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Tag Archives: female protagonist
Catching Balance Update
Some tertiary characters get to come forward in book 4, many of them the females who’ve given themselves to assisting Dee’s plight.
Dee’s Shadows, Subra and Fera, who have been by her side since Zosma assigned them her protector continue their role, while Nirah shows herself to be a great tactician. Acacia is just an all-around solid Soldier. Someone we’d all be lucky to find at our side, and she’s one of the few trained as a medic. Anyone else remember Dee’s guts splattering onto the floor of a plane?
Hope you’re enjoying these mini character profiles. No free books this week, but if you’re a reviewer, send me a DM. Also, all my books are shareable through Kindle, so don’t be afraid to send your copy along to someone you think might love Dee and her friends 👊
Taste the Dark: Elwood Legacy, Book 1, by Nicola Rose
Book Review: Taste the Dark: Elwood Legacy Book 1
By Nicola Rose
4 Stars
Paranormal Romance. Erotica.
I couldn’t help but love the Elwood boys! Can’t wait for more.
One reckless girl and two vampire brothers – battling forces of love over lust, and light over dark…
Jess
I killed my parents. I didn’t mean to, I don’t think. I can’t really remember.
I can’t remember much from the years that followed either, other than an endless stream of bad decisions, generally involving alcohol, drugs and bad boys. My new job in a new town signified a turning point – time to sort myself out.
What I hadn’t anticipated was the 6ft package of brooding, inked-up perfection who started stalking me. And don’t even mention the equally hot brother crawling around under my skin…
They radiate danger, it flows around them like a seductive spell; and danger is my favourite word.
Zac
I was doing a pretty good job at balancing on the fine line between light and dark, blurring the edges and living in the grey. But then dead vampires started piling up around me and the Bael gave me a ticking countdown to fix it.
Now she’s arrived. Four seconds – the moment I saw her – that’s how long it took to know that she’d simultaneously bring heaven and hell to my door. I don’t even know what she is, but I know I crave her.
Falling for a human girl has left me teetering on the verge of collapse. This could be just the ammo my brother needs to nudge me over the edge and into oblivion.
Taste the Dark is a full-length paranormal romance/urban fantasy, intended for adult audiences. It contains coarse language and explicit steamy scenes. Expect a lot of heat and a little darkness, because romance isn’t always sweet.
Book one in the Elwood Legacy series.
Every aspect of this book, I was a fan. The setting of a secluded spring break town, the firefighter profession of Jess, the dichotomy of the Elwood brothers, and of course, the love-triangle that’s reminiscent of the Vampire Diaries, only with a darker setting that makes it an even greater ride. I even liked that I didn’t like the main character. Her self-destructive tendencies and willful behavior bordering on suicidal was sometimes like watching a train-wreck. I just couldn’t look away, even while my insides cringed.
Steamy and sexy, I was pulled along by the antics of Jess and the reactions of Zac to those 
antics. Playing a dangerous game she can’t help but continue, I found the girl infuriating, while also understanding that she was perfect for those who found her so enticing. Whether she would eventually relax or drive them to madness, caused the pages to move in a blur. *wicked grin*
I’m a fan of the “I should, I shouldn’t” pull of characters who know better but can’t help themselves. Taste the Dark gives so much of that I was in heaven. I found myself moving back and forth between what I hoped would happen. The pages couldn’t turn fast enough so I could find out what camp Ms. Rose would leave us in. I wasn’t disappointed, though I couldn’t have been, when any option was one I’d hoped for at some point 😉
So many secondary plots interweaving with the story, this was the perfect “Book One.” There’s so much more to tell. So much more to know. I’m looking forward to Book 2…
Happy Reading 🙂
Find more of my Book Reviews at StealingShade.com and CMMartens.com
Burn the Dark: The Elwood Legacy, Book 2, by Nicola Rose
Burn the Dark: The Elwood Legacy, Book 2, by Nicola Rose
Paranormal Romance.
4 Stars
A Darker, Grittier Continuation of a Dark and Gritty Romance.
One reckless girl and two vampire brothers – battling forces of love over lust, and light over dark.
Jess
All the years of therapy and labels, and it turned out the real reason for the chaos in my life was something none of us could have dreamed up.
Destiny and fate have grand plans for me. Apparently I’m supposed to play along, but what if I don’t want to? What if the lines got so blurred that I can no longer tell which way I’m supposed to turn? Whose arms I should fall into? And what if that question doesn’t even seem to matter anymore?
I’ve spent my life chasing down adrenalin-highs, but I didn’t see this coming. Something dark is brewing inside me… and maybe I like it.
Alex
She was only supposed to be part of the game.
Yes, I wanted her from the moment I saw her, but not for the right reasons. Not for love. Not for passion. I wanted her for my own agenda – bringing down Zachariah’s carefully erected walls. And maybe, just a little bit, because of the way her presence called out to me like a glimpse of something big, glowing on the horizon.
I should never have let that light grow. I should have squashed it when I had the chance. Now she’s under my skin and it’s all twisted. But this time, I won’t lose focus. I won’t lose her.
This time… I win.
Burn the Dark is a full-length paranormal romance/urban fantasy, intended for adult audiences. It contains coarse language and explicit scenes.
Book Two in the Elwood Legacy series. Book One – Taste the Dark – should be read first.
After a bit of a slow start, this book really delivers!
Jess’ strange talents and what they meant for the path of her life are explained in the beginning pages, and I especially enjoyed the addition of new characters that boost the supernatural world Nicola Rose has built. Along with the new, we get to know characters briefly introduced in book one which only adds to the excitement.
Throughout book one, I wanted to kill Jess. I hated Jess (see my review), but in Book 2, her temperament is easier to swallow which made the ride all the more fun. Verbal repartees with those 
who would have others paralyzed in fear had me laughing while the suspense over how it would all play out got me turning pages without stop. And this was all in the first twenty percent of the book.
I love Alex. From Taste the Dark, this love only grew as Burn the Dark continued. His blunt, no-nonsense, I-don’t-give-a-crap attitude, added to his newfound angst made me love this story. Jess continues to fight her attraction which made for the perfect dynamic.
The way Nicola Rose weaves conversations and arguments from Book One into ammunition for Zac and Jess’ drama is superb. Reason that seemed sound for Jess’ actions are suddenly thrown into new light, and we all wonder whether she really is just some crazy bitch with a death wish. Jess’ struggle that finally is figured out when she accepts some things, discards others, and finds that everyone has a place to belong is one of my favorite points about this book.
Did I mention I love Alex? There’s so much more of him in this second book, its reason enough to read it.
I was pleasantly surprised by how everything comes together at the end. All my heart-strings were pulled, as well as getting the perfect dose of blood and carnage.
Book Three is sure to be a wild ride!
Happy Reading 🙂
Check out more of my reviews HERE.
Author C.M. Martens 