Chaos Burning [Mass Market Paperback]

Good gravy! I liked book 1 in this series but I absolutely loved this one. It takes all those delicious things that I adore and rolled it up in a fast-paced storyline with high stakes and scary bad guys. Let's see - a strong willed heroine who doesn't let anyone walk over her? Check! Lark is just that! An uber-hot Alpha male who respects his lady love enough to not smother her? Check! Simon has the Alpha male thing down in spades! A fantastic supporting cast who are well developed enough that any one of them could have their own story written? Check! Check check check!

One of the things I adore about Lauren Dane's writing is how quirky her characters are. Lark has blue hair and dresses like a rainbow disaster and she owns that look. At one point she tells Simon that she knows she's not beautiful but she works with what she has. I like that. I like that she's funky and powerful and confident. I also liked that Simon's bone deep attraction to Lark started out as friendship. He liked being around her. He liked that she fit him in so many ways before he saw her as a potential mate. His reaction felt very real to me. She got under his skin as a friend and suddenly he found that he couldn't shake her. More to the point, he didn't want to shake her.

The battles are bloody, the bad guy is downright terrifying and the good guys don't always get away without casualties - in short, this is a gritty, wonderfully drawn world that's full of surprises. Lark and Simon are sexy as all get and the glimpse we get at life on the other side of the Veil is pretty cool.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

Review may contain spoilers:
Lauren Dane is one of my favorite authors. I am such a HUGE fan of her writing. I was so happy when I won the ARC copy from her website--it holds a special place on my keeper shelf!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chaos Burning. Such a great addition to the series and I can't wait for Gage's book next.
I have been waiting for Simon's story since reading about him in Heart Of Darkness and Lauren Dane didn't disappoint!! I found that I was especially drawn to Lark from the very beginning. The fact that she is totally opposite of Simon made for some great scenes. I love their characters and how their relationship grew out of friendship. I also love the fact that the things that made Lark different were the things that Simon most loved about her. LOVE Simon in all his BAD*SS, SMOOTH, OVERPROTECTIVE, SWEET, CARING, SEXY, ALPHA Lycian self!!! I was surprised that the first sex scene wasn't until half way through the book but it was worth it!! ;)
I was truly sad and shocked by the loss of a major character--I never saw that coming!! It will be interesting to see how that death effects the continuing story.
I can't recommend this series enough!! Just a great read and a definite reread for me. In fact after writing this review, I am going to reread right now!! LOL
5 out of 5 rating.

Chaos Burning
Reviewed by Francesca & posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

Well, I've been waiting not so patiently for this book for a couple of reasons. First and foremost for the se xy-as-all-sin hero, Simon. He's Lycian, and yes I have a thing for Ms. Dane's shifters, but Lycians are not the same as her regular shifters (as in Cascadia and De La Vega) they are a bit more.

Simon is no different, he's a sexy and successful, very good looking guy, who happens to be part owner of Heart of Darkness, Dominic's club. He's also a bartender and lets face it...a man who can make a good martini before he asks me to jump in the hot tub is my kind of man.

When he is assigned the task of picking up Lark (strange, quirky witch warrior extraordinaire) they actually become great friends. This was my favorite part of the story. Their relationship developed slowly going from first friendship all the way to loving and mating, but it felt like it had solid roots.

Lark is a solid chick, she's independent, kick ass and a hunter. Yes she's also a powerful witch. No wilting flower. Simon understands that and doesn't over-protect. So my favorite type of heroine and the perfect hero in my opinion for her.

In reference to the ongoing storyline of turned witches stealing power and there's a bit more to that story in this one, with maybe an ancient power coming into play, I feel there wasn't A LOT of forward progress in the overall story arc. I would've liked to see a bit more conflict maybe in regards to the world.

I do feel this book fell a bit short of my expectations just because I was expecting it to blow my socks off. Even though Lark and Simon were sexy, there wasn't a lot of action (in any sense of the word), and somehow I expected more from them (I mean Simon is hot as hell and I wanted more of him ;). Still it was an interesting installment of this series, with the small cameo appearance of the enforcer of the Cascadia pack which is working with the Owen Clan for this one. I'd like to see more of those interactions in the future! That was great!!

Can't wait to see what Ms. Dane has in store for us next.

*ARC provided by publisher