HOT SUMMER HEROES Blog Hop

First we want to thank H.D. Thomson, Bella Media Management and Caris Roane for hosting this hop!  Under the Covers is happy to participate!

What makes a hot hero?

Pretty much one word can get us to melt...ALPHA.  Sometimes they are brooding alphas, tortured alphas, or any variation of that.  But they are possessive and passionate and there's nothing better than seeing them fall hard for their heroines and turn into loving partners.

Who did we pick?

Larissa Ione can write some of the hottest heroes, so when this giveaway came around there was no better choice than to introduce you to her heroes.  In Eternal Rider, the first book in the Lords of Deliverance series, you will get to meet not only Ares (the main hero of the book and first horseman of the Apocalypse) but also the heroes from her Demonica series make some appearance. 

They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

READ OUR REVIEW

Ohhh and did we mention that this is a SIGNED copy that's up for grabs?  Along with some cool swag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione

4.5 Feathers

Lethal Rider

by Larissa Ione

(Lords of Deliverance # 3)

This has been a highly anticipated book for me. We are getting close to the Apocalypse, will they be able to prevent it or will all hell literally break loose?
At the end of Immortal Rider Regan, a member of the Aegi, had volunteered to have sex with Thanatos and get pregnant. The whole thing went down with all kinds of betrayal and I couldn't help but feel like beating Regan to a pulp by the end of that book.

Lethal Rider starts eight and a half months later. Regan is very much pregnant and in the custody of the Aegis and Thanatos has been in a hellhound saliva induced frozen state for that whole time, not knowing Regan was pregnant. When the hellhound saliva wears off before it should and he's able to escape and goes straight for that pull he has towards Regan, he finds it's not just her, she's carrying his child, so he kidnaps her to bring her to his home and keep her safe until she gives birth to his agimortus, or baby.

I know some people are thinking "How could I be ok with her after what she did?" and I admit I felt a little bit like that but I understood her reasons why in this book perfectly. It's her past, the way she views herself and her relations with others and her loyalty to maybe the wrong people. I thought it was great that Thanatos took his time getting past that and it wasn't a magical "everything is ok now" moment. And of course, this is Thanatos we are talking about. Sexy bad boy, I just can't get enough of him!

What a rollercoaster of destruction and mayhem everywhere! The land down under has been taken over by hell, Pestilence is causing so much chaos everywhere, getting allies in all the wrong places, and destroying everything in his path.

What can you expect? Some things are not what they seem, angels, Aegi and vampires will throw you for a loop. Seems like you can't trust anyone! I loved seeing some of the past of Reseph's life, it wasn't much but it showed a caring side to him, and I admit I had to laugh at his music preferences! I feel this started setting him up as a character that we should like.

There are also some minor and major clues about the origin of the horsemen so watch out for the clues in this book, as well as more information about the daywalker vampires and Thanatos role in their existence.

There's just enough of the secondary characters that I love. Kynan, Wraith, Shade, Eidolon, Conan, Limos, and even a bit of Arik. I can't help but love that Ms. Ione keeps her old characters present and involved in her series.

So am I ready for Reseph now? Since I won't tell you what happens in this book, then I can only say after this one, you'll only want to get Rogue Rider that much faster!!!
 

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Apocalypse: The Lords of Deliverance Compendium by Larissa Ione

Apocalypse: The Lords of Deliverance Compendium

by Larissa Ione

If you are a Larissa Ione fan and you've been reading her Lords of Deliverance series, do yourself a favor and get this little book! Even though so short, every single word was so enjoyable and it gave me a little glimpse into the everyday life and workings of this complex world created by Ms Ione.

We get to hear it from her as if we were just sitting down talking about how the series came about, who the characters are, and even a list of demons, which will proove helpful because I can't keep them straight.  And we learn a bit more about Larissa.

And then there's the short story included in this book, Eternal Damnation.  WOW!  This story goes back to the origins of the Four Horsemen and how they were conceived.  You can read that before or after Lethal Rider, but having read Lethal Rider I had so many "aha!" moments.  All the pieces are falling together.  And can I just say that, yes the short story was great, but OMG I can't wait to read "blank.blank.blank"'s book!  It's going to be off the charts amazing, especially after this setup and the ending of this short story.  Now if only we can get Ms Ione to write faster?!?!?!

ARC Review: Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Immortal Rider

(Lords of Deliverance # 2)

by Larissa Ione

Immortal Rider will take you on a paranormal ride from beginning to end. The action, the scheming with just the right amount of romance. You will not be bored with all the different things waiting for you in the Horsemen world.

Arik Wagner, Runa's brother, who also works for R-XR has been a good part of the Demonica series (Desire Unchained, specifically). This guy has totally evolved from who he was before. He goes from hating the immortals to working with them and gaining a respect for them. Even going as far as developing a friendship with them.

We have been eagerly anticipating Arik’s book for a long time. Now, the hot human brother finally gets his chance to shine and UTC is finally getting some Arik action!

But it’s really Limos aka Famine, the only female horseman who really gets into the Arik action. Except there is one major thing standing between her chance to be with Arik.

Before she was even born, Limos was promised to the Dark Lord. Being unwillingly betrothed to Satan brings up a lot of problems. But when Arik can’t deny his attraction to Limos any longer, he kisses her. And this is when the story begins its hellride. And we mean, literally.

Just as Arik gets summoned to hell, Limos tells him to never, ever speak her name. If he does while in agony, then Limos will find herself next to her rightful husband.

Arik and Limo sizzle in IMMORTAL RIDER. However, while they were great together, they didn’t have the same feel as Ione’s past romances. We expected some sexual gymnastics that Ione has become known for and although we didn’t get that so much in this instalment, we still felt that the sex scenes fit Limos and Arik well.

Speaking of sizzling chemistry...
Than and Regan’s chemistry was palpable and we really enjoyed their parts of the books. It makes our hands itch for the next one and we’re sensing that Ione will surely deliver another one of her epic stories for the sassy Aegis chick and Death.

What was also fantastic is that Larissa Ione isn't afraid to put her characters through some bad times in order to tell their story right. Arik and Limos endure a lot of things that would normally break a person. So it was interesting to read about their journey through that as well as see the development of their romance together.

This book was full of unexpected twists, betrayals, lies, some truths and more lies, along with the consequences all that lying cost everyone. Limos has a lot of skeletons in her closet that slowly come out and it's thanks to Arik's strength that she can face them. He was her rock throughout some tough moments and we liked that he stood by her even when faced with issues that would've made a lesser man turn his back on her. He never took the easy way out.

This series in not to be missed and we highly recommend to any PNR lover.

* This ARC was provided to us by Grand Central Publishing.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Covers To Covet

Hello Maidens!  I just HAD to share this with you because I think it is all kinds of awesome!  The new US cover for Lethal Rider has been revealed!  Look at that!  It's soooooo pretty!  I am in lust with the covers for this series, literally!  And wait... is that Paul Marron?  That  definitely looks like his jaw, don't you think?

They're here.

They ride.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride . . .

LETHAL RIDER
Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, ReganCooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

Is it June 2012 yet?

Review: Supernatural by Larissa Ione, Alexandra Ivy, Jacquelyn Frank & G.A. Aiken

Supernatural

by Larissa Ione, Alexandra Ivy, Jacquelyn Frank and G.A. Aiken

(Lords of Deliverance # 1.5, Demonica #5.5, Guardians of Eternity # 7.5, Nightwalkers # 1.5, Dragon Kin # 4.5)

Paranormal Romance

This has been a highly anticipated anthology for me. Yeah, that's saying something considering I usually don't care much for short stories. But how often can I say 2 authors I love are in it and the other 2 are also supposed to be really good? My point exactly! I'll review them individually but just know that if for nothing else, I'd recommend this book for Ione and Aiken's stories!!

Vampire Fight Club by Larissa Ione
4.5 Feathers

I loved this story! Set in the Demonica/Lords of Deliverance worlds. We have cameos from our favorites from both series. Of course this story involves UGH because that's where Vladena originally works. After her brother comes into UGH pretty beaten up and dies they all start an investigation into where this all happened. As it turns out, there's a secret Fight Club, and no, it's not only vampires, there are plenty of shifters who fight in these underground events. That's what Vladena is, and her brother was. But she has a disadvantaged, she can't shift. And that is genetically a death sentence. She's almost come to terms with that. And now she wants revenge for the death of her brother.

Nathan is a vampire and leader of the Fight Club, but he's not the head honcho. He's someone else's puppet. And he has a lot of anger and resentment for things that were done to him that destroyed his soul. He's seen it all, nothing entices him anymore. Except when he sees Vladena, he wants her.

We get cameos from Eidolon, Shade, Wraith and even Con! As well as a BIG revelation at the end which I'm sure will play a part in the Lords of Deliverance series. See, Nathan is a day-walking vampire, and the key to that is who made him.

Darkness Eternal by Alexandra Ivy
3.5 Feathers

I'll be honest I have not read Guardians of Eternity, and this was actually my first read by Alexandra Ivy. I did like it, but I wasn't glued to the pages for it. Uriel is a vampire warrior and he hates jinns because one put a curse on him years ago during a battle and told him he would be his instrument in defeating his enemy. So he's lived thinking he can't be trusted around his own people in the event he will betray them.

Kata has actually been imprisoned by her sister and her mate, and when her sister finally dies and she believes herself to be free and able to search for her child. But Uriel is sent for her. And the attraction is immediate.

Except they are not home free yet, as it turns there's a trip into hell in their future. Along with some pretty hot sex.

This story was interesting, I liked the writing style, there was some romance, some steam, some action. I will definitely be reading more of her work soon.

Kane by Jacquelyn Frank
3 Feathers

OK... I have not read the Nightwalkers series but I have read Ms. Frank before, and I feel that in this story she did not get my interest. At all. I found myself even skimming through parts of it. *hangs head in shame*

Kane is one of the young ones, he is not 100 years old yet so he's still considered a child. They are not allowed to touch humans, but his desire for Corrine brings him to barely touch her one night. Just a soft caress. He is immediately forced to wipe her memory, he is punished and she is left alone. Except that touch started a change in her and she now needs to be close to him to live, and being forced apart for so long has made her very sick.

Now, having him shackled to a bed might not be a bad way to wake up, but she does have a lot to understand, and in a short period of time. They manage to do it mostly through his mind powers and her ability as his mate to read some of his thoughts.

Not bad... just mehhh

Dragon On Top by G.A. Aiken
4.5 Feathers

Oh the wonderful world of Ms. Aiken's writing! I am currently reading the Dragon Kin series but even though this is #4.5 it really could be read right after book 1 as this goes back in time not to the current set of brothers we are reading about, but their parents. In this case their aunt Ghleanna the Decimator.

She is the ultimate warrior chick, nobody mess with her. She knows she should need a mate that is as strong as her. But when she is tasked with escorting and protecting Bram, the smart and peacful dragon who writes up all the peace treaties that end her wars, she finds herself reconsidering that.

Ghleanna and Bram are just adorable, funny, sexy, hot and so damn entertaining! You can't help but love them! This story might just be my favorite in this anthology! 

Purchase from Amazon

Waiting on Wednesdays

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  The pre-publication release we are eagerly anticipating this week is:

 Immortal Rider
by Larissa Ione
(Lords of Deliverance # 2)

Release Date: December 1st

Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She’s been marked as Satan’s bride and her jealous fiancé wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself—and everyone else—safe is to keep her distance. But not even Limos can save herself from the secrets she’s kept . . . or resist the seductive allure of one very brave human.

Arik Wagner knows the saying “love hurts” better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he’s topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?

Review: Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

 Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance # 1)by Larissa IoneParanormal Romance Find it on GoodReads! 

Ares’s To-Do List: Stop (sexy) brother from obliterating the world with deadly disease

• Stop (sexy) brother from obliterating the world with deadly disease
• Find the agimorti and keep her from getting killed
• Locate the Deliverance before Pestilence finds it
• And learn that having feeeeeeeelings doesn’t make you a pansy!!

I’m a huge fan of the Demonica series so I was thrilled to hear about a new spinoff series with the four horsemen. Eternal Rider has all the same great elements of Demonica. Ione still has her great sense of humor. She has that raw writing style that makes the narration sooo damn good and she’s the bomb when it comes to worldbuilding! I l just love the way Ms. Ione thinks, develops and writes her stories. She is truly great at making us feel as if we are in this wonderful world she creates.

Ares aka War, the second of the horsemen has a lot to deal with. With his brother, Reseph channelling his evil side as Pestilence, he’s got his hands full with trying to keep him from obliterating the world. I will admit, I liked him in the beginning but then somewhere in the middle, he kind of annoyed me with how he tried to hold himself away from Cara so much, fighting his feelings to the point where I was getting frustrated. You are War! Having feelings doesn’t make you a ninny. It’s okay to feeeeeeeel! But he does get better and I couldn’t be happier with the end results. This quote is the perfect evidence of his reluctance:

"...and horror of horrors, he realized that he was experiencing some sort of a crush. He needed to kill something." - Ares

Cara was a skittish one at first and I was dying for a heroine with a little more backbone. And then suddenly, she grows a pair and learns to cope with the bomb that Ares had dropped on her. I have to respect that. I will admit, I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between Ares and Cara at first. With a few heated glances and one kiss, I was eager for something more to happen. But Ares controls himself so much that there are no opportunities for him to slip in his control. And Cara isn’t one to initiate contact. To put up with Mr. Grumpy (Ares) she would have to be almost a saint. I loved their shower scene and the upside down tree scene and that's all I'm going to say *winks*

"His hand sliced through the air in a silencing motion, and he stalked to the window. "Have you seen any rats?"
Her mind spun at the sudden shift of subject. "Rats?"
"Rodents that resemble large mice."
"I know what rats are," she gritted out. "Why?"
"They're spies." He peered through the curtain into the darkness. Thick fog diffused the yellow lamplight, creating an eerie glow on the street below. "Have you seen any?"
Rodent spies? The man might be hot as hell, but he was a loon. As inconspicuously as possible, Cara inched toward the door. "I didn't see any furry little James Bonds."

But the mediocre chemistry between Cara and Ares doesn’t take away from Ione’s spectacular writing. I love the rawness to it. I especially love the violence in this one! I can’t remember if the Demonica series was as gory and bloody as this one since I read it awhile back, but I LOVE IT! Gory. Bloody. Raw. Love it!

And with that, I have to say how much I love Reseph, or rather, Pestilence because his bad side is so much more appealing! Ione writes baddies well! I loved the venom in his tone when he speaks and his merciless outlook on mankind. Pestilence is as badass as they come.

Then there’s Reaver, whom I loved from the Demonica series! This Reaver is a little more darker, one who is more irritable and with his evil counterpart Harvester, chaos is bound to find them sooner or later.

I’ve mentioned Pestilence already so naturally, that leaves Limos (Famine) and Thanatos (Death)! I LOVE them both! Limos is friggin’ hilarious. She kind of reminds me of the Valkyries from KC’s IAD series. She’s great! And Than is a hottie! A tattooed hottie! I cannot wait for either of their books!

"Eeeeeevil is wiiiiiining..."
"They were so fucked his ass hurt"

For Demonica fans, there’s reason to rejoice because there are familiar faces! If you thought you would never see your favorite demons/angels/vampires again, you were wrong! It could be because this book involved one my favorite characters, Kynan quite a bit in the new story. Or maybe because we get to see Gem being pregnant and giving birth. Or maybe it’s the fact that our sexy demon doctor and paramedic are still around. But I loved every single glimpse of the original Demonica characters, and I'm happy to say that if you wanted to keep reading about them, this book feels almost as if the series is still going. This quote is particularly precious.

"Your mom is my sunset, and you are my dawn." - Kynan

Another character from Demonica, Runa's brother Arik, also makes a substantial guest appearance. Can I just say... yum!  I’m super excited for the next book Immortal Rider which is Arik and Limos’ book!

"Some scholars, including myself, think that the Horsemen's Seals will be broken by Jesus himself, and the Horsemen will lead the way into the end of days, but that's not necessarily a bad thing."
"Of course not," Arik drawled. "Every Apocalypse is a party. Bring your own beer, pretzels, and semiautomatic weapons."

So if you’re unsure about starting this series, please do! It’s great! Just prepare for your world to be rocked, because the Horsemen have arrived!

Ares:

Cara: