Romance Books

As a reading/writing teacher I make it a point to teach my students that EVERY STORY MUST HAVE three vital parts: the conflict, the climax, and the resolution. Despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the silver dragons (Gabriel--oh, la, la) I did not enjoy missing the ending of the story. Yes, the rest of the story was great--full of action and fabulous romance, but I believe lack of ending was a huge mistake on the author's part and deserved two stars off.

I thought it was a very good read, very smooth. The only thing I had a problem with is that while it's the first book in a new series, it isn't the first book in the over-all series. I felt like I was coming in on the middle of something that had been going on for a while, and I was struggling to figure out what was happening for the first half of the story. After a while, I just settled down and went with the flow. So it isn't the best as a stand-alone story.
Other than that major problem, in my point of view, it was a very nice book.

I have been a fan of Katie MacAlister for a long time. I bought her first
book and have been buying the others as they come out. I love the inclusion
of the silver dragons into the Guardian senario but I just have to admit
that I have a jones for the "dog" Jim or Jinn. He is a combination of a
smart rough talking Mickey Spillane type character and a scruffy yard dog.
He always has a smart alec type comment within his character as a genie in the
body of a dog.
Her books are always fresh and keep me wanting more. Keep the dog or genie or
whatever he is and just keep on writing. I will be ordering new books as
they come out.

Katie MacAlister is known for her Aisling Grey, Guardian, series which is an enjoyable, if at times rather over-the-top, group of books. 'Playing With Fire' is the start of a new series, the Silver Dragons, although most of the characters are familiar from the other series. This means that readers who are new to this author might find themselves rather lost because of the large cast of characters, many of whom are barely introduced, and the continual references to events that have happened in the Aisling Grey books.

Initially this book started out with our heroine, May Northcott, in the middle of an attempt to steal an artefact. She is a thief who has to work at the bidding of her master, the demon Magoth. May has some rather unusual characteristics as she's a doppelganger, created from her sister Cyrene but with the ability to almost disappear, to 'shadow walk'. Doppelgangers are very rare so few know much about them and their abilities, thus May's success as a thief. However at the beginning of this book when May steals the requested artefact she also takes something else, something very valuable, which starts a whole host of problems. May very quickly has a price on her head and decides to return the extra item. In doing so she runs into a whole bunch of strange people including the dragon Drake, Aisling Grey, the demon dog Jim and another dragon, Gabriel Tauhou, leader of the Silver Dragons.

When Gabriel discovers that May is his mate he doesn't realise what her being bound to the demon Magoth means. As they try to work out who has stolen an artifact, as they have to rescue various members of their group who are kidnapped and as old Dragon politics seem to be coming back to haunt them, Gabriel and May have to see what they can build together, despite May's fears about Magoth. Gabriel might also have to choose what is more important to him - May or his band of dragons.

This was one of those stories where it's never clear where the plot is going but the ride is enjoyable. The variety of characters adds to this book, although as previously mentioned they could also be a problem for new readers. May is an interesting heroine with some un-heroic moments, a ridiculous sister and a sinister and yet also slightly laughable demon master. However a big disappointment to this reader was that the book didn't end with any great resolution - many of the plot threads weren't wrapped up and there was a major element of the main story that was not completed. It's clearly a precursor to the next book but this reader would have appreciated more of a close to this particular novel.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

I am such a dragon fan I look for anything with the word in the title. That doesn't mean the characters don't have to be interesting or that I have to sacrifice an intriguing plot. Sorry, this just didn't hold my interest enough to even finish the book.

Continuing on the footsteps of Jacob here is the second installment on Jacquelyn Frank's Nightwalker series.
I really love Jacki Frank's novels as I love Frank's writing style. She's created a magnificent world of Nightwalkers, so real you almost believe that they exist.

I found myself looking forward in reading GIDEON as I had so enjoyed the first installment - JACOB. GIDEON was a great book - though it had a few flaws and I was a little disappointed. The premise, plotline and characters are memorable - created with great depth, drawing you into their lives - almost like they are family members. However - the huge amount of prose, description and narration - makes you feel at times this is a James Mitchener novel! LOL

GIDEON is the most Ancient and powerful of Nightwalkers - having existed for centuries. Being present even when the Demon and Druids wars took place, he remembers those awful days. Having recently come out of a nine year self-exile and being a Medic Demon - he must ensure that the Enforcer's wife Bella - the newly found Druid/Human is taken care of during her pregnancy.

Every since Magdalegna was Summoned by the Necromancers, she has been experiencing a surge in her powers. A Mind - Empath Demon, she realizes that these powers don't manifest themselves until a Demon is an Elder. Legna has no choice but to confide in Gideon - as she doesn't understand these new powers.
After Gideon conducts his Medic exam - he realizes Legna is his destined mate and she has inherited some of his powers since he rescued her from the Summoning.

He's carried tremendous guilt and inner turmoil, as he was in the Counsel that approved that Druids were removed from their Demon mates and therefore die without each other. He doesn't believe in absolution and he's forever dammed to carry that guilt in his soul.

After a brutal attack by the Necros almost kills Bella and her unborn child, the Demon race realize that the evil of the Necromancers has grown powerful and they are about to launch a war of extinction on all Nightwalkers.

I enjoyed GIDEON, but as I mentioned the narration and self-reflection got way out of hand. I agree that considering the complexity of the story, events that took place in JACOB needed to be revisited, but it felt that this was a re-telling of JACOB all over again and Gideon's and Legna's was dimmed for all the recounting.

There was not enough interaction and involvement between Gideon and Legna and the story revolved too much around the Necro confict. Also, the battle that ensues between the all-women-necro forces VS the Nightwalkers is a bit ludicrous and found myself skimming.

The book ends with the Beltane wedding celebration. There is rejoicing and mourning as well - as Demons and other Nightwalkers have been killed in the battle. For the first time in Centuries, Demons, Lycanthropes and Vampires are putting aside their differences to fight a very real foe, as a Demon traitor is now leading the Necros in a fight to extinguish all the Nightwalkers.

I am looking forward in reading ELIJAH and I hope that the story revolves around Elijah and Siena - Lycanthrope Queen - I hope that the storyline revolves around them and not entirely the Necro war.

I really didn't enjoy the first book (Jacob) in Frank's Nighwalkers series... It seemed that book was a bit rushed and didn't really include much in the way of a story... BUT, since I had purchased the first and second books together, I decided I would give the second book a go... WOW am I ever glad I did!

This book was fun, interesting, and even romantic! I felt that I really connected with the characters and was hoping for the relationship with Gideon and Legna to bloom. I appreciated the demon world Frank designed so much more this time through because the bulk of the book was written in it! Frank took her time developing the connection between the main characters, so those super steamy love scenes felt quite sensual and sweet.

Frank has definitely won me over with Gideon and I have already picked up the next book in the Nightwalker series and am counting down the hours until I can explore the next character!

Overall, GREAT romantic read with a wonderful paranormal setting! Well done Frank!

I liked Jacob (Book 1) and Gideon (Book 2). A little wordy, there are many repetitive descriptions. I like the concept behind the series and the story lines. The mind reading thing between couples gets a litte old, but that is across the entire paranormal romance genre. Looking forward to Elijah next.

Gideon is the most powerful and oldest demon. He has the ability to heal. Magdelegna is still considered a child in demon years and she is still learning how to control her powers. They are destined to be together whether either one wanted or expected the union.
This book explores how even a healer can be broken and how the young can teach the old. It also demonstrates how the weaknesses in one person may be the strengths in the other person, and together they are whole. Both characters have to overcome internal and external battles to that happy ever after, but it's a battle of which the reader wants to be a part.
This book delivers a powerful lover story. Jacki Frank is a master story teller.

I am sorry to say that I struggled with this one. It was an act of sheer will and perseverance that allowed me to even get to the end. I can't say that I didn't skim a few pages hear and there...but I did finish it!

I loved the first book, Jacob, and couldn't wait for this one. I could've/should've waited and saved my time. Legna is someone I couldn't wait to hear more about. I loved her heart and soul that she showed in Jacob, but unfortunately it didn't continue in this one. I found her character boring and "overworked" for much of the book. She did not live up to what her potential was.

Gideon as well fell flat for me. As he is called the "Ancient" because he is the oldest of the demons, very powerful, and a healer..I felt that he was ANCIENT. He was boring and tired and felt "old" to me. I struggled to find him as mysterious and intriguing as I did in Jacob.

This book is nicely setting up the next book Elijah. Sounds familiar. Jacob set up Gideon and Legna's story beautifully and then just "mailed it in". I hope the same will not be true of Elijah's story or we might be looking at a one hit wonder!

I actually started out in the middle of the series and then back tracked to start at the beginning. I have loved every book and this one was terrific. I enjoy the dark vampire books, but I also enjoy the light ones like this is. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this book and it actually made me laugh out loud and grin a lot. A vampire story doesn't have to be dark and full of angst for me to enjoy or love it. I'm just disappointed that Sands is discontinuing the series for awhile.

I don't know why some people would not like it. In my opinion, this is one of the best Argeneau stories. The plot was light and funny. Well, if you are looking for something serious and heavy, don't read romance novels.

Like Sands' other works, you find yourself laughing every other page. I can't wait for Argeneau books 10 and 11!!!!

i loved this book, of course i wasn't able to read it in order which i will go back and do soon, but great book from the author. Nice story line. fun book, fast paced, light hearted, great romance.

The is the second Argeneau Vampires tale by Lyndsay Sands, if read in the author's intended reading order. This is the story of Rachel, a morgue attendant who is working her usual night shift when a dead man is brought in twice. Yes, it the same dead man. Etienne has been killed twice, once by a bullet through the heart and then again burnt to crisp. Rachel finds herself sickeningly attracted to what she assumes is a corpse. Things aren't as they appear of course and Etienne is a vampire. Rachel saves Etienne's life and then he repays the favor. The only way he can save her life though is to 'turn' her into a vampire. Etienne must than house her and teach her all the ways of the vampire. The portion of the book dealing with Etienne showing up in the morgue, revealing himself to her, and then saving and turning her is top-notch storytelling. I was enraptured by the book at this point and convinced I had found a winner. After Rachel is turned the book begins a downward spiral from which it never quite recovers. The tale becomes just plain silly when the focus turns to romance between the two vamps. This includes some of the cheesiest and just plain odd dialouge I have ever come across in my years of romance and/or paranormal reading. Even the sex scenes are yawn and cringe worthy. The end tries to recapture some of the book's earlier enjoyment with the showdown against Etienne's rival/stalker. But by this point, the book stumbles into another downfall. The ending delves straight into the old tried and true formula romance. There is a misunderstanding between the couple and one of the couple runs away. They spend some time apart, and finally come back together again, after both admit how miserable they were apart. Ok, I think we've all read that plotline a few too many times. Except for the beginning of the story, this book shows none of the comical fun and romance of "A Quick Bite". I must say, I am a little disappointed.

Aside from the stupidity, I was not delighted or entertained by anything else. Story brief: Etienne is a 312 year old vampire. His mother, siblings and other vampire relatives live near him in Toronto, Canada. Pudge is a human who knows Etienne is a vampire. Pudge tries to kill Etienne three times and almost succeeds. On one occasion, Pudge is aiming an axe at Etienne, but Rachel gets in the way trying to stop Pudge. Her neck gets cut as a result. The only way to save her life is for Etienne to turn her into a vampire. Much of the following story is about her learning about and adjusting to life as a vampire. Some of my problems with the book follow.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
Etienne was unhappy that his sleep was getting interrupted every night due to a crank caller. He said he didn't want to unplug his phone in case his family had an emergency. This is stupid. He can change his phone number. He can get a cell phone.

Etienne's family told him he must convince Rachel to lie to the police about the kidnapper. Etienne knew she would be reluctant, so he waited awhile before telling her. At a relative's wedding, Uncle Lucian, read Rachel's mind and saw that Etienne hadn't told her yet. Instead of discussing this privately with Etienne, Uncle Lucian says to Etienne in front of Rachel "You've been trying to woo her to your side in the hope that she would concede to your wishes." Well, of course, this is going to make Rachel mad. It was the worst thing to say. This causes a fight, with Rachel mad at Etienne and not trusting him. Since Lucien was a mind reader he should have known this would be hurtful to the cause rather than helpful.

A kidnapper has Rachel and Mrs. Craveshaw tied up in his basement. The kidnapper is lounging around in an adjacent basement room. Etienne sneaks into the basement. Instead of first going to the kidnapper and immobilizing him, tying him up or knocking him unconscious, Etienne goes to the women. He talks to them, unties them, and gives Rachel something to drink. As he is doing this, the kidnapper comes into the room with a weapon pointed at Etienne's chest. Not only was this stupid, but Etienne's two brothers were outside waiting in a car instead of helping Etienne. They claimed that Etienne wanted to be the one to rescue Rachel. As a result, Etienne almost got killed. Again, stupid. I was mad and insulted.

At the police station, Etienne and Rachel were taken into separate rooms to give statements and sign documents. Rachel came out first. When she came out, a friend of the family told her that vampires were only allowed to turn one person which they reserved for their life mate. Since Etienne had turned Rachel, he would never be able to turn someone else to be his life mate. Rachel assumed that she was not loved by Etienne and that he hated her because he turned her. Because she didn't see him in the hall waiting for her, she assumed he left without her. So, she leaves, goes home with her parents and doesn't see Etienne for a few weeks. Meanwhile, Etienne thinks she doesn't love him because she left without saying goodbye to him. Neither one contacts the other. This is one of my pet peeves, separation due to inaccurate assumptions about each other, when a brief conversation would have solved the problem.

Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: six. Setting: present day Toronto, Canada. Copyright: 2004. Genre: contemporary paranormal romance.

For a list of my reviews of other Lynsay Sands books, see my 5 star review of "Love is Blind" posted 1/22/07.

This was such a well written and easy to read book. So often, relationship guidance is written in a style which seems to be meant for fellow therapists. This book used humor and everyday language and situations to efficiently get the points across. There is enough repetition of the advice, but not too much. I will end up reading it again and recommending it to my friends.

Dr. Bernstein has captured the essential elements not only to rebuilding and strengthening a fractured relationship, but really to live a happier life. All it takes is an open mind, and a little dedication to the process, and by reading and practicing the simple tips outlined, you can truly transform the quality of your life. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody who would like to improve their relationship with their spouse/partner. What you gain from reading this book is not just a profound improvement in your primary relationship, but a way to create happier, balanced relationships with other people in your life as well. These are practical, real tips that can be applied to everyday situations (I've even improved the quality of my worklife by discovering how negative I was, and how my toxic thoughts were impairing so many areas outside of my relationship issues).

This excellent book, written by family therapist Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, is practical, easy-to-follow, and a quick read. Although it is not an instant panacea for relationship ills it did make me recognize my own (negative) contributions to my relationship with my husband and, later, with other, less integral people in my life. Be open-minded, willing to learn, and spend the time and thought to do the exercises honestly. I read this book prior to choosing Dr. Jeff as a therapist and cannot speak highly enough about him. (Yes, I am fortunate enough to live in the same area as his practice!)

This book is really helpful and right on target. It seems so many people try to have magical mind reading abilities and this book helps to sort that fantasy out!! Particularly useful to give to others to read as a gift!!

This is the most amazing book I have ever stumbled across. It not only gave me a new perspective on love and relationships but I was able to incorporate the logic of it into all areas of my life. I've recommended it to friends left and right. This is definitely a must read.

I started reading this book with high hopes; everyone seems to really like it. But I found I had to force myself to finish. It certainly wasn't worth the effort. The plot is boring, the characters are one-dimensional and hard to understand, and the prose itself is awkward and doesn't flow well. I suppose you could argue that since the book is supposed to be a diary written by a young woman who has only recently learned to write, the poor quality of the text could be intentional. If that's so, it's a bad choice on the part of the author, and it doesn't explain why the 18 year old protagonist seems more like an 8 year old.

The book does pick up a bit at the end, and I actually enjoyed a few pages at that point. Nevertheless, this book doesn't deserve all the praise it's been getting. People searching for young adult fantasy books with strong female protagonists might want to try someone like Robin Mckinley instead of Shannon Hale.

I enjoyed reading this book. This is a clean book. There is no bad language which is unusual especially for a young adult book; so I appreciated that. I would love to hear the rest of the story; meaning what happens next in the life of the mucker maid, honored lady, Dashati. Any thoughts, Ms. Hale??

This book was definitely a great read, I just couldn't put it down until it was over, the story may be old but it's written in such a fantastic language and all the characters are so vivid, Dashti in particular. I couldn't quite symphathisize with lady Saren being so week, but by the end of the book she sort of finds herself. It was my first book by Shannon Hale but now I'm lookingfor further reads from her.

Dashti, a lady's maid, is locked in a tower with Lady Saren, her charge. Lady Saren is being forced into the tower as punishment for refusing to marry Lord Khasar, the man to whom her father has betrothed her. Instead, she favors the much kinder Khan Tegus. The story is told from Dashti's point of view, and things get really interesting when both suitors show up at the tower. This is the starting point for many other adventures.

I've been a fan of Shannon Hale for years, and this book did not disappoint. I really liked that Dashti had a valid cultural reason for being submissive, as opposed to just being a weak-willed martyr, which one sees so often in other novels. Also, her growth as a person over the course of the story was written gradually and patiently and ends up being very effectively relayed. It's details like this, obviously crafted with care by Hale, that make this book so wonderful. The characters are believable, the plot is exciting, and the romance is sweet, but never cloying. Fans of Shannon Hale will surely love this book. If you haven't read anything by Hale yet, this would be a fine place to start, along with The Goose Girl.

Simply magnificent! After reading about so many characters who are aritocrats and princesses, or just bratty teenage girls, this book was so refreshing. Shannon Hale's remarkable skill to craft a world out of words is clearly displayed in this novel, set in a world based off of the Medieval Mongolian plains, and a story loosely based off of the Brothers Grim's, "Maid Maleen". The protagonist, Dashti, is less a character and more of a flesh and blood person. Loyal, humble, practical. and strong, this common nomad girl who has suffered the loss of her family has risen to the position of ladies' maid. This elevated status is soon followed by a terrible sentance: being locked with Lady Saren into a tower for seven years. Their journey is a remarkable tale, told with rich wording in a first person diary: Dashti's "Book of a Thousand Days". The characters are relatable, the story captivating, and the richness and realness may well make you question which world is the real one, yours or Dashti's?

I read the book cover-to-cover, and found it pretty easy to get through.

However, an easy read doesn't make for a good read. Throughout the entire novel I got the feeling that the author was trying to make young female readers wish they were rich and famous, and young male readers horny.

I loved the background of the vampires. An old myth revitalized.

The storyline was okay. Good enough for three stars. However, I found the character horridly put together. Maybe I just don't like high schoolers. If you don't have a problem with teenage drama to the extreme (with vampire-esque creatures thrown in) pick this book up.

Although not an absolutely terrible read if you are looking for something along the lines of the Twilight series this is not it. I actually picked this book up at my local bookstore on the recommendation of the sales person. I asked what she would suggest after reading the Twilight series which I LOVED but this book doesn't even close. So if you are looking for something now that the twilight series is complete, this isn't it.

While I find de la Cruz's novel entertaining and more sophisticated than many other books in this genre, I can't move past the terrible butchering of the Latin language. The book leans on history strongly, which adds a dimension of authenticity to it, but it entirely fails in this regard. Every Latin phrase in the book is translated--however, the Latin hardly reflects the translation. It's as if de la Cruz had an English to Latin dictionary, and just pulled words out of it. That is just shoddy and lazy editing--any first year Classics graduate student could have translated the phrases for this book, particularly those at her alma mater (yep, Latin). The reason I find this so offensive is that de la Cruz immerses herself and her readers in a world that hinges on pop culture and decadence that young people find fascinating and that piques their curiosity. I would hate to think anyone's curiosity about a beautiful and historical language was driven by the equivalent of a cheap knockoff.

I am a vampire fanatic and this book breaks down all the myths that other books build, making it more real and really making you believe that vampires could exist. Excellent first book and if you love this one, read the sequel Masquerade. The third book will be coming out in October.

I picked up this book on a recommendation from an online source to be a good alternative to Twilight. However it reads like a fashion-concious thirteen year old girl with all the name dropping about designers and long descriptions and little action. Do we really need to go on for 3 pages about the exact length and shade of someone's miniskirt? The quasi-incest of the Frost twins?

I wish Mrs. De La Cruz would be introduced swiftly to a writing tutorial that is age-approriate for an adult writer instead of this "hehe" and "lol"-inspired nature of this book. I felt insulted while attempting to read this poor excuse for a pretty cover of a novel.

D.D.R. Owen, late professor emeritus of French in the University of St. Andrews, states of his translation that he kept "the needs of students" in mind. For that reason, Owen tells us, his "renderings...incline towards the literal." In other words Owen's translation of Chrétien of Troyes's "Arthurian Romances" shuns poetic and literary licence. Decide what you want. This is a scholar's book, a dry literal translation from twelfth century French of original tales that were too long to start with. General readers may find it dull.

Near the end of his substantive Introduction (which itself makes a useful essay for students of Chrétien's times) Owen comments that "Chrétien has bequeathed to us a brilliant portrait of the society that gave him his livelihood." That's true, but these romances set up portraits that will seem "brilliant" only from a scholar's perspective.

Chrétien's productive years spanned 1170 to 1182, the very pinnacle of chivalry -- and of chivalry's unlikely twin, courtly love. Chrétien was an eye-witness, working in the halls of noble patrons, observing and recording the highest values of the culture of his time. He wrote "Lancelot" around 1177, dedicating it to Marie of Champagne (Eleanor of Aquitaine's eldest child), and bringing the world the first mention of Camelot. By 1182, Chrétien was introducing the Holy Grail in "Perceval: the Story of the Grail." Before he won fame under Marie's sponsorship, one wonders if Chrétien had made his observations about the conventions of courtly love and chivalry earlier, at Eleanor's Court of Ladies in Poitiers (1168-'73). Owen was too much the perfect scholar to speculate, but we can. "Arthurian Romances" contains much that Chrétien absorbed from an influential source, a royal hall replete with courtly traditions, poets and bards. This book is a struggle, but it can be rewarding.

By Robert Fripp, author of
"Power of a Woman. Memoirs of a turbulent life: Eleanor of Aquitaine"

There are several examples of the French chivalrous tradition here, and all that courtly love stuff. Or, how to wear shiny armor, look pretty, do what your religion tells you, be nice to ladies but don't knock them off their pedestals.

Try to get really, really good at killing people and beating people up, too.

Got it for school, but I'm not too big on romances so maybe I'm biased. I'm trying.

It's a pretty good story...actually a set of stories written by this Troyes guy, all about everyone except noble King Arthur. Gotta buy a different book to get the sword in the stone story. Great for in depth details on the romance-period view of the barbarian Arthurian story, and even better for writing a detailed paper on it.

If you're into Arthurian stories (and already know the story lines of the main story but want more on the offshoots and the only-mentioned-once characters like Yvain) this is a great book for you! Not good for people who don't know the story. Watch the disney movie first for some background or read the Mists of Avalon (long but good).

Chretien de Troyes is an early French romantic writing, who wrote the first known story about the Holy Grail. De Troyes lived in the Champagne region of France during the latter twelfth century. Peripherally attached to courts including that of the famous Eleanor of Acquitaine, de Troyes stories of the Arthurian legends provides a foundation for almost all future Arthurian stories.

Chretien's major works include four poems included in this collection: Erec and Enide, Cliges, The Knight of the Cart (Lancelot), and The Knight of the Lion (Yvain). For Grail seekers, the story of most interest will be the unfinished Perceval: The Story of the Grail. Although the tale exists in finished form (in fact, several variations of finished forms), de Troyes in fact only wrote the first 9000 lines of the approximately 32,000 line text. (De Troyes also was embellished or supplemented by later additions to the tale of Lancelot, perhaps because de Troyes did not want to include an adulterous affair).

The story of Erec and Enide is a love story between one of Arthur's knights, Erec, who while out with Guinevere encounters a mean-spirited knight Yder; Erec's pursuit of Yder leads to his meeting Enide, and the two have a stormy relationship (by medieval romantic standards) but ultimately are able to reconcile their love and relationship with public duty.

The story of Cliges is one of tricky and forbidden relationships. Cliges, a native of Greece, falls in love with Fenice, his uncle's wife (Cliges' uncle happens to be the emperor). Their love is discovered, but with the aid of King Arthur, their relationship continues in Cliges' home country of Greece.

Lancelot's story is one of the oldest ideas from the Arthurian legends - the rescue of Guinevere when she is taken captive. This could be done in a chaste and honourable way, but the tale of Arthur has both virtuous and dark elements. Even though this story comes from much older antecedents, de Troyes telling (with the possible additions by a later writer) became the standard Lancelot-Guinevere tale, being the principal one incorporated into Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur.

The story of Yvain is one of romantic questing - Yvain is gone so long on his knightly quests that his wife refuses him to return home. However, with the aid of mystical powers (the lion is an otherworldly creature that symbolises knightly virtue - C.S. Lewis will develop similar symbolic material much later) he returns to his wife after going mad with despair at being barred from her.

Perceval's story is that of the classic search for the Grail, which is also considered now a standard part of Arthurian legend - however, it is not clear that de Troyes was working from earlier stories here.

William Kibler provides notes, an introductory essay, and an essay tracing the history of revisions and continuations to the Grail story. This is fascinating reading, and a must for anyone interested in the Arthurian legends.

An awful yawner. It shows all the reasons chivalry made for tiresome tales, and why the world needed Don Quixote so badly.

The Chretien de Troyes version of Lancelot is repetitious, has many loose ends, and is full of plot holes. Lancelot jumps into a cart to shame himself in pursuit of Guenivere. Before Lancelot jumps into the cart, the narrator states that "reason is the enemy of love." In the scope of the book, and the code of chivalry, reason is the enemy of this genre.

Take with Nyquil.

These are the first books I"ve read by this author and I can't wait to read the next one. It was refreshing to read a new genre that was not a disappointment.

I loved the earlier books about the Dark Elves but this one just wasn't that good. Book 3 was ok but I found Book 4 to be a jumbled mess. So many things going on at once & I just couldn't get into the characters or the storyline. Maybe Jet Mykles is spending more time on her other books & she just slapped this one together. I enjoyed the series but if the next one is like is this I won't read it.

IF YOU LIKE ELVES THAT LIKE TO HAVE SEX THEN THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

MUST READ, I USUALLY BUY ALL BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR FOR I ENJOY READING BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR. MYKLES BOOKS KEEPS YOU READING.

Dark Elves 3: Salvation

Irin has lived among the Dark Elves, or Raedjour, since she was two
years old. Eighteen years later, she is a grown woman and the elves
that have protected her from harm her whole life realize that she needs
to find a true mate. In order to do that, they must lift the spell
placed on her years ago in order to keep her safe. Since virginity is
so rare, a contest is given and to the victor goes Irin. She knows
that there is only one man who she wants to be with and so she sets out
to make sure that he wins.

Radin, sorcerer, protector, and extremely sexual being, has loved Irin
her whole life. He knows that he is going to be the first man she is
with, so he sets out to make his nine days with her count. What he
doesn't count on is the fact that she is a mage, and therefore in
danger from the rhaeja, or king. In order to save Irin, Radin calls on
the one man he trusts, his apprentice, Savous. Because Savous has
loved Irin her whole life as well, he is happy to set a spell and in
turn the two men and Irin enjoy each other, forming a bond together.
Sadly, this isn't enough to keep them safe as danger is lurking around
the corner.

Dark Elves 3: Salvation tore me apart. This has to be Jet Mykles
finest work yet. Bravo on a prize of a book that kept me on the edge
of my seat and totally surprised me. I can honestly say that this is
the first book where I couldn't predict the ending, and for that I am
thankful. Rarely do I read such books and this one is just a treasure.
The way Ms. Mykles portrays her characters makes them so real to me, I
can feel their joy and pain. Dark Elves 3: Salvation consumed me and I
cannot wait to see if Ms. Mykles will continue with this series. I,
for one, hope so! ***Talia Ricci for Joyfully Reviewed***

I'm a big fan of this series, and the latest book is no exception. Everything is very high quality - the writing, the story line, the romantic side, etc. Frankly I think this series is second only to the BDB by JR Ward. I can't wait to get my hands on "Noah" (book 5).

If you enjoyed her past books this will be another gem. The saga continues, this time with the Prince of the Vampires and a Lycanthrope. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next installment in the series.

I loved the two main characters. Why, becuase they are the same yet different. All the characteristics you love about paranormal characters, strength, beauty and whatever special power their species has, but not what makes some of the paranormal series boring after awhile. The characters were different enough to make really keep themselves,the book and the series interesting. DAMIEN had surprise after surprise in it and I thank Jacquelyn Frank for that. I will not spoil any of them for the reader. I say buy the book and judge for yourself. I really enjoyed this refreshing book.

THE MUSE HAS NOT DESERTED JACQUELYN FRANK; SHE STILL DESERVES A NUMBER ONE RANK!
Jacquelyn Frank and creativity are synonymous. Her Nightwalker Series demonstrates an amazing grasp of the paranormal genre. The fourth book in the series tells of Damien, the reigning Vampire Prince, who tires of the pleasures of the world, devotes his energies to protecting his people.

Ruth, the rogue demon, returns and captures the lycanthrope Princess Syreena. Damien rescues her, and they agree to combine forces to fight Ruth and her gathering army.

As per usual with Frank's books, the plot is clear, the action exciting, the romance erotic, and when you have finished the book, you may find yourself looking for the nexr one, which will be 'Noah' in the Fall.

In a literary environment where we are steeped in tales of the supernatural, the paranormal, hunters and huntresses of all kinds and mega magical beings, it becomes important to the reader to latch onto the authors that are pleasing to him/her and may contine to be OR NOT!!!

But for me Frank never ceases to entertain!!!!

The Vampire Prince, Damien, has heard about the recently located Nightwalker Library. When the Demon King, Noah, first asks Damien is he knows of any vampire scholars to join the other Nightwalker races in exploring the library, the answer is no. However, his most trustworthy vampire companion, Jasmine, seems to thrive on knowledge, curiosity, and intriguing ideas, making her the perfect vampire for the task. When Damien escorts Jasmine to the library, he spies Syreena, the younger sister of Siena (Queen of the Lycanthropes). Damien has been fascinated with Syreena's be-colored hair, opposite-set harlequin eyes, and fierce protective nature ever since he met her in the recent past.

When Syreena is captured and taken away by the powerful Demon traitor named Ruth, Damien races to her rescue. To save Syreena's life, Damien must bite her, which is against vampire law. Before the pair knows it, they are too attracted to one another to stay apart. Can the Vampire Prince and Lycanthrope Princess find a way to be together? And when Ruth gets a powerful new partner, can anyone stop them?

**** There seems to be some filler pages in installment of the Nightwalker series. The entire prologue seems unnecessary to me, as well as the mentioning and information of some characters. Otherwise this story is as great as the ones before it. This is not the author's best work, but it is enjoyable. A note to possible new readers, be sure to read this series in order or you will have major spoilers. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.