Book Haul #1: I Blame the Steamy Covers

I like many Americans with a credit card, will spend money at a drop of a hat, though I never really felt the need to wear a hat. I was walking through the mall after my shift at work and went to my comfort zone. The mall I work at used to have a Borders near the food court, but after they went bankrupted and sold their item dirt cheap (which I shamelessly took advantage of). It was then converted to a Crown Bookstore, which basically picked up where Borders left off. They sell mint condition books of all types for cheap prices. I make a beeline for the Romance section was a little disappointed at the lack of item, though I did find a couple of good ones. Seeing as how I'm already tight on funds at the moment, I limited myself to 3 paperback and promised the other ones that I'd come back for them...eventually. So I grabbed Tempt Me with Darkness by Shayla Black, Estasy in Darkness by Gena Showalter, Renegade by Lora Leigh. Each of these books are from established series...which I have never read before. I have read other books from these authors, but I have yet to read these series yet. Shayla Black is a new author for me. I read the synopsis on the back of her book and it was intriguing. Here's a pic and synopsis of each book left to right:

New York Times bestselling sensation Gena Showalter enthralls with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, powers beyond imagining, and a seductive vampire undone by his insatiable hunger for one woman. . . .Growing up poor on New Chicago’s meanest streets, Ava Sans had two options: be the predator or be the prey. No contest. Now, working for Alien Investigation and Removal, she’s been ordered to capture the biggest, baddest warrior of all—a vampire too beautiful to be real, with the abilityto manipulate time. Once the leader of the entire vampire army, McKell has been deemed savage and unstable, spurned even by his own kind.To McKell, humans should be nothing more than sustenance. Yet the petite, golden-skinned Ava is a fascinating contradiction—vicious yet witty, strong yet vulnerable, lethal but fiercely loyal. Against his better judgment, McKell craves that loyalty, and much more. When the chase leads to seduction, McKell and Ava will race to discover the truth about his past. But the answers will come at a price, even for a woman who thought she had nothing left to lose. . . .


He's an immortal knight hungering for satisfaction....

As soon as Marrok sees Olivia Gray's dark windswept hair and burning violet eyes, he's sure they've met in eons past. He's felt her soft gentle curves writhing in pleasure beneath his own hard powerful body...Morganna! For centuries, towering Marrok, once the mightiest of King Arthur's warriors, has endured a terrible curse cast upon him when he spurned the witch.

She's a modern woman about to discover ancient magic....

Olivia shares a mystical -- and irresistible -- connection with brooding Marrok. Soon after the sexy warrior appears in her erotic dreams, he abducts her, demanding she uncurse him. Their intense passion is more powerful -- and intimate -- than either of them has ever known. Olivia may be the key to unlocking the diary that will break Morganna's hold on his life. But in the wrong hands, the book also holds the power to destroy all magickind. As they search for answers, a ruthless wizard returned from exile is building an army of evil. When he discovers Marrok and Olivia have the diary, only their love -- with the help of a powerful group of magical Brethren -- can save them.

As a bridal shop owner, Mikayla Martin helps make women’s wedding dreams come true. Her own life, however, has become a nightmare since she witnessed a murder—and got an up-close-and-personal look at the killer. What’s worse: She knows she knows him. But the police, after doing an alibi check, don’t believe her. It’s up to Mikayla to prove them wrong…and do whatever it takes to solve the murder by herself.

Elite Ops agent Nikolai Steele, code name Renegade, is asked to pay an old comrade a favor. This friend swears he’s no killer—and Nik believes him—even though he’s been mistaken as one by Mikayla. So Nik goes to set her straight…but the moment he lays eyes on the fiery and determined beauty, he knows he’s in too deep. A woman this irresistible can only mean trouble and, sure enough, after sticking her nose in one too many places, someone wants Mikayla dead. Now Nik must find a way to keep her safe, clear his friend’s name, andfind the real killer, who remains on the loose…

As you can see, I'm a sucker for a broad back >.< So, I have already made some headway in Renegade and so far it's the usually Lora Leigh steaminess. It's a good thing I was reading it at home. >.> The plot is actually interesting in a similar way to Arthur Miller's The Crucible, in some aspects. I can't wait to read the other books I bought and to go back to the bookstore and get the other books. :]