Review: A Mermaid's Kiss

Review: A Mermaid's Kiss by Joey W. Hill

Back Cover Blurb (taken from Joey W. Hill's website)

Some destinies are made to be denied… As the Prime Legion Commander for the Goddess, Jonah has been battling the Dark Ones for centuries. He has led countless angels into battle, and has seen too many of them slaughtered. Now, his noble spirit has begun to tire with the weight of endless war—which allows aDark One to strike a blow that severs his wing and knocks him into the sea.

Anna is a Daughter of Arianne — a direct descendant of the mermaid whose poignant legend and lore is much darker and more complex than the human-made fairytale. For tragedy and isolation are the fate of all the Daughters of Arianne. Anna’s longing for love compels her to risk her very life to protect and hide the fallen Jonah. And the longer Jonah delays his return to the heavens, the more Anna’s secret passions are tempted.

Anna knows that Jonah’s destiny lies beyond her desire—and that if she repeats her ancestor’s mistakes, heartache will be her only reward. But as she falls more in love with him, Anna wonders if she’s destined to lose her heart and her dreams to save Jonah’s soul…

Joey W. Hill proves herself to be a master storyteller in 'A Mermaid's Kiss'. Her lyrical prose is nothing short of magical in it's ability to be both superbly dark and richly erotic while retaining it's fairy tale essence. As a long time fan of the Disney version of 'The Little Mermaid', I've also been aware that the true tale foretells a much more tragic ending whereby the mermaid doesn't marry her prince but instead perishes cursed and broken-hearted. Ms. Hill expands upon this darker original with tragedy destined to fall upon all descendants of Arianne.

Jonah, Angel and Prime Legion Commander of the Goddess, has lived a long life drenched in destruction, death, and blood. Having survived a war-torn millennia, Jonah's soul has slowly tarnished with the very darkness he's been fighting and thereby corrupting his faith and love in the Lady. After being mortally wounded in battle, Jonah plunges into the ocean with a sigh of relief; grateful that he can finally find some peace in death. His hopes are thwarted though by a brave and beautiful little mermaid.

Anna, a Daughter of Arianne and therefore doomed to tragedy, is still a woman of hope and love. Cursed with the ability to shapeshift into a human, she's lived the life as a being with no true place in the world, an outcast, but one capable of compassionate love and fierce loyalty. Unlike the female ancestors before her, Anna accepts her fate in life to live without reciprocal love while at the same time yearning for it above all else. Given her self-sacrificing nature, it is no surprise that she risks her life from the very beginning for an angel bent on his own destruction.

Despite having lived for a 1000 years, Jonah has never truly sought to understand his own soul. The consuming thoughts of war have blotted out the light of the Lady, leaving his heart to ponder and question his own existence and role in the universe. Humans, the Lady's to protect and therefore Jonah's to protect, cease to be nothing other then rats destroying everything in their path. The evil doings of humans call to the Dark Ones, thus rising the armies of angels; guarding them despite the fact that it's this very evil, festering within the human soul, that makes the Dark Ones very existence possible. Jonah is tired of fighting for those that continue to call to the Dark Ones and suffer the inevitable deaths of his sons for the guilt of their loss weighs heavily upon his conscience. He has lost all hope and all reason to fight and to exist.

Recognizing the darkness within Jonah, Anna makes the decision to help him at any cost, even her own death. She enlists the help of the seawitch, Mina, and with her guiding visions, Anna convinces Jonah to embark on a journey that will lead her further and further away from her beloved ocean.

Jonah decides to accompany Anna and her pursuit of the healing powers of a human shaman not because he wishes to eradicate the poison within him, but because he has found some measure of contentment with Anna. Jonah, though an angel, is not noble. Selfishly, he chooses to drift along on this journey with a self-sacrificing little mermaid because it relieves him of having to think beyond the now. Anna provides for him a route of escapism and monetary respite for his ugly thoughts. He truly feels that a shaman, a human no less, can not heal his rotted soul and there are several points throughout the journey where Jonah tries to drive Anna away from him and their mission. Some readers may a bit put off by Jonah's evil and the pain he inflicts upon Anna without apology. Yet, what readers must remember is that Jonah is existing in the darkest time of his life. He's the most cynical of cynics. He is a man lost and resolved to never put forth the effort to find his way back into the arms of light and love. When considering his dry well of love filled with bitterness, one can only expect him to lash out and protect his already wounded soul. Jonah no longer holds the belief of goodness and it's Anna's complete embodiment of that which he now shields himself from in any way possible without completely loosing his view of her. Instead he'll follow along with Anna because what's a week to his thousand year existence in which he can put off his own demise? It is this that makes Jonah the anti-hero, but a hero none the less.

Conversely, Anna has already conquered the blood of the past and the terms of her Fate. She stands before Jonah untainted and pure of light and love. Her hope for future love is not crushed on the weight of her predestined fate. Anna is by far the most self-sacrificing creature in Hill's world. She gives repeatedly of herself to Jonah in an unflagging hope that he'll once again see how important and how needed his is on Earth and in Heaven. Anna believes in Jonah so much that she literally gifts her heart to him in a very literal sense. By sacrificing her essence, her blood, and ultimately her heart to Jonah, she in turn gives him back his reason to be and live once again. Now that's love.

I feel it's necessary to point out that 'A Mermaid's Kiss' features a variety of sex scenes that call for an openmindness within the reader. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about the scene involving Jonah making love to Anna in her mermaid form but Hill pulls it off with such vital realism that it just comes across as natural for the characters to experience that activity in that way. There is also very light BDSM. Not with regards to the whips and chains version but more in the way Jonah and Anna address one another. Jonah is constantly "my lord" while Anna is "little one". I interpreted this as Anna giving Jonah the respect that his Dominant position called for while her being dubbed "little one" a reminder of her submissive role. There was also the fact that Anna became aroused when Jonah demanded she do something a certain way underlying once again the D/s relationship. Again though, these were the only references to Hill's revered BDSM knowledge.

'A Mermaid's Kiss' is definitely my first favorite of 2009. It's a shining example of Ms. Hill's amazing talent and I look forward to picking up it's sequel 'A Witch's Beauty'.

A-

Interested in more novels by Joey W. Hill? Check out my reviews of Ice Queen and Mirror of My Soul.

Review: New Moon

Review: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Back Cover Blurb

"Shoot," I muttered when the paper sliced my finger; I pulled it out to examine the damage. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut.

It all happened very quickly then.

Edward threw himself at me, flinging me back across the table...

I tumbled down to the floor by the piano, with my arms thrown out instinctively to catch my fall, into the jagged shards of glass. I felt the searing, stinging pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow.

Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arm—into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires

Since I thought that 'Twilight' was excellent, you can imagine my surprise when 'New Moon' blew it out of the water in terms of greatness.

In the beginning, Bella Swan is high on life and has just experienced a romantic whirlwind summer with her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Unfortunately with her eighteenth birthday looming closer on the horizon, Bella can't stand the fact that she's grown a year older than Edward's seventeen years. Granted she understands that he's technically over hundred years old, in his human life he was only seventeen when he was transformed. This, combined with Bella's longing for immortality and Edward's continued denial of her request, frustrates her beyond belief.

After a terrible accident at her birthday party hosted by the Cullen's, Edward's nightmare comes to life thus proving his previously stated fact and ultimate fear that Bella is in danger of him and his family's vampire nature. Over the course of a few days, Edward progressively distances himself emotionally and physically from Bella. Ultimately Edward breaks off their relationship after telling Bella that he doesn't love her anymore and in fact never has. After which, Edward vanishes all traces of himself from Bella's life by not only removing himself and his family from Forks, WA, but by also retrieving all the material gifts and items that Bella had acquired over the term of their relationship. This leaves nothing for Bella to hold on to and it would appear for all intents and purposes that Edward never even existed.

It is a this point in time that Stephenie Meyer becomes a literary genius, IMHO. Meyer provides the most simple yet visually stunning portrayal of a persons' heartbreak in the fewest words imaginable. For several pages Meyer prints only the name of the month and nothing else on the page, conveying the absolute emptiness that has saturated Bella's every waking moment. It's like her entire spirit shut down and all that's left is a robot capable of doing every day tasks but is still truly lifeless. My heart broke when I read on first one page 'November' and then turned to the next and saw only 'December'. The nothingness was so tangible...it's just amazing to me how I truly felt the utter emptiness in those single words and as the pages kept turning to reveal the same bleakness, I fell further into heartache.

Enter Jacob Black.

Jacob played a minor but intriguing role in 'Twilight' but it wasn't until 'New Moon' that he really takes center stage. It's Jacob's endearing friendship that really pulls Bella out of her darkest hour. I know that I fell in love with Jacob before Bella did and it was not simply over the fact that he hit puberty and rapidly grew into a seven foot sex god, but in part due to the fact that he had a pulse and was warm to the touch. I've never liked that Edward's body feels like a meat locker and it was a nice break from constantly being reminded of such by Bella. Instead she now constantly notices how hot, temperature wise, Jacob is. What truly made me fall in love with Jacob was how he pulled Bella through the bleakest part of her life, not by berating her with questions or laying down judgments but by being a true and honorable friend.

At first I felt like I was betraying Edward in my love for Jacob but as time passed and Edward continued to be out of the picture, I let myself fall. Bella did this as well but on a more gradual scale. Slowly she let Jacob steal pieces of her heart until the moment arrives when she must either wait forever on a vampire who doesn't love her, or settle on life with Jacob. Of course it's at the exact moment when Bella leans into Jacob, bent on the task of changing their fates forever that Edward slams back into her life.

'New Moon' was not only dark in the sense of heartache but also with the threat of suicide on both Bella's and Edward's account. Bella has held a death wish ever since awakening from her heartbreak coma. She gets a rush with each dangerous act she attempts because she hears Edward's voice berating her each time. With the thrill of his voice in her head, Bella dives of the cliffs of La Push. She makes it safely into the water but is soon physically overpowered by the strong rip currents. Feeling that life is just too difficult to live without Edward, Bella gives into the waves and bids Edward goodbye. Luckily she is saved by Jacob but her unintentional attempt at suicide is soon heard through the psychic means of the Cullen's, but they've only received half the story. In their minds Bella is dead and with that knowledge Edward seeks to die as well.

After being told of Edward's death plight, Bella abandons Jacob and races to save Edward's life. I along with Jacob, felt betrayed by Bella's actions for I was not only in love with Jacob but I was also in love with his love for Bella. Jacob's pain is visible in his tears and I couldn't help but also shed my own. I mourned their potential relationship that wouldn't be.

'New Moon' is a painful and heartbreaking read and I don't feel that I could pick it up again for a very long time. I must point out that I've read the 'Twilight' saga as an adult reading romance, not an adult reading young adult fiction. I don't believe that these novels are suitable for teenagers under 18 based on the fact that the content is controversial to say the least. Suicide is a major theme of 'New Moon' and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. These "teenage" characters are experiencing love and emotions that eclipse the teenage psyche, IMHO. If I were grading for the young adult genre I would give this book an F. Wanting to kill yourself because your boyfriend leaves you is just not right. Grading as an adult, I give 'New Moon' an A based on the fact that I'm a veteran of romance novels and I know what I want in my romance novels - all consuming and life changing love.

A

Review: Veil of Midnight

Review: Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian

A warrior trained in bullets and blades, Renata cannot be bested by any man--vampire or mortal. But her most powerful weapon is her extraordinary psychic ability--a gift both rare and deadly. Now a stranger threatens her hard-won independence--a golden-haired vampire who lures her into a realm of darkness . . . and pleasure beyond imagining.

A combat-loving adrenaline junkie, Nikolai dispenses his own justice to enemies of the Breed--and his latest quarry is a ruthless assassin. One woman stands in his way: the seductive, cool-as-ice bodyguard, Renata. But Renata's powers are put to the test when a loved one, a child, is threatened and she is forced to turn to Niko
for help. As the two join forces, as desire fans the flames of a deeper hunger, Renata's life is under siege by a man who offers the exquisite pleasure of a blood bond--and a passion that could save or doom them both forever. . . .

'Veil of Midnight' is Book 5 in Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series.

The Order, a military faction of the Breed civilization, is in the midst of saving not only their species, but humanity as well. The Breed truly are a sub-species of humans. Having originated from aliens who where able to breed with human women, the offspring of these unions were left with the terrible task of bringing down these ancient aliens in order to preserve Earth's human inhabitants from their bloody destruction. These vampires were known within the Breed as Gen One vampires, and today are a rare find in the Breed population having existed since the death of their ancient alien fathers centuries ago.

Lucan, leader of The Order, has charged one of his combatants, Nikolai, with the task of making contact with a Montreal Gen One named Sergei Yakut. This elusive Gen One is to be offered their protection because an unknown assassin is systematically killing the Gen One Breeds and thereby exterminating the most powerful members of their species.

During Nikolai's search for Yakut he encounters the very mysterious Renata who welcomes him with a very sharp blow to his ego. Renata is a Breedmate - a special human female who can mate with the Breed. Each Breedmate can be identified by the same crescent moon and teardrop birthmark. In addition to their ability to provide offspring, Breedmates also have psychic abilities that are unique to each individual. Renata has the ability to create a high pitched sound heard only by the Breed that creates debilitating pain. Suspecting that Nikolai is the hit man that nearly murdered her boss, Sergei Yakut, Renata brings the big Breed down with every intention of capture and questioning.

Renata and her crew are surprised to discover that Nikolai is a warrior member of the Order and that the hit on Yakut was planned with the combined intention of wiping out all Gen One Breeds. Renata at this point appears to be a verdant follower and protector of Sergei Yakut but this appearance couldn't be more contrary to the truth. Having been abandoned as a new born and survived her formative years on the streets, Renata has learned time and again that she can absolutely trust no one. Her entrance into Yakut's circle was nothing short of abrupt and terrifying. She now lives in a realm of fear with the knowledge that she can never, ever escape.

Nikolai is granted permission to investigate the scene of the failed hit at Yakut's hunting lodge located outside Montreal. The hundred year old lodge is bereft of any human comforts and it's soon apparent that Yakut has been organizing and participating in the outlawed practices of a Blood Club whereby humans are captured then hunted for sport. Nikolai is also introduced to Mira, a young Breedmate with the incredible ability to show the future to anyone who looks into her eyes and is fiercely protected by Renata. Nikolai confronts Yakut on his illegal extra-curricular activities with abysmal results. After which events soon unravel with Mira being sold to an evil vampire, another hit on Sergei's life being successful, and the horrible added result of Nikolai being charged with the murder due coincidental circumstances.

Renata, determined to rescue Mira but realizing that she can't do it without help, breaks into the holding facility that's interrogating Niko. As the two escape, it becomes a race for their lives and with the death toll increasing every hour, Renata and Niko can only pray that Mira herself is not dead.

I really liked Renata. The fact that she's a warrior was fun and exciting, plus I felt a measure of female satisfaction every time she brought the Breeds down with her mind. Her strengths nearly put her on equal footing with Niko and their struggle for domination was interesting. Renata was above and beyond the most admirable of the female characters of Adrian's series so far. She repeatedly made hard sacrifices not only during her time with Yakut but also as a child living on the streets. She always put those weaker beings first in her priorities.

On the other hand, Nikolai was boring. We know that he's the adrenaline junkie of the Order but that's about all. We aren't privy to Nikolai's upbringing until nearly the end of the novel. While his past was indeed tragic, I thought that Adrian could have brought it out earlier in the story and saved me and my distracted search for understanding. I wanted to know who Niko was and if he had any substance to his character. Needless to say I was disappointed.

I was also disappointed with the romance. It just felt forced and based purely on Niko and Renata's life or death circumstances. One minute Renata believes Niko to be the killer of Yakut and then she's in love with him all because he agrees to help her rescue Mira? Plus there was some definite innuendo regarding Renata and sexual abuse. Although it is never verbally or mentally confirmed by her, there seemed plenty of evidence to indicate that there was. Yet Renata has no trouble having sex with Niko and the fact that she was raised by nuns leaves little in the way of modesty and Renata is soon butt nekkid and turned on!

Honestly I feel that if Adrian had been allowed an additional two hundred pages of wrting space, this story could have been great. The plot and action were intense and exciting and I think maybe a bit too complicated thus forcing the romance into the background. Adrian was also spending numerous pages in other characters' POVs when she could have devoted that time to Niko's and Renata's romance.

So far, I personally have found Adrian's novels to be either a hit or miss on my "like it" or "love it" scale. Combined with the fact that I loved the action packed plot but was disappointed in the romance, I just couldn't decide on an appropiate grade. So I've decided that 'Viel of Midnight' deserves a B- on the plot and a C- on the romance.

Book Six featuring Andreas Reichen. Release Date: May 2009
I'm really looking forward to this one based on the events of 'Veil of Midnight'. Andreas is HOT!

Review: Seduce Me At Sunirse

Review: Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas, The Hathaways Book Two

Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.

Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

Kev Merripen suffered greatly as a child in the hands of his Uncle, the rom baro, or leader of their Romany tribe. In a cruel and abusive fashion, Kev was taught to hate, to hurt those weaker than he, and to steal any chance he got. But after being left for dead and nursed back to health by the Hathaway clan, Kev learns the meaning of family and love. While all Rom are compelled to continue on with their travels, Kev stays with the Hathaways because of not only his debt to them but also because he fell in love at first sight with Winnifred Hathaway. Determined that the only way he would ever leave Win would be by death, he decides to live a life of servitude to her safety.

Win Hathaway has lived the life of a docile invalid long enough and is bound and determined to rehabilitate herself for the man that she loves, Kev Merripen. Feeling that all Kev's reasons for rejection are centered on her physical weaknesses, Win decides to make way to France and receive the revolutionary and extremely controversial treatment from Dr. Julian Harrow. She is also bringing along her brother Leo in the hopes that he may find some peace away from England and the grief soaked memories of his love who passed away from the scarlet fever that not only nearly killed Win but Leo as well. If not for Kev's herbal remedies they would both be dead.

Kev is not happy with Win's decision to leave and while she promises to stay if he would just tell her in words that he loves her, Kev can't for he never will subject her to the black emptiness of his soul. With anger and crushing remorse, Kev lets Win leave.

Two years later and Win returns to England as a new and revitalized woman. While she had written several times Kev, his lack of response leaves little doubt that he doesn't want her. In an effort to move on, Win invites Dr. Harrow to accompany her home in the hopes that they might become better acquainted. Win has every intention of seeing her dreams of love and family come to life and she won't let her broken heart over Kev's rejection slow her down.

Meanwhile, Kev's first reaction to Dr. Harrow is that he must die and wastes no time in his attack. While his black soul has claimed Win for it's own, it's Kev's own inner yearning for Win's safety that prevents him from fully claiming her. Yet as he continuously drives off prospective suitors Win has had enough and confronts him on his hypocrisy.

But it's Kev's ultimate act of cowardliness that soon earns Win's hatred of him. After being caught in a compromising position at the Hunt's Ball, instead doing the honorable thing and offering for Win he allows Dr. Harrow the privilege of claiming Win instead. He'd rather Win live a life in the arms of another man than be the eventual cause her death. While this fear may seem extreme it has been recommend by Win's doctors that she never attempt to become pregnant. Due to Kev's lustful urges where Win is concerned he fears that if he makes good on his claim of her that he will kill her with his child. What Kev blatantly fails to take into account is that childbirth in general is a risk and that he doesn't have the right to prevent Win from having the family she's always desired.

Win's strength to conquer her dreams was incredibly admirable and the fact that Kev tried constantly to interfere with that left much to be desired. Win had every right to dislike Kev for his stubbornness and then later hate him for his cowardliness and because of this, I didn't like Kev as a hero. Yes he was sultry and mysterious but I thought that his strength didn't equal that of Win's.

Of course when these two stubborn souls finally succumb to their need for one another, Kleypas is a master at passion. There is a rather contrived suspense plot woven through the story but it was subtle enough to not overwhelm or distract the reader. I think Kleypas needed something to really shock and convince Kev that he belonged with Win and up to that point in the story she had made Kev almost too set in his rejection.

There was one character that really stole the show and that was Leo Hathaway, Win's brother. His one liners where hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud. He is a man who has already loved and lost and is of the firm belief that he will never love again. There was a very excellent and moving scene between Leo and Kev at the jail that really proved to me once again why Kleypas is a truly remarkable and gifted writer. I read the scene twice before moving on.

In addition, I really like the heroine that Kleypas has picked out for Leo and I already have my theories as to why the lady in question is only antagonistic to him an no one else.

'Seduce Me At Sunrise' was an enjoyable read but what kept it from receiving an A was Kev. I never could fully forgive him for his cowardliness and when he ultimately decides to accept the fact that Win may die from childbirth, he'll still marry her just didn't feel good enough. It's like he just sighed and said "fine, I give up" rather than "I was a total and complete idiot but even though I don't deserve you I'll devote my entire life to making sure that all your dreams come true." - that's what I wanted to hear but didn't. Otherwise it's a B- for me.

B-

Review: Twilight

Review: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

*WARNING - Long and Rambling Review - no spoilers*

This was my first venture into the Young Adult genre and it was completely based off not only the surrounding controversy of the novels, but the overwhelming out pour of reader love and devotion. In addition, it seemed that not only teens could appreciate the saga but people of all age groups were transfixed by these hefty novels as well.

So after dragging my feet for a very long time I finally succumbed to "Twilight Mania" and got my butt down to Wally World to purchase my very own discounted copy. Even though all four installments sat gleaming before me in their ebony covers, I decided I would only purchase the first for I was still skeptical in regards to their greatness. Plus I thought I would hate any romance novel that didn't have sex in it so I decided not to waste me money.

To my utter and delighted surprise, I fell in love with all things 'Twilight'. Now I'm not going to go into too much plot detail in this review of 'Twilight' for I truly think that what these characters go through is an amazing journey through the forbidden that should be left up to the individual reader to explore. That being said here are my thoughts.

On a personal note, and this may sound stupid, but simply put 'Twilight' touched upon all the fantasies of my teenage years. As a awkward late bloomer, I was very much on the fringe of high school society and I always longed to be a girl like Bella Swan. The subtly pretty girl who had no idea she was pretty. Plus I wanted to be conflicted, silly I know but it's the truth. I had no ghosts, nothing to make me sad. I was a privileged girl going to a school nicknamed 'Snob-halla" because of all the rich kids enrolled. Instead, Bella exudes sadness in such an intriguing and mysterious way that she unintentionally draws people to her. Yet at the same time Bella shuns all attention. While I most definitely embodied the latter trait, I most certainly never drew people to me in high school.

Also Bella is smart. Not that I was an idiot but Bella is knowledgeable in such a way that I had longed to be. She's well read, great at math, and has a knack for science. These are all areas that I struggled in and being within Bella's POV and her ease at academics felt liberating in the reader sense.

Bella Swan is sentencing herself to her own personal hell, Forks, WA. Unfortunately the overall dreariness of the Washington State climate has a depressing effect on Bella. She can't help but feeling that the heavy and lingering mist of Forks, pressing down so persistently upon her spirit, has made her homesickness all the more unbearable. But it's time for her mother to spread her wings and after seeing her mom off for belated honeymoon bliss, Bella feels that it's time she lived with her father Charlie for a while. Born in Forks but raised in Phoenix, AZ Bella is a lover of the sun. You wouldn't believe this if you saw her with skin porcelain white and so translucent that the blue of her veins wouldn't escape any one's notice, especially the notice of the mysterious Edward Cullen.

Bella and Edward's love story, the overall nitty-grittiness of it, does not in any way resemble the "teenage romance". In some respects it's juvenile but if you stripped the time and age from the equation one would see the epic quality of a love that transcends all time and place. It's an intangible, all encompassing, once in a life time kind of love. I think this is partly the reason why adults can appreciate and enjoy 'Twilight' because it speaks to the romantic soul. The renewal of wonder in that there is some truth to the term "soul mates" and that in our universe you are possibly destined to become consumed with love for one and only one other person - your perfect match, the other half of your soul. (this notion is somewhat broken in 'New Moon')

While this concept is vast, Meyer brings it to life with flowing prose that sweeps the reader along into the world of innocence. Where love and it's corresponding emotions are lived and breathed for the first time for these characters, but acts as a youthful reminder and a passage back in time for us veterans of love. It brings our jaded and cynical souls back to when we were filled with youthful optimism and heartache was never something you had experienced so you didn't think much over the fact that this first love could end. In fact you spend a lot of your time defending it from people who continuously mummer "first loves never last" and "you never end up forever with your first" and so on and so forth. Sheesh I'm totally rambling. Back to the story.

As the parent of their mother/daughter relationship, Bella has acquired an old soul. One that feels more comfortable taking care of others. Because of this Bella has shaped into a self-sacrificing person who is fiercely protective of the ones she loves. But she's willing to sacrifice her mortality for one very odd but very beautiful boy. It's this old soul trait that makes her so compatible with Edward for he is in fact a hundred year old vampire. Each and every encounter between Bella and Edward was amazing to me. I was turning the pages so fast in an effort to reach their next scenes together that before I knew it, the story had ended.

Bella truly is the most endearing and amazing character and while there is huge fan base for Edward, I'm of team Bella. I admired her complete unselfishness, which is not a teenage trait in my experience and in hindsight could be considered a character flaw, yet with out this trait there would be no 'Twilight'. She consistently burdens herself with others guilt by always discovering the way in which the guilt had somehow been brought upon by her. She could go as far as thinking "if I'd never been born then this could have never happened" and she would precede to feel guilty. Hmm...this sounds bad but it was truly an endearing quality. Bella always viewed the good in others no matter what and while that may be naive, I think this brings a certain optimism to each and every situation whether it be good or bad.

Bella is also courageous. Even if the fear feels overwhelming and she's surely to end up dead in the end, if it's her death that saves someone she loves then so be it. I've just realized that while Bella's traits of selflessness are commendable they are also what gets Bella into a lot of trouble and can also result in a possible downfall.

With regards to Edward, while he was of course romantic and I hung on his every speaking word, I also thought he was the more juvenile of the two. I know he is simply trying his best to not inadvertently kill Bella, but I thought he was a bit of whiner and at times irrational in his fear. Yet when he decides to break all the rules he certainly doesn't waste any time securing Bella for his own and I enjoyed his take charge attitude. Plus I've always had a thing for stalker heroes. This is of course not to be confused with the creepy stalkers of real life but more along the lines of being inexplicably drawn to the one you desire above all others (found only romance novels).

This is a great time to mention 'Midnight Sun' which is Edward's version of 'Twilight'. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the "accidental" leaking of the unpublished and uncompleted manuscript around the release time of 'Breaking Dawn'. Meyer says it is someone she knows that did it but some people in blog land believe that Meyer personally leaked it to generate more sales of her newest release. I really don't care either way but with respects to the manuscript it was written to be the companion novel of 'Twilight' and is told completely from Edward's point of view. It's a great read and actually gives vital insight to Edward's perspective and why things progressed they way the did in 'Twilight'. You can find the manuscript here which has been provided directly by Stephenie Meyer plus a statement of "what happened".

Meyer's twist on the the vampire myth was also very original. I liked that her vampires could walk in daylight but this gift is balanced with the fact that they can never sleep. It made think how we as humans take for granted the fact that we can pass the time away and float through the realm of dreams. While some wish for more time in the day I think if we all really thought about it, to give up the right to dream would be hard, at least for me. I covet my time to sleep and have a respite from reality. This was not the only vampire myth that Meyer's twists but I'll leave the rest for you to discover.

In the end 'Twilight' was refreshing for the fact that Bella was denied the gift of immortality based on the simple grounds that Edward wants her to live. If given the choice, all the vampires of the Cullen clan would choose life over immortality and none wants Bella to waste hers on them. It is in this one particular area that Bella proves she's selfish, yet her inner debate is fascinating to read.

And finally in closing I feel that anyone can enjoy 'Twilight'. Some might focus solely on the teenage side of it and never grasp the transcending romance within but many will. It's a very fast read despite it's girth and it's not a love story that romance lovers should miss.

Oh, and I didn't even miss the sex. :0)

A

Review: Dead After Dark Anthology "Story of Son" by J.R. Ward

Review: Dead After Dark Anthology - Story of Son by J.R. Ward

Back Cover Blurb:

Claire Stroughton is a beautiful lawyer who would rather spend the night with a legal brief than the man of her dreams. Then a routine client meeting turns dangerous—and deeply sensual—when she is held captive by a gorgeous man with an unworldly hunger…

'Story of Son', while set in Ward's fictional Caldwell, NY may or may not be part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. While some characteristics of her vampire, Michael, embody the same ones as her Brothers, there are some definitely new developments that resonate more with Lara Adrian's vamps. This thought will be continued later on.

Claire's life revolves around her work as a Mergers & Acquisitions lawyer in New York City. She neither has nor wants a man in her life and is totally content to spend the holidays alone. Her past is not filled with ugly secrets of abuse from either any boyfriends or male family members. She simply does not want anything to interfere with her career.

In addition to her M&A clients, Claire has one trust client, Ms. Leeds. An elderly woman on her death bed, Ms. Leeds retains personal financial holdings in the billions. Claire, given her clients long standing relationship and fortune, agrees to make the two hour drive to Caldwell to personally meet and amend her Will.

Chalking it up to an old school childhood, Claire doesn't mind Ms. Leeds curiosity over her never having married nor having any children but when she begins foisting her son onto her during tea time, Claire begins to object but is soon stopped short. Ironically, Claire never knew her client even had a son because for one nothing in the older woman's Will was given to anyone of her blood. Thinking that Ms. Leeds's son to not be in residence, Claire finally acquiesces to meeting him and is shocked to discover that he's already there and waiting for her. After taking a final sip of tea, the room before her suddenly spins and Claire's last thought is that Fletcher, the butler, is exceptionally strong as the ancient man lifts her from her chair and carries her through a hidden door and then there was nothing.

Waking up with a screaming headache, Claire finds herself laying upon a lush bed with nary a robe and her underwear for clothes. Obviously terrified, Claire begins to search for a door with the hopes to escape. Suddenly she becomes engulfed by a towering man with an angel's voice telling her that she's safe and he means her no harm but he must take from her what his body needs. Two pin pricks in her throat and Claire is swept on a wave ecstasy and promptly faints.

When next she wakes Claire is determined to receive some answers. She demands that her captor show himself in the light. After some cajoling, the huge man steps free of the shadows and proves that his voice is not his only trait that's angelic. Towering well above six feet, the hulking man before her wears the complexion of the Gods and possess the longest most luxurious black and red strands of silky hair that falls thickly to his lean waist. His azure eyes blaze back at her and Claire can't help but think of the archangel Michael.

Claire soon learns that the angel before her is not her captor but her fellow captee. Together they are locked within the basement of the mansion above. While luxurious in it's own right complete with a large bathroom, the beauty of it is soon swept aside when Claire learns that the man is shackled by his wrists and ankles with long thick chain links bolted to the stone wall. To add insult to injury, the beauty before him has no name. His horrid mother not only imprisoned him since the day he turned twelve, but she also robbed him of an identity. With the beautiful archangel image fresh in her mind, Claire takes to calling the man Michael.

It doesn't take long for Claire to make the decision that when she is released, which is scheduled for three days hence, she's busting Michael out with her.

In my opinion, Claire accepted Michael's vampire nature a bit too easily. The first time he overtakes her to drink it's during the height of her terror but when next she wakes she's given her answers and promptly exposes her neck for his drink. I suppose this blind acceptance could be attributed to her strong personality but still I thought it was a bit too easy. I also felt that Claire's 180 from abstinence to femme fatal was a bit comical. In the beginning she is described for pages on how she doesn't want nor need a man but lock her a cellar with an angelic stud and she's ripe and ready for the taking. In fact she's not only ready, Claire actually seduces the poor Michael who is a 68 year old virgin! Needless to say it was a bit ridiculous.

The love scenes were great though and very trademark Ward. We never see anything from Michael's point of view which is a bit disappointing especially given that he's a virgin. I for one enjoy when the virgin's POV is described during their first time but we are not allowed to view his thoughts.

The romance began very well but about two thirds through the novella I was in a complete state of disbelief that interfered with my enjoyment of the story. Not the best effort by Ward especially when I know she can do so much better. See my review of 'Father Mine' here.

C

SPOILERS
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Ward has confirmed on her message boards that Michael is half vampire given that his mother was most definitely human. But, there is one trait that completely conflicts with Ward's BDB world. Michael can stop and in fact regresses Claire's age (wouldn't this have worked wonderful for Butch, Mary, and Jane?) and this is why I brought up Lara Adrian earlier because it reminds me of the Breed and their Breedmates. There is only one difference. Claire was never asked to accept her mate in the way that the Breed must to complete the Breedmate bond. Other than this difference the rest seems to be exactly the same.

Review: Tempt The Devil

Review: Tempt the Devil by Connie Mason

"Ye cannot kill the devil," whispers the awestruck throng at the hanging of the notorious Diablo. And indeed, moments later, the pirate not only escapes the noose, but abducts beautiful Lady Devon, whisking her aboard his ship, the Devil Dancer.

Infuriated, Devon swears she will have nothing to do with her rakishly handsome captor. But long days at sea, and even longer nights beneath the tropical stars, bring Devon very closer to surrender.

Diablo is a master of seduction, an experienced lover who knows every imaginable way to please Devon--and some that she has never imagined. Devon knows she will find ecstasy in his arms, but does she dare tempt the devil.

'Tempt the Devil' was good in that it provided me with easy entertainment. Sometimes one needs a light hearted, uncomplicated romp down the path of soap opera love and one can find exactly that in a Connie Mason novel.

Lady Devon gets herself abducted by Diablo, a notorious pirate, whom just moments before was hanging from the hangman's noose. After identifying herself as an Earl's daughter, Diablo has inadvertently struck gold. He will take the luscious Lady Devon as a hostage until he's safely ensconced at the helm of his ship known as the Devil Dancer.

Lady Devon fights her abductor of course and even manages to shoot the pirate, thereby incapacitating him from his devious plan of seducing her into willingly giving him her virtue. But who can resist a virile pirate like Diablo. He soon has Deveon melting like putty in his arms while she eagerly gives him her body. Although the moment is soon ruined by Diablo's ex lover and pirate colleague, Scarlett Defoe. You can always count on Ms. Mason to provide a beautiful but evil former mistress to taunt her golden heroines. Scarlett, like all other cast out mistresses, is quite peeved by the beautiful woman-child who has usurped her position as Diablo's lover and she will stop at nothing to reclaim her property.

Devon's beauty and innocence also taunts the other pirates and their nefarious plans of seduction and none of them is more cunning than Le Vautour, the vulture. Seeing the opportunity of help, Scarlett unites with Le Vautour in the hopes that they will both get what they seek.

After being swept away to Diablo's private island, aptly named Paradise, Devon still desires to go home to London and to her no doubt panicked father and fiance. While she feels herself falling for her pirate captor she can see no real future with him. Her place is in London with her family, yet her real reason for defection is that she can't bear the terror of being a pirate's wife. She dreads the day Diablo leaves on his next adventure of battle and pillage, leaving her with the very real possibility they he may never return having either been captured by the enemy or died at sea. It is with these disparaging thoughts that she finds Le Vautour skulking about Paradise's foliage and it is here that he makes an offer she can't refuse. In exchange for the promised ransom, Le Vautour will carry Devon safely across the seas and return her to her father. The catch, Diablo must not be informed of the plan leaving Devon no choice but to sneak off Paradise.

During the same time Diablo is blissfully unaware of the plot that thickens beneath his nose for he's blinded by love. He thinks to make Devon his wife and decides to proclaim his love to her. Yet on the eve of his decision Scarlett appears on his island with a proposition. Sail with her to pillage the Spanish Galleons that have been spied so that they may both line their coffers with their abundant riches. The need for the sea wrestles with Diablo's need for Devon but he feels secure with her enough to postpone his plans and sail away with Scarlett.

Diablo's homecoming leaves much to be desired though. With visions of Devon running out to great him at the pier, Diablo is instead faced with the total annihilation of his island's inhabitants. Dwellings have been bombarded to the sand and senseless killings have been made. To add insult to injury, his beloved Devon is gone. Yet her innocence in the matter falls short and she is soon deemed the mastermind of Pardise's destruction. With hate boiling through his veins, Diablo sets sail for London but not to reclaim his love but to slit the throat of the golden woman-child who decimated his home and broke his heart.

A tennis match for a plot soon follows with Devon bouncing back and forth between England and Paradise, love and hate, honor and betrayal. With an abundance of misunderstandings, the end is soon revealed and of course everyone goes home happy. Le Vautour meets his timely end and Scarlett is soon revealed to Diablo for the cunning whore she is. 'Tempt The Devil' is one of my favorite efforts by Ms. Mason and truly was an entertaining and light read and the cover art is of course spectacular. I'm a true lover of the old "bodice ripper" covers and 'Tempt the Devil' does not disappoint.