Kelly's Review: NIGHT EMBRACE and Topic Thursday

Let's start out with our Topic Thursday shall we? I apologize for not posting this sooner. I've been really inundated today with paperwork. Ugh, I HATE paperwork.

Is ambiance important to you when you read??? I noticed that some e-readers allow you to play music on them while you read. Would that interrupt your concentration? I would wager that probably most of us read in bed at night before we go to sleep. I would imagine that means a quiet setting. I have two absolute perfect settings for reading.

One is on a cold, cold day. My housework must be done. I'd prefer for something to be in the crockpot, something that makes the house smell really good. I'd like for there to be a fire going in the fireplace (as opposed to the laundry room) and I'd like to be sipping either tea or hot chocolate. I'd like to be cuddled up in a snuggly blankie and I'd like my dogs curled up by my feet snoring away. Most importantly, in that scenario, nobody can be home.

My second favorite place to read is on a warm spring or summer morning on my patio. The only music I want to hear are birdies chirping and bees occasionally flying by. I'd like an iced tea close at hand and I'd like to be munching on some butter cookies.

So how about you? Is ambiance important? What are your perfect surroundings for reading? Let's hear about it. :)

Okay, now for my review. Here we go:

NIGHT EMBRACE

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

Book 3 in the Dark Hunter Series

Published by: St. Martin’s Press / 175 Fifth Avenue / New York, NY 10010

First Printing: 2003

ISBN: 0-312-98482-0

Amazon; Barnes and Noble; Goodreads

Concept: “Dear Reader:
Life is great for me. I have my chicory coffee, my warm beignets, and my best friend on the cell phone. Once the sun goes down, I am the baddest thing prowling the night: I command the elements, and I know no fear. For centuries, I’ve protected the innocent and watched over mankind, making sure they are safe in a world where nothing is ever certain. All I want in return is a hot babe in a red dress, who wants nothing more from me than one night.
Instead, I get a runaway Mardi Gras float that tries to turn me into roadkill and a beautiful woman who saves my life but can’t remember where she put my pants. Flamboyant and extravagant, Sunshine Runningwolf should be the perfect woman for me. He wants nothing past tonight, no tie, no long term commitments.
But every time I look at her, I start yearning for dreams that I buried centuries ago. With her unconventional ways and ability to bagfle me, Sunshine is the one person I find myself needing. But for me to love her would mean her death. I am cured never to know peace or happiness – not so long as my enemy waits in the night to destroy us both.
Talon of the Morrigantes”
Review: If you follow along with my reviews, you will remember that the last few reviews that I did that were not in my normal genres were disappointments or me. I even finger pointed to the people who recommended the books saying something along the lines of “if you can’t recommend a good book, don’t recommend a book at all.” These Sherrilynn Kenyon books are based on recommendations to me from your very favorite blogger, and my friend ::stuck up look cuz I call her my friend:: Donna. She was going on and on…Sherrilynn this and Sherrilynn that. Ash this and Ash that. So how could I NOT read these books right? As you know too from reading my reviews, the first book in the series, Fantasy Lover, while a good read, it wasn’t my most favorite of books. But then I got involved in The League books and again as you know from reading my reviews, Born of Fire was way up there in one of the best books EVER. I really enjoyed the second book in this Dark Hunter series although the second half was better than the first half for me. So I’ve had good experiences with Sherrilynn. I’d say I was a fan. Not an addict, but a fan.
Well shut the hell up because now? Now I am an ADDICTED FAN! I owe Donna thanks for some of the best reading hours in my life so far. THAT ladies and gentlemen, is how you recommend a book.
Yes, this is the third book in the series, and the start of other spin offs (I think anyway. I know there are Were Hunters in here but there’s other potential spin offs too.). Let me tell you right now, IGNORE THE SPIN OFF REFERENCES. I tried to figure them out first and I got intimidated. Just read the books and enjoy them for the books that they are. We are re-introduced to Talon in this book. What a delightful piece of male flesh he is. We meet Sunshine (yes, “Sunshine”…it gets worse, she has brothers, Storm and oh shoot, something else that I can’t remember, but yes, “Sunshine.”) and Sunshine is charming. I LOVE when I can love the female character as much as the male character. She is funny and kind of dorky. I loved her.
Anyway, Talon and Sunshine end up spending some ::koff:: quality time together after an attack from the “bad” vampires out there. While Talon and Sunshine are getting to know each other other in oh so delightful ways, we get to see what’s happening with the “bad” guys as well as get to know some other Dark Hunters including Ash and his evil brother. (Okay, the evil brother thing is so dangerously close to the “Luke, I am your father” thing that its not funny but, for the first time EVER in my paranormal romance reading life, I didn’t care!) Talon is a tortured soul but, hey, so in Sunshine. Yeah, Sunshine. There’s some past life soulmates forever sort of stuff going on here too.
I rarely write spoiler filled reviews and to tell you much more about the story will give a lot away, so let me just wrap this up by saying that the story is as good as the romance. The romance is as hot a 4 alarm fire. I know these characters are fictional but Ms. Kenyon has made them come alive in my heart and now I love them. Talon and Sunshine are lovely wonderful friends of mine.

What I liked: I have several favorite parts in this book so its really difficult for me to pick just a few here but, I again have to comment that I adore Ms. Kenyon’s sense of humor. I find myself laughing out loud at some of her humorous dialogue. I love most animals. Most. I met Beth (the alligator) in Night Pleasures and I expected to see her here. But there was a scene with Sunshine and Beth that was just funny, cute, adorable…let me think of some more adjectives. It was SO good. I wouldn’t say I love Beth, but at least a croc made me smile. J

The best thing that I liked though, was knowing that Zarek’s book follows this one. And I’ve heard it’s one of the best SK books EVER. I don’t know how it could top that last few that I’ve read, but dang, I’m so excited to find out!

What I disliked: Um…Sunshine??? Really??? Was Joan taken? Sally? Mary?

My rating: 5 Stars (I’m taking away the “bright, shining stars” because of the Sunshine thing.)