Atlantis Rising - Alyssa Day

I have been wanting to read Atlantis Rising ever since I heard this series was coming out. I swapped ARCs with Alyssa Day and then had to exercise my self-control because I had too much work! But now I've read it and here are my thoughts:

First, the blurb

Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlantaens, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken…

When she calls…
Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She's blessed with a mind link that only Atlantaens have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an "empath" may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below…

He will come.
Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon's stolen Trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon's power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

Regular blog readers will know I recently read Gena Showalter's The Nymph King, which was also set in Atlantis. It might be tempting to compare them except that the worlds are so different - truly a case of two very different and talented writers putting their own unique spins on this fantastical world.

Okay, back to Atlantis Rising. First off, I really loved the heroine in this book - Riley is smart, sensitive and generally likable. Conlan, the hero is no slouch either - totally alpha and with lots of that tormented stuff we love! Alyssa Day has a wonderful voice and that really comes across in her characters.

The mythology is pretty cool - there are shapeshifters and vampires and Poseidon himself is very much a part of the proceedings. Talk about testosterone! *g* The action takes place both in Atlantis and on dry land. I liked how the author showed the warriors as having adapted to change ie. they talk and act like ordinary guys (one warrior loves Hummers and guns), but they still have that exotic Atlantean quality.

I think this is going to be a great series and there's certainly lots of directions for future books to go in terms of the yummy potential hero material. If you like Christine Feehan (I love her!), I think you'll like this book. (Quick note: there is bit of violence in Atlantis Rising but it's necessary to the story and the world, and if you're okay with a little blood, it shouldn't be an issue.)

Overall, a big thumbs up from me!