Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians #3) by Dianne Duvall

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

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Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians #3)

by Dianne Duvall (Goodreads Author)

 4.30  ·  rating details  ·  807 ratings  ·  122 reviews

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it's not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . .

Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can't remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different — and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question — he can't put her in danger. But she isn't asking him . . .

Hello, hello! I just finished up book 3 in the Immortal Guardians Series by Dianne Duvall (which also concludes my Sequel Challenge of 2013 yay!!!!) and I'm checkin' in for my review! Book 1 started off a little rocky, took me bit to get into it, but I finally did get into it, as well as book 2 and this whole series! So with this third book, I was happy with whom it ended up being about Bastien, but am holding out for the book about their fearless leader, Seth; that is going to be a kick ass book! I have so many ideas going around in my head for his book, I can't wait! :) That doesn't mean that I wasn't completely pleased with Bastien's book, I actually absolutely adored it and loved his ferocity! The plot was pretty neat too, there was a couple of big battle type scene's in the book and I really enjoyed listening about their fluidity as a "team" of guardians. There was much more like military type precision in this one than in the other two books and I'm not sure if I'm overly fond of that, or just kinda meh about it. I tend not to really read books with that sort of genre, but this has a very intense love/mate type undertone, so I think it balanced out fairly well. Melanie was a good pairing with Bastien too, she was a no nonsense, brave, brazen female character and I think that helped tone Bastien down a little. And as with the other two books, I was completely head over heels with the way Potter does the narration  her accents are seriously endearing and phenomenal! I really truly have enjoyed listening to this series and I'm glad that I picked it up. It will hold a special place in my heart and I will keep and eye out for her 4th book when it releases later this year.

I happily gave this book:

Now, truthfully, I have no idea what I'm going to start next... I have several different options loaded up on my mp3 player right now... here's what I'm contemplating:

Sweet Possession (Sweet, #5)

Banks, Maya

Be Mine Tonight (Brotherhood of Blood, #1) <~~~~~~ I read funky reviews on this one though so I'm kinda leary of it!!!!

Smith, Kathryn

A Touch of Crimson (Renegade Angels, #1)

Day, Sylvia

Oh and I have to say, that I'm a fan on Facebook of the amazing and completely mind blowing Kresley Cole and she just announced that the 6th book in her Immortals After Dark series- Dark Desires after Dusk will be released on audio on FEB 5th!!!!!!!!! OMFG!!!!!!!!! And then the 7th book- Kiss of a Demon King will be out in MAY!!!!!!!!!! Woot woot!!! That is seriously exciting news! I know, I know- they are already out there floating around to READ, but man oh man, you'd know what I meant if you just gave them half a listen, Robert Petkoff reads the books and he's freaking DIVINE! Ahhh! So thrilled! :) Ta Ta til next time! <3

Night Reigns (Immortal Guardians #2) by Dianne Duvall

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

 

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Night Reigns (Immortal Guardians #2)

by Dianne Duvall (Goodreads Author)

 4.17  ·   rating details  ·  1,682 ratings  ·  219 reviews

Ami isn't much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she's no coward, and she's no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn't hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he's not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can't deny that she's strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she's also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can't bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets — how can she defeat death itself?

Hello again!!! So, I'm back! :) Just finished up book 2 in the Immortal Guardians series by Dianne Duvall; read by Kirsten Potter. Now, I hadn't had too many oooh's and ahhh's in regards to the first book of hers in this series that I listened to right before this one, but this book has definitely redeemed itself! I absolutely ADORED this book! Ahh! I guess I'm just getting more used to their "world" and their particular ilk of vampire. *shrug* Although this book really smacks of a lot of the other books I've listened to with vampires as their main characters by way of just scenery and the way they have their ways of life set up, I really enjoyed this regardless of that fact. About 3/4 the way through it dawned on me why this book felt sooo familiar! It is extremely similar to the books by Lara Adrian called the Midnight Breed, where the vampires have a whole inner network set up which includes scientists, humans and the like. How the vampires go on nightly "hunts" and are tracking down a particular thing (in this case, it's particular turned vampires who don't have a special "gift" which causes them to turn into actual "immortal guardians") or 'bad guy'. *snort* I was kinda bummed that this book wasn't about Seth, whom I'm dying to read a book about to know more about him (even though I am pretty sure I have him figured out! *snicker*) I truly enjoyed hearing Marcus's story and finally getting to know more about "the mystery girl" from book 1! I had her pegged too, though she's not really THAT predictable, it just popped into my mind (her "particularity") and I just happened to be right! I will NOT post spoilers though! You'll have to read it and find out for yourself! ;) I honestly really enjoyed everything about this book and am swiftly falling head over heels for this extremely simple writing style and the effortless accents that Kirsten Potter gives these characters is phenomenal and divine! It's like happiness for my ears! LOL! Anyway, I have book 3 loaded up and will start it later tonight! I'm excited! I'm trying not to peek at the excerpt on good reads because I want to be surprised! Silly me!

I'm truly enjoying this series more and more, so I'm giving this book:

Up next:

Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians, #3)

Duvall, Dianne

Darkness Dawns (Immortal Guardians #1) by Dianne Duvall

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

 

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Darkness Dawns (Immortal Guardians #1)

by Dianne Duvall (Goodreads Author)

 4.00  ·   rating details  ·  3,116 ratings  ·  412 reviews

In this dazzling, sensual novel, Dianne Duvall beckons readers into a world of vampires, immortals, and humans with extraordinary gifts…where passion can last forever, if you’re willing to pay the price…

Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control…

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible—when it means forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect

Sooo.... hello! Here I am with my review of the above book- Darkness Dawns, which is the first book in Dianne Duvall's Immortal Guardians Series. AND, much to my chagrin, this was read by the loverly Kirsten Potter (whom, if you do not recall, just read to me the Shadowdwellers series by Jacquelyn Frank!!) so that was a super added bonus! So! This book was kinda sorta OK for me. It didn't blow me away in any way, shape or form, but it was a decent little listen. I'm not sure where the writing of this book falls in the timeline of Duvall's writing experience, but it felt a little newbie to me. Not that it was her FIRST book, by any means, but that there were a few repetitive phrases and the lack of particular detail kinda made me long for "more"! LOL! I really enjoyed going online the side plots though! The mystery of the "mysterious girl" is really intriguing me, and I hope to hear more about her in future books, for sure! It almost caught and held my interest MORE than the main plot of Sarah and Roland (gah, that's a terrible name, sorry!), to be honest! I enjoyed the character of Sarah for sure, she was just a normal, typical female sorta/kinda heroine and paired with Roland., it was a pretty okay coupling. Roland was a little bit of an over dramatic baby though. LOL! There wasn't anything "bad ass and vampiric" about him really, and his "restraint" he held onto whilst in the throws of passion with Sarah to not bite her was a little interesting, because if I was a vampire dude and all hopped up on sex and candy, I would probably have bit her! ha! Anyway, I think my giving the book 4 stars was probably a little generous, it was more like 3.5 or maybe stretching it; 3.75! *shrug* IDK! This book happens to be the first book in the last of my last sequels listed on the 'sequel challenge' that I'm partaking in for 2013 (yeah, I'm lame, I only put down two separate sequels...!) and there are only, I think 4 or so books in the series, so I think I may suck it up and get through the other books. I'm sure getting the itch for a good raunchy bdsm book though! (that was for you, Tammy!) So even though I'm so very fond of my paranormal and my sexy smexy in books, I may bounce back and forth with this series, picking up a book or two, then taking a break... I am interested to find out more about "the mysterious girl" from this first book, so I will dive into book 2 tonight (it's loaded on my mp3 player anyway *shrug*) and see how that goes. Oh! and hoping that Kirsten Potter reads the next book ALONG WITH her doing the mouthwateringly fantastic english accent she gave most of the male characters in the book- it's divine! Other than that, it had a slow start and a pretty predictable ending. The "relations" in the book were luke warm, kinda okay, but same words and phrases used to describe, so it got boring after the first 3 times they did it! Overall, it was an OK book. Just that- OK. Nothing more! I'll let you know if the second book WOW's me! ;)

Leaning more towards 3.5... :P

Up next:

Night Reigns (Immortal Guardians, #2)

Duvall, Dianne

Forbidden (World of Nightwalkers #1) by Jacquelyn Frank

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

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Forbidden (The World of Nightwalkers #1)

by Jacquelyn Frank (Goodreads Author)

 3.79  ·  rating details  ·  466 ratings  ·  131 reviews

From New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Frank comes this first book in The World of the Nightwalkers—an exciting and sensual new spin-off series in which the Bodywalkers, an ancient race of the night, battles the evil forces who prey on them.
 
The unexpected happens in an instant. On her way to work, secretary Docia Waverley hurtles into a crashing crossroads, and she quickly begins to suspect that things will never be the same. Then, when a tall, blond, muscular stranger intervenes on her behalf, telling her it is his duty to protect her at all cost, what is just a feeling turns to proof positive. That is, as long as Docia’s savior doesn’t turn out to be a crazed kidnapper.

When Ram finds Docia, he has no doubt that she is his queen. But as this golden warrior sweeps in to protect her, he feels something more than body heat every time they touch. He is overwhelmed by a searing connection that goes deep into the twin souls inside him. A desire rises in him that is forbidden—this woman is his queen, the mate of his king, his leader, his best friend. And yet Docia is so vulnerable and attractive that she awakens a hunger in Ram that is undeniable, a carnal craving he cannot yield to . . . not without risking the very survival of the Bodywalkers.

*sigh* So... as much as I wanted to completely LOVE this book, I just... couldn't. I am not sure what it was exactly, about this book that made me sort of kind of dread plugging it into my ears, or sort of kind of wish it would move along and end, but *cringe* I sorta kind of felt that way at times. Gah! I know! I just came off of the Shadowdwellers series that I fell deeply and madly in love with, and I truly expected to feel the same feelings about this start of a new "world" / "series" but I just didn't. It lacked everything that I really liked about all of her other books, for some reason. I'm not sure. Nothing in it made me smile to myself, made me chuckle a little, made me gush (down below, if you know what I mean) and blush or even really made me go "Ahhh, cool"... unfortunately. *shrug* I am not sure if it has something to do with the fact that all the other series I love of hers are circa 2009 and earlier, or... if it's just the mood I'm in recently? I dunno! I was even kinda mehhhh about the lovely Xe Sands reading this too, since I hadn't heard her since Adam, Elijah etc. I have to admit I was excited to learn she was reading this one, but man, 2 chapters in and I was cringing at the way she was doing Docia's brothers voice (as well as her brothers best friends voice)! Ahhh! It was so low and gravely that I could honestly barely understand or even HEAR it without cranking my volume on my mp3 player. The voice effects evened out towards the middle of the book for me I guess, or I had just gotten used to it by then and it didn't bother me anymore, but it did throw me off a bit at first.
Now, the STORY itself wasn't a bad story, the species of nightwalker that Frank was introducing- the bodywalkers, I did like the STORY of how they came about and all that, it was neat, I really liked it! I really also liked learning of the other more smaller characters in the book like the genies and the gargoyles, those were extremely interesting to find out about and I really hope to hear more about them in coming books! I thought the ending was a little too predictable, the major twist at the end was a no-brain'er, but it was still kinda fun! I had also remembered reading on Frank's facebook how she was continuing all of her other mentions of nightwalkers into this series- The World of Nightwalkers, which is kinda cool, but I have a feeling it's almost over ambitious. Like it might be biting off more than she can chew? Am I sounding mean? *sigh* I didn't want to come off as rude or snarky, I'm just putting down my thoughts and opinions. I really do enjoy Frank and love her other books, but this one just didn't work for me 100%.

I gave this book:

Up Next! I'll be starting this later tonight:

Darkness Dawns (Immortal Guardians, #1)

Duvall, Dianne