I often buy other Carina Press books just to see what else they are buying. Here are two that I’ve read in the last month. I read a third one as well that I liked even better than these, a long epic fantasy that I’ll post about next time.
Yesterday’s Heroes
by Heather Long
Genre: Superhero
Ebook
This episodic novella is the start of a new series from Heather Long. I enjoyed it but whew! I was not prepared by the cover or blurb for how very hawt it is. I should have been: when they say passionate, they mean it.
Michael is the leader of a super team sent back in time to stop an event that makes the world the nightmare it has turned into. Rory is a super-something who specializes in calculating probabilities–sounds lame but she can manipulate those probabilities as well, resulting in super fighting abilities. The chemistry between Michael and Rory is so intense that his team suspects emotional manipulation–except Rory is affected as well.
This is a time travel story that has fun with the usual time travel paradoxes. I enjoyed it and will buy the next book in the series to see what the author is going to do with it. The move toward episodic stories intrigues me, so I’ll stay with this one for another book or two.
Recommended if you enjoy science fiction romance or fantasy romance.
Heart of the Dragon’s Realmby Karalynn Lee
Genre: Fantasy
Ebook
Heart of the Dragon’s Realm is a poignant tale of a young woman named Kimri who is traded into marriage by her brother, the king of their land. When she thinks to never forgive him, yet looks back to wave one last time, I knew I would like this character.
On the way to the land of her husband-to-be, her party is attacked by soldiers from an enemy kingdom. However, Kimri manages to take their leader hostage, and he turns out to be Prince Herrol, the younger and disposable son of the enemy king.
You might think this develops into a love triangle, but once you meet the king of the Dragon Realm, King Tathan, you know Herrol is no threat to him. Tathan tells Kimri that he will court her for a year, and if she does not want to marry him at the end of that time, she is free to return to her kingdom with no penalty to her brother.
This is a long novella/short novel. It has a lot of twists, and characters do a lot of things you don’t expect, and they will probably do some things you won’t approve of, but never in an amoral way (except one villain). The writing is just beautiful, and the romance between Kimri and Tathan slow and mostly sweet. Tathan’s kingdom is idyllic and almost crime free–and you find out why in the end. It is a standalone story, and I enjoyed it very much.
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One final word: the awesome covers for both of these stories did a great job selling these books for me.
You’re right about the amazing cover art, especially the second book.
It worked for me! I love girl-with-sword poses, especially when they are as introspective as this. Hot-chick-with-sword images? Not so much.
I like the sound of that second novella (actually I like the sound of both, but I don’t read stories as steamy as you said the first one is). I’m always looking for more novellas to read as I’m writing a lot of them these days, so thanks for bringing these to my attention.
And you’re right–gorgeous covers!
Novellas seem to be getting hotter, which works for me because I’ve been writing them lately! And more and more often, reading them as well. Just downloaded the first in John Scalzi’s Human Division series. Will review soon–maybe even Sunday.
That second one sounds intriguing. Like Chicory, I’m leery of the “hotness” of the first one. I tend to lose interest before a sex scene is done, even if it’s only a couple of pages long. I just want to get on with the STORY! {SMILE}
The second story sounds pretty interesting, plot twists and all. {Smile}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
I don’t mind hotness if the sex scenes don’t go on and on. These don’t and the situations aren’t all that erotic.
But the language is quite frankly sensual.
I am very easily annoyed by sex scenes. I’ve seen a few I appreciated, but an awful lot strike me as more concerned with titilation than with either plot or character. When I see it that way -whether I’m right or wrong – I lose interest very quickly. {lop-sided Smile}
I really felt like the odd one out for this attitude for a while. However, Chicory mentioned she tends to skip them, and now I see that Rabia says she’s not as fond of them either. I’m beginning to feel like I’m not quite alone after all. {SMILE}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
I would say, not at all!