Good Books, Bad Books & Every Book in Between

Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale

2010-02-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

*I received this book via the publisher as an ARC*

I was lucky enough to get this book ahead of time. The first reading was a true romp; fun and lighthearted. Then it came time to do my review & I couldn't find my review copy, so I bought the book and read it in one night. And I shouldn't have done that.

Lessons in French is the story of Callista & Trevelyn, childhood friends who haven't seen each other in years. Trev's been in France & Callie is a spinster. Trev's mother is dying and Trev comes home to see her.

That's just the beginning. This story is full of adventures; too many adventures. This book is LONG...very, very long. I think if the story had been half the length it would have been better.

The Good:

Trev: He was such a fun hero. And when he realizes how he feels about Callie, it's a sweet scene

Trev's Mother: She's a hoot. Very French and very...sneaky.

The Bad:

Callie: She got on my nerves in a very short amount of time. She went from being a spinster to being a bit ridiculous. I had a hard time empathizing with her, which makes it hard to root for someone when you don't really care for them. *sigh*

The Plot(s): As I stated above, this story is long and full of basic overall nonsense. Schemes and romances and broken hearts and...well, it got to the point where I just wanted it to end already.

Is the story bad? No, it's actually not bad at all. I liked it overall, I just wish it had been shorter. If the story had focused a bit more on Callie & Trev, it would have been a lot better. The love scenes weren't very erotic and were over quite quickly. The most erotic scene has to do with a pair of stockings, of all things.

All in all, it wasn't a bad story, just not as good the second time around. I will definitely not be rereading it.

Overall Grade: B-

E-Books...A New Category

2010-01-24T19:20:00.000-08:00

By me anyway. Since I seem to be reading more e-books than anything lately, I think one of my new "updates" for the blog will be a monthly update of e-books I've read & enjoyed (or not). I seem to gravitate to one particular publisher, which will become very apparent here in just a minute.

One thing I have to say about e-books before I go any further is the fact that though I read a lot of them, I don't like 99% of them. My reason why? Most of them are too short to really get into the meat of the story. It's hard to root for characters when you never really get a chance to know them. *sigh*

My List (Faves)

Alexandra's Legacy by NJ Walters: I have to say this...I'm not a huge fan of Ms. Walters' work, but I really liked this story. It was pretty action-packed, the sexual tension was smokin hot and the hero was yummy. I love yummy heroes. :)

Blade's Edge by Val Roberts: A unique take on sci-fi(ish) romances. It was fun though and sexy. Sexy's always good! :)

The Sanctuary Trilogy by Moira Rogers: Some are better than others, but overall a unique and fun take on shifters. Whoo!

Dare to Believe by Dana Marie Bell: I've liked all of her stories (so far), but have to admit this is my favorite of all of them. Hot sex, great action and I so cannot wait for the second book in this series. Whoo!

Hunting Season by Shelley Laurenston: I've liked her other stuff, but this story is hand's down my favorite. A super tough heroine, a great hero and the sexual tension is off the charts. Plus snark and sex is always an excellent combination. :)

Primal Hunger & Primal Attraction by Sydney Somers: Gargoyles! Whoo!

Wolf Flight & Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend: Unique take on shifters, plus hot sex. Whee!

E-Books (Disliked)

Eh, I'm not going to name names, but I've got a couple of issues. If you're going to write a menage, please make sure that body parts go in the right places at the right times. I've read some lately where I'm wondering at the flexibility of the characters; especially the heroine.

If you're going to write BDSM, even if it's mild, please make sure that it sounds realistic and that the hero is NOT a complete and total Neanderthal outside of the bedroom. Eesh!

Also, I know anal sex is the new doggie-style, but I seriously am sick and tired of reading about all of the moist, gooey sex. Truthfully, if a real woman gushed that much, she should be in a hospital for a really bad girl issue and not having sex.

And women do NOT taste like cream, honey or any other food reference out there. I'm not a lesbian and have never gone down on a woman (ew!) but I'm a girl. I know what it's all about, okay? If anything, we're a salty bunch. *snicker*

And that's about it.

PS. Evangline Anderson...I know you're not reading this post, but I'd really, really, really like to know when the next Swann Sister book comes out. Wishful Thinking is one of my all-time favorite eroticas and I cannot wait for the next one in the series to come out. I'm begging you.....PLEASE write that book soon, okay?

Thank you,

Your Greatful Reader :)

Up, Down & All Around

2010-01-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

Boy, I disappeared there for awhile, didn't I? *sigh*

Yeah, things escalated to the point where it was either have a stroke or unload. I unloaded, but it was one of those things where it made it better and it made it worse. Now I'm just tired.

I've decided to keep this blog and will be doing some stuff to see if I can be more consistent in my reviews. I feel especially bad for my contact at Sourcebooks. I owed reviews (for the 2 books below) and not only did my gmail putz out on me, but so did blogger. *sigh*

Anyhoodles, I'm off to bed. Just wanted everyone to know that I'm still alive...I think.

My Dearest Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan

2010-01-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

*Received ARC via the publisher*

I've been a big fan of Ms. Lathan's since the first book in her Darcy Saga came out. First of all, it's based, not only on my favorite book, but one of my all-time favorite movies. My Dearest Mr. Darcy takes off where Loving Mr. Darcy ends.

The Darcy's lives are going in directions I don't think of them expected. A baby on the way, a marriage that's still so very new and a love that's more powerful than just about anything.

Whereas the first book was about the very beginning of their marriage and them getting to know eachother and the second book was about them travelling, MDMD is more about them getting ready for their new baby and how they go about doing it.

Ms. Lathan works with babies in her real life and you can see that in how she writes about the Darcy's preparation for their new arrival. Where most books only hint at the baby and then boom it's there, she really goes into detail about not only Lizzie's physical changes, but also the emotional ones that both she and Darcy are going through.

Ms. Lathan also makes the Darcy's pretty forward-thinking and progressive when it comes to how they want to handle the birth.

I'm thankful that this book doesn't have anything bad happening to Lizzie like the first 2 books did.

There are two things I really enjoy about Ms. Lathan's books. One-the true expression of feeling between Lizzie and Fitzwilliam. Their love is something you really believe in. You want them to be happy and to live a long, fulfilling life together. Two-the secondary characters. There are quite a few of them and usually I'd find myself confused, but she's able to pull it off. My favorite secondary character is Fitzwilliam's Uncle.

His uncle is a doctor who spent many years in India and whose past is rather tragic. He's going to be there for the delivery of the baby and the way he interacts with both Lizzie and Darcy brings some much-needed humor to the story.

The end will bring a tear to your eyes, especially if you've invested your time into this world that Ms. Lathan has created. To see how powerful and meaningful the end is and what it does to bring the two of them even closer together...*sigh*

All in all, I have to give two big thumbs up to Sharon. She did an excellent job...again and I can't wait to see where she takes this family that I've come to love.

Overall Rating: B+/A-

Mr. Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds

2010-01-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

*I received this ARC through the publisher*

Hi, all! First, I must apologize for the delay in my reviews. I was having some horrible issues with gmail and blogger. Thankfully, they seem to be figured out now. yay!

I received the ARC of this book and I was SO excited to read it. I thought the idea was unique and that it would be interesting to see what would happen. See, the idea of the story is that Lizzie says yes the first time Mr. Darcy proposes.

Instead of all that wonderful tension you get after Lizzie calls Mr. Darcy out on not behaving like a gentleman, she accepts his proposal.

And...then I opened up the book. Started reading. And...in the first few sentences, I was completely turned off by the book. Was it due to bad writing? No. It was due to the fact that the book starts out talking about how Mr. Darcy had been most ardent on their wedding night and how she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

I don't know; maybe I need to stop reading these P&P redos, because more often than not, I'm disappointed in what I'm reading. P&P is the most well-known romance in the world and is probably the most rewritten story. Everyone has their take on how Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennet's life will be like after they marry.

In my mind's eye I see them happy and having a very passionate marriage. I don't know why I couldn't continue after reading how Lizzie felt about their wedding night. Maybe it was the terminology used?

I have no clue, but sadly, this book is a DNF for me. :( Maybe some day I can open it and really WANT to read it, but right now it's not working for me.

Now I feel guilty. Sometimes reviewing books is hard work.

Overall Rating: DNF

Oy!

2009-11-30T21:56:00.000-08:00

Hello! Miss me? I don't even think anyone reads this here page anymore. I feel so horribly guilty because...well, because I SHOULD be reviewing. I've read a gazillion books and some deserve to be reviewed, but I haven't because I've been insanely busy.

I work retail (thankfully not face-to-face *icky shiver*) and we're in the midst of the holiday season. Oh joy. I think this is why I have such a hard time getting into the holiday spirit. I've got so much going and it's all not fun. Eh

But, I have been reading and reading and reading. And watching movies. And playing video games. In fact, I've been a busy little beaver.

I missed the fact that one of my favorite bloggers quit. I missed a lot of things. Man, do I feel guilty. *sigh*

99% of it is just...well, I've been going thru a lot. Too much work and not enough downtime is 99% of my problem. I'm emotionally and spiritually exhausted. I need a break from everything. I'm ignoring Facebook, I hardly ever Twitter and I'm basically cutting myself off from everything. It's not even being done on purpose...I just tend to step back when I've got too much going on and am feeling overwhelmed.

I dunno...maybe I'll quit this here blog and just review over on my other one...maybe. I've got a lot to think about over the next month. See if 2010 will start out fresh or end up being a complete rehash of 2009. Ugh!

Skin Game by Ava Gray

2009-11-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

Kyra is a con woman and a particular kind of thief. She steals with a touch, but she only takes on thing: her target's strongest skill. Which means she can be a fighter, an athlete, a musician, an artist...anything she wants...for a limited time. Heartbroken, she turns hergift toward avenging her father's murder. With deadly patience, Kyra works her way into casino owner Gerard Serrano's inner circle. After pulling off the ultimate con, she flees with his money and his pride.

Reyes has nothing but his work. Unfortunately for Kyra, he's the best...and mercy never sways him once he takes a job. He's been hired to find out where Kyra hid the cash...and bring her back to face Serrano's "justice." Dead will do if Reyes can't locate the loot. He's never failed to complete a contract, but Kyra tempts him with her fierce passion and her outlaw heart. So Reyes faces a hell of a choice: forsake his word or kill the woman he might love.

*purchased at B&N...by me! :P*

First off, I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post. Things have been crazy busy, but I'm hoping to be better. Hope being the operative word here. lol

So...thoughts. Hmm...I'm gonna Good & Bad it. Bad first!

I don't have a lot of complaints except for one. I found the climax rather anticlimatic. It wasn't anywhere near as...I don't know...aggressive as I thought it should have been. It could have been...more!

Good:

Reyes. Mmm...I love tortured heroes and Ms. Gray has really outdone herself on this one. *sigh* He's just so stinkin' yummy. I can see why Kyra wanted him so badly, so quickly. The attraction's immediate and never really slows down. Le sigh.

Kyra. I liked her a lot. I like how she's never "Oh, whoa is me" and that she ENJOYS her life. It's not great, but she goes out of her way to really like who she is and what she does. Reyes is knocked over sideways by her and just doesn't know what to do with her once he has her. It's great watching the two of them figure each other out.

The overall storyline. It's pretty fast-paced from the beginning. Hot sex, yummy heroes, cool heroines...it's pretty much all there. Yum!

As I said, my only complaint is the villain. He's so evil up until the end and it just kinda seemed...well, it just lacked something. *sigh* Still a great book!

Overall Rating: B+

I'm Trying!

2009-10-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

Really, I am. This is my 2nd post in the last week. I think that's an improvement over a month, don't you? I'm going to try something a little different today. I'm going to do Part 2 of my e-book focus. There are so many wonderful e-books hanging out in e-book land that I don't think most people have even heard of. I feel it's my duty...nay, my obligation to bring these books to your attention. :)

Here are the books in no particular order (ah, who am I kidding? They're in alphabetical order):

Blade's Edge by Val Roberts (Samhain Publishing): It's a fantasy, sci-fi, futuristic hodgepodge of insanity. Great writing, fun action and a great storyline. I really, really enjoyed it.

Dare to Believe by Dana Marie Bell (Samhain Publishing): I love Ms. Bell's Halle Puma series and her book Very Much Alive, but this one's my favorite so far. It's her take on the Fae and it's a good one. This one is your standard m/f, but the next is a menage and I can't wait! It should be fabulous! :)

Hunting Season by Shelley Laurenston (Samhain Publishing): I first got into Ms. Laurenston with her Pack series. This is a totally different look at Gods and such. I really liked it. The sex is beyond smokin' hot, the interplay between the h/h is great as is the interplay between their 2 kinds. I won't go into anymore detail, but trust me...it's lovely.

Pack Alpha & Pack Enforcer both by Crissy Smith (TotalE-Bound): These weren't too bad. The first one was rec'd by Tracy. I don't care for the website all that much, but the stories were pretty good.

Primal Hunger by Sydney Sommers (Samhain Publishing): An interesting look at Gargoyles, though I don't think her idea and my idea of gargoyles mesh. lol. Still, a hot story with a couple of interesting twists.

Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews (Samhain Publishing): It's Ilona. 'Nuff said.

And now for a couple of complaints. Here's the thing; I hate it when an author writes a great book with obvious sequel bait and either doesn't deliver OR there's such a long delay in waiting for the next book that you kind of lose interest. Case in point? Evangeline Anderson. I read her book Wishful Thinking when it first came out with Samhain. LOVED IT. Super sweet romance, sexy beyond belief and you know the other 2 sisters are going to/should get their own books. It's been almost 2 years since that book came out. I'm waiting, but not very patiently. What is up with that? :(

Anyhoodles, I hope I've brought your attention to some great books. I've got a lot on my plate right now, but am going to try to do much better in keeping up to date over here.

Also, don't forget that I'm giving away a book. It's in the previous entry. Have a great Sunday, everyone!

The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview: A Review, An Overview and a Giveaway!

2009-10-12T20:14:00.001-07:00

*disclaimer....I received this book from Sourcebooks as a Review Copy*

Back Blurb: When Caroline Bingley collapses to the floor and sobs at Mr. Darcy's weeding, imaginer her humiliation to discover that a stranger has witnessed her emotional display. Miss Bingley, understandably, resents this unknown gentleman very much, even if he is Mr. Darcy's American cousin.

Mr. Robert Darcy is as charming as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud, and he is stunned to find a beautiful young woman weeping broken-heartedly at his cousin's wedding. Such depth of love, he thinks, is rare and precious. For him, it's love at first sight. Alas, regaining her good graces seems an impossible mission, and he is left to hope that someday their paths will cross again...

My thoughts on The Other Mr. Darcy...hmm...I admit it's a bit of a conundrum for me. I hated Caroline Bingley in Pride & Predjudice. Hated her with a passion. I thought she was an obnoxious spoiled brat and that Mr. Darcy was lucky to have escaped her clutches. So, I'm surprised that Ms. Fairview not only got me to sympathize with her, but to actually kind of like her.

Not to say that she's a completely different person in this book. Oh, not at all. She's still an obnoxious, spoiled brat. However, she's humanized in this book in a way that she wasn't in P&P.

After Fitzwilliam & Lizzy marry, Caroline runs to the privacy of another room and bursts into hysterical tears. She knows her chances with Mr. Darcy are dead and gone, devastating her to her core. What she doesn't realize is that her hysterics are witnessed by someone else. Of course, when she finds out that he's in the room with her, she freaks out and basically makes an idiot of herself.

And thus begins the courtship of Caroline Bingley & Robert Darcy. To say that this book was easy to read would be a lie. Caroline really did bother me throughout 99% of the book. It seemed like her bratty behavior was going to ruin something that would be the best thing for her. It wasn't until the very end that she got her comeuppance and realized just what she would be missing in her life.

The book was well-written, pretty entertaining and more of a historical-romantic view of the P&P world. All in all, I truly did enjoy it. If you liked Caroline Bingley, this is definitely the book for you. If you like the idea of Caroline Bingley getting her comeuppance AND falling in love...this is also the book for you. :)

Overall Grade: B-

Below is a piece written by the author, as well as her picture. You can win a copy of The Other Mr. Darcy (US & Canada only...)

Monica Fairview Guest Blog, author of The Other Mr. Darcy

Picture a young teen who is enamored of Pride and Prejudice. Not just Mr Darcy and Miss Bennet, but of the Bennets, Mr Collins, Lady Catherine, and the Bingleys. Picture this teen growing up and reading and rereading Pride and Prejudice, and, like many people, trying to imagine what happens beyond that quiet affirmation of love at the end. Then finally, a story takes shape, one that isn’t about Mr Darcy and Miss Bennet, but about one of the characters that has been consigned to the corner. Lo and behold, The Other Mr. Darcy is born.

In some ways, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is part of me. I’ve known it for so long it feels like part of my growing up. Though I should say I’m definitely the odd person out, because I don’t think Jane Austen’s success in Pride and Prejudice is only about the romance. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Darcy & Elizabeth part of the novel. But I also love the other parts. I can hear Mrs Bennet’s histrionic fits in my head. I can see Mr Bennet smiling sardonically (In fact, I have an uncle that is quite a bit like him). I love the chaos and disorder the Bennets bring to the well-regulated society around them. I love their sheer unconventionality (for that time), and I think, despite Elizabeth’s typical teen embarrassment about her family, Elizabeth could never have grown to be who she is without them.

So when I came to write my Austenesque sequel, I knew it wasn’t simply going to be about Elizabeth and Darcy. Elizabeth and Darcy are in there, but it’s not their story. It’s the story of a character who is (in my view of things) unfairly represented in the novel. I feel that everyone takes her at face value, and very few people notice that even Elizabeth gives her a break later in the novel. In Chapter 45 Elizabeth knows she is intruding on Caroline at Pemberley, and she is able to put herself in her rival’s situation: “Convinced as Elizabeth now was that Miss Bingley’s dislike of her had originated in jealousy, she could not help feeling how very unwelcome her appearance at Pemberley must be to (Caroline).” Elizabeth recognizes here that she has been unfair to Caroline. Which is really my starting point, because if Caroline’s behaviour wasn’t really typical, and has been motivated by jealousy, then I want to know more about what she is really like when she doesn’t feel threatened. Who hasn’t behaved badly in a fit of jealousy?

I was aware, of course, that I was treading new ground even thinking that way. And then, by introducing an American Darcy who is quite patriotic in his way, despite having roots in England. But I wasn’t trying to depart from Austen. I was trying to introduce new factors and a new angle into her familiar world and see what would happen.

I couldn’t wait to see how the Bennets were going to react to the new situations they were encountering, especially Mrs Bennet and Lydia. I carefully studied the novel before I started, looking at their speech patterns so I could follow the way they talked as closely as possible, while at the same time using my own language. Of course, they couldn’t say the things they already said, not unless they were stuck in a loop. But I tried my best not to let them say anything that was out of character. I asked myself throughout the process of writing The Other Mr. Darcy: what would they typically say in such a situation?

But because the situation is new, even if the characters are doing what they typically would be doing, they are bound to change. After all, I didn’t want them to be simply people from someone else’s novel. I wanted to bring them to life, to move them on, to live up to the new experiences they are dealing with. Elizabeth and Darcy have to respond to Miss Bingley in a different way now, and Darcy’s response is, I think, typical in that his family pride kicks in when faced with an uncomfortable situation. Mrs Bennet’s reactions in a crisis are typical, too, but we see a slightly different side of her that perhaps was unexpected. And of course, Caroline undergoes a long journey, both physically and psychologically, before she can become the new person she’s destined to be.

It’s a fine line, because one can easily go too far and make the people of Pride and Prejudice unrecognizable in the new novel. Writing an Austen-inspired novel is like walking a tightrope. You’re in the middle of the rope. Behind you, you have Pride and Prejudice, with its brilliant characters, its exquisitely polished style, and its sharp wit. In front of you, at the other end of the tightrope, you have your unfinished novel. It’s a thin line to cross, but you’ve got to do it if you want to get to the end.

Above all, I think, it’s about not setting yourself up to rival Pride & Prejudice, because you can’t, of course, not even in your wildest dreams. To think so would be arrogance of the worst type, the type Mr Darcy was guilty of at the beginning of the novel. The Other Mr. Darcy is simply some kind of continuation, some kind of tribute to a writer who has brought me so much joy. In more than one sense, it is ultimately about love.

The Other Mr. Darcy—in stores October 2009!
Did you know that Mr. Darcy had an American cousin?!

In this highly original Pride and Prejudice sequel by British author Monica Fairview, Caroline Bingley is our heroine. Caroline is sincerely broken-hearted when Mr. Darcy marries Lizzy Bennet— that is, until she meets his charming and sympathetic American cousin...

Mr. Robert Darcy is as charming as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud, and he is stunned to find the beautiful Caroline weeping at his cousin's wedding. Such depth of love, he thinks, is rare and precious. For him, it's nearly love at first sight. But these British can be so haughty and off-putting. How can he let the young lady, who was understandably mortified to be discovered in such a vulnerable moment, know how much he feels for and sympathizes with her?

About the Author
As a literature professor, Monica Fairview enjoyed teaching students to love reading. But after years of postponing the urge, she finally realized what she really wanted was to write books herself. She lived in Illinois, Los Angeles, Seattle, Texas, Colorado, Oregon and Boston as a student and professor, and now lives in London. To find out more, please visit http://www.monicafairview.co.uk/

sigh

2009-09-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

And things. I admit it, I've been awful at the blog thing. Here's the thing, ever since I got this new position, it's screwed EVERYTHING up. My sleeping habits, my reading, everything. It's downright depressing is what it is.

I've been reading, but it's been pretty sporadic. I didn't even go pick up Lisa Kleypas's new book. I KNOW! *headdesk*

What makes it worse is that I owe a book review for Sourcebooks. Danielle is the most patient of women. The problem? I haven't read the book. And it's not like I haven't tried, because I have...numerous times. I think it's just me. And it's Judith James. And I loved her first book! I think my problem is that I know it's going to be an emotional read and I'm just not sure I'm in the mood for that. Her books are tough going, even if they're excellent. *sigh*

And my writing is suffering too. I'm ssssssssssssssssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooooooo close to finish my first draft. So close. And yet I'm stalling; big time. I dunno...maybe I'm in a rut. Maybe there's something going on I'm not aware of. All I know is that I'm tired. This week-long vacation I'm on isn't really doing much to help with the tired. Bleh.

How are all y'all doing? I miss you guys! Bad me. :(

My Cousin Caroline by Rebecca Ann Collins

2009-09-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

I’ve been on a bit of a Pride & Prejudice kick over this past year or so. I finally read all of Jane Austen’s books last year and when given the opportunity to read “sequels” for P&P, I can’t seem to turn them down.

My Cousin Caroline is the story of Caroline Gardiner and Colonel Fitzwilliam. When I first started reading the book, I admit to being a bit uncomfortable. Why? It’s all due to the significant age difference between Caroline and the Colonel.

However, once I got into the story, I was able to overlook this, mostly due to the fact that I know this wasn’t unheard of back in that time period. Much older men married MUCH younger women and it worked out fine. And what I liked is that the Colonel fought his attraction until…well, until it got too hard not to finally admit his feelings. Still, the age difference was still hanging over it all.

The thing I appreciated the most about this book was that it was number 6 in an ongoing series and yet you didn’t feel like you were floundering. I hate reading series and getting lost because I can’t figure out what happened in the previous books. Sourcebooks was nice enough to send along a “cheat” sheet of the previous books to help me keep track of who was who.

On to my thoughts…I actually really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed Caroline’s strength and maturity, even though she was so very young when the book started. The Colonel surprised me. He was such a secondary character in P&P (even though he was the catalyst at a certain point) and it was nice to see him fleshed out.

I really liked how the author really made you feel like you were reading the recorded history of these people. She made them seem real. To say that the book was perfect would be a fallacy, unfortunately. It was more a history lesson than a romance. I never could understand exactly how Caroline and the Colonel fell in love. Instead of showing the natural progression of their relationship AND them falling in love, it basically was vignettes of their lives.

There was no consistency. The years jumped. It was difficult to keep track of time, especially later in the book when we get to them being old and looking back at their life together.

Still, the book was greatly enjoyable. I've got book 7. Now I wish I could get books 1-5. lol

My Overall Rating: B-

You can buy the book here.

Two Reviews

2009-09-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

I will have them. Both are Sourcebooks reviews that I should have had up around the first of this month. I'll just say I've had a lot of stuff going on lately and apologize for my lateness. I'm going thru something that's something everyone goes thru...I just haven't gone thru it in a long time.

I'm tired of men and their stupidity. That is all. My reviews for both books will be up tomorrow. That is all.

Review #2

2009-09-01T20:11:00.001-07:00

Loving Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan

Happy Release Day!!! *ahem*

Now that I got that out of the way...on to my review!

I am a Pride & Prejudice fan-girl. It is a sick, sad fascination I have with all things Lizzy & Darcy. Reading Sharon’s continuing saga of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth is enough to make my fan-girl heart beat just a little bit faster.

In Loving Mr. Darcy, we start out where Book 1 left off. After 5 months of marital bliss at Pemberly, the Darcy’s are off to visit London. Georgiana is thrilled at the idea of going to town, Lizzy just wants sleep and Darcy is concerned, not only with his wife’s health, but also introducing her into society.

Whereas Book 1 was focused on their honeymoon, Book 2 is focused more on the introduction of Lizzy into Darcy’s world. Lizzy has always known that Darcy is a man of circumstance, but to see it in reality boggles her mind. Lavish parties, fantastical birthdays…the list goes on and on.
The introduction of new characters, old characters showing up to visit...it's like visiting old friends.

The thing I love most about Ms. Lathan’s style is her ability to inject humor, even in tense situations. Where a lot of authors would take the seriousness of a situation and make it worse, she throws in little turns of phrase or a moment that gives an uplifted feeling to it all.

Was it perfect? No, but it was still greatly enjoyable. I think my only really big pet peeve is the…flowery tones when it comes to the pet names. I’m not a big fan of pet names. They drive me insane. And when I think of the time period, sometimes it throws me off because I honestly cannot imagine these two people speaking to each other in the ways that they do.

All in all though, I really did enjoy this book and am greatly looking forward to the next one. If you loved the 2005 movie version of P&P as much as I did and want to know what happens next, I cannot recommend these books enough. Trust me…it’s worth it.

Overall Rating: B+

Review # 1

2009-08-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

REVIEW FOR HEALING LUKE BY BETH CORNELISON

I started writing reviews on a lark. I thought it would be fun to express my opinions on books I’d read and to tell the world about books I really enjoyed. And then I got contacted by a lovely woman named Danielle who offered me an opportunity to review for her company. I’ve been lucky enough to read some great books and some not-so-great books. Healing Luke falls somewhere in the middle.

Healing Luke is the story of Luke Morgan and Abby Stanford. Luke was horribly disfigured in a freak accident; taking him from heartthrob to freak (his words). Since then, he’s lived in a world of blame and horror, making the lives of those around him pretty hellish.

Abby is on vacation alone after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman, her self confidence and belief in herself less than stellar. She meets Luke when she stops by the Marina and she has to deal with his surliness and he’s struck by the freshness of her beauty (of course).

And what a coinky-dink! Abby is an occupational therapist. And what do you know? She can help Luke get over his injuries! Shocking!

Okay, I’m being facetious and I shouldn’t be. However, it’s really hard to be ecstatic about a book that’s so similar to so many others of the same type. Bubbly, good-hearted woman scorned by a “bad” man falls for a wounded, bitter hero who is healed by her love. It gets old after awhile.

Saying that, I did enjoy Ms. Cornelison’s writing. I thought her style was nice and the story moved along quickly. I did not like the side story of Luke’s brother and Abby’s best friend. I hope it doesn’t go in the direction I think it will.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad book. It wasn’t AMAZING, but it was a well-written story. If you like the uber-bitter heroes who fall for good-hearted heroines, then this would be the book for you.

Overall Rating: C+

Lord of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle

2009-08-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

I am a horrible friend. I have to put that out there. *sigh* Delilah was sweet enough to send me an E-ARC of Lord of Pleasure and I dropped the ball. *headdesk* Thankfully, the book's only been out for a short time, so it's not like I'm MONTHS overdue. Still. *sigh* Sorry! :(

Anyway, on to the book.

Lord of Pleasure is book 2 in her School of Gallantry series. LoP tells the story of Charlotte, an impoverished widow with some interesting ideas on how to avoid going to the poorhouse and Alexander, Earl of Hawksford. They meet in a very unique way, when Charlotte basically propositions him and he refuses.

If you knew the history of Alexander, you'd know this is WAY outside the way he usually is. See, up until about a year ago, Alexander was known as the Lord of Pleasure. He loved women and women definitely loved him. Then his father died, he got full responsibility of his mother and five younger sisters and realized that he had to become more responsible. Hence, him turning down Charlotte's offer.

But, that's not the end of the story. What started out as an act of desperation Charlotte's part turns into something much, much more.

This is what I love about this series. Delilah introduced Alexander for just a second in Mistress of Pleasure (book 1), but he made such an impression that I wanted to know more about him. She wrote (or is writing) a total of 5 books for this series. Each book is written at the exact same time (as in all of the events happen all at the same time...sorry for lack of clarification). So, events you see in one book, happen in the next book but in a completely different perspective. It's a very unique take on historical romance, but I think it works.

In LoP, the things I enjoyed the most were the...well, almost comedic perfection of the interplay between Alexander and Charlotte, Alexander and his sisters, and Alexander and his friend, who plays a pretty significant roll in this book.

Was it perfect? No, but the good much outweighed the bad and I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series. *crossing fingers*

Overall Rating: B

PS. I'm planning on a little...treat for one lucky reader of this blog. It's going to take me a couple of days to put together, but I hope to announce the contest and the prize by Sunday. Keep your eye out. :0

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

2009-08-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

The Real World is a frightening place. Just ask sixteen-year-old orphan Dru Anderson, a tough girl who has taken down her fair share of bad guys. She's armed, dangerous, and ready to kill first and ask questions later. So it's gonna take her a while to figure out who she can trust...

Dru Anderson has been "strange" for as long as she can remember, traveling from town to town with her father to hung the things that go bump in the night. It's a weird live, but a good one--until it all explodes in an icy, broken down Dakota town, when a hungry zombie bursts through her door. Alone, frightened, and trapped, Dru's going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. The monsters have decided to hunt back--and this time, Dru's on their menu. Chance of survival? Slim to none.

If she can't last until sunup, it's game over.

For the last week and going on until the latter part of this one, the Book Smuggler's are holding their first ever YA appreciation month. I've seen some great reviews for some interesting books. I'm kind of surprised this one wasn't on there.

Boy, how to describe this book? To be honest, I think the back blurb is extremely misleading. It makes it sound like Dru is stuck in her house fighting off zombies for one night and that's not what this story is about at all. This book is about a young woman's struggle to decipher what her past was really all about. And let me tell you, it's definitely a bumpy ride.

Dru is your typical, angry, annoyed, smart-mouthy teenage girl with a giant chip on her shoulder. She's never lived in the same town for longer than a month or two ever since her mom died when she was a little girl. She is her father's back-up, the one who makes sure his house is clean, the laundry's washed and his guns are loaded. Dru is a hunter. Not just any hunter; but one who hunts those things that no one else can see.

After the events described on the back blurb happen, she is truly alone. Nobody to back her up and no way of being able to decide who to trust...or not. After a particularly disastrous day at school, she meets Graves, a Goth boy with a brain. Graves will become much more than she ever bargained for. A best friend when she needs him the most.

For those of you who've read Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, you will notice certain similarities between Drew and Rose. Both of them speak first and don't allow their brains to catch up until...well, until disaster strikes.

No, Graves is not a 6'7" hottie like Dimitri, but he's got his own potential. He really cares for Dru and that is obvious, especially after some events that would've driven most guys away.

Was it perfect? No. There were a couple of things that bugged the living daylights out of me, the biggie being the limited amount of history that Dru gets, especially about her mother. There's a LOT going on that's never really put on the page. You have to kind of figure it all out on your own, which is kind of annoying.

However, book 2 comes out in November and I'm hoping more will show up as the storyline goes along. If this had been a one-book deal, I would be seriously annoyed right now. *sigh*

If you like sick and twisted books with strong characters, then I recommend Strange Angels. It's definitely a trip.

Overall Rating: B-

Dare to Believe by Dana Marie Bell

2009-08-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know. I've been lost to the "real" world here for awhile. *shakes head* And though I read a lot of them, I don't usually review e-books. Don't know why; just don't. But, I'm making an exception for this one.

Dana Marie Bell is an interesting author. Her stories run the gamut for shapeshifters (her Halle Pumas series) to Gods (Very Much Alive). With Dare to Believe she has decided to take on the Fae. And it was good! LOL!

Ruby is your every day, average, shy, plump chick. Leo is her super-scrumptious, yummy, delicious (more adjectives please!) boss. Ruby has had a crush on her boss forever, but because she's shy she runs from him and hides. Bad Ruby!

Leo has been in lust with Ruby for...a long time. Ever since he caught her scent. See, Leo's not human. Not even close. He's Fae and Ruby is his mate. Yum!

One night, during the company Halloween party, Leo gets Ruby to dance with him and that's when everything changes. Le sigh.

What was great about this book was the humor, the sex and the overall sweetness of the story. Leo is scrumptious. He's got it bad for Ruby and he's not afraid to show it. Aw shucks.

Ruby is great because she takes it all with a grain of salt. Leo's world is pretty fantastical, but she's not one of those annoying whiny babies who has to scream and cry every time something bad happens. Instead, she sucks it up and moves on.

This story had everything: a sweet love story, a fantastical world, creatures of both good and evil and the "cliffhanger" for book 2 was cruel. I can't wait to read Jaden, Duncan & Moira. Their story had better come soon and how!

Overall Rating: B+

You can purchase it here

Books I've Been Reading & Other Observations

2009-07-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

First off, I have to apologize for basically disappearing off this site. It wasn't my intention to let it fall by the wayside, but here's the thing...with the new schedule I'm working + some crazy hot temps lately, my mind is not really thinking "Oh, book reviews!" It's more "Air Conditioning and HOW!"

But, I have been reading. Just read the first three books by Meredith Duran and have to say 2 things. 1. Why in the world did I wait so long to read her and 2. The Book Smugglers were right...again. *headdesk*

The woman writes some amazingly descriptive and beautiful prose. Her stories aren't easy and the love stories themselves are difficult and sometimes downright difficult to deal with, but they are beautiful. So far, book 2 is my favorite. There's something about the way that book is written that just makes my heart melt. *sigh*

I read Jeaniene Frost's book today and loved it! Fast-paced, funny and bizarre...all things I expect from a Frost novel. :) Will have to review it for real someday.

And I have quite a few books left to read. Yesterday was "New Book Tuesday" and I went a little wild. *wince* OH well. :)

And that's about it. It's been consistently at least 100 for over a week now, we don't have air conditioning and I'm melting. I'm going to go get a wet towel, spread it over my bed and hope I sleep tonight. For those of you with air conditioning I've only got one word for you....PBBBBBT! :~P

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

2009-07-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

Over on my other blog...I KNOW! But, it's one of those things I just had to do. Go figure. :)

Books Read In June 2009

2009-07-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

Huh...June was pretty even. Not a ton, but not too few. Let me count 'em up for ya! :)

1. Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews (e-book): This was pretty good. Extremely short, so it was hard to really get behind the two characters, but as always strong characters and great world building. I'd give it a B-

2. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 1 in her Women of the Otherworld series. Introduces us to Elena and I liked it. Wasn't as strong as book 2, but was pretty good all the same. I'd give it a C+

3. Stolen by Kelley Armstrom (MMPB): Book 2. I really liked this one. The storyline was pretty trippy and had a lot of suspense. I'd give it a B+

4. Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 3. Not bad. The one thing that trips me up about Kelley's books is that they're not all about the same character, so it can get just a smidge confusing. Liked it a lot though. Give it a B-

5. Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 4. Was also very good. Same grade as above. B-

6. Broken by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 6. Another Elena book. This was one that was pretty crazy. Super quick storyline, so it went by fast. I give it a B

7. Haunted by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 5. Total trip. Loved how it went all over the place w/ spirituality. Give it a B.

8. No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 7. Liked it a lot. I didn't hate any book in this series, which is extremely surprising. B-

9. Personal Demon by Kelley Armstrong (MMPB): Book 8. Again, liked it a lot. B-

10. Witch Heart by Anya Bast (MMPB): Book 3 in her Witch series. Sexy, as per usual. :) C+

11. Witch Fury by Anya Bast (MMPB): Book 4 in her series. Same as above. C+

12-18: Glass Houses, The Dead Girls' Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, & Carpe Corpus all by Rachel Caine (MMPB): Her Morganville Vampire series. PHENOMENAL!!! I give the series overall an A-, though I have to say book 6 is the most Whoa out of all of them for me. Cannot wait for book 7.

19. Talk of the Ton by 4 authors (MMPB): It was okay. It's an anthology w/ Eloisa James and three other authors. Overall Grade: C It was just all right. I've definitely read better, especially by Ms. James.

20. Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James (MMPB): Another winner. LOVED IT. I didn't review it (thought I had), but I'd give it about a B.

21. Love At First Flight by Marie Force (MMPB): C+

22. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn (MMPB): Gave it a B. Solid, but always could be better. :)

23. Seduce Me by Anne Rainey (e-book): I like Anne Rainey's books. Hot, sexy, yummy heroes. This is another one. I give it a C+

24. Ascension by Lauren Dane (e-book): Book 1 in her Cherchez Wolf series. Sexy, yummy, almost the EXACT SAME as one of her Cascadia Wolves books, but whatever. Still good. :)

25. Everything Nice by Mari Carr (e-book): Her books are hit or miss for me. This one was more of a miss. Give it a C-.

26. Fire and Rain by Lauren Dane (e-book): Book 2. Okay. The heroine irritated me a bit in this one. Not as good as book 1. Give it a C.

27. Kiss and Kin by Kinsey W. Holley (e-book): Part of the Shifting Dreams series. I liked this one the best of the three.

28. Serengeti Heat by Vivi Andrews (e-book): I'm sorry, this book was just too ridiculous. I give it a D.

29. The Strength of the Pack by Jorrie Spencer (e-book): Eh...was okay, I guess. Not a keeper. C-

30. Taking Chloe by Anne Rainey (e-book): Part of her series (drawing a blank...sorry). Liked it. Wasn't as good as Tasting Candy, but I liked it. Give it a C+

31. The Man of Her Dreams by Robie Madison (e-book): A total DNF for me. Got about two pages in and that was it. Just awful (sorry).

32. Treasure Hunting by JB McDonald (e-book): Had potential to be a great story. The author has a great voice and is very funny, but it was a short story and just felt flat. I give it a C for good effort, but a D for overall storyline.

And that's it! I cannot believe I read this many books. I boggle my own mind!

Scratching My Head

2009-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

No, I don't have lice! :~P I've got a question. There have been many debates over the reality of sex in romance novels and I've come across one thing in particular that I've been scratching my head over for years.

I'm a big believer in some sort of reality in my contemporary novels (specifically) when it comes to birth control. I like hearing about heros who grab a condom before getting it on with the heroine, but what about oral sex? Ever since the idea of AIDs and HIV came along, schools have been preaching the importance of safe sex, not just condoms, but other means. Why is it that when a hero (or heroine) goes down on the other, they never use any sort of condom or whatever? I mean, yeah sometimes reading about birth control and safety measures isn't sexy, but truly...I'd really like to know your thoughts.

Obviously I have my own thoughts on this, but has anyone else thought about this or is it just me? Maybe I'm weird, but the thought of going down on a guy w/o anything and then having him use a condom while having actual intercourse kind of defeats the purpose. You're exposed to bad things in one sense, but not the other? Hmmm...

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn

2009-06-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today I was a bad, bad girl. I spent $ on books. Bad me! *sniffle*

I bought and read What Happens in London and it was lovely. It's one of those books that makes your insides melt (in the best possible way). It was a light treat; kind of like ice cream on a hot day. Sweet and delicious and...well, when I finished it, I finished with a happy sigh.

This is the story of Olivia & Harry. Olivia is the beauty of the Season(s) and is bored with her life. Olivia may be a beauty, but she's also a thinker. Harry is the eldest son of a Baronet and as such, had to do other things to support himself. After 10 years in the military fighting against Bonaparte, he's now working for the War Office translating. See, Harry is super smart and is fluent in multiple languages.

Anyway, Olivia gets some juicy gossip about Harry and decides to spy on him. This is easily achieved because Harry is her next door neighbor and she can see his office from her bedroom.

Hilarity ensues once Harry "confronts" her.

As I stated up above, this is a very light and airy book. It's got some LOL moments and some sweet moments. There's not a lot to think about when it comes to this book. As always, Ms. Quinn specializes in her dialogue and I found myself tipping down numerous corners with the thought that I would use them in this review. However, I find that I've found too many and cannot settle for one.

My only quibble, and it's a minor one, is the "suspense" subplot that pops up at the end of the book and has no real use at all. I found myself scratching my head over that one.

All in all, this was a great book. It wasn't perfect (not enough substance), but it was a great read and a sweet treat.

Overall Rating: B

The Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine (thru book 6)

2009-06-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me say this straight up. I LOVE Rachel Caine. I came across her Weather Warden series completely by accident and fell in love with it. I have NO idea why it took me so long to read her YA series. *headdesk*

I was at B&N on Saturday with my friend V and we went into the YA section. They had the whole series sitting on display, so I picked them all up and quite literally inhaled them. So, so good.

Claire is the main protaganist, a 16 year old (almost 17) girl who is in college. She's a bit of a brainiac and she finds herself on the bad side of the most popular girl in school. Now, the book could've gone in the expected direction where Claire becomes a bully back, but this series has some pretty crazy twists and turns.

Romance, betrayal, love, loss, expectation, devastation, etc. etc. It's like a giant soap opera, but with FUN! :)

I love the way that Ms. Caine tweaks things. You expect one thing and something else happens. Each book is full of action and intensity; sometimes not even allowing you to take a breath until the end (and sometimes not even then). I could not put these books down. I read the first 5 on Saturday night and read book 6 yesterday. I cannot recommend them enough.

Overall Rating: A-

Well, This is Disturbing

2009-06-22T21:51:00.001-07:00

Your results:
You are An Expendable Character (Redshirt)

An Expendable Character (Redshirt)		85%
Deanna Troi		60%
Jean-Luc Picard		55%
Uhura		45%
Will Riker		45%
Chekov		40%
Data		38%
Geordi LaForge		35%
Spock		34%
James T. Kirk (Captain)		30%
Worf		30%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)		25%
Mr. Scott		20%
Mr. Sulu		10%
Beverly Crusher		5%

Since your accomplishments are seldom noticed,
and you are rarely thought of, you are expendable.
That doesn't mean your job isn't important but if you
were in Star Trek you would be killed off in the first
episode you appeared in.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Quiz

Oy...

2009-06-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

This is going to be another one of those boring "personal" entries. Yeah, sorry about that. *sigh*

Let me put it this way, I've been so far beyond insanely busy, especially over these last few weeks that I've barely taken the time to read, let alone have anything to review. Actually, it's kind of funny, because I HAVE been reading, but just not as much as usual. It took me almost three weeks to read the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong and it's not because they were bad. That's not it at all. In fact, they were wonderful! I kept thinking "Oh, I've got to review this," but then real life would intrude and I'd forget.

Basically I got a "promotion" at work and it's caused not only my work schedule to change, but also my sleep schedule and my weekends. Instead of working Tuesday-Saturday like I did for 4 1/2 years, I'm now working Monday-Friday. I have to be in bed no later than 10 to allow me to have 8 hours of sleep. I haven't gone to bed by or before 10 for a LONG time. I'm a night owl, so this going to be earlier thing is really bugging me. *sigh*

I read the Chercez Wolf series (so far only 2...boo!) by Lauren Dane and really enjoyed it. The one thing that really bugged me about her Cascadia Wolves series is the fact that the heroines were all supposed to sleep with another man after their mating bond had been created so that they wouldn't go insane. Um...yeah. Still that series was great too. My favorite was Tri-Mates but that was just because it was an unbelievably hot menage book. Oh, yum! :)

See, while I'm writing a paranormal with wolf-shifters as the predominate species, I HATE the "well now we're mated so I have no choice to love you" mentality that is so big in the werewolf books out there. In my world, yeah, they may have the mating bond hanging over their heads, but they wait. They get to know each other. They fall in love with each other as the book goes along. There's no predestiny stuff going on.

I have to share this with you all. It is, without a doubt, one of the sweetest, most creative blogs I've ever come across. One thing I have to tell you, you have to go to the very beginning of the archives and read through. It's basically a story & it's best to be read from the beginning. It's just darling. I blame KB for this, though she blames JM for telling her about it. :)

Anyway, that's about it. I've got to go get ready for bed. *sigh* I hope I can sleep. Night all! Ciao!

Love At First Flight by Marie Force

2009-06-15T19:12:00.001-07:00

First off, I have to say it's been awhile since I've actually read the book, but it made enough of an impression on me that I don't have to reread before reviewing. The basic idea is that Michael & Juliana meet at the airport when they're both on their way to see their significant others. After a great conversation, they go on their separate ways.

Michael is engaged to a society miss and Juliana is in a long-term relationship w/ the first guy she's ever dated (10 years). After their conversation, they both realize they're missing something in their relationships and do some soul searching.

Juliana finds out her boyfriend has been considering cheating on her (they were each others firsts) and it really throws her for a loop. Michael realizes that his fiancee is more concerned about their wedding than their relationship. It's much more shallow than he remembers.

Anyway, they split from their respective significant others and end up meeting up again. Dating...sex...more dating...more sex. And Michael is in the midst of a high-profile case (he's an attorney).

They break up (won't go into detail...it's a pretty "big" deal) and then it focuses on Juliana for quite awhile.

Okay, so I'm going to go into my patented Good/Bad List. There were some doozies.

The Good:

For the most part Juliana & Michael were both pretty cool. I like the fact that a relationship doesn't start up UNTIL they've broken up with their signficant others. I HATE stories where cheating is involved.

The Storyline...For the most part. There are a couple aspects of it that drive me nuts.

The Bad:

Okay, first of all, Michael is an attorney. The case he's on is HIGH profile and as we all know, you are NOT supposed to talk about your cases w/ a complete stranger. Right up front, while talking to Juliana (very beginning of book), he tells her what case he's working on. That just struck me as wrong.

The reason why Juliana & Michael broke up. In some ways I can understand it. I mean, she was only in one real relationship in her life for ten years and she had to see it to the end (so to speak). I won't go into major details, but I will say I was disappointed in the execution.

Juliana...for the most I actually liked her until the end. Then I just wanted to smack her upside the head. I think the way she handled things was just ridiculous.

My least favorite romance cliche...the big misunderstanding. Yeah, it was pretty unique, but still came across as pretty contrived.

So, all in all I have to give this book props for being entertaining. I read it the day I got it from Sourcebooks. Is it the best book I've ever read? No, but it was good.

My Rating: C+

Short, But Sweet...I Think

2009-06-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

So, I've basically been AWOL from this poor blog. I honestly don't have much of an excuse other than the fact that I've been INSANELY busy at work. I got a surprise promotion on Friday and though it doesn't start officially until Monday, the insanity is already starting. *headdesk*

I haven't announced a winner for Holly's Inbox (Bad me!), but I'm rectifying that now. The winner (in no particular order) is...Stacy! Stacy, please email me at good . bad . books @ gmail . com (no spaces) w/ your addie. I will forward it on to my contact at Sourcebooks! Congrats!

I have some things going on here (I hope) that I'm very excited about. Simple things, but I think they will do this poor neglected blog a world of good. :)

Other than the insanity, I'm doing well. I'm exhausted and feel like a chicken with my head cut off, but other than that all is well.

I have a couple of reviews coming up that I HAVE to review, so that should be happening (I hope...again) by the beginning of next week.

I hope everyone is well. Ciao!

PS. Lana, please email me w/ your addie. I've got a "2nd" prize to give away too. I only had two commenters for the book, so it's only right. :)

The Book Signing...For Real's Y'all

2009-06-07T00:19:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I'm not going into it again. Here it is in its epicness. *snicker*

Super Quick #20002002020200202002

2009-06-05T22:23:00.001-07:00

*ahem*

Due to a lack of whatever, this won't be a big post. I just want to say I went to a book signing tonight (Kim Harrison! Kelley Armstrong!) and it was fun. Got pictures. Will post coherent blog tomorrow. Yay!

Interview With Bill Surie

2009-06-01T12:00:00.001-07:00

Yep, here it is. Now, remember, I had NOT read Holly's Inbox before sending the interview questions, so some of them are kind of odd. :) Not that that's unusual, by any means. LOL!

1. What made you decide on this route when it came to both the website & the book?

The idea for the site came when someone in our company disappeared one day without any notice. We had to trawl through their emails to find out what they were working on, as it turned out they hadn’t been working on anything apart from their personal life, which I’m ashamed to say I became engrossed in. The emails were full of office gossip, scandal, romance, and back stabbing; so this gave me the inspiration to set about building a website to deliver a ‘real time’ story. As emails come through you get so wrapped up in Holly’s life that you begin to feel you are sitting at her desk going through all the fun and disaster yourself.The website www.hollysinbox.com is of course up and running with the story right now.

2. Since I had no idea any of this was happening, is this a real person's stuff or did you come up with it as a "reality" and put it out that way?

A lot is real, but some is fiction, I’d love to know if you can spot which bits are fiction….

3. Are you planning on writing any further books? If so, would they be about the same thing or would you do anything different?

There is a follow up to this story, as Holly continues her fun… which I’m hoping will be available from Sourcebooks!!

4. What are your hobbies outside of writing?

I have a beautiful 2 year old daughter, and a gorgeous demanding wife and they both ensure I have no other interests.

5. Are you excited about your book crossing the pond & coming over to America?

Like you wouldn’t believe, dream come true YIPEEEE!

6. What is the strangest thing you've come across while reading others emails?

That a very single flirtatious woman at work was actually married, with four children

7. What is something you wish you could forget?

A pornographic image she had on another email, I think it burnt my eyes, oh and that film where that “comedian” plays most of the other characters.

8. What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Any that makes me want to dance

9. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go & why?

I would hire a convertible and travel around your country – I’ve always wanted to be in my own road movie.

10. If you had a million dollars (or pounds as the case may be) & had to spend it all in 24 hours or lose it, what would you spend it on & why?

I’d buy a really fast car – and fill the boot with all the rest of the cash and drive away so you couldn’t get it back off me.

11. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day on earth?

I would try and shoot a few evil dictators first, and if I was still alive after that, I’d go back home and have a nice cup of tea, kiss my wife and child, oh and then die.

12. Do you like doing interviews?

:) It’s one of my first, and it’s been fun yeeeees. xx

13. What would you say has been the most rewarding aspect of this book?

Hearing it’s made people laugh, it really really gives me a buzz.

14. The least?

I guess sometimes I slip into my dream world and listen to the characters nattering, and so people close to me (mainly my wife) find it frustrating asking me the same question a zillion times while I look vacant.

15. And how is it writing as a woman?

I know as a writer trying to write from a male perspective is almost beyond me. How'd that work out for you? I’ve been trying to write all my life from a man’s perspective and failed miserably, I think as I’ve spent my whole life much much more interested in the opposite sex I’ve failed to notice much about my own kind at all, I make a terrible mate to go down the pub for a pint with, I try occasionally and find I laugh and grunt at all the wrong times.

And there you have it. My interview with Bill Surie, the guy behind Holly's Inbox. One lucky commenter (US & CANADA only...sorry!) will get a copy of the book! :) I hope you all enjoy. I really liked it. :D

Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

2009-06-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Holly,

Are you sure you know what you're getting into...?

It's Holly Denham's first day as a receptionist at a busy corporate bank, and frankly, it's obvious she can't quite keep up.

Take a peek at her email and you'll see why: what her crazy friends, dysfunctional family, and gossipy coworkers, Holly's inbox is a daily source of drama. Laughter, friendship, and romantic interludes keep her going, until one day, Holly's secret past begins to catch up with her...

Written entirely in emails, this compulsively readable UK smash hit will keep you laughing and turning the pages all the way to its surprising and deeply satisfying ending.

When my contact Danielle first mentioned this book and the history behind it, I admit I was intrigued. A book, written entirely in email format, from a woman's POV written by a man. Yes, that's right, folks. Holly Denham is actually Bill Surie. I know! Shocking! :)

I actually interviewed Bill first since Sourcebooks didn't have copies of this book handy immediately and I got to ask questions without any knowledge of the books. Yeah, that was a bit odd.

Anyhoodles, my thoughts on Holly's Inbox (for one lucky commenter...US & CANADA ONLY...I will be giving away a copy of this book). Holly's Inbox is about Holly Denham, a young woman who has just started a job at a pretty prestigious bank. It's quite entertaining to read the beginning emails between her and Patricia (or Trish), the other receptionist. You can see that Holly really has no experience as a receptionist and reading her emails to her friends about her lack of abilities is actually quite funny.

Her friendship w/ Jason Granger is the predominate force through 99% of the books. He is her best friend and he helps her out when she's in trouble.

There's Aisha her slutty best girlfriend who doesn't seem to understand the concept of keeping her legs together.

There's her sister who asks her to bring odd things on her visit (the dead mice for their snake is the biggy).

The relationship that begins and ends with James, the hunky VP who begins flirting with her almost immediately.

Her relationship with her mother which is very much up & down.

And just her basic, overall Holly-ness.

Due to the fact that I knew Holly wasn't actually a woman (or real), it was still fascinating to read this story. It felt real. I could actually see these things happening and I found it very intriguing. I also found it to be LOL funny as well.

Watching as Holly maneuvers her way through a rivalry with a fellow coworker, her issues w/ someone who ends up being not who she thought, and her budding friendship with Trish was great.

That being said, I do have a couple of quibbles.

One being that there's something brought up about Trish near the end that's never resolved. I found it to be an odd addition and wasn't really necessary...unless another book is written, which might happen.

The romance-it came across rather abruptly and didn't seem quite as realistic as the rest (I'm talking the end of the book...won't go into further details than that). If you read the book, you'll know what I mean.

All in all though, I found I really enjoyed it. If I hadn't known that Holly was actually Bill, I would have thought it was a woman. That's saying something. :)

My Rating: B-

I Won Some Awards!

2009-05-31T15:17:00.001-07:00

Wow! I feel so special. :) My friend Renee honored me. *blush*

First up is The Literary Blogger Award. This one is super cool because of what it stands for.

The Literary Blogger Award acknowledges bloggers who energize & inspire reading by going the extra mile. These amazing bloggers make reading fun & enhance the delight of reading!

Diane from The Book Resort created this new & very charming award.

Here are the rules:

1) Put the logo on your blog/post.

2) Nominate up to 9 blogs.

3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4) Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog.

5) Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

So, in honor of this lovely award, I've got a couple of recipients in mind. :)

The first recipients are Rip My Bodice. This blog is hand's down one of the funniest, most creative blogs out there. Every time I read their blog, I know I'm going to get something out of it. :)

The second recipients are The Book Smugglers. I blame them for 99% of my book buying. Their blog is one of the most insightful and geekiest out there. Each of their reviews really delves into the books they're reading & why the books work/don't work.

Third recipient is my buddy Katiebabs. Her blog is always interesting and also very entertaining. She's also very much into the publishing scene and writes some extremely insightful entries on her thoughts.

Lastly, my buddy Tracy. A fellow book lover, her reviews are in-depth, funny and interesting. She's also my Beta reader. Yay! :)

The second award is the Little CJ Blog Award created by my buddy Carolyn Crane (aka Carolyn Jean). It's fun and kind of creepy, but that's Little CJ for you. :)

Be careful...if I choose you and you don't choose someone, Little CJ will create a voodoo doll of you and well...let's just say it's won't be pretty. :D

My recipients are:

Jen from Jen the Ginger Kid and Lisabea from Nose in a Book.

Go Forth & Give! Bwa-ha-ha! :D

Reads of May 2009

2009-05-30T23:53:00.000-07:00

So, April was a complete and total bust. For some reason, I am an overachiever and May has MORE than made up for it. *headdesk* And I wonder why I don't have any extra funds. *sigh*

*ahem*

Okay, the month of May scares me. You'll see what I mean in a minute.

1. Ashes of Midnight by Lara Adrian-I still need to review. Would give it a C-

2. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley-Gave it a C+

3. At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh-Would give this a B-. It was a very sweet love story and a great continuation in the Huxtable series.

4. Seducing An Angel by Mary Balogh-This one deserves a B. Almost done. Con's story comes out next month (I think).

5. Witch Fire by Anya Bast-I'd give this a C. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't phenomenal either. The heroine was kind of an idiot. The sex was hot though. :)

6. Witch Blood by Anya Bast-C+. Better. Still not perfect. Will be getting the others in the series though. My curiosity won't let me not finish. Bad Bridget!

7-9. The Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop-Wow. That is all I have to say about this series. I count this as 3 books though, just an FYI. I'd give it a B+. Excellent, but I had some issues. Will need to review this one too. *headdesk*

10. Confessions of a Little Black Gown by Elizabeth Boyle-Eh...C. Wasn't great. Didn't even realize I'd read the previous book in the series until I read the next one. Not very memorable.

11. Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress by Elizabeth Boyle-C+. This is the same issue I've had with the previous books I've read by Ms. Boyle...they're all very much of the same "type."

12. Under Fire by Jo Davis-After reading book 1 and really enjoying it, hoped I'd like this one just as much. Yeah, not so much. It wasn't awful, but it just didn't have the sizzle book 1 did. Give it a C-

13. Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham-Need to review for Sourcebooks. It was very unique. Enjoyed it. Wasn't like reading a book though. Will review on Monday.

14. The Art of French Kissing by Kristin Harmel-I really liked this. Simple and sweet. Give it a B-

15. Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison-Need to review. Off the top of my head would give it a B-/C+. It was good but definitely had some issues. Will review shortly (probably this weekend).

16. This Duchess of Mine by Eloisa James-B+. Really enjoyed it. I love this series. Need to review to go into more details. Lovely story and I can't wait for Villiers. :)

17. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James-B

18. A Dangerous Thing by Josh Lanyon-Review here

19. Fatal Shadows by Josh Lanyon-Review here

20. Loving Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan-Will review in a few months (when I'm supposed to). That being said...loved it!

21. Lord of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle-Will be reviewing shortly. It was an E-ARC. She loves me. :D

22-29. The Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning-My thoughts here

30. The Betrayal by Pati Nagle-DNF. Could NOT get into this book to save my life, which I find very sad. Interesting premise, boring execution.

31. Revealed by Kate Noble-Really enjoyed it. The Book Smugglers were right...again. I'd give it a B+

32. Compromised by Kate Noble-Liked this one as well. Not as much as Revealed though. I'd say B.

33. Desire Untamed by Pamela Palmer-C-. It was one of those books where I knew I shouldn't enjoy it as much as I did and yet I did...if that makes sense. It definitely had its issues, but I'm curious what book 2 will be like

34. Nemesis of the Garden by Cricket Starr-Eh...C-

35. Lover Avenged by JR Ward-B-

36. Dream Machine by Jane Rylon-E-Book. Wasn't all that great. C

37. Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston-Interesting. I'd say B-

38. Go Fetch by Shelly Laurenston-B-

39. Here Kitty Kitty by Shelly Laurenston-C

40. Sexy by Design by Avery Beck-Talk about a disappointment. Could have been something and ended up being not-so-good. The sex was mechanical at best and the plot dragged. D

41. Faefever by Karen Marie Moning-Give this an A-. LOVED it! :)

And there you have it. My reads for May 2009

The Highlander Series by Karen Marie Moning

2009-05-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

This is not going to be a review so much as a discussion/thoughts on these books. I actually started reading KMM last month (I think it was) when I read the first two books in her Fever series. I wasn't a huge fan of the first one, but was intrigued enough to read book 2. Book 3 (Faefever) is one of the biggest trips I've ever read.

I was on Twitter one night and asked about the Highlander series. Back in the day I was a BIG Highland romance fan and have always had a thing for a guy in a kilt. But, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this series. One of my buddies convinced me and when I was down at the coast, I picked up a couple. Unfortunately, I didn't have the first one and my OCD tendencies wouldn't let me start until I got the first.

Here are my thoughts on the series so far...

KMM has a thing for the Fae. Obviously. I've always been fascinated by them too, but she's got an obsession going on here. Not that I'm complaining. :)

The Men: She likes to write about hard-core Alpha males. These are men who are big, brutal, deadly men. Until the heroine comes along. And then they are mush. Only with the heroine, of course.

The Women: Oy, virgins all. I could understand it if one...maybe even two were virgins. But I kid you not. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. All. *shakes head* Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against virginity (obviously *snort*), but I do have issues with it when these are all supposed to be modern women who've dated and all that other good stuff. It's just...weird.

The basic overall storyline: I admit, I didn't care for the first two books all that much. I thought the heroine from book 1 was an idiot and that the hero from book 2 was a moron. However, the writing was tight and the books were decent. It wasn't until book 3 that things started to really kick in. I haven't read Kiss of the Highlander yet, but I've read Books 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, & 7. Adam's is my favorite, which shocks me to pieces. I so wasn't expecting that, esp. after what he did in book 1, but...he redeemed himself. :)

And that's about it. I'm sure I'll think of more, but I've been battling a sinus migraine since Friday and my brain isn't functioning like it should. Have any of you read this series? What are your thoughts?

My First Guest Reviewer!

2009-05-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Renee and I were talking via the wonderful gmail chat feature when we got on the subject of books we don't like that everyone else does. Here is what happened. :)

Just finished reading . . . Sea Swept by Nora Roberts

When I took up Bridget’s challenge, I was a little worried. You see, while I understand that Nora Roberts is an amazingly prolific best-selling writer, her books have never really done much for me. The couple I read years ago, never really made much of an impression on me. Last year, I tried again. I read book 1 of the Circles Trilogy, Morrigan’s Cross, which was okay, but I dnf’d book 2, Dance of the Gods. It wasn’t that I hated it, it was more that I felt so indifferent about it, that it didn’t feel worth finishing.

Which brings me to Sea Swept. You see, late one night a while back, Bridget and I were chatting on IM, and she asked me, who is the author that everybody loves that I don’t. My answer was quick and easy. It turns out, Bridget does like NR quite a bit. She felt challenged to find which book (in NR’s amazing backlist) would be one that I’d enjoy. After a bit of back and forth, (I asked her that the book not be a paranormal since I’d recently tried the Circles books, and that if it was part of a series, it be the first book in the series, since I don’t like reading books out of order.) She decided that Sea Swept, book 1 in the Chesapeake Bay series, whould be my challenge book.

Here is the description for Sea Swept:

Cameron, Ethan and Philip were all troubled young boys who were rescued and adopted at difficult periods in their lives by Raymond and Stella Quinn. They didn’t share blood, but they became a family. In Sea Swept, Cameron's story, the family faces tragedy and scandal that will change lives. Cameron’s lived the reckless life of a daredevil since leaving the quiet community on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where Ray and Stella raised him and his brothers. He likes fast boats, fast cars, and fast women. Now he’s been called home, not only to say goodbye to the only father he ever loved, but also to face the challenge of caring for the last lost boy Ray was determined to save. Cameron has to learn to live with his brothers once again, and rivalries and resentments flare between them whilst they try to care for Seth.

Who is Seth, this prickly young boy a dying Ray asked his sons to protect? Tofind out, and to keep his promise, Cameron will have to put the life he’d chosen on hold. And deal with a certain sexy social worker who’s every bit as determined as he to provide Seth with the right home. Anna Spinelli is full of surprises, and challenges.

Only Seth's fate is in the hands of a tough but beautiful social worker. She alone has the power to bring the Quinns together - or tear them apart.

I really like family stories where each family member gets a book, like Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons, and Lisa Kleypas’ Travis family. I love to see how each family member operates as an individual as well as a unit. Usually, there is some kind of crisis to draw them together, which will allow the family dynamics to come into play. In this case, it’s the death of the Quinn’s patriarch. Seeing how the brothers, who have all built their own lives independent of each other came back together to support each other and their new brother made for great reading.

The brothers, adopted as teens, each come from tragic circumstances, and understand where teenage Seth has come from. While they struggle to make changes in their lives so that they can raise him together, they never question that they will do so. The relationship between them is one of the things I like most about the book.

My other favorite thing in the book is Anna. She’s a complex and interesting heroine. She has her own tragic history, but has come out on the other side a very strong and independent person. I liked reading about her passion for her clients, and ability to do see what’s best for them.

However, that brought me to what I felt like what was one of the book’s weaker points. Having dealt a lot with social workers on both a professional and personal level, I had a bit of difficulty accepting that a social worker as professional as she’s being portrayed would become personally involved with a client’s guardian, especially so early on in their acquaintance. (I have the same issue with books who have doctor/client, lawyer/client, or teacher/student relationships.) I really tried to turn off the “reality” portion of my brain, and just enjoy the book. Which, I was (mostly) able to do. What brought me out of the book, though, was toward the end, when she gets mad at Cameron for keeping some important information from her, because he was afraid it would jeopardize her recommendation. There was a little bit too much of her wanting it both ways: wanting him to accept her role as Seth’s social worker and wanting him to be more open with her on a personal level, but being mad that he didn’t trust her with information he thought might compromise her decision.

That matter aside, I really enjoyed the book. It didn’t blow me away, but was a good read. What worked best for me was the relationship between the brothers. I loved reading their give and take conversations, and how they’d deal with things, usually in a really “guy” kind of way. I’m looking forward to reading more about them, and I’ve requested the next book in the series, Rising Tides, from the library in audiobook format.

Edited to add: I'm over on her blog discussing Josh Lanyon's Adrien English series. Go on over and say hi!

New Post!

2009-05-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

I know! It's shocking! :)

Amazingly enough I have been reading a LOT this month, but have been busy otherwise, so blogging has kind of fallen on the wayside at the moment. I have a couple of biggies that I'm working on right now.

One of them is a guest post by my friend Renee. I challenged her to read a Nora Roberts book and she challenged me to read Josh Lanyon. She will be posting her thoughts here and I will be posting mine on her blog. I'm very excited!

I'm in the midst of reading the Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop. As much as I love fantasy AND romance, I'm amazed I've never read this series before. I've heard nothing but good things, so I'm excited. Not very far in as of yet, but am enjoying the book thoroughly. I Twittered earlier and said that I have a feeling this book will yank out my heart and smash it to pieces before the books are over though. It's just got that vibe.

I've been reading all over the place this month. I've read historicals, paranormals, contemps, etc. It's a bit crazy. I've got 5 books sitting on my TBR pile, but I want to finish this book first. I'm very excited!

Last month was such a let-down reading-wise, so it's nice to see I'm getting my mojo back! :)

We're doing our hero drafts over on DIK and I'm almost at the bottom. I'm very excited about my pick, though most people probably have never heard of him. Trust me, if you read the book he was from, you'd want him as your hero too. :) Hot, hot, hot (and tall). Yum!

And that's about it for the moment. I shall be back soon with reviews...I promise! Ciao & much love!

Super Quick

2009-05-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Bought 4 new books today. They are:

Confessions of a Little Black Gown by Elizabeth Boyle-I give it a C+. Wasn't awful, but didn't really take off until last 50 pages or so. Am intrigued by next book.

The Betrayal by Pati Nagle-Never read her and it looks intriguing.

The newest Jo Davis book (brainfarting on name)

Eve of Darkness by S. J. Day-KB pimped this book big time. Hoping it lives up to the hype.

I was really disappointed in The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. Hoping this book will get me out of drought.

Night!

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

2009-05-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the law's of attraction...

Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face-to-face, they're perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they have kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as coworkers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm.

...There are no rules.

But all bets are off when they're asked to join forces on a major case. Though apprehensive at first, they begin to appreciate each other's dedication to the law--and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection does not last long when they discover that only one of the will be named partner. Now it's an all-out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar...

I first heard of Julie when her debut novel came out. Just The Sexiest Man Alive garnered a lot of positive buzz. For some reason, I never picked it up. Then she came on the DIK blog and I really liked the way she thought. So, yesterday when I was looking for books to read, I decided to pick up Practice Makes Perfect. And I'm glad I did.

This book starts off quite comically. It's from Payton's POV and we find out that she's been in competition w/ J.D. for the past eight years. And that she's in lust with him. Okay, she thinks he's attractive. Unfortunately, the attraction causes her to be quite...cranky when it comes to him and she tends to shoot her mouth of before she thinks, causing some interesting dialogue to go on between the two of them.

J.D. is cocky and a bit arrogant, but he's also got a good heart. Watching the two of them for the first 50 or so pages was quite funny, esp. once their competitive natures got the best of them and they actually started...well, I won't go into detail. Suffice it to say, they get quite...competitive towards each other.

Once they find out they're supposed to work together on a case AND that only one of them will make partner, things start to get VERY interesting. J.D. begins to see her as who she really is and realizes that there's more than meets the eye (GI Joe reference! Ha!).

As the battle between the sexes heats up, so does the attraction between them. All I can say is...yummy!

All right, now that I've got the basic overall storyline down for you...on to the Good/Bad List! *happy dance*

The Bad (starting w/ those first)-

I thought some of the rivalry went a smidge too far. There's a scene that, even though it's quite funny was almost too much. Yes, I can understand, but thought it was a bit distasteful.

The Misunderstandings...And there were quite a few. They admittedly got a bit old after awhile.

The Good:

Payton: I grew to like her. At first she came across as a bit obnoxious and too driven, but by the end of the book I'd really warmed up to her.

J.D.: Also didn't like him at the beginning, but by the end I really did like him.

The Overall Storyline: You can tell that Ms. James has history in the law. It was quite refreshing and interesting.

The Heat: It really wasn't very hot, but the chemistry between them was very nice. I think the sex scenes could've gone w/ a bit more detail, but that's just me.

The Humor: Boy, oh boy was there a lot of humor in this book. I won't go into detail as to a particular scene, but there's one on pages 172-175 that uses Pride & Prejudice in an extremely entertaining way. Anyone who's read the book will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

All in all I really did like the story. I think there are some things that would've made it better, specifically a confrontation between J.D. and his overbearing father, but that's it.

If you like an entertaining war of the roses type romance with great banter and just a nice overall story, I recommend this book. It was nice to get a good laugh in.

My Rating: B

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

2009-05-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk about this book throughout the blogosphere and when I stopped by B&N today to pick up the other books I had on hold, I decided to pick it up. Here's the back blurb:

It was whispered all through London Society that he was a murdered, that'd spent his youth in an asylum and was not to be trusted--especially by a lady. Any woman caught in his presence was immediately ruined. Yet Beth found herself inexorably drawn to the Scottish lord whose hint of a brogue wrapped around her like silk and whose touch could draw her into a world of ecstasy. Despite his decadence and intimidating intelligence, she could see he needed help. Her help. Because suddenly the only thing that made sense to her was "the Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie".

Okey-dokey, now to put into words what I felt about this book. I wasn't horribly impressed with the book, but am going to do my trusty Good/Bad list for your enjoyment.

The Good:

I thought Lord Ian was interesting. The fact that he has Asperger's Syndrome is quite unusual, esp. for a historical romance. Did I like him? Eh...but I understood him.

Beth-For what she found herself in the midst of, I thought she handled things quite admirably. Being thrown into the middle of the Mackenzie family wouldn't be easy on anyone, but she handles it with aplomb.

The basic overall storyline: It wasn't...bad.

The Bad: The Mackenzies. We know that each of them is going to get their own story, since most of them have their heroines introduced within this book. Obvious sequel bait. Whoot...not.

The Villain: Times 2. Neither worked for me. One was just ridiculous and the other was just annoying.

I dunno...maybe it's the funk I'm in. I'm not sure. All I can say is that this book just didn't work for me. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't the best book I've ever read. Maybe I'll try again at a later date and like it more.

As for right now?

Overall Rating: C+

I'm Bad!

2009-05-11T21:48:00.001-07:00

Yes, I definitely am. Went shopping for books today. :) What did I buy? Well, let me tell you!

1. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
2. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
3. At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh
4. Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready

Two of these books I blame on the DIK. They had both Ms. Smith-Ready and Ms. James on the blog and I loved their sense of humor. I decided to try them. So far I've read Lord Ian and Practice Makes Perfect. I'll be reviewing them shortly.

I've really hit a dry spell these last few months. Was beginning to wonder if ANY books would catch my fancy. Happy to say that yes...yes, they did. Whoo-hoo!

Title? Ha!

2009-05-09T00:58:00.000-07:00

First of all, I wanted to thank everyone for their kind words on my previous post. Things are still a bit haywire, but are getting better...I hope.

May seems to be looking up reading-wise, which is nice. I was beginning to wonder if that would happen after the dismal month of April. :~P I've read some books that were great (but won't be reviewed until August/September) and others that were just kind of blah. *sigh*

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around Faefever. I haven't read such a good cliffhanger since the end of Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead...who coincidentally was here in Portland yesterday but I didn't get to meet her. *sniffle*

I read a book tonight that my friend gave me. Have you had a reading experience where, even though you enjoyed the book you also rolled your eyes and couldn't believe you were enjoying the book as much as you were? Yeah, that was this book. I'm hoping to review it over the weekend.

In a week or so I will be having a challenge w/ my friend Renee. We were talking a few weeks ago (gotta love the gmail chat feature) and got into the discussion of books everyone loves but we either haven't read or didn't like the author. For her it was not liking the author. I challenged her to read one of my faves by this particular author and she challenged me to read Josh Lanyon's Adrien English series (at least books 1 & 2). I'd just never read him even though I know he's super-popular w/ 99% of my friends. I hope to have her review up around the 16thish of this month.

Looking forward to books. Can't think of any at this hour (what? It's 1 am!), but I know there are tons coming out (Nalini is evil, by the way. :D).

And I think that's about it. I hope everyone has a fantastical Mother's Day. My mom is gone with my SIL & nephews to the beach. *sigh* It's been a crazy month so far. I'll just leave it at that. Ciao!

Just Ugh!

2009-05-07T23:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know I've got some reviews I still need to put up, but those will have to wait a bit. Things are a bit haywire here in my neck of the woods and I'm laying low until things blow over. I don't really want to blog about it all because I'm trying to avoid thinking about it all. *sigh*

That being said, I read Faefever by Karen Marie Moning tonight and all I can say is DUDE!

Lover Avenged by JR Ward

2009-05-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

*sigh* Reviewing a JR Ward book is always tricky. For one thing, it's almost impossible to review w/o giving away spoilers. For another, trying to decide if I liked it or not.

I will say upfront that I liked it MUCH better than Lover Enshrined. I still say LE was a waste of space. Phury & Cormia were not my idea of an ideal couple. *sigh*

So, what did I think of Lover Avenged? I have very mixed feelings about it & I'm going to say right up front that *THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE SOME SPOILERS (MAYBE MAJOR ONES...SORRY) IN THIS REVIEW!!!!!!!*

I'm going to say right up front that if you're expecting LA to be full of romance...you'll be sorely disappointed. Again Ms. Ward does the usual and throws everything but the kitchen sink into this story, completely overshadowing the "romance" between Rehv & Ehlena. So for me, the romance was completely & totally a waste of time.

I wish she would figure out if she was writing Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance and stick with one or the other instead of trying to force them to coexist. I think that is what takes away from the overall appreciation for the books. For romance fans, the romance is pretty much a flyby kind of thing and the Urban Fantasy lovers are stuck with a romance that's really not fleshed out.

A couple of my friends & I were talking about LA over on Twitter. One of them brought up an excellent point. Ms. Ward is a big fan of name-dropping and product placement. In the first chapter alone we're subjected to a long list of clothing, drink and food manufacturers. In the first chapter! This continues quite heavy-handed throughout the book. Usually with clothes. *sigh* I don't care what name brand your character is wearing. All you have to say is "Charcoal-grey suit" and I'm perfectly happy. I don't need to know the name of each designer of each article of clothing you are wearing down to your underwear. And it's always the guys, not the women. Anyone else notice that? :(

On to the main players in LA. There was Rehv & Ehlena, JM & Xhex, Wrath, Lash, some other Lessers and Mary, Beth & Bella played minimal parts. There were also sympaths and some other characters introduced. Oy.

And I'm going to go into, not a good & bad list, but a breakdown of each character & what their roll was in this book. I'm sorry. It's the only way I can think of giving a relatively cohesive book review.

Rehv & Ehlena: Hmm...well, yes, they did have a "romance" in this book, but I have to admit I was extremely disappointed in it. As we all know, Rehv is half sympath & half vampire. His sister is Bella who is mated to Zsadist who has issues. *ahem* Rehv takes dopamine to keep himself from feeling, thus allowing him to exist in the human world w/o his sympath side taking over. As revealed back in LE, he has an "interesting" relationship w/ a fellow sympath.

Ehlena is a nurse who works for Havers, Marissa's brother and the doctor of the vampires. Ehlena's father is sick and instead of being part of the vampire elite, she has had to sell off all of their belongings to take care of her father.

She works on Rehv one day and that's when everything changes. All right, I admit, watching Rehv try to woo her was actually pretty sweet. However, as is always with a JR Ward book, the "LOVE" kind of happens off-page and the next thing you know it's all, "I love you," "No, I love you," "No, I love you" without any real showing of the development between the two characters. It's extremely annoying.

Wrath-Wrath played a huge part in this book that was pretty much a waste of space. If what happens had been hinted at (as in his fighting & such), it wouldn't have come across as so out of character. Also, the blindness? Not a shock and actually kind of ridiculous. It threw away all of the romance built between him & Beth and almost ruined their relationship at the beginning. I thought Beth was cool though in the sense that she didn't let him walk all over her as so many of the other women are complete and total doormats.

JM & Xhex: Talk about a storyline that annoyed me from the beginning, of this book anyway. We know Xhex is a sympath. It's been out there since almost the very beginning. Watching her treat JM the way she did, I felt nothing but sympathy for her. You KNOW why she did what she did. As for JM? I just wanted to smack him upside the head. Yes, he should have been annoyed at what she did to him and I can understand that up to a point, however, his complete and total personality change really made me want to throttle him. By the end of the book I had no sympathy for him whatsoever. Knowing the next book is probably theirs? Not sure if I'm willing to pay HC price for it.

Lash: Still annoying as always, but plays a key roll at end of the book. I won't go into any details, but I have a feeling the BDB will be feeling the ramifications for a LONG time.

The Other Lessers: Eh...boring as usual.

The Scribe Virgin: Since when did she go and get a lobotomy? Just curious.

The Sympaths: What a waste of space and a couple of gag-inducing moments they were. If you're expecting to know more about the sympaths, be prepared to be disappointed. We still don't know anything about them. *sigh* Which really bugs me because the character development that would have given Rehv would have been HUGE!

The Rest of the Book: *sigh* I don't know. Yes, there were some good aspects to it. No Omega, not much of the Lessers, and a lot of action. But, there were also a ton of disappointments. The story development was curtailed by quite a bit of changes to the history that Ms. Ward had firmly established back in book one. I HATE it when authors do that. You should NOT be allowed to change the basic integrity of the world you've created because A. it's lazy writing & B. it drives your readers crazy. We're not stupid. We can clearly remember who, what, when & where. You changing that later on in a series does not a happy reader base make.

What is my overall feeling? Disappointment and annoyance mixed with happy. I know my review comes across like I hated it, but I didn't. As I said at the beginning. I have very mixed feelings. But, since I said I liked it better than LE and gave LE a C+...

Overall Grade: B-

Upcoming Reviews

2009-05-03T01:56:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a page from the Book Smugglers and doing an advanced week head's up. :)

Reviews to come:

Lover Avenged by JR Ward

Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Mary Balogh's newest series

And a couple of other things. I'm up at 2 am. I cannot sleep. *sigh* Insomnia sucks. :(

Reads for April 2009

2009-05-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

Oy...let me just say the month of April was pathetic. I really & truly didn't read that many books last month. *sniffle*

Here is my pathetically short reading list for the month of April. Here's hoping May is better.

1. Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder-I haven't reviewed this yet, but I read this while on my trip. Liked it.

2. First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh-My first time reading her books. Liked it.

3. Then Comes Seduction by Mary Balogh-Couldn't NOT read it. Book 2!

4. Paradise Valley by Robyn Carr. It was okay. Not the best.

5. Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight-A+ and an e-book. LOVED this book.

6. Beyond Heaving Bosoms by the Smart Bitches-It was okay. Interesting.

7. You're So Vein by Christine Warren-I'd rate it a C. Wasn't bad, but wasn't great either.

8. Curse The Dawn by Karen Chance-I'd rate it a B-. Had a lot of unexpected twists & was very action-packed as per usual.

9. Saddled by Delilah Devlin-It was okay. Maybe a C. It was an e-book.

10. Steel Beauty by Dana Marie Bell-I'd give it a B-. It's the 4th in her Halle Puma series. Sex was hot as per usual. Another e-book.

And that's it! I know! I went from 30 to 10. I just find that plain depressing. But, I've already read 6 books so far for May, so I'm feeling better. :) Still, 10 books. Blah!

Thoughts & Observations Part...500,000? :)

2009-04-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

Today marks the beginning of a week-long vacation. I've been anticipating this for...a very long time. My last REAL vacation was a year ago. I took a week off in September, but ended up caring for my mom after she had surgery.

I will be leaving on Monday for 4 days at the beach. I can hardly wait. I am so exhausted and just overwhelmed by so much that I really & truly need these days to myself. Recharge my batteries & all that good stuff. Plus, I'm hoping to knock out the full first draft of book 1 and move on from there. *crossing fingers*

I know this is my book blog, so I should talk books. April has been the month of the book doldrums. Don't get me wrong, I've read some truly phenomenal books this month, but I've read so very few. It's kind of sad & depressing really. *sniffle* I'm looking forward to Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder & Lover Avenged by JR Ward. I cross my fingers that LA is GOOD! Please!

I was going to write about some of my favorite books that I don't usually discuss on this blog (since it seems geared to romance...huh), but as I was writing that, it hit me that 90% of the authors/books I was writing about were all fantasy authors. Doh! So, tonight I'm going to focus on fantasy. Not paranormal romance or urban fantasy. True fantasy written by some truly phenomenal fantasy authors.

I got into fantasy pretty much by accident. It all started in my freshman year in high school. To say I was miserable is a major understatement and books were basically my only source of comfort. I was desperate for something to read and was browsing my high school's sadly lacking fiction aisle when a book caught my eye. I picked it up, looked at the back and thought I'd give it a try. I did and I've never looked back.

What book is that? I'm glad you asked. :) That book was Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey; the book that introduced her phenomenal Heralds of Valdemar series and the book that changed me...forever. You might be thinking "How can a book change a person?", but you know what? It happens.

The Heralds of Valdemar is an epic series of books that spans...27 books, not counting all of the novellas, collaborations, etc. that have popped up over the years. This series introduced me to a homosexual hero (Vanyel Ashkevron), Native American mysticism, raptors, you name it. I still read these books now as an adult and they still transport me to this world she created. Not only that (and this embarrassing to admit), but I'm a member of her fan club. I've been a member since 1992? I created a persona, was a member of the local chapter, the whole nine yards. Now? Not so much. I still get the newsletter and I've had a particular penpal for...15 1/2 years. I admit it, I'm a geek. :P

So, after Misty and her lovely Valdemar series, I decided it wouldn't hurt to look into other fantasy authors. I'd heard rave reviews of the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey and since her books were all about DRAGONS, I thought why not? Yeah...a gazillion books later and there you go. Not only the DoP books, but the Rowan series, the Ship series, the Crystal Singer series. This woman wrote some of the best fantasy novels out there. Trust me, she's amazing. And she wrote about DRAGONS...that bond to people. I mean, how cool is that?! :)

And then there was David Eddings. Sure, all of his books read basically the same, but that was okay. They were good. Weird. Odd even. I was cool with that. I'm good with weird. :)

And Andre Norton. I LOVE the series she wrote w/ Mercedes Lackey. The Halfblood Chronicles was a great series. Twisted and actually really wrong, but SO good!

These were all books I read all throughout my teens. I stopped reading fantasy for quite a long time all throughout most of my twenties. I guess I'd just read too many and had glutted myself.

And then, a few years ago, I was bored and looking for something to read while at my local grocery store. I think the management there is a bit fantasy happy b/c that's 90% of the books available there. And that's where I came across these two authors.

Elizabeth Haydon and her Symphony of Ages series. Hands down one of the most lyrical series I have ever read. It'll tear out your heart and then put all back together. More romance than usual in fantasy novel, but not in the way you'd expect. It's sick and twisted and pure awesome. Book 1 is Rhapsody and trust me when I say you have to read them in order.

The othe author is Sara Douglass. Her Axis Trilogy/Wayfarer Redemption series (6 books in total) is another series that smacked me sideways. Truly unique and well, I LOVED it. Very unique look at creationism and a lot of other things. Bloody, twisted, awesome. Basically everything a person looks for in a fantasy series.

And, for the moment, that is my simple look into fantasy authors I love. I've got more and all that, but it's late and my brain is a smidge fried at the moment. I hope I've gotten your attention on at least one of them. They got me and now look at me. I'm a paranormal romance/urban fantasy slut. It can't be all bad! :D

Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight

2009-04-22T02:14:00.000-07:00

I don't have a back blurb for this book, but that's okay. You can find it on Samhain's site easily enough. It's 2:15 in the morning, I just finished this book and I am still reeling. I also cannot stop crying, but trust me when I say it's in a good way.

Have you ever had something affect you so strongly that you can't stop thinking about it? Something that seems to just sneak up on you and smack you sideways? That is what this book did to me.

It is without a doubt, one of the most heartbreaking books I've ever read and also one of the most beautiful.

It stars Michael, a widower, who is struggling desperately to get his life back together. His little girl is almost a stranger to him and no matter what he does, he cannot seem to get her to connect with him anymore.

Rebecca is a former actress who suffered a horrific attack from an obsessed fan. Now she works behind the scenes and is still trying to get her life together three years after the attack.

A fateful meeting in a dark room and both their lives change forever.

Okay, so that's the basic idea behind the book, but it doesn't go into how emotional this book was. It was written in a strange way where each chapter was written in 1st person from either Michael's or Rebecca's POV. But honestly? I think that's what made this book so powerful.

It delved so very deeply into their psyches. And their psyches are pretty banged up. Michael's just about killed me. After losing his partner and almost losing his daughter, he's hit rock bottom. When he meets Rebecca, it's like his whole world is brightened and he can see it again.

Watching him as he realizes she's more than just a pretty woman and that there's something there between them was just...gorgeous to watch. It was like taking a beautiful vase that had shattered and watch it being put back together piece by piece until miraculously it looks the same...only different.

I know I'm not doing a good job articulating just how powerfully this book affected me. I feel like I'm not doing it justice.

I will just say that if you're looking for an unbelievably powerful story that will rock you sideways, but leave you with a feeling of pure joy at the end, this is the book for you. If it doesn't effect/affect you in some ways...I dunno. All I can say is read it. You truly won't be disappointed.

My Rating: A+

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell & Candy Tan

2009-04-15T21:33:00.001-07:00

This is not going to be a review, so much as a commentary on the book. No grade or anything, just wanted to go over my thoughts after reading this book.

I'm a big fan of the Smart Bitches. I love their site and comment once & awhile. They are both extremely intelligent, witty women and this book showcased that to the nth degree.

I'd say 99% of it reads like Sarah. Since she's the one who's on SBTB's the most often, her voice is very distinctive. Snarky, intelligent & LOL funny, most of the book just made me giggle outloud. Some of the observations they made had me laughing because they are so true! :) Candy threw in some pretty random, but hysterically funny tidbits throughout.

I think the thing that really caught my attention more than anything was just how true to themselves they stayed. So often you'll have a witty blog or a witty book, but when the witty blogger or writer has to do the other, they fail. This book was like reading an extremely long blog entry.

There were some areas where I admit I skimmed. They didn't really keep my attention. The areas like the kerfuffle with Cassie Edwards & the plagiarism which I remember when it first came out. And the game & the choose-your-own-adventure-like Choose Your Own Man Titty made me laugh so hard I was crying.

I think fans of the Smart Bitches will really like this book. People who have a hard time articulating why they like romance will also like this book, because they really delve into romance and why we all love it so.

I've been reading romance all my life and when people make fun of me or make stupid comments I'm not afraid to step up and defend the genre I love so much. I think if more people did that than making apologies for it, romance wouldn't be so maligned. Just my two cents.

So, go buy the book. You'll thank me. :)

Good Intentions

2009-04-10T20:43:00.001-07:00

That fell by the wayside.

Hey, everyone. Just so you know...I'm not dead (I don't think). I just haven't really read a lot lately. I've been focusing on finishing the first draft of book 1 and that's been taking up a lot of my time. I'm also trying to get a life. I know...so sad.

But, I'm thrilled that I've come up with titles for books 1-4 and can now actually call them something other than The WIP from hell. Would you like to know what they are? Wouldja? Come on! I know you do. LOL!

Here it is!

The Altered Series:

State of Being (book 1)
State of Magic (book 2)
State of Grace (book 3)
State of Mind (book 4)

I'm this close to finishing my first...I won't say draft because that means I'm almost done. I'm almost done with all the scenes for book 1 and then I'll write out the rough draft. With 90% of the scenes done, that means it shouldn't take me very long to write & finish the first real draft. That'll go off to my Beta-Reader (hi, Tracy!) and then once she gets back to me I can start on clean-up and all that good stuff.

My ultimate goal is to have book 1 off to agents by the end of 2009 and hopefully sold by next year. *crossing fingers* I've also got the plots for books 2 & 3 basically figured out and the basic concept of book 4 all ready. So, I can start on those while waiting for feedback.

As for the reading front. Eh. I've read a couple of good books this month, but so far it's been pretty slim pickings. Kind of makes me sad. *sniffle* I'm looking forward to read the Smart Bitches new book. I love the SBs. One of the bestest sites out there!

And that's about it in my neck of the woods. I'll try to keep this blog better updated. As soon as I read a decent book I will review it. *sigh*

Have a great weekend & a Happy Easter!

Books Read for March 2009

2009-04-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, y'all, I'm seriously scaring myself here. I read a total of (if I remember and kept track correctly) 29 books this month! What? How can that be possible? Sometimes I wonder. Anyhoodles, without further ado, my reading list from March.

1. Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews (Rating: B) trade
2. Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre (Rating: B+) trade
3. What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown (Rating: C) trade ARC
4. Hunted by PC & Kristin Cast (Rating: A-) mini-hardcover
5. Giving Chase by Lauren Dane e-book
6. Taking Chase by Lauren Dane e-book
7. Chased by Lauren Dane e-book
8. Making Chase by Lauren Dane e-book
9. SEALed With a Promise Mary-Margret Daughtridge (Rating: D) trade ARC
10. Fortune's Deception by Karen Erickson e-book
11. Fortune's Promise by Karen Erickson e-book
12. Fortune's Chance by Karen Erickson e-book
13. As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (Rating: C)...need to review...trade
14. White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison (Rating: B+) Unedited Galley
15. Long Hard Ride by Lorelie James e-book
16. Rode Hard, Put Up Wet by Lorelie James e-book
17. Cowgirl Up & Ride by Lorelie James e-book
18. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas (Rating: A-) hardcover
19. Blood Magic by Jennifer Lyon (Rating: C) trade
20. Here's the Story by Maureen McCormick hard-cover autobiography
21. Blackmailed by AnnMarie McKenna e-book
22. Look What Santa Brought by AnnMarie McKenna e-book
23. Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin (Rating: B) larger than trade *brainfart*
24. Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin (DNF) same size as above
25. One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin same as above
26. Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin same as above
27. Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh (Rating: A-) trade
28. Polar Reaction by Claire Thompson e-book
29. Satin Seduction by L.A. Day e-book
30. Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend e-book

So, a total of 30 books for the month of March. Equals out to almost a book a day. Of course, I'd read like 6 of them in one day. I'm sick in the head, you know. I hope you enjoy! Some of them, I can actually recommend! Whoo-hoo!

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

2009-03-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

Drafted to work for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems these days than she knows what to do with. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that's saying a lot.

But when Kate's werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games--an invitation-only, no-holds-barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament--she and Curran, the Beast Lord, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta's shapeshifting community.

Dude...where to begin? This book was the ultimate in insanity...the best kind! It starts out with a bang and continues on from there. You can't ask for more than that. I'd been told by Ms. Andrews that I would be receiving a copy of Magic Strikes from her publisher, but it never showed up. So, today I went and bought a copy. I am so glad I did!

Talk about a great book. I admit, books 1 & 2 were good, but not great IMHO. I had issues with the lack of history and not knowing what exactly was going on with Kate. In Magic Strikes, that's all cleared up nicely. And what a trip!

This book had some of the best one-liners I've read in a long time. Since the book is told from Kate's POV, her dry wit is very, very apparrent. Anyone who's read Ilona's blog will be VERY familiar with the humor, since it is obviously Ilona's own brand. Extremely tongue-in-cheek and cracked my butt up numerous times.

The play between Kate & Curran was downright smokin' this time around. They just kept getting...well, I won't go into detail, but I will say that Kate & Curran 'shippers will be thrilled. :)

As I said at the beginning, the action starts from the first page and doesn't end until the last. There's a lot going on and it gets a smidge confused, but it's a fun confused. A lot of stuff is introduced in this book, specifically a variety of Indian gods and other things. Truthfully, I got really confused with all of this and most of it went over my head, but due to the way it was written, I was okay with that.

Usually when I'm confused by a book, it ends up being a DNF and goes into my donate box, but in the instance of Magic Strikes that didn't happen. 99% of that has to do with Kate. She does something at the end of this book that just blew me away. Self-sacrificing is an understatement (and no, I will not go into any more detail than that). As I said too, more of Kate's history is revealed in this book. We find out why she has to do certain things and we find out why she is the way she is. Let me put it this way, you will NOT believe it, so I won't even try to tell you. You have to read it yourself.

Was the book perfect? No. There were some very strange editing issues w/ some funky word usage that made me have to reread certain passages a couple of times to make sure it made sense. However, there's not that much of it and after going over the areas a second time, it's much clearer.

These books are extremely ambitious for as little pages as they are. 310 pages and there is more action in those pages than some books I've read with 500 or more.

If you're a Kate Daniels fan, I don't think you'd be disappointed. I hadn't reread books 1 & 2, so I was going into this book blind and I was able to follow along fine. I think it's best to have read books 1 & 2, but if you haven't, you could read this one okay.

And Curran? Is now on my DIK list. Whoo-boy!

My Rating: B

Thoughts On Reading

2009-03-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

So far this month I've read 28 books, this is NOT including rereads. I was thinking about this the other day when I was on goodreads trying to figure out my books. I know this probably makes me weird, since I don't know very many people who read like I do. Or who can remember the books after they read them like I can do. I'm used to being different. :)

I've been reading since I could. I don't remember a time in my life when books weren't a part of it. Books my mom read to me, my first books that I read on my own, my first romances, everything. I'm so thankful I have a mom who loves books and passed that love on to me.

I think that's why it's so hard for me to narrow down books to favorites. I have so many for different reasons. To Kill a Mockingbird is the first book I remember reading where I loved the movie just as much as the book. Gregory Peck and his smoldering good looks as Atticus Finch. Le sigh.

The Little House books...though I admit to loving the first ones the best. Something about the scrapes Laura got into as a child, remind me too much of myself. :)

The Anne of Green Gables books. Of course, what made me love them even more were the first two movies done on Public Broadcasting. I mean, come on! Awesome acting and so closely following the books as to be eerie.

The Betsy-Tacy books up to Betsy Gets Married. I think the thing I loved about those books is that they start when Betsy turns five and go up until she gets married. The books grow along with the character, which is a very cool concept. I wonder why more books don't do that.

The Nurse Cherry books. Wrtten in the 50's and very dated, but I loved them anyway. :)

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Trixie Belden. Little Women. These are the books I grew up reading.

I got my first real romances when I was 10, but I was reading adult novels at the age of 8. For my age I was extremely mature and was too old for children's books. I wonder at my poor mom trying to keep me supplied with books and not losing her mind.

Seventrees by Janice Young Brooks is a novel I remember reading when I was around the age of 10. 3 generations of women in one book. Horribly depressing in so many ways and yet beautiful. Cinnamon Wharf is the other one. Oh and Crown Sable. Those "epic" 80's novels that span generations and give you a headache due to the angst, but still wonderful books.

Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson is probably one of my all-time favorite books. Based on the true story of Cynthia Ann Parker who was kidnapped by a Comanche tribe and raised by them. It's her romance with the warrior Wanderer and the absolute beauty of her life as the adopted daughter of one of the heads of the tribe. And what it was like when her true family came for her. Talk about a heartbreakingly beautiful book. Trust me when I say it'll change you. I know it did me.

Rebecca Brandewyne, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux, Johanna Lindsey...these are all authors I LOVED when I was a teen, but now as an adult I just can't read them anymore. Though I have to admit that Rebecca Brandewyne did write one book (brainfarting on title) that I really did enjoy. She was a big fan of the mysoginist hero and the doormat heroine. Ugh!

Years by LaVyrle Spencer...still one of my all-time favorite books. Read it for the first time right after it came out (88?) and have reread it at least once a year ever since. Renee won a copy of it and loved it, so I know the book doesn't suck! Yay!

Jane Austen. Especially Pride and Prejudice, but I love them all. They're all so different and they're romances!!!!!!

It's funny, but all through my teens and even into my early twenties I was totally into the bodice-ripper historical romances where the hero's a jerk and the heroine can't think for herself. I inhaled them like they were chocolate. Now? Yeah, not so much. It's amazing what you can stomach when you're 15 and your hormones are going a million miles an hour. It's a totally different story when you're 32 and know better.

Now, at the ripe ol' age of 32, I've got the types of romances I love...and I'm open to new books too. That's one thing about being a reviewer I like. The fact that I get to read so many different types of books. I've had my eyes opened to new authors I never would've read on my own.

At this point in time, my favorites are good historicals (Julia Quinn, Loretta Chase and Lisa Kleypas) and paranormals. Good grief, if I hadn't let a friend talk me into reading those vampire books by Maggie Shayne, I never would've gotten into paranormals. Well, actually, that's not true. I blame boredom my freshman year in high school to getting me into fantasy which led me into paranormals. Those were the days.

Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey, David Eddings, Andre Norton...the list goes on and on. Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series is still one of my all-time favorite series because of the fact that the books are so different. She introduced me to a gay hero for pity's sake! And I loved him. I mean, who wouldn't love Vanyel Ashkevron? Tell me, please? :)

Now, it's Nalini Singh, Karen Chance, Patricia Briggs, Meljean Brook...the list goes on and on. And each writer is different.

I'm writing my own paranormal romance and I'm trying to remember the things I love about paranormals and yet add my own flavor to them. I'm doing something I've never read before and I hope when I'm done and it's sent off to the publisher that they like it. I know I sure do.

SEALed With A Promise by Mary Margret Daughtridge

2009-03-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Bookish Emmie Caddington fades into the woodwork most of the time. Few men notice her, fewer want her. But Navy SEAL Caleb Dulaude, aka "Do-Lord," is trained to see what others miss--in this case: fey beauty, a killer bod, and quirky charm. He knows she isn't immune to the immediate attraction between them and seducing Emmie can be his ticket into Senator Teague Calhoun's upper-class world.

Caleb was just a trailer-trash kid when he promised to make Calhoun pay for his mother's death someday. Now he's a SEAL, battle hardened, subtle and crafty. He hides his genius IQ behind country-boy charm--and someday is finally here. All he has to do is convince the world (and Emmie) that they are a couple, and he can be a part of the high society Calhoun reigns over. However, Emmie's no fool and knows Caleb has ulterior motives to starting a relationship with her. Emmie has promised herself she'll never again drift into a one-sided relationship. With a makeover to boost her confidence, she insists on commitment.

Hot passion and the increasingly bright hope of a real future together make it easy for Caleb to promise Emmie anything she wants. And as he's drawn deeper into the loving and complicated relationships of a large extended family, it's hard to remember his desire to make Calhoun accountable...But when fate hands Caleb a chance to administer perfect eye-for-an-eye justice, will either be prepared for the cost of keeping their promises?

Hmm...Waaaaaaaayyyyyyy back last year, I read SEALed with a Kiss and really liked it. I thought the characters were interesting and the story was pretty decent. I had some quibbles that unfortunately showed up in this book too, but I'll get to that in a second.

Here's the thing...I actually really liked this book up until a certain moment in time when Emmie does something to Caleb that is just so, well, cruel, that I ended up throwing the book across the room. From that moment on, the author completely lost me. I lost any respect I'd gotten for Emmie and thought Caleb was an idiot for letting her walk all over him. *ahem*

I apologize, I'm ranting. *sigh* I was so bothered by what happened that I kind of Twittered about it. I was disgusted and annoyed that I'd spent all my time rooting for this couple to stay together and then this happened. *headdesk*

I can't stand it. On to the Good & Bad List!

The Good:

For the most part, Caleb. I thought he was an intriguing character and was quite funny (the scene where we find out how he came about his nickname is very funny). I thought the way he handled his unexpected attraction to Emmie was cool. It was different than the standard "I'm attracted, I'll have sex with her and then I'll get away" thing. He made the decision to dig deeper into her and see where things would take them

Emmie: Up until the moment I mentioned above, I was really rooting for her. I thought she was great and though I had some issues with her prickly nature, I could understand it.

Pickett: She's only in the book a few times, but I like her still. And the same with Jax. :)

The Sex: Whoo-boy. The first time? Let's just put it this way...I will never look at mirrors the same way. :D

The Bad:

Obviously there were things that bugged me. I won't go into detail as to what Emmie says or does (unless you email me and ask...), but it was something that was just so unneccessary and contrived that it annoyed me to the point where I just didn't care what happened to them. I finished the book, but I didn't care.

Why Caleb hates Calhoun: Unless you're a complete dunce, you figure out why Caleb has it in for Calhoun quite quickly in the book. I could understand it if Caleb were still a kid, but he's a grown man and this odd obsession just rang false to me. And what he does to prove his point? I lost a ton of respect for his character. *shakes head*

Those are only two bad, but they were enough to take this book from a high grade to a low one. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in a book's ruined potential.

My Rating: D (and an almost DNF)

What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown

2009-03-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Basic Back Blurb-Eleanor is a costume designer in England for the Jane Austen festival, where her room at the inn is haunted. In the middle of the night she encounters two ghost sisters whose brother was killed in a duel over 200 years ago. They persuade her to travel back in time with them to prevent the duel. Eleanor is swept into a country house party, presided over by the charming Lord Shermont, where she encounters and befriends Jane Austen. But there's much more to Lord Shermont than the ghosts knew, and as Eleanor dances and flirts with him, she begins to lose her heart.

I probably should've reviewed this book right after I read it, but it was one of those where I had to think about it for awhile to even decide if I'd liked it. Not that it was a bad book, because it was actually pretty good. I think my issue with it was the time spent back-in-time.

When Eleanor first shows up, she finds out there was an issue with her reservation. Gets put in a room guests usually aren't allowed to stay in, she falls asleep and that's when the ghosts show up.

I'll admit here and now...I'm not a big fan of the ghost helper stories. They drive me nuts. This book was no exception. The ghosts get Eleanor back in time and then disappear. 99% of the time while she's back in time, the story makes no sense. It's all very conveniently done by the ghosts who basically tweak everyones memories to explain why she's there.

I don't know...I think the story would've worked better for me if Jane Austen hadn't been part of the story at all. Eleanor drove me up the wall and I couldn't understand why Lord Shermont liked her so much.

Now, Lord Shermont was yummy. A man with no memory whose life has taken some interesting turns, he was a blast to read about.

There were aspects of the book that were really good, like the history, the intro of Jane Austen and that sort of thing, but I think the story came across a bit contrived. If it had been a standard time-travel, it would have been passable, but because of the fact that Eleanor is a JA fan and keeps trying to come across like a heroine in a JA novel, it just rubbed me wrong.

There's a twist at the end that wasn't really a surprise since it was pretty obvious, even to me. It gives us the HEA romance readers like. It wasn't as bad as a certain historical time-travel novel written by an extremely well-known author (who shall remain nameless, but I have a feeling you all know EXACTLY who I mean), but it wasn't great either.

I think that's the biggest issue I have with time-travel novels. You have basically two choices. You can throw someone back in time, have them fall in love, yank them back forward in time and then try to put together a HEA OR you can throw someone forward in time and do it all over again. I don't know...they just don't work for me.

For lovers of time-travel and Jane Austen this is the book for you. It's got a romance, intrigue, mystery, etc. all thrown into a convenient package. It just didn't work for me unfortunately.

Am I being too harsh? I don't think so. I'm not dissing the author's writing or even the story really. It just didn't work for me. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it either.

My Rating: C

Pemberley Manor by Kathryn L. Nelson

2009-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve been trying to figure out exactly how to review this book. I don’t think I’ve ever been so conflicted over my impression of a book before. Pride and Prejudice is probably my all-time favorite love story, which is pretty ironic since I’d never read the book until last year. I’ve seen the movies (both the A&E version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle and the one w/ Matthew MacFadyen and Keira Knightley). Loved them both and loved the book as well.

So why am I so conflicted? Well, it’s because I do love the story of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett so much. When P&P ends, so does the story. Well, it doesn’t but I knew in my heart that they would go on to have a wonderful loving relationship.

In this book, not so much. The book starts on the day of the wedding. It shows how happy Mr. Darcy & Lizzy are to finally be married. Then, everything changes and not for the better. Honestly, while reading this book, I felt like I was in the middle of a gothic novel. Everything fell apart on the wedding night and it took the rest of the book to get everything resolved.

It’s not to say that this book is bad. On the contrary, it was actually a really good book. It just might have been better if it had NOT been the “sequel” to Pride & Prejudice. It felt like the author had taken the humor and passion from P&P and the gothic feel of Northanger Abbey and tossed them together.

This book had a LOT of angst. A LOT! Every time you felt things had finally gotten resolved, something new was thrown into the fray and the insanity started all over again. I have to say this book was one of the most exhausting books to read due to the up-and-down emotions throughout the ENTIRE story. It got to the point where I was just…tired!

I think I can sum this book up better doing my standard good & bad list, so here you go.

The Good:

Lizzy. Lizzy was written so well. Kept true to the character created in P&P, but new quirks have been thrown in, giving her more depth. The fact that she was able to put up with the nonsense Darcy put her through and the fact that she had the ability to laugh in the face of such adversity makes her outstanding in my book.

Georgiana-In P&P we don’t get to know Georgiana all that much. She likes music and adores her older brother. Okay, but what else? In this book, her character is delved into and she becomes something that actually really impressed me. She’s strong when others are weak and she grows up a LOT in this book.

Charles & Jane-Written just as you’d expect them to be.

The Secondary Characters (for the most part)-They all play a major part in the story. Some were just plain annoying, but they were needed for the way the story was written.

The Setting: It’s PEMBERLEY! ‘Nuff said.

The Bad:

Darcy-I never thought I’d see the day where I would hate Mr. Darcy, but I’ve got to tell you…I HATED him in this book! Whiny and disturbed. He was either crying or having a temper tantrum. It got to the point where I just wanted to slap him upside the head and yell “Get over it already!” His personality kept changing as well. One minute he was so in love and happy and the next he was a freaked out lunatic raving about town. It was like he had multiple-personality disorder or a very serious case of manic depression. I loved Darcy in P&P, but he drove me completely up the wall in this book.

Caroline Bingley-*icky shiver* Oh my goodness! Okay, so I hated her in P&P, but I also kind of understood her. She loved Darcy and wanted him for herself. That a woman of lower social standing “won” him royally screwed with her head and basically, in this book, she lost her mind. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a more psychotic character than her. And how her story was resolved? It totally did NOT fit with how the character had been established in either P&P or in this book.

The “Drama”: The drama that ensues in this book is completely and totally insane. Every time I turned around, the insanity just kept going. There seemed to be no quiet time. It was a constant barrage of bad things over and over and over and over again. Just as I thought things were resolved, BAM another drama hit. It was exhausting. I know, I used that word before, but it totally fits.

And so, by this point, you probably think that I hated this book, which is not the case. That’s why I said I was so conflicted. I think if this book had just been about any old couple, it would’ve been phenomenal. Angsty, yes, but phenomenal. But, because it was written about one of my all-time favorite couples, it’s harder to like it.

A conundrum, I tell you! Argh! But, it was well-written (even though it was an unedited edition, the typos were minimal and the writing was very clean) and you could tell that the writer was really enjoying herself.

My final grade: A B+ for the idea and overall story, a D for Mr. Darcy (poor Mr. Darcy) and a C- for the romance, which tallies up to a C for the book. I think if Mr. Darcy had been written a little more like he had in P&P, this book would’ve been a lot better. Instead, his inability to control his emotions and the lack of communication between him & Lizzy almost ruined this story completely.

Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre

2009-03-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

Right now, I’m a redhead. I’ve been blonde and brunette as the situation requires, though an unscheduled color change usually means relocating in the middle of the night. So far, I’m doing well here. Nobody knows what I’m running from. And I’d like to keep it that way…

Eighteen months ago, Corine Solomon crossed the border to Mexico City, fleeing her past, her lover, and her “gift”. Corine, a handler, can touch something and know its history—and sometimes, its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—and that’s why people never stop trying to find her. People like her ex, Chance…

Chance, whose uncanny luck has led him to her doorstep, needs her help. Someone dear to them both has gone missing in Laredo, Texas, and the only hope of finding her is through Corine’s gift. But their search may prove dangerous as the trail leads them into a strange dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…

I was lucky enough to be on Twitter when Ann asked if anyone was interested in receiving an ARC of Blue Diablo, the first book in her new series. I said yes and the rest, as they say, is history. :)

I received my ARC on Monday, immediately inhaled it, thought it over and was able to chat w/ Ann on Facebook about the book.

Let me see if I can give you a basic rundown of the story. It's pretty insane, so I'll do my best. Corine (Core-een) is a handler. She can touch something and see it's past and sometimes its future. Since this gift is not something she was born with, there are...not so pleasant side effects (won't tell you). 18 months ago, she ran away from her lover and partner. She wanted a chance at a "normal" life and ended up in Mexico where she runs a small shop that caters to the lost and forgotten items (i.e. antiques).

When Chance (the ex) shows up on her doorstep unexpectedly, Corine is...not necessarily surprised. When she left she'd had enough of him not committing himself more to their relationship. She'd always expected him to find her and is surprised it took him so long. She finds out his mother is missing and that's when everything goes haywire.

My Thoughts:

Huh...well, to be honest, I really enjoyed this book. When Ann & I were talking, she said she'd tried to make Corine as "normal" as possible. She's definitely an atypical UF heroine. The story is told from her POV, so we get a lot of her mental thoughts, but what I like about her is that she's not some sort of crazy, super-powered, super woman who can kick butt while keeping her nails pretty. Corine is, other than her special gift, very normal. She has a hard time even shooting a gun (great scene, by the way).

When Chance shows up, she's conflicted. She still loves him, but hates him for all of the things he put her through before she walked away. There's a truly heartbreaking scene between them (which I won't go into too much detail about) that showed just how they felt/feel about each other. And what I like is that the conflict she feels about the relationship ISN'T resolved with a nifty "He's my mate or destiny or whatever. Because the gods decreed it we MUST be together" nonsense you hear so much about.

Instead she tries to be mature about it and won't let him lead her around by the nose. Ann introduces other men who might be a potential love interest for Corine and makes these characters so compelling that you wonder just which one she'll choose. But it's not an obvious love-triangle, which I appreciate as well. There's potential for all of them.

The writing is fast-paced, funny, self-depricating, intense and just plain fun to read. I read the book so fast I'm amazed I remember any of it! LOL!

Overall Impression:

Again, I really liked it. I thought it was fun and interesting. She added some definite unexpected twists. Changed the future for a couple of people and really added some nice flavor to an otherwise "normal" UF formula.

I liked Corine, so it was easy to fall right into the book. Her humor is very evident from the beginning and the way she handles things when things start to get rough is a lot of fun to read about.

The secondary characters are well-written and fascinating and I can't wait to see what happens to them in the future books.

Since I don't drink, I found it interesting to find out that the names of the books are different cocktails. The next couple of books have awesome titles! Ann is so lucky.

All-in-all, you can't beat the book. If you enjoy fast-paced, action-packed UF w/ romantic undertones, then this is the book for you. I hope I get to read book 2 when it comes out!

Rating: B+

The Winner!!!!

2009-03-26T01:30:00.000-07:00

Blanche!

Anyhoodles, email your addie to me at good . bad . books @ gmail. Obviously no spaces. I'll forward your info off to the publisher and she'll get the book off to you. I hope you like it and blog about it. :) I loved it, but I'm a sucker for that kind of thing. :)

Thanks again, Sharon, for stopping by and answering my questions. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule. :)

Sharon Lathan!

2009-03-25T20:41:00.001-07:00

Remember, you have until Midnight PST tonight to enter to win a copy of Sharon's book! You won't be sorry, unless you don't sign up. Bwa-ha-ha!

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

2009-03-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Man, talk about a lucky week! I got Blue Diablo in the mail on Monday (read it and it was awesome...will review tomorrow) and late last night I got an email from B&N telling me my copy of Smooth Talking Stranger was in...A FULL WEEK EARLY! Eek!

What can I say about this book other than, can Lisa NOT write an awesome book? Seriously, even when she first started and her books were still meh, they were still better than 90% of the books out there. :)

STS is told from the first-person perspective of Ella Varner. I have to admit, when she was first introduced I truly didn't think I was going to like her. She was a bit too judgmental and had her mind set that she was right from the very beginning. Thankfully she's willing to admit she's wrong and move on.

STS starts out when Ella gets a call from her mother. Her younger sister Tara had had a child and had dropped it off at her mother's house without any warning. Ella is shocked by this, but comes to the baby's rescue. It's when she calls her cousin to try to find Tara that she's told there's a good chance Jack Travis is the baby's father.

Of course, Ella being Ella, she goes off on a tear and "threatens" him if he doesn't take a DNA test. I have to admire the way Jack is written. Instead of flying off the handle, he tells her that he's not the father, but agrees to take the test to prove it anyway.

Things happen and Ella finds herself living at 1800 Main, the Condo Building that played such a big part in BED. And this is when I start liking her. She's independent, but she's willing to accept help when it becomes obvious that she really, really needs it.

Where the romance between Haven and Hardy in BED was intenses almost from the get-go (Oh, who am I kidding? It was smoking hot from the very beginning. Those of you who've read BED will know what I mean), STS starts out on a low simmer.

Ella has one major conflict, which causes her to be very stressed by the obvious attraction she feels for Jack. She doesn't want to betray her promises. But Jack is very, very tempting. Mmmm.... :)

When things finally do boil to a head and they finally get it on? Let me put it this way...I so wouldn't kick Jack Travis out of my bed. Boyhowdy! :D

My Overall Impression:

Ms. Kleypas wins again! Sheesh! Out of all of the contemps she's written so far Blue-Eyed Devil is still my favorite, but STS is following close behind. I think if I'd been able to warm up to Ella immediately instead of not being too sure of her like I was, that I would have enjoyed this book more. Ella is a cool customer. She doesn't take crap from anyone...and that was a bit of a detriment to the beginning of the book.

However, Jack was an awesome hero. There's something about those big, brawny, sexy Travis men that just makes a woman want to melt...and find one of her own.

I did have some trouble figuring out why Jack loved her (at the beginning), but found that it all figured itself out in the end. I'm curious to see what transpires with Joe, though I have a feeling it'll be VERY interesting. :) I wonder if I'm right? :)

All in all, an excellent book. I'll be very surprised if others don't fall in love with Jack. I'd love to know your impression of Ella. See if I'm the only one who took awhile warming up to her.

Grade: A- Would've been higher if I'd loved Ella from the beginning.

PS. The very last two sentences of the book had me crying. I am such a lighthearted idiot sometimes. *sigh*

Thoughts, Ponderings and Other Things

2009-03-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

Dun-dun-dun. LOL! Okay, it's always scary when I get into my pondering mood because I never have any idea what I'm going to talk about. Read on at your own risk. :)

Today I was beyond lazy (i.e. I did NOTHING!). Got up, ate, read a review book, reread Angels' Blood, twittered like mad on my BlackBerry and basically did...nothing. And it felt wonderful.

At the end of AB there is a lovely snippet for Mercy's book. What is it about Nalini's writing where she can initiate an immediate, visceral reaction from me every. Single. Time? I don't get it. But I gotta tell you? That scene between Mercy and Riley? *fans self* It's one of the hottest scenes I've read in a long time.

I know I've talked before about the level of sensuality I like. I'm a big believer in smokin' hot sex, but (and it's a big but) it also depends on the story. If an author has spent time building up a smokin' attraction and then gives us a blip instead of a bang, that's a cheat. If the author is writing a sweet romance and the sex is either off the page or isn't very detailed, I'm okay with that.

There's nothing that bugs me more than when an author cheats their reader. Something that is usually the ulitmate pay off is either tawdry or stupid really, really pushes my buttons. I know that in my writing my hero and heroine have hot chemistry from the get-go, but they also don't jump into bed right away (no matter how much the hero wishes otherwise). However, when they do finally make love, it'll be detailed and steamy and sexy and all the good things wrapped up in a pretty little bow because that is what I want and like in my novels.

I read romances specifcially for the chance to watch others fall in love. Since I myself have never been in love (how sad) I like knowing that others do, even if it is in a book. That being said, I really despise gratuitous sex scenes that are just thrown in to titillate; not to actually have any meaning. I think that's one reason why erotic romance has such a hard time making it into the mainstream. Oh, they're doing well, but I think if the writers focuses more on the building romance and less on the sex itself, there'd be more readers.

Which sounds hypocritical. What is erotic romance other than a romance novel with a lot of sex in it? But you know what? I've read some truly amazing erotic romances in my day. Katie Allen, Kate Steele, just to name a few. I haven't read every book they've written, but they've written books that touched me. Breaking the Silence is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I admit, I didn't care for Raw Footage as much as I'd hoped, but it was still a decent book.

It's when you get stuck with the ones where the author focuses just on the sex and the characters are there because the author needs a penis and a vagina to make the book work. A. It's a waste of MY money and B. It's a waste of my time.

I've been reading romance novels for as long as I can remember. Sure I got into "real" romances when I was 10, but what is the Little House series if not a romance (hello, Almonzo!) or the Betsy/Tacy books when Betsy marries Joe? Or Anne of Green Gables and her love for Gilbert Blythe? All of these books may have been written for children, but as the characters grow, they mature and fall in love. It's the nature of things.

As for writing about love, I may not have ever been in it, but I've witnessed it. My parents have a strong, lovely relationship that I've been surrounded by all my life. Since I KNOW it exists, it's hard for me to settle for anything less (which is why I'm still single at 32). I take my knowledge of my parents, my personal observations and years of reading and use them towards my own writing. It's not easy, especially since I haven't experienced it myself, but I'm an observer of people and it's not that difficult to understand why someone would fall in love with another person.

What seriously bugs me is the romance novel where there's never any good reason for the H/H to actually get together and fall in love. The author tells us they're in love, but never shows us. If I can stress anything to an author, it's that. Make sure you SHOW us why your characters fall in love. Don't TELL us. Give us a reason to want them to get together. Nothing worse than building it up only to throw it away.

And that's about all the rambling, ranting, whatever I've got tonight. *sigh*

Sharon is still here! Go ahead and comment if you're interested in getting her book! Cheers!

Welcome Sharon Lathan!!!

2009-03-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

I reviewed her book Mr. & Mrs. Darcy: Two Shall Become One a week or so ago and really, really liked it. I emailed her, told her how much I loved it and asked her if I could interview her. Her answer? A resounding yes! So, without further ado, my interview w/ Sharon.

1. I know you've answered this on your blog and site, but I'd really like to delve more into why you decided to focus so much on the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice. I love that version myself, but why that one? Why not any of the others or even the book?

You ask me on down the page if I am a visual person. The answer is yes. I am also an emotive person. Passionate and full of life. I love the art of cinema. I adore reading, obviously, but as I read I automatically create the scene in my head. The film rolls as I read with as much vivid detail as the writer conveys. I enjoy all types of movies, but those special ones that transport me in some way, that capture my heart, that lift my soul, that make me feel something amazing are the ones that stick with me. I watch them over and over, just as I will read a favorite book over and over, with the effect not diminishing but instead growing.

Joe Wright’s masterpiece struck me in that way. I can’t completely explain it and I know some folks disagree, but I would be lying if I claimed otherwise. The 1995 miniseries was lacking, to me. Doesn’t mean I hated it, doesn’t mean I ignored the novel, and it doesn’t mean I disdain Jane Austen’s brilliance. But it was the movie adaptation that birthed this gift for writing that I know has been lurking within all my life. Should I just ignore that? Should I have turned away and never given my artistic vision to the huge number of my fans just because some people hated the movie?

You are correct that I have answered this question hundreds of times, but I do not mind clarifying. Of course, I know that there is the camp who will never agree with me as I will never comprehend their negativity. I just do not see it as a ‘one or the other’ proposition. I can’t wrap my head around why changing the proposal from the afternoon to sunrise is a heinous breach of sacred ground. If such slavish devotion to literary works were the law declared from on high, then we would have no stage plays and less than half the movies ever made. Thank God there are Joe Wrights, and even Andrew Davieses (Is wet shirt Mr. Darcy in the novel?), who are unafraid to face the ridicule for their art.

2. When you started writing, I know it was on a fan site. How did you even find the site to get started? I'd love to do fan fiction for a lot of different things but wouldn't even know where to get started.

A simple Google search! For quite a few years I was part of an interactive forum called The One Ring that was for discussions regarding JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings.” It was marvelous fun, but also opened my eyes to the fun world of internet chatrooms.

Immediately after seeing P&P I just wanted to talk to people about it! I wasn’t looking for Jane Austen fan fiction (JAFF) as I did not know that existed. I typed in ‘Pride & Prejudice movie’ and the only website I found that was specifically created as a fan site for the new movie was the now defunct Longbourn Loungers. For well over a month I merely shared my feelings about the movie with other fans while also delving into the world of Jane Austen. I completely ignored the fan fiction pages as that was not primarily my interest at the time. I knew based on comments made on LL as well as other sites (like The Derbyshire Writer’s Guild at Pemberley.com) that most JAFF was of the What if? or modern or behind-the-scenes variety, and that held no appeal for me. I was already spinning sequel visions in my head as I have done all my life, but with the typical happily-ever-after tone that did not seem to mesh with the prevalent need to rehash the trauma of the book. Eventually I did start reading the stories on LL and other websites, becoming addicted to how folks approached and altered the P&P basics, but never finding what was in my head. The rest is history, as they say.

3. It's pretty obvious throughout the book that you personally have a strong faith in God. What made you decide to focus on some of the religious aspects, especially in regards to Mr. Darcy?

In one respect it came naturally out of my faith and convictions. I desired a content life for Darcy and Lizzy; a marriage of bliss, passion, understanding, and so on – attributes and goals that I personally believe are attainable within marriage. A marriage can have those things apart from the couple being Christian, but I know that marriage was initiated by God and thus if the Bible says it is possible then I believe it!

Nevertheless, I did not set out to write a ‘Christian novel’ and I do not think it fits that category. My decision to write Darcy as a man with a strong faith was more logical than out of a desire to preach. Religion, as helmed by The Church of England, was a serious part of life in the past. The movements of men like the Wesley Brothers, the convictions of men like William Wilberforce, and the influence of the Church on government are all a part of history that cannot be denied. Why not have the Darcy family be serious about religion and supporters of the Church? It was far more the norm than not and you see those moral believes all through Miss Austen’s books, her own faith and upbringing an influence on her writing.

4. Outside of writing, what are some of your hobbies?

I don’t have too much time for hobbies these days! Even my reading has drastically declined. I still do manage to read for pleasure, goof off on Facebook and a couple other websites I enjoy, catch the occasional movie with my family, and keep up on my favorite TV shows. The DVR is on overdrive these days and I am WAY behind! My husband and I have to spend our alone times together – that is essential even after 23 years of marriage. My daughter is one of my best friends so we have our “girl’s days” when lunch and catching a sappy chick flick is the norm. And as a family we love to take our trailer out for our form of camping. Not too exciting, but it keeps me balanced.

5. Favorite authors?

So many! JRR Tolkien, Raymond Feist, David Eddings, JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Robert Ludlum, Stephen King, Anne McCaffrey, Terry Brooks, Terry Pratchett, Terry Goodkind, CS Lewis, John Jakes, Orson Scott Card, James Michener, Diana Gabaldon, Philippa Gregory, Barbara Hambly. See a pattern here? Mostly fantasy/sci-fi and historical fiction with few romance novels! I am learning to appreciate the pure romance genre with my Casablanca sister authors getting me initiated.

6. Favorite food?

Can I just say all? We live in the Central Valley of California where Mexican food is the BEST! Sushi, Indian cuisine, good old-fashioned steak and baked potato (Angus beef country), chocolate anything, espressos (homemade by my DH), Chinese, and the list goes on……

7. Favorite vacation spot?

I love the mountains. I grew up in the Las Padres forest and although I never want to live in snow again – EVER – I do love the fresh air and beauty of rugged terrains. Our best family vacations were to Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

8. If you knew you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do and why?

Spend at least half that time talking to all my dearest friends and family. I would tell them how much they have meant to me and take the opportunity to share the Gospel one last time with great authority. Then I would quietly hang with my husband and two kids, comforting them because to me it will only be a second of glory staring at my Lord before they are right beside me once again.

9. If you had a million dollars and had 24 hours to spend it (and you had to spend it all), what would you do? Why?

Set up massive trust funds for my kids and husband, give a major chunk to my church, buy that spread in Montana that my husband dreams of and I refuse to even consider (see above comment re: snow), buy the Queen Anne that I want somewhere warm for when the Montana snow is killing me, give portions to my extended family, probably new cars all around with my dream Porsche Carrera topping the list, book several trips and cruises with an extended survey of England a priority, gather up all the incredible friends I have made via my writing for a long girlie bash somewhere tropical, buy a mega-plush fifth-wheel to travel around the country in leisure, and if that doesn’t deplete it I would donate the remainder to charity.

10. What is your writing style like? Are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you find yourself having conversations with your characters in your head? :)

Totally a panster, although I just learned the meaning of that word in recent months. From the beginning I was taking it one day at a time, literally, traveling with the Darcys through life and allowing my instinct and research to guide me. When I do have an ultimate plan or result in mind (and I frequently do) I keep it loose, letting inspiration lead me along to how I want it to end. I mostly write very chronologically, although that has altered somewhat now that I am no longer writing web-based chapters.

The characters never talk TO me, but they do talk amongst themselves in my head! Whole conversations and scenes have played out in my dreams or while I am doing something mundane like vacuuming.

11. One of the things I really liked about the book was the "visual" aspect to it. Do you find yourself to be a visual person? Or are you a verbal or tactile kind of person?

As I said above, I am very visual. Even in my nursing career I learn and remember if I can get my hands on it and do it. I love reading a novel where the descriptions are clear. I want to know what they are seeing, what the air feels like, what smells there are, etc. Anything that adds to the impression of the scene. Of course, one can get carried away with detailed descriptiveness, so I have to rein it in at times. But I very much wanted the reader to experience what Lizzy and Darcy are experiencing, and to fully do that one has to ‘see’ the surroundings as clearly as possible.

12. What can we look forward to in the next book?

“Loving Mr. Darcy ~ Journeys Beyond Pemberley” begins immediately where “Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy” ends. Journeys and history are the theme as first the Darcys travel to Hertfordshire with the Bennets and Bingleys interacting. The Season in London is the next stop with additional characters being introduced, both familiar from Austen’s novel and uniquely my own creation. Then it is back to Pemberley for several summertime events. Lastly the Darcys embark on a solitary vacation through the Midlands of Derbyshire, coming full circle for a return to their estate.

13. How many books are you planning on when it comes to this series?

Hey, I’m a panster remember? I have no plans! LOL! I can tell you what I have so far. In January of 2010 “The Darcys at Year’s End” will be released, culminating as the name implies with the completion of one year of marital bliss – and a new addition to the family. The material I have already written, plus what is in my head waiting to emerge, will make for 2 more books after the third. Additionally I have completed over half of a companion novel that focuses on the adventures and romances of Georgiana Darcy set against the backdrop of post-Napoleonic France. Further thoughts yet to be written but enthusiastically endorsed by my publisher are two novels, one centering on Kitty Bennet and another on a character who is introduced in “Loving Mr. Darcy.” Time and book sales will tell!

14. Who is/are your favorite actor(s)?

I am a huge fan of Matthew Macfadyen as a result of seeing him in P&P. He is a remarkable actor who sadly prefers to stay across the pond! Kevin Spacey, Mel Gibson, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Johnny Depp, Gerard Butler, Anthony Hopkins, Viggo Mortensen, and just about a hundred others.

15. Actresses?

Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, Anne Hathaway, Amy Adams, Keira Knightley….I just can’t think! Too many names!

16. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go & why?

There are so many places, but first on the agenda would be England. I have to see all the places I have written about and make sure I got it right!

17. I know you work as a neonatal nurse. What is your favorite part of your job?

The babies, without a doubt. I love working with kids. My first job as an RN was in pediatrics, but when I transferred ‘temporarily’ into the NICU I never looked back. It is incredibly rewarding and challenging. Next I love the high adrenaline of the ICU setting. I am one of those people who flourish under pressure, love being a decision maker, and have the gift of rapid response.

18. If you could meet anyone famous, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

JRR Tolkien. I have no idea what I would say other than to thank him for the amazing world he created that has brought me decades of pleasure. And I would like to meet Jane Austen to clear up the who-is-the-best Darcy debate once and for all!

19. What are your thoughts when it comes to fans? Do you prefer to keep some distance between them and you or do you find yourself being pretty open? I'm asking because I'm curious. :)

I love my fans! The best part of this whole writing experience has been the incredible people I have ‘met,’ many of whom are now dear friends that I know I shall have for life. I never tire of hearing how my story has pleased someone. That is partially why I write, to bring entertainment and some degree of joy to others. Connecting with folks from all over the world is phenomenal.

But of course that openness can come with a price. I have been hurt and disappointed a few times due to my expectations of returned sentiments. Luckily that has been rare and I do hope I never have to change my approach to fans.

20. What is your advice to aspiring writers? What is one thing you learned that you wish you could've done differently?

I sincerely do not think I would do anything differently. I have made a few errors in judgment that were not pleasant, but the learning experience is worth it in the end. My biggest advice is to stay true to yourself. Know your vision and do not let anyone tell you it must be otherwise. Honest, well meaning critique and assistance is valuable and not what I am referring to. But it is your heart on the line, your dream, your talent. Too many people resent that and will do their best to break you. Stay focused and be tenacious. This business is very tough, but the rewards are priceless.

These two aren't questions, but I ask them of every author I interview. I'm a member of the DIK Island and we had to choose the six books and six heroes of books we couldn't survive on a Desert Island without. Guess who one of mine is? Since you wrote about him, I don't have to say anything else. LOL!

Gee, who? Yeah, I would take him along too, as long as he looked like Matthew Macfadyen and not that other British guy.  Can I play? Mr. Darcy is just for fun; for survival I would add Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, Edward from the Twilight books, Belgarath the Sorcerer from David Eddings’ Belgariad and Mallorean series, and my own Dr. Darcy for medical expertise and comic relief.

Thanks so much, Bridget, for this opportunity to share of myself and talk about my series! It has been great. Remember to pop over to my wonderful website at http://www.darcysaga.net/ for load of fun, education, and information on the Darcy Saga.

Sharon's publisher is putting up one copy of the book for grabs. Just comment & I will choose a winner on Weds. Go forth & comment!!!!

PS. Thank you, Sharon! And to clarify, I can only send the book to anyone in the US or Canada. I'm sorry!!!! :(

Ohhhh!

2009-03-20T00:14:00.001-07:00

Seriously, the woman can't go wrong. And two Psy/Changeling books this year? I'm in love. :D

So Far

2009-03-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

First off, I have a feeling this blog entry is going to be very random. I have a lot on my mind and just want to talk about stuff. What stuff? Whatever pops into my head. :~)

I was over on goodreads a second ago and realized I've read 23 new books so far for the month of March. At one point I was keeping track of rereads too, but that got to be too time consuming. I'm truly amazed at how many books I can read in a month. This has been truly eye-opening to me as a reader. I've always known I read fast, but had no idea just how many books I consume on a regular basis. Keeping track has allowed me to have a better view of this.

I signed up and did DABWAHA. I didn't do it last year because it didn't make any sense to me, but I was envious of the fun my friends were having. When Dear Author and Smart Bitches announced they were doing it again this year, I had to give it a shot. I suck, but I'm having fun. :) And it's a lot easier than I thought it was. :) And I keep moving up the roster. I was at 200-something, moved to 170-something and now I'm tied at 29th place. Kid you not, five minutes ago I was 58th. LOL! Whoo-hoo! It's extremely addicting. :)

My brain is really fried. I need a vacation ASAP. I get one at the end of next month. Here's hoping I can last that long. *sigh* Got off work a little early & went to Starbucks to write. Yeah, not going to happen. Ended up eavesdropping on fascinating story between the two girls behind me. Something to do with a night of sex and a blow-up doll? Yeah, I was thinking this is better than fiction! LOL!

Got to chat with Renee! I love the gmail chat feature. We've challenged each other. I can't wait! :)

Let's see, what else? Not much actually. That's so weird, because when I first started I had my head full of crap. I guess it's because it was crap and not worth talking about. LOL!

And The Winners Are!

2009-03-18T23:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm a smidge early, but I'm tired and need to go to bed. So, without further ado, the two "winners" of Katie Allen's books. And remember, these are e-books, so if your system is not compatible, let me know.

Eva-Breaking the Silence

Tracy-Raw Footage

Please email me @ good . bad . books @ gmail . com (no spaces, obviously). Thanks to all of you who commented and especially huge thanks to Katie for being so gracious and fun to interview!

2 Hours & Counting

2009-03-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

It's almost time to name the "winners" of the Katie Allen books. I doubt I'll get anymore views, but just wanted to let y'all know. :)

Hey, All!

2009-03-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

You have until midnight PST tonight to comment on Katie's entry. Just remember she's giving away TWO books! *happy dance* Thank you to all of you who've commented. :)

Hunted by PC & Kristin Cast

2009-03-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

Back Blurb-What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you? At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?

Whoo-boy. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a big PC Cast fan-girl. I love her books. There's something about her writing that just calls to me. I can't even begin to describe why. I remember when I found out that she & her daughter were going to be writing a YA series together. My first thought? Cool! My second? Aw, but it's vampires. Yeah, what did I know.

All along, we've had to follow Zoey and her...well, her choices. The girl's life has never been easy and it got even harder when she was Marked as a vampire and had to leave her "human" life behind. And now that we're into book 5, her life just gets more and more complicated.

For those of you who've read the House of Night series, I'll just say this...Hunted was probably the most spiritual of all of them. Not religious...spiritual. Zoey's struggles to deal with her powers, her friends, her world AND dealing with the evil that was unleashed at the end of Untamed really leads up to a crisis, not only of spirit, but also of her very reality.

And I think, for me, that's why this series is so amazing. It's not perfect, but the pure emotions that are behind all that Zoey does are what make this series such a winner for me. Out of all the books, Hunted is definitely the darkest one yet. Evil has manifested itself into an actual human guise and since Zoey and her friends are the only ones who can sense it, it is their responsibility to break the others free from this evil being.

Zoey has truly grown from the young, confused child that started out the series into a strong woman. It's amazing to me that such a short amount of time has passed since the beginning of the series. A lot has happened to her, in more ways than one.

The ramifications from her actions in the previous books are super strong in this book. She's not perfect. Which is why I like her. She's funny and sarcastic, but she also has a strong sense of right and wrong. Her powers are immense, but she still makes mistakes.

As I said earlier, this book is definitely the most spiritual yet. A combination of a lot of different elements. It's a book that definitely showcases the battle between good and evil. And all the shades of gray in the middle.

Was it perfect? No. The end was a bit abrupt and it seemed like it could have been, well, more, but all in all I really really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see what they cook up next.

My Rating: A-

Interview With Katie Allen...And Books To Give Away!!!!

2009-03-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Back in January I had the pleasure of reading Breaking the Silence by Katie Allen. After reviewing it for the blog, I've reread it a couple of times, finding new things about it that I love. The other night I decided to write Katie and tell her how much I enjoyed reading her book. After a few emails back and forth, I asked her if I could interview her and do a book give away on this here blog and she agreed!

So...here are the questions and answers. I've always believed in pimping authors and books I believe in and this time is no exception. :) Enjoy!

My Interview w/ Katie Allen...

Question 1: How did you come up with the idea for Breaking the Silence. I know, authors hate that question, but I'd really like to know. :)

Answer: I don’t mind this question at all! In fact, I love talking about the ideas that spark my book plots. This was a combination of two things, really. After I moved to Colorado, I found a great path for long dog walks. I’ve always made up stories in my head when I exercise (unless the exercise is something like Krav Maga or gymnastics, where I have to concentrate so I don’t get punched in the head (former) or fall on my head (latter)), so I started creating a whole tale about the owner of this gorgeous house that backed up to the path. In my imagination, he was beautiful but isolated and shy, and the idea for Will was born.

I then promptly forgot this story idea until a few years later, when I read one of those “What kind of relationship do you have?” articles (I don’t remember where—probably in a three-year-old Elle while waiting in the dentist’s waiting room). The article proposed that how a couple sleeps together (literally sleeps—get your minds out of the gutter, folks! ) says a lot about the relationship. Spooning means one thing, back-to-back means another, etc. The article went on to say that couples that sleep facing each other, wrapped in each other’s arms, are probably too attached. Their relationship is intense to the point of being unhealthy.

This article made me wonder—can two people love each other too much? Is it wrong that I find the idea of these two sleeping people, intertwined with their faces just inches apart, kind of romantic? There’s an intensity about love that borders on obsession that I find sexy (I know—I’m a freak). The idea of this overwhelming love merged with that image of the reclusive house owner on the dog-walk path, and the idea for Breaking the Silence was born.

Oops, I kind of rambled on there—sorry. Do you regret asking that question yet?

Question 2: Did you model Will after anyone in particular or did he just pop up in your head fully formed? LOVED him, by the way.

Answer: Thank you! I have to admit that, of all my heroes, I love Will the best (although Ky from One-Two Punch is a close second). I started Breaking the Silence with an idea of a gorgeous, hermit-like house owner, but Will pretty much just introduced himself to me in my head all put together. I am still startled by the way my characters direct my writing—I don’t feel like I have very much control, which is very annoying since it is coming from my brain, so I should be able to order all my imaginary characters around. When I write, the story just kind of dumps itself out of me onto the laptop screen, and I’m just the typist.

Question 3: *SPOILER FOR BREAKING THE SILENCE!!!!!!* And this is a spoiler so I'll warn the readers. What made you decide to have Evan attempt to rape Jenny and then kill him off (nice twist to the usual)? This is a hot button for a lot of readers and I'd love to know how you approached it.

Answer: I don’t plot, but I usually have a vague idea of how everything will play out. This scene wasn’t part of my initial idea for the story. I was more focused on Will’s journey, finding love and building connections with people for the first time in his life. The story got a little stuck, though. I didn’t want it to be one-sided, with Jenny giving and giving selflessly, because that imbalance tends to stunt a relationship. Jenny’s recovery lets Will be the nurturer for once. After I came up with the idea for the attempted-rape scene, the rest of the book flowed from there. When I wrote that scene, I cried really hard (like bawled), and I felt so guilty, as if I had done something horrible to Jenny.

Question 4: When did you start writing? When did you start writing to get published?

Answer: I was a Creative Writing major in college, and I’d always assumed I would be a published author some day. Then a decade passed by, during which I never really wrote anything. About three years ago, I had this wild revelation that, if I wanted to be published, I actually had to write something. Yes, this does seem rather obvious, but it took me a while to grasp this simple fact. I’d been reading books published by Ellora’s Cave for six months or so before this, and submitting via e-mail seemed a lot less intimidating than print (again, I know that makes no sense, but there it is), so I wrote my first book specifically for EC. That was Seeing Blind, which just came out in paperback, by the way (I’m on Amazon. For some reason, that just blows my mind).

Question 5: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Answer: Ooh, lots of stuff! I do gymnastics (yes, I’m the oldest student Coach Dave has) and Krav Maga (a form of self-defense training). I own a sweetheart of an Appaloosa named Mr. Toby Polkadots, and I mainly do dressage (although I’m planning to teach Tobes to jump). I also like to (big breath) dance, travel, scuba dive, surf, read, shoot (just at paper), watch immature movies and walk the dog past the neighborhood fire station when they’re washing the truck. For my day job, I’m a mechanical engineer (I design heating/cooling and plumbing systems for buildings), although I’m soon going to give writing full-time a shot, which is both exciting and completely terrifying.

Question 6: I loved Christian. I thought he was a well-written gay character. Do you have a story in mind for him (say yes!)?

Answer: Thank you! Actually, not only do I have a story in mind, but I have it partially written. It was intended to be a short story, but I super-suck at anything less than 50,000 words, so I gave up on the whole “short” part of that “short story” idea. If you hadn’t guessed, I’m a babbler. As soon as I finish Hammer’s (from One-Two Punch) book, I’ll pick Christian’s up again. I’m excited about it—he gets his very own hot, sexy cop.

Question 7: What's your favorite color?

Answer: Green

Question 8: Food?

Answer: In the summer, it’s ice cream, and in the winter, it’s cookies. Warm, melty, chocolate-chip cookies…mmm…

Question 9: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Answer: I want to go everywhere! A year and a half ago, I decided that I needed to quit talking about traveling and just do it. I plan to go somewhere new every year. Um, I totally didn’t answer your question, did I? I think I would go to New Zealand, since that is next on my travel list.

Question 10: If you had a million dollars and only had 24 hours to spend it, what would you do?

Answer: Right now, I would invest it (that’s totally a boring, MBA-ish answer, isn’t it?). Can I give it a chunk of it away to family members (some of the sisters are having a tough time—like so many people are right now) or does it need to be on something for me? If it has to be the latter, I’d buy a big, beautiful piece of land. Someday, I’d like to build an off-the-grid home. And own a cow.

Question 11: Who are you favorite authors?

Answer: I love Jordan Castillo Price, Kelley Armstrong, Ellen Emerson White, James Buchanan, Jacob (of http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/ fame).

Question 12: Who is your favorite actor?

Answer: The entire cast of Friday Night Lights.

And since I'm a member of the DIK island, I can't not ask you these two questions. Please list your 6 favorite books of all time (that you couldn't be stuck on a desert island without) and your 6 all-time favorite heroes. :)

Fave Books:

The Lady by Anne McCaffrey

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Road Home by Ellen Emerson White

Out of Bounds by Mandy Dickenson Fave

Heroes:

Howl from Diana Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle

Clay from Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series

The Duke of Jerveaux from Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm

The hit man in the movie The Professional (or do they need to be book heroes?)

Roly from Patricia Veryan’s The Dedicated Villian

Jayne Cobb from the TV series Firefly (What? He wasn’t a hero, you say? Sorry, I was blinded by Adam Baldwin’s arms. Um…and his chest.)

Again I want to thank Katie for joining us! She will stop by to answer any questions you may have. She has also been generous enough to offer an e-book copy of Breaking the Silence and her latest release Raw Footage. If you'd like to be considered, just leave a comment! I will draw a winner on Weds.

Raw Footage by Katie Allen

2009-03-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

I've come to the conclusion that Katie Allen likes BIG men. :) So far there's Will from Breaking the Silence and now Rob from Raw Footage. Big hulking men who turn into marshmallows when their woman comes along. *sigh* Why can't I find guys like that?

This book is a bit more lighthearted than BtS was. In this case we have Lily, the sister who covers up for her foster-brother Mikey when he does something completely asinine. When her house is broken into, she turns to her hunky neighbor Rob. Mmm...Rob. Big, built, dark and scarred. Le sigh.

Crazy hijinx ensue and they all live happily ever after. Yep, that's about it. However, this doesn't describe the hotness that sizzles between the two leads. The affection Lily has for her loser brother. The dynamics of Rob and his family. Yeah, some of it was ridiculous and the plot wasn't the absolute best it could be, but it was still fun to read. And to me, that's the most important thing.

So, on to the Good & Bad portion of my list. I'll do Bad first to get it out of the way.

The Bad:

For me, it was the plot. I'm not a big fan of the blackmail for money part. Mikey drove me up the wall. Immature and just plain STUPID!

The fact that instead of going to the police, Lily covered for him. *headdesk*

The "villain". Argh! *headdesk again*

The Characters: For the most part they were fine (except for Mikey & the "villain"), but I had issues with the fact that none of them were really fully developed. It seemed like they were two-dimensional and not fully realized. If I hadn't read BtS, I probably would've liked it better. But I know Ms. Allen can do better...and has.

Lily: For the most part I really liked her. I didn't understand her, but I liked her. I think that it would've been better if there'd been a reason for her reactions, especially when it came to Rob. I don't understand why she acted like she did. She has no hidden trauma or past (that I know of) and I found myself frustrated with her actions.

The Good:

Rob: Oh yeah. Tall, broody, hot, scarred. Yum! Of all the characters he came across as the most fully developed. You can tell that Ms. Allen really liked him. When he falls for Lily he falls hard. Do I think that the relationship worked? To some degree, but I think he deserved someone stronger and more able to deal with things. Maybe that's just me though.

Rob's Family: They don't show up much, but they're the other "realized" characters in the story. Kind of typical Hispanic family, but I still liked them...esp. his mom. :)

My Overall Feelings: For me, this book was a bit of a disappointment. I feel bad saying that, but it was. I think if the characters had been a bit more fully realized (esp. Lily) and the villain hadn't been quite so cartoonish, the story would've worked much better. I think that's one reason why I have issues with novellas. It's harder to get a full story put into less words. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

And it's not that the story is bad. It's not. It's just not as good as other works by the author. I will definitely be reading more by this author, because I love the way she writes. Even in the midst of a lot of drama, her sense of humor shines through.

My Rating: C+

Blergh!

2009-03-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

Yeesh! You know your week is starting on a funky note when it's Tuesday night and it feels like a Friday. *sigh*

Things are not going so well in the reading front. I've read a bunch of books, but they're honestly not really worth blogging about. How sad is that? I know I promised myself I'd blog about ALL the books I read, but honestly? I think that promise is a bit overmuch. So, I'll content myself with reading rather craptastic blah books and saving y'all from the boredom.

I was a bad girl yesterday. I went to t-mobile to just look at new phones since I was up for renewal and upgrading. Um...I ended up walking out of the store with a BlackBerry Pearl. *headdesk* But you know what? It was totally worth it. A phone that's regularly $349.99 will end up costing me $79.99 after all of the rebates are done. I am soooooo not complaining. And it's so pretty! Metallic purple. My coworker said this morning "It's the color of a blackberry!" Doh! :)

I'm wondering why it is that I've got 19 books TBR (to-be-read) on my goodreads account and yet I have no inclination to read any of them at the moment? And some of them I KNOW I actually want to read. Sheesh!

Let's see...what else? Oh, a "friend" called tonight. She talked to my mom. When my mom told me who it was I just kind of went "Ugh." I know, really immature of me, right? But, we haven't talked in about 5 years, I really have nothing to say to her and the last time we talked it just wasn't pleasant. Of course, she was telling me at the time that she was pregnant with her third child in as many years. Like I was supposed to be happy about that? Especially since she was on unemployment at the time? If I weren't such a nice person I would just ignore it. *sigh* I dunno what to do. I hate situations like this. :(

And that's about it. I need some sort of kick in the pants to finish up my TBR pile and deal with it. *sigh* I have no gumption.

Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan

2009-03-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

So, remember when I was raving about a book, but couldn't talk about it? Well, here's the review. :)

MY THOUGHTS ON MR. & MRS FITZWILLIAM DARCY

Ever since I agreed to begin reviewing for publishers, I’ve been hoping for that “dream” book. The one you read that makes you sigh a little inside as you put it down because you don’t want it to end. I was lucky enough to find that book with Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Sharon Lathan.

Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy is the continuing story of Lizzy Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. It says in a note from the author that she watched the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen and was inspired to continue their story. And this book is that story.

Using certain quotes and moments from the movie in the book gives it a more…intimate setting than something coming straight from the book. In my head all throughout the book, I was picturing Matthew MacFadyen as Darcy and Keira Knightley as Lizzy. I’m not usually one for having actors in my head, but because I loved the movie, I don’t mind.

I admit to having a hard time NOT having a fan-girl moment while writing this review. I’ve been a fan of Pride and Prejudice ever since I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out. Obviously I’d heard of Jane Austen and her books. I knew what P&P was all about, but had never watched any of the movies or read the book.

I remember seeing a snippet of the promo for this movie and thinking “I HAVE to see this!” I sat in the theater with my eyes glued to the screen. The passion and chemistry between these two characters was just downright awe-inspiring. I loved Mr. Darcy’s taciturn, but sweet personality and the way his love for Lizzy made him seem all the more human. I loved how Lizzy wasn’t afraid to stand her ground, even when it meant losing (for the moment), the love of her life.

I took one of my BFF’s to see this movie and to this day, it’s one of our favorites. I’ve also seen the A&E version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle and finally read the book last year, but in my heart, the 2005 version of this movie will always be Lizzy & Darcy’s story.

That being said, I admit to a certain amount of trepidation going into this story. I’d just finished reading Pemberley Manor, and though I liked it, it had also traumatized me a bit. I was hoping that this story would follow more along the lines of the story I saw in my head as to how the Darcy’s life would be together after P&P was over.

And I was not disappointed. From the moment the story starts, it’s like a continuation of the movie. I love the fact that it starts from Darcy’s POV and you can just see the love shining from him as he looks at his beloved wife.

Maybe it’s naughty of me, but I admit to wishing someone would delve a bit more into the passion so evident between the two. Ms. Lathan does that well. It’s obvious the two of them have sex, but it’s not fully modernized to the point where you have every single mention of body parts and tab-a-into-slot-b like 99% of the romances out there. This book isn’t chaste by any means, but it’s also much closer to what I would expect. I know, that doesn’t make sense, but I’m doing my best here.

Ms. Lathan gives a richness to the story and details that you could almost expect Ms. Austen to have had them waiting just for this story. As I was reading, I could see what was happening in my head. The sights, sounds and emotions were so clearly detailed that I didn’t want this story to end.

And that’s what’s so great! She’s doing a full series on the life of Lizzy and Darcy. This is just book 1! *happy dance*

I can’t remember the last time I fell in love with a book like this. I can’t wait to share this with you and I’m hoping I’ll be lucky enough to speak to the author and maybe even give away a copy or two of this book. If you love Pride and Prejudice (especially the 2005 version of the movie), then I cannot stress to you enough how much you should go find a copy of this book. It’s awesome!

Rating: A-

*Edited to add* I wrote this review the minute I'd finished the book and was still on the "good book high". I just recently reread the book and while I still love it and think it's amazing, the one thing I could've done without is the syrupy names they call each other. THAT got annoying very quickly.

And...Sharon is coming to the blog! She'll be one of my special guests. And...I get to give away a copy of the book. Unfortunately, I'm limited to the US and Canada for the giveaway, but still! So, come back in a day or two and I'll have the interview with her on here. *happy dance*

Some Exciting News & Other Things

2009-03-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

Hey, my people! :)

First off, March has started out with somewhat of a bang reading-wise. Then again, it's also had some clunkers too. *sigh* There's just no making me happy, I guess.

Secondly, my "exciting" news. Okay, so it's exciting to me. I'll be hosting a couple of authors over the next few weeks. And when I say they couldn't be more different...well, there you go. :) I'll be having some book give aways and other stuff too, so keep your eyes open.

I just finished reading Maureen McCormick's (played Marcia Brady) book Here's the Story. All I can say is wow. I'll be reviewing it here shortly. Talk about revelations. I didn't know 90% of what she talked about. I'm not a huge fan of autobiographies, but my mom got it from the library and I had to read it. And it was good! I actually got a bit sniffly at the very end.

My writing is going well, which is thrilling. I've stated over on my other blog that the thing that's gotten me down so often in the past is my lack of confidence, but after the wonderful comments I've received from my short story and from the snippet from my WIP, it's been making me see that I really am a good writer. Hallelujah!

I went and bought some clothes today. And they fit. Some were almost too big. I've got down 5 sizes now. Whee!

And that's about it. So again, keep your eye out for my guest authors. I hope to see you here!

Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

2009-03-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

Back Blurb-Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…

I'm a Nalini Singh fan-girl. There, I've said it. :) I've been anticipating this book since Nalini hinted about it eons ago. I bought it on Tuesday, but it wasn't until today that I read it. I know, my willpower astounds me as well. :) And I can't believe I waited so long, especially now that I've finished it.

There's no way for me to go into a ton of detail on this story without spoilers, so I'm going to Good and Bad it. Here goes.

The Good-

Elena: Wow, talk about an amazing, kick-butt heroine. Someone else mentioned this in their review (I think it was on Dear Author, but can't remember) that the big thing that bugs them about Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance (but UF esp.) is that the heroine is always so kick-butt and is almost inhuman. Thankfully, Elena isn't like that. Yes, she kicks butt. Yes, she has a lack of fear when it comes to death. However, the thing that sets her apart, at least for me, is that she does have vulnerabilities that make her more human. Whoo-hoo!

Raphael: Um, whoa. I think that about sums it up. Raphael is not human. It is obvious in his thoughts, his actions, everything. He has no compunctions about killing Elena if it means getting a means to an end. And I think that's why I like him so much. He's inhuman and ACTS LIKE IT! There's nothing I hate more than a character who is written as some tough, hard-core Alpha who ends up acting like a woman once a woman is involved. Raphael can be a jerk, but he's true to his character.

The world-building: As always, tight, descriptive without being over-descriptive.

The Writing: As I was reading this I realized something about Nalini's writing that I've noticed in her Psy/Changeling series, but never vocalized. The one thing that she truly specializes in is an ability to paint pictures with words. Location, people, everything. It's like being able to "see" what she's talking about even though nothing is a visual.

The Twist: Whoo-boy and what a twist it is. :) I know, I'm evil.

The Secondary Characters-Esp. the Seven and the Archangels. I mean, whoa.

The Action: As always tight and crisp. I felt the final showdown was a smidge anti-climatic, but not. Hard to explain w/o spoilers, so I'll just leave it at that. :D

The Bad-

For once, I don't really have anything to add to the bad list. I do have some frustration issues, but that's due to the fact that I know she's planning on bringing Elena & Raphael back for Angel's Kiss. I hope she answers the questions she brings up, especially in regards to Elena's past.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I'm always afraid when an author that I really and truly enjoy starts something new. I'm worried that the new stuff won't be as good as the old. I think the thing I can really commend her on is that Angels' Blood doesn't read anything like the Psy/Changeling books. It's truly a different book. The only similarities are the super-tough heroine and the hard-core Alpha. :)

I cannot WAIT for Angel's Blood.

Rating: A-

PS. The snippet of Branded by Fire in the back? That is just plain cruel. That is all. :D

Once Bitten, Twice Shy and Another One Bites The Dust...both by Jennifer Rardin

2009-03-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this isn't going to be a true review. More like an overview of why I really like this series (so far) and why I think it's a shame humor is so nonexistent in so many paranormals. Ready for my rant? :)

How I came to read these books is kind of a funny story. Jennifer friended me on Facebook and then I felt guilty because I'd never read any of her stuff before. I picked up Once Bitten, Twice Shy, snarfed it down and wondered why on earth I'd waited so long.

So why do I like this series so much? I think 99% of it has to do with Jaz. She's irreverant, snarky and cracks my butt up. She's not perfect by any means. Has a ton of baggage and sometimes makes really stupid, rash decisions, but (and this is a big but) she stays true to herself. It's not one minute she makes an idiot of herself and then all of a sudden is perfect.

Not at all. In fact, she's not the most coordinated person in the world and there's a truly LOL moment in AOBTD when she walks into a tent pole (read it). I snorted and almost choked on my tea when I read it.

And that's where my rant comes from. I'm a big fan of paranormals. I love them actually. I've read everything from vampires to pixies and I love the genre, but the one big complaint I have about so many of them is that they've lost their sense of humor. The authors expect us to take the characters ultra-seriously and there aren't a lot of light moments to balance the dark.

Why? I think in a book where you're up against unbelievable odds that there should be some moments of levity. Facing down the ultimate baddy? Make an obnoxious retort. Laugh at him. Do something other than angst. Face your fears and move on.

Jaz does that. She has a lot of dark moments in these books; facing the death of her loved ones, her separation from her family, almost dying multiple times, but she never loses her sense of humor.

And Vayl. What a great hero. Has so much potential to be a perfect hero. Yummy, sexy, likes her for WHO she is, and willing to be there to cover her back.

So, this is my "review" of Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Sparks series (so far). I wish I had the fundage to go buy the others in the series. Have to wait until Friday. *sigh*

My overall grade so far? A very solid B+

Blood Magic By Jennifer Lyon

2009-03-03T22:28:00.000-08:00

Back Blurb-In the days when powerful witches used their magic to shield humanity from demons, their allies and guardians were a group of men gifted with preternatural abilities of their own--the witch guardians. But when a band of witches traded their humanity for demon power, the ancient bond was borken, and the guardians became the hunters.

Darcy MacAllister knows nothing of demons or magic. But this beautiful young woman is about to discover the truth about her past...and her future. For she is a witch--not just any witch, but the key to breaking the curse that has plagued witches and the men who hunt them. For if a hunter kills an innocent witch by mistake, the price is no less than a piece of his soul.

Axel Locke, the gorgeous leader of the Wing Slayer Hunters, has sworn never to shed the blood of the earth witches who have resisted the temptation of demonic power. But when his sister is cursed by a demon witch, he discovers that Darcy MacAllister may hold the cure--if she can master her newfound powers in time. When the chase begins and Axel and Darcy come face-to-face, this hunter must weigh his sould against his honor--and against his heart.

When I stopped by Barnes and Noble this evening to pick up my copy of Angels' Blood and As Shadows Fade, I decided to do a quick browse through to see if I could find anything else to read. This is the book I happened to pick up.

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it and decide if I liked it or not. On to the Good and Bad checklist!

The Good-

Darcy-My heart went out to her at the beginning of this book. The poor woman had been through so much and to have all of this drama basically dropped in her lap, it just wasn't fair. But, she bounced back and my respect grew for her throughout the story.

Hannah-Axel's little sister. I'm not usually a fan of children in books, but I thought she came across as a true four-year-old girl. It's awful what she goes through, but she's a little trooper and absolutely adorable. I still don't like kids in books though. Just sayin'.

The overall concept of the story-Very unique way of looking at things. The hunters are basically vampire-like in their need for the witches blood. It's a bit complicated, but I like it.

The Secondary Characters-Joe, Morgan, Claire...well-written and make you want to read their stories. Poor Morgan. I won't go into details, but whoa.

Axel-I didn't care for him at all when the book first started out, but by the end of the book he'd sold me. I still think he made some really dumb decisions, but I understand why he did what he did.

The Bad-

The writing. It got better as the book went on, but at the beginning there was a lot of author intrusion and info dumping. I'm not sure if this is the author's first book or not, but I had some serious trepidation when I got into the book. I will say this though, once she figures out her voice and the action picks up, the book gets MUCH better.

The Character Names-For the Wing Slayer's especially. It's like a bad Black-Dagger Brotherhood convention. Axel, Kieran (I like his name, but he goes by Key...blech), Pheonix, Ram...it's kind of stupid. I'm being harsh, but I really hate goofy names. They drive me nuts.

Obvious Sequel Bait-BIG TIME sequel bait. I can list at least two books I know will happen and the rest of the Wing Slayer's will probably get their own books too. I hate sequel bait, especially when it's obvious.

Inconsistencies-Especially in the world-building. It's hard to explain without spoilers, but I will say it's obvious when you get to that point.

Overall Impression-Overall, the book's not bad. I know it sounds like I hated it, but I didn't and will be reading Sutton's story when it comes out. I think if the author had cut herself off from dropping so much information into our laps, the story would've been better. The second half of the book was actually really good.

I just checked and this book isn't a debut novel. I'm not sure what I think of that.

My Rating: D for the beginning, B+ for the middle to end, which gives this book an overall grade of about a Cish. I'm sure there will be others out there who really really like this book. I feel bad that I'm making it sound worse than it actually is. That's not my intention. This book has me a bit conflicted. I really didn't like the first third of the book, but I really liked the end. Go figure.

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

2009-03-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book via The Book Smugglers. I *heart* them. It's an unedited galley, which I've never had the opportunity to read. I'm not putting a back blurb on here, but will do my best to tell you what I think of this book. ****And just an FYI...I can almost guarantee a lot of spoilers. Be warned.****

I've been a fan of Rachel Morgan and the Hollows for a long time. I remember picking up book 1 in the series, not sure what I was getting into. But, once I did get into it it's like crack and I can't stop.

WW,BC is book 7 in this series. Rachel has had her fair share of ups and downs (mostly downs) and it's been fascinating watching her struggle to become something other than what everyone expects her to be.

My very favorite book of this series is book 5, though it's the hardest book to read emotionally. I was positive The Outlaw Demon Wails was going to pick up from the end of book 5 and have Rachel searching to find the killer of Kisten her living vampire lover, but it didn't. That's where WW, BC comes in.

Rachel knows that Jenks hit her with a spell to make her forget what happened the night Kisten died and has never been able to fully remember what happened. Bits and pieces will flash by, but nothing concrete. With the help of Ford, the FIB's psychologist, she decides it's time to finally figure out just who did it and why.

And this book is just too complicated to try to remember it all and give you a good rundown, so I'm going to fall back on my tried and true method of Good and Bad (hence the name of the blog...ha!).

The Good-

Rachel. I know, sometimes she makes some ridiculously stupid decisions, but the thing I like about her is that she's true to herself. Yes, she makes some really bad decisions, but instead of whining about the ramifications, she sucks it up and lives with it.

Ivy. I wish this book had delved more into the relationship between Ivy and Rachel. It does, but it seems very much on the outskirts of the story. Maybe that's just me. I'm not a big fan of f/f romances, but I wish the two of them would suck it up and become a couple. Argh!

Jenks. I *heart* Jenks. One of my favorite characters. Knowing what'll happen to him and his wife just makes me want to cry!

The basic story-Again Ms. Harrison delivers. Each of her stories has so much detail and depth to them that you can't help but be sucked into them. WW, BC is no exception.

The BAD-

The "Men" in her life. Oy. Ya know, I KNOW why she chooses the men that she does, but come on! She'd made so much progress by the end of TODW and I was so proud of her for how she'd grown, but talk about taking a giant step backwards. Eesh! *headdesk*

Rachel's stubborness. Okay, so we know she's stubborn, but honestly, sometimes she just takes things too far. I'm amazed she survived this book.

The end. Open...and weird. I'm not sure what I think of it.

Overall Impression:

Again, Ms. Harrison writes some amazing books. It was nice to find out who killed Kisten...finally and reading the scene where Rachel remembers his death was downright heartbreaking. I LOVED Kisten and thought he was wonderful for Rachel, but I can also understand why Ms. Harrison killed him off. Rachel needed to grow. And still does.

I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I. Can. Not. Wait!!!!!

Rating: B+ Excellent, but could've been better (i.e. not having Rachel take a giant step backwards in her personal growth)

Just Posted This On Other Blog

2009-03-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

Enjoy! :)

**** ...Jamison's hand left her cheek and went down to clasp her hand. He turned it palm up and ran his fingers over the scratches that crisscrossed her skin. She waited for him to speak, but instead he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Jamison kept her hand pressed to his lips, his eyes closed as he took in her scent. Kara couldn't handle it anymore; she needed comfort. Pulling her hand free she got to her feet with a wince and a groan. Stepping around the table to his side, she stood next to him waiting.

Jamison opened his eyes and looked up at her. With a smile, he opened his arms and she sat down gingerly on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Kara snuggled into him, her head tucked under his chin. She had never felt as safe as she did at that moment.

"Baby," he growled, his voice raspy with emotion.

Kara leaned up and kissed his jaw. Jamison got to his feet, careful not to jostle her. He went up the stairs, bypassing the guest room and going into his own. He placed her on the bed and curled up beside her. She stayed on her back, too tired and sore to think about moving. Jamsion laid on his side facing her, one arm draped lightly over her middle.

She closed her eyes, feeling safe and comforted. Drifting off to sleep, she wished she could fall asleep like this every night.

****

This is from my current WIP. I'm just so happy I've got something...decent going on here! I hope everybody enjoys. I'm off to bed. My sleeping pills are kicking in. :D

PS. Again, this work is done by ME. Please do not use for any reason w/o first asking me...and all that disclaimer stuff. Thanks muchly! :)

Books Read in February

2009-02-28T22:49:00.000-08:00

Not as many as January, that's for sure. For one thing I have to be more budget conscious if I want to buy a house (yes, please) and for another, there just weren't a ton of books that came out this month. *sigh* So, without further ado, here's my reading list for February.

1. Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann
2. Kiss of Fate by Deborah Cooke
3. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
4. Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin
5. Enforcer by Lauren Dane (e-book)
6. Trimates by Lauren Dane (e-book)
7. Wolf Unbound by Lauren Dane (e-book)
8. Fated by Lauren Dane (e-book)
9. Standoff by Lauren Dane (e-book)
10. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
11. Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
12. Angel's Pawn by Nalini Singh (e-book)
13. Wallflower by Dana Marie Bell (e-book)
14. Called by Blood by Evie Byrne (e-book)
15. Carolina Wolf by Sela Carsen (e-book)
16. Cat of a Different Color by Dana Marie Bell (e-book)
17. One on One by Cathryn Fox (e-book)
18. ParaMatchDotCom by M.K. Mancos (e-book)
19. Prince of Fire by Tawny Taylor (e-book)
20. Seducing Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (e-book)
21. Stay With Me by Maya Banks (e-book)
22. Very Much Alive by Dana Marie Bell (e-book)
23. Sweet Dreams by Dana Marie Bell (e-book)

Wow, I guess I read more than I thought. As you can see, most of them were e-books. I just didn't have a lot of luck w/ standard paper/hardcover books this month. March is looking up (Nalini!), but we shall see. My biggest concern right now is saving up the money for a down payment. Anybody have any contacts for getting free books? Just curious. :D

I Asked

2009-02-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

Over on my other blog, but thought I'd put the question out here for y'all too. Here it is. I'd love your two cents. Really, I would! :)

Here's a question for the readers & writers out there. What do you think of books w/ multiple storylines going on? I'm asking, because in book 1, we're also going to have some scenes (mandatory IMHO) that'll give rise to a new couple for a future book. Do you like multiple storylines if they're done well or do you prefer books that focus just on a single couple? I'm kind of ambivalent because I've read some books with multiple storylines that are done really well (Lynn Viehl comes to mind), but I've also read ones that completely ruined a book for me.

Thanks muchly!

PS>>>>This is a question in regards to the current WIP I'm working on. Just wanted to clarify. he-he

Angel's Pawn by Nalini Singh (E-Book)

2009-02-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

Boy, oh boy, oh boy! Okay, so for any of you out there who DON'T know, I'm a HUGE Nalini Singh fan. I first came across her via e-harlequin (I think) and she was such a sweet lady I snapped up Slave To Sensation and have never looked back.

She has a new series coming out. The print book is called Angel's Blood and it comes out next Tuesday. I've been waiting with bated breath for this book to come out and when I heard that she had an e-book that was connected to this new series coming out...well, of course I had to snap it up! And hello, so cheap. he-he

I haven't read Angel's Blood yet (no ARC for me *sniffle*), but I've heard wonderful things about it. The thing I love about Angel's Pawn is that it gives me an idea of what I might be getting into with AB. In Angel's Pawn, we're introduced to Ashwini, a guild-hunter who has an...interesting relationship with Janvier, a vampire. In this world, vampires were created by angels who hold this over the vampires for a term of service (usually 100 years).

Ashwini has been contacted by Nazarach, an angel, who wants her to stop a feud between two rival vampires. I gotta admit, it's hard to describe this book. The names keep tripping me up. Suffice it to say, this story has a LOT of sexual tension. Mmmm...my favorite. No sex, but sexual tension up the wazoo.

And the way it's ended...PLEASE TELL ME WE GET MORE!!!!!! I'm demanding here! LOL! If you love Nalini Singh, I can't recommend that you get this e-book enough. Yes, it's an e-book which is kind of annoying, but trust me...it's worth it.

Overall Rating: A

My Love/Hate Relationship With E-Books

2009-02-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

First off, sorry I've been pretty much AWOL this past month. I really and truly haven't been reading that much and what I have read hasn't been worth blogging about. How sad is that? Anyway, I decided to write tonight about my love/hate with e-books. I've been buying them, but have had definite mixed results. So, here's why I love/hate them and a few mini-reviews of some of my favorites (so far).

Why I love e-books...

1. Easy to read. You can change the font-size to a size that's comfortable.
2. Convenient. Upload to your computer and take it with you (if you have an e-reader...which I don't).
3. Sneaky. I don't feel guilty for reading erotica since nobody but me can see what I'm reading
4. Samhain...I love this site. Easy to use, funny descriptions and excellente customer service.
5. Finding some really great, super nice authors out there. Yay!

Why I hate e-books....

1. Don't have an e-reader, so can only read them on my laptop. Unless I want to print them out, that means I have to cart my laptop around to read them.
2. Horrible covers...for the most part anyway. Another reason why I'm glad I can read them via computer.
3. Some of the other e-book sites out there. Hard to use and hurt my eyes.
4. Not being able to get a really good idea what you're getting. At least with a paperback you can flip through and read the first chapter or two. With e-books you get a basic snippet and have to pray you're getting something decent.

There's my basic reasons. :) Now, on to my favorite part. Writing reviews on books I actually enjoyed. When I come across an author who writes good books, doesn't matter if it's print or e-format, I glom them. I go and buy as much of their backlist as I can afford. Some writers that's easier said than done.

Authors I've come across that I LIKE!

Lauren Dane-Her Cascadia Wolves series is great. My only complaint? I had to go to Ellora's Cave AND Samhain to get the whole series. Very annoying.

Evangaline Anderson-She writes predominately m/m, but wrote a great little romance called Wishful Thinking that is one of my favorites so far. It's very sweet and sexy. I haven't read her m/m stuff. I'm just not a big m/m fan.

Lacey Alexander-This woman writes some of the hottest love scenes I've ever read. Some of them are almost uncomfortable to read, but they are smokin' hot! Phew!

Dana Marie Bell-I've really enjoyed her Halle Pumas series. I also just bought Very Much Alive. Holy Moly Macaroni that book was...wow...smokin' doesn't even cover it. It's definitely got some m/m going on, but 90% of it is m/m/f. And phewey, it's scorching. :)

Madison Hayes-She wrote the Calendar Girls series. Some of them are better than others, but for the most part I really like her style. Also, the author blurb when she tells about how she met her husband? Why don't things like that happen to me? :)

Mari Carr-Tequila Truth and Erotic Research. Two very different books, but both good...and hot. :)

Kate Steele-I've only read To Trust a Wolf and To Tempt a Wolf, but I LOVED them. Great stories and fun too. And the sex, again, was super hot. :)

Katie Allen-Breaking the Silence is the only book by her that I've read (I think it's the only one she's written...so far), but I really really enjoyed it. A full, in-depth story with hot sex and a great couple. I cannot recommend that book enough (and blame KB for starting it).

There you go. A list of my fave erotica e-book authors. I hope you give at least one of them a try. If you want any suggestions, just email me. I'd be happy to get you started. :)

Titleless Story Part 5-The Conclusion

2009-02-19T21:23:00.000-08:00

“I want to taste you,” he whispered, his words nothing more than air brushing against my skin. I arched up my hips and he slowly pulled my panties off, leaving me naked to his gaze. He tossed them over his shoulder and moved back, his body wedged between my legs; his face an inch from my skin. I waited with bated breath, hoping against hope that he’d dip his head and taste me. I wanted it more than I wanted to breathe.

With an inarticulate groan he used his fingers to part my flesh and leaned forward, his tongue brushing against me ever so gently. I closed my eyes with a cry. His tongue was like nothing I’d ever felt before; gentle yet firm. I wanted him to focus on my clit, but for the life of me I couldn’t seem to say the words. I reached down to press him close, my hips lifting to give him better access.

He chuckled and went to work, suckling and nibbling on my clit. Tears poured down my cheeks as I got closer to orgasm. I’d never felt anything like this in my life and I was so afraid it would all just disappear.

“Please, Kieran…please!”

At my cry he pressed closer to me, his tongue firming on my clit. His strokes came faster and he slipped his fingers inside me, thrusting them in and out with the pressure of his tongue.
My hips were like pistons, faster and faster as I got closer to that edge. I wanted to jump off that cliff, but something kept me back.

“Oh, PLEASE!”

With those words, he left me. I wanted to cry, but opened my eyes to see that he was on his feet and shucking off his pants. Without a word he sheathed himself with a condom and got back on the bed. He leaned down to kiss me and I could taste myself on his tongue. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but was so close to coming I didn’t care.

He pulled me close and slid inside, filling me with a thickness that was almost too much. My head fell back against the pillows as he slowly but surely sheathed himself deep inside of me.

“You okay,” he asked, his voice deep and growly. I nodded and he leaned forward to place a kiss on my shoulder. He began a slow, steady rhythm, one that I was able to match quickly. Our bodies moved in tandem and it was amazing.

I cannot begin to describe how it felt to feel him so deep inside me. I wrapped my legs around him and used my heels to pull him closer. I wanted him to be so deep inside of me that he’d never go. Panting, I reached up and clasped him around the neck, pulling his face up to mine so that I could kiss him. Our bodies touched from head to pelvis and it still wasn’t enough.

“Faster!”

My demands pushed him and he began thrusting deeper and faster, getting me that much closer to climax. I needed something more.

I felt his hand caress down my side and slide between my legs to my clit. With skilled fingers he worked me, matching his thrusts with the movements of his fingers and that’s when it happened.

I could feel the climax start. It rippled up from my toes in waves. I’d never felt anything so powerful. I screamed, raking my fingernails down his back as I pulled him as close to me as I could. His head reared back, as with a yell he joined me.

I could feel him pulsing inside of me and it was enough to set me off again. Double-orgasms…the man was a god.

“Oh, Kieran.”

He collapsed over me, his body pressed close to mine. His arms were wrapped tight around me and I felt more cherished than I ever had in my life. The sex might have been quick, but it had been powerful.

**

“Bianca?”

Bianca looked up from her computer screen, her cheeks flushing red as she looked up at her boss and the man behind her fantasies.

“Yes, Mr. O’Connor?”

“Do you have the report ready for me?”

She sighed and reached over to pick up the papers. She handed them to him and watched him walk away. Five years. What a waste.

Turning back to the computer screen, she deleted the scene she’d just written and went back to her work. Sexual frustration wouldn’t get her anywhere and after all this time the man still didn’t know she was alive. Ah well, at least she had her writing.

THE END.

I hope everyone enjoyed my foray into the world's shortest story. :) I had fun writing it. I know, the end is a bit of a bummer, but there isn't ALWAYS a happy ending. Still she had great sex, even if it was just in her head. :)

Titleless Story Part 4

2009-02-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. And now on to part 4!!! Yay!

I licked my lips and barely restrained myself from jumping him and having him at my mercy. Since this was my night and my fantasy, I was going to do my best to drag it out. No slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am tonight. Tonight was all about the passion and the need I could feel swarming through me.

Kieran smiled at me, his lip curling just slightly as he reached for the top button of his jeans. I stepped forward and placed my hand over his.

“Not yet.”

He nodded and his hand dropped to his side. I could tell he knew what I wanted and was giving me the chance to take the lead. I moved back, getting a few inches of space between us. I tugged the hem of my t-shirt out of my jeans and pulled the shirt over my head, having a moment of abject embarrassment when my head got stuck in the hole and couldn’t get it off. I heard Kieran chuckle as I felt his hands slide up my side before helping me pull off the shirt.

I wanted to kick myself. Here I was trying to be sexy and I was coming across as an idiot. Instead of looking at him, I reached behind my back to unfasten my bra. It came loose but stayed in place until I shimmied slightly and the straps slid down my arms. I stripped it off and tossed it aside, not really caring where it landed.

I looked up then and caught Kieran’s gaze. His eyes were focused on my breasts, his focus intense. I wanted to hide myself, but after seeing his expression I embraced my inner goddess and let my arms rest at my sides.

He licked his lips and came to me then, his arms coming around me and pulling me tight as his mouth covered mine. My breasts were pressed up against his naked chest and it was all I could do not to whimper. I’d never felt anything so wonderful and we weren’t even to the good part yet.

I rested my hands on his shoulders, not knowing what to do with them since his were quite happily occupied roaming up and down my back. I finally clutched his head, my fingers twisting in his hair as I deepened the kiss. I’d never been so demanding before, but I didn’t care. I wanted this man…I wanted him bad!

He let out a guttural groan as he moved from my mouth down to where neck meets shoulder. His lips were whisper-soft as he nibbled down my chest to my nipple. His lips closed over the tip and he suckled. At that moment my legs buckled and I would’ve fallen if he hadn’t been holding me up.

Ai-yi-yi! I wanted to scream as he deepened the pressure. I was bent almost backwards letting him nibble and suck at his leisure. My grip in his hair had turned into a death grip as I waited to see what he would do next. My breath came fast and hard as my eyes closed and I let my head fall back.

“You are so beautiful.”

I opened up my eyes and glanced down at him. I didn’t know how what to say, so I pressed on the back of his head to bring him to me again. No talking; just kissing. Making out was more fun with him than it had been with anyone else…not that I’d been with a lot of people, mind you.

“Bed…now!”

With those words I was lifted off my feet and tossed onto the middle of the bed. I lay there gasping, my mouth open in shock. Nobody could pick me up and yet Kieran made it seem easy. He reached for the clasp of my jeans and undid them, slowly pulling down the zipper until it was down as far as it would go. He pulled them off, urging my hips up so he could shimmy them down my legs and toss them over his shoulder.

I was left wearing a pair of black hi-cut cotton briefs. Not the sexiest of undergarments, but the look he gave me made me feel like I was wearing the sexiest negligee out there. He got on the bed at my feet and crawled up over me until his head was level with my stomach. Keeping eye contact with me, he leaned down and kissed my navel, his tongue dipping inside in a slow, thrusting motion.

“Oh, you are evil,” I gasped, reaching for him. He easily brushed me off and moved down to the waistband of my panties. He hooked his fingers on both sides and slid them down until they were just barely covering me. His head came down and he rested his nose on my pubic bone. Taking a deep breath he took in my scent and his eyes darkened even more. Now they were like the sky just before a storm; so dark they were almost black.

*To Be Continued...but for how long?*

I Apologize

2009-02-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

I just posted this over on my blog, but will post this here too.

I'm sorry Part 4 is not going up today. I've got a lot going on today that isn't allowing me five minutes to sit down and think, let alone write this story. I will do my very bestest to make sure it is up tomorrow. And I'll make it longer too.

Thanks for all the great comments. You make me think I might actually be a good writer. Yay! :D

AAR's Poll for Best Books of 2008

2009-02-16T22:07:00.001-08:00

I voted! Did you? Go here!

Titleless Story Part 3

2009-02-16T21:39:00.000-08:00

His lips were soft, but firm as they brushed against mine. The hand cupping my faced slipped behind my head, holding me in place as he deepened the kiss. His tongue slipped between my lips; at first barely touching the inside of my mouth, but soon delving deep. It was all good.

I moaned and reached up with my free hand to grasp the back of his head, my fingers tightening in his hair as his hand slid down to press between my shoulder blades. I was plastered up against him, my breasts pressing into his chest. I’d never been held so close to someone with all of my clothes still on and I wanted to get closer.

I pulled back and looked him in the eye. His eyes had darkened to a stormy grey.

“This is going to sound really stupid,” I said, my voice raspy with pent up passion. “But, have you ever done this before?”

“Have sex?”

I snorted and smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

“Have sex with a complete stranger.”

“No.”

“Are you married?”

“No...you?”

“No.”

“Are you done with the questions?”

I smiled as I nodded. He kissed me again, this time passing gentle and jumping right into aggressive. I let out a moan as our tongues fought for dominance. It was the hottest, sexiest kiss I’d ever had in my life. I wanted to crawl under his skin and stay there.

He stood up, keeping our mouths fused as he walked backwards, leading me to the bedroom. I didn’t care where we were going as long as he didn’t stop touching me. I wanted his hands all over me and I wanted them now!

We reached the bedroom and he stepped away, his hands going to the buttons of his shirt. He unbuttoned them one button at a time, drawing out my anticipation. I knew he was built, but I couldn’t wait to see it for real. He smiled at me as he reached the last button and shrugged the shirt off his shoulders. It fell to the floor at his feet and I stood there with my mouth open, my eyes focused squarely on his chest.

It was perfect. The muscles were well-defined without being bulky and there was just a small amount of hair. Just enough to look masculine without looking like a bear. The treasure trail disappeared into the waistband of his jeans and I let out a sigh of pure appreciation. He was mine for the night and I couldn’t wait to touch him.

*To Be Continued*

Titleless Story Part 2

2009-02-15T22:33:00.000-08:00

He took hold of my hand and led me through the crowd of dancers. As we headed out the door, I looked over my shoulder and saw Joy standing against the rail, her mouth open in surprise. My actions were something she would do; not me. I smiled and gave her a little wave with my other hand, before turning back and letting him lead me to my destiny.

And maybe that’s a bit of a cliché, but that’s how I felt that night. I was doing something completely out of character, but for the first time in my life, I felt like I was doing the right thing.

We stopped in front of a car. Calling it a car is a bit of an understatement, since it was one of those testosterone-enhancing pieces of machinery that was either a testament to the lack of a man’s size or just enhanced his overall appeal. Thankfully, this one enhanced his appeal.

He helped me in, which was more complicated than it usually was given the length of my legs and way the car was built, but soon I was settled and he as well. The engine started and I could feel the vibrations moving through me. Wow! I looked over at him and he smiled before putting the car in gear and pulling away from the curb.

I sat in silence, not really sure what to say to this man. He’d said less than ten words to me, but they’d been enough to get me to go with him. Was I completely insane? How was I to know if I would be safe with him? I didn’t even know his name.

“What is your name,” I finally asked, my curiosity too much for me to keep silent any longer.

“Kieran.”

“Bianca.”

He gave me a nod and turned his attention back to the road. I sighed and rested my head back against the seat. Nerves were getting to me. I didn’t want to come across as an idiot when we got to the bedroom. As I’d said earlier, it had been two years. Seemed like forever when it came down to it. I wasn’t sure if I could remember where to put my hands, let alone what to do with them. I wanted the night to be memorable, but not in that way.

He stopped in front of one of those trendy lofts in the downtown area; minimal square footage with a super-hefty price tag. I admit I lusted to see the inside, but as he helped me out and took my hand, my thoughts were focused more on not sweating through my clothes.

He smiled at me and led me inside to the elevator, keeping me close to his side. He pressed the button for the penthouse and used a key to start the elevator. As it went up, we stayed silent, listening to the quiet sounds of elevator music.

I wanted to laugh, but was afraid it would come out sounding hysterical. Even in a classy building like that we were still listening to crappy music from the ‘80’s. I mentally shook my head and waited.

When the elevator doors opened with a soft whoosh, he led me into the main room of the penthouse. I just about swallowed my tongue when I got a good look at my surroundings. Oh, dear, this guy was filthy rich. Kieran let go of my hand and tossed his keys on a table just inside the door. He went into the kitchen and poured us both a drink, bringing one to me. I took a healthy sip as he motioned for me to sit down.

We sat side-by-side, close enough I could feel his body heat, but far enough where he wasn’t crowding me. He turned his body slightly so he was facing me, those beautiful eyes focused on my face. I faced forward, my glass held up to my face as a barrier. I was so nervous and had no idea what to do now that we were at his place.

My mind seemed to run in a million circles as I finished my drink and set it down on the table in front of me. I still couldn’t face him. I didn’t want to know what he thought of what he saw. I was letting old insecurities get to me.

Taking a deep breath I got up the courage to turn my head and make eye contact. He smiled then, approval obvious in his eyes; finishing his drink and setting the glass next to mine, before reaching out and taking my hand. Thumb sliding up and down my fingers until I curled them around his. He lifted my hand to his mouth and nibbled my fingers, his lips soft.

Eyes never leaving my face, his tongue grazed over the back of my fingers. I felt goosebumps popping up all over as the pleasure spiked through me. All thoughts of insecurity and inability to please disappeared as he moved closer and used his other hand to cup my face. Our hands lowered to the couch between us as he tilted my head slightly and leaned forward to kiss me.

*To Be Continued*

DUN-DUN-DUN *snicker* Sorry 'bout that. he-he. I know, I keep To Be Continuing in the worst moments, don't I? What will be next for Bianca & Kieran? I have no idea, but I'm sure it'll be a ton of fun to get wherever this story is going. :)

I Know, I Know...

2009-02-14T20:53:00.000-08:00

I went missing again. Truthfully, it wasn't that I didn't want to talk books, but honestly? I've kind of hit a road bump. Most of the books I've read are for actual reviews and I can't post them until March.

And life right now is very much a bumpy ride. My uncle had a massive, almost died, really scary heart attack yesterday, work is super busy and I'm trying to keep positive. Eep!

And so there you go. Bridget wrote a short story on her blog. Thought I'd share it with you here. It's part 1, so she SHOULD have more going up later. One hopes (and how weird is it that I'm referring to myself in the 3rd person?).

Titleless Story Part 1 (By Bridget Locke)

I remember that night well. I should since it’s the day everything changed. It was Valentine’s Day, that most hated of “holidays.” In all my years (30), I’d never had an actual Valentine and really wasn’t expecting much. My best friend Joy conned me into meeting up with her at a bar though I don’t drink or dance.

We met up at nine and I had to laugh when I saw her. She was decked out in typical “Joy” wear: a red camisole, extremely short black leather skirt, fishnet thigh-highs and her favorite stiletto boots. I felt downright overdressed in my black jeans and red t-shirt. She gave me a hug and dragged me over to a group of people sitting behind the sound system. It was so loud I could barely hear, let alone think, but I smiled and sat down on one of the available chairs.

We ordered drinks and as the others talked (or should I say yelled), I watched the mob of people out on the dance floor. Pink, red, and white were the dominant colors, with a lot of black thrown in. I guess I wasn’t the only one who hated Valentine’s.

I saw him first as he stepped down the stairs to the dance floor. He was surrounded by others, but his aura was strong. He was also really, really tall, which definitely made me sit up and take notice. Being 6’1” myself, it’s hard to find guys I had to look up to. He would definitely fit the bill.

Without thinking I stood up, abandoning my friend and the rest to go speak to this man. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I felt compelled to at least try. I wound my way through the throng of people and stopped when I reached the steps down to the floor. He stood not ten feet away from me, his body swaying to the music. I was impressed with his grace and the fluidity of his motions. Now I really had to talk to him.

I made my way over to him and stopped behind him, trying to get up the nerve to make the first move. I was just getting ready to clear my throat and tap him on his shoulder when he spun around and looked down at me. That’s when my head went blank and all I could do was stare up into his eyes.

They were silver; not blue or green or even hazel, but pure, beautiful silver. Thick black lashes surrounded them and they were downright mesmerizing.

“Hello.”

I swallowed, trying to get back my ability to speak.

“Hello,” I managed to squeak out, feeling like an imbecile.

He smiled and reached out, his finger brushing down the side of my face. A shiver raced down my spine as his touch did things to my insides. Sure, I hadn’t had sex in two years, but holy cow, this guy was potent.

I sighed and leaned into his hand, my eyelashes fluttering shut as he leaned forward, his lips brushing mine ever so gently.

“Come with me.”

I opened my eyes and nodded. This was totally out of character for me but I wasn’t going to let this man get away. I might only have one night with him, but I knew it was a night I would never forget.

*To Be Continued…*

Finally!

2009-02-14T00:08:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I have a sickness & it is called BBC period dramas. *sigh* And why not? They are usually extremely well-acted, dark, dreamy, etc. etc. I love this miniseries. This snippet is just too awesome for words. Toby Stephens is DREAMY as Rochester. I know, I'm obsessed. :D

Crazy Weirdness In The Twilight World

2009-02-07T23:53:00.000-08:00

So, went over to one of my favorite sites. The Dairi Burger is just one of those places I know I can go to have a good chuckle. Remembering old Sweet Valley High books and why, now as an adult, they truly suck is always entertaining at the very least.

Anyhoodles, ihatewheat, the moderator on that fair site, wrote an interesting short entry on why she can't stand Twilight and that finishing the series would be too much for her. I understood completely. But, she included links to other sites and that is what I wanted to talk about tonight.

Here is one review in particular. The author of the review is quite articulate in why they hate Twilight and I can get behind their views, especially in reference to Bella and Edward's "Twu Wuv". Oy.

The thing that disturbs me the most though is the comments. I was expecting the "how-can-you-hate-Twilight-it's-the-best-book-ever, etc. etc. etc." comments. What threw me though was just how horrible the spelling was. I know, most of them were probably from 14 year old girls who have dedicated their lives to Edward and how he makes their girly parts tingle, which is all well and good. But the English! Or the lack of it thereof. The English departments all across the country should be hanging their heads in shame.

99% of the problem is that most of these kids are texters. Shorter words means more space on the cell phone for conversations. Fine. But when you're writing a comment on a site that is obviously not a cell phone and your spelling is that attrocious? For shame!

If I had the ability to go out there and see just what was going on in the English classrooms in America, I'd hope I'd see something other than what I saw in those comments. It makes me mad. What is up with the lack of spelling, grammar, etc. in the US today? It's sad and it makes my head hurt.

Kiss of Fate by Deborah Cooke

2009-02-03T23:14:00.000-08:00

Haunted by dreams of a lover who takes the form of a mythical dragon, Eileen Grosvenor searches for the truth. She never expects to find a real dragon shape shifter, let alone one who who awakens her passion and ignites memories of her own forgotten past.

Erik Sorensson is focused on leading the Pyr to triumph against the Slayers at all costs, even the sacrifice of his own life. When an ancient relic that can turn the tide of the battle reveals itself again, Erik knows he has to retrieve it from Eileen's possession. But he’s shocked by an incredible firestorm when he tries to claim the relic — a firestorm that forces him to confront the truth about Eileen’s identity. Her presence touches him in unexpected ways, reminding him of mistakes he's determined to not make again, and Erik is forced to make a choice…duty or love.

Only by unlocking the secrets of the past can Erik and Eileen fulfill the final prophecy of the Pyr - but can they face their deepest fears and claim their destined love in time to defeat the Slayers?

First of all, I usually don't put the covers up books up on my blog, but I have to make an exception for Ms. Cooke's books. Her covers, at least for this series, are stunning. Yum!

I really wasn't too sure what to expect with this book. I didn't really care for Erik at all in book 1 or 2, but when I found out he was getting his own, I had to buy his book. And I'm glad I did.

I think the thing that helps this book is that Ms. Cooke really delves into their history. I'm not giving anything away (since it basically says so in the back text) that there's a bit more going on with Eileen than the standard fire storm. There's a bunch of shared history, remembered and not. So, it makes this story a bit more bittersweet than the others.

Knowing more about Erik's past, I'm able to understand now why he was the way he was in Books 1 & 2. His life has not been easy and it's especially difficult for him, because he's the leader of the Pyr. He has so many responsibilities, that when his fire storm rears its ugly head, it's almost more than he can handle.

One thing I liked about this book is that Eileen doesn't come across as TSTL, one of my least favorite clichés in romance novels. There are a couple of times when she gets this close, but she never fully steps over that line. She's also intelligent, spunky and doesn't back down when Erik tries to pull his nonsense. She stands up for herself and watching the sparks fly between them is a blast.

Of course, the rest of the Pyr and most of the Slayers make an appearance. What I really enjoyed about Kiss of Fate is how she has added even more history and ups the stakes. Things turn out in a way that is very surprising, especially for someone like me who has been with this crazy adventure since Book 1. I do think this is a series that should be read sequentially, because the history of the Pyr and the way they change their destiny is something that should be read from the beginning.

As always the sex is hot, the firestorm is intense and the drama is quite fun to read. I'm amazed to say this but I think this one is my favorite so far. So many things happened and changed in this book. Things will never be the same for these characters and I can't wait to read what happens next.

My Rating: B+

Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann

2009-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

Badly shaken after the loss of one of their own, the men and women of Troubleshooters Inc. go up against their most deadly opponents yet —- the clandestine organization called The Agency. Blackmail, extortion, murder: The Agency's black-ops sector will apparently stop at nothing to achieve their objective. But this time they've gone too far and hit too close to home.Led by former Navy SEAL Lawrence Decker, a team of investigators —- from FBI agent Jules Cassidy and former CIA operative Dave Malkoff, to Troubleshooters Sophia Ghaffari, Tess Bailey, and even receptionist Tracy Shapiro —- band together to uncover the truth, and bring the killers to justice.But the stakes are raised even higher when Decker barely escapes an attempt on his life. It soon becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted —- and the Troubleshooters are no longer just solving a crime -— they're fighting for survival.

Dark of Night basically takes up where Into the Fire ends, which is good. I have to admit that I didn't really care for ItF as much as I'd hoped. When I found out that DoN was going to be Decker's story, I was excited.

And yeah, how on earth am I going to review this book without giving away some major spoilers? Hmmm...well, I could do one of two things. 1. I could do spoilers with white letters so you can only read it if you highlight it or 2. I can just stop here. Your choice! LOL!

Okay, so I'm going to sum up this story super quickly and then I'm going to go spoilerific, but will WARN YOU AHEAD OF TIME!!! That's for LB who had this book ruined due to no spoiler notice. Shame on reviewers who do that. For shame!

Anyhoodles, this book is basically non-stop action. It starts at the beginning and doesn't end until literally the last page.

And a major bone of contention on my part. What is up with the bad binding? Page 120-164 is all backwards. I had to go take my book back. So, a word of warning. If you get this book, check page 119 and flip it to where page 120 should be. That way you don't have to go back to your local book store to trade it in.

SPOILERS!!!! SPOILERS!!!! SPOILERS!!!! SPOILERS!!!!! SPOILERS!!!!!!!

Oh, boy, where do I start? Ever since Tess and Nash's book, things have been hinted back and forth about Sophia & Decker. And why not, especially with how they met? It was a pretty big deal and it created a lot of tension between them. So, when I found out that this would be Decker's book...and Sophia's, I wasn't too sure how I felt about it. I never thought of the two of them as a good couple. Too much baggage and a lot of ridiculousness on both their parts.

Dave Malkoff declaring his love to her and having her decide to go with him? I gotta admit, I was actually REALLY happy about that. It meant she was ready to move on and it also meant that Dave would finally get his woman. Yay!

And so this story is about how Dave & Sophia actually fall in love. And it's about how Decker falls in love with someone completely unexpected, but who is actually perfect for him. I was sooooo happy when I saw where this book was going. *happy dance* Some people might be annoyed by this, because I know there are a lot of Sophia/Decker fans out there, but I think Ms. Brockmann did what should have been done.

Everyone is happy. Joy! Whoot! Etc. And she focuses on the romance. I think that's why I had such a hard time with ItF. I didn't get behind the romance of the main characters.

And can I say how happy I was to have Alyssa & Sam and Jules and Robin there? They play such a big part, especially in getting certain characters heads out of their butts. Whoo-hoo!

So, I was very happy with this book. LOVED IT! I'm going to go let Ms. Brockmann know.

My Rating: A- for some pretty craptastic editing. Someone should be fired. Just saying.

Reads of January 2009...This Is Nuts!

2009-02-02T11:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a list of books I've read in January. It's a bit ridiculous, but here goes...ready? :)

1. Broken Wing by Judith James: Rating A-

2. To Trust a Wolf by Kate Steele: Rating B

3. To Tempt a Wolf by Kate Steele: Rating B

4. Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian: I thought I'd reviewed this book, but I guess not. A Solid B

5. The Dragon Master by Allyson James

6. Moral Temptations by Allyson James

7. Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur: Rating...Honestly I almost DNF'd it

8. Dalakis Passion/Dalakis Embrace by N.J. Walters

9. Ellora's Cavemen: Legendary Tails I

10. Undercover Mistress by Amethyst Ames

11. At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost: Rating B

12. The Scarlet Spy by Andrea Pickens: Rating C

13. Delicious by Sherry Thomas: Rating B+

14. The Courage To Love: Brothers in Arms 1 by Samantha Kane: Rating C

15. Dangerous Declassifed by Sylvia Day (First DNF of the year)

16. Body & Soul by Tawny Taylor: Rating C-

17. Enchanted by Anna J. Evans: Rating C

18. The Spy Wore Silk by Andrea Pickens: Rating C

19. Violet Among the Roses by Cricket Starr: Rating C-
20. Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole: Rating A

21. Breaking the Silence by Katie Allen: Rating A-

22. Everything to Lose by Katie Reus: Rating C+

There are 2 more, but can't put them on here since they are review books for March. I will also say that I've reread about a dozen books so far this year. These are just the new books I've read. :)

A Conundrum

2009-01-29T21:19:00.000-08:00

Of sorts. *sigh*

Since I started reviewing books, I've come across some treasures, but for the most part they're pretty average. 90% of the books I review are books that I've gone out and bought myself, but some are books I'm given to review.

I recently received a shipment of books and one of the ones I read was so good I want to talk about it NOW, but I have to wait until the END OF MARCH to review. Argh! I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved this book and it's killing me that I have to wait. *sniffle* I even started reading it again today and I finished it yesterday. *sigh*

What to do? What to do? I'll be a good little reviewer and wait until March, but when I can I'll be book pimping like nobodies business. :)

Breaking The Silence by Katie Allen

2009-01-27T02:26:00.000-08:00

After enduring a horrific childhood, William Jackson lives a solitary existence working as a computer programmer from his Minnesota home. His safe routine is blown to pieces when the daily sight of an unknown woman walking her dog sends his heart into a tailspin.Jenny Fitzgerald's love life is at a definite low. Her only potential date in sight is her annoying and creepy coworker, Evan — until a stunning man appears before her like a gift from some kindly sex god. Who is she to turn down what's offered to her on a hunky blond platter?Will and Jenny's friendship develops as their hunger grows into love. Meanwhile, a jealous Evan watches, his rage building until it explodes in a brutal act of violence that tears Jenny's life apart. Will struggles to help her rebuild her courage and sense of self as his own demons and fragile memories threaten their chance at happiness — but perhaps they can learn to heal each other.

I completely, 100% blame Katie(babs) for the fact that I am up at this ridiculous hour. The other day she'd posted her review for this book. I thought it sounded interesting and bought it from Ellora's Cave. I just finished it and had to put my thoughts into words ASAP.

How do I begin? As Katie stated, this book is different than a lot of erotica. The hero, Will, is a virgin. Yep, you heard me right. And this is erotica. Whoo-hoo! Something different.

His childhood wasn't the best and after a traumatic experience, he hid himself away from the rest of the world, immersing himself in his job as a computer programmer. His only "connection" with the real world is from the window overlooking the path outside his house. For the last couple of weeks, he's been watching a woman walk her dog. Of course, he's also pleasuring himself, but that's a totally different story. Not! LOL!

Anyhoodles, he finally gets up enough nerve to go out and meet her. It's a relatively awkward first introduction, but the attraction is there and it is instant. And it is smokin', and I do mean smokin', hot. Jenny, the heroine hasn't been laid in well over two years, relatively content with her pretty boring life. When she meets Will, her first thought is "whoa" and then "Whoa!" :)

Watching the two of them interact as they got to know each other was just plain heart warming. Will is just so...sweet as he realizes almost immediately that she is the right woman for him. But, due to his lack of experience and the fact that he is extremely shy, he's so unsure of himself around her. It's cute and it just made me want to cuddle him. *sniffle*

I do have to warn you though, there is a very, very brutal attempted rape in this book. The scenes leading up to, going thru, and afterwards are just...heart-breaking. You feel for both Jenny & Will as they struggle to put their lives back together.

However, Ms. Allen handles this situation with brutal honesty. It's not all pretty and happy. The ramifications are there. You see how Jenny struggles, not just with the after effects of the attempt, but also in regaining herself. Will's struggle to be gentle with her and yet his almost overwhelming need to keep her safe. Wow!

I've gone over the basics, but wanted to do a good and bad as well. There were definitely more good, but there's a bad that's been bugging me since I read it. Here goes.

The Good:

Jenny. What an awesome heroine! Strong, feminine, totally gaga over her man and willing to be what Will needs her to be. *sigh*

Will. I just loved him. So strong and yet so innocent in so many ways. His character just made me turn into jelly.

Christian & Carrie: Finally! A gay male who isn't a charicature of a gay man. He came across just like my gay friends. A miracle! And Carrie...not as fun, but a great secondary character.

The villain. Ew! Just, ew! What a creep! And he gets his comeuppance! Whoot!

The over-all storyline. Great story.

The sex. As I stated at the beginning, it's smokin'.

Now onto...The Bad: *****SPOILERISH*****

And this is the only bad, but it was almost a deal-breaker. There's a scene where Will and Jenny are making love. Will is going down on her and begins to lick her "dark passage." Okay, for me, the butt is just not someplace a tongue should go. But that's not the part that grossed me out (much). It's the fact that A. he then goes back to her clit (germs much), but B. he kisses her...ON THE MOUTH!!!! Ack! I kid you not, I think I threw up a little. I almost stopped reading the book at that point, because all I kept thinking was he's kissing her! And he just licked her anal passage. Dude! *ack ack ack*

So, how did I feel about this book? Other than the above "bad" I loved this book. It was so sweet and well-done. I can't recommend it enough (though if you're not into the butt-licking, skim that part).

Rating: A- (for the "bad" part) Otherwise it would've been a higher grade.

Everything to Lose by Katie Reus

2009-01-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

Back Blurb-Sean Sullivan refuses to let his wife go without a fight. He made a mistake a year ago by suggesting they get a divorce. He only wanted to scare her into staying in town, so he gave her an ultimatum. No one was more surprised than him when she walked out the door and never looked back. Now that she's on the same continent, he plans to convince her they're meant to be together, and he's not above using sex to get what he wants. When killers target them to die, he'll use any means necessary to keep her safe. Even if he has to kidnap her and tie her to his bed to do it.

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book over on the DIK blog. I was looking forward to reading it, since Katie is a fellow DIK-Chick.

I enjoyed it. I have to admit I'm not a big fan of kidnapping for love stories, but this one wasn't too shabby. This is an Ellora's Cave quickie, equaling out to 75 pages on the pdf file. In a lot of ways I feel this might have been a detriment to the story. Ms. Reus hints at things that happened in the past, but there is not a whole lot of room to go into any detail. There were also some odd editing issues, but this is something that I find happens a lot with books coming from EC. I'm not dissing Katie by any means and I hope she realizes that. :)

The Good: The sex. Not very many of them since the book was so short, but the sex that does show up is quite spicy and VERY sexy. Mrowr.

The obvious connection between the two main characters. You can tell that Sean does love his wife very much and you can see that she loves him too. There's a lot of unresolved issues between them.

The fact that the kidnapping makes sense. It's not technically kidnapping, but it is. Kind of hard to explain, but there you go. :)

The two protaganists. They aren't perfect, but they're willing to work things out (once she gets over her anger at the kidnapping, that is).

The Bad: The fact that the heroine tends to be wishy-washy. She wants a divorce. She's mad. She allows him to have sex with her...a lot. But she doesn't want to get back with him. etc. etc. That would've been easier to take if the book had been longer. As I said at the beginning, I think the shorter length didn't allow for as much character development.

The resolution. It seemed just a bit too easy. However, it is the catalyst for getting them back together, so it can't be ALL bad. :)

All in all, I did like the story. I'll be looking for more of her books. Yay!

My Rating: C+

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole

2009-01-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

One of these days I'm going to have to pick this woman's brains. I have no idea how she gets away with 99% of her stories, but man, this book was awesome!

Back Blurb: With one kiss, he knew she'd be his queen...

From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king fighting to reclaim his crown and the wicked sorceress who dares to use his most secret desires to thwart him.

His obsession: the enchantress who surrenders her body, but not her heart.
After Sabine, the Queen of Illusions, lures and traps Rydstrom Woede in her lair, the ruthless warrior fights to resist her seduction.But his fierce demon nature lusts for her delicate body and won’t be denied. Even as Rydstrom plots to escape, he still intends to claim Sabine as his own—on his terms.

Her downfall: the battle-scarred demon who vows to keep her at all costs.

When Rydstrom breaks free, her abducts Sabine, turning the tables. Now she’s the one struggling to resist his delicious torment. With each relentless encounter, Sabine hungers more for her merciless adversary.

They were never supposed to want each other this much…

If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice to save her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to keep his sorceress?

I think the thing I appreciate so much about her books is the strength, not only of the heroes, but of the heroines as well. I hate books where you get strong Alpha males, but the women they're mated to are weaklings or whiners.

In this book, yeah, not so much. Sabine is a tough, tough chick. I like how Ms. Cole gets you thinking one thing and then throws things out of left field that totally change the scene. This book takes place at the exact same time as Dark Desires After Dusk, but instead of Cade's story, it's all about Rydstrom and his bride.

Oh, the fun! Sabine has known for centuries that Rydstrom is her mate, but due to some...not so good things, has never had the opportunity to have anything to do with him. There's a prophecy (of course) and all that other good stuff.

Anyhoodles, watching the give-and-take between these two characters was a blast to watch. You want to talk about antagonistic, this book has it. The sexual tension is IMMEDIATELY apparent and stays that way through the rest of the book. Le sigh.

It's hard to go into a lot of detail, because so much of it would end up being more a spoiler than anything.

I will say this. Rydstrom is strong and dominant and totally not what I expected. Sabine is crazy, but in a very fun way. The sexual tension runs rampant. The usual secondary characters are few and far between. Can I just say how much I love Nix? I know she drives some people insane, but I love her. She cracks me up!

And that's all I'm going to say about this book. If you've enjoyed her other Immortal After Dark series, I think you'll REALLY enjoy this book. It's fun and sexy, which is just the kind of book I like to read.

Rating: A

I Haz It! I HAZ IT!!!!

2009-01-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

Whee! Guess what I've got in my hot little hands? Huh? Huh? LOL!

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. I'm in raptures! Whee! *happy dance* Now, I'm off to go read. Ciao!

Books

2009-01-19T01:30:00.000-08:00

So, I've read a total of 18 NEW books for 2009, but this does not include the rereading I've done. If I told you how many books I've REALLY read so far this year, your head would explode. :)

Today I read Acheron, The Duke & I, Night Pleasures and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton...again. I don't know what it is about rereading books. To me I think it's like visiting an old friend. Something that gave me comfort when I needed it and is still there to offer comfort if it's necessary.

Maybe I'm just feeling melancholy this morning. Not sure why. I think it's this stupid sinus headache I can't get rid of. We've got major East Wind blowing...has been for a couple of days now. Whenever this happens, my sinuses rebel. Grr.

To Trust A Wolf & To Tempt a Wolf by Kate Steele

2009-01-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

Back Blurb for To Trust a Wolf: Grrrrrrrrrr. Just out of a bad relationship, Bryn Roydan has no trust to give where men are concerned. She hadn't counted on the determined will of Logan Sutherland. Resistance fading, Bryn finally gives in to her desire, only to discover that the attractive and dominant Logan is also an alpha werewolf. Filled with a primal need to make her his, Logan boldly lays claim to her - body, mind and soul. Stunned and aroused in the face of Logan's high-handed and seemingly impossible declaration, Bryn finds herself struggling to accept the reality of his dual nature and feral lust, in an effort to overcome her own past and learn to trust the wolf.

I recently did a large shopping expedition at Ellora's Cave. To Trust A Wolf was one of the books I bought. I enjoyed it so much, I had to go and buy its sequel.

My thoughts...

The romance between Bryn & Logan is interesting. Logan is a wolf, so of course, he knows she's his mate thru smell and instinct. Typical werewolf shenanigans. LOL! However, due to her past, she's very, very unsure of both herself and her feelings.

Logan woos her, which makes for some very sweet, very sexy moments. It's kind of one of those "Aw shucks" moments that just makes your heart go pitty-pat.

The Good: Logan. Dude, hot Alpha male with protective instincts up the wazoo? Oh yeah. He reminds me a lot of Nalini Singh's Alphas. Dominant without being a jerk. He's all about his woman and her comfort. Le sigh.

Bryn. At the beginning of the book, she really annoyed me. Waffling...Do I love him? Should I love him? Etc. etc. However, once she figures out that she does love him, she becomes a pretty cool heroine.

The world. Ms. Steele has created an interesting world in the werewolf paranormal. Logan is basically a mediator for the Packs. He helps smooth over tense situations and is able to think without letting his emotions completely take him over. That makes for some interesting moments. :)

The villain. It's resolved quickly and isn't a large part of the story. I found this particular part of the story fun, because the villain gets their comeuppance quickly. Yay for quick resolutions!

The Bad:

Okay, this is going to sound gross, but I hate, hate, hate love scenes that deal with menstruation. Unfortunately, this story has one of those. As soon as I realized, I had to skip it. I know most women don't have major issues w/ bleeding and stuff, but the idea of having sex while on the rag just does nothing for me. Ugh!

How quickly Bryn accepts what is going on. To me it happens way too fast. With how badly she was hurt by her ex and everything, she jumps on the Logan bandwagon much too quickly. I can understand why she fell in love with him, but due to the fact that her past is so much a part of the beginning of the story, it just fell a bit flat for me.

My Overall Thoughts: Overall I really enjoyed this story. The sex is hot and passionate, the romance is sweet, the two main characters are fun and the secondary characters are great without taking over the story.

Rating: B

To Tempt A Wolf Back Blurb: There are wolves in Whispering Springs. On her first night there, Hayley Royden comes face to face with one. A beautiful black wolf with amazing blue-green eyes. On her second day, she meets a two legged wolf, one Jace McKenna by name. He too has beautiful blue-green eyes and an allure that sends Hayley’s heart racing. Though instantly attracted to him, Jace’s teasing has Hayley unsure of whether she wants to kiss him or kick him. As things heat up between them, Hayley learns one thing for sure. There’s more to Jace than meets the eye. This lighthearted bad boy is harboring a secret.

Jace McKenna has found his mate. For this formerly footloose alpha werewolf the thought is a bit disconcerting but Hayley’s a temptation he can’t resist. Unfortunately the path to love is strewn with a few rocks. Unexpected trouble raises its head in the form of a scruffy thug with a grudge and an accident that threatens to tear them apart.

Hayley's story is just as fun as her sister's. Instant attraction with the local bad boy. I love bad boy stories. Yum, yum!

Hayley has just quit her job and is now working on her second novel. She's trying to do something worthwhile that gives her some sort of satisfaction. She's tired of just working to work. She decides to move into Bryn's old house to work on her book and get away from her old life for awhile.

Jace, the local bad boy and Logan's best friend, is also the Alpha of the Pack. He's always taken responsibility for his Pack, but due to the excess of responsibility he had when he was younger, he is basically a slut for womens affection. He likes sex and isn't ashamed fo that fact.

When the two meet, the sparks fly immediately. It's quite incendiary and very, very sexy. :) I'm all about sexy banter and intelligent flirting. Yummy!

The Good: Hayley. She's not afraid of her attraction to Jace, which is a nice change. There's a scene in the kitchen that is downright smokin' hot. *fans self* I'm a big believer in sexy sex and this book has it in spades.

Jace. The ultimate bad boy with a heart of gold. As soon as he realizes that Hayley is his mate, he's more than willing to protect her and sacrifice for her. Watching the play between them is quite entertaining. It's mostly major flirtation w/ a mix of sarcasm and wit. I love sarcasm and wit. :)

The overall plot. Though the books are connected, the story is very different. Watching these two characters fall in love was so much fun.

The Bad. The end. Not the end itself, but the confrontation. It was very frustrating to read, because the villain is so annoying. I just wanted to shoot this person & put them out of their misery. Grr.

This has NOTHING to do with either of this books, but the series in general. Ms. Steele introduces the characters for the next book at the end of this book. However, this book was written in 2006 and we still don't have the next one in the series. When I emailed her, she did tell me that she is planning more books. Yay! Here's hoping it comes out very, very soon!

Rating: B

So, overall, this series rocks! Sexy, fun, fast-paced, and just an overall entertaining story. I can't wait to read the next one!