Book Review: Dark Rogue: The Vampire Voss (The Draculia Vampire trilogy #1) by Colleen Gleason

Dark Rogue: The Vampire Voss (The Draculia Vampire trilogy #1)

by Colleen Gleason

Paperback, 314 pages

March 17th 2016 by Avid Press, LLC (first published January 1st 2011)

**Also published under the titles LUCIFER'S ROGUE and THE VAMPIRE VOSS**
"Count on Colleen Gleason for a scorching page-turner!" --Jeaniene Frost

"Dark and decadent, sultry and seductive, Colleen Gleason's sexy Draculia series will hold you in its thrall!" --Lara Adrian

Dark Rogue In 19th Century London, vampires live alongside the uppercrust members of Society...

Even after centuries of lust, hedonism, and women, Voss, the Viscount Dewhurst, rarely finds himself bored. As a member of the Dracule, he is a rogue of the first order, a man who loves nothing more than a warm woman, excellent vintage, and even a puzzling challenge to keep his mind active.

But when one of his seemingly harmless manipulations sets him on the path to seduce the beautiful Miss Angelica Woodmore, things become a little less simple...a lot more passionate...and definitely more complicated.

And when the most evil vampire of the Dracule puts Angelica in his sights, Voss will have to risk everything to save her...and possibly his own soul.

amazon

OKay, I joined an online book discussion for "The Dark Rogue" and found it really appealing. It was an eye opener, to say the least, to discover how much mythology goes into writing these books and how passionate the readers are about the how's and why's of the vampire's creation and history.

WOW...and my criteria for the book is: Did I enjoy the story? Did it make sense in a supernatural way (if that makes any sense..lol)? Did it make me want to keep turning the pages? Did I learn a little something new? Did it have a little humor, danger and breath catching scenes? I guess I am a little shallow in my criteria! But perhaps it's because I have done so much research in my past endeavors I am happy to let someone else fill my coffers with their own information and opinions. Plus, with all my other reads to review and a little personal time out I fell a little behind in participation but still loved all the interaction. I think it is a great way to promote a book!

I feel as a reviewer I am not here to be a history critic or a mythology expert (although I am really jealous of those in the know), I am here to just give my feelings on how the book affected me, if it was believable and whether I would recommend it to others.

OK, back to the book. Colleen Gleason did an excellent job of pulling me in to the characters of Voss and Dimitri. Two polar opposites in the Dracule. I loved the storyline which is the "bad boy" tamed by a spitfire young lady. Who doesn't like that premise?! (Perhaps the "bad boys" ha). It took me a while to warm up to the character Voss and it took a lot of time to actually get these two (Voss and Angelica) to succumb to their attraction but...it was understandable in the sequence of events in the story. The only character I never got a feel for was Angelica and Maia's brother Chas. I really couldn't relate to his vampire hunting ways while in "bed" with both a female vamp love interest and the leader of the local Vampire clan. Perhaps his story comes to light in another episode.

I also have to commend Colleen Gleason for her descriptive settings. She made it easy to visualize the time period and places where the book takes place. The story and prose flowed well and there were no places where I felt the need to go back and review for questions (big plus when I don't get confused as to what is going on with the story!!). The end gave me reason to pause but I will give no spoilers except to say: "I didn't even know that was possible!"

There was enough info on Dimitri to pique my interest and make me want to read the next installment in this series. Let's see how Maia tames the stalwart leader who has sworn off romantic entanglements!

I give this book 4 "playboy" sheep.

Jeanie G

About the Author:

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Colleen Gleason is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide what type of book to write…so she writes a lot of different genres!

So far, Colleen has written everything from vampire hunters to dystopian romance, to steampunk,historical romance, and mysteries with a supernatural flair. One element, however, that appears in all of her stories, is that of partnership…whether it be professional, romantic, or both.

All of Colleen’s books feature strong heroines experiencing fast-paced adventures, danger, mystery, and of course, romance. But at the core of each story is the belief that every woman deserves a partner who accepts her for her strengths as well as her weaknesses—and vice versa.

Colleen lives in the midwest United States with her family and two dogs, and is always working on her next book.

Alpha Male Diner: Nicolai Novik (Taking the Bait by Audrey Noire) + giveaway

Nicolai Novik (augmented human)

Recipe created by Audrey Noire

Taking the Bait (Arc Operatives Book 1)

Ingredients:
-Six feet and two inches of lean-muscled gentleman
-Chin-length, dirty-blond hair that's usually unkempt
-Warm, deep blue eyes
-Chemical cocktail in his blood that makes him super-fast
-1 part covert operation skills
-2 parts hand-to-hand combat

Seasoning:
-Razor sharp focus on the task at hand
-Strong sense of conviction for his beliefs
-Knowledge that his bedmates will never go unsatisfied

Mix all ingredients on high, then with a spatula add:
-Confidence
-Stamina
-A sweetness deep along his bones

Taste Test

“I think that is about as good as it gets,” Nicolai was behind her in an instant, the breeze of his rapid movement making her hair ruffle, his eyes meeting her reflection’s. She scowled at him in the mirror, dropping her tube of lipstick to cross an arm over her breasts even if they were contained by more layers of lace and silk than were necessary. He was standing there, bare footed in his neatly pressed slacks, the top button of his shirt undone and she could just barely see the divot of his collarbone. Despite his humble upbringing, he looked good in an expensive suit, especially one tailored impeccably to his body. She mentally snapped her fingers at herself.

“One? Rude. Two? You’ve got a bathroom out there, and the bedroom is my domain, not yours. That was the deal. You get the living room with the pull out couch and that crazy kitchenette with a fully-stocked vodka cooler, and I get the bedroom with the soaker tub.” She turned, folding another arm over her breasts and glared up at her ‘husband’. His eyes tumbled down her front and then he rolled them, zipping over to her dress in a blur. It irritated her like an itch she couldn’t scratch that he was constantly tapping into his augmented power even when it wasn’t necessary. If he moved by her too closely it would mess up her carefully styled hair as well.

“You were taking too long,” he complained, running a finger over the long, elegant sleeve of the dress, “and I am bored.” She huffed and stood, marching over to him although it had less effect due to the plush carpet muffling her stomping.

“Don’t touch the dress,” she ordered sharply, even as he took it down in spite of her words and held it out so she could take it. He leaned back against the door, letting it click shut under his weight as his eyes met hers. She grabbed the hanger and pointed at the door that lead to the living area of their suite. “Seriously, there’s a big flat screen and some shitty porn out there with your name on it. Go entertain yourself.”

“How am I supposed to complain of how long my pretty wife takes to get ready if I have not observed the process?” he asked, shrugging one shoulder and quirking an eyebrow. She hated that eyebrow, had learnt to hate it during training. It always meant he was in a mood, and that mood was be as annoying as possible. She turned away from him and walked to the bed, pulling the dress delicately off it’s hanger and laying it down on the bed so that she could unzip it.

“Men like you don’t watch their wives dress. They’re too busy smoking cigars and talking about all the money they have.” The dress pooled silkily on the floor as she stepped into it and pulled it up her figure delicately- there was no way she wanted any snags or lost sequins before the night had even begun.

“Mmm, the reason we are having marital problems in the first place, yes?” he asked, and then with another brush of air current he was right behind her, his fingers tugging gently at the back of her dress. She let out a breath and was about to snap at him to cut out the games when he murmured, “the zipper was going to catch on your slip. Let me-” She felt him slowly, so slowly, pull the zipper tab up her back, tracing the gentle slope of her spine. His knuckles traced a heated line through her slip, preceding the zipper as it went. The dress settled over her shoulders, feeling heavy with all the beading, something like armor. His fingers just brushed the back of her neck for a moment, a ghostly touch she barely felt, and then he was gone, at the door, clearing his throat. “How much longer do you need? Not even my sister would take this long.”

The sensitive skin at the nape of her neck was still tingling from his touch, the effect he’d had on her having taken her fully by surprise. It’s just nerves for tonight, she thought, pre-op jitters. Rykov warned you about this, so get ahold of yourself, and she exhaled to calm herself.

Taking the Bait (Arc Operatives Book One)
by Audrey Noire
Genre: Romance Sci-Fi/Superhero
May 6, 2016
ASIN: B01EMABWEQ
Number of pages: 43
Word Count: 12,817
Cover Artist: Avery Knott
Daria Griffin is a newly-minted undercover operative with ARC, on a mission with her partner. Nicolai Novik an augmented human with super-fast speed. Their first job? Infiltrate a conference of billionaires as a newly-wed couple and dig up the dirt on shady business dealings.

Daria's the bait, tasked with luring in businessmen with her unhappy-trophy-wife routine while Nicolai talks shop. But the operation goes all wrong when Nicolai starts acting strangely in the middle of it. Will they be discovered by forces who may not have their best interests at heart? And why is Nicolai acting so possessive of Daria when he never said more than a few words to her during training?

Part one of a three-part romance story in The ARC Operatives series!

Author's Note: Taking the Bait is a 12,000-word novella. No cliffhanger, HFN ending. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. The first scene from it's sequel is included as a bonus at the end of the book!

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About the Author: 
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Audrey Noire grew up in the pacific north west, climbing trees and swimming in the sea. She spent her formative young adult years travelling the globe alongside her musician husband as he toured and played across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia.

They’ve settled down (sorta kinda) with a bundle of cats in a sea-side town. When she’s not on the road watching her rocker husband from side-stage, she’s writing about handsome gents and lovely ladies falling for one another.

She believes that every day is ripe with possibilities, and that life is precious. Don’t waste a second – fall in love with your life all over again!

Tour giveaway 

$20 Amazon 

3 copies Taking the Bait

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Worth Dying For (A Dying for a Living Novel Book 5) by Kory M. Shrum

Worth Dying For (A Dying for a Living Novel Book 5)
by Kory M. Shrum

May 2nd 2016

Kindle Edition, 436 pages

A supernatural suspense novel about a snarky anti-heroine and her motley crew trying to stop the unstoppable. The fifth novel in the popular Dying for a Living series, Worth Dying For picks up two months after the events of Dying Light.

The gang is in New York and much to Jesse’s surprise, they are all still alive. Jesse, Ally, Rachel, Gideon and Maisie have managed to stay off of Caldwell’s radar for months. But when your enemy can control minds and teleport, there isn’t a safe place in the world where you can hide. They have a plan for stopping his genocidal reign, but it will require a 2500-mile road trip to Cochise, Arizona, the abandoned military base where it all began.

amazon

This is book 5 in a fascinating urban fantasy series. There are so many twists and revelations in each book that you need to start from the beginning to appreciate the story progression. Just when I think I know what direction the story is going in, BAM! it jumps the tracks and adds another layer I didn't see coming. Good stuff people, good stuff.

I can't talk about the plot without spoiling things for new readers. For those who have been following the series, Jess is finally coming to grips with the fact that she might not save the girl and save the world; she will have to chose. And her best friend Rachel is being seduced to the dark side... We still don't know who is behind that and why they want to stop Jesse. And Jesse hasn't lost her sarcastic personality which is always amusing.

4.5 "daddy issue" Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

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Kory M. Shrum lives in Michigan with her partner and a ferocious guard pug. When not writing, she can be found teaching, traveling, and wearing a gi. Her poetry has appeared in North American Review, Bateau and elsewhere. Her first urban fantasy novel Dying for a Living will be available March 4, 2014.

New Movie Releases for June 2016

Here's what's coming out in June. I'm more excited about some of the limited releases this month. Please, check out the documentary Tickled (who knew this was a thing!) and Swiss Army Man (this has so much potential!)

June 3

 (Limited Release)

June 10

 (Limited release)

June 17

(Limited release)

 

After stumbling upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online, wherein young men are paid to be tied up and tickled, reporter David Farrier reaches out to request a story from the company.

June 22

Nuts recounts the mostly-true story of John Romulus Brinkley, a Kansas doctor who in 1917 discovered that he could cure impotence by transplanting goat testicles into men. From there, the story only gets more bizarre.

June 24

(Limited releases)

Hank (Paul Dano) is stranded on a deserted island, having given up all hope of ever making it home again. But one day everything changes when a corpse named Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) washes up on shore; the two become fast friends, and ultimately go on an epic adventure that will bring Hank back to the woman of his dreams. 

June 29

Book Review: Awakened by the Wolf by Kristal Hollis

Awakened by the Wolf
by Kristal Hollis
June 1st 2016
by Harlequin Nocturne
ebook, 304 pages
Who's been sleeping in the Alpha's bed?

Exiled from his pack by his father, Brice Walker has secretly come home to visit his ailing grandmother only to discover a human and very desirable female sleeping in his bed. Their attraction is instant. But his new bed buddy seems determined to resist his Southern charm and Alpha allure. 

For Brice, fiercely independent Cassie not only represents a chance to build a new life in Walker's Run but is also his one true mate. Cassie's reluctance dissolves when a rogue shifter kidnaps her, and now she and Brice must work together to save his pack. But once she witnesses the savagery of wolfan justice, can Cassie accept Brice as man, beast and her true love?

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Goodreads

This book should come with a warning label: "Characters in the book are not necessarily as encountered in real life"! If there were such a thing as "IONM" (International Organization of Normal Men) I am sure they would be boycotting this author. How in the world any normal male could live up to the bar that Brice sets in the story is beyond me but if he could be cloned the author would never have to write another word! Sinful, sinful, sinfully good.

In traditional Harlequin style this story brings you in, builds you up, drags you along and keeps your mouth watering for more. I could take reading about this couple in a few more sequels. Passionate, caring, romantic and delicious...my top descriptive words for the main character Brice. I'll take two please! No wait...this isn't a "male" order book is it? It's just a great love story with a paranormal twist and a "Calgon, take me away" story!

I give this 4.5 "Benji" sheep!

Jeanie G.

Excerpt 

“Do you ever keep that thing covered?” The huskiness in Cassie’s voice caused his thing to twitch.

“You like seeing me naked. I can see it in your eyes.” Securing the towel around his hips, Brice padded barefoot across the cold tile.

“What you see is my brain being fried from too much exposure to all your glory.”

“You think I’m glorious?” Brice unfastened her silver hair clip. Red ringlets splashed over his hands and slid through his fingers. He held fast to one curl and stroked the luxurious strands across his cheek. A thrill zipped straight down to his groin.

“That’s not what I meant.” A slight tremble parted her lips.

Brice ached for a kiss and so much more. Her taste on his tongue, her scent on his skin, her luscious legs wrapped around his hips. A deluge of erotic dreams had eroded his resolution to keep things platonic.

Cassie’s scent wove a spell of need and want that smothered reason. Helpless to resist, he slipped his arm around her waist and lowered his face to hers. She squinted and puckered her mouth, but not to receive his lips.

The unexpected rejection jolted Brice. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want this.” She gestured a between-you-and-me hand signal. “I have plans for the future and you’re not in them.”

Damn. That stung.

Even though he agreed they had no future together, he disliked hearing her say it.

“You need ground rules.” Cassie wormed out of his hold and faced him with a straight back, squared shoulders and both hands on her hips.

Her eyes slanted with censure. She pointed her jaw and scrunched her mouth like his fourth-grade teacher when he’d neglected to do his homework three days in a row. When he’d been a wolfling, the no-nonsense, better-get-your-shit-together look had mortified him into compliance. Now that he was an adult male in his prime, that look on a feisty, petite human female did something entirely different.

“I don’t like rules.” He smiled.

About the Author:
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Southern born and bred, Kristal Hollis grew up amid cane fields and orange groves. Books fed her imagination, providing adventurous portals to ancient civilizations, medieval fiefdoms, alternate realities and futuristic worlds. Then, a friend gave her Johanna Lindsey’s FIRES OF WINTER, a historical romance which ignited a life-long love affair with romantic fiction.

After earning a degree in psychology, Kristal has enjoyed career and volunteer endeavors that have included sales, banking, social services, and animal rescue. When a family medical situation required her to take a work sabbatical, she began penning deliciously dark paranormal romances as an escape from the real-life drama. Even though the crisis passed, her passion for writing continues.

Currently, Kristal lives with her husband and two rescued dogs at the edge of the enchanted forest that inspires her stories.