In “Turn Up the Heat” by Sherrilyn Kenyon (book 5 in the BAD series), Allison George wins the Heroine Hideaway sweepstakes and flies to a tropical island to enact the plot of her favorite romance novel. While there, she meets Vince and her safe, planned fantasy goes awry.
Vince Cappelleti is a mob hitman on the run from the “family.” His old childhood friend Z, now a rich and legit businessman, smuggles him out of the US and hides him on his island. Vince knows the mob will eventually catch up with him, so he keeps to himself and avoids people, but he’s bored and lonely. Then he meets Allison, a sweet woman who’s far too good for him.
Allison and Vince are in lust at first sight. I wish the novella would’ve been longer to give more detail about Vince’s past and to show the H/h falling in love, but at least there’s attraction to build their relationship on.
The head hopping annoyed me, but I managed to figure out whose POV I was reading in easily enough. I’m a big fan of Ms. Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series, but I haven’t read many of her BAD books. From what I know of the series, the BAD agency didn’t play a big role in this book, and I felt a little lost during the climax because I didn’t know who some of the people were, people who’d surely played a bigger role in the previous stories.
Still, this is a good, fast-paced action/adventure romance.
4 Stars

In “Hunter’s Oath” by Jaid Black, a civilization of Vikings flourishes beneath the surface of the earth and has done so for thousands of years. It’s custom for bride-hunters to go aboveground and find suitable wives to steal, so the men can bid on the women at the auction block.
As the leader of the Viking sector of Hannu, Lord Johen Stefsson only cares about helping his people and trying to make peace with his corrupt king. Though he’s not in want of a wife, especially an Outsider (a woman from aboveground), the naked blonde woman on the stage captures his attention.
Sofia Rowley flew to Alaska to attend her brother’s funeral, and then found herself kidnapped and hauled to a cabin in the snowy mountains. Her strange captors transported her underground, and she soon winds up married to the hottest, biggest man she’s ever seen.
Johen and Sofia are interesting characters. He’s totally smitten with her at first sight, and it’s so much fun to see a big, burly man fall head over heels for a woman. Sofia longs for freedom but can’t deny the happiness she’s found in Johen’s arms.
Though the novella ends with a HEA, there are loose ends concerning the bride-hunters’ punishment and the revolution that’s going to take place in New Sweden. If not for that (and a few typos), I would’ve rated this story with 5 stars because I really enjoyed it.
4 Stars

In “The Warlord Wants Forever” by Kresley Cole (the prequel to the Immortals After Dark series), Nikolai Wroth died as a human three hundred years earlier and awoke a vampire. As a forbearer, a turned human, he willingly serves the full-blooded vampire who turned and has pledged his loyalty to the vampire faction, which is made up of other forbearers. None of them know anything about vampire history or the history of other supposedly mythological creatures, and they’re desperate for information. He doesn’t breathe, his heart doesn’t beat, and he cannot feel sexual desire. Then he meets Myst, a strange woman who changes everything. She’s his Bride, and he has to have her.
Myst is a Valkyrie and is always used as bait by her sisters to catch and kill their enemies. Valkyries and vampires are mortal enemies, and she finds it hilarious Wroth doesn’t know that. Instead of giving him the information he and the faction needs to survive, she teases him and bloods him (she makes his dead-like body respond to her), and then leaves him in a state of sexual torment for five long years. When he finally catches up with her, the furious vampire will finally claim her as his own.
I liked Wroth for the most part, but I didn’t like Myst. She was selfish, cruel, and so hardened that she kept her gentleness far from the surface. She didn’t care how much she hurt Worth and wouldn’t apologize even when she felt a little guilty. Her Valkyrie sisters were just as slutty and heartless, but I hope a lot of if was just act.
I’ve heard great things about this series, and this is the first IAD book I’ve read. Unfortunately, I found it confusing. The history of the Lore was scattered throughout the story and wasn’t straightforward. I didn’t understand the animosity between the warring species and why they warred within themselves.
I plan on reading the other books, and hopefully, I’ll understand them better than I did this one.
3 Stars

Book Overall – 4 Stars ( )

3.75 Stars

The three stories were okay.
I had already read the 3rd story by Kresley Cole a while back and I liked it best.
All three stories could have been better, but each had their own special flavors for the reader to enjoy. ( )

Since this was an anthology I can't really review one book entirely. But What I do remember from reading all of them, is that they all hooked me into each of these series and though I haven't started Vikings Underground yet, the story captivated me, it was an intriguing new style of a story, With Time Travel, Dominant men, strong women, and in the end love and compassion. B.A.D. I love Sherrilyn Kenyon before I ever read this book so I knew I would probably like it and though it's not really in the norm of what I read I enjoyed and have since read another book in this series and enjoyed it and it will be reviewed on another page. Warlord wants forever had me so captivated that I instantly when out and bought "A Hunger like no other" and today I'm pretty far into the series. ( )

I bought this book to read "The warlord wants forever" and after reading that, I tried to read the other two stories and didn't find them nearly as engaging as twwf. ( )

Turn up the Heat by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 3
Vince is an ex mafia hit man hiding out and Allison is a grocery clerk on a fantasy trip to relive a romance from one of her novels. Very much a fantasy story, with instant lust, hot sex, running from the bad guys suspense.
( )

Turn Up the Heat - Sherrilyn Kenyon - 3 1/2 Stars - This was a good quickie read. The action was pretty good but there was a lack of steam.

Hunter's Oath - Jaid Black - 3 1/4 Stars - I'm not too cool with the whole stealing women and selling them off thing, but once I got passed that I did like the story. Johen was a very sweet man and took care of his wife well and it's easy to see how Sofia could fall for him. I will definitely continue this series if I come across more of these books.

The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole - 4 Stars - I see what the hype is all about. Nothing turned out the way I thought it would and I like it that way. I will absolutely be reading the next installment. ( )

Ok collection. Nothing special; but nothing terrible. ( )

Plot: 3 star
Characters: 4 stars
Writing: 3 stars
Sexiness: 4 stars


Overall: 3.5 stars
( )

So the Sherrilyn Kenyon story Turn up the Heat? Not bad, Allison George wins a competition to live out a fantasy on an island and finds herself attracted to a man who on paper is the wrong man for her but makes her heart beat a bit faster. I loved Allison, determined, strong, but willing to concede when she needs help. I laughed a few times during it, I'd probably score this one 3.5 stars.

However I'm not sure why it is bundled in with the other two. And the other two are forced seduction stories. The Jaid Black story, Hunter's Oath, made me think of John Norman's Gor stories. Woman kidnapped and sold on a block, naked, and also add in some sort of drug that makes her crave sex? That's sexy? That she comes to terms with her incarceration and "love" her owner? That's not love that's plain survival stuff. Not pushing my erotic buttons here, out of the framing story the sex would probably be erotic, inside it, no. It scores 2/5

And then Kresley Cole adds The Warlord wants forever. Now what Myst did to Wroth wasn't good. Leaving him with a boner for five years, ouch. However, what he did was, in my book, unforgivable. Using her necklace to make her like sex with him? Overriding her wants? Threatening her with making her forget her family, her impulses, her own self in order to make her over to be the pliant sex toy he wants? I'm sorry, no, not sexy, not titilating, not attractive in the slightest. I've read a few of the stories in this series and this is making me want to stop. I have things that I really don't like in books and forced seduction is a no-no. To resolve this story he would need to do a lot more grovelling for me, honestly, I would have let him burn up in the sun, if I had been Myst. 1/5 ( )

Although Sherrilyn Kenyon is the big name on this trilogy, the reason I picked it up was for the original Immortals After Dark short story from Kresley Cole. The Warlord Wants Forever begins the creation of her Lore world. I also like the story from Jaid Black, Hunter's Oath. I've never read her work before now. The credibility of the character was a little shaky, for me, but still a good read. The third story (actually, it was the first in the book but I read it last) was the one by Kenyon. It didn't really have a paranormal vibe to it as the other two did. It did have the not-credible part in common with Black's story. Overall, it was an enjoyable story but I'm not sure if I'd pick up anything else written by her if this is what most of her writing is like. Well, put it this way, I can't even remember the title of her story - not memorable. ( )

Only read Warlord Wants Forever. It was a good begining to the Immortals After Dark series. I liked both Myst and Wroth, individually and together. The only problem I had was the forced seduction, I had to put the book down for a day after reading that particular 'love' scene. Wroth chases down Myst, they beat each other up hard enough to leave behind bruises and blood, she says 'no' several times, and he forces her. It was stated they are like rough sex, but that was too much. For a novella the charactures were fully realized and their journey to love and trust complete. ( )

Three short stories written in 2006. The first one by Sherrilyn Kenyon was the best of the three but even that one about a shy female taking a vacation to a be the star of a romance novel was only 93 pages and everything happened too quickly. The 2nd story was about a Viking living underground by Jaid Black and it wasn't too bad and I liked the characters but there wasn't time for the story to develop and the 3rd wasn't even worth reading. ( )

What I Loved: I am not usually a fan of short stories and it might have helped this one that I read it out of order since I had already been introduced to many of the characters. That being said I think K.C. did a wonderful job of telling the story of Myst and Nikolai and making sure to include very rich detail about their world. She packed a lot of punch into this short story and still allowed for some very hot moments.

What I Liked: The "sisters" are cracking me up in this series. I love their addiction to XBox and all things fun. If I was going to be immortal, I would hope that I could pack that much fun into my life while still doing my duty.

Complaints: Again the violence surrounding sex. This time it was on both parties sides but I did not like it much. Again, she didn't quite cross a line but I am kind of worried that it is going to be a theme in the series.

Why I gave it a 4: As I stated, I am not usually a fan of short stories so when one is done well, with enough detail to draw you in, and still feels like you got the whole story in the end, I recognize it. K.C. did a fantastic job of including enough elements that you are fulfilled by the story.

Who I would recommend it to: PNR readers and maybe even UF readers. The stories all have HEA's but I would say they are a tad bit more into the UF type of storytelling: a little darker, the women are very strong, and the romance is rougher.

Author Website: http://kresleycole.com/

Books in this series:
Playing Easy to Get
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winters Night
Dark Needs at Nights Edge
Dark Desires after Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Deep Kiss of Winter
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams for a Dark Warrior ( )

An anthology of three paranormal romance stories. Kenyon was interesting because it included working class protagonists. Kole wasn't bad, although (does it need to be said?) 'not bad' in a trite way. Black was just fucking annoying and awful.

"Immortals after Dark" series by K. Cole and the very first story she did in the series is in this anthology. Great story by Sherrilyn Kenyon as well. A quick but very entertaining read.... ( )

Kresley Cole's THE WARLORD WANTS FOREVER is the only story worth reading. The first story TURN UP THE HEAT by Sherrilyn Kenyon was okay but the second story HUNTERS OATH by Jaid Black was a mess. Not impressed with the overall book but Cole's story was great and you should definitely read it as it acts as a prelude to Cole's fabulously wicked Immortals After Dark series. ( )

She's written better. I think I wasn't that impressed with this story because I felt it was way to short and I didn't believe any sane person would react the way the heroine did in that sitauation.

As for Jaid and Kresley's stories. I liked Jaids, but I really liked Kresley's. I'll be looking for other books she's written.

Which is why I gave the book a hire score then I had oringally intended from Sherrilyn's story. ( )

I only read for the Kresley Cole novella and bypassed the others. ( )

anthology ( )

TURN UP THE HEAT by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Turn Up The Heat tells the story of an average woman who wins the vacation of a lifetime - a trip to Sex Camp. But what Allison George gets is a race for her life with none other than an ex-Mafia hit man who is now being sought by his prior employer. Vince Cappeleti knew the island was a risky proposition, but he'd run out of options. Now the only thing he wants in his sights is Allison, but in order to have a future with her, he must first deal with his past.

HUNTER’S OATH by Jaid Black
Hunter's Oath sends griefstricken Sofia Rowley to the Artic Circle, where her brother, a U.S. Army officer, was lost in a deadly helicopter crash. She's about to take a shocking journey into a secret underground world where Viking bride-hunters auction off their bounty... and where a strapping warrior vows to make this beautiful Outsider his.

THE WARLORD WANTS FOREVER by Kresley Cole
Nikolai Wroth, a ruthless vampire warlord, searches for his Bride - the one woman who can render him truly alive. When his fevered chase leads to Myst the Coveted, a Valkyrie seductress who craves only freedom, a battle of domination and desire begins. Will the power of her seductive wiles overcome his strength? Or will she surrender and experience the deliciously agonizing lust that Nikolai has endured waiting for his one and only Bride? ( )