This Series Just Gets Better and Better
|
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night is Bowen and Mariketa's story and partly takes place at the same time as No Rest for the Wicked during the Talisman's Hie, so I think it would be helpful if you're familiar with that book before starting this one. Bowen if you remember was after the prize so he could go back in time and save his mate. During the Hie he trapped Mariketa and several other supernaturals. Unfortunately this has upset (to put it mildly) their supernatural races and is threatening to start a major interspecies incident. So it falls to Bowen to go and rescue Mariketa. But that's just the beginning.
The glue that holds this whole story together is Bowen and Mariketa's relationship. There's quite a bit of other external stuff going on - The Talisman's Hie, interfering Valkyries, lots more intriguing hints dropped about other characters - mainly the proper introduction of Rydstrom and Cade and who exactly is stalking Regin?
Their relationship basically starts off as a confrontation and though they have a chemistry between them Bowen is far too caught up in the need to win the Hie and save his mate. So he betrays Mariketa and traps her to prevent her continuing with the Hie. Not the best way to start a courtship. It's only after he goes back to rescue her and they have to work together to escape the jungle that the spark between them becomes something more. But the course of their love isn't going to run smoothly, just when it seems everything has come into place for them the past rises up to bite Bowen and he has to decide who and what he really wants.
I like Bowen (more than Mariketa). He's one of those characters who doesn't really have a filter between his brain and his mouth. Maybe this is a Lykae trait as I seem to remember Lachlain from A Hunger Like No Other being similar. When he feels it is deeply and completely. He never gives up.
Mariketa is young and in some ways immature. She lies to Bowen about how often she's using her powers even though it's dangerous for her to do so. Some of her behaviour is understandable. He wants her to contain an essential part of herself - akin to her asking him to give up his animal instinct. But sometimes in romances you feel like shouting at the protagonists - just talk to one another! Yet despite all the confrontations in their relationship there's also something warm and fuzzy about it.
For me Kresley Cole has improved with every book in this series, certain scenes she writes so well. She puts you through the wringer, then just when you think the characters have finally got it together she takes it away from you, and makes the protagonists work even harder for their happy ending. And she never lets her protagonists say I love you before time. Even though there are confusions, eventually her characters talk to one another and when they finally open up it feels real and it works.
This is one of my favourite series. Recommended.
|
|
|
HOT HOT HOT!
|
I love, love, love this author, this is the best of the series I've read so far.
This book begins while the competition for the Talisman's Hie is still on, and this time Bowen MacRieve (hubba hubba Sebastian was my fave but the beast Bowen has pipped him to my number 1 slot, call me fickle) the Lykae we first met in A Hunger Like No Other is our leading man, he wants to win the Hie to be reunited with his mate who died more than a century ago. But his single minded goal veers off course whenever he's faced with fellow competitor, Mariketa the Awaited a Witch. This makes Bowen ever angrier as he has a deep mistrust of Witches. Mariketa is just as shocked to find herself rapidly falling in lust with Bowen.
This installment has everything, moments that make you laugh out loud, love scenes so hot I'm suprised the book didnt set on fire(and made me need to take a cold shower, tip : have a boyfriend on hand for after you've read this ha ha). And also parts when you feel the characters pain along with them. The dialogue is as ever excellent and we catch up with characters we've met before, Nix the Valkyrie is my fave (or should I call her nucking futs nix, love that name)and we meet the witches from Mari's coven who are a welcome addition although not featured as much as I thought they'd be.
In conclusion brilliant, excellent, fabulous, wonderful I could go on but I won't I'm just eagerly awaiting the next book and may even kiss my postman when he brings it ha ha. Happy reading.
|
|
|
Excellent way to get the heart going!
|
|
Moan, I love Kresley Cole's books, she just understands what her readers want and she delivers on all levels! Bowe and Mariketa are so hot together, and I loved the fact that Bowe just decides he wants her which changes his whole erm "attitude" towards Mari well I won't spoil it sigh! Well written, twists and turns the whole way. Very entertaining way to while away the hours. I would recommend any of Kresley Cole's other titles in the "Immortals after Dark" series, they're sizzling!
|
|
|
Deliciously Wicked!
|
I read A Hunger Like No Other, where we are introduced to Bowen, mourning the loss of his love. And I thought that Hunger was great, but this one just took off! All the characters - including the magical (support) characters held their own.
Fun, thrilling, sexy, very sexy, and with a nail-biting ending. I thoroughly recommend it.
|
|
|
OMG this was amazing!!!
|
Following on (explaining) some of the plotlines of the previous book, and concentrating on Bowen the Lykae and Mari the witch, this was a steamy, sexy romp of a book!! Twists and turns galore, a baddy that you just gotta hate, and the idea that a witch can enslave themselves? Delicious!!
Loved it completely and utterly - Kresley Cole just gets better and better!
|
|
|
United States | 
United Kingdom | 
Canada