Review: Otherworld Nights by Kelly Armstrong

Otherworld Nights by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**I was provided a complimentary copy of Otherworld Nights in exchange for my honest review.**

Otherworld Nights is a compilation that contains a series of novellas about several of Armstrong's more popular characters. If you have enjoyed her characters in the past, then this book has something for everyone.

What I enjoyed most was that, rather than each story rehashing what we already knew about certain characters, it added to our knowledge of them, answered questions we may have had or delved into their unknown history that we learned about in Armstrong's prior books.

Although this book can easily be read as a stand-alone, I believe it would be much more satisfying if it was read in order, after having read the novels. And here's something to keep in mind if you haven't yet read the novels in the series and are reading this as a stand alone - each novella will contain spoilers. No question.

While the stories are short, they are well written and still follow the traditional story arc, just on a much, much shorter band. The intro gives you enough background that you have a sense of setting and relation to the larger story, even if you haven't yet read it.

Then there is the meat of the story, quick and to the point, filled with action, suspense, and emotions. It's typical Armstrong writing - solid, clear and defined. One thing I did notice that was outside of her "normal" writing style was that the endings didn't have the cliffhanger they usually do,. But, I figured since we seem to be looking back, rather than forward, it's more of a flashback to the past than a planning for the future.

Overall, the stories were solid, filled with a variety of her most popular characters; it's like a Jerry Springer follow-up on Armstrong's most loved. =)

Solid, enjoyable, it left me wanting more - which, in this case, is a good thing!

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Review: Hotter Than Helltown by SM Reine

Hotter Than Helltown by S.M. Reine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**I was provided a complimentary copy of Hotter Than Helltown in exchange for my honest review.**

This is the third book in the Preternatural Affairs series by SM Reine and my first time reading work by this author. While I enjoyed parts of the story - we spanned the full range of emotions with this one - I had a little difficulty with the fact that the main character, Cesar Hawke, seemed so....well, weak.

I think what bothered me the most about him was his ineptitude when it came to his magic. He seemed to have to skill, knowledge or know-how on how to utilize his magic, which to me weakened his character, and during the height of the story, I had the feeling that the use of his magic was more luck, or accident, than anything.

I don't know...maybe I am being too hard on him, but when the main character has a special talent or skill, I like it to be his (or her) fallback - not weakness, as I felt it was in Cesar's case. Cesar, being the main character, actually ended up feeling like the weakest of them all and he definitely was not the alpha male I was looking for.

Rather than his skill with magic strengthening him, bonding him tighter to the story, I thought his ineptitude made him look, well - weak. Additionally, because of this weakness I saw in Cesar's character, and the strength of those surrounding him, I had a difficult time seeing him as "attractive." He didn't seem masculine (enough), outside of his physical appearance.

The difficulty I had with the main character affected my read of the entire book, without a doubt. I felt that Helltown had a hell (no pun intended) of a lot more that could have been utilized in it. What more creepy and frightening location can you possibly get? The author did the world-building part wonderfully, developing a location that appeared frightening at best. But then to under utilize it? I was disappointed. I wanted more scenes in Helltown - more everything. Here is this perfectly shiver-inducing environment, that can feed the story, drawing the reader in further and...what?

In the overall scope of the story, Helltown was left as background music, rather than the featured performance.

All-in-all I enjoyed Hotter Than Helltown, though for me, it could have been much stronger with Cesar's aptitude matching his physical strength. Leaving the character unbalanced made him appear weak. And a weak main character eroded the remainder of the story, allowing me to dig in and find other weaknesses that, most likely, I would have otherwise overlooked.

The question is, after reading Hotter Than Helltown, would I go back, starting at the beginning and read the rest of the series I missed? I don't know. I might if they were on sale, or I had no other reading, simply for the fact to see if the author built on Helltown more, or if Cesar had a place in any of the stories - and how his character was written and developed from the start.

More important, would I read the next in the series? Likely, yes. The reason? I love the premise of the story, no question. I love the world the author has created. Given this, I would be interested to see if the author pulls this into the next novel (more) and how the main character develops, if it's not still Cesar. So, yes. I would read it. Every author has a book here and there that isn't perfect - how well I know - so I would give SM Reine another chance.

Helltown is just too damn cleaver to not.

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Find SALVATION with N.J. Walter's PACK

Today, I am thrilled to feature a new series by Paranormal Erotic Romance Author, N.J. Walters!

Welcome to

The Salvation Pack

 Book One - Wolf at the Door
Samhain Publishing

When Gwendolyn Jones inherits a Tennessee cabin from a great aunt she never knew, she quits her job and follows her dream to write full time. Meeting a stranger in a local cemetery isn’t a risk she normally takes, but she needs the information on his flash drive for an article she’s writing on werewolves. Later that night, when two honest-to-God werewolves come knocking on her cabin door, they’re definitely not Photoshopped. 

Jacque LaForge is on a mission to retrieve a flash drive before it endangers his pack. He never thought he’d find a mate, but the chemistry between him and Gwen is unmistakably off the charts. Now to convince her he’s only trying to protect her from his vengeful former pack—led by his own father. 

Gwen’s first instinct to flee only gets her a smashed car and a concussion. She wakes up in a dangerous new world she never thought existed—and in the arms of the one man who stands between her and certain death. 

Excerpt

Wolf at the Door

A hard, heavy pounding shook the front door, jolting her out of her chair. She didn't waste any time running for the shotgun. Had Hector followed her home? Maybe he was crazy? She knew better than to break her rule about meeting in public. Why had she made an exception tonight? Too late to be asking that question now.

She thumbed the safety off. Her palms were damp and shaky, but she swallowed back her fear. How hard could it be to point and shoot? It was like a camera. This close she couldn't miss.

The knock came again, this time not quite as loud. "Ms. Jones?" The voice was low and deep, definitely male.

Relief hit her hard and fast. Maybe it was one of the local deputies. They often stopped by to check on her, mostly because she was new to the area, but also because she was a single woman. On her first trip into town, Margie at the grocery store had assured her she'd have all the male attention she wanted. Single women were rare in these parts. Most women were either married, too old or too young. The rest of them left for the bigger cities as soon as they were able. A single young woman was cause for talk in town.

Still, she wasn't about to be stupid. She seen too many horror movies where the dumb blonde gets herself killed by not being careful. She might be blonde but she wasn't stupid.

"Who is it?"

"Ma'am, I'd like to talk to you if I can. It's about Hector Canton."

As tempting as it was, she wasn't about to open her door to a total stranger. "Come back in the morning." She glanced at the old cuckoo clock hanging on the wall. It was just past eight, but as dark as it was outside, it might as well have been the dead of night.

"It will only take a minute. I'll stay out here on the porch."

She snorted, like she was stupid enough to fall for that. Gwent backed away from the front door and headed toward the phone in the kitchen. Out here, cell-phone service was spotty, but her great aunt had a land line that Gwen had kept when she moved in. No way did she want to be caught without phone service. She'd call the sheriff's office and have them come talk to the man.

There was no noise behind her, simply a stirring of the air, but Gwen knew she was no longer alone. She whirled around, her finger tightening on the trigger. The shotgun fired just as a male hand pushed the barrel up and out of the way. The bullet harmlessly buried itself in the wooden ceiling.

Gwen screamed as the weapon was tore from her hands and tossed aside. The front door was kicked in behind her, bouncing off the wall. She didn't know where to look. There was a stranger behind her and another one in front of her.

She lunged for the kitchen counter and the knife block. She needed something to defend herself with. Anything. One of them swore and leapt toward her. Large fingers tightened around hers, the pressure making it impossible for her to draw the large butcher knife from the block.

"Relax, chere. Shhh." His breath was hot on her neck and his hand practically swallowed hers whole.

She started to shake. Would they hurt her? Rape her? She couldn't think about the possibilities. She had to fight back. Her muscles, immobilized by fright only seconds before, came back under her control. She threw her head back hard and fast and connected with his face.

Her captor howled in pain, sending an icy-cold shiver racing down her spine. It sounded too much like the dogs she'd heard earlier.

Massive arms wrapped around her torso and pulled her away from her only source of weapons. "Dieu. There was no need for you to do that, chere."

She still couldn't see the man holding her but the one in the front of her was hard to miss. He was huge, probably around six-four, his brown shaggy hair hanging around his massive shoulders. His golden-brown eyes started at her and his full lips were drawn into a thin line of displeasure.

Shit. She was in deep trouble. She recognized him from the picture she'd seen only moments before. Her only option was to try to brazen her way out of this situation.

She cocked her eyebrow at him and inclined her head. "You're either Louis or Jacque LaForge. I'm not sure which." She had a brief moment of pleasure when she noted the surprise in his eyes. Then they went flat, and the expression in them scared her spotless.

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Book Two - Wolf in her Bed

Anny Conrad is a single thirty-year-old librarian—a cliché complete with two cats. Dragged out to a local bar, she’s rethinking her life plan over a few drinks when a man walks up and asks her to dance. And what a man. Tall, rugged and more than a little untamed. Before she knows it, she’s in his arms and throwing caution to the wind. 

With a pack war in full, deadly swing, the last thing Armand LaForge needs right now is a woman in his life, much less a human. But one thing is certain, he’s met his mate, the one woman in the world for him. 

The kindest thing to do is give her all the hot sex she wants and then leave her alone. But when the morning comes, fate isn’t done screwing with them. Anny is confronted with the fact that the myths in her library books are real…and now she’s one of them.  Click HERE to read an excerpt.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Three - Wolf on the Run

Expected Release: October 28, 2014

Blurb coming soon! HERE 

A little about N.J.

Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.

One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel, Annabelle Lee, and life would never be the same.

N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it. 

N.J. Walters has an expansive catalog of work from which to choose. To learn more about her work, the following links will take you directly to her work: Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Samhain, All Romance, Kobo and Ellora's Cave 

She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to Email NJ and visit her on Facebook and Twitter  

Enjoy!  

Shelbie =)

Taken from Samhain Publishing
There is a reason for this...