Romance Book Review: Styx's Storm

Author: Lora Leigh
Series Connection: Breeds
ISBN: 978-0425237397
Genre: Paranormal/ Sci-Fi/ Erotic Romance
Publisher: Berkley

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Let me just say that I love Lora Leigh and have read every one of the Breed novels and novellas, but this one has some issues that I just found disturbing. First of all if you read the below description on this book from Lora's website disregard it all. I feel like I didn't even read the same book or I missed something big. Since I read this in e-book form, I'm not sure what the back of the book says, but... here is my version of what happened in the book.

We've heard the name Styx and met his character in several previous books in the series. Styx has been tracking Storme, the daughter of one of the council scientist, for 2 years. The Breeds think she has something important from her father that they don't want the council to get their hands on. The Breeds have actually be shadowing Storme for 10 years. When Breed Director, Jonas Wyatt finds that what Storme has might be important to finding out what the council did to his adopted daughter he send Styx to finally stop watching and to pick her up.

Storme has been careful to stay out of the clutches of both the breeds and the council for 10 years. Upon his death at the hands of the Breeds he created, her father gave her a microchip with instructions to wait for a man to tell her that her father sent her for the chip. Now the Breeds have captured her and they want her to turn it over to them. To complicate matters, Styx is positive that Storme is his mate, but the mating heat hasn't taken hold like normal (is there really a normal way?). Because of that he finds it hard to protect her from Jonas' charging Breed Law against Storme.

If I just spent the whole book from Storme's point of view I would give this book 5-Hearts. Storme is the best part of the book. Lora's shows her true ability to write strong, powerful characters with Storme. I felt for her and at times even felt tears along with her. Her character stands true throughout the book. Just like the Breeds, she was programed by the council throughout her life, only from a different perspective. To make matters worse she witnessees a Breed rip her brother and father's throat out. She hears their screams of death. To top it off the Breed that killed her father is one he trusted and betrayed him. She was only 14 years old at the time. Her father last wish is for her to do one thing and she means to keep his wish. Having trust issues and not trusting the very creatures who killed her father is very much in character for her.

As for the rest of the of the cast, I was very disappointed. I developed a love/hate relationship with Styx. He, and others, telling Storme to grow up was really getting on my nerves. Styx said he understood, but really didn't. He had the right idea as to what to do to reach Storme, but he wasn't following through.

The only character that I felt remained in character was Jonas. He was his normal playing games self, even while he was desperate to get the chip from Storme.

Those fans who, like me, have kept up with series will want to read this book. It is another piece of the puzzle. It looks like Lora Leigh will have a several new installments to the series over the next year or so, as well. I'm not in agreement with others that say this series has met the end. I'm ready to read more and find out where the stories goes. All the books can't be winners.

To save innocent, young Storme Montague from the claws of Breed slave traders, Wolf Breed Styx is forced to claim her himself-on the condition that Storme will no longer be a virgin by night's end. And though Storme's defenses are up, Styx will free her-in ways she never expects.

Romance Book Review: Bengal’s Heart

Author: Lora Leigh
Series Connection: Breeds
ISBN: 0425229025
Genre: Paranormal

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This is the 19th book in Lora Leigh's Breed/Coyote/Feline/Wolf series. The general premise behind the stories is that in an effort to make a stronger fighting machine many years ago a group began experiments in mixing human DNA with animal DNA. The result were a new race of man. Hidden away, tortured and trained to be the ultimate killers, these hybrids finally escaped their prison and are now living freely among the humans.

Bengal's Heart tells the story of Cabal St. Laurents, Tanner's brother from "Tanner's Scheme". Cabal is one of the few breeds that are a mix of human and Bengal tiger. The story begins when he is still in the labs 11 years earlier as he watches his entire family killed and he first encounters reporter Cassa Hawkins, his true mate. Since this time, Cabal has become one of the elite enforces under Jonas Wyatt.

Cassa Hawkins has always been a protector of the breeds. As a reporter she has worked to make sure that the breeds are always treated fairly. When she begins to receive a set of mysterious e-mails which depict one the breeds going rogue and killing humans she knows she has to investigate. When she arrives at the scene of one of the killings she runs right into Cabal. Both Cassa and Cabal know that they are true mates, but neither has acted on it in 11 years. In one spark of intense passion that all changes and now the two are thrown into mating heat.

The timing isn't the best for handling all that mating heat entails, because both Cassa and Cabal need to be on their toes or wind up losing each other forever.

While this books wouldn't be high on the list of my favorites in the series, it didn't really have any fatal flaws. The general problem was a few obvious inconsistencies and rough chapters in the middle of the book. There was a lot of detail going on throughout the story and it was a little difficult at times to keep track of all the players. Those who have read the series shouldn't have a problem following along.

I liked both Cabal and Cassa's characters, although I do believe I would have made Cabal suffer for all his "tomcatting" ways if I were Cassa, but then again that is difficult when going through the mating heat.

The word is that Jonas is the next full story in the series and really I can't wait. I'm sure that Lora can have a lot of fun with his character and really Jonas has what ever she dishes out coming. Before then check out Hot for the Holidays, due out Sept. 29 featuring another Breed novella. (ISBN: 978-0515147001)

Description:
Reporter Cassa Hawkins has always supported Breed rights, believing they should be allowed to live free of fear and prejudice among the humans. A reasonable woman couldn’t think otherwise, especially in the presence of Cabal St. Lawrence (Laurents), a spectacularly muscled specimen of the Bengal breed. The epitome of the male animal, his sensuous growl can fire up Cassa’s vulnerable body faster than a flame. Yet neither can ignore the nightmare unfolding around them…

The Breeds have been incriminated in a series of violent murder, and accused of hiding a vicious serial killer. It’s left to Cassa and Cabal to discover the truth. But as hunter becomes prey, are trust and passion enough to keep them alive through the night?

Reread on Leigh's Aiden's Charity

Aiden's Charity
Author: Lora Leigh
Series: Wolf Breeds, Book 3
ISBN: 1-84360-626-7

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Description:
The forces of survival and destruction swirl in the darkest corners of men’s minds. The nature of the beast cannot be harnessed, and survival is the purest of all instincts. Survival of the species itself goes soul deep.

But can the human heart accept and adapt as easily? Can Charity bestow the love and the acceptance that has always been a part of her, to the man whose very survival depended on the hardening of his heart, of his soul? And can Aiden maintain that cruelty now, in the face of the sacrifices she made? Only time and nature can tell…

My View:
Although this book has been out for a while I added it to the book of reviews because Lora Leigh's new novel, Coyote's Mate, lead characters were first introduced in this story. Although each of Leigh's Breed and Wolf series can be read alone, it would be helpful for readers to get a handle on the series first. Aiden's Charity is a quick read and worth the extra time to get to know the other characters in the series.

Besides that this is a wonderful book. The characters are strongly written, the sex scenes are hot and the author sets the scene well. The love story between Aiden and Charity starts six years before when Charity saves his life. The only problem is Aiden isn't all that happy about the way Charity goes about it and swears to exact revenge against the young doctor. When they meet each other again Aiden has to come to terms with what he felt was Charity's betrayal at the same time save her life. The story is a must for anyone who is a fan of Leigh's Breed and Wolf series.

Reread on Leigh's Mercury's War

Mercury's War
Author: Lora Leigh
Series: Breed
ISBN: 978-0-425-22418-2

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Description:
There's trouble brewing at Sanctuary. Someone has been slipping secure information to a pharmaceutical company. Now it's up to Ria Rodriquez to pose as a clerk and uncover the leak. And she has no idea of the danger she's about to encounter.

Years ago, Mercury Warrant—who, according to his file, is one of the greatest Breeds ever created—thought he lost his mate, and he's had to live with the idea that he'll never know true bonding. Then he's tapped to protect the mysterious Ria—and finds himself falling in love.

But Ria is a woman of many secrets, and she fears being consumed by her feelings for Mercury. Little does she know that she has every right to be afraid. Because the woman believed to be Mercury's true mate is back from the grave, and she's not about to let Ria—or anyone else—get in her way...

My View:
"They were created, not born. They were trained, not raised. They weren't meant to be free, to laugh, to play or to love. They were men and women whose souls had been forged in the fires of hell..."

The prolog to the first few book goes a long way in telling the story Lora Leigh has created. Mercury's War is the 16th book in Leigh Breed series. These are her explanation to the existence of were creatures. I've enjoyed these books from the first. Sometimes they idea behind the stories get a little repetitive—there are just so many times that one can go through the explanation of the mating heat—but the intrigue, betrayals and characters created through the series keeps it going.

Mercury's War is no exception to the rule. As the story line unfolds readers get to learn more about Mercury's past. We first meet Mercury in the second book of the series, when the original group first moves into Sanctuary and learn that he is the only breed among the group who has lost his mate. Through much of the series Mercury pops up many times until he works his way into the position of enforcer under Jonas.

Leigh does a lot with his character and provides him with a mate he can be proud of. Ria is a smart, strong and viable heroine. She brings along with her the connection of "The Leo" and his son Dane. As usual even in the end the Breeds are still in danger and the story continues. According to Leigh's blog, we can expect to see at least four other books in the near future. This review is written after the second time I read this book in the past several months. I wanted to prepare myself again for the Breeds' world again now that Coyote's Mate is out. I'll have to wait another day though, as I take a quick reread at Aiden's Charity. This will be the first time we meet the character in the new book. I'm so excited I'll probably pull an all-nighter.

Just a quick note: Whenever I read blogs and comments about the Breed series it is always in reference to Jonas and his story. Jonas is a great character, but what about Dane. I’d love to see if he ever meets his mate and what his story is.