Pleasure Unbound
A Demonica Novel #1
Author: Larissa Ione
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Forever
 (June 20, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0446401036

In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life . . . 


She’s a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life. 


Two lovers will dare to risk all.


Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul . . .

Oh my gosh! What rock have I been under?  I have heard so many great reviews on this series but for some reason or another I kept putting it off.  Now I am smacking myself every single time I finish one of these books in the series and wondering why I haven’t read them sooner!

I am in love with these Demons!  Not only are they sexy, smart, gifted and fighters, but did I mention how hot they are?!  When Tayla is first brought into the Demon Hospital where Eidolon works and owns, there initial exchange was funny, sexy and sucked me into the story right off the bat.  The relationship between the two was hot and tension filled with them being on the opposite sides of good and evil — or so you think.  When you realize that they are both wanting the same thing, whether from different species or not, they both have a lot of issues to work through to figure out their future.

I also enjoyed the side stories from the secondary characters.  Kynan and Gem are going to be fun to read about and I can’t wait to see where that story is going to go.  I wasn’t a big fan of Shade yet, but hopefully he will grow on me since he is Eidolons brother.  Then there is Wraith. Insert a dreamy swoon for this bad boy!  His history is going to be just as exciting to read about as this one was!

I loved the Demon lore and the abundance of characters that the author included.  They all have a reason for being in the story and made it even richer with excitement and suspense.  The Demon world is set up and ready to go for me to continue on in this world and I can’t wait to see what is going to happen in future novels in the series. Who knew Demons could be so hot?!

“So,uh, where am I, exactly ? And what do you plan on doing with me ?”
“You’re at Underworld General Hospital. As you can probably guess, we specialize in nonhuman medical care. Our location is secret, so don’t ask.”
“UGH ? Your hospital is called ‘ugh’ ? Oh, that’s precious.”
–Tayla and Eidolon

“The pretty nurse had just injected her with something that totally rocked, and if she wanted to think about boinking a bronzed, tattooed, impossibly handsome doctor who was so far out of her league she need a telescope to see him, then screw it. Screw him. Over and over.”
–Tayla

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

Magic Slays
Kate Daniels #5
Author: Ilona Andrews
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Ace (May 31, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0441020423

Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job. 


Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate. 


So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .

After being blown away by the first four books in this series, I was anxious for my purchase of Magic Slays to arrive so I could step back into the urban fantasy world created by author Ilona Andrews.  I needed more of Curran and Kate along with the other characters involved in the Kate Daniels series.

I had heard so many great reviews on this book that I think I set my expectations a little too high.  For me this book didn’t wow me as much as the others.  Yes, the relationship between Curran and Kate has matured and has become one of those super couples I love to read about, but for me this book was more of a filler and fluff book.  It did have a bunch of action and some great scenes that leaves the reader blown away, but it also has spots in the book that became repetitive and not necessarily needed to keep the story moving.  I also felt the ending was a little too abrupt and easy.  It felt like the author(s) gave up for the last few chapters of the book and just wanted to hurry and finish it to get it out to the readers.

With that being said above, I still enjoyed the book.  Anyone who has invested in the journey that Kate has been on will love the dialogue, plot and sexy scenes between Kate and Curran.  I was also disappointed in the small amount of page time that Curran had.  If the two were going to be a mated couple, you would think we would get to see them work together a little bit more than what was offered.  Again, the writing was great and the witty writing that the author(s) come up with left me laughing out loud several times.  It is one of the main reasons I love this series.  I can’t wait to see what comes next for Kate and Curran!

“Andrea raised her hand. “This is the hand that slapped Aunt B.”
“Maybe you should have it gold-plated.”
“Here, you can touch it, since you’re my best friend.”
–Kate and Andrea

“Yes I can,” Curran snarled. “Listen: this is me telling you what you will not do.”
I raised the cookbook and tapped him on the nose. Bad cat.
–Kate and Curran

“Say ‘pop.'”
“Pop?”
“That was the sound of me pulling your head out of your ass.”
–Kate and Ascanio

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult Dystopia
Publisher: HarperCollins
  (January 3, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062072030

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction. 


As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions. 


They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love – one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

What first captured my attention with this book was the title.  I wanted to know what the Never Sky was.  What did the author mean by it?  Then as I started to read this book and grasp what the title meant, I fell in love with the world and characters that author Veronica Rossi created within the covers of Under The Never Sky.

When Aria is forced into the outside world called The Death Shop, she is certain she is going to die.  She is use to her perfect life in the Pod being a Dweller among her friends and family.  Within the Pod, Aria can explore life through the Realms which is basically like a Virtual World system.  She is a part of what the Realms are showing, but she never really realizes the difference that the real world has.  She has grown up basically sheltered and forced to believe that this is how life should be for the better.

When she realizes she has been betrayed by her Pod and forced into the outside world, she thinks with each breath she takes she is going to die a slow and agonizing death.  When she decides to journey back to the Pod and try and find her missing Mother, she encounters a Savage — or outsider — and realizes he was there when things went bad for her in the Pod.  At first she is scared of him and wary to be around him, but she can’t forget how he saved her life in the Pod and how he is helping her now.  Granted, Perry the Savage has ulterior motives for helping her back to the Pod, but you can see the gentle side of Perry as well.

Perry is trying to rescue his sick nephew from the Dwellers.  The Dwellers came and captured his nephew while he was out hunting with Perry.  Perry feels guilty for not being able to stop them and wants to find him not only to bring him back to his family and tribe, but because of the bond the two have formed.  He truly loves the boy and wants what is best for him unlike his real Father who happens to be the leader of their tribe.  Perry has always wanted to challenge his brother for the rank of Blood Lord.  With secrets that are revealed in the journey with Aria, Perry has to decide on some pretty serious things along the way.

I fell in love with Perry. While he was fierce, deadly, and loyal, he was also sweet, tender, and showed his determination with each small thing he did.  Unlike other books, the romance was slow building starting from dislike of each other, to friendship and eventually love.  This is one of those books that keeps you interested with so many different things that it is very hard to put down to get daily chores done in real life.  It has suspense, love, family and friendship along with action falling between all of those.  The ending to this book left me feeling sad because I didn’t want it to end.  It is left in a small sort of open ending, but it also leaves you excited for the next book!  A wonderful story of sacrifice and survival.

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*