Primal Anthology
Paranormal Romance
February 1, 2011
Paperback, 392 Pages
Penguin
Reviewed by Mandi
Bleeding Heart by Michelle Rowen
Please note: Bleeding Heart contains spoilers related to the first book in the series, Nightshade.
Bleeding Heart picks up a few days after Nightshade ends. Declan’s friend tells them of a Dr. Reynolds who has stated he could help get the poisonous Nightshade serum out of Jill’s veins. Jill was injected with Nightshade, a deadly poison to vampires. It gives her spells of being nauseous and the black, ink-like substance that runs through her veins has turned her hair and eyes dark. Fearing it might one day kill her, Declan and Jill are desperate to find a cure. Meeting with Dr. Reynolds however will bring its own string of problems.
I really loved Nightshade, so I was very eager to read this short story. It doesn’t necessarily further this story arc, but I don’t really expect an anthology to do so. I actually would be angry if something big happens in an anthology because I don’t always pick them up. This story gives us a few tense moments, which Jill and Declan have learned is pretty much their life now. We also get a glimpse of Declan, struggling with his emotions, or I should say lack thereof. Being given a permanent serum at the end of Nightshade, he lacks feeling. He is extremely protective over Jill, he just can’t return her love. And in this short story we see how patient and willing Jill is to wait for her beloved Declan’s heart to find her own.
Rating: B
Skin & Bone by Ava Gray
The Skin series by Ava Gray is one of the more unique paranormal series out there, and Skin & Bone is a very strong addition. It is my favorite out of this anthology. Silas (who we first meet in Skin Tight) has escaped the Foundation prison, where he was kept for five years. He has a “special” talent just like everyone else who was kept and experimented on and now he is on the run. Knowing the Foundation won’t give up, he doesn’t stay in one place long. While in Ecuador, an earthquake devastates the city he is in, and he finds Juneau, injured in rubble. Freeing her, they become a team helping others and organizing supplies until the Red Cross can appear. Both are use to being alone, but they have found an ally in the other, and decide to take a chance on their future.
Ava Gray does a great job giving us a believable love story with a hero and heroine that has no past history in a story less than 100 pages. Silas has a violent past, but after the earthquake, he finds himself helping people, playing the hero, a role he is not used to. It stuns him to be on the “good” side and he likes it. Juneau doesn’t look upon him with fear or uncertainty as so many do. She is alone in life just like him – they are both survivors in a sense, and they bond over that. Juneau is bold and I love that about her. She soon finds out Silas’s secret, and together must survive.
Ava Gray also gives us a very, very hot sex scene is this book. That added with some great action and two characters that jump right off the page, I have no complaints.
Rating: A-
Angel-Claimed by Jory Strong
Let me just start by saying I have never read Jory Strong and I was very confused by this story. The scion Corinne has gone missing, and it is up to Sajia, a servant to the vampires to find her. Sajia lives in a world ruled by ruthless vampires. Addai is a Djinn, and after thousands of years, his mate has been reborn. She will have no memories of him however. When Addai finds the girl (Sajia), although she thinks she is human, she is really a Djinn trapped in a human form. He must convince her she is destined for him.
Like I said, this story confused me. If you have read previous Jory Strong books, then this one might flow quite well for you. Besides a lot of characters and events happening that made me scratch my head, I didn’t love the romance scenes between the hero and heroine. The hero just didn’t appeal to me at all.
Rating: D
Primal Kiss by Lora Leigh
Kita Engalls, is an heir to a pharmaceutical empire, and has her own bodyguard in Creed Raines. Her father is not on good terms with the Breeds and fears Kita will be used against him with by the Breeds. Although he promised her he wouldn’t move against them, his behavior is pointing the other way.
Creed Raines is working undercover as Engall’s security specialist. He is slowing replacing Engall’s men with his men. He knows her father is an expert at betrayal, and is patiently waiting for that to happen.
This is the first Breeds book I have read. Yes, I know I have totally failed in the Lora Leigh department. I really liked this one – although the Breeds world seems immense and there are something like 23 books before this one, it is a pretty straight forward romantic story. Maybe romantic is a bit mushy, because holy wow the sex scenes are pretty intense in this one. Have I really been missing these sex scenes all my life? This definitely needs to be resolved!
Rating: B
Overall, this is a pretty solid anthology. I think everyone will enjoy the stories by Ava Gray and Lora Leigh. If you haven’t read Nightshade, you will want to do so first before reading Michelle Rowen’s addition. The Jory Strong story did nothing for me, but again, I have not read her Ghostland series (I am assuming this novella belongs to that series).
Overall Rating: B
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You haven't read the Breed books yet!
*yes I totally bypassed the other books because I started with the Breed story first and will come back to the others*
Get thee to the nearest bookstore. The series started on EC, but its grown so much and the characters are so very very awesome…And yes, those are the types of sex scenes you've been missing out on.
I have the first few books on their way to me! Can't wait to start!
Leigh's books are like crack and they're all full of hot sex! I'm getting this anthology just for her story.
Great review! Dying for this book now!
Can't believe you still haven't read the Breeds books, they're so good. The sex scenes are always that amazing :)
I realize that now! ;) I can't wait to start them!
Oh sounds like a good one. Can't wait to hear what you think about the LL. :)
Great review. I bought this book for the Lora Leigh story. I love the Breed series. Heads up though if you plan to start reading that series. The first few are very different from the later ones. She changes publishers somewhere & goes from trade to mass market. Well the writing in the trade ones it's different. It is an awesome series though!
Great review. I bought this book for the Lora Leigh story. I love the Breed series. Heads up though if you plan to start reading that series. The first few are very different from the later ones. She changes publishers somewhere & goes from trade to mass market. Well the writing in the trade ones it's different. It is an awesome series though!
Do u rec starting with the trade?
Awesome, you finally read Lora Leigh. I would make a 'smexy barb' comment but I'm trying to be more pg-13-ish for Baby KC.
I'm totally buying this anotho. nice reviews!
I love Jory Strong and Ava Gray but I've kinda given up on Lora Leigh. Her first books were pretty awesome but somewhere along the way things just stopped progressing.
Well..she does have a lot of books out so I can see that. I think Ava Gray has the strongest story in this book. I kind of wish we would have seen a full length story of this one! :)
Hey Mandi, I'm so glad you're going to give LL a try. I am hooked on all her series, but especially love the Breed books. I think I started somewhere in the middle with Megan's Mark (mm paperback) and then ordered all the previous books from Ellora's Cave. I've heard that you can still enjoy the series without the EC books, but book no. 1 is Callan Lyon's (Tempting the Beast) book and it lays a pretty good foundation . Yes, there are a lot of them, and like any long running series some stories will stand out more than others. My personal favorite is Mercury's War. Love Mercury! I hope you enjoy them!
I've only read the first Lora Leigh book but damn was the sex hot. I just haven't had time to read the others but I plan to. The short sounds really good. Thanks for the review.
Stephanie G
Paranormal Haven
Great reviews Mandi!
I've…stopped reading the Lora Leigh Breed books. I did (even the ones published by Ellora's Cave), but the later books have started feeling the same, as have the heroines, so I broke it off :)
Declan being on that serum forever just broke me at the end, I hope they fix it..somehow.
So would read it for Declan ;)
WTH?! How did I not know there was a new Breed book out?! OMG… I'm pissed (at myself and the lack of info on Lora's blog!)
Sorry, rant over. Thanks for the review!
I recommend the Tempting Seals series by Lora Leigh! Killer Secrets is my fave from her.
Lisa – thx so much for the recs! A friend is sending the first few to me..and I think it starts all the way back with book one..we will see!
PH – I can't wait to try them out!
Orannia – I think that might happen with such a long running series…
Blodeuedd – I know right? I love Declan!!
Jen – LOL..oh no!
st – Ooh..that is right – she has that series too..will I ever catch up? :)