Wild and Steamy

Night Shift by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Anthologies can be pretty hit and miss for me, but I'd still grab it if it has an author (or two) that I adore. This book delivered to me new novellas by Ilona Andrews and Meljean Brook (under the pseudonym Milla Vane) so I'm pretty happy about it all.

The first story was by Nalini Singh in her Psy/Changeling universe. I've not read the series but this novella gave a good introduction to the world and is intriguing enough to make me want to look up for more. Bastien Smith was a leopard on a mission to hunt down his mate but her elusive here-and-not-here scent is driving him nuts and leading him down many a false trail. When he finally found Kirby, he had to help her reconcile her with her wild side for them to come together as a whole. Steamy and sensuous are perfect to describe this little sojourn in the Psy/Changeling 'verse.

Ilona Andrews' romp with our favourite Security Chief of Atlanta's Pack and Dali Harimau was utterly satisfying and left me wanting more. The writing team did an excellent job weaving tributes to magic culture from Indonesia and other parts of the world in their writing in an engaging and respectful manner and this novella was no different. I do hope that they'll write a longer story for Dali and Jim after putting them both through the emotional wringer in their path to become a mated pair.

I don't remember if I've read Lisa Shearin before; she penned here a first-day-on-the job nightmare for her protagonist and made it feel like a prologue piece. Interesting world building, but the limitations of a novella perhaps made the story line a little clunky.

I was a fan of Red Sonja and Conan the Barbarian movies as a child. Milla Vane hit that kink here like whoa with her fabulous barbarian romance. The journey of Mala and Kavik was condensed in this intense novella with the right amount of sizzle, adventure and ass-kicking action. And what I love most was how they saved each other.

In short, this book is super fun even if the only two stories that I re-read obsessively was the 2nd and 4th novella. *grin*

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"I parked there yesterday and my Range Rover exploded."

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There's a reason I didn't read more book in 2014 and it's because of this author. I just got this book a few weeks ago and it's now pretty dog-eared, thanks to the multiple re-reading because I enjoy it just *that* much.

The novel is set in a world where magic is real and is the main currency for power and wealth. A small-time private investigator was tasked to persuade a powerful pyromage to surrender to his family after a series of high profile arson. She has a competitor in the chase, another catastrophically powerful mage who can level cities. A lot of mayhem and high octane action, peppered with tickle-your-ribs humour and steamy sexual tension.

The book is peopled with characters who are not just larger-than-life but also wonderfully likeable. The primary characters sucked me in and kept the book glued to my hand up to the very end. C'mon, how am I to resist when the male protagonist was described as such:

He'd traded the suit and shoes for faded jeans, a pale grey t-shirt and heavy, dark boots. The effect was staggering. The suit had toned him down, smoothing harshness with a veneer of wealth and civilisation. Now he was all rough edge and rugged strength. He looked like he needed some jungle ruins to explore or some bad people to hit with a chair. Trouble was, he was the bad people

I also adored that the female protagonist was no Mary Sue; she had a complement of vulnerabilities along with kick ass determination, wilyness and intelligence. Her Mom was a magically enhanced sniper, her Grandma talked to tanks and the heavy weaponry that she crafted, and a cybermage cousin as her sidekick. Her family was insane and fun and I can't wait to see more of her crazy sisters and cousin in the next books.

Even the psychopath was pretty endearing and made you want to root for him.

Pierce did have devil eyes. Deep and dark, the rich brown of coffee grinds, they were unpredictable and full of crazy.

Burn for Me is a new tangent for the husband-wife writing team, a book that is closer to a traditional romance in the action-adventure genre. However, the romance aspect developed more slowly, paying out over a three-book series. By the last page you are jonesing for the next book and gosh, can't they write any faster?

Favourite quotes:


1. "... Had I known that you were going to pull a pretty ribbon out of your sleeve like some two-bit magician, I would have shot you. Many times."

"Two-bit magician?"

"Men like you enjoy being flattered."

2. Small talk with the dragon. How are you? Eaten any adventurers lately? Sure, just had one this morning. Look, I still got his femur stuck in my teeth. Is that upsetting to you?

3. "I was conceived because my mother skipped bail. Her boyfriend at the time threatened to call the cops on her, so she had to do something to keep him from doing it."

4. And then he had felt her. She was warm and golden and she tore through the sterility of the ascent and reached for him. She kissed him and as she shared all of her fears and wants, he felt alive. He had shrugged off the cold serenity for her, and the world around him bloomed.


Seriously. Go get this book. You won't regret it.

Male protagonist: 5/5 stars
Female protagonist: 5/5 stars
Storyline: 5/5 stars
Pacing: 5/5 stars
Fun Factor: 5/5 stars
Repeat Reading Factor: 5/5 stars


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Midweek sh*t and giggles

Cause it's not Friday yet and we need some laughs. All gifs are stolen from here.

NSFW, You have been warned.

Midweek sh*ts and giggles

Words to live by.

I wish. Because it would spare me from some really disappointing authors.

Tea time at Hammer's House of Horror.

Poor Ultraman.

Libertarians R us?

I want one of these.

Compression complete.

It's positively Darwinian.

Your dreams. They have been dashed.

Next on the franchise, yo. It's gonna be a blockbuster.

Any and every excuse to jack off.

If it's friggin' urgent, then invest a dime and call.

You are doing it WRONG.

Theory of relativity proven.

Spoil me and I will END you. Never mess with a biblioholic.

I'm one of the horn-y ones. You?

Good thing I don't people watch.

'Nuff said.

Midweek sh*ts and giggles ... naughty stuff

It's all about the n number, baby. Nothing personal.

(Under cut for moar tak senonoh stuff)

My life philosophy ...

Excitement!

I love her contagious enthusiasm: I will never look at a penis (mammalian or otherwise) the same way again.



I admire how she could discuss something titillating in a funny and creepy way.

(Undercut because pretty NSFW)

Midweek sh*ts and giggles

BFF, yo.

When frat boys fancy themselves Jedi masters ...

Pwnd by Hillary Clinton.

Totally true. The Javanese even have a word for it: kerasan.

The protein shakes work!!!!

 Hitler: the Real Story.


















Just chillin', man.

Oh, Mr Depp ...

... how is it thou art an adorable undead?

Midweek sh*ts & giggles

Put on your earphones/speaker and enjoy.

Oh dear God ...

... let this film come to our shores on the date displayed ...



Yes, I have a thing for Mr Hardy. He is gorgeous, articulate, naughty and has a voice and lips to die for. I am shallow *shut up*.

But you put Mr. Hardy with Mr Benedict Cumberbatch and Gary Oldman and Cieran Hinds and Mark Strong and oh my Lord ... *topples from palpitation*

Beyond Hammer House of Horror

 

Two bloody tissues ...

As a wake up call, nothing beats multiple personality display on the interwebs.



Thanks to Suzi.

Get ready!

For the Muppet ... DOMINATION!



Ah, Kermit ... *fond memories*

Midweek sh*t and giggles

For the darling Seorang Blogger who lives in a place with lousy Internet connectivity ...

I give you pictures!

Enjoy, darling!

OMG! This is severely cool!

The nerd in me is amazed by the amount of work that had gone into this game. If you are interested in how addictive substance of abuse act on the brain or just want to torment some lab mice, go here!

Emo Star Wars?

I knew that Luke was an angsty dude, but the droids too?

You sure learn something new every day.

But I do wonder: Do emo droids cut themselves too? Do they sever a hydraulic line, power back up supply, what? *ponders*

Genius courtesy of paperbeatsscissors.

Post Star Wars apocalypse

Poor Ewoks. *cries*

Yay!!

Validation for all coffee lovers the world over!!

If you ever had a thing for the original Karate Kid ...

... don't watch this.

Wax On, F*ck Off with Ralph Macchio from Ralph Macchio

Love that he looked younger than he did in My Cousin Vinny (aka the last time Marisa Tomei looked like she is of a healthy weight).

*pats Ralph Macchio fondly*