Sherri L King's Horde Wars

II have been devouring Sherri L. King's series The Horde Wars over the last couple of days (I'm a bit obsessive when I find an interesting series). They're paranormal erotic romances available from EC.

Ms. King built a unique world and cast of characters with interesting paranormal elements all wrapped up in this series. The basic premise is that there is a secret war taking place that the humans are unaware of - the battle between the Daemon Horde (the bad guys) and the Shikar (aka the good guys). The Horde is made up of monster-like creatures who, throughout the series, begin to evolve into slightly more intelligent and powerful creatures - much to the horror of the Shikar who are the only thing standing between the Horde and the fragile humans. The Horde literally eats humans and crave psychic humans in particular.

The Shikars are warriors (well, the males are) who have special powers (power over elements like fire, knife-like objects springing from their bodies called foils, time/space travel, etc.). They are not humans and although they do 'dally' with human women, their sperm is actually poisonous to them but we later find out that some human women can be converted to Shikar after dying from the poison. I totally loved these heroes - their abilities depend on which caste they're from but they're all dangerous, kick-ass alpha males.

In all four books the heroes are powerful Shikar warriors (although the last book is about the leader who is The Elder and not your average warrior) and the heroines are human females with psychic powers that attract the attention of the Horde and thus the attention of the Shikar who want to protect (and recruit) them. I really loved all of the characters - the females were very strong and sassy and the males are dangerous but loving. The action was really well written and was a nice foil for the romance which is the focal point (of course) and bulk of the stories. The love scenes were hot, although there was a little tongue/anal action that had an "ick" factor for me personally but overall very exciting.

The only book I didn't like as much was the last one LORD OF THE DEEP. It just felt like there was too much going on outside the main characters in this book and I didn't really connect with them. Nor did I feel like they really connected with each other - the evolution of their relationship is very quick and jerky. Also, there are a lot of loose ends left dangling in both the storyline and the character development... like it never really feels like the heroine gets control of her power (and what exactly IS her power?) which is supposed to be a major issue in the book. This one just didn't work like the rest of them did.

There are also two related "Shikar" books (I haven't read them yet) titled: Caress of Flame & Ride the Lightening.

Sherri King's website is too 'techy' and hard to navigate IMO so for more info I recommend checking out Sherri L. King’s booklist at Ellora’s Cave.

Savage by Lila Dubois

SAVAGE
Book 2 of the Zinah
by Lila Dubois

Savage, the second story in the Zinah series, is the story of Anleeh, the ex-Zinah called "Lord Justice." Anleeh is tasked by the King and Queen to facilitate agreements between the people of his homeland, the Den, and the new monarchy. His companion for this venture, Siara, is the Headmistress of the Temple College who longs for adventure. But adventure is not the only reason Siara is eager for the journey - the chance to explore her great attraction and long-denied feelings for the former Zinah is an opportunity she can't pass up.

The Den are brutal and raw in their passions. The mixture of submission and wildness is highly prized (and expected) in the women and at first Anleeh is reluctant to subject a female, any female, let alone a sheltered, plain pigeon like Siara to such conditions. He also harbors a secret fear that returning to his homeland will trigger his "beast", the one that made him the pride of the Den but which he has learned to control during his years of service as a Zinah.

As they journey through the lands and Anleeh begins Siara's training in the ways of Den culture and sexuality, he soon learns that Siara, though not of the Den, has her own "beast" and it is a powerful match for his. But can she accept and love him once she sees the reality of his beast in all its brutal glory in action?

I loved Savage even more than Forbidden (book 1) – which was a major emotional rollercoaster that I think we (as readers) and the characters had to experience before we could get to this point and move on in the series. I was completely absorbed in Savage by page 10 and couldn’t tear myself away from it long enough to even put the laundry in the dryer. I HAD to know what happened next!

Both Anleeh and Siara are well-rounded and realistic characters (for a paranormal-type book). They both have their own insecurities and flaws - they are not perfect cookie-cutter characters but rather a mixture of vulnerability and strength. Anleeh is alpha and a dominant male although not in a “me say, you do” sort of way – not even during the ‘training’ sessions but he is vulnerable to his need for control of his beast and his desire for acceptance of that same beast. Siara is highly intelligent, which often causes her to examine the world around her in a methodical, analytical way, but she also a woman who longs to explore her passions but only with the warrior she secretly fell in love with at first site so many years ago. The fact that she is not the average ‘perfect-body hottie heroine’ makes her even more interesting to me – although Anleeh (and the other warriors of the Den) think she’s pretty damn sexy!

The story was well-paced and moves forward in both the action and the emotion at a steady pace to the climax of the storyline. Most of the story takes place on the journey and revolves around the budding emotions of the two and Anleeh preparing Siara for Den life. In that part, I actually felt most connected to Anleeh but the most emotional scenes (IMO) come once they reach the land of the Den and then I felt more connected to Siara because of her experiences and emotions related to the cultural differences, specifically the violence and public expression of sexuality and because of her new awareness of self and power that she gained from being ‘trained’ on the trip there.

Overall, I rate Savage as a KEEPER. Not only is it highly erotic, it’s emotionally engrossing and actually rather intellectually stimulating – I see the author’s anthropological background shining through Siara in some parts of the story.

Learn more about the author, Lila Dubois.

Buy Savage, now available from Liquid Silver Books.

PIMPING: Sealed with a Kiss by Lila Dubois

It's 1:21 am Friday morning here. That means that Samhain's August 31st releases are up and available. Why is this cause for celebration you ask? *snort* as if you need to ask... helloooooo NEW BOOKS! Always cause for celebration.

But today it's special because my friend, erotic romance author, and all-around kick-ass chick Lila Dubois has a short-story - SEALED WITH A KISS -available at Samhain.The BLURB:
When a man who isn’t human is accidentally enslaved by a woman who has no idea what he is, the result is magical.

A Midsummer Night’s Steam story

Signing up for a one-week adventure vacation, Helena expects to be kayaking in the Pacific, not having every sexual fantasy fulfilled in her guide’s bed.

Ocean is more than he seems, his kayaking business a cover for his deepest secret.

When Helena accidentally enacts old magic, enslaving Ocean, he doesn’t know if she is the luckiest girl on earth, or an enemy of his kind, bent on imprisoning him forever. Ocean’s strange behavior worries Helena but she’s distracted by the mind-blowing sex.

After the truth is revealed, will their budding love be Sealed with a Kiss?

OK, I don't like the cover but this story is really good! SEALED WITH A KISS is a sexy, vivid, and unique paranormal romance. How do I know? I got to be a.... beta reader, I think it's called. Is that right, Lila? Basically, I got to read an early version of it and then analyze the crap out of it (which we all know I love to do). I've got the final version now and it's just CALLING to me. I can't wait to re-visit Ocean (the sexy hero). Oh, yeah... and that heroine-type chick too.... what's her name? Well, it doesn't really matter since I'm going to have to kick her butt to keep Ocean for myself. *sigh* He's so FINE. Then I'm going to get the bungee cords from the back of my mom-mobile (aka minivan) and tie him naked to the.... oh, wait.... did I type that aloud?

Lila is in the process of changing and updating her website so be sure to check it out. In the BOOKS section you can find more information about the first book in Lila's wildly erotic paranormal romance series about the Zinahs. (not related to Sealed with a Kiss) There is also a FREE anthology available on the page.

Anyway, off to read now....

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW BOOK, LILA!!

Hidden Agendas by Lora Leigh

Hidden Agendas by Lora Leigh

I was actually going to pass on this book because I was unimpressed with Dangerous Games (the book before this one in the series) but then my friend said it was good.

It was awesome! I loved the characters and the story was great. There were minor things, of course, that I thought could have been improved but it's now one of my favorite Lora Leigh books (outside the Breed series, which I LOVE)and it will definitely be going on the keeper shelf! After reading it my curiosity about two other Seals - Nathan and Ian - is severely piqued and I can't wait for their books.

The next book in the series, Killer Secrets, about Deke Santiago is on my 'buy' list for January.

RATING: A

Be prepared to take a cold shower after reading this one!

Erotic romance author, Lila Dubois is igniting reader's fantasies today on her blog!

The post entitled: "Monday Poetry Train - Sex Excerpt" is a flaming hot sex-scene from her upcoming book, Savage, which is book 2 of the Zinah series.

To be honest, I shouldn't have read the damn thing - excerpts always increase my impatience for a book and this one was SO SMOKIN' HOT that I feel like morphing into freaky-book-stalker-Ange and stalking the author until she gives me the book NOW just to shut me up!

*sigh*

Alas, the book will be released later this summer and I will have to wait - unfulfilled - until then.

For those of you that haven't yet read book 1 of the Zinah - it is available for purchase in e-book format at Liquid Silver or print on Amazon.