Must-read romances: 'Wolf's Fall,' 'Not Dead Enough,' 'The Dream Alchemist'
Wolf's Fall by J.D. Tyler
What it's about (courtesy of Signet):
A top-secret team of wolf shifters, the Alpha Pack are former Navy SEALS that use their Psy powers to take on the world's greatest predators. But while each member is loyal to the pack, it can be hard to deny the call of desire…
Still tormented by his recent captivity, Alpha Pack commander Nick Westfall isn't sure he's fit to lead—especially when he meets the one woman he can't claim without reliving the torture he endured at the hands of a rogue vampire.
Vampire princess Calla Shaw has seen her own share of heartbreak, but she can tell that the wild attraction she and Nick feel for each other could turn into something significant—if only he'd let it. But Calla isn't about to give up on her mate without a fight.
Time is running out, not only for Nick to claim his mate, but for Calla and her coven. A vampire war is on the horizon, one the Alpha Pack can't hope to win if their leader can't pull himself back from the abyss…
Why you should read it: This is the sixth book in J.D.'s Alpha Pack series and centers on the commander and the princess, Nick and Calla. This can be read as a stand-alone, though it's funnier and better as part of the series. I say this because I love Nick and have been waiting for him to have his chance at love. The problem is that Calla is a vampire. There's innately a lot of things to work out, not to mention he's an empath and constantly overthinks his mistakes and what he can and can't do for the future. I think Calla is the perfect strong heroine to pair with him, though she has a lot of her work cut out for her. I will say that the overlying plot and conflict are amazing, but I wanted just a bit more relationship building. I also really hope there's a novella or more of these two in the next book. I want to see how they work out, what happens in another few months and, more important, I want to see just how much Nick will grow and heal by Calla's side.
What J.D. Tyler has to say …
Which type of paranormal creature would you like to be?
J.D.: I would love to be a shifter of some sort. Something really cool and lethal, like a wolf or dragon. I lean toward a dragon because I could make a grand entrance and send people screaming for cover! That would be awesome.
What are you currently working on?
J.D.: I just started working on Alpha Pack #7, Chase the Darkness. This is Micah Chase's story, and he has several terrible obstacles to overcome. If PTSD and addiction don't bring him down, the dangerous enemy stalking him just might...
Epic one-liner from Wolf's Fall?
J.D.: Nick to Jinn at a party, before he knows what a dangerous creature Jinn truly is:
"Interesting," he said with a half smile. "Never met a genie before. If I rub the top of your head, will you grant me three wishes?"
Not Dead Enough by Mina Carter
What it's about (courtesy of Blue Hedgehog Press):
There is life after death, unfortunately for them, it's the same one...
Brett Perkins was a soldier until the Project killed him. Now he's finding that life after death isn't so hot. With the Project base destroyed, he and his team have been tasked with running down and destroying a group of rogue Bloods. Unfortunately the vampires always seem to be one step ahead. Then they start kidnapping women...
Thanks to her soon-to-be ex-husband, Julia Collier is despised and reviled in the small town of Greenwood. His stories have painted her as everything from an air-headed gold-digger to a nymphomaniac serial killer. She can't even shop in the local store without suffering abuse from her fellow townsfolk, and that's before the late night calls or her ex's bully-boys following her.
When her home is broken into, Julia assumes it's her husband making good on his threats to 'deal with her for good'. She never dreams that it will lead a descent into another, terrifying world. One inhabited by werewolves, vampires... and zombies. Or that zombies could be so damn hot. Especially one certain example who makes her heart pound and all her common sense disappear over the horizon. After all, what woman in her right mind would fall for the undead?
Unless the undead aren't dead at all, but something more than human, from a world she'll need all her wits and new abilities to survive the battle between the undead... and the dead.
Why you should read it: I have to say besides Warm Bodies I haven't read a book where the main hero is a zombie … I now have to re-evaluate my hotness scale. On the other hand, who wouldn't like Brett? He's gorgeous, dangerous, protective and, well, … hot! Mina's writing has always made me laugh. I've enjoyed her hero/heroine interactions, and Not Dead Enough was no exception. Julia and Brett have some steam going on, and I liked the idea of the Project and what our government could be doing. Besides the action and plot-driven story, I really loved Julia. She's strong, intelligent, and when she's kidnapped I was almost more worried for her kidnappers than her. If you're looking for something different, maybe a hero who isn't a wolf or vamp, check out this new series.
What Mina Carter has to say …
Why a zombie hero?
Mina: I picked a zombie hero because I was looking for something out of the ordinary and unique. Usually zombies are depicted as the shuffling, brain-mad undead, and I figured I could turn that on its head and create a hero that was something else. Something not human, stronger and faster, but with its own set of issues and problems (One of their core struggles is what they are and have to do to survive.)
What are you currently working on?
Mina: I'm working on a series of erotic paranormal shorts at the moment before diving into a couple of werewolf stories: one for the Stratton Wolves series called Enforcer's Heart, then I'll be back writing in the Project Rebellion world with Dangerous Mate, which is Leon's story :)
Epic one-liner from Not Dead Enough?
Mina:
"At least if we gotta be zombies, we're…ripped zombies."
The Dream Alchemist by Joanna Chambers
What it's about (courtesy of Samhain Publishing):
When the sun goes down, their passion awakens…and so do their nightmares.
Centuries ago, a man with Bryn Llewelyn's dreamwalking ability would have been a shaman or a priest. In this time, he's merely exhausted, strung out on too much caffeine and too little sleep.
Sleep means descent into Somnus—an alternate reality constructed of the combined dreaming consciousness of ordinary humans. A place he'd rather avoid. Trouble is, his powers don't include the ability to go without sleep indefinitely. At some point his eyes close…and his nightmare begins.
As a teen, the treatment that cured Laszlo Grimm's sleep disorder stole his dreams—and his ability to feel emotion. Petrified of needing more "treatment", he clings to familiar rituals and habits. But lately his nightly terror has returned, and when he meets Bryn in the real world, the man seems hauntingly familiar. Not only that, Bryn awakens feelings in Laszlo for the first time in years…
Slowly Bryn and Laszlo realize they are both unknowing pawns in a plan of unspeakable evil. And that their powerful attraction could release the destinies locked within them—or be the instrument of their doom.
Why you should read it: I've read a couple dream-walker books and love the idea. I mean, what happens when we dream? So I was happy to pick this one up. Joanna does a great job differentiating hers, and I enjoyed Bryn. Bryn can manipulate dreams in Somnus. He doesn't always trust his gift, though, and when he starts feeling a dark force at the edge of Somnus, he doesn't know what it wants. We also have Lazlo (poor guy), and the two together, both in Somnus and real life, are fun to watch. They seem to have some kind of connection chemistry that draws the two together for no other reason than to be together. Overall, I liked the book and look forward to seeing the next installment.
What Joanna Chambers has to say …
Tell us about Somnus.
Joanna: Somnus is basically the dreaming plane. It's where — in my imagination — our consciousness goes when we dream. A few individuals, called dreamwalkers, experience Somnus just as vividly as the real world, but most humans behave sort of like zombies in it, clumsy and unaware. By contrast, dreamwalkers are superhuman. They can fly and shift from place to place, and some have other powers...
What are you currently working on?
Joanna: I'm writing another historical at the moment. It's a spin-off from my Enlightenment trilogy, featuring a character called Captain Iain Sinclair from book two, Beguiled. The other MC is a wealthy amateur scientist. I'm incredibly excited about it!
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).