Consistent references to technology and lifestyle elements that are relevant to this time period.
Broad use of mythology and workings of mythological creatures from all walks of the world.
Women that always kick ass.
Batshit crazy friends that make things better.
Heroes that look great naked.
Characters come back in later books to help newer leads.
Previews of the next leads in current books.
Cole is one of those authors I stalk. Not kidding. Her homepage is bookmarked, I check the site once a week at least no matter what. I have reread every one of her books that I own.
The latest installment follows a witch Carrow who is from the same coven as Mari from Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. At the end of the last book we saw that immortals around the world were being kidnapped by humans (slightly predictable for a series about immortal creatures that coexist with humans, but it came so late in the game i was not prepared.) Carrow is bribed to go into a demon universe to seduce a Dempire or Vemon (depending on if you ask Nix or some one else.) The bribing is done using her niece, who's mother was killed off screen. Carrow goes and meets Malkom the dempire/vemon she is to seduce. He is very unsocialized and they dont speak the same language which means this is a very dialogue light book for about half of the plot.
They play nice for a while then some demons come. There is struggle, they go back to our plane of existence get recaptured. And from there on you have to read to find out. Not telling.
I loved the book, I really did. The writing is just as good as the previous installments (something that cannot be assumed with most writers) and the characters work well. I was sad that while other characters from the series are in the book the well known ones have about what adds up to four minutes of screen time, while a few characters I forgot existed got moved to main position side kicks. I was stoked to realize that I get Reign's book next seeing as I have been waiting for it for a while now ( I finally got over the pain the wait for Garreth's book caused.)
My one concern or complaint. The sex or lack there of. Romance novel means that I will be getting at least three solid sex scenes in a book. Cole has a habit of making her Heroine's not give it up the first time the guy jones for it, which I appreciate. Some times heroines in these things are just plain slutty. But after this many installments I am starting to get annoyed. The two real sex scenes were it went beyond oral seemed lack luster and rushed in to fit the plot. The plot is great it really is but cutting a few paragraphs here and there of internal dialogue and sex can have its time on stage.
My suggestion, follow Nalini Singh's example in Branded by Fire and give us a treat early on. That could mean having characters that know each other from previous books have a one night tryst that turns into something. But after reading ten books were its nothing but hand jobs and dry humping until the last quarter is getting on my nerves.
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