Early Review of Wulfe Untamed (Feral Warriors #8) by Pamela Palmer

Title: Wulfe Untamed: A Feral Warriors Novel
Series: Feral Warriors
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback; 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (January 28, 2014)
ISBN-10: 0062107550
ISBN-13: 978-0062107558

Author's Website: http://www.pamelapalmer.net/index.php

Notes: Received an eARC loan from the publisher and am a member of Pamela's "street team". In other words, I love her books so much that I've volunteered to help her get out the word about upcoming releases. 

Six weeks ago a group of friends decided to take a day-trip to Harpers Ferry, a National Historical Park, and go hiking. Of the six who started out, only three survived, one of whom was declared missing. A week of Natalie Cash's life was lost and she remembers virtually nothing of that period in time except how it started out pleasantly enough and ended when she woke up a week later wondering what horrific event had caused three of her friends to lose their lives. Her brother, Xavier, who had accompanied her for the trip has not been seen or heard from since and is feared dead. Something Natalie refuses to believe or accept. 

Six weeks ago six humans unwittingly ended up in the middle of a battle between wraith Daemons and Feral Warriors. The Ferals managed to kill the Daemons but only after three of the humans had parished. Of the three who survived, two were held for a week and observed before having their memories erased and being released. The third, Xavier, was blind and his memories could not be taken as memories are stolen through the eyes. To keep their supernatural existence a secret they couldn't allow him to leave.

Wulfe appointed himself Natalie's protector and, in the weeks that followed, has periodically been checking up on her in his wolf form. When he observes an unnatural glow about her, he realizes she may not have escaped unscathed after all. When Inir, the Mage who is trying to free the rest of the wraith Daemons and their leader from their prison appears, Natalie will once again become the unwitting pawn in a game which, if lost, could unleash an evil not seen in five thousand years upon the earth.

Another great book in the Feral Warriors series. Unfortunately, it's also the eighth and final book. If you haven't read the previous books in the series, I encourage you to do so. Each book builds up to this final showdown and you won't want to miss a thing. 

Slowly, but surely, the Feral Warriors are losing their links to their animal spirits. The Curse that Inir cast upon the group is starting to take hold. When a Feral Warrior loses its connection to its animal spirit they can no longer shift; and their immortality, a gift attached to their animals spirit, is no more. They become as mortal as anyone else and begin to age normally once again. In a race against time, they must decide whether to strike immediately or wait till they are stronger, if that's even possible. 

Natalie is an optometrist and chose that field because of her brother Xavier's handicap. She's struggling to deal with the events that happened mere weeks ago and her relationship with her fiance is on shaky ground. She's having dreams that feel more like memories, but make no sense. What she dreams just isn't possible--men shifting into animal forms and a monster attacking her. While her fiance is supportive, he just can't seem to understand why she's not like the Natalie he'd come to know. He just doesn't get why she's changed.

Wulfe, even though he won't act upon it, is attracted to Natalie. She's a kind and loving individual and he grew fond of her during the week they'd kept her to make sure there were no ill affects from the Daeomon attack. His mate, Beatrice, died nine months ago and when one of a mated pair dies, the mating bond of the individual left behind becomes damaged occasionally killing them. Wulfe realizes a mating with another woman is probably impossible so he keeps his feelings to himself. Plus, he'd never come between her and her fiance. 

Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 our or 5 roses. There is enough action, drama and twists to keep the reader glued to the book. Wulfe was a wonderful character with a lot of issues to work through, and I loved how Natalie helped him to deal with them. The attraction between Wulfe and Natalie was undeniable. It was fun to watch as Wulfe tried to deny his feelings thereby protecting Natalie. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one got a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the series

Early Review of A Kiss of Blood (Vamp City, #2) by Pamela Palmer

• Title: A Kiss of Blood: A Vamp City Novel
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Mass Market Paperback; 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (June 25, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 0062107534
• ISBN-13: 978-0062107534
• Notes: I received an eARC (eBook Advanced Reader Copy) from the publisher. Contained a vampire orgy and many violent scenes.

It all started a mere month ago. Quinn Lennox and her brother, Zack, were searching for her brother's best friend, Lily, who went missing. Suddenly, they stumbled into another world. A world that existed in another dimension, right on top of the modern day Washington DC. A dimension where time had stood still for 140 years. A dimension populated and ruled by vampires and other creatures of legend. A deadly and dark world where vampires were the real deal and they'd sooner eat you then let you live.

Some of the vampires in V.C. feed off more than just blood, they feed off emotions. Some feed off fear, some pain, while others on pleasure. Humans are considered slaves in V.C. and are treated as the title would imply. The main law of the land is that vampires rule and humans have no rights. They are considered property, playthings, and mobile meals. Vampires are stronger, quicker, and can travel great distances in the blink of an eye making escape virtually impossible. It's a place where anything goes and rules are few and far between. A place where the magic which created it is slowly starting to fail, condemning to death those who resided within the city's confines at the exact moment the spell which created it started to break.

If Quinn had her way, she and her brother would never go back to the city dubbed Washington VC and that world would die. As Arturo, the handsome yet untrustable vampire who helped Quinn and Zack escape the city had warned would happen, when Zack left the DC area, he grew extremely ill. Now it looks like Quinn and her brother will have to go back to Vamp City and try to renew the spell that keeps VC going. It may be her brother's only hope of surviving. The only problem is, no one knows why Quinn's magic is bound within her keeping her from reaching her full potential as a sorceress. She needs to find a way to let her powers loose or her brother and all who are bound to Vamp City will die and time is of the essence. With every day that passes it becomes increasingly clear that the city's magic is beginning to crumble as fissures between the real and magical realms become more frequent and unpredictable.

This is the second book of the Vamp City series. Once again Quinn is thrown into the dark and sinister world of Vamp City. She and Arturo search for the reason her powers are bound so she can save the city. Utilizing the talents and help of Arturo's friends they begin their quest for answers. Being in Vamp City, Quinn is once more vulnerable to the supernatural beings that dwell within. She'll need to trust and rely on Arturo more than ever to survive. I loved that along the way Quinn grew as a character and gained confidence in herself as well as valuable insight and knowledge about the supernatural world. She'll come partially into her powers and start to become a force to be reckoned with and I absolutely loved seeing this transition.

I was absolutely seduced by Palmer's last Vamp City novel, 'A Blood Seduction', and part of that seduction had to do with the Vampire name Arturo. I was slightly disappointed that the vamp whom I found myself both liking and despising in equal measures lost a bit of his bad boy edge in this novel. His character seemed to do a complete turnaround and I almost didn't recognize him as the seductively dangerous vampire we first met. I had really liked the idea of a dark and dangerous hero who skirted the edge of propriety while flirting with the taboos of society. I had enjoyed how Quinn found him irresistible yet despicable causing her to be conflicted about her feelings because while she felt herself incredibly pulled to him she knew he wasn't good for her and couldn't be trusted. I was looking forward to seeing these two explore their feelings for each while breaking the barriers of what they initially believed about one another. I guess that scenario was never meant to be. While I enjoyed the jealousy Arturo displayed, I had hope that the emotional tug of war Quinn was experiencing in regards to Arturo in the first book would continue on in its intensity for a little while longer.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I really enjoy the world Ms. Palmer created and really love the characters. The world was just as dark and perverse as the last book, but whereas it was an utter and total book seduction with 'A Blood Seduction', I felt like the whip cream, nuts, and cherry were missing on my sundae which would have pushed this book over the top and raised it from a 4 to a 5 on my rating scale. Still it was a fun read that I wouldn't have wanted to miss and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one get a SHOWER rating--a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning - make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol 

Order of Series:

Early Review of A Love Untamed (Feral Warriors, #7) by Pamela Palmer

• Title: A Love Untamed: A Feral Warriors Novel
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Paranormal Romance
• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (December 26, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062107518
• ISBN-13: 978-0062107510

The author's website: http://www.pamelapalmer.net/index.php
Notes: I read the eArc of this book, so I will need to check quotes against the final copy.

He didn't think he had the capacity to love someone...

     "I've no heart to give you, Jill," he said quietly, regretfully.
     "So you've told me many a time, but you're wrong Kieran. You've a big heart in that finely hewn chest. You just haven't met the right female, yet."

Kieran didn't think he had the capacity to ever love someone. His sister had died and he had suffered so much agony and pain that he couldn't image what it'd be like to lose a wife, a mate. So he'd made up his mind never to seek to have one.

She thought she was would never be able to trust another man...

     "Melisande is a good person, but she has a violent and justified hatred of Therians. While she's obligated to honor my alliance with the Ferals, she's unpredictable. She won't try to kill you. But that's about all I can guarantee. And if you hurt her, even that's off the table."

Betrayed  by a past lover in a way that would break many in the same position, she had learned to hate all Therians and mistrust men. While her scars might not be visible, the wounds are still raw and run deep, but Melisande is a survivor.

Fate, however, had other plans...

     The petite blonde flung her empty hand toward him as if it were not empty at all, as if she meant to toss a fireball in his face.
     Instead, exquisite sexual pleasure rushed though his body on a blast so strong, so pure, that that he nearly came right there in the middle of the hallway. On a groan, he arched his back, his eyes dropping closed as the pleasure roared through him, wave after wave of pure ecstasy.

For there is only one individual whom an Ilinas such as Melisande can't hurt, and that's their potential mate.

When Kara, the Therians' Radiant is kidnapped, the Ferals and Ilinas' unite to find her...

     "Tell me how many warriors you need, Paenther, and they'll be at your disposal."
     "Half a dozen, preferably in mist form so they won't be seen by passing humans. Is that possible?"
     Ariana nodded. "Yes, if they're careful."

...the two are paired together and will learn to rely and depend on one another. 

Sometimes fate just can't be denied.

_______________________________

This is the seventh book in the Feral Warriors series. While you don't necessarily need to read the previous books in the series, I recommend that you at least read the first and sixth book. There is a lot going on within the Feral Warrior world and there are a lot of relationships, events and history you may not wish to miss, so you may wish to read them all. 

"At one time, all Therians had been shape-shifters, able to shift into their animals at will. But those days ended five millennium ago when, for a brief period of time, the Mage and Therians banded together, mortgaging the bulk of their power to defeat the Daemons. who were terrorizing the Earth." Magic and power, however, have their price and the power they'd pledged had never returned. Since then, only one Therian of each animal line has retained the original abilities held by all. That individual has always been the strongest and finest of his or her line. The chosen are known as Feral Warriors and they've banned together over the years to ensure the safety of their race and the world against the return of the Daemons. When one warrior dies another is marked and becomes the next Feral of his or her line.

Recently, however, everything changed because of an evil Mage using dark magic cast a spell designed to force the animal spirits to choose the most evil and morally corrupt among each line. In some instances, the animal spirits were powerful enough to overcome the spell. In other instances, however, they were  not. Now the question is which of the latest bunch of newly marked Ferals are good and which are evil? Can any truly be trusted? Additionally, Kara, the warriors' Radiant, the female who pulls the energy from the earth which renews, aids and empowers the Therian race, has been kidnapped. Without her, the race will weaken and none of the newly marked Ferals will be able to make the full transition to their newly acquired animal forms. The Ferals believe the Mage who bespelled them is the one who captured their Radiant in order to use her powers.

Kieran, now Fox, is among the newly chosen. Luckily, because of his connection with the Ferals there is no question that he is the person who should have been selected. He's well liked and has taught many Therians how to fight and defend themselves. Since his sister's death he hasn't allowed any one to get close to him. He has a big heart, a great capacity to love, but anything more than a one night stand she shies away from.

Melisande is a Ilina. The race had gone into hiding thousands of years ago after the majority of their people were killed. Melisande had an indirect role in what happened to her people and the loss, betrayal and abuse she endured has left her emotionally scared. She's strong, but has sworn off all males and has come to hate all Therians as the man who betrayed her was a shape-shifter. Some call her a bitch and perhaps at times she is, but she has her reasons. Fox, if he wishes to explore the powerful attraction between the two, will have his work cut out for him. He'll have to get through the barriers she's erected and help her confront her fears.

I enjoyed how Melisande slowly (or at least it seemed slowly) learns to trust Fox. She is put in a position where her life is in danger and Fox is the one who keeps her safe. Normally Melisande would be a kick butt heroine, but due to the deadly affect some of the Mage's wards have on the Ilinas she needs protection only a Therian can provide. As the two begin to rely on each other, their attraction grows more intense. While Fox isn't the soul reason she begins to let go of her fears of a relationship and intimacy, he definitely plays a huge role. I loved the way he handled her and took a cautious approach with her. He made sure she was comfortable with everything every step of the way.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. Not a lot of conclusion due to ongoing and continuing story lines, but plenty of action, drama, suspense and, of course, romance. While I enjoyed the ending to this tale, I look forward to seeing how all those loose ends will eventually come together and be resolved. It's those ongoing story lines that make the series so addictive. If you like paranormal romance, this is a series you may want to take a look at. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. 

Order of the series

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Winners of 'A Blood Seduction' by Pamela Palmer

Winners of 'A Blood Seduction' by Pamela Palmer:

1) Sheri 
2) Molly 
3) Donnas
4) Amy 
5) Maria (pronounced Mariah)


You'll be receiving an email shortly if you haven't already.

Thank you to everyone who entered.  

Giveaway - A Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Avon Romance, I'm giving away 5 copies of Pamela Palmer's latest book A Blood Seduction. It's the first book of her Vamp City series. If you've never tried one of Pamela's books this is your chance! I gave this one a 5 Rose Rating. To check out my review CLICK HERE

Book Description:

Take me down to Vampire City...

Vampires live only for lust and pleasure in the eternal twilight of Vamp City. But the city's magic is dying. The only person who can restore it? A beautiful woman from the mortal world...one who knows nothing of the power she wields.

Quinn Lennox is searching for a missing friend when she stumbles into a dark otherworld that only she can see—and finds herself at the mercy of Arturo Mazza, a dangerously handsome vampire whose wicked kiss will save her, enslave her, bewitch her, and betray her. What Arturo can't do is forget about her—any more than Quinn can control her own feelings for him. Neither one can let desire get in the way of their mission—his to save his people, hers to save herself. But there is no escape from desire in a city built for seduction, where passion flows hot and blood-red.

Giveaway

Rules of Eligibility:
1. Only residents of the US who are 18 or older are eligible.
2. Please leave either your email address or a link to your Goodreads profile so I may get in contact with you to get your mailing address. No P.O. Boxes, please.
3. Become a follower of my blog, if you aren't already.

Winner will be randomly chosen. Giveaway ends July 16th, midnight eastern time. Winners will be posted on my blog and notified by email or message posted to them via Goodreads. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. Good Luck!

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Early Review of A Blood Seduction (Vamp City, #1) by Pamela Palmer

• Title: A Blood Seduction: A Vamp City Novel
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance (I'm not sure which)
• Format: Paperback, 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (May 29, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062107496
• ISBN-13: 978-0062107497
• Please Note: Contains some violence. Also, I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book, therefore, there may be some discrepancies between what I quote and the final version. Assume any and all errors are mine because they probably are.  
•  

"A vampire may play with his food, but he never sets it free."

People in the Washington D.C. area have recently been disappearing at an alarming rate. In the last six weeks twelve people have gone missing. It's thought a serial killer might be walking the streets, but so far no clues or bodies have been found. The police are baffled.

When Lily, a friend of Quinn's brother, goes missing they start searching for her. Within minutes of Zack talking to her and just a short distance from where they were to meet, Lily had disappeared. Quinn always knew she was different. Usually it was silly little things that happened that just weren't normal, like the changing of the colors of her clothes. One moment what was blue turned purple, what was red turned yellow, what was white turned bright blue, but on at least two occasions scarier things had happened. Now she was seeing things, visions of another older world. Each time the visions would manifest she'd feel a chill skate over her skin. She thought she was going crazy and perhaps loosing her mind, but now she's not so sure. While searching for Lily, she gets one of her visions and the two, she and her brother, travel through a temporary portal only she can see and enter a world Quinn thought only existed in her imagination. Something tells the two they're not in D.C. anymore. They now knew how Dorthy felt when she entered the land of Oz and it was not pleasant.

Welcome to Washington V.C. aka Vamp City. 

"In 1870, the sorcerer Phineas Blackstone created a city just for vampires. A city where the sun never shines...It exists precisely where the original lies. One on top of the other, duplicate worlds. Duplicates at first. No more. The outside has changed. And this one has moldered...They traveled freely between the two worlds, living here, hunting there when they chose. Until the magic began to fail...Now the vampires are trapped by the failing magic..If another sorcerer is not found soon, one to renew the magic, all those caught in Vamp City will die."

_____________________

I just adored this story. Ms. Palmer's world building skills are phenomenal. She gave a fresh feel to an old genre that left me wanting more. It has a dark feel to it and the vampires are more like the traditional ones we all read about before the Twilight invasion. While a lot of questions were left unanswered, this is only the first book of hopefully many more in a new series, so I expect more answers will be forthcoming.

Some of the vampires in V.C. feed off more than just blood, they feed off emotions. Some feed off fear, some pain, while others on pleasure. Humans are considered slaves in V.C. and are treated as the title would imply. The main law of the land is that vampires rule and humans have no rights. They are considered property, playthings, and mobile meals. Vampires are stronger, quicker, and can travel great distances in the blink of an eye making escape virtually impossible.

When Quinn and Zack breached the V.C. boundary they were captured and claimed almost immediately. Unfortunately they ended up under the ownership of different vamps. It is rumored no human has ever escaped Vamp City and most will not survive long. One of the biggest obstacles in Vamp City is figuring out who to trust, if that's even possible. It seems like everyone has some sort of hidden agenda for what they do. The question is what is that agenda? The one thing that Quinn has going for her is she can still see glimpses of D.C. via sunbeams. They're cracks in the magic that temporarily open portals between DC and VC while letting sunlight in, but strangely most cannot pass through them.

Quinn is smart, loyal, and brave. While she doesn't always make the best decisions, her heart is in the right place. Now she's focused on only thing, freeing herself and her brother from the Hell on earth they've found themselves as quickly as possible. With each passing day the chances of  both of them surviving decreases.Quinn's best chance at saving them is to convince the dangerous yet seductively alluring vampire Arturo to help her. Arturo's loyalties, however, lie with someone else and bargaining with him is like making a deal with the devil--you take a chance at getting burned.

I gave this one 5 out 5 roses. It was such a good read. It captured my attention during and after I finished reading it. I could see this one turning into a movie or miniseries. The thing I loved the most is I have no clue what will happen in the next book but I so want to. *sigh* I love it when a book does that to me. If you haven't figured it out already I HIGHLY recommend this one. A word of warning--if you're looking for a 'Happily Ever After' romance wrapped up neatly in one book, this one doesn't have that. It looks like the real romance is going to be one that spans more than one book. I'm not even sure if we've met 'the one' for our heroine, but we'll have to patiently wait and see. It does have a love scene, but I use the term 'love' loosely. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scored a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.