Book Review: To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning

Title: To Tame a Highland Warrior

Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Highlander #2

ISBN: 978-0440234814

Publisher: Dell

Pub. Date: 1999

Source: Purchased

Genre: Romance/Paranormal/ Historical/ Fantasy/Adult

Pages: 400
Rating: 3 Kisses
Author's Website


Synopsis (from Goodreads):
A Woman's Tender Touch
He was born to a clan of warriors of supernatural strength, but Gavrael McIllioch abandoned his name and his Highland castle, determined to escape the dark fate of his ancestors. Hiding his identity from the relentless rival clan that hunted him, he called himself Grimm to protect the people he cared for, vowing never to acknowledge his love for ravishing Jillian St. Clair. Yet even from afar he watched over her, and when her father sent an urgent summons, "Come for Jillian," he raced to her side—into a competition to win her hand in marriage.

A Warrior's Steely Heart

Why had he run from her so many years before? And why return now to see her offered as a prize in her father's manipulative game? Furious, Jillian vowed never to wed. But Grimm was the man she loved, the one who urged her to marry another. He tried to pretend indifference as she tempted him, but he could not deny the fierce desires that compelled him to abduct her from the altar. She was the only woman who could tame the beast that raged within him—even as deadly enemies plotted to destroy them both....

My Reveries and Ramblings: To Tame A Highland Warrior is the second book in Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series.  Click here to read my review of the first book, Beyond the Highland Mist.  This installment focuses on Grimm's story.  

In this book, Jillian's father wants to marry his daughter.  He calls for the three best suitors to come and woo her; Grimm, her childhood friend, being one of them.  He has a secret, however, that keeps him from ever wanting to pursue his feelings for her, even though he does...really really love her.  The secret is quite epic too! This novel kind of plays out like a season of the bachelorette (hahaha).  Which I found hilarious.  So.....if you like those kind of tv shows, you'd like this!

To Tame A Highland Warrior made me super conflicted.  I loved Grimm, the male protagonist! I loved his back story, how he changed from beginning to end, his tortured hero-ness, and pretty much everything else about him.  What I didn't like was that all the depth in Grimm's character was basically absent in Jillian's character. She was a bit of a bore.  If you asked me to describe her, all I could tell you is that she is beautiful and is obsessed with Grimm.  Characters are constantly talking about how selfless and kind and innocent she is....yet....we never see it.  Aside from the lack of depth in Jillian's character, I really liked everything else.

Quick side note: really wish Quinn, one of the other guys asked to court Jillian, had his own story.  Like I REALY REALLY REALLY wish he did.  

Price: Currently $5.98 on the Kindle

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Playlist:

(Click Here if you want to listen to it on Grooveshark--if you don't have spotify)

Book Review: Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Beyond the Highland Mist

Author: Karen Marie Moning

Series: Highlander #1

ISBN: 9780440234807

Publisher: Dell

Pub. Date: March 1999

Source: Purchased

Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Historical Romance/ Fantasy/Adult

Pages: 375

Rating: 4 Kisses

Author’s Website

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  He would sell his warrior soul to possess her. . . .
An alluring laird...
He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart--until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistible challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length--but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve.
A prisoner in time...
She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite within her. Not even the barriers of time and space would keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about following the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side. . . .

My Reveries and Ramblings:  I bought this book while I was reading Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series.  I was waiting for Shadowfever and needed something to help me get through the waiting period.  So I turned to her Highlander series…

Beyond the Highland Mist begins with Adrienne getting transported back in time to Scotland in the early 1500s by some faeries that want to see a certain man in misery.  Hawk is that man.  He is perfect in every way.  Women would literally kill to be with him.  Even the faerie queen likes him.  This enrages both the faerie king and Adam Black, also known as Puck or Robin Goodfellow.  The plan: find a beautiful woman that hates beautiful men and place her in  Hawk’s path.  What follows is pages and pages of pure enjoyment.  Yes, this is a romance novel, but Moning makes it so much more.  She constantly pushes the Adrienne and Hawk together and just when you start to think “YES! FINALLY!” she pulls them apart.  I raced through this book.  I kept me on edge and wanting more.  I think I’ve reread it several times since I finished it the first time.  Each time I’m just as on edge as I was the first time. 

            Some of the best moments in the book was when Hawk was trying to get Adrienne to sleep with him and she would go to great lengths to get away from him, only to end up in Adam Black’s arms and want to run right back to Hawk.  I would HIGHLY recommend this amazing time travel romance.  You seriously won’t regret it!   I am definitely going to finish reading the series. 

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Book Playlist:
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Book Review: Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Dreamfever

Author:  Karen Marie Moning

Series:  Fever #4

ISBN:  0440244404

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Genre:  Paranormal/ Romance/ Mystery/Dark Fantasy

Pages: H-400; P-512

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): 

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

They may have stolen my past, but I’ll never let them take my future.

When the walls between Man and Fae come crashing down, freeing the insatiable, immortal Unseelie from their icy prison, MacKayla Lane is caught in a deadly trap. Captured by the Fae Lord Master, she is left with no memory of who or what she is: the only sidhe-seer alive who can track the Sinsar Dubh, a book of arcane black magic that holds the key to controlling both worlds.

Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle-filled streets of Dublin to the treacherous politics of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves, where nothing is as it seems—and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering truth.

Who do you trust when you can’t even trust yourself?

My Ramblings and Reveries:  Let me start by saying WOW!  I seriously love these books.  Karen Marie Moning is such an excellent writer and storyteller.  She left the end of Faefever with one of the worst cliffhangers I’ve ever read-well, it was at the time.  After reading Dreamfever, I was forced to change my mind and say, “Now that was the most torturous cliffhanger EVER!”  Basically anything I say will spoil what happens if you haven’t read the book so I will just ramble on and on about how much I loved it.  There were so many amazing moments and scenes in this book.  I must warn you though-make sure you buy Shadowfever with it because the cliffhanger at the end will drive you crazy-you will be dying to know what happens.  This book blew me away and I can’t wait to pick up my copy of Shadowfever tomorrow.  If you haven’t read this series then read it!  It is one of my all time favorite series.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK. 

A Short Music Video:

Playlist:

A Post for Barrons

    

     I finished Dreamfever the other night (review will probably be posted this week)-WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK! I can’t get Jericho Barrons out of my head for a minute (and I wouldn’t want to)So OF COURSE I went online and googled him (the stalker of fictional characters that I am) and I found this which made my night SOOOO much better. On Karen Marie Moning’s website she has an interview with the actor/character that was the inspiration for JZB– Eric Etebari from TNT’s Witchblade.  This interview is sooo good and there is even an uncensored interview with him (which is EVEN better) Click here to read the interview OR click here for the unscensored interview. 

And then of course, there’s this:

And this:

Book Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Title:  Faefever

Author:  Karen Marie Moning

Series:  Fever #3

ISBN:  0385341636

Publisher:  Delacorte Press

Genre:  Paranormal/Romance/Mystery/Dark Fantasy

Pages:  H-327

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): He calls me his Queen of the Night. I’d die for him. I’d kill for him, too. 

When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister’s journal, she is stunned by Alina’s desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister’s killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it. Mac’s quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V’lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

My Ramblings and Reveries: After Mac’s encounter with the Lord Master, she decides to learn how to defend herself against Voice (what the Lord Master uses to control people).  Barrons, in all his mysteriousness, agrees to help her.  Although his help is more like bullying but I guess “pot-A-to, pot-Ah-to.”  On top of that, Mac also has to deal with the other sidhe-seers attacking her, the rivalry between Vlane and Barrons, and the murders caused by the Sinsar Dubh. 

Grrrr! I want to know what Barrons is- the mystery deepens in this installment.  Mac learns more about Barrons and his past, but it only raises more questions that he is unwilling to answer.  Mac also starts spending more time with Vlane, much to Barrons dismay.  During one of their meetings, Vlane tells Mac about the Lord Master (his history).  Almost every time Mac is with Vlane, Barrons appears with no warning whatsoever.  Then he storms off upset about something (hmm, I wonder). 

       This book was soooooo good.  And the end- what a cliffhanger! But I guess I should have seen it coming since the previous Fever books have had cliffhangers.  This one, though, was especially brutal.  What I disliked: I found some of the scenes with the other sidhe-seers annoying.  Personally, they seem to be completely unhelpful to Mac and her quest.  I don’t trust them.  This isn't my favorite of the Fever books but I still love it.  I give it 4 Kisses :)

AND now for those of you who read the book, highlight the area below (Warning: spoilers): 

AHHH! I don’t know what to think anymore.  I thought I was completely team Barrons but then he practically abuses Mac during the Voice lessons.  What’s with that?  Every time he did that I became sooooo angry with him and was shocked!  I thought he liked her (not showing it but deep down in side).  And then Vlane comes in and is helpful, sexy, and patient with Mac and doesn’t force her to do anything.  It’s just so frustrating.  (at least I own Dreamfever now so as soon as break starts-2 weeks, I can read it!)  That ending!!!!!!!!  This is what was running through my head at the very very end:  “WHAT?!?!?!? NOOOOO!  NO NO NO NO NO !! Where’s Barrons? Where’s Vlane?”

It was almost too much- in terms cliffhanger endings.  

A really good music video (Barrons in this video is how I pictured him):

Now the playlist: