Book Review: Burning Up by Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra, and Meljean Brook

Burning Up by Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra, and Meljean Brook

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (August 3, 2010)

Amazon Description:

Angela Knight pairs a vampire warrior and his seductive captor in a battle against demonic predators.

Nalini Singh returns to the world of her Psy-Changeling series as a woman in lethal danger finds an unlikely protector-and lover.

Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in her story of a wounded soldier rescued by an enigmatic young woman.

Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series about a woman who strikes a provocative-and terrifying-bargain for freedom.
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Whisper of Sin by Nalini Singh

I liked this story right from the start, mostly because the male involved is a leopard shifter. I haven't read about one before so I found it pretty interesting. The shifter, Emmett, is protecting Ria, who is human, from the thugs of a crime wave that has hit the city. She had been targeted but the crime was botched. Once the criminals mark a victim they won't stop until that person is dead. Emmett and his fellow shifters are looking for the crime boss to put an end to it all. Meanwhile things heat up between Emmett and Ria. I enjoyed this story a lot.

4/5

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Blood and Roses by Angela Knight

Honestly I did not like this story. I don't like the history of how the vampire knights and Blood Roses were created. Besides the vampire knights and Blood Roses (who all have magic) there are wizards and reptilian monster things as well. It just felt like to much.

1.5/5

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Shifting Sea by Virginia Kantra

This was a pretty decent story. I have never read the Children of the Sea series before so I think I would have liked it a bit more if I had. Major John Harris just inherited an estate in Scotland. One day he comes across a woman living just on the outskirts of the village. It devolves pretty quickly into sex and not to long after that, love. Things felt a bit rushed but I like the idea of the Finfolk.

2.5/5

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Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook

By far my favorite of the 4 stories in Burning Up, Here There Be Monsters is a steampunk romance. The world is a dangerous place with megalodons (giant sharks), kraken, pirates, and slavers among other things. Ivy is part of the Blacksmith's guild and can build incredible things with her talent including limbs made of mechanical flesh. Mad Machen is captain of a ship and has a terrible reputation of killing men and stealing cargo...a pirate. The captain has his sights set on Ivy and is determined to get her. I love that the story does not feel rushed and I appreciate the fact that the romance was given a chance to build of slowly. The plot was very well rounded and thorough considering that the story was only 102 pages. This is actually the first book in a new series. The next book is The Iron Duke, which will be out in October.

5/5

Overall for Burning Up:

3/5

Thank you to Meljean Book for the copy of this book. I won this at vvb32 reads. All opinions expressed are my own.