Spider Game (GhostWalkers #12) by Christine Feehan

Blurb...

The Cajun dive in the middle of the godforsaken swamps wasn’t exactly Trap Dawkins’ idea of fun. But the GhostWalker wasn’t there for a good time. He was looking for her. Cayenne. It’s where she found her victims. Poor suckers. Then again, who wouldn’t want to leave a place like this with a woman like her?

It’s not Cayenne’s fault. Locked up, experimented on and never knowing kindness, she was bred this way—with a heart of pure venom. Trap understands her. He survived his own dark past and he shares her desire for getting even. But now Trap’s greatest danger is Cayenne herself. Because what’s inside her is hard to control—especially when it’s aroused by a lover as reckless as Trap.

I absolutely love the direction Ms. Feehan is taking the GhostWalkers series. The world is scary intense and, truth be told, just a little bit freaky! Cayenne’s enhanced DNA being that of a Black Widow spider was more than a little unsettling for me because I’ve been bitten by one of those bitches and it hurts. Like, mad pain! To imagine an adult woman with those traits... **shudder**

Anyway…

As I shared in my review of Viper Game, it’s true the stories are changing from the way they were in the beginning, but they're changing in ways I would expect them to, given Peter Whitney's evil (and totally twisted) desperation to create the perfect soldiers. The experiments are more and more extreme, and more and more heartbreaking. And, as with Viper Game, I found Spider Game to be more exciting, more captivating, and more intriguing than the last several books in the series.

But…

I understand the GhostWalkers are alpha and demanding, but too often Trap's comments directed at Cayenne were demeaning – so much so that I found them offensive. There came a point when his apologies meant nothing to me. Cayenne is insecure around other people, and understandably so, but because she put up with so much of Trap's garbage she came across as a needy woman who suffered from the "Anyone Is Better Than No One" syndrome. Trap seemed oblivious to her discomfort and acted out in completely unacceptable ways. In fact, I’m not sure any amount of remorse or groveling could have redeemed him in my eyes – and most importantly, in my heart.

The bottom line…

I think longtime fans of the series will love this installment – if you can overlook Trap’s appalling behavior toward Cayenne. I was thrilled to see so many familiar GhostWalker faces and, especially with Violet Smythe back, I expect there to be more crazy twists and turns in upcoming stories! What a wild ride this has become!

Book information:

Print Length: 446 pages
Publisher: Jove
Publication Date: January 26, 2016
Sold by: Penguin Group

Click here to purchase Spider Game from Amazon

Viper Game (GhostWalkers #11) by Christine Feehan

GhostWalker Wyatt Fontenot knows the price he paid for the secret military experiments that gave him his special catlike abilities. After all, he left his bayou home a healer and came back a killer. While Wyatt and his GhostWalker brother Gator may have known exactly the sort of game they were getting into, Wyatt never anticipated where it would lead—or to whom.

The swamps hold many mysteries, but few are as sinuously seductive as Le Poivre de Cayenne. The woman the locals call Pepper is every bit as enigmatic as the three little girls she’s desperately trying to protect. From what, Wyatt is soon to discover. Right now Pepper needs a man like Wyatt. Passionately. But her secrets are about to take them both deeper into the bayou than either imagined—where desire is the deadliest poison of all.

Christine Feehan's GhostWalkers is one of my favorite romantic suspense/paranormal series so I was really excited when I saw this book, only to become concerned when I saw the mixed reviews. And, in truth, I can see where everyone is coming from, even those I don't see eye-to-eye with.

It's true the stories are changing from the way they were in the beginning, but they're changing in ways I would expect them to, given Dr. Peter Whitney's diabolical plan and desperation to create the perfect soldiers. The experiments are more and more extreme, and more and more heartbreaking. The truth is, I found Viper Game to be more exciting, more captivating, and more intriguing than the last several books in the series. Yes, Wyatt was often a jerk, but considering Pepper's "enhancements" and her inability to control them, it's a wonder to me that Wyatt allowed any of the men on his team to live beyond the first few chapters!!

Bottom line - run, don't walk, to whatever store you purchase your books at and pick up this book. You won't regret it!!

Purchase at Amazon: Viper Game (Ghostwalker)

I Dream of Danger by Lisa Marie Rice

They are the Ghost Ops: a covert squad of super-elite soldiers. After their team was betrayed and massacred, the three surviving members went underground and built Haven, a community of misfits and geniuses. Now they're at a crossroads, facing a new threat capable of destroying everything they hold dear.

In the second book of Lisa Marie Rice's thrilling Ghost Ops series, the Haven team is faced with a new addition to their secret society-and a threat capable of destroying everything they hold dear.

When Nick Ross disappears from Elle Thomason's life, she is certain she'll never see the man she loves again—except in her dreams.

Ten years later, as a respected researcher breaking new ground in psychic phenomena, she sends a desperate call for Nick's help. One by one, her colleagues have started disappearing . . . and Elle knows she's next. An elite soldier, Nick never meant to hurt Elle, duty kept him away—and then she vanished. Now troubled by unusually vivid, disturbing dreams of Elle in danger, Nick will rescue the only woman he's ever wanted and bring her back with him to Haven. Though powerful men are after Elle and her special abilities, Nick will die before leaving her side again.

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Lisa Marie Rice is one of my favorite erotic/romantic suspense authors, and I love this futuristic - but not overly SciFi-esque - world she's created. I've been so looking forward to this second installment of her Ghost Ops series, and like the first book, Heart of Danger, it's action packed, fast paced and sexy, but I have to be honest, it also dragged in places.

Approximately the first 30% of the story is devoted to to the backstory, and while that might seem like a bit much, there's a lot of important information here. Things we need to know and wouldn't be able to get any other way without going the flashback route, which I'm not a big fan of.

I truly enjoyed reading about Nick and Elle's history. They're both great people, each in their own right... but put them together and they're amazing. It was emotional, poignant, romantic, sexy...but there was more introspection and lamenting than I like. I found myself skipping paragraphs at a time to get to the actual dialog and 'the good stuff' - the rebuilding of their relationship, and the new information surrounding Dr. Lee and Arka Pharmaceuticals. It's such an intriguing plot that I just wanted to skip all the 'filler' and get back to Nick, Elle, the Ghost Ops team, and the rest of the residents of Haven.

I hope Ms. Rice writes fast because I'm anxious to find out what's going to happen next!

Note: Something I failed to mention but feel that I should is that there is a cliffhanger with this story, but NOT concerning the HEA of our hero and heroine. It's strictly plot related.

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