Super Six Sunday: Love Stories

Inspired by Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish, Super Six Sunday, a new feature from the fabulous ladies at Bewitched Bookworms, has different book-related topics each week and asks participants to address each topic in the form of a list of six. Obviously.

This week's topic is love stories, and given how much I love romance, it's both an awesome and a terrible prompt for me. Awesome because there are so many amazing love stories out there that have made me swoon, and terrible because it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just six. I had to limit the topic even further in my head in order to choose books, so I went with love stories that feature really strong heroines, emotionally and physically, who aren't afraid to challenge the men in their lives. I think all six of the below women push buttons, question, and frustrate their men, but they are also loyal, powerful in their own ways, and are absolute equal partners in the relationship. Love them.

KISS OF SNOW (Psy-Changeling #10)

Nalini Singh • Adult Paranormal Romance

Nalini Singh is one of my very favorite authors, and her Psy-Changeling paranormal romance series has been one I've been obsessed with for years. We meet Hawke and Sienna in book one, but it takes another 8 books–yes eight, I died a little inside when each book that released wasn't theirs–before they finally get together. To be fair, they need all that time as Sienna is significantly younger than Hawke, but their journey in this book is one I've taken with them over and over again and will continue to do so for years to come.

DARKFEVER (Fever Series)

Karen Marie Moning • Adult Urban Fantasy

I'm sure many of you have heard the word Barrons uttered (or exhaled on a shaky breath full of longing) even if you haven't yet read this series. Jericho Barrons is not your typical romance hero. He's often neither romantic nor heroic. He's downright cruel at times and the force of his personality can be overwhelming. It's as easy to hate him as it is to love him, but Mac holds her own and never takes a step back when he takes a threatening step forward. Instead, she meets him with a step of her own, and the two of them fight, taunt, argue and then explode romantically as the series continues, and I just can't recommend their story enough. It's definitely NOT a conventional love story in any way, and that's part of what I like so much about the two of them.

TRUE

Erin McCarthy • Contemporary New Adult

True came to be in my hands just at the moment when the New Adult genre got to be at its most frustrating for me, the angst and drama of the relationships starting to test my patience and grate on my nerves, but then along came Rory. Rory wouldn't know how to play a game romantically with a guy if someone gave her a series of directions to review beforehand, and her honesty with everything she's feeling quickly led her to the top of my favorite heroines list. Tyler is a bit more cliched - a bad boy with a difficult past, but he's not nearly as superficial as labeling him a bad boy makes him seem, and I couldn't have loved him with Rory any more if I'd tried.

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS

Diana Peterfreund • Young Adult/Dystopian

This story is one of the most romantic stories I've read where the hero and heroine don't even do so much as kiss on page. Elliot and Kai are all tension and hurt, dancing around one another as they search desperately in each other for the person they knew when they were younger, but whereas Kai takes his opportunities to land his emotional punches, Elliot always pulls hers, earning my respect and her place on this list. Despite all the lingering pain between them, there are such beautiful moments in this tale, and I always look forward to going back and spending time with Elliot an Kai on a re-read.

UNRAVELING

Elizabeth Norris • Paranormal Young Adult/SciFi

Unraveling is one of those books that took me by complete surprise, the blurb initially one that held no interest for me, but when I was lucky enough to get a review copy I decided I might as well give it a try. I fell in love with Janelle on nearly the first page, her sense of humor and low tolerance for the petty games of the popular crowd winning me over immediately. When Ben enters the picture there is no swooning (except on my part), and their relationship is one of tentative friendship and wary attraction for a long time before it becomes something much more heartwarming.

ANGELFALL

Susan Ee • Paranormal Young Adult

Like Unraveling, Angelfall was a complete surprise for me, a story I entered into not really knowing what to expect but I quickly found myself blown away. Penryn is fiercely protective of her younger sister, and when she gets taken, embarks on a long and terrifying journey with the dubious help of wingless angel Raffe to find her again. I loved everything about this book and the relationship between Penryn and Raffe, the antagonism and distrust between them ever-so slowly fading to leave genuine affection in its place. Again, a bit darker and less traditional of a love story, but strikingly memorable and beautiful just the same.

Those are six of my very favorites, what love story would top your list?

Review: Kiss of Snow

KISS OF SNOW (Psy-Changeling #10)
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
415 pages
Berkley Sensation/Penguin
Available May 31st
Received from publisher for review

This review contains NO spoilers.

THE STORY
Sienna Lauren and her family defected from the PsyNet and came seeking sanctuary with the SnowDancer wolves fully expecting they would be killed. They all hoped the wolves' love of children might save Sienna's younger brother and cousin and would only end up destroying the three eldest Laurens. Thoroughly shocking them all, alpha Hawke spared all five of them and brought them into the changeling way of life, and her impossible attraction began.

Sienna's relationship with Hawke has always been difficult, both stubborn personalities clashing on a regular basis, but now that she's reached an age where a relationship with him is plausible, she finds her dreams of being with him as impossible as ever. While her feelings for him are no secret, he refuses to see the woman she has become, seeking instead to keep distance between them even though it hurts them both to do so.

While Hawke struggles with his decision to romantically pursue Sienna, an enemy of the changelings is getting closer and closer, threatening to repeat a bloody history Hawke has no desire to live through again. To his dismay however, his greatest weapon against them might just be the woman who is becoming vital to his existence.

MY THOUGHTS
Kiss of Snow is a story that both sates and feeds our hunger for two characters who hold pieces of our hearts already despite being only secondary characters up until this tale. Every interaction between them mollifies a desire to see them together so powerful it has become a ravaging need reached its breaking point after nine long books, but those same moments of quiet communication also throw kindling on the blazing fire of attraction we want to see fulfilled with a shocking intensity. Hawke and Sienna's story has been one of haunting incompleteness and unresolved tension, and while we have watched those around them find peace and happiness, we've been tormented by the emotional vacuum into which they've swept their feelings–wondering when, if ever, the truth of what they have tried desperately to squelch will see the light of day. Finally though, finally, our voracious appetite is whetted and the electric storm that has been brewing between them is unleashed in all its stunning fury, emotions and bodies stripped bare as two people with infinite physical and psychic power engage in a complex dance of courtship; one comprised of innocence and flirtation but also of unrelenting need and searing passion.

Sienna is a young woman whose strength of feeling for Hawke holds us captivated given her unfathomable history with the Psy council and her strict adherence to the Silence protocol prior to her arrival in the SnowDancer den, her defiant nature creating an instant camaraderie with us as she continually challenges a man few dare to push. While she behaves very much as a teenage girl whose love goes unrequited might behave in the beginning, she quickly matures, refusing to allow Hawke to afford her less substance as a result of her young age. Where their relationship has previously been adversarial, lust and affection masked by wickedly sharp tongues and deliberate antagonistic provocations, Sienna now chooses not to don her emotional armor, approaching Hawke with an admirable openness and denying him the option to fall back on his position as alpha to push her away. When he tries to retreat in a misguided attempt to protect her feelings, she follows unerringly, and when he spouts convenient excuses that reduce their relationship to less that what it could be, she beautifully argues her counterpoints and forces him to admit to the lies he's told himself so convincingly.

Hawke, for all the immensity of his alpha personality, treats Sienna with exquisite care, almost reverent in his respect of her innocence as a young woman denied the gift of emotion and physical contact under Silence. He gently introduces her to the joys found in simple touch with a slowness that is both deliciously frustrating and sinfully tortuous–each heated moment leaving our skin pulled tight over bodies suddenly too big, muscles held rigid in anticipation as we bite our lips in decadent agony with each newly discovered sensation. His use of the endearment "baby" is one that incites a powerful reaction in us, the word at times rumbling from his mouth infused with such a blatant dominance and possessiveness our own eyes skitter away from the pages as though that ice blue gaze can see us clearly, holding us in the thrall of his power as if we belonged in the Pack hierarchy ourselves. At other times those same four letters are spoken with a warmth and tenderness of which we wouldn't have thought such an imposing man capable, and we luxuriate in the drugging heat of it as Sienna does, sighing in contentment as an alpha wolf both claims what is his but also allows himself to be claimed in return.

Kiss of Snow is a gift to fans of the Psy-Changeling series, the development of Hawke and Sienna's relationship written in magnificent detail and their progression from adversaries to lovers so euphorically satisfying we can't imagine how we've made it this long without their story in all its glorious completeness. Ms. Singh has written the ultimate romantic pairing–characters both immeasurably powerful yet extraordinarily vulnerable who challenge, test, and ultimately accept the other, coming together with such combustible force they will forever be burned into our hearts and memories. We read each page with with a grin that simply cannot be contained as a dominant wolf teaches a Psy stripped of any semblance of a childhood how to play, and a woman teaches a man to embrace both the fears and joys that accompany a true and unbreakable bond.

Rating: 5/5

Interview: Nalini Singh

Today I can't even explain to you how excited I am to welcome Nalini Singh to the blog, she is the author of two of my very favorite paranormal romance series and her upcoming Psy-Changeling release KISS OF SNOW is unbelievably good (my review will be up on Monday). Some of you may remember a few months back I announced that I was nursing a spectacular crush on Hawke and slightly-obsessively book stalking him by reading the books in the series in which I knew he would be featured first before returning to read them in order. When the fabulous people at Penguin sent me an ARC, I may have permanently traumatized my FedEx man with a display of what I call dancing, but others would most likely call flailing or seizing. Super. The point is however, that I'm thrilled to have Nalini on today, and be sure and mark your calendars for the release of KISS OF SNOW on May 31st!

I have to say, KISS OF SNOW has my favorite cover out of all the published Psy-Changeling books (*strokes cover lovingly*), is there one cover that really stands out most to you?

I don’t think I could pick just one. Most recently, I love the colors in the PLAY OF PASSION and BONDS OF JUSTICE covers, while KISS OF SNOW is simply delicious. *grin*

Scent is vital to the changelings–providing them with a great deal of information about any given individual–and the way you describe each person’s scent often gives us a little extra insight into their character. How do you think Hawke might describe you in terms of scent?

What a fun question. Hmm, I think threads of chocolate might feature in the description, along with hints of ink and paper!

Hawke and Sienna are reader favorites and the tension between them has been slowly building throughout the series; has it been difficult for you to wait to tell their story?

Yes and no. It was hard waiting to share their story, but I never stopped myself from writing scenes for their book as those scenes came to me. Also, it was important to me that the timing be right for their book, not only because of Sienna’s age (though that is a major factor), but also because of Hawke’s and Sienna’s emotional journey to this point.

Both the Psy-Changeling series and the Guild Hunter series feature very dominant, very alpha men, yet their strong personalities are never off-putting or irritating. How difficult is it to achieve a balance between the dominance and vulnerability that makes these men so appealing?

My guiding principle is to ask: If he does this, is he still a hero? It’s such a simple thing to ask, but it gets to the heart of the matter.

What’s also critical is that while these men might be dominant and occasionally arrogant, they love with the same intensity that makes them so alpha. And when they fall, they fall hard. The heroine means everything to him – who can resist loving that kind of a hero?

Another thing to note is that my heroines have their own internal strength, which is more than a match for the dominance of the heroes – they can push back and force these alpha men to let down their walls, helping to create that balance between dominance and vulnerability.

We get to see a new side to Hawke and Sienna’s relationship when he opts to use the endearment “baby” when referring to her. What made you decide Hawke would be a pet name kind of guy, and why “baby” in particular?

He might be alpha, but he is still a wolf, still a changeling. Affection is natural for him, so the fact he used an endearment wasn’t something that surprised me. As for “baby” – it’s what Hawke wanted to use, and you know that wolf likes to get his own way.

If Hawke were to describe Sienna with a single word the moment he saw her upon her defection from the PsyNet, what would that word be? If he had to describe her now?

I think now and then, he would always call her strong. But now that he knows all the facets of her personality, he’s likely to use words like compelling and intriguing, too,…as well as one other that I’ll tell you after KISS OF SNOW releases.

If you were a SnowDancer enemy and encountered Sienna and Hawke on the battlefield, who would you fear most?

I think it would depend on whether I was Psy, Changeling or human – i.e. what knowledge I had of their abilities. Hawke is unquestionably dangerous, and to those that don’t know her, Sienna appears young and easier to defeat. However, in reality, she is a force to be reckoned with.

The truth is, any enemy should fear both – when it comes to the safety of the pack, they function as a lethal unit.

Now that Hawke finally has a woman that means something to him, will we get to see moments in future books where Lucas gets to reciprocate on some of the teasing he’s endured as a result of his mating to Sascha?

We shall see. ;-)

(I knew this question wouldn't work, but it was worth a try right? :-)

Would you say there is a specific point at which time Hawke’s frustration and irritation at Sienna’s open defiance and antics shifted into physical attraction, or would you say it was more of a gradual process?

It was very much a gradual process. However, it wasn’t until she was over eighteen that Hawke even allowed himself to consider the idea.

Of all the Psy-Changeling books, is there one specific couple’s story you found most difficult to tell, or felt the most pressure to get right?

Each story is unique and each has its own challenges. However, I think it’s safe to say that I felt extra pressure when it came to Hawke and Sienna – readers have been waiting so long for their book.

But, in terms of the actual writing process, I had to leave all that behind and simply focus on the story – because the fact is, attempting to please everyone would have been an impossible task. I had to trust in my instincts and write the story from the heart – and hope that readers would come along with me for the ride.

If you had a choice between having a set of wings as the angels and archangels in the Guild Hunter series do or having the ability to shift into animal form as with the changelings, which would you choose?

Oh, why do you ask such tough questions?! How can I possibly choose? I hereby use my (newly created) veto power as the writer, and state that I choose both!

Of all your male characters, who would you least mind getting completely possessive over you? Why him?

So many wonderful heroes…but they have heroines, either now, or in the future. These heroines live in my head, too, and there’s no way I want to make any of them mad by putting a claim on her mate.

But I have to say – no matter their race or species, my heroes are all men I adore.

Thanks so much for stopping by Nalini! If you haven't had the chance to pick up a book by Nalini yet, add one to your list the next time you go book shopping, she writes breathtaking characters and smoking romances that will have you scrambling to buy every book in the series after reading just one. For more information on her and her books, you can find her here:

Website
Blog
Twitter

KISS OF SNOW (from Goodreads)

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna's darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

In My Mailbox #23

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi over at The Story Siren and is a great way to see what other bloggers are reading and reviewing. I always love seeing what everyone else got for their week!




FOR REVIEW:
Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #4) by Chloe Neill
The Goddess Test (via NetGalley) by Aimee Carter
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
Reunion by Jeff Bennington

BOUGHT:
This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

A huge thank you goes out this week to Penguin, NetGalley, Jeff Bennington, and Danya of A Tapestry of Words for sending me books I've been absolutely dying to read!

Waiting on Wednesday: Kiss of Snow

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!



KISS OF SNOW (Psy-Changeling Series #10)
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
June 2011

From author's website:

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

So, I have a confession to make. I'm nursing a truly spectacular crush on Hawke (perhaps you can see why based on this cover) and have been blatantly book-stalking him. By book-stalking I mean I've been reading this series out of order and picking the books that feature members of the SnowDancer pack of which he's Alpha to read in the hope I'll get some delicious Hawke snippets, so I feel it goes without saying that I'm hugely excited to read his story. I think it takes a pretty special person to stalk a fictional character, so I find I'm rather proud of myself in this situation;)

Seriously though, if you like paranormal romance and you haven't yet read Nalini Singh, get on it!