Wonderful Winter Reads

One of the gifts I give myself every holiday season is time to read. I've been stockpiling books in anticipation, and the new crop of winter releases has been delivering one dazzler after another to my TBR.

We finally have the fourth Lords of Deliverance novel, Rogue Rider, by Larissa Ione, and it was worth the wait. As I've been following this series I've been especially impatient to read this one, which features the story of Reseph, the Horseman formerly known as Pestilence. Yes, Res is back, although he has no idea what his evil side has been doing for the last three books. He wakes up naked in a snowbank with zero memory, and is rescued by Jillian, who is living in a remote mountain cabin while she recovers from a demon attack. I'm not saying another word about the story because I refuse to spoil it for others, but man, I love this universe and Larissa's storytelling. I really love how she redeemed this protagonist, too. And if this is going to be the last book in the series, which unless there's a fifth horseman I think it is, it's a perfect wrap-up.

Shawntelle Madison wowed me earlier this year with Coveted, her debut novel about a werewolf struggling with OCD. Now that she's released Kept, book two, she's pretty much blown me away. This novel is builds beautifully from Natalya going on a search and rescue mission for her Dad to a series of quests and obstacles and surprises that culminate into a showdown to end all showdowns. You know how we say we can't put a book down -- I was practically glued to this one. I'm so impressed with this series I'm turning into a valley girl; every time I mention it to my friends I end every other sentence with totally awesome, dude.

Linda Howard and Linda Jones have teamed up again to pen Running Wild, the first book in the Men of Battle Ridge series (in my head I keep changing that to Battle Creek. But it's not set in Michigan, the story takes place in Wyoming.) If you love romantic suspense featuring cowboys this is probably your novel of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and have been handing out gift copies to every romance reader I know around town. I think this team had better write faster to keep all their fans happy.

After I skipped reading the last book in Karen Moning's Fever series -- I just didn't want to go there -- I felt guilty. I like the first couple of books and I really prefer to finish a series. As a compromise I resolved to invest in the first book of whatever came next, which is Iced. Karen continues to smash the rules to smithereens by featuring Dani O'Malley, a fourteen-year-old protagonist, but this is not YA. Oh, no, not at all. It's fun, exciting, and reminds me a lot of what I liked so much about the earlier Fever books. I totally fell for Dancer, btw; hook/line/sinker. The story also filled me in enough on what I missed with the last Fever novel that I don't have to worry about it anymore. So I'm back in, and look forward to the next installment of Dancer's supremely amazing geeky coolness Dani's adventures.

As always, you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post, name an author or title you're reading this winter by midnight EST on Monday, December 10th, 2012. I'll draw three names at random from everyone who participates, and send the winners unsigned paperback copies of Rogue Rider by Larissa Ione, Kept by Shawntelle Madison, Running Wild by Linda Howard and Linda Jones, a hardcover copy of Iced by Karen Marie Moning, and a surprise. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Demons and Angels

Larissa Ione's fourth novel in her Demonica series, Ecstasy Unveiled, has just hit the shelves, and Underworld General Hospital is about to get very, very busy. To earn his freedom, Lore, an enslaved half-demon assassin, has to make only one more kill: Kynan, a human who he brought back to life so he could fulfill an important destiny. Of course when Lore refuses, he learns there's a catch: if he doesn't kill Kynan, his sister Sin will die.

Idess is a beautiful half-angel trying to earn her way into Heaven, and part of the job is to protect a few special humans like Kynan. She also has to remain pure of heart, chaste of body and otherwise worthy of the wings. When she discovers Lore preparing to kill Kynan, she intervenes, and ends up capturing the handsome, reluctant assassin. She doesn't want to kill Lore, who is as wildly attracted to her as she is to him, but she will if she has to. At least until Heaven sticks her with the job of also protecting Lore.

This was a lightning-speed TGV of a book; I don't think the pace let up for a second. I certainly couldn't put the book down long enough to get anything done that night, so clear your schedule for this one. I also really enjoyed how the author explored the themes of loyalty and temptation, and what happens when the two collide. As a series author I can assure you that weaving in multiple-novel backstory becomes more difficult with each progressive book, but Larissa actually makes it look effortless. This is a great addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next book, which will have Sin's story (and there's a tantalizing preview of Sin Undone in the back pages.)

As always, you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post, name the last book you read that you couldn't put down (or if you haven't read anything riveting lately, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Friday, February 5, 2010. I'll draw five names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned copy of Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Winners

If you writers out there are ever looking for ideas on what sort of heroes to build, you should read through the many excellent descriptions posted for the Read Along with PBW giveaway.

We put the magic hat in action, and the winners are:

Booklover

Kate, whose comment began with My favorite hero/heroine are the ones that are a wee bit broken . . .

Nightdragon62

Krista

Robert Gregory Browne

Winners, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to information to LynnViehl@aol.com, and I'll get your books out to you. Thanks to everyone for joining in, and congratulations to Larissa Ione, our newest New York Times bestselling author.

Read Along with PBW

I'll bet author Larissa Ione has barely had a chance to catch her breath since the release of her second Demonica novel Desire Unchained. The book has been the talk of NetPubLand, and then she hit the USA Today bestseller list (which stomps into the ground any possibility of second book syndrome.) Still, we don't care how breathless she is, do we? No, selfish readers like us are ready for the next installment in the series, and we don't want to wait another six months or a year to read it.

Fortunately, we don't have to. The third Demonica novel, Passion Unleashed, is hitting the shelves right now. This one is Wraith's story, and of all the characters in the series I admit, I have kind of a crush on him (I know, it's because he's blond, he's a bad boy, and he's a vampire -- all the things I love in a hero.) If you happened to read the excerpt of Wraith's story at the end of Desire Unchained, you know he was in another impossibly bad situation, only this time it looked like his brothers weren't going to be able to bail him out of it. As story dilemmas go, that's also one of my favorites.

I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, as I saw the first copies in my area tonight. But I did grab up all of them, so I have an extra five to share. If you'd like to read Passion Unleashed along with me, in comments to this post tell us about the type of hero or story dilemma you really enjoy (or if you don't play favorites, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight on Thursday, April 9, 2009. I'll select five names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned copy of Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Thrill Ride

Desire Unchained is the second installment in author Larissa Ione's Demonica series, and although it's been six months since I read the first novel, Pleasure Unbound, I had no trouble remembering the characters, the series premise, or picking up the storyline.

Desire Unchained offers two strong protagonists, a large and interesting cast of characters, and an earthy, dark fantasy adventure that pulls a double shift as both a paranormal romance and urban fantasy. The cover art is gorgeous and appropriate to the story, something I'm allowed to sigh in envy over.

If plots were thrill rides, this book would be a hybrid combo of Shriekra and Space Mountain. The writing is pure adrenalin rush -- you're sucked in on page one and she never lets you go after that. It's difficult to write a story that moves as quickly as this one does and still retain the chilling elements as well as the ongoing moments of dark humor. Larissa manages all three with the skill of a seasoned novelist (pretty cool when you recall that this is her second solo novel.)

Desire Unchained is a full immersion experience -- it can't be skimmed; the story is infused with the kind of world-building that creates a new alternative reality. Everything in this book is layered beautifully, especially the characters -- just when you think you've got them pegged, they reveal something about themselves that makes you wonder what the heck you were thinking. If you're a reader who prefers the black and white type story, with the obligatory Shining Knight, Mary Sue and Evil Overlord triumvirate, then you should probably give this one a pass. Also, vanilla, non-explicit sex scene lovers? No. Not for you.

I really enjoyed the energy coming off the page; you can tell the author had a blast writing it. I also liked the strong subplot that carries over from the first novel with Kynan (but you don't need to read the first book to pick up this thread; Larissa does an admirable job with weaving in the backstory.) The excerpt in the back from the third book, Passion Unleashed should have everyone who enjoys Desire Unchained preordering as soon as they finish the book.

If I can offer any advice to the author, it's for a problem that I wrestle with, too: adding more descriptive and sensory elements. The story in Desire Unchained moves so strongly that at times the action and the dialogue overwhelmed the setting and the colors of this world. I'd like to say I have a quick-fix suggestion for that, but I'm also a dialogue-and-action girl, so it's an ongoing combat situation. What I've been doing is trying to look for more opportunities for fleshing out a scene with color and sensory elements when I edit; at times doing a pass just for those aspects because I know they're an area I need to improve on.

As always, you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post, name a book you've read recently that you thought was a real thrill ride (or if you've been thrill-deprived, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Thursday, February 26, 2009. I'll draw five names at random and send the winners an unsigned copy of Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.