Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Review: Burning Wild by Christine Feehan

Published: April 2009 by Jove

Number of Pages: 443

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: Book 3 of the Leopards but can be read as a stand alone
Book 1: Novella The Awakening in the Fantasy Anthology or Fever Anthology
Book 2: Wild Rain or in Fever Anthology

Why This Book: Because its Christine Feehan and I have this horrible series OCD that makes me keep reading a series I started. *sigh*

From the Author Site: Born into a world of twisted monsters, Jake Bannaconni is shaped and molded into a cold, revenge driven man. Honed in the fires of hell, he controls his world and rules with an iron hand. He has everything and anything money can buy. He’s ruthless, merciless and considered a man to leave alone. His hidden legacy, that of a shapeshifter, makes him doubly dangerous in the corporate world.

Emma Reynolds is a woman who knows how to love and love well. When their two worlds collide, Jake’s plans for a complete take over, may just come tumbling down.


Read except here.

Hero: Jake Bannaconni was bred. His parents want to control a shapeshifter and they thought they could make one. When he was a disappointment to them, they tortured him and tried to use him to breed a shapeshifter. Jake always knew there was another being inside him and when he was finally free of his parent he was able to let that side out. Although he has everything money can buy, he needs those thing that cannot be bought: true freedom from his parents and the love of a good woman.

Heroine: Emma Reynolds has a mysterious past. On the surface she is a pregnant widow who had been a newly wed. But there is something that is irresistible about her that draws Jake's leopard to the surface.

Review: I quite enjoyed this book. I really like Wild Rain when it came out and kept wondering if Christine Feehan was going to write more. I was a bit disappointed that it didn't take place in the jungle as the other had but was appeased with the appearance to support characters from the Jungle.

It was what I've come to expect from Ms. Feehan but with a nice edgier heroine. A wounded hero meets heroine who has that undefinable something that makes her irresistble to the hero. The heroine then "heals" the hero. Meanwhile evil someones are attacking/chasing them and it climaxes to a big huge fight where the bad guys all die horribly and the hero and heroine are free to live their lives happily ever after, sort of.

Her recent heroines haven't been much to my liking but Emma has a nice edge to her and isn't one to lay down and let people walk over her, even though she does seem to let the hero get away with way too much.

Ms. Feehan write good stories but they just don't have the edge or excitement that many of the newer authors have. I don't know what is missing but there is something that makes her stories just miss the mark. They are enjoyable but not rave-worthy. But I will no doubt keep reading her as long as she keeps writing them.

What I liked best: Jake's employees. Although Jake has a very ruthless reputation in the business world, all his employees are "damaged" in some way and he seems to be collecting all these "wounded birds" and giving them a chance to succeed. The softer side that doesn't otherwise show through.

What I least liked: The heroine's matter of fact attitude towards finding out Jake is a shapeshifter and her whole mysterious past. It seemed to pop out of no where. But it did work with the overall storyline.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: If you enjoyed Wild Rain, you will probably enjoy this one as well.

Grade: B-
Series Grade to Date: B-

9 comments:

Cybercliper said...

Hi Aymless...loved the review. Just read this and loved it, but then again Christine Feehan's work is like crack to me...I can't pass it up!!!

Anonymous said...

great balanced review BUT...still not convincing enough for me to jump with both feet right into the paranormal romance world. i'll stick a baby toe in every now and then, so i look forward to your future reviews of the genre to find one i can try!

orannia said...

Nice review Aymless. I kind of read Wild Rain but...so many books and not enough time makes me think I won't be reaching for Burning Wild unless it jumps off the library shelves. I do like the sound of the employees thought ;)

And what it is with people suddenly being introduced to the paranormal world and not blinking an eye! Adrenaline people! Am sure you have it! Sorry Aymless. *gets off soapbox*

Oh, lusty reader...I was just rambling on about books I pimp...and one author I mentioned was Nalini Singh. She's the author I use to tempt people into paranormal romance :) Have you tried any of her books?

VampFanGirl said...

Great review Aymless!

I really loved 'Wild Rain' too. I'm glad to read that you though 'Burning Wild' was a good addition to the series.

They way you describe Feehan's books in today's market - "Ms. Feehan write good stories but they just don't have the edge or excitement that many of the newer authors have. I don't know what is missing but there is something that makes her stories just miss the mark. They are enjoyable but not rave-worthy." - mirrors my own thoughts and I'm in complete agreeance with you. I read Feehan b/c I like her but she's not an author I'm madly in love with like Nalini Singh or Meljean Brook.

Thanks for the recommendation!

;) VFG

Shaymless Aymless said...

Cybercliper: Thanks. And I too have a hard time walking skipping Ms Feehan's books.

LR: I agree with Orannia. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh is perfect book for starting in the paranormal world. I think you would enjoy it.

O: You and your soapbox are always welcome! I think of you plan to get from the library is probably best. No great need to buy this one.

VFG: Yeah. Ms Feehan is a tried and true author for me. I'll usually buy then even though the writing in the last couple have been disappointing and parts are running away into urban fantasy I keep reading them as long as she keep writing them.

Anonymous said...

ok ok orannia and amy, you are shaymlessly adding to my TBR. i have resisted the recommendations for Ms. Singh long enough.

Tracy said...

I've got Wild Rain and need to read that first. But I liked your review of the book and need to read this one too! lol

Shaymless Aymless said...

*high five with O* Mission accomplished!

Tracy: *g* Thanks. I think you can read them out of order (if wanted to).

orannia said...

YAH! *happy dance* Enjoy LR! I look forward to hearing what you think :)

 

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