Review: Omarati by D. C. Juris

When Prince Obyn is banished from the palace, he takes his unwilling slave Calliph with him. But as soon as they step foot on the boat meant to take them away, Calliph meets the man he is sure is his soul mate, Mateo. With Obyn determined to keep Calliph for himself, how will the pair ever be able to be together?


*spoiler alert*


As this book began, I was enraptured by Calliph's character and the rich fantasy world that DC has created. Because of the way it opened -- depicting Calliph's slave relationship with his master -- I wondered about the happily ever after. Who would it be with? His master Obyn or the sexy werecat Mateo. By the time I learned what the word "Omarati" meant -- soul mates -- I knew that Mateo would be the one. And their relationship was combustible. Every time they touched, sparks flew.

But there was a catch. Obyn wasn't willing to let Calliph go. And as it turned out, this was a very deep problem. Obyn almost seemed like too much of a problem for me. Whenever Calliph touched him -- sometimes willingly -- a little part of me soured. What about Mateo? I had to keep reading on, just to make sure that Calliph and Mateo gained their happily ever after. At times, I even thought that this would become a menage, but I fought against that prediction. I didn't want it to be because frankly, I didn't feel any connection to Obyn whatsoever. I wanted him dead, or elsewise out of Calliph's life.

Once he did die, that didn't ease the taint for me. Neither did discovering that Mateo had taken a lover during the eight years he and Calliph had been apart. As I neared the end, this portion of the book switched to Mateo's point of view. Perhaps it was because it was all through Calliph's eyes before, but I wanted to read more about Calliph. I wanted to know what he did during the five year gap and how he felt about events. I felt more connected to him than I did to Mateo, though for Calliph's sake I wanted their happily ever after. When the end to this book came, I still didn't feel closer. I feel as though it could go on. I love Calliph and Mateo and their ending, while sweet, wasn't at as happy a point as I would have liked. They could have grown, they could have found something more that this sweetness shadowed by their bitter pasts.

And speaking of pasts, what is Calliph's? While DC gives some of the details his past is barely skimmed over. Towards the end when it is mentioned, he leaves Mateo with an "I'm not ready to tell you yet," and never gets around to telling me (the reader) either! I'd love to see more of Calliph and Mateo, maybe in a sequel, to tie things up.



In a word, this book was


Enchanting.



Join me on Friday for an interview with the master behind this book, D. C. Juris himself!


Clara.

Review: Sympathy From the Devil by M. C. DeMarco

When Ariel follows the mortal she's playing guardian to into a bar, she meets Forcus -- a fallen angel who might just call off the mortal he's sent to tempt Ariel's mortal. If she'll have sex with him, that is.

This short story was thrilling, lighthearted, warming, and hilarious. Most of it is spent in conversation, but the back and forth barbs between Forcus and Ariel are more than entertaining. Even the ending was cute. This might just be the best story of the anthology!

In a word, this story was

Cute.

Find Paramourtal here. Join me tomorrow as I review the ninth story in the Paramourtal anthology.

Clara.

Review: The Fisherman's Wife by K. Stoddard Hayes

When Sean's wife, Muireen, finds her seal's skin, the selkie leaves despite his pleas for her to stay. Devastated, Sean doesn't know whether her love for him and the children is enough to make her come back to him. 

This third story in the Paramourtal anthology was astounding! I felt Sean's grief and Muireen's longing. Their love was tangible and seemed to flow off the page. This brilliant story should have been first in the anthology, in my opinion. It is the best so far and would have been a great way to start the anthology off. 

In a word, this story was

Astounding.

Find Paramourtal here. Join me tomorrow as I read and review the fourth story in Paramourtal! 

Clara.

Review: Stone and Fire by Cindy Spencer Pape

When Dana and Beau meet at their friends' wedding, the chemistry between them sizzles, but after an amazing night, Beau strides out of her life to deal with an emergency at his gargoyle clan. Months later, they meet again in London, both on the lookout for the same magical artifact, and their sexual attraction is rekindled. 

This book promised fire and it delivered! Cindy sure knows how to weave a scorching, emotional tale. I love a man who can't seem to resist a woman, and that seems to be exactly what Dana is to Beau. Add to that the complication of her magically mating him without realizing it, and I was hooked throughout this book. Dana was a well-rounded, complex character whose driven, kick-ass personality perfectly offset Beau's broodiness. Together, they made a pair I'd be willing to read over and over again. The third book of the Stone Heroes series started hot, with Dana and Beau's first encounter, and it only got hotter. 

In a word, this book was:

Scorching.

If you want to be seared by the chemistry, visit Cindy Spencer Pape at her website. Or you can purchase the book here. 

On Saturday, I'll be reviewing the fourth and final installment of the Stone Heroes series. 

Clara.

Review: Stone and Sea by Cindy Spencer Pape

In the second book of Cindy's Stone Heroes series, Remy is sent to Atlantic City to retrieve a cup. But first, he finds himself deliciously distracted by the alluring Marina, who drags him neck-deep into danger—danger of losing his life and danger of losing his heart. 

Marina's personality rocked me back on my heels from page one. A very dynamic, engaging character only matched by the mouthwatering Remy. In this fantastic book, Cindy weaves the perfect combination of danger, intrigue, romance, and of course steamy sex! In her second installment of this series, she outdid herself. This addicting book is sure to make you want to read on to the other two stories in this series. 

It was, in a word:

Dynamic.

If you want to find out for yourself what the hype is about, you can visit Cindy Spencer Pape at her website, or buy the book here. 

Join me on Thursday for a review of the third book in the series, Stone and Fire!

Clara.

Review: She's No Faerie Princess by Christine Warren

This book, although I've owned it for years, is still my favourite paranormal fairy romance. In fact, it is the book which made me a fan of Christine Warren. And here's why: 

Niece to the Faerie Queen, Fiona seeks to take a vacation from a life of politics. To that end, she escapes to New York City despite the ban placed by the Queen on all inter-world travel. There, she meets the gruff, sensual Tobias Walker. But while she is determined to lure him into bed, he seems determined to keep their relationship on a professional level. 

The tension in this book was so thick, even closing the cover couldn't dispel it from my brain. Whenever I want a fun, sensual read, I turn to this book. Warren, as she proves with each of her books, is a master at creating crackling chemistry and ground-shaking lust between the main characters, never more so than in She's No Faerie Princess. This one should go on any paranormal romance lover's must-read list. 

In a word, this book was:

Enthralling.

Visit Christine Warren on her website here or buy the book. 

Clara.

Review: The Curse of Nefertiti by Charline Ratciff

I read the short synopsis, also posted on Charline Ratcliff's website, and my interest was immediately piqued. From the moment I picked up this book, the pages seemed to fly by.

Kayla is plagued by visions of a past life, one in which she is an Egyptian queen. As she meets Paolo, the passion between them sizzles and the connection between them flares. Deep down in her heart, she recognizes him as her reincarnated husband. Shortly after she realizes this, she recalls her true purpose: to save Egypt from the peril that happened in the past. However, if she returns to the past to fulfill her destiny, there is no guarantee that she will be able to return to a life with Paolo.

The Curse of Nefertiti is definitely a must-read. Let me tell you why:

Written in first person, present tense, it might be jarring for some people to get into. For me, from the moment Kayla stepped into the ironically named Club Destiny on page 32, I knew that something momentous was about to occur. I was addicted, and I couldn't seem to put it down. The sparks between Kayla and Paolo seemed to fly off the page. From that first amazing kiss in the grocery store to the moment they succumb to their passion, the tension between them is all-consuming. Paolo is the sort of man any woman could fall in love with. With every word he spoke, I could almost hear his accent tinge the words. Their chemistry and connection is more than enough to fill the pages of your typical romance novel. When I learned that he was her reincarnated love, that knowledge took the book to a completely new level for me.

I don't normally read first person narratives, but this one really drew me in. Not only did Ratcliff do an amazing job of sticking to the characters viewpoint, but this book was amazingly realistic. It has a factor that I have never seen in any of the other paranormal romances that I've read. Up until the point where Kayla actually went back in time, the book read like something that could actually happen to someone, despite its fantasy elements. Ratcliff made me believe that something like this could actually happen, and that is what set this book apart for me. Some books stick with you for days, some for months or years, but somehow I know I'll be thinking of this book for much, much longer than that.

If you want to buy this book for yourself and see what all the fuss is about, you can do so here.

Happy reading!

Clara.