Review: Wilder's Mate by Moira Rogers

Wilder's Mate
~Moira Rogers

Format: e-book
File Size: 487 KB
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Publish Date: March 8, 2011
ASIN: B004KKYX9A

From the author's website:
Wilder Harding is a bloodhound, created by the Guild to hunt down and kill vampires on America's frontier. His enhanced abilities come with a high price: on the full moon, he becomes capable of savagery beyond telling, while the new moon brings a sexual hunger that borders on madness.

Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is just another assignment, though one with an added complication--keeping his hands off the man's pretty young apprentice, who insists on tagging along.

At odds with polite society, Satira's only constant has been the aging weapons inventor who treats her like a daughter. She isn't going to trust Wilder with Nathaniel's life, not when the Guild might decide the old man isn't worth saving. Besides, if there's one thing she's learned, it's that brains are more important than brawn.

As the search stretches far longer than Wilder planned, he finds himself fighting against time. If Satira is still at his side when the new moon comes, nothing will stop him from claiming her. Worse, she seems all too willing. If their passion unlocks the beast inside, no one will be safe. Not even the man they're fighting to save. 
Warning: This book contains a crude, gun-slinging, vampire-hunting hero who howls at the full moon and a smart, stubborn heroine who invents mad-scientist weapons. Also included: wild frontier adventures, brothels, danger, betrayal and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.

How to describe Wilder's Mate?  A Futuristic Old-West Steampunk Paranormal Romance?  Yeah, let's go with that.  For now...

Satira is a young woman who lives in a border town in the futuristic old west.  She's not your typical young woman; she likes working with her mentor, Nathanial, an inventor for the Guild.  When Nathaniel goes missing, the Guild sends Wilder, a Bloodhound.  Satira insists on accompanying Wilder in his search to find Nathanial.  Sparks fly and adventures ensue:  vampires, double-agents, and a shocking surprise will have you holding your breath until the end.

My thoughts:
I had no idea what to expect from Wilder's Mate; I loved it!

The setting, frontier-style wild west meets steampunk is brought to life this unusual story.  While reading, the scenes rolling through my mind were sepia-tinged like an old western movie.  I could see the clothing, the dirt, the stagecoaches, all made for a gritty feel to the story.

I liked Satira, a young woman who wanted to be an inventor even though women weren't allowed to do so.  Her fears for her future due to the loss of her mentor/protector Nathaniel had her desperate to find him and bring him home.  She stood up to Wilder, sometimes stubbornly so, and was not a shrinking violet when the action got intense.  I also liked that she wasn't a shy virginal type, and took what she wanted.

Wilder - how many ways are there to say "yum!"? As a Bloodhound, he's strong, persistent, fighting machine.  We don't get too much about how he became a Bloodhound - he was wounded in the war and volunteered.  He's one of the best and because Nathanial is working on a super-secret project for the Guild, they sent Wilder to find him.

The tension between Satira and Wilder smoulders.  Tentatively at first, then, as the full moon approached, a full-on inferno... I loved how his protective instincts kicked in when Satira was in danger - very, very sexy.

My one complaint:  Not enough information as to the world building.  Are the Bloodhounds part of or separate from the Army?  What kind of men to they accept to be Bloodhounds and how are they created?  It also sounds like there's an interesting backstory to the vampire situation but we don't know what it is.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, Hunter's Prey, which centers around one of the Bloodhounds we meet in Wilder's Mate, Hunter, and Ophelia, who we meet only briefly.  Hunter has an interesting story in Wilder's Mate and I'm curious to read more about him.

My Rating:

Book received from the author.

Review: Cipher by Moira Rogers

Cipher 
~Moira Rogers 

Format: e-book 
File Size: 449 KB 
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 
Publish Date: September 6, 2011 
Language: English 
ASIN: B00530J3AA

From the author's website:
Fourteen months ago, Kat Gabriel's life changed forever when she used her empathy as a weapon. Now she can't escape the weight of those deaths--or the loss of the easy friendship she and Andrew once shared. Obsessed with her mother's violent past, Kat is determined to learn the truth of her inner-darkness by understanding her legacy.

 Since the attack that turned him into a wolf, Andrew Callaghan has done everything possible to make himself stronger. More capable of protecting Kat--both from the supernatural world that forced her to kill, and from their own volatile connection. Pushing her away hurt them both, but he's finally made himself into the protector she needs.

 As Kat's quest leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is determined to be at her side. But every step forward reopens old emotional wounds and shakes their control. For a dangerous alpha and a deadly psychic, distraction could be fatal--especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.

Kat Gabriel is a powerful psychic - she can feel other people's emotions as well as project emotion into others.  She knows her mother also shared this gift, and was involved in some questionable practices that may have resulted in her death.  Kat is even stronger than her mother though, and fears her powers will affect Kat like they did her mother; to that end, she is looking into her mother's past to try to find out where things went wrong.

Andrew Callaghan is a "turned" werewolf - he was not born this way.  Fourteen months ago he was attacked trying to save Kat.  New werewolves are very unpredictable, and with Andrew's strength, he knew that to protect Kat he had to stay away from her.  Neither of them are happy about it, but they both accept that that's the way things are.  There had been an attraction between them before the attack, and it hasn't gone away.

When Kat needs some help tracking down a lead from her mother's past, Andrew ends up going along to assist.  When Kat is almost killed, Andrew cannot overcome his instincts to protect her.  Together they  uncover a mysterious cult and battle for Kat's safety.

My thoughts:
I have been waiting for Kat and Andrew's story for what feels like forever; it was totally worth the wait!  In Deadlock, the authors tease us up with bits of Kat and Andrew's story, and in Cipher they BRING IT!!!

Cipher is a super-sexy psychological thriller.  Without giving spoilers, Moira Rogers doesn't pull any punches in this 4th installment of their Southern Arcana series - things are still unsettled in the political heirachy of the shifter world, old friends from previous books in the series are suffering, and this new threat that Kat uncovers is ruthless and will stop at nothing to attain their goal.

Because Kat is a psychic, a large portion of  the book is mental - thoughts, feelings, emotions - but it's definitely not passive.  Cipher is full of action - both the kick ass kind of action and sexy kind of action.  Kat and Andrew are both killing machines and worry about accidentally hurting the other by not being in control of their powers.  If they want to be together they must learn to trust each other and themselves.  I absolutely loved the way Kat and Andrew work through their relationship issues in the bedroom *wiggles eyebrows*.

Cipher hit all the right buttons for me:  An exciting mystery with creepy delusional bad guys, sexy and strong hero/heroine who compromise and work together, a few plot twists that I didn't see coming, and revisiting characters from previous books.  This series just keeps getting better and better!

 My Rating:

Book provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Winners!!!

The month of May is kicking my ass - I'm so sorry I'm a bit behind on the contest winners. Using Random.org (for the first time - I can't believe how simple it is!!), the winners are:

The winner of the Chloe Neill Cadogan House prize pack is:

Comment #34: A Buckeye Girl Reads

_________________________

The winner of the first three e-books in Moira Rogers' Southern Arcana series is:

Comment #28: Chris S

(An e-mail has been sent to the winners.)

If you didn't win, don't get discouraged:
I'm currently giving away two copies of Moonglass
by YA author Jessi Kirby - click here to enter!!!

Moira Rogers is killing me!!! (and a giveaway)

Moira Rogers has put up the first three chapters of Cipher!!! I have big love for this series and feel like I've been waiting for Kat and Andrew's story foreverrrrrrr. (Is there a whiny font? 'Cause that's what I'm doing) Cipher doesn't come out in e-book until September 6, so these chapters are going to have to hold me until then. Actually, there's a prologue too, so really it's almost like getting four chapters!!! Whee!!!

Fourteen months ago, Kat Gabriel's life changed forever when she used her empathy as a weapon. Now she can't escape the weight of those deaths--or the loss of the easy friendship she and Andrew once shared. Obsessed with her mother's violent past, Kat is determined to learn the truth of her inner-darkness by understanding her legacy.

Since the attack that turned him into a wolf, Andrew Callaghan has done everything possible to make himself stronger. More capable of protecting Kat--both from the supernatural world that forced her to kill, and from their own volatile connection. Pushing her away hurt them both, but he's finally made himself into the protector she needs.

As Kat's quest leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is determined to be at her side. But every step forward reopens old emotional wounds and shakes their control. For a dangerous alpha and a deadly psychic, distraction could be fatal--especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.

I don't want to suffer the wait alone I'm so excited that I want to share, so I'm giving away Moira Rogers' Southern Arcana e-books: Crux, Crossroads, and Deadlock (aren't the covers gorgeous?):




To enter, leave a comment telling me why you like shape shifters, along with a way to contact you. Following not required but always appreciated. Contest ends May 15.

Moira Rogers Wild Web Adventure Promo

Want to win a brand new Wi-Fi Kindle 3? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, and you can have your chance! For more chances to win, visit the main contest page. Every participating blog you visit gives you another chance to win!

This post is part of Moira Rogers’ Wild Web Adventure Promo. For full rules and disclaimers, or to hold your own kindle contest, visit the contest post here or click the image above. Winners will be chosen during the first week of April.

Wilder's Mate
~Moira Rogers

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 487 KB
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (March 8, 2011)
Publish Date: March 8, 2011
ASIN: B004KKYX9A

Wilder Harding is a bloodhound, created by the Guild to hunt down and kill vampires on America’s frontier. His enhanced abilities come with a high price: on the full moon, he becomes capable of savagery beyond telling, while the new moon brings a sexual hunger that borders on madness.

Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is just another assignment, though one with an added complication–keeping his hands off the man’s pretty young apprentice, who insists on tagging along.

At odds with polite society, Satira’s only constant has been the aging weapons inventor who treats her like a daughter. She isn’t going to trust Wilder with Nathaniel’s life, not when the Guild might decide the old man isn’t worth saving. Besides, if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that brains are more important than brawn.

As the search stretches far longer than Wilder planned, he finds himself fighting against time. If Satira is still at his side when the new moon comes, nothing will stop him from claiming her. Worse, she seems all too willing. If their passion unlocks the beast inside, no one will be safe. Not even the man they’re fighting to save.

Warning: This book contains a crude, gun-slinging, vampire-hunting hero who howls at the full moon and a smart, stubborn heroine who invents mad-scientist weapons. Also included: wild frontier adventures, brothels, danger, betrayal and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.

Review: Deadlock by Moira Rogers

Deadlock
~Moira Rogers

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 972 KB
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Publish Date: January 4, 2011
ASIN: B004C44OXO


From the author's website:
Abandoned by her wolf shifter father and raised by her human psychic mother, Carmen Mendoza can't deny she's different. She craves things most women shy away from--and she has a trail of shapeshifting ex-boyfriends to prove it.

Working at a clinic for supernatural creatures, she's escaped the notice of her father's legacy-obsessed family. Until they need a pawn in their bid for power. Snared by a vicious spell designed to wake her inner wolf, Carmen's only hope is to trust the one man strong enough to soothe her darkest instincts.

Alec Jacobson was once the heir apparent to the wolves' ruling elite, until he walked away to marry the woman he loved. She paid with her life. He lives as a rebel, a black-sheep alpha who protects the supernatural residents of New Orleans from the wolves' barbaric class system. Too bad he can't protect himself from his need for Carmen.

Yet staking his claim on his enemy's niece will turn his city into a battleground. Unless he can find a way to stop breaking the rules--and start making them.

Warning: This book contains a renegade alpha wolf, a smart empathic doctor, very dirty sex with psychic safe-words, the occasional dominance game in and out of the bedroom, and a group of supernatural citizens ready to take on the corrupt leaders of their world.

If this book is any indication of the rest of my reads in 2011, I am going to be a happy, happy girl this year - Deadlock kicked ass!!

I have been a fan of Moira Rogers' Southern Arcana series since the first book, Crux. Deadlock, book 3 in the series, is my favorite so far:

Alec Jacobson is about as Alpha as they come - he's the unofficial leader of the New Orleans area "pack", and a lot of people rely on him to keep things running without interference from the official pack hierarchy up in New York. In previous books he's been a bit gruff, tough, and bad-ass, but you know he's got a heart of gold. In Deadlock we see some of Alec's past... we learn he was married to a human, and she died because of it. He hasn't really gotten over it, and pushes himself to protect the supernaturals in New Orleans so that they can live and love like he didn't get to do.

Carmen Mendoza is a doctor who is new to New Orleans - she's come to work in the supernatural hospital. She's half-werewolf and an empath. She's also got a very power-hungry father and uncle, and they're disappointed that they haven't been able to marry her off to another powerful werewolf family. When she refuses to meet their latest potential suitor, they decide to take matters into their own hands using powerful, dangerous magic.

Alec's protective instincts go into overdrive to save Carmen, and when she's near him she feels safe. The heat between them is scorching hot; I love that a 44-year-old man and a 30-something woman get to have this amazing, sexy, primal romance.

I also felt like this book did a great job of focusing on the rest of the supernatural community, both in and outside of New Orleans. Political issues that we've been watching in the first two books come to a head and I am love-, love-, loving where that storyline is going.

I can't do a proper review without mentioning Andrew and Kat. OMG I need their story NOW!!! Their pain and desire leaped off the page. I want these two to get an HEA so badly!

The combination of the love story, the political machinations, and Andrew and Kat's yearning storyline made for a fabulous read! When I wasn't reading Deadlock I was wondering about the characters; I love it when a book grabs me like that.

I know this review has been all over the place; I feel like I'm pointing in every direction and saying "how cool is this", and "look at that", and "check this out", "and this too!", but there were so many good things going on!

I'll leave you with this little fun thing: One of the locations in Deadlock is Algiers Point, a small neighborhood on the Westbank of New Orleans. I've lived in Algiers for over 20 years, and for many of those years lived 2 blocks away from Lavergne Street, which is specifically mentioned in the book. In addition, Alec mentions that "they've got someone in the 4th", which is where one of my brothers works. You know as soon as I read that I wanted to call him and ask him which of his co-workers he thought was a werewolf! So those things took an already great read and made it a bit more fun for me ;)

I do recommend reading Crux and Crossroads, the first two books in the series, before reading Deadlock. It can be read as a stand-alone, but will be much more enjoyable if you know all the background players and their history.

My Rating:

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Winner - A Safe Harbor by Moira Rogers!

Congratulations to Lucy who won a digital copy of Moira Rogers' A Safe Harbor! I've sent you an e-mail and forwarded your info to Moira Rogers.

Many thanks to everyone who entered and to Moira Rogers for providing a copy of their book! Don't forget to stop by their amazing contest - enter here

Giveaway - A Safe Harbor by Moira Rogers!!

Win a copy of A Safe Harbor by Moira Rogers!

Find out how it all began...

During the bite of the Great Depression, sole female dominant Joan Fuller struggles against the rise of cruelty among her alpha counterparts. The men tolerate her interference--until she breaks from the pack and allies with a witch and a vampire. Now the Boston alpha intends to bring them all forcibly back into the fold--and teach her a lesson she may not survive.

Seamus Whelan and his werewolf bootleggers intend to retire from smuggling and savor their fortune, but first they must do a favor for an old friend: escort some female wolves to safety. An easy job, if their leader wasn't a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself. Chance makes them allies; powerful need makes them lovers.

Together, they have the opportunity to build a sanctuary for their kind, but first they must free themselves from Joan's past, and the powerful man who would see her destroyed.

_______________________

I think you know I'm a huge Moira Rogers fangirl; their werewolves are amazing! A Safe Harbor is the first book in the series - the second book, Undertow, comes out this month! These books are a prequel to their Red Rock Pass books.

This contest is a part of Moira Rogers' & Vivian Arend's Fall Frenzy Event. For your chance to win books, gift certificates, ereaders and more, visit http://www.moirarogers.com/contests/

Leave a comment with your e-mail address for a chance to win a digital copy of A Safe Harbor! Contest ends October 13.

Blogiversary Day 4: Fangirl squees and a SIGNED copy of Crux by Moira Rogers

I think you all know I have a weakness for shapeshifters and books set in New Orleans. When I stumbled across Moira Rogers' Crux, Book 1 of their Southern Arcana series, I was thrilled - this book had both! I read it (devoured it is probably more accurate) and have been hooked on Moira Rogers' books ever since. I also love their Red Rock Pass series, and read two of their unrelated short stories -Last Call-Kamikazee and Under the Magnolia - both were great. Something about their wolves draws me in, and their Southern Arcana wolves especially appeal to me. Maybe the fact that they live in New Orleans makes them seem a bit more "real". Do I imagine running into them during the course of my day? I'll never tell. These hot, sexy wolves are interesting to read and it's so easy to get lost in their magical world.

When I heard Crux was going to be available in print version, I was thrilled! I confess I don't usually re-read books on my kindle - I don't know why. Crux is a book I want to re-read, and now I have a copy on my shelf next to my bed :)

From the Author's website:
Jackson Holt makes a decent living as a private investigator in New Orleans, home of one of the largest underground supernatural populations in the United States. He and his partners have never met a case they couldn't crack...until a local bar owner asks him to do a little digging on her newest hire.

New Orleans is the fourth destination in as many months for Mackenzie Brooks, a woman on the run from a deranged stalker. After all, any man who shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her destined lover has more than a few screws loose. But crazy doesn't explain why he always finds her no matter how far she runs.

When her well-meaning boss puts a PI on her case, Mackenzie comes face to face with the incredible truth: magic is real, and whatever spell has kept her hidden and separate from the paranormal world is rapidly deteriorating.

With time running out, she has no choice but to trust Jackson as he struggles to uncover the truth of her past-and her destiny.

___________________________

Want to win a SIGNED copy of Crux, Book 1 in the Southern Arcana Series?

Here's the deets:
Open to all but you MUST follow this blog.

Answer this question/statement: Name an author you "discovered" through blogging!

+1 tweet (leave link)
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+3 put my button on your blog (It's cute!)

Ends July 1 at midnight central time.

Moira Rogers Vampire Lumberjack vs. Werewolf Bootleggers Kindle Contest!

Moira Rogers is celebrating the release of Sanctuary Unbound (available now! My review here) and A Safe Harbor (on sale July 13) with a fabulously fun contest! Leave a comment on any of the participating blogs (list here) and you could win a kindle or one of several gift certificates to your favorite bookstore!

So, Team Vampire Lumberjack or Team Werewolf Bootlegger? If you read my review of Sanctuary Unbound, you know I lurve Adam, the vampire lumberjack...BUT...I'm going to have to go with Team Werewolf Bootlegger. Why? Four words:

I have cold feet.

That's right - I don't see a vampire warming me up at night. Hubs already asks me if I'M a vampire, I don't need another one lowering my body temperature even more :) As an added bonus: He's a bootlegger ----->Free drinks!

So, what are you waiting for? Leave a comment for your chance to win a kindle (and visit the contest page for more participating blogs)! Which team are you - Lumberjack Vampire or Bootlegger Werewolf?


Disclaimer Text:

This post is a part of Moira Rogers’ Creature Feature Kindle Throwdown Contest. By leaving a (meaningful) comment, you will be entered to win a Kindle from Amazon.com, or an alternate grand prize of $275 to spend at an online book retailer. For a full list of rules and more ways to win, visit the contest page.

Review: Sanctuary Unbound by Moira Rogers

From the author's website:
New England is ideal for vampire Adam Dubois. His cozy home in the Great North Woods reminds him of a happier time when werewolves and witches were stuff of legends, and he was a simple lumberjack.

Hiding from past failures has worked for over eighty years, but a life debt owed to the Red Rock alpha has forced him to leave his retreat--and come face to face with a woman who challenges and tempts him on every level.

Hiding secrets is a lonely business, and Cindy Shepherd is lonely with a capital L. Red Rock isn't exactly crawling with available men, but her interest in the mystery-shrouded new vampire in town seems mutual. After all, it's only sex--there's no danger he'll dig deep enough to unleash the demons of her past.

Casual flirtation turns deadly serious when Adam discovers that the vampire plaguing Red Rock is using his mistakes as a road map. When it comes to his life, he knows Cindy has his back. But in order to secure the future, they both must trust each other with more--even if it means sacrificing themselves to save everything they hold dear.




I just finished reading this book, and wow, just, wow! I've read the previous three books in this series and enjoyed them very much; Sanctuary Unbound, Book 4 in the Red Rock Pass series is my new favorite.

As the book opens, Cindy Shepherd is taking care of the pack Alpha, Gavin, who's just had his 3rd heart attack. Gavin knows he's sick, and he's waiting for Keith to come back from Bedagi Creek, where he's wrapped up events from book three and is on his way home to Red Rock - and he's bringing a vampire. Cindy is the Pack doctor. We met her in the previous books but don't know much about her except that she was Dylan's ex-girlfriend in Sanctuary's Price.

Adam Dubois is the infamous flannel-wearing lumberjack vampire I've been hearing so much about. We met him in Sanctuary's Price, where he helped Dylan and Joe overcome a sadistic vampire who almost killed that local pack. He's come to Red Rock to help his old friend Gavin protect his pack from another threat.

Events from book 3 have led to an eventual showdown with another vampire who's stealing werewolf magic to try to take over Red Rock. With the help of Sasha, their resident witch (and heroine from book 3), Adam is going to try to save Red Rock.

I loved this book! From the opening scene, things were all action: There are some shifts in the pack heiarchy, and changes are coming in future books that I think will break my heart. Our heroes/heroines from the previous books are all present and very busy - Gavin and Sam are dealing with their own issues as well as trying to keep the pack safe. Keith has recovered, and he and Abby, along with Dylan and Sasha, are busy helping prepare for the attack. Joe and Brynn are still dealing with Brynn's wolfy issues.

Cindy and Adam have a chemistry that is undeniable. As soon as Adam pulls into town and sees Cindy, he knows he's in trouble. There's instant attraction on both sides, but they both fight it; they each have difficult histories but become closer as they decide to trust each other and talk out their issues. At first they agreed to get together because they were both lonely and attracted to each other but gradually realized they had so much more than just lust in common. They talked and shared and grew into so much more than bedmates. There was a scene at the end of the fight scene that had me holding my breath - Adam's love for Cindy is almost overwhelming.

The fight scene - oh, the fight scene! Moira Rogers wrote the hell out of the fight scene - I could visualize the whole thing in my mind's eye from start to finish. Cindy is definitely not a shrinking violet, and this flannel-wearing vampire was both glorious and terrifying in action. The two of them together are going to be a force to be reckoned with.

I give Sanctuary Unbound 4 1/2 stars!

Sanctuary Unbound is avialable for purchase June 1, 2010.

This book was provided to me by the author free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

We've Got Time For A Quickie: Kamikaze by Moira Rogers

I have a confession to make: I love shapeshifter stories wherein their shifter nature causes them to have uncontrollable mating urges. Not sure if that makes me a freak or not, but if so I'll let that flag fly. Kamikaze was one of the books offered during All Romance's Earth Day e-book giveaway promotion. I'd been wanting to check out this series so I was delighted when it came up for free!

Zoe Bennett is a werewolf who's looking for a temporary mate to ease the discomfort of her mating cycle. She's a relatively new werewolf and doesn't really know how to handle it herself, so she goes to Last Call, a supernatural bar where your drink order tells everyone what you're looking for.

Zoe orders a Kamikaze, and as soon as she belts it down, she's surrounded by interested men. She's only interested in one man though - Conor O'Malley, the IT guy who's there to update the bar's security system.

This book was short and super sexy. Kamikaze definitely delivered smokin' sex, hot werewolf mating instincts, and a sneakily romantic storyline. Zoe was just the right amount of naive about her wolf but her mating cycle was kicking her ass and making her do things she normally wouldn't do with a stranger. Connor was a sexy nerd and a more experienced werewolf who was more than happy to guide her through it.

One of the things I love about Moira Rogers' writing is the romantic tension. This book is a bit different because it just jumps right into the good stuff, and I loved it! If you look up " fun sexy werewolf short story" in the dictionary, this book is what you would find. I gave Kamikaze 4 stars!

Review: Sanctuary's Price by Moira Rogers

Sanctuary's Price is the third book in Moira Rogers' Red Rock Pass Series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series and this book did not disappoint

Dylan Gennaro is a werewolf who's been alone for most of the last 10 years. He knows from previous experience that getting involved with anyone only leads to them getting hurt, literally. After a desperate escape from Alan Matthews, his former ruthless pack Alpha, Dylan just wants to fix up a house and live peacefully in Red Rock.

Sasha Wallace is a witch. Her mentor was killed by Matthews because Matthews wanted Sasha for himself. Before she was rescued however, Matthews inflicted scars both physical and mental, and those take a long time to heal. Sasha knows things could have been much worse and feels she owes a debt to the Red Rock Pack for rescuing her.

When a werewolf comes back into town showing evidence of a vampire attack, the Red Rock Alpha decides to send Dylan and Sasha to Maine to call in a debt from a friend - a vampire friend. While Dylan and Sasha meet with the vampire, their pack-mates, Joe and Brynn, are tasked with checking out the local werewolf pack, as there have been hints of trouble. Little do they know what kind of trouble is waiting for them. I liked the fact that we get to see how Brynn is progressing since the end of Sanctuary Lost. Her situation was fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.

Dylan and Sasha' story was sweet and sexy. They both had issues to work through as a result of being under Alan Matthew's "rule" and I like that Moira Rogers didn't sugarcoat their issues and go straight to a HEA. Their insecurities were realistic and the potential conflicts resulting from their issues made for believable characters. Dylan is not Alpha but his werewolf instincts were very, very sexy. When Dylan tells Sasha, "I'm not like the alphas. I don't want your submission. I just want your pleasure.", I almost melted. The sexual tension between these two left burn marks on my kindle!

In this story we also meet a certain flannel-wearing lumberjack vampire who's apparently got an interesting history; I believe we'll see more of him in the next book, Sanctuary Unbound. I give Sanctuary's Price 4/5 stars!

This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

In Which My Nerdiness Shows Again....

Remember when you were a teenager and you'd have "a song"? That song that just totally got how you are as a couple?

Well, I'm way past teenager (although hubs and I do have a song) so now I listen to songs and think "that song is perfect for -insert character names here-". Yes, lame, I know. Keeping in mind I don't really watch TV and definitely don't watch music videos (cuts into my reading time!!), so I don't know if the videos are weirdly inappropriate for my couples.

Here's a few:

Cat and Bones (Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress Series):






Richard from Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series (in her later books):







Charlaine Harris' Eric and Sookie (after the blood bond):






Jace from Rachel Vincent's Shifter series:






Moira Rogers' Derek and Nick (Crossroads - right before Nick goes to NY):






Megan Hart's Dan and Emme from Dirty:






And Ilona Andrews' Kate and Curran (in this song I see Kate talking and Curran imagining Kate dancing around his Bimbo Room to the music):



So anyway, that's my short list; hope you liked it!

Review: Crosssroads by Moira Rogers

Crossroads is the follow-up to Crux, and is the 2nd book in Moira Roger's Southern Arcana series. I thoroughly enjoyed Crux (my review here), and and have been looking forward to this book.

Nicole Peyton (Nick) is a bar owner in New Orleans. She's also a werewolf - not just any shapeshifter but the daughter of the New York Alpha. She's made her home in New Orleans to escape the politics of werewolf society in New York. Derek Gabriel was a regular guy with supernatural relatives until he was turned into a werewolf two years ago. He was attracted to Nick before he was turned, but since he was turned hasn't acted on those feelings because he's not sure he can control his "wolfy" urges and is afraid he'll hurt her. There's also the problem of who her father is - in this Southern Arcana world, the werewolf heirachy is very defined: natural-born werewolves consider "made" werewolves to be second-class citizens, and the governing body (Conclave) is like royalty. So naturally Derek's a bit intimidated because he's a nobody and Nick is "royalty". Nick is frustrated because she thinks Derek doesn't like her and doesn't understand Derek's reasons for not acting on his feelings for her.

As Derek and Nick finally start to act on their feelings towards each other, Nick's twin-sister Michelle and her guardian/boyfriend Aaron literally show up on her doorstep. Michelle and Aaron are in trouble with the Conclave; Nick knows the Conclave will send someone to hunt for them and knows she must do anything she can to help her twin. Nick gets her sister into hiding and decides she has to go to New York to try to save her sister and Aaron. She and Derek are also dealing with their feelings and urges for each other. The interactions between Nick and Derek were so sweet (and sexy!), and the scenes between the two of them when Nick went to New York were heartbreaking. The ending had a twist or two I didn't see coming, but was satisfying and made me smile.

This book was fast paced right up until the end - there was a lot going on. My only problem was that I couldn't keep all the secondary characters straight as far as supernatural/human and friend/relative/coworker. That was my difficulty with Crux as well, but I think it's probably just a reflection on the fact that I can't keep names straight in real life either.

I give Crossroads 4.5/5 stars - it was an enjoyable read and I'm hoping there will be more books in this series; several of the secondary characters have stories I'd love to read about. Crossroads goes on sale February 9, 2010.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cry Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

Recently, I read Crux by Moira Rogers, and really liked it. When the opportunity to read Cry Sanctuary, the first book in the Red Rock Pass series rose, I jumped on it! Before I read Cry Sanctuary, I read the free prequel, Becoming, which tells how the pack alphas, Gavin and Sam, met 40 years ago. Sam escaped from a viscious Alpha, Alan Matthews, and came to Gavin's pack for Sanctuary. (We also get a tiny peek of Keith as a child.)

Cry Sanctuary is Abby and Keith's story. Abigail Adler's life has been turned upside down in the last month. She had a normal life and friends, until the night she met Alan Matthews. She knew something was not right when her friend Dylan seemed uncomfortable with her meeting Alan. A few nights later, she's a werewolf in Alan's pack. Alan is a ruthless, abusive pack leader with no conscience. Dylan is one of his wolves, but not a dominant one, and he feels like Abby's turn to wolf is his fault. He suprises everyone by helping her escape to Gavin's pack for sanctuary. They're attacked on the way to Sanctuary by thugs from Alan's pack but are saved by two of Gavin's enforcers - Keith Winston and Joe Mitchell. After arriving at their temporary lodgings, Abby finds herself drawn to Keith but she doesn't know why. He calms her.

Alan hadn't given Abby any guidance about being a werewolf. She doesn't know any of the rules, and has only changed once but doesn't remember much of it. Gavin's pack assigns all new werewolves a Guide, to teach and help with the transition from human to werewolf. The Guide must be stronger than the initiate, and Abby is pretty Alpha; Devyn can't handle her so they know she must pick someone else. Abby wants Kevin to be her Guide, but he wants to make sure she understands what is involved and that he is the one she really wants; there are usually intense emotions and sex involved. We learn throughout the story that Keith had a mate who was killed and for that reason he is taking it extra slowly with Abby.

Right before their guide bonding ceremony, Abby gets an anonymous letter with a picture ofher sister - Alan has kidnapped her sister, Brynn, and is holding her hostage to make Abby return! Keith knows Abby is going to go and decides he has to help her. He enlists the help of his friend Joe, and they head out to rescue Brynn without telling Gavin, because to do so would incite pack wars. Will Alan let Brynn go? Is he going to kill her? Turn her into a werewolf? What's going to happen when they get back to Sanctuary and Gavin finds out what they've done?

I really liked this book. If this was a real town I'd like to live there and hang out with Gavin and Sam and the gang. I liked Abby and Keith, and I also liked Joe and Dylan. Joe and Dylan each had tender moments in the story that made me go "awww" and I wanted more of them! I think Joe's story is next and I can't wait to read it. I'm curious to see if we find out in Book 2 what happened to Alan. This book had a few different storylines going on and Moira Rogers (Bree and Donna) did a great job showing the possible outcomes of each situation as it happened and making you wonder what comes next.

There's another free short story after this book, The Little Things, about Gavin and Sam, and we get another glimpse of Keith as a child. It was very sweet. I've already got book 2, Sanctuary Lost, on my laptop and ready to read! Sanctuary's Price, the third book in the series (Dylan's story) was released this week.

I've said it before, I don't know why but if an author writes multiple series I stick with the one I like and don't read any of the others. Moira Rogers is an exception to that rule; I like both their Southern Aracana and Red Rock Pass series.


Disclaimer: This book was provided by the Publisher, Samhain Publishing Ltd., for review.

Crux by Moira Rogers

I honestly cannot remember how I came across Moira Rogers' website, but I'm so glad I did. I really liked this book!

Mackenzie is on the run from a crazy ex-boyfriend. The problem is, no matter where she goes, he keeps finding her and trying to bring her back. He's really crazy - he keeps telling her she's a cougar and is going to be the mother of his cubs; what a weirdo!

She ends up running to New Orleans and working in a bar there, where unbeknownst to her the owner and several patrons are shapeshifters. The bar owner, Nicole (Nick), asks a friend, Jackson, to follow Mackenzie home from work to see if she's okay. Nick suspects Mackenzie is a shapeshifter but can't confirm it, and is worried she's hiding from someone/something. Mackenzie detects Jackson tailing her, and when he sees the hellhole she's living in he brings her back to stay at the empty apartment over the bar. The next morning, as Mackenzie is getting ready to skip town again, Jackson tries to stop her but they are attacked by a werewolf and a magician. Jackson is able to fight them off (he's not what he appears to be) and brings Mackenzie back to his place where they talk about magic and shapeshifters and whether or not Mackenzie might be a shapeshifter. She's 23 and has never shifted, which is very strange if she is a shapeshifter.

Someone ransacks Jackson's house, and once they figure out who is really after Mackenzie they take off to see Jackson's magic mentor; they need more information to keep her safe. Mackenzie ends up captive and the bad guy is pretty formidable (and crazy).

As I mentioned above, I really enjoyed this book. Jackson and Mackenzie's quest to find the truth and escape the ex was action packed right up to the end. The romantic relationship was believable and I enjoyed their interactions together. The secondary characters were good, although towards the end there were a lot of names to keep up with.

I'm ready to read book 2 - Crossroads, although I don't see a release date yet. Crux is available by e-book at Samhain and will be coming out in print in January 2010. I think I may give her Red Rock Pass books a try as well.