The Book Blog at the End of the Universe: Review + Blog Tour + Giveaway: Manhattan Ten Series by Lola Dodge

Blurb:

Kiss your powers goodbye.

Kidnapping a super-powered suspected felon from a Vegas bachelor party is another day at the office for Jenny Ray, alias Temptress. With one kiss, any naughty supe’s powers are hers. Except this time she’s caught by her mark’s boss, who’s no ordinary superhero.

It’s Thinktank, leader of the toughest hero crew around. One destroyed men’s room and near-toilet-drowning later, Jenny’s forced to steal an innocent hero’s powers.

For a super brain, Tank’s feeling pretty idiotic. First, he let Jenny close enough to get to him. Second, he’s helpless against the tide of desire that rises in him every time he kisses her. Which he’s doing a lot, since she’s trying to give him back his power—only it’s not working. As he shadows her on her various freelance casino security jobs, he realizes she’s no she-demon—she’s a time bomb. Her acquired powers are shredding her, body and soul.

As they give in to desire, a shadowy figure from Jenny’s past surfaces with a kidnapping plan of his own. Jenny will do anything—even level Las Vegas—to rescue the man she loves. But there may not be anything left of her when the dust settles.

Product Warnings
Contains high-stakes poker, high-end cocktails, and high-flying over Las Vegas skies. Never drink and fly!

Review:
Jenny Ray is a kick ass superhero with a sex appeal to kill for, but add her unique ability to take on the powers of others.....and she can be downright scary. When a collar for the local Vegas police takes her into the middle of the most infamous hero organization in the country, The Manhattan 10, things go very wrong when she takes the powers of their leader ThinkTank, and can't give them back. The other problem is that they seem to be extremely attracted to each other and she can't get enough of him, even if she doesn't want to get attached. They go on some crazy rides together and uncover a twisted plot that is bigger than anybody saw coming.

Those twists and turns are what I loved about this book. As much as you felt the tangibility of their attraction, it was clear that there was a possibility that they would not end up together. The things that they go through are surprising and adventurous and ultimately end up sealing their fate connected. There was enough sexy to satisfy the romance side, but enough action to satisfy that need for a fast paced plot. Jenny is a strong, independent and sexy women, but is still humble enough for her to be someone most women would respect. That's a tough balance to achieve, especially in a world that has superheroes.

That story line, however, I wanted to be explored further. I wanted to know why people had powers, how they go them, why everybody in the world seems to know about them. To be quite honest, I just wanted background. Background on heroes in general and also the heroes we met in the story. Included in that need for information are The Manhattan 10. We really didn't get to know the organization or the other characters in the story. I did love the premise of what was going on, just really was left wanting more. Not a bad thing to happen in story, however, and I really loved the writing, the sass and the romance!- My Opinion- **** 4 Stars!

Blurb:

That cold day in hell? It’s here…

If Ivory’s fellow flight attendants whisper that she has ice in her veins, they’d be right. She’s spent years ruthlessly suppressing her dangerous ice powers, pretending she didn’t grow up wild on the tundra.

Her legendary coolness has held solid—until a crazed attacker snaps her composure, unleashing her ice beast and blowing her cover. And she’s not sure if the man who defuses the situation is any less dangerous.
When Panther’s trans-Atlantic catnap is interrupted by Ivory’s ice spear through his mark’s gut, he doesn’t hesitate to claim her as one of the Manhattan Ten. It’s the only way to shield her from prosecution. It doesn’t hurt that the Nordic beauty puts his inner cat on the prowl.

Panther tempts Ivory in every smoldering way, but to let him melt her resistance is a risk she can’t afford. But when her past rises up to claim her, Pan is caught in the crossfire…and the only way to save him is to let the beast claim her, body and soul.

Product Warnings
Contains one smoldering ice vixen and the sexy beast man who wants to get his claws all over her. Make sure your icemaker is in tip-top shape before reading. Mukluks optional.

Review:

All the problems I had with the first book in this series was solved in Ivory. That being said, I think the reason for this was the fact that book 2 takes place before book 1......weird, I know. However, when I read Ivory and Panther's story I was more satisfied with the information received and the bigger picture. That isn't to say the characters were lost here, because these two were on fire!

These two were fierce, wild and straight up crazy at points and I loved it! Ivory was a strong and confident woman on the outside with a crazed wild woman on the inside itching to get out. Enter Panther, who is all tropical jungle heat and these two meet with sparks flying. I thought it was really cool to see two people that were so similar, yet terribly different. You had the icy stoic nature of Ivory with the predator heat that Panther brought and yet they were both a little bit animal and they let that nature come out of each other without judging. I think these two understood each other better than Jenny and Tank did in the first book.

I still didn't get my answers about why people had super powers and why everyone knows about them, however we did see more of a glimpse of the Manhattan 10. We found out about each of the heroes involved and where they lived. Plus, we got see what they had to deal with in terms of work and press. I thought I still wanted more of the story but if this book had been first in the series, I would have had a clearer picture about what was alive in this world. There were also things hinted at, such as a anti-hero organization, that I would love to see explored in future books. This was a adventure through carnal desire and the Ivory/Panther relationship delivered!- My Opinion- ****4 Stars!

Blurb:

This is one diva with killer moves…

Belle Fabian has worked her toes to the bone to become an internationally renowned ballerina. When the curtains rise on her career-making performance of Giselle, she brings down the house—literally.

Mid-dance, she manifests a superpower that nearly destroys the Metropolitan Opera House, wiping out a line of chorus girls and sending the audience dashing for the exits. As she flees the theater, she assumes the worst. Her hard-won career is over.

The Manhattan Ten’s leader is playing hooky with his new lady, so it falls to Red Ruin to round up the super-powered danseur. It’s just one small, bird-boned woman hiding in a convenience store. How hard could it be?

Their first encounter generates sparks that border nuclear and their chemistry sends Belle’s powers into overdrive, but their perfect storm of passion is marred by her suspicion that Ruin is holding back. That secret that could turn the sweet burn of Ruin’s lightning into a permanent scar on her heart.

Warning: Contains one lightning-hot hero and a not-so-blushing ballerina. May cause third-degree burns and spontaneous tango

Review:

This is the book I was waiting for since book 1. Red Ruin, number 2 in the Manhattan 10, fascinated me from the first book and I was hoping I would get to hear his story. I never thought a ballerina would be his future, but I have to say Belle fit in this book perfectly. These two seemed to warm up to each other rather than have that instant connection that the other two books started with, and I loved that. The whole story actually felt like a much more relate-able, and I think that had to do with the characters pasts rather than the love story that was unfolding in these pages.

Both Belle and Red Ruin had pasts that me as the reader could understand. Red Ruin being the big fish in the small pond that ended up not fitting in, or so he felt, in the big pond of super heroes. Belle on the other hand had a drive about her that resonated by the fact that she worked hard, came from a family that didn't seem to care about her dreams, and danced for the love it rather than money. Those experiences make these characters people instead of these superheroes with extraordinary powers and that was refreshing. Now, don't be mistaken here, these two kick ass in a big way. I just thought they were more down to earth and real than the other two couples.

I loved the surprise that powers can have on an ordinary person, the build up of emotions between two people and ultimately the passion for each other that only separation can bring about. This book felt like a complete picture. They learned lessons about themselves along the way, which was another reason to absolutely adore this couple. Red Ruin's story was definitely worth the weight and I could not have been happier with how his heart was stolen!- My Opinion- ***** 5 Stars!

Get this series @ Amazon / Samhain Website / iTunes

About the author:

Lola Dodge was forged in the suburbs, tested in the retail wastelands and reborn as a romance writer after several strong cocktails. Armed with her M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, she travels the world in search of story fodder and men with accents.

Check her out: Website

GIVEAWAY!