Lothaire by Kresley Cole

Lothaire and Elizabeth Pierce's book




Lothaire (Immortals After Dark book 12)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD
Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER
Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED
Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

*Standing Ovation* This past Aug/12 I started reading the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole. I was intrigued with all the anticipation voiced by fellow book bloggers and Twitter friends. There seemed to be quite a celebration of this release of Lothaire. Paranormal and UF are not my number one choice for romance so I had not really heard to much about this IAD series previously. Turns out I was missing out because as I finished Lothaire's book (IAD #12) I must agree with the positive buzz these books generated. I thoroughly enjoyed them. 

Lothaire has been appearing in and out books since the beginning. There was quite a mystery built around him and it wasn't until the previous book, Dreams of a Dark Warrior that the readers really got to truly meet him. Lothaire is a complex character on the brink of madness. He acts like stiff upper crust royalty in composure yet he is 100% deadly on the brink of madness. The Lore creatures shake in their skin when he is near and he keeps an accounting ledger of all the blood debts he is owed. I had no idea who his "Bride" could be. What sort of woman would be perfect for him? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Mountains

Enter Elizabeth. A hillbilly human woman from the Appalachian Mountains that talks with a southern twang and lives in a trailer. Not what I would have imagined for Lothaire but let me tell you that Kresley Cole is a genius because Elizabeth could not have been more perfect!

Of course their romance is completely off kilter because Elizabeth (Ellie) was sharing her body with an evil goddess like entity, Saroya. Lothaire is convinced that Saroya, the nasty Goddess of Divine Death, is his Bride. The first half of the book is mostly about how Lothaire plans to rid Elizabeth's soul from her body so that Saroya can take over completely. Elizabeth of course has plans of her own. 

Lothaire usually kills off those who annoy him yet he can't hurt the mortal Elizabeth without also hurting Saroya. Amazing constant conflict and I love how Elizabeth strives to madden Lothaire further. She was perfect in her cunning ways and the banter between the two was awesome. I was constantly rooting for Elizabeth to get the upper hand. Such an engaging story. Loved it!

A favourite moment - Lothaire at Elizabeth's trailer in the mountains. 
"Am I wearing a wife-beater, Lizvetta? Oh, come on!"

Having said all that I loved about the pair, I still think my favourite part of the book was the chapter that included Nix and Lothaire together. They actually have a great talk and they were both completely lucid. So many answers were provided in that chapter and I long to read Nix's book one day when it is written. Nix is probably my favourite character out the entire series. 


Teasers: Lothaire-speak, temper tantrum = beheading (oops) "Mothman. Really, Elizabeth? Really?

Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole

Regin the Radiant and Declan Chase's book 





Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark book 11)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:HE VOWED HE’D COME FOR HER . . . Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . .
When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . .
Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

I am a huge fan of the character Regin and boy she deserved better than this dude, Declan. Not pleased with the outcome of Dreams of a Dark Warrior. But that is not to say it wasn't a great book because it really was. 

Regin is funny, witty and totally loyal. If I was to be trapped in a prison type cell with any of the IAD characters, (like Regin was in this story) I think I'd want it to be Regin. She has the best quips and comebacks and she is just so confident. So why oh why or how did she end up with Declan Chase? 

I have no idea what the attraction was here. This messed up dude kidnapped a 7 yr old witch and had her mother killed. He authorizes torture sessions (of unspeakable cruelty) on her captured friends. He is cold and just plain out right creepy. Declan is best to be compared to some war time deranged leader who orders experiments on his captives with a goal to eradicate them from the earth. Doesn't he just sound pleasant?

Declan is of course Regin's reincarnated lover, Aiden from a thousand years ago. He keeps returning vowing to be with her over and over again. Remarkably Regin, who admits to not loving the original Aidan , saves herself for him hundreds of years at a time. Why? I don't know other than a silly vow she made when she was twelve years old. Personally, I was a fan of the original "Aidan the Fierce" and even a few of his predecessor and I truly truly TRULY saw nothing enduring about Declan. I have no idea what it was about him that drew him to her. If anyone else reading this review that has read Dreams of a Dark Warrior and feels like that would like to enlighten me on what I missed, I invite you to comment. 

So as Declan starts to dream and remember the past, he turns from wanting to gut her alive to taking over a role to be her fierce protector. Honestly, it was laughable. So I thought I'd give this emotional 180 degree switch some time but I still had no idea what was drawing him to Regin. He just had no enduring qualities. I thought maybe Kresley Cole was trying to play a tortured hero card but it just didn't do enough for me to make me like him. 
Oh did I mention he was also a drug addict and since he was the commander of this Lore torture facility, once all of the captured Lore escape, they all want to kill him. Slowly. Painfully. 

The story itself was intriguing and held my interest. It had my heart pumping and I could not believe that Regin was practically autopsied while awake. There were some great new characters introduced and I loved hearing Lothaire's voice in my head. I was always curious how he spoke. I can't wait to dive into his book next. 

Teasers: brutal experiments, curse, RIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGG

Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole

Carrow Graie and Malkom Slaine's book




Demon From the Dark (Immortals After Dark book 10)


By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:A DANGEROUS DEMON SHE CAN’T RESIST . . .
Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he’s pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A MADDENING WITCH HE ACHES TO CLAIM . . .
Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

TRAPPED TOGETHER IN A SAVAGE PRISON . . .
In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

I cannot convey how hard I fell for this story and these characters. There are a few books I'd like to rate higher than a 5 and Demon From the Dark is one of the few I'd rate as such. I freaking loved this book. 

Demon From the Dark was a bit different from the other stories in the Immortals After Dark series. Unlike the other stories, you could almost read this book as a stand alone. I'd never recommend it but thinking about all the events and characters, I don't think you'd get lost or confused. 

Malkom is an extremely likable hero. He has the tortured soul mojo working for him that is accompanied with such a streak of bad luck that you can't help for cheer for him. The whole story you know that Carrow has no choice but to betray him and you just have big lump in your throat knowing that it is coming. Oh man my heart was heavy. 

There is a major language gap between Malkom and Carrow at the beginning. The communication is almost comparable to a caveman with a modern woman. They try to communicate with carving symbols in the dirt and trying to learn basic words from one another. Malkom's demon characteristics are  medieval and Carrow is a modern day witch. They are worlds apart but their attraction is true. 

Malkom is a truly isolated character. He is only 1 of 4 known of his species. He has super brute strength, feared by all other demons yet he craves Carrow's gentle touch. I think I fell in love with him when he burned his hand from a fire and when he experienced the gentle touch Carrow offered him, he stuck his other hand in the fire so she'd touch his other hand. I know right! See why I fell for him.   

Ruby. I challenge anyone to not fall in love with this 7 yr old witch.

Demon From the Dark completely sets the series up for some major continuation and I can barely take the time to write this review before I am getting ready to dive into Dreams of a Dark Warrior.   

Teasers: chapters long cave shower scene, importance of the position of "wife", deep betrayal, step-demon dad, ring toss

Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

Lucia the Huntress and Garreth MacRieve's book





Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Immortals After Dark book 9)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:A DANGEROUS BEAUTY ...
Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her --- and those she loves.

AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED ...
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED ...
From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness --- her wanton desire for him.

Super loved Pleasure of a Dark Prince. At this point in the IAD series I can't really say which one is my favourite but I think Pleasure of a Dark Prince will be way up there. 

I just loved how Pleasure of a Dark Prince takes the reader alllll the way back to the second book, A Hunger Like No Other. I remember when I read that story there were a couple of snippets regarding Garreth and Lucia that I had really wanted to have more information about. I was fist pumping that Kresley Cole didn't deny her readers that chance and looped us right back to the beginning. I know that Kresley Cole will probably never read this review but THANK YOU for that!

One thing that can be said about the Lykae, when they find their mate, they are relentless at pursuit. Lucia had Garreth chasing her all over the world for an entire year! 

Lucia had a super interesting back story. It was dark and reflected on why she is so close to Regin. I liked Regin a lot before reading Pleasure of a Dark Prince but she stepped up a few notches in my mind.  I can't wait to read her book. 

Lucia was a great heroine because she was not only the best archer in the entire world but she didn't come across all badassy as a warrior. She had a soft spot and was almost pining for romance. Even though she didn't wear sexy under-garmets like the other Valkyrie, she seemed quite feminine to me. I liked that. I also really liked that Garreth and Lucia's conflict was about trying to get her to fall in love or even about just liking Garreth but rather it was an unique situation that prevented them being together. Lucia held back a lot of secrets from Garreth (and it was maddening to read about). 

The one dominate trait about the Lykae and totally drives me nuts about their clan is their need to protect. I mean OVER protect. Lucia is a huntress. Even her name is Lucia the Huntress. She is the best archer in the entire world yet Garreth sometimes treated her as if she was a trainee warrior. She was a thousand years old and extremely capable. I would have loved it if Garreth respected that more in Lucia. Once Lucia finally revealed her secrets, it would have been awesome if he said, "Ok, lets go get the big bad together and kick his ass." Yeah that's not likely with any Lykae. 

I am totally intrigued with a new character introduction, Charlie/Izabel. I really hope we hear something more on him/her. 

Nix once again was the total scene stealer. 

I find it interesting with this IAD series that there are only a few actual intimate sex scenes but the heat rating on the stories are always elevated. 

Teasers: Amazon boat trip, anaconda nightmare *shivers*, Cruach was a disgusting villain *shivers again*, Lothaire the ring/thumb thief

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresely Cole

Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions and Rydstrom Woede's book





Kiss of a Demon King (Immortals After Dark book 7)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:HIS OBSESSION...Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.

HER DOWNFALL...Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.

THEY WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO WANT EACH OTHER THIS MUCH...With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?

Just finished Kiss of a Demon King and although I enjoyed it, I didn't fall in love with it as much as the previous few. My issue was how mismatched the couple was. Sabine and Rydstrom were so very opposite, like night and day opposite, like good vs evil opposite and I never really did feel that they actually connected. Sabine had to get cleaner and Rydstrom had to get dirtier for this pairing to work. I think the author tried really hard to make it work out that they both bent a bit out of their comfort zone but it didn't really work for me. 

It was clear that Rydstrom had searched centuries for his mate. He was so sure that he needed a perfectly queenly proper woman for his mate and never found the one he truly desired. Turns out he likes a bit of kink & bondage mixed in with his fantasies and I think that was the author's attempt of him getting a bit "dirty". 

On the Sabine front, she had the worst kind of evil for a brother (who incestuously craved her) and she had been murdered and brought back to life more times than even an immortal should bear. For experiencing a wicked upbringing and having Sabine set in her selfish ways, she only thinks of herself and be damned on everyone else. She is thoughtless and has no qualms about how she gets what she wants. I wasn't quite sure how Kresley Cole was going to get me to like her. Eventually I did but I still didn't think she was a match for Rydstrom. 

I also liked that Kresley Cole made an effort to have Sabine appear differently (in a costume sense) since she was a Sorceress but all I kept picturing was a cross between a Vegas showgirl and Cirque du Soleil character. I don't know *shrugs* maybe it worked for a sorceress. 

http://lasvegasshowsauthority.com/mystere

Nix once again had the best lines and I found I just wanted to read more about Nix. I had to laugh when Sabine thought she'd telepathically enter Nix's mind for a quick look around and promptly withdrew because it was so muddled. "Welcome to my world" was all Nix would say about that that little intrusion. I did laugh out loud. 

We do get introduced to Sabine's sister, Lanthe and I am certainly interested in learning more about her. She is a sorceress as well and she has the power to open portals and the very cool power of persuasion. She is the only person in Sabine's entire life that she could trust and I found I liked her very much. I hope there is more information about her in the next stories. 

Let me talk about the sex for a bit. Sabine was a 500 year old virgin. Hard to believe but she had been saving herself for her Demon future husband as an Oracle had predicted. She may have been a virgin but she didn't have a stitch of shyness and she apparently was gifted with her oral skills. What annoyed me so much about this story was how much initial hate there was with this couple at the beginning but they both burned so hot for each other. I don't think I liked how cruel Sabine was being to Rydstrom at the beginning when he was a prisoner and yet, for as much as he couldn't stand her, he wanted to have sex with her so badly. I get the whole finding your mate thing but I didn't like that chemistry at all. I just I just don't like angry hate sex. To each their own I guess. 

Teasers: uncomfortable shower for Rydstrom, turnabout is fun, lame spanking, vows

Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole

Cadeon Woede and Holly Askwin's book




Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark book #6)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past. A tormented warrior she should fear, but can't deny...

Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon's wicked touch.Surrender to dark desires...Yet just when he earns Holly's trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs -- and claim his heart?

Dark Desires After Dusk wins for the worst cover so far in this series. The dude on the cover, even though he is handsome, in no way resembles Cadeon. Cadeon is blondish, with blond stubble and oh yeah, has horns. Even if the art department tossed horns on that cover model, it still doesn't resemble Cadeon in my opinion. 

Another exciting adventure and journey in  Dark Desires After Dusk . From practically the first page the reader is thrown into a battle scene with chaos amuck. 

The prologue at the beginning finally provided the back story on why Cadeon was blamed for making his king brother, Rydstrom lose his crown and kingdom to Omort the Deathless. The thing about even having that information now is that I still felt it was a really weak reason for hundreds of years of guilt to be pushed onto Cadeon's shoulders. Perhaps that was the intent? 

By far Cadeon is the coolest of the Lore creatures we have met yet. He swears, talks in slang and makes no apologies for his behaviour. He was very mismatched to the prudish Holly...at first. Holly with her incredibly annoying OCD habits drove me crazy. I couldn't get over how patient Cadeon was with her disorder. 

What a hard situation Cadeon was put in. To chose between his mate that he had been searching for for about 900 years and then to his loyalty to getting his brother's crown back. By having to deceive and jeopardize Holly was heartbreaking as well as heartpounding. I felt for him all the way through the journey. 

Favourite line from Cadeon:
"Holls, I'm a demon; I'm not a tool."

Nix continues to crack me up and she just adds so much to the story line. I wonder if she'll ever get her own book? You definitely don't want to read these books out of order or you'd totally miss all the connecting dots. I love how this series keeps progressing forward and how each book is a new adventure that ties each character together. 

Teasers:  useless glasses, getting drunk at the Sandbar bar, North West Territories winter cabin of love, Wendigo gone

Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole

Neomi Laress and Conrad Wroth's book




Dark Needs at Night's Edge (Immortals After Dark book 5)

by Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:HAIRED TEMPTRESS OF THE DARK... Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers -- until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying than Néomi herself.

A VAMPIRE WARRIOR CONSUMED BY MADNESS... To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth's brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.

HOW FAR WILL HE GO TO CLAIM HER? Yet even if Conrad can win Néomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?

Just loving this series and I adored Dark Needs at Night's Edge. I swear each story gets more and more creative. This time around the protagonists are a vampire and a ghost. What a combo. 

The elusive vampire Wroth brother is found and Conrad is not to happy about it. He is a crazed bloodlust vampire with the deep dirty red eyes. The three Wroth brothers capture him and using the mystical manacles from one of the previous books, then cuff and lock him away in an old New Orleans mansion. They hope to reverse the effects of his crazed bloodlust and right from the get go, it sure didn't look promising. 

While the brothers subdue Conrad, he gets a glimpse of a beautiful ghost. From there the story of how Neomi helps cure Conrad of his madness is just amazing. I was so drawn into this couple's situation. Neomi is a complete doll and so opposite of Conrad. I felt sad that someone like Neomi who had such a lust for life; ultimately had it cruelly taken away from her when she was just reaching her prime when she was a mortal.  

Dark Needs at Night's Edge had lots of flirting and temptation because Neomi is a ghost. They could not even touch each other in the ways the other couples could in the previous books in this series. I think all that teasing and talking really helped Conrad more so than if Neomi was corporeal. I sure didn't know how their story was going to progress along in that state though. Leave it to Kresley Cole to write an interesting and creative way to make their relationship a go. 

I need to add just how much I adore Nix the Valkyrie. I think it is super awesome that she thinks her lover should be Mike Rowe. I'm also thinking a certain author just may have a wee crush on him herself. 

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/dirty-jobs/

Teasers: electric shower scene, eerie dance, not a cheap witch, future twins 

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole

Bowen McRieve and Mariketa the Awaited's book




Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night 
(Immortals After Dark book 4)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:Her breathless kiss haunts him... Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed--until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive. 

His slow, hot touch is irresistible... Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go. 

No deed is too wicked for her seduction... If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul--or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

I think that Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night is my favourite so far. I got totally into the story and was disappointed when it was all done. I love that feeling. 

Bowen was introduced to the readers in the second book, A Hunger Like No Other. I liked that we learned a bit about his back story early on. It helped understand where his mindset was from book 3, No Rest for the Wicked (which is based around a Lore type of Amazing Race, the Talisman Hie). I totally loved that this book started off Bowen's storyline set back in that previous book and then carryed on from there. I am such a fan of continuity in stories. This Immortals After Dark series is just full of it. 

In No Rest for the Wicked, Bowen is as close to desperate as he can get with his obsession to win the time travelling grand prize, Thrane's Key. Reading the books in order, you know the poor physical shape Bowen was left in at the end when the race finished so when Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night takes the reader back to a bit earlier in the race, I was so excited. I wanted to read how Bowen arrived in the shape he ultimately ended up when that book was finished. I tell you, these series is taking me on such an adventurous ride. 

Mariketa is a delight. I loved that she was supposed to be an all powerful being but she was so clutsy that she wasn't even sure if she could pull off a minor spell without blowing up something. On top of all that, she knew this deficiency about herself and really didn't try to hide it. When Bowen accused Mari of placing a type  of mating charm on him, she couldn't really deny it because she wasn't sure if she did do it or not. 

I could also see in Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night that the various Lore groups seem to almost forming alliances due to some of the recent couple pairing offs. Lykae with Valkyrie, Lykae with witches, Forebearing Vamps with Valkyrie and even the friendships that seem to build between demons and fey during the race. Kresley Cole seems to be slowly building up for an amazing Accession showdown where alliances are built and the Vampires are going to be hit hard. I'm loving it. 

Bowen and Mari had a great romance story build up and the reader really didn't know what to base it on. Was it really the beginning of love? Was it just a spell? Was he just using her? So many puzzling questions that just played out in a perfect pace that was finished with a spectacular finish. What a great battling finish! 

Teasers: Trapped!, bloodbath guerrilla warfare, mirrors and apples, deception sorceress, spell overload

No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole

Kaderin "the Cold Hearted" & Sebastian Wroth's book





No Rest for the Wicked (Immortals After Dark 3)

By Kresley Cole

Book Blurb:A soldier weary of life . . . Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire – a nightmare in his mind – against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead. 
A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him . . .

 When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow – accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings – particularly lust – emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill. 
Become competitors in a legendary hunt.

The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity – as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world – to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

No Rest for the Wicked could basically described as a mythology legend meets the Amazing Race with a touch of Indian Jones adventure added in for good measure.  All in all, it was fabulous, exciting and very sexy. I liked it a lot. 

Kaderin suffered a heavy personal loss and carried around a mountain of guilt for hundreds of years. She had allowed one particular vampire to live during a battle only to have that same vampire turn around and behead her own two sisters (they were triplets).She felt that burden on her shoulders alone. Kaderin had so much hate, anger and disgrace in her soul that it turned her into a cold but very effective warrior. It was almost cruel that fate somehow matched her up with Sebastian, who is a vampire. 

I should add, that Sebastian is a self loathing vampire. He was turned by his own brother who just happens to be Nikolai Wroth from book 1, A Warlord Wants Forever.  Sebastian never wanted the vampire life and as his own brother declined his dying wish to be left to die as a human. Even after three hundred years, he still had not embraced the vampire life. He purposely alienated himself from living creatures (both human and Lore) and lead a solitary life in a castle far away in Russia. 

Kaderin's hate for vampires mixed in with Sebastian's desire to be a "blooded" couple turned out to be quite the ride. I think if a vampire's need and compulsion to be with his Bride wasn't derived with such determination, I'd have to give Sebastian major props for the amount of rejection he took from Kaderin. He was relentless and not willing to back down yet he was such a gentleman. It's easily identifiable that his mannerisms were stuck in a time hundreds of years earlier when men had to be the protector of women. And what a protector he is!

The Hie (Amazing Race for non humans) was exhilarating. From climbing sharp mountains, battling basilisks, trudging through minefields, swimming with blood thirsty sharks and the list goes on. All this adventure while competitors freely maimed each other to get ahead. It was brutal. I liked how sneaky Sebastian was at entering the contest along side Kaderin and how he was able to eventually get her to work together with him. Even if he had to strike out sexy deals every now and then. 

Great action. Great suspense and super characters with steamy sexy scenes. I can't wait to jump into the next book, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. 

Teasers: bewitching handcuffs, time travel key, return of Dasha & Rika, 13 points away