Skip to content
Answering Your Questions About Reactor: Right here.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Everything in one handy email.
When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

Reactor

Things are getting hot this month in the parahuman love department, with twenty-two new releases in July. Look for new offerings this month from, among others, Lucienne Diver, Heather Graham, Stephanie Tyler, Christine Warren, Kresley Cole, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Donna Grant, and Amanda Ashley—plus a new anthology featuring Lora Leigh’s Breeds universe.

Fiction Affliction details releases in science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and “genre-benders.” Keep track of them all here.

Note: All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher.

WEEK ONE

A Spy to Die For (Assassins Guild #2), by Kris DeLake, (July 2, Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Jack Hunter is a double agent. Skye Jones is a pirate, or is that just a cover? One thing is for sure: neither of them are competent assassins. Thrown together on the Krell space station during an important Assassins Guild meeting, each is determined to get to the truth and prevent catastrophe. But when Jack and Skye are matched against two master killers, they find themselves caught in the crosshairs between their willingness to trust each other and the undeniable attraction coursing through them. Both knows that a long-term relationship is tough in their profession, but the chemistry they’ve got is too good to deny. Now all they have to do is stay alive.

Beloved Stranger, by Janet Miller, (July 2, Samhain)

Roan Duman is six months from the end of his sentence at Ares Five mining colony, and he doesn’t plan to go home to Gaia empty handed. He’s going with a wife. The only way he can get one? Purchase her from an illegal marriage meet. He ends up in the one thing that landed him here in the first place. A fight over a woman. The one he wins, sight unseen, turns out to be as stunning as she is innocent. Six years ago, Sonja escaped from Ares Five, forced to leave her sisters at the mercy of the slavers who sold them into the marriage meets. Now she’s back to rescue them. She plans to get in and out with her sisters and be well away before Roan figures it out. Her husband’s talent for scheming exceeds her own. His sense of honor is the key that unlocks her heart.

Biting Oz (Biting Love #5), by Mary Hughes, (July 2, Samhain)

Gunter Marie “Junior” Stieg is stuck selling sausage for her folks in small-town Meiers Corners. Until one day she’s offered a way out, the chance to play pit orchestra for a musical headed for Broadway: Oz, Wonderful Oz. But someone is threatening the show’s young star. To save the production, Junior must join forces with the star’s dark, secretive bodyguard. Fierce as a warrior, enigmatic as a druid, Glynn Rhys-Jenkins has searched eight hundred years for a home. Then a sensuous, insidious evil threatens not only the show, but the very foundations of Meiers Corners. To fight it, Junior and Glynn must face the truth about themselves, and the true meaning of love and home.

Crazy in the Blood (Latter-Day Olympians #2), by Lucienne Diver, (July 2 Samhain)

Just a few weeks after Tori prevented some rogue gods from blowing L.A. into the ocean, more dead bodies are turning up near the leftover crater. Uncle Christos has disappeared after stumbling onto a deadly cult masquerading as the Back to Earth movement. The connection: Dionysus. He’s resurrected his bloody fertility rite, complete with frenzied female groupies who tear men limb from limb. He’s lured Demeter, goddess of the harvest, over to his side by finding a way to get her daughter away from Hades for good. Hades isn’t about to let her go without a fight. Unless Tori finds a way to bring her back, he’ll abandon the gates of Tartarus. Between saving the world, the cultists and her crazy uncle, Tori’s giving up on getting to the beach before all the good spots are taken.

Deep Midnight, by Heather Graham, (July 2, Zebra)

Hosted by the Contessa della Trieste, an opulent Carnevale ball in Venice takes a terrifying turn for American book critic Jordan Riley. As festivity turns into frenzy, Jordan is rescued by a powerful man disguised as a wolf. But was the mayhem she witnessed, the blood, the fangs, the screams, truly just entertainment, or something far more sinister? From a deconsecrated Venetian church to a secret society in New Orleans, Jordan is led on a nightmare journey to the razor’s edge of reality. Her mysterious savior is always a shadow behind her, both tormenting and tantalizing her, as Jordan discovers a world of predators and survivors, a new order of vampires, and an eternal hunger that threatens to consume her.

Degrees of Wrong, by Anna Scarlett, (July 2, Samhain)

Dr. Elyse Morgan’s mission: find the cure to the HTN4 virus. The compensation, courtesy of the United Nations: a lab stocked with hi-tech goodies and limitless resources. Bonus: she gets to live. Rescued (kidnapped) and secreted (imprisoned) on an undersea warship, Elyse adjusts to her assumed identity as a cadet with finesse. Her temper and insubordination capture the unwanted attention of the ship’s captain, Nicoli Marek. Elyse would rather perform her own autopsy than become the other woman, but Nicoli regards his impending marriage as a mere political transaction. Elyse must choose between the murky path to everything she’s ever wanted, or the squeaky-clean path of self-sacrifice, which could mean taking the secrets of the virus with her to the grave.

Dire Desires (Eternal Wolf Clan #3), by Stephanie Tyler, (July 2, Signet)

Jinx is a Dire wolf without a pack. Kicked out of the house by his king, and living with a vampire named Jez, Jinx has been trying to undo the damage he unintentionally caused during the reign of the Dire ghost army, which unleashed some of Purgatory’s worst monsters on the world at large. When he hears that an unshifted Were is being held in a psychiatric hospital, he immediately drops everything to help her. Gillian Black has no idea what’s happening to her, and Jinx discovers that she’s not just any Were, but a Dire wolf from the original Green-land pack. He helps her escape and promises to keep her safe from the men who are hunting her. He must fight his feelings at least until after he defeats the supernatural enemies that threaten all of them.

Enthralled (Breeds #28 Anthology), by Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook and Lucy Monroe, (July 2, Berkley)

Lora Leigh returns to her sensual world of the Breeds as one stubborn Breed meets her match, and can no longer deny her mate, or the fierce desires of her own heart. Alyssa Day introduces the League of the Black Swan and the dangerous game one woman plays when her family’s curse dooms her to kill the man she loves. Meljean Brook delivers a new story in her steampunk world of the Iron Seas as a man who’s lost everything returns home to find that not only is his marriage in jeopardy, but he must now fight air pirates who intend to steal his one remaining treasure, his wife. Lucy Monroe unleashes the feral passions of a werewolf on the body, mind, and soul of his prey, his lover, his lifemate.

Ever After 2 (Urban Fairy Tales), by Eve Vaughn and Lena Matthews, (July 2, Samhain)

The Better to Eat You With, by Lena Matthews: Yvonne’s doing her best to be happy that her best friend, Ezekiel, has won the right to choose a mate from among Monroeville’s human women. Once Ezekiel is married, how long will it be before her other bestie, Daniel, also drifts away? Ezekiel and Daniel have no intention of letting their happy threesome come to an unhappy end. All they have to do is convince their girlfriend to take a walk on the bad side, and stay one step ahead of a jealous lawman.
Laid Bear, by Eve Vaughn: Zora is on her way to the next phase of her life, until a near-fatal collision with a huge black bear changes everything. Bear-shifter cousins Heath, Gavin, and Logan Lamere had lost faith in finding their mate until Zora comes crashing into their lives.

Fangs for Nothing (The Fangover #2), by Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love, (July 2, Berkley)

Attending their bandmate Saxon’s wedding seemed simple enough for Johnny Malone and Drake Hanover. After waking up in a dominatrix’s dungeon, they realize their cash and cell phones have been stolen, along with the bride’s wedding dress and the groom. Johnny is handcuffed to Lizette, an uptight paper pusher. She wants to help save Johnny from the horrible fate in store for him at the hands of the Vampire Alliance. Then there’s Josie, the waifish caterer from the reception, who rescues Drake from a sex swing. Josie may be cute but Drake knows she might also be the thief. Johnny and Lizette need to get out of these handcuffs. Drake and Josie need to find their missing belongings. And Saxon needs to be located before the Vampire Alliance comes down on them hard.

Hungry Like a Wolf (Novels of the Others #8), by Christine Warren, (July 2, St. Martin’s)

When her father died, Honor Tate inherited the alpha position for a pack of werewolves based in New England. Honor would have rather just lived a “normal” life. Still, Honor was raised to put the welfare of the pack first, and now it’s time to make a formal request that the alpha of the Silverback clan, the pack to which all locals owe fealty, recognize her as alpha of the White Paw. Instead of sending his support, the Silverbacks send Logan Hunter. For years he has been fighting his alpha instincts and the need for his own pack. Logan is sent on a mission to find out whether the new White Paw alpha really has what it takes to carry on her father’s legacy. Has he finally found his alpha mate? Will old enemies, dueling loyalties, and an appetite for destruction stop him dead in his tracks?

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13), by Kresley Cole, (July 2, Gallery Books)

Uilleam MacRieve believed he’d laid to rest the ghosts of his boyhood. When a brutal torture revives those ancient agonies and destroys his Lykae instinct, the proud Scot craves the oblivion of death. Until he finds a young human so full of spirit and courage that she pulls him back from the brink. Seized for the auction block, Chloe Todd is forced to enter a terrifying new world of monsters and lore as a bound slave. She’s claimed by him, a tormented immortal with heartbreaking eyes. With enemies circling, MacRieve spirits Chloe away to the isolated Highland keep of his youth. Once he takes her to his bed, his sensual mate becomes something more than human. On the cusp of the full moon, can he conquer his worst nightmare to save Chloe from himself?

Midnight’s Captive (Dark Warriors #6), by Donna Grant, (July 2, St. Martin’s)

Laura Black knows her boss is a man of many secrets, haunted by some unknowable force, driven by some unspeakable destiny, and yet it makes her crave Charon all the more. When she uncovers a betrayal that will send her into a world of magic, she turns to the only one she trusts: Charon. Even when she’s in jeopardy of losing her heart. Charon Bruce endures a relentless yearning to have Laura for his own, an ache he knows will never be fulfilled. After the town he has protected for centuries is targeted by a ruthless Druid, he has no choice but to reveal his secret to Laura. He must fight the deadliest foe he’s ever known if he’s to keep her safe. When Laura is captured by his nemesis, he must choose between winning the battle of good versus evil, or losing the woman he loves.

Mistress of the Stone, by Maria Zannini, (July 2, Samhain)

Luísa Tavares has a list of sins the length of the Antilles. When a pockmarked Frenchman hands her Papa’s ring, still attached to his severed finger, she orders the Coral back to the Caribbean, despite her father’s earlier warning never to return. It’s Luísa’s luckless fate that the only man who can help her is a blasted Inglés pirate hunter. Xander Daltry hadn’t planned on kidnapping this wild woman. He needs Luísa and the moonstone she wears around her neck to rescind a witch’s spell. His sister, long dead, and others have been cursed to remain in the mortal plane for eternity. The only way to convince the reluctant pirate queen to help him is to withhold one small bit of the truth. If she learns who really betrayed her father, the longing in her eyes could turn to murderous wrath.

Nightfall (The Cy’ren Rising Trilogy #1), by Robyn Bachar, (July 2, Samhain)

When a wounded runner stumbles into her workshop, sculptor Talena Spenser’s comfortable, quiet life is shattered. She is in phase, when Cy’ren females are overwhelmed by the drive to mate. Mordacki Loren, shadow sword of House Nightfall, knows the pain of losing a mate. He never intended to take another. But Talena, raised by humans with little knowledge of Cy’ren ways, leaves him no choice. Old flame Dack returns from a mission with Carmen’s childhood friend and first love, Talena, in tow, the temptation to allow someone close to her again cracks her emotional armor. Pursued by an unknown enemy, the trio works together to discover the secrets of Talena’s past, and to uncover a threat that could destroy the fragile peace of the Cy’ren homeworld.

Perfect Mate (Project Rebellion #1), by Mina Carter, (July 2, Samhain)

Lillian Rosewood leads an ordinary, boring life working as the manager of a psychiatric hospital. Until a late-night emergency is wheeled in. Captain Jack Harper is insane, and just had his abdomen shredded. Despite the fact they’re not an emergency room, Lillian can’t turn him away and risk a death on her hands. Lillian sneaks into the restricted area to check on him. Somehow Jack has managed to heal himself from a near-fatal wound in mere hours. When one of the doctors, Walker, attempts to rape her, things go from bad to worse. In the blink of an eye, Jack is loose and Walker is dead, and Lillian must accept a truth about her rescuer that will change her world forever. What if the patients aren’t insane? What if their stories of secret government experiments and monsters are true?

Split at the Seams (Sierra Fox #2), by Yolanda Sfetsos, (July 2, Samhain)

Spook catcher Sierra Fox has paid her debt to the Spook Catcher Council. Her boyfriend Jonathon is acting like a possessive jerk. She can’t stop drooling over Jason, who turns out to be a werewolf. Something seriously freaky is happening to spooks all over Sydney. Prime, example: a ghost who wants to hire her fades while inside her office, and soon they’re disappearing all over Sydney. When Sierra finds out who’s behind it, it’s more than just her own life at stake. Keeping her head above water is a daily battle. Add a stalking, feral animal who is determined to take a piece out of her hide, literally, and life is anything but a bunch of buttercups. Eventually, she knows, the dust will settle. Only this time, life as she knew it may never be the same.

The Outcast Prince (Court of Annwyn #1), by Shona Husk, (July 2, Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Caspian Mort can feel the history in anything he touches, a gift he inherited from his father, the Crown Prince of Annwyn. Devastated over his ex-wife’s infidelity, Caspian has withdrawn from human contact except when working as an antiques dealer. While assessing the contents of the historic Callaway House he encounters the beautiful Lydia Callaway and senses that her home is haunted by a banished fairy. But what does the dangerous exile want? Unbeknownst to Lydia, she’s the owner of the last remaining portal to Annwyn, a mirror hidden somewhere in the house. To keep Lydia safe, Caspian will have to divulge the secrets of his heritage, and risk losing his heart again.

Warrior’s Moon (Children of the Moon #5), by Lucy Monroe, (July 2, Berkley)

After being rejected by Caelis, the pregnant Shona was forced to marry an English baron. Now, she’s on the run from the deceased baron’s heir. Determined to protect her children, she heads north to the only family she has left on Balmoral Island. On her journey, fate brings her betrayer and the father of her oldest child back into her life. Caelis is destined to usurp the corrupt laird ruling over the Chrechte people, but he refuses to abandon his sacred mate and son once again. The last thing Shona wants is to return to the clan that hurt her or forgive Caelis, but passion and a love that will not die urges her to join him. The fate of his people and her own small family rests on her ability to forgive. But she has to wonder if she truly comes before the pack, or if nothing has changed at all.

Werewolf in Alaska (Wild About You #5), by Vicki Lewis Thompson, (July 2, Signet)

In Polecat, Alaska, Rachel Miller and Jake Hunter have a mutual admiration for each other, from across a lake. There’s nothing Rachel likes more than spying on the very fit wilderness guide when he skinny-dips each night. And Jake has always been curious about his reclusive artist neighbor. He even bought Rachel’s first wood carving: a wolf who looks suspiciously like him. Jake is a werewolf, but not just any werewolf. He’s the founder of WARM (Werewolves Against Random Mating). And that means a human like Rachel is off-limits, no matter how attractive he finds her. But when Rachel is threatened by a bear, and Jake shifts to save her, their lives collide with an intense passion, one that could change everything they’ve ever felt about themselves, and each other.

 

WEEK TWO

Shadow of the Mark (Carrier #2), by Leigh Fallon, (July 9, Harper Teen)

Young Adult. A captivating love story set against the lush backdrop of Ireland. Megan knew she was destined to be with Adam from the first moment she saw him and now they are determined to be together. But Megan and Adam are Marked Ones, and a romance between two Marked Ones is strictly forbidden, and could cause worldwide devastation.

 

WEEK THREE

No new releases.

 

WEEK FOUR

Night’s Mistress (Children of the Night #5), by Amanda Ashley, (July 30, Zebra)

For centuries, Mara has been a creature of the night. Although she has been pursued throughout her life, by Vampire and mortal alike, she has never allowed love to claim her. When she discovers she’s pregnant, Mara finds herself torn between two men. Kyle Bowden is the mortal father of her unborn child. An artist full of passion and life, Kyle was ready to give his soul to Mara, until he learned her terrible secret. Logan Blackwood is the Vampire she created nine-hundred years ago. Now a Hollywood millionaire with all the dark seductive power of his kind, Logan still longs for the woman who turned him. Mara must decide what is best for the miraculous new life growing inside her. But first she must embrace the feelings in her heart, and choose one lover, for all eternity.


Author Suzanne Johnson is a book geek with a fondness for a good dystopia. Her Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series is published by Tor Books. You can find Suzanne on Facebook and on her daily book blog, Preternatura.

About the Author

About Author Mobile

Suzanne Johnson

Author

Urban fantasy author with a new series, set in immediate post-Katrina New Orleans, starting with ROYAL STREET on April 10, 2012, from Tor Books. Urban fantasy author with a new series, set in immediate post-Katrina New Orleans, starting with ROYAL STREET on April 10, 2012, from Tor Books.
Learn More About Suzanne
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments