless vampire can learn the meaning of true love.

The truth is, Quinn Lennox only cares about one thing; her brother, Zack, who’s dying as a result of magic poisoning. Unless Quinn can renew the magic that allows Vamp City to exist, the city will die, along with all who reside in it – including Zack. Quinn doesn’t care about the barbaric and bloodthirsty beings who live there, but to save Zack, she must save them as well. And so it continues…

I truly enjoyed this exciting installment of the Vamp City series! Talk about a riveting story! In my review of book #1, A Blood Seduction, I said that I wasn’t sure if Arturo could be redeemed because he was a selfish, self serving, bastard! A gamma hero, through and through. Willing to send Quinn to her death to get what he wanted… for him, the end always justified the means. But in this book, he really is coming around and that makes me very happy.

Will Quinn save Vamp City? Will she and Arturo ever work out their issues? What the heck is happening to Zack?? I’ll have to wait until the next book to find out. Talk about a cliff hanger!!!

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review!

The Unforgiven by Joy Nash

I’m just going to say this right up front – I loved this story! But before I go into all the reason why, I want to give you a little background about me and my obsession with the Nephilim –

For as long as I can remember, since the first time I heard the word Nephilim, I wanted to know more about this race of beings. Were they truly the offspring of “fallen angels” and human women? Were they really cursed for the sins of their fathers? Giants or heroes, wicked or valiant, there are so few biblical references to them that we really don’t know much about them at all, and maybe that’s why I find them so compelling! In Genesis 6 they were called the heroes of old, men of renown, and yet they were also spoken of as some of the beings who were so wicked that God sent the flood to cleanse the Earth of them. The Book of Jubilees and The Book of Enoch have a lot more to say about the Nephilim, also known as Watchers, and their history, including the names of their chiefs, some of which are mentioned in The Unforgiven.

Now on to the important stuff – what you really want to know!

The Unforgiven is one of the best “fallen angel” stories I’ve ever read, and an excellent start to the The Watchers series. It’s exciting, compelling, and action packed with the perfect blend of PNR and Fantasy. Curses, spells, magic and alchemy all play a big part in this story, along with demons, revenge, rivalry and a heavy sense of good vs. evil. I’m very impressed with Ms. Nash’s vision of this race and their history, and I have to say she’s done a fantastic job of sticking close to what few things we actually know about them, and creating an incredible story in which to bring them to life.

“You keep talking about a crisis,” she snapped. “If you think that’s going to scare me, forget it. I’ve got terminal brain cancer, remember? All the fear’s been leached out of me.”

Madeline Durant is about to find out that being diagnosed with terminal cancer is a walk in the park compared to what’s about to happen to her. She is a Watcher dormant, a pre-transitioned Nephilim, and not just any Nephilim. Maddie is a descendant of one of the most powerful and dangerous clans known, and her magic, once she comes into it, could save the Clan Samyaza from the Clan Azazel who wants to see Samyaza totally annihilated.

A car approached, motoring in the opposite direction. Cade stepped on the gas and flew past it. “You’re wrong about that. Believe me, Maddie, there’s going to be plenty of room for fear when you confront your demon nature.”

To help her through her transition, and to gain control of her powers for his Clan, Cade Leucetius, a Watcher adept, is sent to anchor Maddie during her transition, and if anyone can make sure she survives the ordeal, Cade can. It was only a year or so ago that he himself went through it, so he knows firsthand how painful, frightening, and deadly it can be.

I can’t tell you how badly I want to give The Unforgiven 5 stars, and if I were rating the Nephilim storyline alone, I would have. I really loved both Cade and Maddie as individuals. I felt their frustration, their anger, their passion, and felt that there was definitely potential for an amazing relationship, but unfortunately, it never quite reached it. I still enjoyed their page time together and they had incredible sexual chemistry, but it somehow just didn’t develop into a romance that left me breathless or cheering for them. I’m hoping that we’ll see more of Cade and Maddie in the next book so I can be assured of their happily ever after.

Overall, The Unforgiven is a great read. The storyline is well written and executed, and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. Despite Maddie and Cade's relationship not being as developed as I would have liked, it was still steamy and emotional. The secondary characters are complex and compelling beings who will have amazing stories of their own and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing this series!

This book was provided to me by netgalley.com in behalf of Dorchester publishing, and my review, in no way, was influenced by this.

Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter

Warning! This book contains sex… wow. Hot, crazy, vampire sex! And lots of it.

Lord of the Vampires is the first book in the new Royal House of Shadows series, and my first read of Gena Showalter’s writing. I’ve heard her name mentioned time and time again as friends encouraged me to read her Lords of the Underworld series, but when I saw Lord of the Vampires listed on netgalley, I just couldn’t pass it up!

The first thing that really stood out, and I enjoyed very much, was just how edgy and vicious Nicolai is. Hell bent on a revenge he had to have but didn’t quite understand, he’s bloodthirsty and brutal in getting what he wants. Calling Nicolai “alpha” is like calling a tornado a gentle breeze. Caveman, Neanderthal, heathen… seriously, he’s the most over the top brute of any book I’ve read in a long time! And. I. Loved it! Every time Nicolai growled, “Mine” or “Want you…” I got all tingly inside!

Then there's Jane, our heroine, who is summoned to rescue Nicolai.

Speaking of Nicolai – Have I mentioned how much I love him? A hot, sexy vampire, cursed, memory stolen, he can summon me any day!

I’d say the first half of the book was a solid 5 star rating for me. I was impressed with the world building, the unique storyline and interesting characters – especially Nicolai. Rawr! Then somewhere into the second half we suddenly started getting a lot of repetition of thoughts... internal rehashing of things that had already been hashed to death. That would have been fine had I been reading only a chapter or two every few days and needing reminders of things I’d previously read, but that wasn’t the case, so I found myself skipping over things, and being annoyed at having to do so! I wanted more Nicolai time, not time spent listening to Jane whine about being attacked by witches and nearly raped by Ogres. Whatever, Jane! Grow a set and get over it! Anyway, the second half of the book gets about 3 stars from me, so I’m giving it an overall rating of 4 stars.

Some of my favorite quotes from the story all come from Nicolai -

“Mine,” Nicolai snapped. “No touching.”


Behind her, she heard Nicolai jerking against his chains. “Mine!”


And her resistance…gods, he’d wanted to quash it. Still did.
Wanted her to know his bite, his kiss.
His possession.
Perhaps she was merely a challenge he had to triumph above. He didn’t care. Quite simply, she was his. That was not in question. Mine, his cells continued to scream. All mine.


“Mine,” he said more forcefully, perhaps sensing her doubts.
“What do you mean by that? Explain.”
“Want you. No secret of that. You want me, too.”
God, those short, abrupt sentences were sexy as hell.
As if his mind was locked on one thought—pleasure—and nothing could penetrate his determination to have it. With her and only her.

And my favorite of all -

"Want. You."

Be still my heart! So romantic, so hot, sooo... caveman!

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Lord of Rage which will be written by Jill Monroe.