Book Review: Midnight Unleashed (Midnight Breed #15.5) by Lara Adrian + excerpt

Midnight Unleashed (Midnight Breed #15.5)

by Lara Adrian
October 10th 2017
173 pages
1001 Dark Nights
Return to New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Lara Adrian’s “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune) Midnight Breed vampire romance series with a pulse-pounding novella of paranormal seduction and dangerous thrills, where an icy immortal beauty and a lethal Gen One Hunter must confront a powerful enemy while struggling to deny the irresistible calling of their blood.

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No matter if it’s a full-length novel or a novella, the Midnight Breed series shows no signs of slowing down.

Midnight Unleashed picks up the newer Atlantean plot with Tamisia, the exiled Atlantean witnessing the brutal murder of a young woman. The murder draws in Breed male Trygg and soon he and Sia are investigating and being drawn into a red hot fling in the process.

I don’t read paranormal romance all that often and very few authors can keep my attention like Lara Adrian can. Midnight Unleashed packs a lot of punch in such a short time but what punch it was. Trygg and Sia make an unlikely couple, they’re each from different species that technically despise each other so you have a little bit of a Romeo and Juliet feel but with fangs, magic, and way more blood. These two didn’t want to be attracted to each other but too bad for them, they are and they made a solid couple and partnership while they tracked down their mutual enemy. The pacing is fast but not unbelievable and the action more than makes up for the short page time.

I’ve said this before, I love the introduction of the Atlantean race into the series, they offer a real challenge to the Breed as well as provide some important explanations when it comes to the very special women most of the Breed have chosen as mates. But while Midnight Unleashed doesn’t delve into that plot, it does offer a glimpse of the Breed/Atlantean conflict that should gain interest from readers who are unfamiliar with Adrian’s work. If this is your first book by Adrian, it can be read as a standalone BUT I would highly suggest that you start at the beginning of the series in order to understand where the Breed started and how they came to live in the current world they’re in. Besides, why would you want to miss out on meeting and finding your favorite Breed male??

Sheep Rating: 4 Sheep

Adria Reyes
Adria's Romance Reviews
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EXCERPT
While he’d sure as hell rather be surrounded by his tech equipment at the command center, Trygg couldn’t find much to object to as he followed Sia up an exterior staircase to a private third-floor entrance of the house. As irritated as he was after her power play in the car just now—not to mention her earlier act of defiance that had rattled him more than he cared to admit, even to himself—it was hard to think about much else except the rhythmic sway of her hips as she mounted the old iron steps.

Very hard.

Her long, elegant spine and firm backside were a temptation that stoked a growing heat inside him as he stalked up the climb behind her. Everything male in him burned with desire. Everything Breed in him hungered for her too. If she chanced a look over her shoulder, it would be damn close to impossible to hide the amber lighting his irises or the press of his sharp fangs as they filled his mouth.

Letting her win just now was a mistake he already regretted, but that’s where her control was going to end. He’d go inside as she insisted and they’d do a cursory look through the rest of the items they’d brought with them. He would point out something or other so she’d have a bone to chew on, then he’d take everything back to the command center and dig into the meat of the scant evidence alone.

The way he preferred to operate.

He scowled at her when they reached the top of the stairs. “Is this the way you sneak in all the men you bring home with you?”

“Only the surly ones.” Her blonde brow arched over her long-lashed eyes. “And to answer the question you really want to ask, I’ve never brought anyone up here before.”

He didn’t want to ask that, so why did her answer give him such a healthy stab of satisfaction?

About the Author:

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LARA ADRIAN is a New York Times and #1 international bestselling author with nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide and translations licensed in more than 20 countries. Her upcoming release is FOR 100 REASONS, the third book in a contemporary romance series that reviewers are calling "phenomenal" and "one of the hottest series of the year." Learn more about the author and her books at LaraAdrian.com

Book Review: Bound to Darkness (Midnight Breed #13) by Lara Adrian

Bound to Darkness (Midnight Breed #13)
by Lara Adrian

Paperback

Published July 30th 2015

Carys Chase is accustomed to making her own rules and letting her heart lead the way--no matter what anyone else has to say about it. A rare Breed female and a daywalker as well, headstrong, beautiful Carys is one of the most powerful of her kind. She lives passionately and loves without limits, especially when it comes to the lethal cage-fighting Breed warrior called Rune.

Unbeatable in the ring, Rune exists in a brutal world of blood and bone and death. He's made his share of enemies both in and out of the arena, and his secrets run as deep and turbulent as his past. A dangerous loner who has survived by his fists and fangs, Rune has never allowed anyone to get too close to him...until Carys. But when the bodies buried in his past rise up to threaten his present, Rune must choose between betraying Carys's trust or putting her in the crosshairs of a battle neither of them can hope to win on their own.

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Carys Chase is a rare find: A Breed female AND a Daywalker, making her one of the most powerful of her kind. As much as her family loves and wants to protect her, their suffocating and sometimes controlling ways don’t sit well with the headstrong female. Carys lives and loves passionately and that extends to cage fighter Rune, a deadly male that has her family, particularly her father, up in arms.

Rune’s world consists of blood, violence and secrets. The lethal cage fighter doesn’t think he has any right to Carys’ love and loyalty, yet he basks in both even as he keeps his past from her. When that past comes back to drag him down again, Carys is caught in the cross fire and Rune must choose between trusting Carys or letting his past destroy him once and for all.

Bound to Darkness did something different with the main couple of the story. It dropped readers into Rune and Carys’ lives after they met and fell in love. When the book begins, Rune and Carys had been in a relationship for over seven weeks, so the focus and conflict of the romance was Rune’s unwillingness to mate with Carys through a blood bond for some mysterious reason. Since the plot already had some major twists and turns, this drastically cut down on the time that would have felt like a waste had the author set the book back when they first met. It really worked for me in the end, not having to sit through pages and pages of Rune and Carys circling around each other. They had a paranormal Romeo and Juliet vibe going on with Carys belonging to a prominent family who wanted her far away from the male they deemed unworthy and dangerous for her. I think that because he already loved Carys when the book began, Rune wasn’t as emotionally challenged as Breed males usually are. Carys brought out the best in him and saw what others refused to: He was loving, selfless and had a soft spot for the defenseless.

Rune’s mystery background was downplayed before but now in this book it is front and center, a ticking time bomb that, when it went off was not what I expected. The reason behind his name, his deadly skills in the fighting pits and his avoidance of any long term commitment to Carys was hinted at through the first half of the book and then just exploded in the second half, causing Bound to Darkness to pick up the pace from brisk to fast.

Even with the romance between Rune and Carys, the bigger plotline isn’t affected. The Breed warriors and their mates have their hands full with the new world the live in where humans know about their existence and tentative alliances are being formed while a growing organization threatens to break that alliance and a deadly new enemy is plotting an all out war against the Breed itself. The momentum is building for what could be an even bigger battle than the one that led to the outing of the immortal warriors. I love how each book offers small pieces of a larger puzzle along with connections between the Breed’s history and that of the Breedmates.

What has become abundantly clear in Bound to Darkness and the two previous books is that the woman in them are no longer just Breedmates, the group of women who are the only ones that can procreate with our vampire heroes. In the past these unique but non warrior women remained on the sidelines cheering on the big, strong men. Now, in what I like to think of as the second act of the Midnight Breed series, the women are taking control and jumping into the spotlight. There are now rare but completely capable Breed females, Daywalkers and in the case of the previous book’s heroine, something all together new. I personally love the increase in women getting in on the action and the fights and having their own secret gifts that are valuable to the ongoing war and the war that is slowly but surely creeping up on these characters.

This series is a long running one and while most series would have ended or run out of steam, the Midnight Breed series seems to have picked up steam. Lara Adrian has managed to keep the series fresh by adding new characters, the children of the original cast of characters which in my mind is brilliant because readers get new characters without having to say goodbye to the original ones that made the series so popular to begin with. It’s interesting to see the “Modern Immortals,” work with and sometimes clash with their ancient fathers. And let’s face it; even with these new kids on the block, I still want to see my all time favorite, Tegan.

Bound to Darkness has all the passion, danger and unique appeal of the original 10 books but also stands on its own as a turning point in the entire series with new pieces to a larger puzzle, new friends and old enemies. While some might find that overwhelming and complex, I don’t. I’ve read this series since the very first book came out and can say it’s not as complicated as other paranormal romances I’ve read. Though it could be read as a standalone, I would highly suggest that the series be read in order so that the most enjoyment can be had.

Sheep Rating: 4

Adria Reyes
Adria's Romance Reviews
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About the Author:

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As a child, Lara Adrian used to sleep with the covers up around her neck, afraid she might become the midnight prey of deadly vampires. Later on, under the influence of Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, she had to wonder if her fear wasn't actually something else: a secret desire to walk in a darker world, to live a dangerous and sensual dream with a man of seductive, preternatural power. It is that twining of fear and desire that fuels Lara's own fantasies today, and the idea that she explores in her New York Times bestselling Midnight Breed series of vampire romance novels from Bantam Dell Books.

With an ancestry stretching back to the Mayflower and the court of King Henry VIII, Lara Adrian lives with her husband in New England, surrounded by centuries-old graveyards, hip urban comforts, and the endless inspiration of the broody Atlantic Ocean.

Interview: NYT Best Seller Lara Adrian + giveaway!

What kick ass theme song did Lara pick?

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Do you know about The Midnight Breed books by Lara Adrian? If not, you need to get with the program! Book #11 Edge of Dawn just released and Lara is touring around the interwebs. We tried asking questions she might not have been asked before... how did we do? Read on to find out...

Sharon: Thanks for taking a moment to talk to the Flock. Since you have done a ton of interviews answering the same questions we decided to come up with 6 questions you probably have never been asked. Worried? Don’t be; just drink the Kool-Aid. 

*evil cackles float up from the dungeon* 

Lara: LOL! I’m not scared. Er, maybe just a little…

Katie: Where’s the best place to vacation for a girl to meet a vampire, and do you have addresses and phone numbers?
Lara: Well, you should have pretty good luck finding them in Boston. Or Berlin, Germany. Or Montreal, Quebec. Even Alaska, but there have been some . . . issues up there in recent months. 

And I’ve got something better than addresses and phone numbers. (Lara hands Katie a Breedmate mark temporary tattoo, a small red teardrop-and-crescent-moon symbol). Stick it on yourself somewhere easily visible and you’ll have hot Breed males swarming you in no time. You’re welcome. ;-) 
Katie: Awesome! I shall tat myself now! 
Sharon: Heyheyhey... don't forget about me! [tries to take tattoo from Katie]

*scuffle ensues and Sharon ends up with Coke all over her*

Lenny Kravitz's website

Sharon: If you could have a theme song/music play every time you walked into a room (you know, like in the movies) what would yours be?
Lara: American Woman by Lenny Kravitz. Aside from the fact that Lenny is just freaking sexy-hot and has a smoking voice to match, how can any red-blooded American girl not feel badass and unstoppable hearing him belt that song out? 

Katie: What do your vampires use to keep their fangs bright and white? Is there a certain brand of toothpaste?
Lara: Tom’s of Maine. The Order is a New England-based operation, so they like to shop local wherever they can. But my CPA did mention I got billed for several cases of Crest strips going to an undisclosed location in Boston last year. We’re looking into the situation…. 
Sharon: I bet they use Wicked Fresh!
Katie: Ba-da-bing!

Sharon: If you could have any piece of art in the world hanging on your wall (unless it is a statue) what would it be?
Lara: There’s this medieval tapestry I saw in Lucan’s study one time—a nighttime scene of a black-haired knight on horseback, grim-faced and formidable, while a castle burned on a hill some distance behind him. I think that tapestry would look pretty cool in my writing studio. Of course, I’d have to get through Lucan (and his Breedmate, Gabrielle) in order to get my hands on it. 

Katie: What would be your weapon of choice during a zombie apocalypse?
Lara: Any member of the Order. And maybe a chainsaw. And a tank. 
Katie: Can never be too prepared.

Sharon: What is the nerdiest thing you own?
Lara: Nerdy? I have no idea! Hundreds of cool fonts that I seem to collect for no good reason? I’m actually more of a klutz than a nerd, I think. Ask me how many scrapes, contusions and mishaps I've had this week alone, and we could be here all day.
Sharon: So you are a font hoarder!  

Sharon: Coke or Pepsi? (if you don’t like either then pick the can that is the prettiest) 
Lara: I’m not a soda lover, unless it’s drowning in a shot of something stronger, but I have always felt Coke was hands-down the king over Pepsi. 
Sharon: Just when I was starting to like you too...
Katie: At some point Sharon, you will give up this fight. Coke is by far the clear winner. *pops collar*

Sharon: So how did we do? Have you been asked any of these questions? Thank you again and now Katie will give you a tour of the dungeon. We have a dragon you know…. 
Lara: A+ for originality! I had a great time answering your questions, Katie and Sharon. Thanks for inviting me to stop by today! And I would love that tour of the dungeon. I may love vampires, but I’ve also kinda got a thing for dragons…. 
Sharon: He flies too!

*Katie and Sharon grab Nerf guns and take Lara by the hand* 

(because we don't need a lawsuit if her clumsy butt falls in our dungeon! <G>)

Thanks to Lara for taking the time to visit with us and to her awesome assistant Paula (Hey Paula!) for shipping out the cool swag and book for the giveaway.

Check out the latest release from Lara Adrian

Edge of Dawn (Midnight Breed #11)

In this pulse-pounding and thrillingly sensual novel, New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian returns to the mesmerizing world of the Midnight Breed, following new characters into a dark future where an uneasy peace can unravel into war-and a great betrayal can mask an all-consuming love.

Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn-when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them-the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.

Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior's code of swift-and even lethal-justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order's hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.

Kellan didn't think he would ever see Mira again-or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides-between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.

About the Author:

website-fb-twitter-Pinterest

As a child, Lara Adrian used to sleep with the covers up around her neck, afraid she might become the midnight prey of deadly vampires. Later on, under the influence of Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, she had to wonder if her fear wasn't actually something else: a secret desire to walk in a darker world, to live a dangerous and sensual dream with a man of seductive, preternatural power. It is that twining of fear and desire that fuels Lara's own fantasies today, and the idea that she explores in her New York Times bestselling Midnight Breed series of vampire romance novels from Bantam Dell Books.

With an ancestry stretching back to the Mayflower and the court of King Henry VIII, Lara Adrian lives with her husband in New England, surrounded by centuries-old graveyards, hip urban comforts, and the endless inspiration of the broody Atlantic Ocean.

Sheep Book Review: Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian

Darker After Midnight, by PNR author Lara Adrian, is the tenth installment in the Midnight Breed series. Twists and turns abound in the newest edition, an all-around satisfying book for fans of the series.

Plot:

In the dark of night, a blood war escalates within the hidden world of the Breed. After existing in secret for many long centuries, maintaining a fragile peace with the humans who walk beside them unaware, a single act of retaliation has put the entire vampire nation at risk of discovery. It falls to the Order--a cadre of Breed warriors pledged to protect their own and humankind alike--to stop Dragos, the power-mad vampire at the center of the conflict, before his push for domination can explode into catastrophe.

At the center of the Order’s quest is Sterling Chase, once a morally rigid enforcer of Breed law, now a warrior fallen from grace, whose biggest battle is the one he wages against his own savage nature. With addiction beckoning him toward eternal darkness, Chase’s path to redemption has never seemed more out of reach--until he finds himself drawn to a beautiful young woman who may be something much more than she seems . . .

Chase has been in this series for a few books now, and the man has gone from one end of the character spectrum to the other. He's been in and out of so many situations and plot twists I was really looking forward to reading what Lara was going to do for him. And let me tell you, she hooked it up pretty good! Once the stoic, law-abiding Breed male with a respectful career, Chase has turned into a blood-addict and junkie who was down in the dumps and an emotional wreck. Such a strong man and a true leader, I was pulling for him the whole time. He takes some getting used to but by the end, DAMN the man will creep into your heart.

Tavia is a young woman who's about to get her world turned upside down. The life she thought she had has been taken away and now Tavia has to come to grips with the reality that vampires exist. Holding her own against men like the ones in these books is a challenge for any lady, but this girl holds her own which only made me further endeared with her. Smart and witty with some sass and spunk to mix it up, I liked her spunk and felt for the past betrayals and places she went as a character throughout the book kept me captivated.

A new breed is coming, and without giving away major parts of the plot-line let me just say that BIG changes are about to start taking place. I am very happy the author has decided to do this, with any recurring bad guy/gal you run the risk of overusing the same ideas. But when you can phase out one old idea to introduce new concepts and scenarios, then you have more material to keep me interested. Doing it well? Well, now that's the hard part. But Adrian makes it happen.

I'm not sure if our author is a fan of comics, but I swear parts of this book felt similar to X-Men movie flashbacks. But again, I enjoyed it. My only gripe would be the neat and tidy ending, I would have liked a little more step by step but got handed a nice bow instead. That aside, the rest is well-written, sexually charged and planned out to perfection. Old characters come back around giving the long time reader, like myself, some important updates in the plot-line and reconnecting with previous starting lineups.

If you've yet to start this series I will strongly recommend not picking up with this novel. Too much has gone on and you really need the full backstory to throughly enjoy the latest installment.

Getting 4 'I will bite your face if you take one more step' Sheep

KD

Book Review: Deeper Than Midnight by Lara Adrian

Deeper Than Midnight, by author Laura Adrian, is the 9th book in her Midnight Breed series. I was really looking forward to dark and sexy Hunter finally getting his chance to shine, and while this book was decent overall it severely lacked some of the lusty chemistry you got in previous books.

Storyline:

DELIVERED FROM THE DARKNESS, A WOMAN FINDS HERSELF PLUNGED INTO A PASSION THAT IS DEEPER THAN MIDNIGHT.

At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well—the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.

Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos’s most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he’s hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he’ll go to end Dragos’s reign of evil—even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne’s tender heart.

Corinne's character was almost an absolute dud at times, I was a bit surprised to see her teamed up with Hunter in this story but the book does gradually pick up. While she won't be one of my favorite characters overall, I didn't think she was awful. She's just not really a good match for Hunter in my opinion. Hunter is a dark and deadly vampire, a quiet man that carries a big stick (trust me he has no problems shoving said stick through your heart should you look at him wrong). Trained to be an assassin from birth and a brutal killer he has sort of found himself over the past few books. Hunter remains in my heart but I was REALLY hoping for a better storyline here.

Corinne is finally able to reunite with her family after years of being locked away and tested on by the evil and ever elusive vampire Dragos. After learning some shocking family secrets her world is flipped upside down and she struggles to reconcile with the new environment around her. While being locked away as a slave Corinne was forced to carry a child which was taken from her at birth, her new mission (should she choose to accept it) is to track down her son and save him from the baddies. But of course the gal needs some muscle, and so enters Hunter. The plot of the story follows Corinne and Hunter as they try and track down the illegal operations that might be housing her boy.

I do want to point out that while I like getting updates on the rest of the Breed from previous books, I did feel that a lot of this story is dedicated to Chase. I like his character but what I would have loved even more was character build up between Hunter and Corinne. Deeper Than Midnight almost feels like a filler book leading up to the next story, I want to read about the characters in THIS book. Save what's coming next for the next book, a little bit of mystery of the up and coming is fine but not pages and pages of information that would be better of in its own novel. Things seemed to fall too easily into place towards the ending, and the gushy mushy happily ever after was a bit taxing. That said, aside from the lack luster romance and almost unrealistic relationship between Hunter and overall meh feeling of Corinne, this book is a decent read and if nothing else will bring you closer to book 10.

Getting 3 Blood Addicted Sheep

KD