After Twilight

"Masquerade" by Amanda Ashley: "Phantom of the opera" singer, Leanne, is drawn to the cop who watches the show every night. Jason Blackthorne has lived for 300 years an unwilling vampire. He is drawn to Leanne who resembles his long lost love. Will he choose death to save her from his hunger? or will she redeem his soul?

"Dark Dream" by Christine Feehan: This author just keeps getting better and better. "Dark Dream" is the latest installment of the Carpathian/vampire series Christine Feehan writes. This time, Falcon, a Carpathian 1000 years older than his prince, is finally coming home to look on the princes human converted lifemate. Falcon wants to know his life, deadicated to hunting down true vampires, has not been in vain; that their is hope for the Carpathian race. On his way, he comes across a human female that is being hunted by an ancient vampire. Can he save her? Or will she save him?

"Midnight Serenade" by Ronda Thompson: Stephanie shane, wildlife researcher, rescues a large wolf from illegal hunters. In the process of saving the wolf, she is bitten. Tracing the blood, she comes to Rick Donavans home..and no site of the wolf. There follows an internal struggle for Rick. He must choose to end his life to save her, or to take her as his lifelong were-mate. What will he choose?
Enjoy!

Thomsons Werewolf story is the most believable, moving and romantic of its type, unique as incredible as that seems, for this wolf-man is almost too human, and sexy is an understatement. I may never go back to mere human romances again. I hope this author keeps her unique edge and continues to breathe life into such marvelous character-driven stories.

Amanda Ashley creates a female antagonist, Leanne, who is a bit too incredible and perfect to believe in fully, plus annoyingly reluctant one minute, accepting too much too soon the next. Jason, not an imaginative name for a vampire from Europe, and Leanne go back and forth constantly--vowing to never see each other again, only to fall back into each others arms repeatedly--a tiring plot design of crisis and fulfillment that keeps irritatingly interrupting the readers escape into the story. This seems a lazy, template-driven way to create tension to me. Still, this is a sensual fantasy fairy tale that will satisfy almost any appetite, though the climax may seem effortful once its over. Ashley delivers on her promises predictably--Im still hoping to find an author who will surprise me with an unpredictable ending in this genre. I will peek at Ashleys other paranormals to see if shes a worthy new favorite author to explore fully.

Feehan satisfies completely with another fantastic book from her "Dark" series. Dark Dreams features a powerful ancient Carpathian guardian of his people, about to walk into the sun and end his existence. He has given up in his search of the Light lifemate who could save him from becoming the very evil he hunts and destroys. Same exact plot, just different names and details. We get exactly what we expect in Feehans Dark series, and the climactic moment, while even thrilling at times and eventually satisfying, gets as stale as monogamy in a loveless marriage after awhile. What makes up for that predictability is Feehans expert character development which makes us care about and love them like we would a chosen family. The humor is perfectly blended and laugh-out-loud hilarious. The romance and sensuality more fulfilling, detailed and REAL than any other in this genre. Still, the laziest phrase authors use in ALL of these novels, though gratefully Feehan uses it less than most, "he deepens the kiss", turns me off like a cold shower. Please authors and EDITORS, delete that phrase from your stories--it adds nothing to our knowledge of the characters or story, and is just unnecessary sloth.

It is exciting to read each authors different idea of what would make mythic monsters romantic and acceptable to the human characters and readers alike. Im addicted to this new-for-me genre because these authors DO make suspending reality fairly easy, an escape sorely needed in todays world of human monsters with no morals. Here instead, we are confronted with morally good creatures traditionally seen as monsters that are anything BUT. Thanks to these three authors for introducing me to a new source of pleasure--short novel length stories packed into a single-book bargain. I look forward to filling my selves with more books from all three! Like those potato chips we cant eat just one of, these stories are irresistable.