COVER REVEAL!!! J. C. Daniel's BROKEN BLADE

J.C. Daniels

Book 3 in J. C. Daniels Kit Colbana series comes out in January 2014, here's a little teaser:

Blurb…

Kit Colbana: assassin, thief, investigator extraordinaire. Now broken. 

She always expected her past to catch up with her but never like this. Haunted by nightmares and stripped of her identity, she’s retreated to Wolf Haven, the no-man’s land where she found refuge years before. But while she might want to hide away from the rest of the world, the rest of the world isn’t taking the hint.

Dragged kicking and screaming back into life, Kit is thrust head-first into an investigation surrounding the theft of an ancient relic…one that she wants nothing to do with. Her instincts tell her it’s a bad idea to just leave the relic lying about, but finding it might be just as bad.

Forced to face her nightmares, she uncovers hidden strength and comes face to face with one of the world’s original monsters.
If she survives the job, she won’t be the same…and neither will those closest to her.

Excerpt:

I knew the weight of a weapon in my hand.

Even at sixteen, broken, battered and bloodied. I knew what it was to hold a weapon and realize that I had to fight or be destroyed.

Those last moments were nothing but a blur, but it was a blur of silver and blade and blood.

I left the guards dead in the snow, taking their packs and fleeing into the night, certain my grandmother would seek me out. And all the while as I ran, the blade had whispered to me. I am here now. I am here…

Reaching out, I touched her hilt and drew her from the sheath and stared at the gleaming, liquid length of silver.

"You're not here now."

If ever there had been a time when I needed her, it had been when I was trapped up on that mountain. Broken, desperate.

But she hadn't answered my call.

And she couldn't come to my hand now, either.

Stroking my fingers down the blade, I closed my eyes…and wished.

Then I turned back to my weapons trunk and went about getting myself ready.

Just what did you take to the party when you were dealing with some ancient, psychotic evil who unleashed holy hell just for the fun of it?

 

Review: SLADE by Sarah McCarty

The Shadow Wranglers #4
Paranormal (Vampire/Weres)
Berkley Sensation

As the tech guru of the Renegades, Slade Johnson is the genius behind most of their weapons against the Sanctuary. But with all his knowledge there is one thing that escapes him, how to cure his nephew's illness and save his life.

Scientist Jane Frederickson has made a remarkable breakthrough in her genetic studies. But what she discovers could be used to cure world hunger, or destroy humanity.

Can Slade and Jane keep her research out of the Sanctuary's hands? Is she the answer to Slade and his family's prayers?

*****

This was one of those stories that I enjoyed most of, but there were some aspects that just drove me nuts. I like the Johnson brothers, and their fight against the Sanctuary. I like the kick-ass storyline. I'm a fan of alpha heroes, but I really hate the over-alphaness of some of Sarah McCarty's lead male characters. I also hate how her strong, capable heroines all of a sudden become mealy little wimps, with bursts of stubbornness. I can handle weak characters, but I'm better with it when they start out being weak. Or if they are strong, it's okay to have a weak needy moment, but not to fall under the “oh save me because I just can't save myself” mode.


Jane kind of flip-flopped for me. I understood that she spent most of her life in a lab, so physical strength wasn't her strong point. In the beginning part of the book she tried to be strong, but when they finally made it to the ranch, and when Slade figured out she was his mate, he crossed the line of suddenly not thinking she was capable to make her own decisions. Jane bucked at some of it, but she seemed to cave to most of it. I understand the concept of compromise, but that didn't seem to be the case between Jane and Slade. It became a “what he says goes” kind of relationship...that's I'm not good with. Mostly because she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, and I felt she should have had more say in the choices that were made for her.

I will read more of Sarah McCarty's books, especially her here historicals...I don't mind the over-alphaness is a time period where women were expected to be strong but meeker (note: there is a difference between being more submissive and being stupid or weak), more followers than leaders. That is one setting that I get annoyed with too modern heroines.

Rating: 3

Review: NIGHTFALL by Ellen Connor

A Dark Age Dawning Novel  #1

Post-Apocalyptic / Paranormal (shifter)

Berkley Sensation

336 Pages

When Jenna is kidnapped and taken to a remote cabin, she is not surprised that her mysterious abductor is fulfilling a promise to her crackpot father. What does shock her is the indisputable proof that maybe her dad wasn't crazy with his preaching of the end of the world.

Mason will do whatever is necessary to save Jenna, his repayment to the man who saved his life. He has the perfect plan to keep them safe throughout the change and the coming winter. Their confinement forces them to realize a mutual attraction, one they are not yet ready to face. 

 

Until five strangers stumble into their shelter searching for safety from the chaos that was once their world. Unable to leave them to the ferocious demon dogs populating the world, they find themselves seeking a new haven.

As the mystical forces change them, can Jenna & Mason learn to trust their instincts in each other and themselves? Will they continue to ignore their flaring desires or will it help them keep their sanity throughout the bleak winter? But most importantly, can they survive the New Dark Age?

*****

Ellen Connor, the fantastic collaboration of authors Ann Aguirre/Ava Gray and Carrie Lofty, debuts a novel that successfully sucked me into the vortex of a fascinating new series. NIGHTFALL was an extraordinary introduction to a new post-Apocalyptic mythical world.

Jenna and Mason's chemistry was explosive, not only sexually, but also their personalities as they learned the keys of working together. Mason's unexpected vulnerability, added an emotional complexity to his otherwise stoic personality, making him more realistic and likeable. I liked that while Jenna showed a few bouts of stubbornness, she was intelligent enough to get over herself, and listen to reason. She knew that Mason was truly thinking of what was best for everyone, not just himself...most times. They had so much to learn about each other and about their new world. While they did that I found that theirs was a love that I could believe in being everlasting.

I loved all of the characters introduced throughout this book. They were so completely fleshed out that I found it easy to picture them as they strived to work together toward survival. I liked the dark edge of this book, as not everyone would survive. The demon dogs were truly menacing, and I loved the explanation for their transformation and that of the other mystical creatures.

This was a book that I just could NOT put down, and once it was over, all I could think was that I cannot wait to re-enter the New Dark Ages! I can't wait until this fall when Books 2 and 3, MIDNIGHT and DAYBREAK come out and I can see what the future holds for Welsh, Tru & Penny!

Rating: 5 / 5

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