Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey

Arrows of the Queen is the first book in the Heralds of Valdemar Trilogy.

Chosen by the Companion Rolan, a mystical horse-like being with powers beyond imagining, Talia, once a runaway, has now become a trainee Herald, destined to become one of the Queen's own elite guard. For Talia has certain awakening talents of the mind that only a Companion like Rolan can truly sense.

But as Talia struggles to master her unique abilities, time is running out. For conspiracy is brewing in Valdemar, a deadly treason which could destroy Queen and kingdom. Opposed by unknown enemies capable of both diabolical magic and treacherous assassination, the Queen must turn to Talia and the Heralds for aid in protecting the realm and insuring the future of the Queen's heir, a child already in danger of becoming bespelled by the Queen's own foes!


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OmniLit
Audible

I have read this series, along with most of the other series that make up Lackey's Valdemar universe, several times over the last twenty-odd years, and they never really get old for me. Having decided it was time to do another read-through of the whole saga, I debated about whether or not to cover them here on my blog since they are rather different from the majority of the things I review here. The fact that they still stand among my favorite books of all time, and that they have played a significant role in my life in various ways convinced me that they deserved my attention here as well. My reviews of them may not always be as extensive as some of my reviews for more recent works are, but I'll do my best to offer up at least a handful of comments about each one as I read them again (though please don't ask me how many times I've read some of them because I stopped keeping count long ago.)

Dragon Moon by Nulli Para Ora

A business trip to China. A fight for their lives. Will Angelique and David become pawns in a werewolf war or does fate have something else in store?

David Johnson and Angelique Meadows are colleagues on a business trip to China. They’ve worked together for years, but neither has been able to admit their true feelings for the other. This business trip represents a landmark deal in their careers and an opportunity to reveal the truth of their hearts. Just as love blooms, disaster strikes.

The man they’re meeting with is Yuen Gao, CEO of a multi-million dollar company. The world sees him as a successful businessman. His pack sees him as their Alpha. Rogues, secret experiments, and the undeniable pull of his mate force him to reveal his secret. Is his love strong enough to overcome the pain of loss?

Hearts unite and break as trusted friends become enemies behind the scenes. Love longed for is lost to be replaced by a bond deeper than words. Loyalties are tested as ghosts of the past step into the present.

Can true love survive when forbidden hearts are reconnected?

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All Romance eBooks
Liquid Silver Books

I wish I had read this one earlier for several reasons, primarily because then I wouldn't have had all of the author's later work to compare it to. To put it a bit bluntly, her later work is much better than this book in my opinion. Such is to be expected, however, when comparing a good author's later works to her freshman novel -- the freshman work will generally suffer by comparison. Still, this book is not without it's merits, for it is full of strong characters, intriguing plot ideas, and shows that even in this early book the author already had her characteristic knack for shining a revealing light on difficult social and relationship issues. She doesn't shy away from examining the harsher and more painful issues that often arise in complicated relationships, but pays due homage to them reminds us that love means accepting the bad along with the good and that building a strong relationship takes work and dedication. Love and biological imperatives like a werewolf's mate bond are not necessarily enough to make a relationship work.

Predator's Fire - An Interview With Rosanna Leo

When Nina Suzuki discovers the body of her best friend Janine, her world turns upside down. Things go from bad to worse when Janine’s corpse seems to transform into that of a large, brown wolf. For the first time, Nina is faced to confront all the clues indicating her BFF was not what she seemed. A letter from the dead woman opens Nina’s eyes to a strange, new world. The same letter warns of a sinister group called the Alpha Brethren, and urges her to find Killian Moon of the Ursa Fishing Lodge and Resort on Gemini Island.
 
Killian Moon is a jaguar shifter and teen mentor at the Ursa Lodge in Northern Ontario. He may be a comfort and inspiration to confused teen shifters, but he also has a fiery past. His past comes back to haunt him when human Nina arrives at the resort, demanding to speak with him. Demanding answers. Can he trust her with knowledge that will not only change her life, but possibly endanger those around him?
 
As Killian begrudgingly tutors Nina on all things shifter, their mutual curiosity flares into passionate need. Once they touch, once they succumb to desire, there is no going back. Killian realizes Nina is his mate and they both begin to comprehend the terror threatening those on their shifter-friendly island. He is forced to confront the tragedy in his family and determines to protect Nina at all costs.
But can they protect everyone they love from a cult of dangerous shifters, intent on horror and destruction?

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Amazon
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Liquid Silver Books

I have read, loved, and reviewed all of the books in Rosanna Leo's Gemini Island series thusfar, and I couldn't let the latest entry in the series go by without acknowledgement here. As I was involved in the editing of this book, however, I do not feel it would be right for me to post a review of it. So despite it being a departure from what I usually do here, I asked Rosanna Leo if she would be good enough to do an interview with me about the book. She graciously accepted and sent me an excerpt to post as well. Follow me past the jump to read on :)

Driftwood Deeds by Laila Blake

When journalist Iris Ellis visits a sleepy seaside town to interview recluse screenwriter Paul Archer, he offers her insights into never acted upon fantasies of dominance and submission. Too curious to deny herself a taste of them, Iris gives herself up to Paul's gentle guidance, but when she realizes that a taste can never be enough, she must find the courage to ask for what she needs or risk losing it all.
 
Where to Buy

Amazon
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A Hotter State (Publisher)

I picked this one up after reading another friend's review of it, so I knew what to expect from it, though I found as I was reading it that it wasn't really what I expected. I think I expected something more explicit, a little more hardcore on the BDSM, and while it does get quite explicit in places the overall tone is much more sensual than overly erotic. And the writing here is very sensual indeed with the author doing a superb job of conveying every detail of scenery and sensation from the smell of the sea as they walk along the beach to the more intimate skin-on-skin sensations as the two main characters come together.

Operation Owl by Tara Quan

A Beyond Fairytales Adaptation of Grimm’s The Owl

Five years ago, Maya Jain kissed her best friend only to have him run out of her dorm room and leave the state. When he shows up in Washington, D.C., a wanted fugitive sought after by every branch of the US government, she can’t bring herself to ignore his plight. As their physical relationship picks up where it left off, she decides it’s time to make him see her as more than the bespectacled, bookish girl he once called “Owl.”

After being accused of espionage and treason, Zack Strong needs a forensic accountant to help clear his name. Not knowing who he can trust, this white-hat hacker has no choice but to ask his former best friend and math tutor for help. Together they unravel a cyber conspiracy at the Barn, an NSA facility tasked to intercept electronic communications. But as they traverse the nation’s capital to avoid capture, Maya insists on letting their simmering sexual tension take its natural course. Even though he’s never been able to shake the memory of their one kiss, he refuses to let her give up her life for a man with no future.

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Amazon
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Decadent Publishing

I'm a fan of fairytales that are retold with a modern twist, but while this story technically qualifies as such, it's not incredibly obvious that's what it is. To be fair, the story it's based on is a rather obscure one that few are likely to be familiar with--I know I'm not--so perhaps that's why it lacks a true fairytale feel to it, at least to me. This isn't to say I didn't like the story, for I did enjoy it quite a lot, I'm just noting that it doesn't entirely fit its billing.

The Fox's Mate by Elaina M. Roberts

Alpha Draike Weatherby has enjoyed many years of peace in his districts. He’s made agreements with the various shifter races as well as the Vampire Lord of London to keep crime down and their existence safe from human knowledge. Until now. A loyal gang of nonhuman runaways are systematically losing members. Rat shifters have grown bold, increasing crime in his area and risking their secret. Then there’s Olivia. Naked, bleeding, and fleeing a trio of unsavory characters, she runs straight into his arms…and stirs his most protective instincts.

As he digs deeper, he discovers an interconnecting web with a single common thread: Olivia. To uncover the truth, he must gain the trust of the terrified woman who entices his fox. But she guards a secret that could destroy or save her.



Where to Buy

Amazon
Taliesin Publishing

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started this book but it wasn't the richly nuanced story that I found within. On one level it's a typical "find the bad guy and stop him before he does something worse" story, but there are all sorts of smaller stories tied up in it, along with hints that there's a bigger story going on that is only seen in fleeting glimpses and references. Most importantly, all the stories big and small are presented in a way that gets you interested in them, makes you care about the characters and what happens to them, or what has happened in the past to them.

Craving by Sofia Grey

A deal with a demon, a biker psychic and the girl who might just be his salvation… if the demon doesn’t get to her first.

Dante isn’t your typical medium. With his leather jacket, tattoos and piercings, he looks more at home on his motorbike than he does holding a séance and Katherine has no intention of getting involved with him. He’s the complete opposite of the kind of man she wants and represents everything she’s tried to leave behind, but she needs a medium and he’s the best one around.

Dante’s never allowed himself to get close to anyone for fear of putting them in danger. His craving for Katherine is about to bring his worst nightmares to life.




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Indigo Books & Music (Canada)

Like the first book in this series, this one immediately sucks you in, getting you caught up in the lives of the characters and in trying to puzzle out what's going on around them. You'll quickly find yourself lost in all the labyrinthine twists and turns, sure that the answers are just around the next corner as it were only to find that they're still nowhere in sight. But you won't care because the tapestry that's being woven is so fascinating that half the fun is watching to see which threads will be chosen and where they'll be laid in at.