Friday Featured Spotlight ~ Kensington Books

Kensington Publishing Corp. is the last remaining independent U.S. publisher of hardcover, trade and mass market paperback books. 2009 marks our 35th year in business. From the time our very first book (Appointment in Dallas by Hugh McDonald), became a bestseller, Kensington has been known as an astute and determined David-vs.-Goliath publisher of titles in the full spectrum of categories, from fiction and romance to health and nonfiction.

Kensington Imprints

Zebra, Brava, Pinnacle, Citadel, Aphrodisia, Dafina, Kteen, eKensington, Rebel Base Books, Lyle Stuart Books, Holloway House

  

Title ~ Predatory
Author ~ Alexandra Ivy ~ Nina Bangs ~ Dianne Duvall ~ 
Hannah Jayne
Publisher ~ Zebra
Published ~ 7 May 2013
Genre ~ Paranormal/Romance/Anthology

*Book source ~ Many thanks to Kensington for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating ~ 4 bites and a nibble out of 5

Predatory is a paranormal romance anthology with four authors of which only Nina Bangs is new-to-me. To be completely honest, while I have enjoyed the works of Alexandra Ivy and Hannah Jayne in the past, I requested this book solely on the fact that it included Dianne Duvall's story about Richart from her Immortal Guardians series. I love, love, love the Immortal Guardians! Turns out, with this book, I had my wonderfully frosted cake and not only savored it, but had decadent ice cream, too. All of the stories were wonderful, if only a bit too short.

Out of Control ~ Alexandra Ivy

Series ~ Sentinels, #0.5

Angela Locke is a Ph.D student when gorgeous hunk of man Dr. Nikolo Bartrev walks into her lab. But Nikolo is not just a Dr. and Angela is about to find out she’s not just a student. She has a crazy Sentinel after her and Nikolo is sent to guard her. Peril happens, sparks fly and there’s humor. I love humor in my reads. A great introduction to a different take on the paranormal. I’m looking forward to more in this series.

Ties That Bind ~ Nina Bangs

Series ~ None known, but hoping so.

Cassie doesn’t like being around dead people, but when her friend calls with an emergency and needs Cassie to mind the shop, er funeral parlor, what’s Cassie to do? Go hang with the deaduns, of course. She’s thinking zombie apocalypse, but what she gets is much different when she discovers a naked guy (Ethan) in a glass coffin and two thugs almost kill her. Her life does a 180 after that. I really enjoyed this different take on vampires. Color me intrigued. I really hope this is the start of a new series because I may kick my little *cough* feet in a tantrum if it’s not.

In Still Darkness ~ Dianne Duvall

Series ~ Immortal Guardians, #3.5

This is yummy Richart’s story in the even yummier Immortal Guardian series. I need say no more. *pauses* What do you mean you haven’t read the series?! *mind boggles* Get thee crackin’ right now! You don’t know what you’re missing! *makes shooing motions*

High Stakes ~ Hannah Jayne

Series ~ Underworld Detection Agency, #4.5

A little side story for the resident vampire, Nina LaShay, from the Underworld Detection series. She goes to New York for a fashion competition and instead ends up giving Sophie a run for her money in the dead-people-show-up-wherever-she-goes competition. Vlad is in this and a new interesting character shows up. I hope Pike sticks around. All-in-all a fun addition to the series.         

Title ~ Dangerous

Series ~ The Morphates, #1 (? guessing here ?)

Author ~ Jax

Publisher ~ eKensington

Published ~ 5 September 2013

Genre ~ Paranormal/Romance

*Book source ~ Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating ~ 4 bites and a nibble out of 5

Devon Candler is a rich recluse whose life is being threatened and she needs the best security available. That would be the company NHK, highly trained, highly skilled and very deadly. As a co-owner of NHK, Liam Nash is a Team Leader and the only one available to head up the team to provide her security. Liam, used to being the consummate level-headed professional at all times, is thrown for a loop when he reacts to his charge with enough sexual heat to melt the polar ice caps. Somehow, they need to deal with their attraction before it gets Devon killed.

I’m happy to see another Morphate story. The first, a short, was in The Pleasure Project and I was really hoping the Morphates would get their own series. Whether that’s the case or not is not known, but this second story makes me hopeful I’ll get my wish.

I like Devon, her dedication, intelligence and take no shit kickass attitude. Liam is one hot yummilicious hunk of dangerous beefcake. The two are nuclear together. I’ve always loved stories involving highly trained dangerous professionals, so NHK is a wet dream for me. The secondary characters are a wonderful counterpoint to the main characters and the enemy, while being too arrogant for his own good, is deliciously evil. The story did drag out a bit too long for my liking, but all-in-all a very hot suspenseful read.