October 8th is the one year anniversary of my first review posted on Fiction Vixen. Look how far I have come, from guest reviewer to regular reviewer!! Since the typical gift for a one year anniversary is paper I think I will buy myself a book…or seven…but I don’t know what to buy. Most of my book purchases are done on impulse. I see something that is recommended, I check out the blurb or review and then I buy it. Very few books I buy are part of a thought out process. So I would like to buy one that I, and everyone else, has provided thought towards.
Photo via: stock.xchng
Recently I have been on a dark erotica kick but that doesn’t mean I have to stay that way. Maybe if I tell everyone my likes/dislikes you can help me pick out a special book for my anniversary!
Favorite series
This one is easy for me. Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series is my favorite. I read a ton of ongoing series, in fact most of my books are probably connected to a series in some way. The Fever series stands above all of those. It left me gasping, guessing and flailing for answers. How many books can you say have done that? Do you have one like that?
Favorite hero
Barrons/Roarke/Bones. I like ‘em cool, confident, sexy and smokin’ hot with a bit of alpha-hole thrown in there. No betas for me, please.
Favorite heroine
Cat/Kate. This one took me a minute to think about but those two names kept popping into my head. Both are kick-ass females that never needed their men to survive. They had lives before the men but now are made whole with their men. TSTL need not apply. No thank you.
Favorite genre
Well recently it has been dark, contemporary erotica. Overall, it might be historical though. There is something about the taboo of sex in historical settings that gets me. In this area I am open to pretty much everything although the PNR market has been over saturated lately and I think we are hurting for something fresh.
Favorite book
Now this is the hard one. How do you narrow it down to one book? But my favorite book would likely be Acheron or Shadowfever. Of course, they are both connected to a series, which is not necessary here, but I would describe them as EPIC. I could not put either book down. I even took a vacation day from work to read them. And when they were finished I was in a book funk for a week afterwards.
I know I don’t ask for much, but can you help me find something that could fit into several of the categories above? Genius if you can find one to fit all of them!
Last but not least…I want to say thank you to Amy, Angela, Catherine, Samantha and most of all Sophia. The last year has been a blast with you guys. Thanks for allowing me to play! *sniff*
Note from Sophia: It’s been awesome having you at Fiction Vixen Jen, and I hope you have plans to continue to rock our world with your insight and opinions on the genre we all love. xo
Giveaway
Now, to give you all a little encouragement to help Jen out, I’m going to toss in a $10.00 gift card to an online book store (winner’s choice) to one lucky recommend-er. Leave a comment with your book recommendations for Jen based on her preferences above. Based on your recs, I might even gift a few books to Jen. 
Open to anyone who can spend a gift card . You have until end of day October 12 to enter, winner will be announced soon after.
Giveaway sponsored by: FVBR
No purchase necessary to win. You must be 18 or over to enter, void where prohibited. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. FVBR is not being compensated for this giveaway. If the winner declines to accept or fails to claim their prize within 72 hours of the announcement, they forfeit their prize(s). Prize distribution is the sole responsibility of the giveaway sponsor. Fiction Vixen Book Reviews will not be held responsible for lost or misdirected prizes or for circumstances beyond our control. More information here.
About Jen
My favorite series is Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series…KMM, Scotland, druids, can’t go wrong!
I just finished a Fever series reread and they all appeared in it. I think there might be one I haven’t read. That woman can write!
Have you read “The Taken”, first in the Celestial Blues series by Vicki Petterssen? It’s a dark, contemporary PNR, but it has the twist you are looking for. Griffin Shaw is a hot, alpha angel with an attitude trying to solve his own murder. Kit Craig is an investigative journalist who lives the rockabilly life style and is trying to find out why her best friend was killed. There’s a Roarke/Eve vibe to these two, and Petterssen uses language better than any author I know. Her words truly sing. I think you’d really enjoy this one.
I have not heard of this! An angel and you say they are like Roarke/Eve?? I must check this out. Thanks!
I’m a fan of Dark Hunter, Fever and Night Huntress series. My absolute favorite series is Immortals After Dark, but I really like the Alien Huntress series as well.
All of those are excellent series! I would be very sad if any of them stopped!
Have you read Linda Howard’s Son of the Morning? Great read
No, I haven’t. Good??
I second that rec!
That’s tough cos I do fear that everything that I would say, that have you already read. So have about branching out? Trying something to make you laugh like Bridget Jones diary
Strangely enough I have only seen the movie. Usually it is the other way around. Have you read it and liked it?
I read Bridget Jones Diary and I loved it – it’s better than the movie:)
Congrats Jen!!! I love reading your reviews here and talking books with you.
Aw, thanks!
I’d recommend Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series–Archangel’s Blade from last year, or her current book, Archangel’s Storm. Dimitri, the hero of A’s Blade, is more in line with what you profess to prefer in a hero.
Congrats, Jen. Here’s hoping we get many more reviews from you.
Thanks! I have read Dimitri and Honor. I have Jason on my kindle but haven’t read him yet? Was that one as good?
I’m reading it right now…It opens with Dimitri’s wedding. It’s good. A’s Blade was one of my favorites last year, so I have high hopes.
The Fever series is my 2nd favorite urban fantasy series. The 1st is The Hallows series by Kim Harrison. She is about to release the 11th book in this series, and I am still completely hooked. Waring, it’s is more urban fantasy than PNR.
The 3rd is the Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane. I didn’t really get into this book until the end of book #2. All of her books leave me in a funk for weeks after
This is equal parts urban fantasy and PNR
I’ve also heard amazing things about the Demonica series by Larrison Ione. I’ve only read the 3rd book, Passion Unleashed, and it was super steamy!
Soulless by Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate series) is also amazing. This one is a steampunk. It is really witty and unique, and has a super manly werewolf
I read it 3 times in the first year after I bought it.
Okay, I could go on forever with books recs. Happy anniversary!
Ok, Gail Carriger…I have seen those books around so many times but something stopped me from picking them up. The romance is good?
Yes, with the exception of the Hallows series, I really don’t read anything that isn’t in the romance genre. Although, the later books are a little light on the romance.
Think alpha werewolf who is desperately trying not to fall in love and only knows how to woo according to werewolf customs. Did I mention that he hates wearing clothes?
If you want a steamy historical, have you tried Elizabeth Hoyt? Loved her earlier stuff, especially The Raven Prince, and her sex scenes are more on the erotic side.
Oh, and if you want an “alpha-hole” try Dragos from Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison.
Love the Raven prince and who doesn’t like Dragos!?
I think the Gail Carriger books sound very interesting.
The first book, Soulless, is a favorite of mine. It’s especially good in audio.
First Congrats and Happy blogovesary!
I would recommend two series based on her hero and heroine picks.
The first is the Peyton Legacy series by Susannah Sandlin (a pen name for author of Royal Street author Suzanne Johnson a kick-ass UF by the way)
my second recommendation would be the Rosemary and Rue series by Seanan McGuire .
Awesome! I have never read either of those. I will check them out! Thanks.
Congrats on the review-aversary
Enjoy choosing.
I would recommend The Club Shadowlands by Cherise Sinclair, I think the series is hot.
A classic favourite is also Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, more historical suspense romance.
marceblogspot@hotmail.com
I have everything CS has ever written on my kindle. Love her books.
I haven’t heard of the other one though. I will add that to my list of things to check out. Thanks!
YAY! Congrats! I always forget when my Blog Anniversary is.. oops..
Thanks!
Congratulations on one year of putting up with me
It’s been awesome blogging with you! xoxo
It’s been rough but someone has to do it.
Congrats! How about Ilona Andrews’ Edge series? She’s one of my favorite authors.
You know I read the latest but haven’t read the first two. Thanks for reminding me!
Have you read Poison Princess yet? LOVED it! Kresley Cole can do no wrong.
And, of course, congrats! That’s amazing!
No, I haven’t. I am afraid it can’t possibly be as good as IAD. Is it?
Yesssss! I loved it. I stayed up till 3a to finish it. Jackson can be a bit of a meanie… but I still loved him. He is alpha fo’ sho’. Seriously, my heart flutters whenever I even think the words bébé.
I love Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series too. I also love anything by Kelley Armstrong. She writes kick-ass heroines well-paired with strong alpha males.
I don’t think I have read anything by her. I like an alpha male!
Maya Banks Highlander Series or Kate Pierce Simply Series
Kate Pierce- I have seen that name floated around lately. I think I will have to look her up. Thanks for the suggestions!
Congrats on the review-aversary!
As for book recommendations, since some of my favourite series/authors have already been mentioned (Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, KMM), I’ll recommend some recent reads that I’ve read. They’re all contempories: On Dublin Street by Samantha Young; The Wild Ones & Down to You by M. Leighton, and Down for the Count by Christine Bell.
I have The Wild Ones and Down to You on my kindle right now. Is Down to You the one with the twins?
Happy blogversarey! (however you spell it) I love that I get the chance to blog with you everyday.
Have a great day!
Thanks.
You too.
Happy Review-aversary!! I love your fave heroes and I heart me some Bones and Barrons! I’ve seen a lot of good recs and some I’ve put on my TBR list to check out. A couple of recs I have are Mark of the Vampire series by Laura Wright and Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian. Mark of the Vampires books are quick reads with a lot of action and a lot of sexy alpha males. Speaking of alpha males…the Midnight Breed series is a little darker with its vampires story line. They walk the thin line between Breed male and falling into bloodlust and becoming a mindless, bloodthirsty (literally) rogue vampire. Both are great series’ and will have you driving to the bookstore for the next book!!
ehaney578 at aol dot com
I started the that Laura Wright series but didn’t go past the first book. I think maybe I should go back and read the second one. Thanks for the reminder!
Happy Blogoversary! Here’s wishing you many, many more
Ok… ummm. more Urban fantasy than PNR but have you tried the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs? The romance is there, it’s just more of a slow simmer… and then there’s Karen Chance’s Midnight Daughter series (which I liked better than the Cassie Palmer series) and Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter. More scifi but still awesome! Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre. Steampunk HR… Firelight and Moonlight by Kristen Callihan. And those are a few of my favorite things
I am actually reading Moonlight right now. It is really good.
Love Mercy.
Jane Yellowrock- I don’t think I have heard of that series. Is it more UF? Thanks for the suggestions!
I love the fever series too, Barrons yum!
Have you read the other series by KMM? With the hot highland druids?
I also like the Cat Star Chronicles by Cheryl Brooks those can be hot :O)
Happy 1st year!
Carin
Thanks! I haven’t read the Cat Star Chronicles. I will look into them! Thanks for the suggestions.
I recommend the Soul series by my friend Julia Barrett – the latest is STAY. I also like Geist, Spectyr and Wrayth by Philippa Ballantine. steph@fangswandsandfairydust.com
Soul series? Is that more UF or PNR?
Congratulations! I have one (well, two) series recommendations & one fav book recommendation. These aren’t strictly romance but they both have romantic elements…Anne Bishop’s The Dark Jewels which is nice and dark….and fun. I also like Sebastian/Belladonna (but not the last one
…
my favorite vamp book is Robin McKinley’s Sunshine. it isn’t on kindle although it is on audiobook! It isn’t PNR, but it is an engrossing fun read! I have two paperback copies (just in case I lose one)
I will have to check Robin McKinley’s Sunshine out. If you are able to pick just vamp book as your favorite it must be good!
Have you read Illona Andrews Kate Daniels series? It’s a combination of UF/PNR and it has an awesome alpha hero and the heroine is kickass! I can also be a second recommendation for Larissa Ione’s Demonica series and then there is a series that Larissa wrote with her friend Stephanie Tyler under the pen name Sydney Croft that is an Erotic PNR series with some dark elements – and if you are willing to branch out and try something different that is contemporary there is always the “Biker” books by Jaci Burton (The Wild Rider series) and she’s got a ton of paranormal books too and if you like BDSM then I would recommend the “Sweet” series by Maya Banks that are more edgy. By the way – Happy review anniversary:)
Kate Daniels is one of my favorite series. I was bummed when we didn’t get one for 2012!
The Wild Rider series- I have heard so much about that one. Maybe it is time to pick it up.
Thanks!
Awe! Happy review-aversary to you Jen!
I don’t know what book I will recommend to you, since we almost have same taste, lol! I will recommend Tairen Soul series by C.L. Wilson, if you into fantasy romance. Totally have alpha hero, a scary enemy and its EPIC. For me 
I know! We have read most of the same stuff! I started the Tairen Sould series on your recommendation and really liked the first one. I need to get back to the rest! Thanks for reminding me of those books!
Happy Review-aversary! You can’t go wrong with anything by Kristen Ashley. Her Dream Man series is awesome. Tack is my favorite Alpha male! Thanks for the giveaway!
jcross719 at yahoo dot com
Oh, Tack. How I love Tack. And Hawk. And Luke. And Hector. And Vance. And….this could go on for a while!
Thanks!
Maybe you’ve read it already, but I think you’d like Keri Arthur’s Riley Jenson Guardian series. And happy review-aversary!
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com
I haven’t read that. Good romance?
It’s a good change of pace for pnr because the strength is all in the female lead, not in one single ‘alpha male’ to swoop in and rescue/change her life. Through the books it keeps you guessing for a while who Riley is really supposed to be with.
Congrats! I was also recommend the ACRO series by Sydney Croft, very erotic, lots of alphas with a touch of MM. Amazing! Book one is Riding the Storm – very alpha hero with cajun accent, and later books have great BDSM too.
I know you like historicals, have you read The Knight Miscellany series by Gaelen Foley? The series follows the six children of the Duchess of Hawkscliffe, also known as The Hawkscliffe Harlot, because only her first son and last daughter were her husband’s children, the others were born from affairs she had, very different setting, but full of emotion, sexy times and alpha males. Book 1 is The Duke, but books 2 and 3 are my favorites – Lord of Fire and Lord of Ice.
Thanks for all the work you and the girls do writing reviews for us, and I hope this is the first of many years to come.
The Knight Miscellany series by Gaelen Foley- I have never heard of these!! I am excited to look into them. They sound exactly like what I am looking for. Thanks!
Happy Review-aversary!!!
I would definitely recommend the Demonica series and the spin off Lords of Deliverance series if you have not read them. Great world building, characters, & stories there. Since you really loved Cherise Sinclair, you should check out Kallypso Masters. I LOVE her Rescue Me series! She is probably my very favorite Indie author, one I can not get enough of. Her books DO need to be read in order. The stories continue, even after they get the HFN ending, characters will often have more problems down the road, just like IRL.
I just started this series. I read the first book where it introduces all the men and I am halfway through the first full book. You say they are only HFN?? But at the end it is all HEA, right??
Happy review-adversary Jen
Have you read Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Yhompson series? I think Mercy fits your fave heroine list and Adam will fit into fave hero territory and it’s an UF series. The romance builds more slowly but is definitely satisfying, kind of like Kate Daniels.
There is also the Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs which features Charles and Anna and is more romance-y than the other series. Both are just excellent and there are multiple books in each to enjoy.
I’ve just finished Down for the Count by Christine Bell which was recommended up thread too and that was a sexy contemporary which was a lot of fun.
I adore all thing PB. And yes, Adam is pretty Epic. There is nothing wrong with him.
I just finished Down for the COunt too. It was fun!
Thanks for the suggestions and stopping by!
Oops! Stupid autocorrect. I meant review-aversary of course. Not Freudian I swear!
lol!
Oh gosh, this made me LOL!! Thank you!
I highly recommend the series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE by George RR Martin. It’s incredible.
I am up to book 3.
They are long!
Happy anniversary!
For your dark erotic pleasure : Deep Desires by Charlotte Stein
I just finished it last night. Naughty, wicked, but most of all, it grabbed me by the heart and sqeezed.
I just started this yesterday too! I love it! Tak about sexy!
Are you reviewing it for the site? I think this is an excellent example of how great erotic fiction can be. You get some smoking hot scenes, balance with an intensely emotional relationship. Abbie’s voice was so clear, honest..and Ivan, sweet messed up Ivan….sigh..
I love Eileen Wilks’ World of the Lupi books. For some reason it doesn’t get a lot of attention, but it’s really great, and the hero (Rule) and heroine (Lily) remind me a bit of Roarke and Eve (yummy Roarke). I definitely would recommend you try it if you haven’t, because Lily is a kickass chick, plus she’s of Chinese descent, so she’s stands out among the usual UF heroines.
Lily and Rule are a great couple. I got stuck on books 3 and 4 though when they switched couples. I was not happy!
I love anything by Gaelen Foley her Knight Family series most of all! The books are historical with a dark undertone(spys and such) and hot sex scenes. When I first read them I was left guessing and couldn’t put them down and they are books that I end up rereading every once in a while
Hmm, second recommendation for these books. I will defintely look into them. Thanks!
Huge congrats on your blogiversary!! I’m with the stay with KMM and try her Highlanders camp. I can’t wait to see what you pick. Enjoy.
Thanks! I will let everyone know!
Hi
My favorite heroines are also Cat (Night Huntress series) and Kate (Kate Daniels series).
Another of my favorite series is the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward.
If you like angels (fallen ones) I would recommend Anne Marsh’s series “Fallen”.
For erotica I’d recommend Leanore Elliott.
Hope these suggestions are helpful!
I love angels. I will have to look into Anne Marsh’s series. That sounds intriguing! Thank you.
Happy birthday! How about Larissa Ione’s Demonica or Lords of Deliverance series, JR Ward’s BDB series, Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series, Sherrilyn Kenyon books?
Thanks! Love all those suggestions. They are great series!
Happy Anniversary! I recommend Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series and her angel series. I also love Keri Arthur’s Riley Jensen series and her spin off series with heroine Risa Jones.
Thanks! Another rec for Riley Jensen. I will have to get on that one!
Happy Review-versary! Reviews are great things to celebrate. The Fever series is one of my favorite series and I do like Cat and Bones from the Night Huntress series.
I am recommending The Prize by Brenda Joyce (historical romance), The Promise of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osborne (historical romance) – the heroine is wonderful! Also, any book by Kristen Ashley. Now those men are alphas!
The Prize. I think I read that like forever ago. I will have to go back and reread. Thanks for the suggestions!
Currently I am addicted to and working my way though the Guardians of Eternity series. Its great and full of wonderful characters.
Happy Review-aversary to you. Have you read Nalini Singh’s Archangel series? Raphael is such a sexy confident Alpha-hole.
Donna Grant has a Highlander Series that is good
Hmmm. This is a tough one as I don’t know what you’ve read. I’m going to go with Joey W. Hill’s “Arcane Shot” series which included “In the Company of Witches” & “Something About Witches.” Happy anniversary, Jen!
Happy Review-Aversary! I totally agree with your top choices and have a hard time choosing between Barrons and Bones all the Time and Ash will always one of my first loves. I am still slowly working my way through the In Death series. It is the only series I haven’t read from start to finish but 40+ books is a lot. Every now and again I have to get my Roarke fix.
Have you tried the Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop? It actually turned out to be more than 3 books and is really dark, magical and sexy! The other one that came to mind based on your comment of dark erotica is Maid for Pleasure by Lucy Rodgers.
Happy Review-aversay!!!! Every author and book I can think of has already been mentioned. Sorry I can’t think of anymore.
Happy Review-aversary, Jen! Sadly, I don’t have any book recommendations for you (I tend to like thrillers & mysteries with romantic overtones and romantic suspense), although you’ve already gotten some wonderful suggestions!
Tad Williams-Shadowplay
Anne Bishop-Belladonna
Lori Handeland-Night Creature series
Nina Bangs-The Castle of Dark Dreams trilogy
Alexandra Ivy-Gardens of Eternity
Kathryn Smith-Brotherhood of Blood
Christine Warren-The Others
books by: Amanda Ashley & Savannah Russe
Rebecca York-Killing Moon
MaryJanice Davidson-Dead Over Heels
Cheyenne McCray-Forbidden Magic
Colleen Gleason-The Gardella Vampire Chronicles
Jennifer Ashley- The Immortals series
Jeanne C. Stein-the Anna Strong Chronicles
Laura Leigh-The Breeds Series
Kimberly MacGregor-Born In Sin
Nalini Singh-Archangel’s Consort
Sherrilyn Kenyon- Darkside of the Moon
Anne Rice-The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
J.R. Ward-Lover Reborn
Larissa Lone-Desire Unchained: A Demonica Novel
Karen Chance-Death’s Mistress
Patricia Briggs-Masques
Gail Carriger-Soulless
Marion Zimmer Bradley-Priestess of Avalon
books by: A.N. Roquelaure
Anna Quick-Desire and Ravished
V.C. Andrews-Flowers in the Attic
L. Frank Baum, W.W. Denslow, John R. Neill- Journeys Through Oz: Two Books in One
There, that should be enough, right? haha. (glad to help)
Happy review-anniversay and many more.
I only read contemps and not of the dark variety so will recommend of few of what I like – hope that is ok.
Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski series books funny family oriented series.
Barbara Delinsky – Three Wishes – Excellent
Linda Howard – Sarah’s Child – gutwrenching ending
Robyn Carr – Summer in Sonoma
Debbie Macomber – A Turn in The Road
I look forward to reading your reviews. You are very honest on what you think of a book. Congratulations on the Anniversary!!! I look forward to reading more of your reveiws.
There were a whole bunch of entries, so I’m probably doubling up on someone else, but I hope not!
I love, love, love the Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs. I set aside a day to read them on the day they come out. A&O is romance from the get go, but is an off-shoot of the Mercy series which is UF with strong romantic elements.
Another series that reads like UF but with strong romance from the very first chapter is the World of the Lupi books by Eileen Wilks. They are amazing, and book 9 (I think) just came out (plus novellas in between) so you’d have a big chunk of new story all in one go!
In historicals, I LOVE Jenifer Ashley’s Highland pleasures. I’ve reread all those at least three times!
I love the Alien series by Gini Koch. It starts with Touched by an Alien.
CONGRATULATIONS!
— Seduction & Scandal by Charlotte Featherstone– dark, sexy, and gothic– His Dark Kiss by Eve silver– same. Dark, sexy, gothic. Fantastic.–
I would say: Spirited Away by Cindy Miles– a really sweet romance, but the hero is from a time where he’s used to ladys doing what they’re told
Happy reading and reviewing!
How about Her Mad Hatter its part of Kingdom Series by Marie Hall and I highly reccomend Irish Moon and the rest of the Moon Magick Series by
Amber Scott.
flanagan@mebtel.net