Jessie recs 'Kinked,' 'Sing for the Dead,' 'Sentinel'
Paranormal romance
Kinked by Thea Harrison
Kinked is the love/hate story of Aryal the harpy, and a ton of readers do not like her, but I've always loved her and was really, really looking forward to see who she would be with and how the romance would culminate. The hero was perfect and not "typical" hero material … which, of course, is what makes Quentin such a match for the harpy. I mean, how they decided who would submit? Best part! The book is awesome, the chemistry is sizzling and Thea Harrison does it yet again! We also get to see Peanut, Dragos and Pia, who are still one of my favorite couples, and I am putting Kinked (ha ha, the title makes sooo much sense now that I've read the book) in my Audible cart.
What Thea has to say: "When I wrote Dragon Bound, the most I hoped for was that someone might be interested in a sequel someday, so the possibility of writing Aryal as a main character only sank in after I signed my first three-book contract. Then I started writing her in cameos and snippets, hoping to lure readers into being interested in her story. The hero of Kinked, Quentin Caeravorn, was a another total unknown. In Dragon Bound, he was a shadowy side character with a lot of mystery. Then, a couple of books ago, I looked at him and wondered what his real story was. The result was, I ended up having more fun than I could have imagined."
Paranormal romance
Sing for the Dead by PJ Schnyder
This is the second book in the London Undead series, and I love PJ's style of writing and of course her creative brain. Kayden is a leopard who is trying to keep the zombie infestation in check, but Sorcha (what a character!) draws him like a moth to a flame. I love Sorcha because she's half Baen Sidhe and half berserker. This weird genetic mixing makes her a fierce warrior. If you're looking for steam, zombies, fae, weres and more steam ;-) pick up the first one, Bite Me. They are in e-book only and a great price at under $3.
What PJ says: "The world of the London Undead series isn't limited to werewolves and zombies. Sing for the Dead expands the world to other types of shapeshifters and to fae. I tried to stay close to the old legends but add my own twist to banshees or the Baen Sidhe. There might be a few easter egg references scattered through the story, too."
YA paranormal
Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This is the fifth book in Jennifer's Covenant series, and you have to read them in order because this is the last book, the climax, if you will, for Alex and Aiden. I haven't gotten my hands on this yet, but I can't wait. For Alex fans, you are right alongside me dreading that this is the end yet wanting it so badly you can taste it! I mean, the best line from the blurb? "It's a beautiful day for a war."
What Jennifer says: "Writing Sentinel was the hardest book to date for me to write. I'd started the Covenant series in late 2007, so wrapping it up was bittersweet. It is also the only book that I've written that has actually made me teary-eyed."
YA steampunk
Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
This is the second Finishing School book, and I love the steampunk and humorous elements! Gail's voice was good in her Parasol series, but I really like this one the best. Sophronia is nearing the end of her first year and she's still sneaking around the halls at night, eavesdropping, and uncovering conspiracies of the daring kind. This is one of my favorite YA steampunk series, and it's not a cookie-cutter plot like most finishing/boarding school series. Gail's voice is humorous, just a bit snarky and perfect for Sophronia.
What Gail has to say: "My favorite part about writing Curtsies & Conspiracies was the flirting. Also, I put in some cross-dressing near the end. Nothing makes me happier than when a girl disguises herself as a boy for the purposes of infiltration."
I'm currently reading…
Fire on the Island by J.K. Hogan. It's set in Scotland (yes!) and has paranormal elements and a fantasy adventure. I'm enjoying it and the myths. It's the first book in the Vigilati series, and the second is already out (Blood in the Valley). Oh, and the covers are gorgeous!
Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She also does reviews for Bitten by Books and RT Book Reviews and is an intern at Entangled Publishing. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster).