His Darkest Embrace by Juliana Stone

Publisher:  Avon/Harper Collins
Pages:  384

(Release Date:  November 1, 2010)

From the Cover:

A solitary hunter with no regard for the human world, Jagger Castille is a shifter living on the edge. A woman who calls him enemy will give him reason to live . . .

Jagger is a creature of the night - Skye Knightly soars in the sun. Natural adversaries, they are now joined in a mission entrusted to Skye's family centuries ago: nothing less than the salvation of the Earth.

Wounded and bitter, Jagger sought escape in the solitude of the jungle, driven by a need to disappear forever . . . until a mysterious shifter who calls to his soul and feeds a yearning long forgotten pulls him from his dark path. A courageous warrior, Skye's passion is equal to Jagger's - but can she trust a man whose secrets are as devastating as her own?

Each is the other's sole hope for survival. But a dark and twisted truth is leading them toward the ultimate sacrifice for a love they may never live to claim.

Skye Knightly has been fighting the Jaguars for her whole life, the DaCosta family has been the curse to her family's existence, killing all but the handful that survives now.  The Knightlys have been winged warriors, the Eagle Knights, fighting to keep the demons begging to flow through the Earth, right where they belong.  Skye's father hid to portal key, keeping the Earth safe.  But now, Skye needs to find the portal before the DaCostas do, releasing Hell on Earth.

Jagger is a jaguar shifter who has lost part of his humanity.  He no longer cares about what goes on outside of his part of the Belize rainforest.  He has spent many months wandering the forest, learning his territory, becoming one with his jaguar.  Then, this woman happens into his part of the jungle, cold, near death.  After he fishes her out of the water, so tiny, cold, and lost, he feels his heart begin to beat with a purpose again.  This one tiny woman needs him, and he discovers, he needs her.  Her inner strength calls to his cat and the man he was.

While Skye can soar with the day, strongest in the sun, Jagger's jaguar lives for the night.  Can two such individuals so different come together?  Can Skye trust those who've been her enemies?  Can Jagger learn to love the beautiful bird that Skye is?

His Darkest Embrace by Juliana Stone is an unique story of shifters, two clans, so different from each other but they say opposites attract.  But, in the case of Skye and Jagger, the old saying can't be more true.  Skye needs what only Jagger can give her, safe passage through the junlge, and a way into his heart.  Jagger finds he needs for help this woman, no matter what she is, and protect her from the clans he's been fighting as well, the mortal enemies of the Castilles, the Dacostas..  But, can Skye see passed the jaguar to see the man, or will her hatred and fear of her enemy prevent them from ever seeing a way together.  Jagger must find a way to her heart if the man as well as the beast is going to survive, jaguars mate for life, and he discovers his heart is lost to one who lives in the light as opposed to the night where his jaguar thrives.

His Darkest Embrace is a wonderful love story wrapped up in a shifter fantasy.  Skye fights her feelings, fights to love, with the knowledge that if she reaches her goal, she find her death as well.  Only she can either bridge the portal or block it, either way, it'll mean her life.  I loved this story, I had previously read Juliana Stone's Black Legacy short and loved it too.  I'll be reading her first book, His Darkest Hunger, as soon as possible.  I highly recommend this book to lovers of shifters, fantasy, pararomance, and urban fantasy.  It's an excellent read!

I received my copy from Net Galley and Harper Collins.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Promo ~ Juliana Stone ~ His Darkest Hunger (And Contest Alert on Juliana's Blog!!)

Publisher: Avon Books, Imprint of Harper Collins
Pages: 384

(Release Date: March 30, 2010)

From the Cover: Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he’s finally found her. The hunt is over…

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair; of her treachery; of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant the game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.

But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine…


Doesn't this sound great??? Don't you love that cover???

Well, Juliana Stone is giving an ARC of her very first release with Avon Books away (2 copies in fact) one on her blog and as a follower of The Bradford Bunch, she's also giving one away there too. Excellent!! Hurry over to enter and help spread the word about something that sounds pretty darn good! You have until January 16, 2010 to enter.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS-An Alien Affairs Novel Book One by Katherine Allred

Publisher: Avon / Harper-Collins Publishing
Pages: 356
Release Date: March 31, 2009

From the Cover: Kiera Smith wants one thing out of life -- to be normal. But stronger, faster, smarter, and more impervious to damage than her brethren, Kiera is a genetically engineered person unlike any others.

As a special agent she's been assigned to protect the indigenous Buri race from the none-too-honorable conglomerate Dynatec. And it's just the challenge she's been looking for: take down the largest independent trade company in the Galactic Federation and save a race of aliens from extinction, while resisting the advances of the handsome Buri leader.

Kiera Smith is a GEP working for Alien Affairs and Dr. Daniels, and the worst nightmare of the conglomerate, Dynatec. Nothing sticks to that company, they're like Teflon, that is until Kiera is assigned to the planet they're trying to appropriate, Orpheus Two. And they're doing it legally, according to Chapter Twenty of the Galactic Federation edict. The indigenous race occupying the planet will die out within one hundred cycles (one hundred Earth years) and by rights, Dynatec can claim the planet as their own. It's Kiera's job to make sure that the problem can't be prevented and that the Buri race is not used or destroyed. She only has two short months to accomplish this goal.

Max, her Articially Intelligent ship and Crigo, her massive rock cat, will be her only assistants. There is no time for anthropologists to arrive on Orpheus Two to help with speech, customs, and rituals. She have to rely of her wits, and thanks to Dr. Simon Gertz, her creator, she has genetic enhancements that other GEP's can only dream of. She's intelligent with psi abilities that include empathic awareness and she's almost indestructible, only a shot to the head or heart can kill her. The information she has about the Buri and Orpheus Two is what Dynatec has turned over to Alien Affairs and she can bet it's been tainted. To make matter worse, an old enemy has joined Dynatec's crew, Captain Frisk accompanied by Quilla Dorn, clone and GEP megamillionaire.

The Buri are a magnificently exotic race with hair and eye that match, dense bone structure, and larger than average height making her six foot body look 'normal', her one true desire. Orpheus Two is a tropical paradise teaming with spectacular wildlife such as the colorful little dragon birds that would rival other planets, but this cannot be Dynatec's reason for trying to acquire it, what's so valuable and unique? One of the Buri in particular has caught Kiera's eye, Thor, the leader is even more extreme than the others. There are only 70 Buri left on the planet and if there is any chance of saving them, she has to figure out how to make their females more reproductive to continue life on this beautiful planet.

When she arrives in Buri village, she spots Thor. There is almost an instant connection to the man. He is equally entranced with Kiera, legend has it that Thor's mind bond mate will have hair as golden as the sun. Kiera's own lovely locks are as blonde as a sun goddess. Almost all the Buri are enthralled by Kiera's appearance and when they see how fast she can heal, all agree she will be the next Shushanna (healer and one with the Lamatti) and mate to Thor. Unfortunately, the Buri neglect to tell Kiera this fact until after the marriage has taken place and bonding with Thor is consummated. The only way to release the bond is by death. Kiera knows she will never harm Thor, the one man that has made her whole.

There are many question that need Kiera's attention. What is Dynatec after? Why Orpheus Two and the Buri? How will she save them? Will they survive Dynatec's occupation?

Katherine Allred has created a magical world full of mystery and suspense. The heroine is an ass-kicking hard as nails agent, but soft in all the right places. The hero, Thor, is a leader willing to sacrifice all to save his people and his love. You almost become part of this new world of the Galactic Federation as you move through her pages. There many other stories waiting to emerge, the story of Claudia and Ghost has yet to be told, Churka (Thor's sister) and her mate, as well as Kiera's role in Buri history as Thor's mate and Shushanna, and I'm sure Dynatec is just taking a breather. This novel was a page turner from start to finish that grabbed your attention from page one and left you looking at the last page wondering if that was all. Close Encounters is paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and scifi all rolled up in one great book. I highly recommend this book for all those who seek adventure, action, and romance that will knock your socks. If you'd like more information on Katherine Allred's new book, Close Encounters, check out her website or Eos Books, both are good sites for great reads. Katherine Allred also writes contemporaries under the name Kathy Allred and Amethyst Ames (some look to be paranormal under this name as well). She also has Book Two complete and in editing, and researching Book Three of An Alien Affairs Series.

Here's a peek at the new trailer for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS:



Dottie

Cold Case by Robin Burcell

Publisher: Avon Books / Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 273


From the cover: Three years ago SFPD Homicide Investigator Kate Gillespie was in pursuit of a suspect who murdered a hooker in a sleazy motel, and she nearly lost her own life in the process. The shooter escaped into the San Francisco shadows and the trail went colder than the grave. Now Kate's appearance on a Bay Area "crime stoppers" TV show produces new leads that carry her back into the sordid world of drugs and prostitution......

Kate Gillespie is a homicide detective and good at her job. But since being involved in the Twin Palms shooting, she has been regulated to cold case work....Who would have thought cold case work could be dangerous. As she starts to investigate the murder of a local high priced call girl, Fiona Winchester--a cold case relating to the Twin Palms shooting, her relatively safe desk job turns into a case of major criminal activity that involves some high power players.

As Kate get deeper into the case, she realizes drugs, a local crime boss (who has the hots for her), and various other nefarious characters seem to want nothing more than to see her dead. Her long time love interest, Mike Torrance, has joined the forces of the FBI and is even more distant than usual. Could he be jealous of Nick Paolini, does he really think she could be interested in a crime boss? Could Nick Paolini's ex-wife, Lucia, be behind the attempts on her life, the one from three years ago to the recent ones?

Cold Case is the third book in the Kate Gillespie series published in 2004. As the story unfolds, Kate finds herself in one dangerous position after another. It is an excellent crime story that as it unfolds grabs your attention and doesn't let go. To find out more about Ms. Burcell's books, visit her website @ http://www.robinburcell.com/.