I have a new author that I want to talk about. She is not a new author, and I have read all of the books from two of her series. Her name is Laurann Dohner. Yes, Laurann Dohner. She is an author that is part of the Ellora’s Cave publishing house. If you know anything about Ellora’s Cave, you know that the majority of their books are on the steamy side. Some of my favorite authors have come out of Ellora’s Cave – Jade Black and Laura Leigh just to mention a few. I was first introduced to Laurann this past summer when we were on our way to the Lori Foster Reader Appreciation Weekend (an annual trip for my book club). At that time three of my book club members were discussing the books. Two of us had not read nor heard of the books; but the discussion was so very intriguing. I was driving but Bertlyn checked her reader to see if she had the books on her reader because Tish said she had shared them with everyone. Bertlyn found them and began reading the first book. By the time we headed home she had finished the first book and was reading the second. I don’t remember what I was reading at the time, but I remember I wasn’t in a position to start the series. I believe it was another two months before I started it. By that time another book was released and everyone was raving about it (when I say everyone; that means my fellow book club members).

The first book had me hooked and I went through every one that I had back-to-back. The series that I’m talking about is the New Species series. It is about a species of humans that have been created by splicing animal and human DNA. They were created to be used as super soldiers and for other experiments. The stories are about how the species are dealing with their recent release, adjusting to living outside of the torture that they had endured, dealing with hate groups, the government, finding other members of their species, and finally, trusting, befriending and finding love with humans –full humans. I loved the series because the characters –the new species – were so endearing to me. They had an innocence about them that was a contradiction to the knowledge of suffering and torture that they endured. There are nine books in the series thus far, with promises of more to come. The books could be read as standalone novels, but I would recommend starting from the beginning. The series order is as follows: Fury, Slade, Valliant, Justice, Brawn, Wrath, Tiger, Obsidian, & Shadow.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the second series of Laurann’s that I’m currently finishing up. The Cyborg series.

These books are a little shorter in length than the New Species series (averaging around 160 pages on my Nook), but that does not diminish the story content. As a matter of fact, these are another series that I have read back-to-back with no problems (When I say with no problems, I mean that I don’t feel like I need to cleanse my genre palate. This can sometimes happen when I read a series consecutively. I’m digressing.) . The Cyborg series was recommended to me months ago by Ramona – from book club. She had read these before the New Species series and said that they were steamy and with a bit of humor included. I need to take a moment out to confess to you guys that my TBR (to be read) list is crazy long. I have heard people say “I don’t have anything to do read now.” I don’t understand that concept. I always have something to read! Now whether or not I want to read it is a different story. So I finally broke down and started the Cyborg series. Ramona was very correct. It is steamy and I found myself chuckling or smiling at the cyborgs. The Cyborgs are a race of people that was somewhat created by the government by growing test tube babies that were later outfitted with cybertronic implants to make them better soldiers and workers that the government thought they would be able to control (Governmental research is a trip isn’t it? I decided before I graduated that I didn’t want to work for a government research company just because I didn’t want to ever face the possibility of compromising my morals). When they realized that they couldn’t control them, they deemed them unstable and ordered the mass destruction; the cyborgs escaped and fled to another planet far away from Earth and are hiding from Earth trying to live out the rest of their lives in peace. There are still hostile feelings towards humans by some and they have laws that deem any humans as property and not citizens. The Cyborgs rely on logic and not emotions to make decisions. This is what leads to the bits of humor. They don’t understand human slang and they take everything literally. I have loved them, so much in fact that I have found myself becoming aggravated with outside forces like work and family that have kept me from spending all my time reading. I mean who wants to work, or cook, or clean, or help with homework right? The 6^th book of the series was about the character that everyone has disliked throughout the series thus far, but when it was all said and done, I ended up liking him. Really!!! How does that happen? She’s just that good.

I highly recommend any books that Laurann Dohner has written. I haven’t read them all, but if the two series that I have read so far are any indication, then I feel confident in stating that you won’t be disappointed. Her books are steamy, they have a bit of humor and you really fall in love with all the characters – even the secondary’s.

Also if you want a good steamy read, and I have to say that based upon the huge interest in the Fifty Shades trilogy people love a little steamy, you should give some of the authors from Ellora’s Cave a try. These authors have been doing what E.L. James has been doing for years and possibly doing it a little better, I’m not knocking her, just saying she’s not the first.  It’s amazing how genre gets a book that an awesome Publisher and great marketing department invest some time in and when people pick it up they think they’ve found something new.  It’s not new; it’s just marketed better.

So, have you found any new authors that I should take a look at?  Share…I can always make my TBR a little longer.