Blood Ritual by L. Rosario

Title:  Blood Ritual

Author:  L. Rosario

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date:  2006

Genre:  Paranormal/Vampire

Length:  23 pages

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Rating: 3.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: Oral

Reviewer:  Starla Kaye

Date: 10-10-10

Dante has never given his name to anyone in his coven, never trusted anyone enough. Yet when the woman to become his queen asks it of him, he must decide exactly how much he loves and trusts her.

This story was very short and sensually erotic. There wasn’t a lot of character development, but both main characters faced a significant conflict. My wish is that the story had been longer to let the reader better understand the characters and what had led to this moment. It felt a bit rushed.

Sundae Surprise by DC Juris

Title:  Sundae Surprise (Dream Come True)

Author: D C Juris

Publisher:  Breathless Press

Publication Date:  2010

ISBN:  978-1-926771-59-5

Genre:  Contemporary/GLBT

Length:  15 pages

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Author Email: website contact

Rating: 4.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: M/M, sex games

Reviewer: Starla Kaye

Date: 10-12-10

Oh my! Get out a fan to read this one!

Dean has been looking forward to having a day to himself with his roommate gone, planning a little “special fun private time.” He is a sexually frustrated gay man living with a straight man he has the hots for. Even more frustrating, his roommate comes home unexpectedly and…

Rick is bi and thought his roommate of three years knew it and just wasn’t interested in him. But there is no time like the present to fix that misunderstanding.

For a very short story, this was hot, hot, hot and fun as well.

Lucky Stiff by Tonia Brown

Title: Lucky Stiff

Author: Tonia Brown

Publisher: Library of Erotic Horror Press

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 9781452833972

Genre: Paranormal/Zombie

Length: Novel (222 pgs)

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Rating: 4.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: Oral, anal

Reviewer: S, K. Fero

Date: 9-13-10

Oh, the problems a man…well, a zombie…can have! A never-ending erection, the ability to have endless sex, an inability to have an orgasm, and yet capable of giving any woman incredible sex. It is hard to feel sorry for such an undead man.

Peter Lyles went on spring break with friends one year and died. But then his friends decided to take him to a Voodoo Madam, and he came back to a life of sorts—as a zombie. He struggles adjusting to his new “life” filled with an insatiable appetite for sex, which keeps him from having to exist on satisfying a zombie’s need for human flesh.

The story is told from Peter’s point of view and well done. I didn’t expect to like the character, but I did. He is so different from what a reader expects of a zombie character. He’s a troubled young man, alive or undead. He struggles with internal and external conflicts and he tries to find some kind of happiness. Amazingly, he does. But you will have to read the story to find out how.

Mystic U: Final Exams by Julia Talbot

Title: Mystic U: Final Exams

Author: Julia Talbot

Publisher: Changeling Press

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-60521-473-3

Genre: Paranormal/Werewolves

Length: Short Novella

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Author Email: juliatalbot@gmail.com

Rating: 4 Diamonds

Heat Level: Spicy

Other: Ménage, bisexual

Reviewer: S. K. Fero

Date: 9-21-10

Book three in the Mystic U series. It would be good to read the first two books that set up the ménage relationship, but not absolutely necessary.

The Wolf Creek pack of werewolves is being threatened and the pack alpha, Logan, is gearing up to go after the rogue werewolf responsible. He is worried about everyone, especially Danny, Lee, and Heather who are attending Mystic U. While worrying about their safety, a prissy professor comes to see Logan to warn him away from handling the situation in what she sees as the wrong way. He’s annoyed with her, and yet…

Allie realizes she has made a mistake in trying to reason with the pack alpha leader. But it is more than his unwillingness to accept her reasoning that worries her. She’s never been drawn to alphas, until now, and she really doesn’t want to be now.

The characters are fairly well developed in this story, but I’m sure if you read the first two books, you would understand more of their background. The plot clearly continues from the other books. Yet this book was enjoyable by itself.

Badge Bunny by Cynthia Sax

Title:  Protect and Serve: Badge Bunny

Author:  Cynthia Sax

Publisher:  Changeling Press

Publication Date:  2010

ISBN:  978-1-60521-476-4

Genre:  Paranormal/Shifters

Length: Short Novella

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Author Email: Cynthia@cynthiasax.com

Rating: 5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Sensual

Other: Oral

Reviewer:  Starla Kaye

Date:  10-6-10

Vampires vs. rabbit shifters and a genetically enhanced bad-ass cop…I loved it!

Officer Drake is Supercop with no intention of settling down with any one woman. But Hunny Lapin enters this bad boy’s life and all hell breaks loose.

Hunny Lapin is a bunny shifter and has gotten herself in big time trouble. She needs Drake’s help, although she really wants Supercop for more than just his cop abilities.

This is one of the best short stories I’ve read in a while. I love a tough guy with attitude and Drake definitely has that. I love a tough guy with a soft heart, he has that as well. And Hunny…a rabbit shifter…what great fun! Add in some bad guys—vampires—out to get her and cause trouble in the city, plus her 300 some rabbit shifting relatives, and you have a nice twist on the good guys vs. bad guys plot line. And did I mention that it’s sexy, too?

Night Shadows by Lynnette Hallberg

 Title: Night Shadows                      

Author: Lynnette Hallberg

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 1-60154-832-X

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Length: 277

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Rating:  4 ½ diamonds     

Heat Level: sensual

Reviewer: Alicia Croft

Date: 10/10/10

Jazz singer, Torey Hart, has suffered two devastating blows in the past year.  First, she loses her mother to cancer, then her childhood home burns to the ground.  To top it off, New Orleans arson investigator, Jack Stevens, suspects her father of setting the fire.  Jack is instantly attracted to Torey but knows he should keep his distance because all the evidence points to her father.

While Torey and Jack trade verbal salvos and try to deal with their growing attraction, the real arsonist, a deranged killer holding a longtime grudge, stalks Torey as part of his plan to make her father suffer.  At first he merely leaves clues to taunt and torment her, but eventually he holds her hostage and tries to burn her alive.  When that attempt fails because Jack rescues her, the arsonist makes plans to take them both out once and for all.

This story oozes atmosphere like a film noir, but in flaming color.  Every description is filled with sensual detail, and the fast-paced plot has enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages.  The only problem I had was with the conflict between Torey and Jack.  Their circumstances should have provided for plenty of natural conflict, but in some scenes they whip-sawed back and forth between emotional extremes in a way that made them almost seem unbalanced.  Sometimes too much high drama sucked some of the true emotional power from the story.  All in all, however, it was a very enjoyable read.  

Blue Light Special by Mysti Holiday

Title:  Blue Light Special

Author:  Mysti Holiday

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date:  2010

Genre:  Contemporary

Length:  39 pages

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Rating: 4 Diamonds

Heat Level: Spicy

Other: Oral, masturbation

Reviewer:  S. K. Fero

Date: 10-11-10

Frustration reins in this short story. A woman tries to escape her protective brothers only to have another man, even more protective , invade her new life.

Karin Lattimer is annoyed. She has started a new life away from her over-protective brothers. Or so she thought until they asked a friend to keep an eye on her. Now she is annoyed with this cop who hangs around her no matter how much she tries to discourage him. Yet she is also drawn to the walking wet dream man.

Caleb Hawkes started out helping a friend, but he’s in over his head now. The young woman he has been asked to watch over wants her, bad. But he is a cop and he doesn’t think cops make good marriage partners.

I could feel the conflictive frustrations of both characters and found their story believable. The whole go-away-leave-me-alone desires of the heroine battled against her attraction to the hero. And the hero’s certainty that he couldn’t have a permanent relationship with the heroine because of his work battled against his desire to love her regardless of that belief.