Amid the Winter Snow

by Thea Harrison, Elizabeth Hunter, Jeffe Kennedy, and Grace Draven

[llamareads]

THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT - GRACE DRAVEN -  (5 stars)

This was unexpectedly lovely.  I haven't read anything by Ms. Draven before, though I have her two books on my TBR list, and now I know why everyone raves about them!  This story spans several Delyalda seasons, over more than a decade, giving plenty of time for the relationship to become believable.  I loved young Jahna and the woman she becomes, and Radimar was just plain swoon.  I believe it’s set in the same series as her other books, so that definitely made me bump them higher on my TBR list!

THE CHOSEN - THEA HARRISON -  (3 stars)

This is more like a 3.5 stars... but since I hate giving half-stars, I rounded down.  This story had a lot of promise, but the insta-love really turned me off.  Plus, it's like weird fantasy cliche soup - there's weather magic and telepathy and healing magic and ... Chef Boyardee?  I did like Lily, and I thought the humor was very well done.  I've read two of Ms. Harrison's books before and was also kind of meh on them, so I think the author just isn't my cup of tea.

THE STORM - ELIZABETH HUNTER -  (2 stars)

I think I would have rated this a lot higher if I'd had prior knowledge of this series.  While I liked the relationship between Renata and Max, there was just SO. MUCH. ELSE. going on that I was constantly taken away from the romance to puzzle over everything else.  There's libraries?  scribes?  archangels?  Grigori, who are part human, and are evil, except wait they aren't...  I enjoyed the writing style so I think I'll put the first book in the series on my TBR.

THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN - JEFFE KENNEDY -  (4 stars)

Lovely.  This was also part of a series, but I found it easier to follow along with, especially since it was told in first person.  Ami annoyed the heck out of me at first, but Ash's obvious and deep love of her won me over.  I get super smooshy over damaged heroes, so this was catnip for me.  Plus, I was fascinated by the whole widow and stepfather relationship.  I'll be adding this series to my TBR list as well!