Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Throwback Thursday Review: Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Posted May 24, 2018 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn KenyonReviewer: Rowena
Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Hunter Legends #1
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: February 18, 2002
Point-of-View: Third Person
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 337
Add It: Goodreads
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars
Dear Reader,

Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day.

As a love-slave, I know everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all, how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She alone bothered to take me out of the bedroom and onto the world. She taught me to love again.

But I was not born to love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace--the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two-thousand-year-old curse?

Julian of Macedon

See original cover edition: here

Every Thursday in 2018, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books.

This review was originally posted on March 8, 2010.

This book is a nacho kind of book. Full of cheese and yet you crave these kinds of books from time to time. When I was trying to figure out what books I was going to read for the Author Spotlight, I wanted to take the Kinley MacGregor route but ended up picking this book up instead. It’s been years since I read this book and I had forgotten all of the little reasons why I enjoyed this book but reading it again, I could see why.

It’s one of those escape reality, leave all the realness of the world behind you and just read kind of books. I mean, look at the blurb…an older than dirt man cursed and stuck in a book, only able to come out to pleasure women who summon him. He’s a demi-god and he’s stuck forever in a book because he’s a love slave. Are you kidding me?

As cheesy as this book was, SK made it work for me. I enjoyed reading this book but it made me giggle at how obsessed I used to be over this series. I used to be utterly obsessed, stalking the SK website for updates on the books and this is the book that started all of that madness for me. Julian was a too good to be true heroes which SK is popular for. Her heroes are those troubled heroes that you want to hold close to your heart and never let go.

Grace was one of the more memorable heroines from this series. To be honest, a lot of the heroines from this series I don’t remember now outside of their names. But I remembered Grace and seeing her try to help Julian out and introduce him to the modern day world was a treat that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. She was a stand up heroine and when Julian makes her ex boyfriend look like the tool that he was, I rejoiced and I loved Julian all the more.

Being introduced to characters that will show up later in the books was a treat that I enjoyed. This book is kind of fluffy and even though Julian isn’t a Dark Hunter, I liked this book. Would I recommend this book? Yep, I don’t think it’s a must read first for the Dark Hunter series but it would be good to read this book first because Julian shows up in future books and well, he’s a hottie so duh!

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

three-half-stars


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Retro-Review: Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Posted September 13, 2017 by Rowena in Reviews | 15 Comments

Retro-Review: Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon.Reviewer: Rowena
Acheron (Dark-Hunter, #12) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Dark Hunter #12
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: March 31st 2009
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 806
Add It: Goodreads
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five-stars
Series Rating: five-stars


Eleven thousand years ago, a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. But the strongest steel is forged from the fires of hell…

Acheron's human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, he became the sole defender of mankind. Only it was never that simple. For centuries, Acheron has fought for our survival and hidden a past he'll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence. Now his survival—and ours—hinges on hers, and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both. War has never been more deadly...or more fun.

*****As part of our 10 year anniversary celebration, we’ll be re-posting old reviews that make us cringe, laugh or sigh all over again.

Holly: Rowena and I were both obsessed with the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, once upon a time. Even so, by the time this book was released I’d given up on the series. In fact, despite my love for the earlier books, I couldn’t even bring myself to read it. I was tempted after this review, but I just couldn’t do it.

This review was originally posted on August 11, 2008

Hero: Acheron Parthenopeaus
Heroine: You’ll have to read it to find out
Grade: 5 out of 5

…MAJOR SPOILERS WILL BE IN THIS REVIEW SO IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED THAT THERE WILL BE SPOILERS APLENTY IN THIS REVIEW AND YOU CAN’T BE MAD BECAUSE THIS BOLD ASS WARNING IS FOR YOU…

Wow.

There’s so much to cover in this review that I’m almost afraid to begin. Sherrilyn Kenyon does a remarkable job of pulling those emotional heartstrings inside you to drain every bit of emotion out of you. During the first part of the book, even though I was at work reading this (naughty wench that I am) tears streamed down my face as I read what turned Ash into the man that I know and love now. My heart seriously broke each and every time something new would come up and I just felt so hot damn bad for him.

Then there was Ryssa. Naive but courageous Ryssa, who only wanted to take care of him. The sister who loved Ash more than anyone ever dared to show and gosh, it got to a point while I was reading where it was almost too much for me to read. It was hard to push through that first part of the book because there was so much bad in it. So much that Ash suffered, so much crap that Ryssa unknowingly flinched his way just by caring about him. When it happened with Val and Zarek, I understood but in his book, I was mad at Zarek for being so hot damn mad at Val for trying to help him but in this book, I got so mad at Ryssa because as nice as she was to Ash….she only made things just THAT much worst for him. For every bit of kindness she showed him, he paid for it tenfold and I just wanted her to leave him in peace, the way that Ash wanted her to. I would get so mad each and every time that Ryssa would come around because I knew that something bad was going to happen to Ash and I couldn’t understand why she couldn’t see that loving Ash the way she did (even if she couldn’t help loving him) was hurting it far more than it was helping him.

I know that she wanted him to know that someone loved him, unconditionally, no matter what and I could appreciate that but I hated that she made things worst for Ash because ooh I wanted to kill her father and her other stupid ass brother, Styxx so frickin’ bad. I wanted their blood on my hands (bloodthirsty wench that I am) and don’t even get me started on their Uncle Estes.

sigh

I could get myself worked up over this book so easily which just goes to show how involved in this story I am, which also goes to show how good a job Sherrilyn Kenyon did with the first part of this book. There were times earlier in the book when I wished that Ryssa would just stay the hell away from Ash, she brought him more pain than anything and I just wanted him to have some kind of peace but she was always getting him into trouble and it was through Ryssa that I had an inkling for why Zarek hated Valerian because though Val meant well, he brought more bad than good and it had to have hurt badly and they just kept being nice and nice which made things so much worst for Ash and Zarek.

And OMGOSH Ash’s powers? Holy shit shit shit…damn damn damn, holy crap in the pants, are you frickin’ serious right now?

Wow.

…and dude, I LOVE APOLLYMI! The fierceness of her love for her son is to be admired, I mean I don’t agree with the way she took care of some of those problems she had but man, I couldn’t fault her reasoning.

And goodness, I loved seeing the beginning of Ash and Simi. It was seeing him with Simi that softened my heart toward him and made me love him more and more until I was near bursting with my love of his character. Goodness, Ash is seriously the best hero EVER written.

When we got to the present, I was glad for it because the past prepared me for what was to come and it explained so many of my questions (if not, all of them) from before. Questions that I have waited YEARS to get answers to and I’m so glad that I better understand Ash from before and Ash from now.

Soteria was a great heroine, I remember her from The Dream Hunter and I’m not mad about the pairing of her and Ash together because she completed Ash. She saw the Ash that we all know and love and she loved him like nobody else from this series ever could. I’m so glad that Ash’s heroine wasn’t Satara, like I thought before because I seriously hate that biznitch and am not mad at Nick, one bit.

There are so many things that I could say about this book but I don’t have enough time. There were so many great things about this book, seeing Ash finally realize that he’s not alone in anything anymore. He’s got the family that he’s always wanted in the Dark Hunters and their wives…and in Soteria. I can’t seem to call her Tory like she likes to be called because I don’t see where the hell they got Tory from Soteria? Tera? I can see that…but Tory? Nope, not seeing it at all but maybe that’s because I’m not Greek, who knows.

A lot of options were opened for the other characters in this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books to find out more about Savitar, Jaden and Nick because I’m thinking Nick is going to be Artemis’ next pet. I think he’s going to be the one to replace Ash and oh wow, that’s going to make for some interesting reading, for sure.

This book was really good, at first I thought that maybe it didn’t hold up to my expectations but then I changed my mind because I loved this book, a whole lot more than I was expecting to (because no mortal could have met my expectations of this book) and whether it held up to my expectations was moot since I loved everything about this book, I loved the old Ash, the new Ash, the story, the characters and I was over the moon to see everyone come together to get Ash’s back, even Savitar and Jaden did their little bests to help Ash out because he finally needed it. For so long, Ash stood alone and it was just good to see that he didn’t have to this time around.

LOVED IT! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT! And now I want more…haha. I’ve got to ask though, how many of you readers out there who have read Ash’s book, played Savin’ Me by Nickelback over and over after you read the book?

I DID! How many of you guys are listening to Saving Me right now?

I AM!

LOL.

5 out of 5

This book is available from St. Martin’s Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

five-stars


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Review: Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Posted July 6, 2016 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Born of Night by Sherrilyn KenyonReviewer: Casee
Born of Night (The League #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: The League #1
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: September 29, 2009
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 560
Add It: Goodreads
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

In the Ichidian Universe, The League and their ruthless assassins rule all. Expertly trained and highly valued, the League Assassins are the backbone of the government. But not even the League is immune to corruption . . .

Command Assassin Nykyrian Quikiades once turned his back on the League―and has been hunted by them ever since. Though many have tried, none can kill him or stop him from completing his current mission: to protect Kiara Zamir, a woman whose father's political alliance has made her a target.

As her world becomes even deadlier, Kiara must entrust her life to the same kind of beast who once killed her mother and left her for dead. Old enemies and new threaten them both and the only way they can survive is to overcome their suspicions and learn to trust in the very ones who threaten them the most: each other.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon. As much as I’ve felt let down over the years, I keep going back. It’s a sickness. For every three or four books, she has a good one. Those are the ones I can’t miss. Born of Night wasn’t exactly one of those books, but it did show me another side of Kenyon that I didn’t know was there. I thought she was all Dark-Hunter, Dream-Hunter, Were-Hunter…you get my drift. No, she’s also sci-fi and fantasy.

Born of Night introduces the reader to the Ichidian Universe and The League of Assassins. The thing is, it didn’t. There was almost zero world building in this book. Not that the book was horrible; it wasn’t. I did like it, but I would have liked to have known more about the Ichidian Universe and The League. All I came out of the book knowing about The League is that they’re a scary bunch of Assassins that you can never leave because they’ll kill you if you’ll try.

This was Nykyrian and Kiara’s story. The Sentella is a group of outlaws that try to police the League. At least that’s what I got from it. Kiara is a Princess from a planet called Gouran. She had a contract on her life and was kidnapped (the why wasn’t explained until ¾ of the way through the book). Nykyrian and his band of misfits (that what I started thinking of them as) saved her from certain death. Nykyrian is the only League Assassin to ever escape and he has a price on his head that anyone would kill for. He is so emotionless and has such little faith in humanity that he wouldn’t be surprised if any of his fellow brothers or sisters in the Sentella turn him in. Because of that, he is constantly on watch.

When they save Kiara, it is his worst nightmare. She is the only person, dead or alive that has ever brought emotion out in him. A beautiful dancer, he has snuck into her shows and she has something in her that he can’t extinguish from his thoughts of the feelings that he thought he had long ago gotten rid of.

Kiara is at first disgusted by Nykyrian, until she gets past her prejudice and realizes he is a man that had a horrific childhood and came out a good man on the other side. She has no idea how she could have overlooked that and looked at him like everyone else, but she is ashamed and she makes sure he knows it.

The thing I didn’t like about Kiara was how wishy-washy she was about Nykyrian. One moment she would accept him for who she was, but then she would see who he really was and what he would do to protect her and she would be horrified and call him a monster. She really made me want to slap her. I understood what and why she felt the way she felt, but she really needed to go one way or the other. And this didn’t happen once or twice. It happened multiple times.

Overall, I did enjoy the book enough to get the next book in the series. I’m looking forward to (hopefully) seeing some more world building. I have complete faith in Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Rating 3.5 out of 5.

Reading Order

Born of Night
Born of Fire
Born of Ice
Born of Shadows
Cloak and Silence
Born of Fury
Born of Defiance
Born of Betrayal
Born of Legend

three-half-stars


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