L. H. (RyceQueen13) reviewed Hot Blooded: Dark Hunger / Awaiting Moonrise / The Night Owl / Seduction's Gift on + 83 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Four gorgeous nighttime predators bid farewell to bachelorhood in this uneven quartet of sensual paranormal romances. Surprisingly, Feehan's "Dark Hunger," depicting the romance between an immortal Carpathian and a spirited shape-shifter, is the weakest of the lot. Feehan struggles with the short form; she tries to cram everything she would normally put in a novelmultiple conflicts, a full cast of characters and an abundance of love scenesinto a mere 100 pages, and the result is a frenetic tale lacking emotional intensity, plausibility and focus. The stories improve progressively, however, with Shayne delivering a tightly wrought werewolf romance in "Awaiting Moonrise" and Holly offering a sexy, shockingly kinky romance ("The Night Owl") between a vampire and a smalltown baker. The most inventive of the four is "Seduction's Gift." Knight imagines a magical world where Magi, immortal champions of humankind commonly referred to as "witches" and "vampires," wield their powers to save humanity from itself. These immortal champions include the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere and the hero of this tale, Lord Lancelot du Lac, assassin and High Court seducer. All the stories suffer to some degree from an overabundance of lust and sex and a dearth of emotional connection, but fans of the genre aren't likely to mind.
Cherie (CheriePie) reviewed Hot Blooded: Dark Hunger / Awaiting Moonrise / The Night Owl / Seduction's Gift on + 149 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
For an anthology, all of these stories were surpisingly good and well-written.
"Dark Hunger" by Christine Feehan
This story takes place within Christine Feehan's Dark series and tells the story of Riordan de la Cruz and his lifemate Juliette. But Juliette has a secret identity of her own, as well as her own agenda protecting her sister and cousin. Definitely a romance but enough other action going on to hold my interest throughout.
"Awaiting Moonrise" by Maggie Shayne
Jenny Rose is a university professor who travels to the bayou of Louisiana to research tales of a possible unknown, and as yet undiscovered, species of mammal. But she meets up with the town's sexy (and single) doctor, whose interest in her is more than just academic. I enjoyed this one even more than the Feehan story.
"The Night Owl" by Emma Holly
This story takes place within Emma Holly's Midnight series (Catching Midnight, Hunting Midnight, Courting Midnight) and if you like to read series in order, is best read after Hunting Midnight since it tells the continuing tale of Bastien and Emile who first appear in that book. It was a good story, though I probably didn't like it quite as much as Shayne's contribution.
"Seduction's Gift" by Angela Knight
Grace Morgan is a Latent, she has the Gift of the Mageverse but would rather live in the real world serving and protecting fellow humankind in the role of a deputy police officer. But her grandmother, Morgana le Fay, sends Lord Lancelot du Luc to seduce her and bring her over, activating her Gift with the act of lovemaking, at least 3 times.
This is the second short story I've read by Angela Knight that takes place in the Mageverse series, the first one being "Galahad" which appeared in the Bite anthology, though that one actually takes place later in the series. I didn't really care for "Galahad" all that much as I couldn't get into the whole Knights of the Round Table as Vampires thing... but for some reason, I liked this one a little better. Perhaps because it's actually the first story in the tale. But because so many others thought it was great, I didn't want to judge the series by a short story and I've since acquired the other books of the Mageverse series. If anything, this story has forced me to move Master of the Night closer to the top of my TBR pile.
"Dark Hunger" by Christine Feehan
This story takes place within Christine Feehan's Dark series and tells the story of Riordan de la Cruz and his lifemate Juliette. But Juliette has a secret identity of her own, as well as her own agenda protecting her sister and cousin. Definitely a romance but enough other action going on to hold my interest throughout.
"Awaiting Moonrise" by Maggie Shayne
Jenny Rose is a university professor who travels to the bayou of Louisiana to research tales of a possible unknown, and as yet undiscovered, species of mammal. But she meets up with the town's sexy (and single) doctor, whose interest in her is more than just academic. I enjoyed this one even more than the Feehan story.
"The Night Owl" by Emma Holly
This story takes place within Emma Holly's Midnight series (Catching Midnight, Hunting Midnight, Courting Midnight) and if you like to read series in order, is best read after Hunting Midnight since it tells the continuing tale of Bastien and Emile who first appear in that book. It was a good story, though I probably didn't like it quite as much as Shayne's contribution.
"Seduction's Gift" by Angela Knight
Grace Morgan is a Latent, she has the Gift of the Mageverse but would rather live in the real world serving and protecting fellow humankind in the role of a deputy police officer. But her grandmother, Morgana le Fay, sends Lord Lancelot du Luc to seduce her and bring her over, activating her Gift with the act of lovemaking, at least 3 times.
This is the second short story I've read by Angela Knight that takes place in the Mageverse series, the first one being "Galahad" which appeared in the Bite anthology, though that one actually takes place later in the series. I didn't really care for "Galahad" all that much as I couldn't get into the whole Knights of the Round Table as Vampires thing... but for some reason, I liked this one a little better. Perhaps because it's actually the first story in the tale. But because so many others thought it was great, I didn't want to judge the series by a short story and I've since acquired the other books of the Mageverse series. If anything, this story has forced me to move Master of the Night closer to the top of my TBR pile.
Milissa C. (secondchances) reviewed Hot Blooded: Dark Hunger / Awaiting Moonrise / The Night Owl / Seduction's Gift on + 21 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Interesting HOT romance in the most primal sense. Love the way that Angela Knight takes old stories of heros and tames them to her will!
Valerie H. (vhostos) reviewed Hot Blooded: Dark Hunger / Awaiting Moonrise / The Night Owl / Seduction's Gift on
Helpful Score: 1
Four paranormal tales from four very strong writers. This was a very entertaining read for the afternoon. I don't think you could possibly be disappointed
Kathleen T. (keska) reviewed Hot Blooded: Dark Hunger / Awaiting Moonrise / The Night Owl / Seduction's Gift on + 204 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I'm not usually a fan of short stories but these were good. Exactly what you'd expect from these authors.
