Must-read paranormals: 'Havoc,' 'Deliverance,' 'Playing With Fire'
Havoc by Ann Aguirre
What it's about (courtesy of Ace):
Perdition is under siege. Mercenaries have boarded the station with orders to take control of the facility—and execute the prisoners. Their commander is offering full pardons to the first five inmates willing to help the mercs complete their mission.
Dresdemona "Dred" Devos hasn't survived hard time just to surrender to the Conglomerate's armored thugs. Leading a ragtag army of inmates, Dred and her champion, Jael, wage a bloody guerilla war of chaos and carnage against impossible odds. But no matter how dire the outlook, the Dread Queen never backs down…
Why you should read it: For those of you who haven't yet, you need to read Perdition. It's action-packed, has such a strong amazing heroine and our hero, Jael (from another series), is just stunning in his evolution of loving himself and Dred. Havoc is just as adventurous and fantastic, but this time Dred and Jael are fighting outside mercenaries rather than just the other inmates. This twist throws both readers and Dred a curve ball as Dred struggles to maintain her hold against Silence, Mungo and now the mercenaries. I love Jael and Dred's relationship. It's so rare we have two alphas together, especially one as powerful as Dred. It's wonderful how Jael immediately steps in to the protector champion role without having to upstage Dred. I also love that in this book we get to see more of Tam (just who is he?). If you love action, steamy romance and strong heroines, you need to pick up this series. There's so much action, so much adventure, and more than that, it's great writing. Fingers crossed the Audible book comes out! (I haven't seen a pre-order.)
Undead With Benefits by Jeff Hart
What it's about (courtesy of HarperTeen):
Jake and Amanda are in love, on the run — and undead. They've picked up a new psychic friend, ex-government-zombie-hunter Cass, and are making a break for Iowa, where a cure for the rapidly spreading zombie virus is rumored to be waiting. But in order to find it, they have to contend with an unlikely undead warlord, ghoul-infested cornfields, a psycho psychic out for blood, and their own super-awkward love triangle — all before Iowa goes up in flames.
Every reader with a pulse (or without one) will devour Jeff Hart's surprisingly romantic and laugh-out-loud funny take on friendship, love, and finding the meaning of (un)life in an eat-or-be-eaten world.
Why you should read it: I loved the first book, Eat, Brains, Love. This one is all right for me with some awesome parts. Jake has some awesome one-liners. I was laughing a lot, and the humor had me reading it quickly and in one sitting. I also feel like the third book will be really good since there was a lot of setting up and building up for an epic battle. I will say that you will either love or hate this love triangle. Cass and Amanda are so different, and Jake sometimes regresses in his character evolution, but I'm interested to see where the third book goes.
Deliverance by C.J. Redwine
What it's about (courtesy of Balzer+Bray):
In this final installment of C. J. Redwine's Defiance trilogy, a rich post-apocalyptic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Graceling and Tamora Pierce, Rachel Adams has been kidnapped by enemy forces and is being taken to Rowansmark while her love, Logan McEntire, is imprisoned and awaiting trial, unable to leave Lankenshire. As uneasy alliances are tested and their enemies plot against them, will the two manage to find a way to rid their world of the tyrannical Commander and destroy the tech that controls the deadly Cursed One once and for all?
Why you should read it: This is the final book, and Rachel has had such a journey. She has grown so strong (I do love my strong heroines), and she and Logan have just become something so special. Rachel has gained some of her spirit back, but she's got a more lethal edge to her. We also get to see into Logan's head and how much Rachel truly means to him. Though they spend most of the book apart, the ending is well worth it. I will say that there were parts that were tied up too nicely and easily, but overall a powerful ending and a series well worth the read!
Playing With Fire by Cynthia Eden
What it's about (courtesy of Brava):
Cassie Armstrong has plenty to atone for. The daughter of the most immoral researcher ever to pick up a scalpel, she's determined to use her own brilliance in genetics to repair the damage her family has done to the paranormals. Especially Dante, the first of the phoenixes, the one they call the Immortal. He's been haunting her dreams since she was a little girl, and she's been trying to ease his pain for almost as long. If only he remembered any of it ... Dante doesn't know what Cassie's story is. He almost doesn't care. The minute he sees her, all he can think is mine. But there's more to the pretty little doctor than meets the eye. And Dante isn't the only one to notice. He can't trust her, but he can't stay away - and if he wants to learn her secrets, he's going to have to fight like hell to keep them both alive…
Why you should read it: This is an extremely hard and well-written paranormal series full of grit and spice. Playing With Fire follows through, and I find myself loving each book more and more. Cassie's father is an actual mad scientist, and Dante is a Phoenix who was captured by him. Long story short: Like a true Phoenix, he resurrects, but he doesn't always remember Cassie when he does (she always tried to help him escape). Dante can come across as cold and cruel at times, but I feel like after knowing his history, it's understandable. While I don't know if I would be as dedicated as Cassie, Cassie basically heals him with her love and resolve. There's also so many action scenes and such cool villains (ha!). It's my favorite mix of adventure, violence and, of course, romance. For dark-romance fans, I recommend picking up this series ASAP!
Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She also does reviews for RT Book Reviews magazine and works in the submissions department at Dreamspinner Press. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster).