Predatory by Alexandra Ivy, Nina Bangs, Dianne Duvall & Hannah Jayne
May 7, 2013
Paranormal Romance
Zebra

Reviewed by Helyce

I am not a big fan of anthologies. I’m usually disappointed because the stories are short and leave me wanting. Such was not the case with this offering. The strongest reads for me were the stories by Ivy and Duvall. Here is the breakdown (blurbs taken from Goodreads):

Out Of Control by Alexandra Ivy

Ph.D student Angela Locke has a crush on her sexy professor, Dr. Nikolo Bartrev. When she learns he’s actually a Sentinel with extraordinary powers, she joins forces with him to catch a psychopath. But soon, their hottest pursuit is of each other…

Since reading and doing a little research, I’ve found that this story is an introduction to a new series by Ms. Ivy and I am thrilled to hear that. Ms. Ivy has created an interesting world here where there are beings that are special. In some instances it’s obvious and in others you cannot tell. They are referred to as freaks and most live away in Valhalla, but some may live among the humans never knowing what they are, until some event or catalyst brings forth their “special” nature.

Such is the case for student Angela Locke. Her work in the lab where she is able to manipulate cells and alter DNA brings her to the attention of a freak named Dylan who cannot hide her “otherness”. She kidnaps Angela in order to force her to use her gift and “fix” her. Nikolo is a Sentinel who is sent out to capture Dylan and bring her back to Valhalla. But along the way, he finds he’s more interested in keeping Angela safe than catching Dylan and bringing her to justice.

Excellent characters, great world building, I can’t wait to see what is next in this series.

Rating: A

Ties That Bind by Nina Bangs

Cassie Tyler agrees to sub for her friend at the funeral home where she works. But she gets more than she bargained for when a group of men attack her and a vampire comes to her rescue. . .

This was just an okay read for me. Cassie is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets pulled into the world of vampires and other night creatures. Torn between her attraction to Ethan and wanting to get away she realizes quickly that she has no choice than to stay with him and let him protect her if she wants to live.

I liked Ms. Bangs take on Ethan’s vampire gift being a face that is so beautiful it can kill, but other than that, this story fell a bit flat for me. The bad guys are “collecting” vampires and using them to create other beings that they can control. It just didn’t work for me.

Rating: C-

In Still Darkness by Dianne Duvall

Immortal Richart d’Alençon can’t forget the woman who rewarded him with a sensuous kiss after he saved her from a trio of vampires. While Richart knows that loving a human can only bring trouble, the taste of forbidden lust is too great to resist. . .

I have to admit, I wanted to read this anthology specifically for this story. I am a HUGE fan of Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardian series and if you’ve read it you know that Richart has been keeping secrets. This story reveals what he’s been up to all this time.

Richart meets Jenna when he rescues her from the clutches of a vampire and returns her to her home. After that first meeting, though, he continues to be drawn to her. No matter how much he tries to talk himself out of it, he finds himself showing up at her workplace and flirting; he really just can’t stay away.

But the battle with the vampires is still going strong, and when Richart is severely injured and literally appears out of thin air into Jenna’s living room one evening, he finds himself with a lot of explaining to do.

This was a perfect way to reveal what has been going on with Richart in the previous books. Though part of a series, I believe it can be read alone and enjoyed just as it is. If you are a fan of the series, however, you’ll really enjoy Richart and Jenna’s story. Lots of focus on the romance and Richart winning Jenna over after his big reveal.

Rating: A

High Stakes by Hannah Jayne

When vampire fashionista Nina LaShay’s design contest rival is found dead, she’s the prime suspect. Sexy photographer Pike is number two. He’s the kind of man who makes Nina salivate. But will she have to reveal herself to have him–and to save them both? Or does Pike have a secret of his own?​

Hannah Jayne is a new to me author. I liked her voice-this story having a bit more of a humorous feel to it, even with the theme and the many dead bodies. I enjoyed the characters, and Pike and Nina’s back and forth banter worked well for this story. I was able to figure out the killer, long before it was revealed, but there was still one surprise that I didn’t see coming. There is some tension between Pike and Nina but this story did not feel like a romance at all to me.

Rating: C+

Overall Rating: B

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