Thursday, December 9, 2010

Review: His Darkest Hunger (Jaguar Warrior Series: Book #1) by Juliana Stone

His Darkes Hunger
Jaxon is armed and seething. Someone will definitely die and he knows who it will be: Libby Jamieson. Oh, my...violence.

So what did the woman do to fill him with such fury? Let's see...she worked with him, had an affair with him then someone he cared about died when she disappeared. She obviously betrayed him and he is ready to pay her back. Oh, yes, the "traitorous bitch" is going down.

Just one problem; he can't pull the trigger.


His Darkest Hunger moves along at a fast pace with sexy characters fighting one foe or another. The hero is buff and intense. The heroine is beautiful and strong. With shifters, a vampire, magic, a military unit and an unresolved love affair, this book has the ingredients for an entertaining fantasy romance.

After Libby is reunited with their unit, it is evident that there is a greater mystery to be uncovered than any of the team members suspected. One dimensional bad guys quickly appear while secrets are slowly revealed. And though they fight on the same side, the good guys aren't always kind to each other due to misunderstandings.

Jaxon is efficient in combat and is a very capable lover, but he is trying at times. He is arrogant and full of mistrust. He rushes to conclusions and uses people. He does shift into a sleek and deadly jaguar though.

Libby is my favorite character in this novel. She has the most complicated emotional journey. She endures abuses and rises above her incapacitation to survive. Her bravery exceeds that of all the other characters. They have talents and skills that surpass her own but she is smart and unwilling to be kept either as a prisoner or a dependent mate. She does what she must to accomplish her goals.

I read a review comparing this to the Bourne series. i wouldn't go that far. Jaxon's description is similar to Matt Damon as Jason Bourne but I saw no evidence that he is as clever, and though I was never bored, I cannot say that I was ever amazed. I will, however, concede that there is an appreciable amount of semi-thrilling action scenes.

Juliana Stone's His Darkest Hunger is a tale of steamy love and betrayal with a happy ending for a tough fantasy hero who finds his match in a strong heroine.

Warning - The ending of this book is one huge arrow pointing to the sequel: His Darkest Embrace. Do not read as a stand-alone book if you are obsessed with knowing everything about characters. Be prepared for the switch from Libby and Jaxon to the next couple as you approach the final pages. Book #2 in the Jaguar Warrior Series is His Darkest Embrace. It features Jagger, Jaxon's younger brother, and an eagle shifter.

Things you'll do in His Darkest Hunger:
 • Exercise your killer jaws
 • Fight like you mean it.
 • Blow ish up
 • Uncover a mystery
 • Travel to a lush tropical location.
 • Make love like it's your favorite dish.

Nitpicking:
 • Grammatical errors
 • Some repetition (his jaguar this, his jaguar that)

My Checklist:
 Scenery √
 Story depth ✗
 Gush-worthy ✗
 Action √
 Sex √



QUOTES & NOTES:

"He was a jaguar, and like most of his kind, had somewhat insatiable needs. Women were like candy. They were gobbled up and spat out when the flavor began to get stale."  Jaxon's a wanton wretch.

    "'Damn, Jax! By the looks of things, I'd say you were happy to see me, but since I'm your brother, I'm really hoping that's not the case.'
    Jaxon's tense muscles deflated in an instant and luckily for him, that included the large one that had been standing at attention between his legs." TMI? All those teenage years. Jagger probably saw his brother wanking off.

"'I should have downed you ten minutes ago. I would have too, but seeing as certain parts of your body were a little vulnerable, I thought it best to give you a chance to wind down. I mean, that thing looked so rigid I was afraid it would snap in two.'" Ditto (my previous note)

“'You taste of heaven, feel like sin, but you always have and always will look like an angel to me. There is not one inch of flesh on your body that I don't want to taste.'" Likely the sweetest thing Jaxon said to Libby about her scarred and abused body.

"'I knew that you didn’t love me enough to claim me as yours, and yet I still craved your body like it was liquid candy.'" Jaxon must be an exceptional lover or Libby was desperately infatuated.

"He wasn’t extremely bright. She had always been able to tell when he was thinking. It took a lot of energy for him to do that sometimes." Haha. The stupid villain. Always better than being held by a smart one.

Libby was in danger, and he felt like a third fucking tit, less than useless. What? Ha. I'm sure there are lots of uses for a third. Now wonder rabbits copulate so much...


"'Miss me much?'
'Yeah, like the plague.'
'Now don't go getting all sugary sweet on me..'" Ah... Love in its early stages.


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