Review: Tigress – J.E. Taylor

Title: Tigress
Series: Night Hawk Series Book 2
Author: J.E. Taylor
Genre: Paranormal Romance Mystery
Publisher: JET-Fueled Fiction
Release Date: November 28, 2013
Pages: 333

IT’S A DUAL!

REVIEW #1 BY GLORIA LAKRITZ
SR REVIEWER AND REVIEW CHAIR FOR THE PARANORMAL ROMANCE GUILD

When I reviewed Night Hawk, book one of this series just recently, I really loved the concept of the story. Not only did I love Naomi and Damian and the ying and yang relationship they have developed, but the secondary characters added even more to how this story would play out. I had mentioned in my review of that first book, that having the Archangel Michael being the sometimes scary and sometime comic relief was wonderful. I had likened him in my mind to John Travolta who played Michael in a movie years ago.

Damian, an over 2000 year old vampire, meets Naomi, a human, and realizes she is his soul mate. This story’s background has religious histories, as the story revolves around Angels Lucifer, Gabriel and Michael. Lucifer the fallen is of course the enemy. Michael finally gives up secrets about Damian and part of their pasts to Naomi not Damian in the first book. Naomi finds her Indian heritage, mixed with Damian’s blood through her vampire transition gives her extra special powers. Between Naomi being a tiger shifter and Damian changing to a hawk they should be unbeatable!

Book two, Tigress, opens five years later. They have, for this period of time, kept under the radar of their enemy Lucifer. Naomi and Damian have married, and are living a happily secluded life in the snowy mountains, in Colorado. They have been found by Lillith, informing them the antidote for vampirism has been found and it has only one side effect. Yes, it will make vampires human again, but the injected vampire’s blood and touch will be toxic to other vampires. Under the shield of being ‘helpful’, Lillith fools them and injects Naomi with the toxin, evidently from the orders of Lucifer. His only goal in life is to destroy anything Damian has or loves.

We are tested with Damian and Naomi with the new threat of two lovers unable to touch. Naomi finds out quickly after regaining consciousness from Lillith’s injection, that her touch to Damian burns him like the sun. Blisters form at the mere caress. The two know that Lillith was sent by Lucifer and he knows where they are and they must leave their home and go where?

Once again our buddy Michael appears and signs up to be their protector. Their

Guardian Angel per say, but the catch is, he does it in human form (NO wings) He is still a Baddass. Again we are faced with these two wonderful people trying to get over their despair and the shock of what has occurred. Each of them uses what they are strongest at to help the other. Again Michael fills them in to a bit of the why, what their two blood lines mean and how it might dictate the end of the world.

JE Taylor, this series has kept my blood pumping, my attention at high alert and I do love the laugh out loud moments to give me a breather. Naomi now human is still one kickass heroine, and still has her White Tiger when she gets angry…Not bad! The scene where Damian and Naomi found a way to keep the ‘fire burning’ pardon the pun was great as well.

The writing with the dual POV of Naomi and Damian is still integral to this story as it is done so well. Naomi loves this man with all her heart and soul. Her pain at bringing him pain is felt thru her telling. Damian has waited forever for this woman and his pain and frustration and caring shows thru in his POV as well.

I had no problem that so many reviewers had with Naomi’s super powers over the two thousand year old Damian. The storyline in the first made sense to me, that years do not make you stronger, just maybe a bit smarter. This all has been explained now in this story and certainly does make sense. But my one ‘really?’ for this story was the ending of this book. It was just over, not a next we meet we need to…just over.

I cannot wait for the next??? I think the reader will want another…I do.

REVIEW #2 BY PENELOPE ADAMS
MEMBER OF THE PARANORMAL ROMANCE GUILD REVIEW TEAM

Ms. Taylor introduced us to her world of vampires and demons in her first book of this series, Night Hawk. We met Naomi as she was trying to escape from the demon her rat boyfriend sold her to and flew right into the arms of vampire, Damian. Damian turned Naomi and soon they fell into each other’s arms and in love. Damian was not only a vampire but a hawk shape shifter as well, unknown of in the vampire world. Must be something in the blood, because during a fight to save Damian, Naomi discovers she is a shape shifter as well, she turns into a beautiful white tigress.

After Lucifer discovers their hideout and his demons kill the humans who have helped hide Damian, the two manage to rescue the daughter Valerie and with the help of Naomi’s distant grandfather, the Archangel Michael they manage to get away. Valerie is hidden away by Michael and the two escape.

Now, five years later, Naomi and Damian are living a peaceful existence in Colorado. Their peace is shattered when they are paid a visit by Lilith – the first vampire, who informs them that an antidote to vampirism has been developed but it has one little side effect. Not only does it make the vampire human again but their blood is toxic to vampires and vampires will be unable to touch them without being burned.

After fooling Damian into thinking she means no harm, she injects Naomi with the antidote. Now Damian and Naomi are unable to touch each other and Lucifer knows where they are hiding. Once again on the run the two will find themselves in the company of Michael once more and discover that Naomi could possibly bring about the end of the world.

Ms. Taylor completely pulled us in with her first book of this series and this time around she takes no prisoners, giving us a story full of pain, love, hurt, betrayal, action and humor. She tells her story alternating between Damian and Naomi’s POV and does it so well that I’m not ashamed to admit there were times that tears were running down my face, other times I was laughing out loud or cheering or spitting mad.

The characters we fell in love with in the first book have changed and grown in this one. As a vampire Naomi was a force to be reckoned with, she was stronger than even Damian and in her tiger form there was no defeating her. As a human, while not as strong physically she is even stronger emotionally. She loves Damian with all her heart and soul and is determined to find a way for them to touch each other again. Damian is almost a broken man by not being able to touch his love, he is angry and confused, the fact that things are not as he was lead to believe by Michael doesn’t help matters.

Michael joins the two in human form and watching him trying to cope with a human body that does not have his angel strength is downright amusing at times. Valerie once more comes into the picture; she has finished school and is the process of getting her medical degree. I liked her before, I really like her now. Once again, we meet up with fallen angel and all around bad guy Lucifer and this time he is determined to bring down everyone.

Ms. Taylor tells us a good story, packed with emotions and action and full of twists and turns and more than one surprise or two. My one little niggle is the ending, I’m not going to give it away but it did seem a little abrupt to me. If you liked the first book, you’ll love this one. If you haven’t read the first one, what are you waiting for, try it you’ll like it.

Gloria: Hi Penny, its been a while…We have just finished reading the second book in the Night Hawk series by J.E. Taylor called Tigress….We happened to have read and reviewed the first book in the series as a Dual, and we liked Night Hawk as well. Naomi and Damian although being happily together have had no peace since they met. Lucifer is the baddie and now after five years of quiet time, he is rearing his ugly at them. We pick up there and the story takes an ugly turn very quickly.

Penny: Yep, it didn’t take long at for “he who’s name we can’t mention” or the bad angel to rear his ugly head. And boy did he make a statement; Naomi and Damian certainly had the odds against them on this one. I liked seeing Naomi being a strong person even without her special skills; it was nice seeing her take charge. I loved that we got to see a different side of Michael this time around too; he gave me more than one good giggle when he was having to live with being human.

Gloria: Yes this author uses this character for two fold emotions. Fear for anyone hearing his name and title. Just hearing Archangel Michael was in your presence would bring most to their knees, even Damian feared him a time or two. He could definitely smite you with a raised eyebrow. But yes the humor he brings to the table through this author is delightful. The storyline was also very interesting as they had a rough road. Naomi’s story gets better and better and the scenes where Damian was so bereft at his not being able to help Naomi added more for his love for her. I so cannot wait for the next story.

Penny: Yes, I’m interested to see where the author is going to go with the next story since we both mentioned in our reviews that we weren’t overly pleased with how she ended this one. Not that it was the dreaded cliff hanger, because it wasn’t but because it just ended, as in stopped. Lucky for us we found out in our question and answer section that Michael will return and will have some more screen time, which I’m thrilled about him because I think I may have a little crush on him. I gained a new respect for Naomi in this story and found I wasn’t always overly fond of Damian. Who knows what the next story will bring but I’m ready to find out.