The Pyramid Waltz by Barbara Ann Wright

The Pyramid Waltz
by Barbara Ann Wright
Pages: 264
Published date: September 17 2012
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books

Review:
5.5 out of 5.0 stars
Read: January 16 2014

It didn't end exactly the way I'd want it to, and the first couple paragraphs,  while solid, didn't really pull me in.  Otherwise,  probably one of the best books I've read.  Good solid action, solid world building,  and one of the best displays of two strong independent people coming together in love and as equal partners.  Neither submissive,  neither dominant.  Maybe something of that will/or did turn up in a later book, though I like the way it is at the moment.

Those looking for graphic descriptions of sex will be disappointed.  This one had more of the 1950s movie feel for those intimate scenes. Which I actually liked.

RIZEN by Kirk Anderson

RIZEN
by Kirk Anderson
Pages: 44
Date: November 27 2012
Publisher: Galleon Publishing

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 11 2014

My heart is still racing.  Shesh.

Ok, to start with, this is a short story collection, 4 stories by the same author in the same story universe.  None of the characters reoccur.  Also, it is in reverse chronological order. Which I noticed in an introduction before the stories.  Which I am glad I noticed, because I decided to read them in chronological order.  I have to say, if I had read them in the order the author had presented them, I probably would have rated the book roughly the book average rating on GoodReads of 3 something stars. Instead, by reading it in chronological order, the tension mounted from today's world, into the zombie apocalypse world.  I've no idea why the author thought the book should be read the other way around.

I recommend two things: 1) read in chronological order (the free ebook I got has a link to each of the four stories in the front of the book); 2) read the first chronological story (which is placed at the end of the book). The book is free.  It won't take too long to read that short story, and if you aren't captured, then you didn't really lose much. Except a few moments of your time.

Prophecy of the Female Warrior by K.A. Young

Prophecy of the Female Warrior
by K.A. Young
Pages: 160 pages
Date: May 23 2013
Publisher: Author
Series: Nephilim Warrior (First book)

Review
Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars
Read: January 9 2014

A melodramtic soap opera from beginning to end. A three star effort through much of it, but it pulled close enough to four stars by the end to rate it such.

I suppose I would recommend it to those who like soap opera paranormal romances. As to whether or not I will continue reading the series, I do not, at the moment, know. A little too soap operay for me and I'm not really sure I want to learn more about this world.

Darkness Embraced by Winter Pennington

Darkness Embraced
by Winter Pennington
Pages: 248
Publish Date: May 17 2011
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books

Review:
Rating: 3.0 Stars out of 5.0
Read; December 31 2013 to January 8 2014

The idea of the Dracule (however that is spelled) was interesting.  Actually the most interesting part of the book. Silky, furry critters. Might be interesting to read more about them.

Overall,  the book just had way too much sex in it for me personally.  Interesting enough story/read or I wouldn't have finished or given up to 3 stars, but still. It's one of the reasons that other series I read by Pennington kept getting lower and lower ratings (5 stars, 4, 3). Each book I read by Pennington seems to have even more sex in it and/or obsession with.

At this rate, the next book or the one after will open during sex, will involve people walking around while humping each other (maybe just telepathically), will have fight scenes during sexual activity,  then the book will climax with a ...well, explosive climax.

Riding with the Cop by J.S. Scott

Riding with the Cop
by J.S. Scott
Pages: 32
Date: April 8 2012
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 0.5 stars out of 5.0
Read: January 5 2014

"Oh my! He liked me so much he raped me! I'm so happy and excited now!" (not an actual quote; actual quote was: "Jake liked her? He had wanted her badly enough to blackmail her? She should have been angry...but she really wasn't.")

Rape play, dominance and submission, pet-play, etc. is one thing.  Rape? Actual rape? Is rape.

Hot young woman.  Hot muscle-man.  Man with tons of strength and in a heightened position of power.  Woman in vulnerable position.  He rapes her.  I do not find that to be what I would normally think of as "erotic sex".  But a story of rape and betrayal. She respected him.  Looked up to him. Expected him to do what was right.  She was worried when he disappeared. She followed him to see if he needed help.  He grabbed her, blackmailed her, and raped her.

"Oh hell...who was she trying to fool? She just had the most mind-blowing sex of her life and she wanted this man." (actual quote after the rape).

This is a very disturbing story on many levels.  A man in power. A vulnerable woman.  She liked it.  So obviously rape is ok, right? Because she liked it this time? Fucking story sickens me.