Review: Leopard's Prey by Christine Feehan (Leopard People #6)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 28th May 2013
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - From a tough stint in the armed forces to stalking the unknown as a bayou cop, leopard shifter Remy Boudreux has been served well by his uncanny gifts. And right now, New Orleans could use a homicide detective like Remy.

A serial killer is loose, snatching victims from the French Quarter with pitiless rage and unnatural efficiency. But something else is drawing Remy into the twilight - a beautiful jazz singer bathed, night after night, in a flood of blood-red neon.

Sultry, mysterious and as seductive as her songs, she's luring Remy deeper into the shadows than he ever imagined possible. And as their passions swell, his keen instinct for survival will be challenged like never before. By a killer - and by a woman.

My Thoughts - I have read a few books by this author and found them to be pretty hit and miss if I'm honest... a couple that I've read have been really good, while a couple of others have been just okay. And one of them I couldn't even finish, which is very rare for me. So I picked up this book with some trepidation, but luckily, this was one that I did enjoy... very much so in fact. And even though this is the sixth book in the series, I was easily able to read this one without any confusion at all even though I haven't read any of the previous books.

I really liked both of the main characters, Remy and Bijou. They are both strong and loyal, and I really felt for Bijou as I learnt more about her backstory. Remy has a few faults, such as his stubborn nature and the fact that he didn't always manage to do the right thing for Bijou despite his best intentions, but nothing that really made me dislike him. They just made his character more realistic. What did irritate me slightly was the fact that he always blames all of his bad points on his leopard! Every single time! I almost wanted to tell him to step up and take responsibility for his actions rather than falling back on his leopard as an excuse. And I believe that Bijou and his sister told him exactly that at one point in the book, which did make me laugh.

The chemistry between these two is just off the charts and when they do finally come together there are serious fireworks. If you're not a fan of things getting a little bit rough between the sheets then this may not be the book for you... but fortunately, things like that don't bother me at all. I felt that the balance between the romance and mystery elements of the story worked very well, but there was just one major problem that I had with this book. To me, it was immediately apparent who was behind the murders as soon as the character was introduced to the reader. I kept on reading in the hopes that the author would throw in some kind of twist and that maybe I was wrong... but no, that didn't happen.

Summary - A great plotline, with characters that are easy to fall in love with as well as some unbelievably hot sexy times. It was just let down by the mystery being so easy to solve. But even so, I still really enjoyed this one and will be looking for more books from this series.

Other books in this series:
1. The Awakening
2. Wild Rain
3. Burning Wild
4. Wild Fire
5. Savage Nature
6. Leopard's Prey

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Dark Hunger by Christine Feehan (Carpathians #14)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 2nd February 2012
Paperback - 115 pages (this is a novella that is included in Darkest at Dawn)
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Juliette is a beautiful activist devoted to the liberation of animals confined in a foul and humid jungle lab. But then she stumbles upon an unexpected prisoner unlike any she's ever seen. Or touched.

Riordan De La Cruz, an immortal Carpathian male, is trapped and caged, his desire for revenge only beginning. She will release him from his bonds. He will release her from her inhibitions. Both have voracious appetites that must be sated.

My Thoughts - I have never read any of the Carpathian series before but these books have been on my wishlist for a long time. So when I received this book for review I was very excited. I was slightly concerned that starting the series at number fourteen would leave me feeling confused, and in a way it did. I would have liked just a little bit more background information about who, or what, the Carpathians actually are. Riordan seemed to have all the characteristics of a vampire but he is a vampire hunter who has a vicious hatred of the species. I couldn't work out if the Carpathians and vampires are related in some way or if they are two completely different species. Because it was a novella I just don't think there was enough time to include as much information as a first-timer to the series would need. But, as this was my only complaint with Dark Hunger, I am definitely hoping to find out more about this in other books from the series.

The chemistry between Riordan and Juliette is evident from page one and I enjoyed reading about the progression of their relationship. Juliette is Riordan's destined lifemate so from the start he knows that he wants to be with her forever. But Juliette is very independent and she tries to ignore the attraction she feels at the start. Riordan is your typical sexy alpha-male who is used to getting exactly what he wants and I loved watching as he learns to be more patient and to put someone elses needs before his own.

As well as the romance aspect there is also a great deal of action when Juliette's sister is in trouble and Riordan and Juliette have to work together to get her back from the men who have captured her, which adds a great deal of excitement to the novella. Overall there is a good balance between giving the characters time to get to know each other, the romance and the action, making it a novella that is incredibly difficult to put down.

Summary - A very enjoyable novella that has definitely whet my appetite for more from this series.

Other books in this series:
1. Dark Prince
2. Dark Desire
3. Dark Gold
4. Dark Magic
5. Dark Challenge
6. Dark Fire
7. Dark Dream (Novella)
8. Dark Legend
9. Dark Guardian
10. Dark Symphony
11. Dark Descent (Novella)
12. Dark Melody
13. Dark Destiny
14. Dark Hunger (Novella)
15. Dark Secret
16. Dark Demon
17. Dark Celebration
18. Dark Possession
19. Dark Curse
20. Dark Slayer
21. Dark Peril
22. Dark Predator

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #9 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #6 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #13 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Sisters of the Heart #1)

Publisher - Piatkus Books
Publication Date - 29th July 2010
Paperback - 480 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - For Lev Prakenskii, the last thing he remembers is being lost in the swirling currents of the ocean and sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy off the coastal town of Sea Haven. Just as quickly, just as miraculously, he was saved – pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger – but Lev has no memory of who he was – or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. All he knows is that he fears for his life, and the life of his unexpected saviour. Her name is Rikki, a sea-urchin diver in the small town of Sea Haven. She always felt an affinity for the ocean and the seductive pull of the tides – and now, for the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger – each other’s tantalising secrets that will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

My Thoughts - This book is the first in the Sisters of the Heart series, but it is tied to another series written by Feehan – the Sea Haven series. Although there are quite a few references to events that happened in the other series, I did not have any trouble reading this book as a stand alone from the other series.

The biggest strength of this book is the way that Feehan is able to describe her characters and bring them to life. Rikki is a troubled young woman with a lot of problems.  She has had a tragic past but she also suffers from autism and has to live by her routines. She gets so overwhelmed by lights, sounds, people and deviations from this routine that at times she is not able to function. Feehan describes these breakdowns so well that you feel as if you are right inside Rikki’s head and you can’t help but feel for her. Lev has also had a tragic past and has been trained as a killer. Although he believes himself to be a bad man, he finds a different side to himself whenever he is around Rikki. You can really feel his pain as he tries to discover who he is, as well as who he would like to be.

The romance between these two characters is well written and believable. I have read quite a lot of paranormal romance books lately and it seems the norm that the main characters jump into bed with each other and then fall in love with each other later. However, in Water Bound, Rikki and Lev take time to get to know each other and give their love time to grow before starting a relationship. This just gave the book a more romantic feel than some others I have read recently. I also enjoyed reading about the psychic link between Rikki and Lev as this added a new dimension to their love for each other.

However, I wasn’t very impressed with the mystery part of the novel. They are both in danger from unknown sources and this should have brought in an element of intrigue and excitement. But I felt like this part of the story moved too slowly and I will admit to being bored during a few parts. Also, I just wasn’t happy with the way that the mystery part of the story was concluded. To me it felt a bit rushed and I found it a bit unbelievable, leaving me with a slightly unsatisfied feeling.

Summary - Despite my dissatisfaction with the mystery elements of Water Bound, I did still enjoy it and I am hoping to try more from this author soon.

Other books in this series:
1. Water Bound
2. Spirit Bound

Other reviews of this book:
Book Binge / Book Chick City / Smexy Books