Gena Showalter

Even though this short story (in the Heart of Darkness anthology) doesn’t feature a romance between one of the Lords of the Underworld and a love interest, it’s one of my favorites in the LOTU series. Lysander, an elite warrior angel who’s quickly becoming obsessed with Bianka Skyhawk, abducts her and imprisons her in his home, which is a magical cloud up in the heavens. Bianca is a fierce Harpy with a soft side—you really gotta look for that soft side—and she makes life hell for her captor. Their arguments and her seduction of Lysander are both hilarious and so sexy. The best scene is when she abducts Paris, the demon of the keeper of Promiscuity, and forces him to wrestle Lysander in a pool of cherry-scented oil. So hot and funny! Anyway, I love their romance, their need for one another and the emotions both of them are trying to figure out. He’s a goody-goody angel, she’s the great-granddaughter of Lucifer, it’s not gonna work. Right?
As with all the LOTU books, we see the gang in the Budapest during Gwen and Sabin’s wedding. I love that this series doesn’t just focus on the main couple, but draws in everyone of importance.
I wished the story was longer just because I love Lysander (even though I know what he has to do to Aeron, the keeper of Wrath, in the next full length novel—The Darkest Passion). Although I’m crazy about these demons and prefer them to the other species in the series, I really like the introduction of angels and Harpies, and that everyone is working together and forming friendships and alliances. The LOTU universe seems to be getting bigger, and that’s definitely two thumbs up.
5 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.… (mer)

This short story is about Nike, the Greek goddess of Strength and Victory, and Atlas, the Titan god of Strength. It’s book 4.6 in the Lords of the Underworld series, meaning it comes right after the short story The Darkest Angel which is book 4.5.
Anyway, Atlas and Nike are enemies and lovers. She used to be his jailer and they’re love affair went awry, big time, thousands of years ago. Years, though, mean little to an immortal. Now, since the Titans broke free from Tartarus and imprisoned the Greeks, Atlas is now Nike’s jailer. They both believe they hate each other but the past few centuries had weakened that hatred, so much so that they’re in love with each without even realizing it. Once they do, however, their romance is super sweet and hot.
I loved the scene with Atlas in the throne room with Cronus and Sienna. Yep, that’s right. Paris’s Sienna. Though the Lords aren’t in this book, they’re mentioned and I’m so happy to see what’s become of Sienna, even though it’s not that great.
This story is a quick way to pass the time and it’s great to learn a bit about what’s going on up in the heavens. I don’t think it’s necessary to read this story to understand the series, but I enjoyed it.
4 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.… (mer)

This short story is a prequel to the Lords of the Underworld series but it’s not necessary to read this story to understand or enjoy the other books.
All throughout the LOTU series, Pandora’s box is said to have been made from the bones of the Goddess of Oppression. Kadence, the goddess, is spiritually bound to the wall of Hell. Geryon, Hell’s guardian, was a human who sold his soul to Lucifer. They’ve never talked while watching and guarding Hell’s gates but they’ve admired one another from afar. When the Demon Lords (demons like Violence, Death, Lies, Wrath, Distrust, etc) crack the wall, Kadence and Geryon band together to try and stop them from escaping and wrecking havoc on earth. They fall in love in the process and soon learn death isn’t always the end.
Though I’m glad to finally know more about the goddess and how her bones (the box) can hold the demons, I don’t think this story had much depth or detail. It’s nice to read through it but it just didn’t have much to do with the series overall.
3 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.… (mer)

I love this anthology. I've read other books by these authors before, so I was happy to find an antho with all three of them in it.

'The Darkest Angel' by Gena Showalter

Even though this short story doesn’t feature a romance between one of the Lords of the Underworld and a love interest, it’s one of my favorites in the LOTU series. Lysander, an elite warrior angel who’s quickly becoming obsessed with Bianka Skyhawk, abducts her and imprisons her in his home, which is a magical cloud up in the heavens. Bianca is a fierce Harpy with a soft side—you really gotta look for that soft side—and she makes life hell for her captor. Their arguments and her seduction of Lysander are both hilarious and so sexy. The best scene is when she abducts Paris, the demon of the keeper of Promiscuity, and forces him to wrestle Lysander in a pool of cherry-scented oil. So hot and funny! Anyway, I love their romance, their need for one another and the emotions both of them are trying to figure out. He’s a goody-goody angel, she’s the great-granddaughter of Lucifer, it’s not gonna work. Right?
As with all the LOTU books, we see the gang in the Budapest during Gwen and Sabin’s wedding. I love that this series doesn’t just focus on the main couple, but draws in everyone of importance.
I wished the story was longer just because I love Lysander (even though I know what he has to do to Aeron, the keeper of Wrath, in the next full length novel—The Darkest Passion). Although I’m crazy about these demons and prefer them to the other species in the series, I really like the introduction of angels and Harpies, and that everyone is working together and forming friendships and alliances. The LOTU universe seems to be getting bigger, and that’s definitely two thumbs up.
5 Stars

‘Love Me to Death’ by Maggie Shayne

Teenage David and his four best friends purposely set a house fire that accidentally cost a young girl her life. Now, twenty two years later, the five men are still full of guilt, but they’re doing their best to live their lives. They start seeing Sierra, the girl who died, and believe her ghost has come back for revenge.
Twenty two year old Sara grew up as an orphan and she’s recently had some very strange, vivid dreams. In search of answers, she meets David and the attraction is instant for both of them. As they unravel the mystery of Sara and David’s shared dreams, Sierra’s death and the disappearance of Sierra’s mom, someone from Sierra’s past comes back to stop Sara and David from finding out the truth.
Despite the age difference, Sara and David had a lot of chemistry and fit well together. They were very likable characters.
4 Stars

‘Lady of the Nile’ by Susan Krinard

Though I liked the set up, I found the story a little confusing.
Set in the 1890s, an eccentric British duchess believes she is the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian princess named Tameri. The duchess is also named Tameri. The duchess believes the princess sacrificed herself to the goddess Aset thousands of years ago, and now she (as the duchess) must do the same.
Leo is a scholar and an adventurer who’s drawn to Tameri (as the duchess), but he doesn’t believe she’s the reincarnated princess. As they spend more time together, he slowly learns he’s been reincarnated from Maahes, an ancient Egyptian soldier who loved Princess Tameri and who sacrificed himself to the god Asar.
Leo/Maahes/Asar and Tameri/Tameri/Aset were all the same person, but their multiple names were used interchangeably. While I liked Leo and found his motivation to help the duchess honorable, the duchess was too trusting, especially of the villain whom she thought was a friend.
3 Stars

Book Overall - 4 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.… (mer)