Out of the Dark by Sharon Sala

Synopsis courtesy of Shelfari....

In the darkness of her memory terror lurks Street artist Jade remembers little of her childhood except for the time she spent under the ruthless control of a cult leader, a time marked by terrible abuse and suffering. For fifteen years since she escaped his grasp, she has survived by living on the streets and never putting down roots. Ex-cop Luke Kelly knows his friend Sam Cochrane wants nothing more to find his daughter, Jade, who was taken from him as a child. So Luke uses all his connections to make that happen, not knowing that by reuniting Jade with her father he is exposing her to a deadly peril. In the healing embrace of her father's home, Jade -- with Luke's loving help -- begins to put fear behind her. But somewhere in the darkness, a man is prepared to kill rather than let Jade reveal the secrets of her childhood. And when her story makes the national news, that someone finally knows where to find her.

My thoughts....

This was my first book read by this author and it was good for the most part. Quite a bit of faith in God thrown in....not completely preachy but more than I care for. After awhile it kind of felt like product placement....think I'm going to H.E double hockey sticks for comparing God to Chex Mix? Anyway, the last 100 pages seemed to drag and I thought as traumatized as Jade was, I felt that her couple months of therapy that turned her into a woman emotionally available for a full on relationship with a man seemed abrupt and not real. The suspense was drug out even though technically Jade was safe for the last hundred pages or so making the story feel longer than it really was. I felt, however, that the situations within the book (the childhood physical and sexual abuse and the emotions that came with it....up until the last part of the book) were spot on and Sala did a great job of convincing me of Jade's plight. I was as emotional as Jade was through much of the book. Overall, as I said, a good book. 3.5 Stars. I will read more of Sharon Sala in the future....at least to get a better feel of her writing.

The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter

Douglas Sherbrooke, Earl of Northcliffe, decides that he needs an heir, so quite nonchalantly he thinks about his choices and then chooses the beautiful Melissande Chambers to bestow this privilege on. Unfortunately as he is planning his trip to do the deed he gets called off on a secret mission for the government and sends his cousin Tony to marry Melissande by proxy for him. When he arrives back to his home expecting the diamond, Melissande, he finds her younger sister instead. Tony, married Melissande for himself and to "fix" it he married Alexandra by proxy to Douglas.


My thoughts.....

Honestly I have heard for years that Coulter was an exceptional writer and The Sherbrooke Bride is a great read. I feel lied to. I hated it. After reading the other reviews on this book (most are right around 4 stars) I am wondering if maybe it is just me.

Douglas is pretty ticked off that instead of finding the beautiful woman he expects to come home to he is married to her younger sister that although handsome (Alex said she was quite handsome when listing her attributes to Douglas) she appears dowdy when standing next to Melissande...of course...according to the author....everyone does. So, what does Douglas do? Just figure that he didn't really know any of the girls that well and only wanted a brood mare anyway to give him an heir and anyone would do? Get mad and simply annul the marriage? Nope he treats Alex horrid. Seriously, horrid.

He ridicules her clothes. Saying things like, "That is such an unfashionable dress I doubt it was ever in fashion. I suppose you intend to wheedle me out of a new wardrobe?"

He ridicules her hair. "You will not pleat your hair like that. I don't like it. You look like a little girl."

He ridicules her feelings for him.....I still don't understand how she could have any tender feelings for the man who treats her so awful.

He often tells her that she will NOT ask questions. She will DO as he says and OBEY him. Often telling her that she will respond that yes "She understands" even if she doesn't.

He often referenced to his wife while thinking of her as "the little twit".

Alexandra's own thoughts were just as belittling. When thinking of her sister and herself she knows that Melissande is a diamond and she, Alex, certainly isn't a diamond but perhaps she could be a Topaz. A Topaz is, after all, a quite suitable and a nice gem.

I think that the love scenes (I use the phrase loosely) were the worse to listen to (yes I listened to it on audio without skimming most of it had I done if I had an actual paper version). The love scenes (cough cough) were all about him telling her, quite clinically what he would do to her and that she would enjoy it. The first one was the most painful...granted they all were bad but the first one is like that first plunge into the swimming pool you never know quite what to prepare for and let's just say that the very first love scene will stay with me for a long time....like chicken pox scars.


Douglas did a lot of talking.....a LOT!!! I don't remember much of it thank goodness as I tried to block it but what I do remember is that Douglas doesn't find his wife remotely attractive and can't figure out why he loses control when he has sex with her as he is ALWAYS in control. So even though his wife is not stunning in beauty it must still be her fault he ruts her like a school boy's first outing.

Oh and at one point they were talking about if he found her lovely and irresistible (I am paraphrasing by the way) to which he replied...."Well, No. But you have nice breasts." What a pig!

And what does Alex do while her husband treats her like this???? Why...... she declares her love for him.

One reviewer said that they fell in love with Douglas and mentioned he was the first "Alpha" male that they read. To me there is a big difference between an Alpha male and a jerkwad. Douglas is a jerkwad....perhaps even more of an asshat. Jerkwad is too mild of a word.

I was going to give this book a flat out 1 star rating (I never give less than that because that is the lowest my rating scale goes...although a half star would make sense too if I really was going to think about it...but I'm not at this point) oh, anyway, it fully deserved 1 star up until the last 80 or so pages (I'm guessing by the way since I listened to it and honestly don't know). The last 1/5 of the book picked up and had some sort of a twist that was mildly interesting and made me see Alex and Douglas as actual characters and not horrible plotting mistakes. Unfortunately it only elevated the book half a star...too little too late.

Oh, and there was a ghost in the book called The Virgin Bride. Almost pointless to have had it in the storyline...I suppose it was to give the book an added depth and shake things up a bit but it was a big FAIL....really.

Now I'm kind of in a dilemma...I own 38 more of her books. I'm scared to even pick another up.

Huntress an anthology

A brief Synopsis....
It takes a real man to satisfy the powers and passions of the HUNTRESS


Christine Warren -- "Devil's Bargain"
Supernatural bounty hunter Lilli Corbin made a pact with the Prince of Hell: She agreed to recover a book of prophecies. When she learns it could trigger the apocalypse, Lilli is forced to make the ultimate choice: save her soul, or the man she loves?

Marjorie M. Liu -- "The Robber Bride"
Welcome to a post-apocalyptic world where women are fed on for their life forces. Now it's up to Maggie, one of the last female survivors, to hunt down and destroy an army of darkness….

Caitlin Kittredge -- "Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go"
Ava is a demon slayer who needs help from mage Jack Winter to reach the demon underworld -- a place of dark seduction …and, maybe, one of no return.

Jenna Maclaine -- "Sin Slayer"
London 1889. Jack the Ripper is killing off the city's vampire population, and now it's up to Cin Craven to hunt him down —and save the infected Michael, the love of her undead life.




My Thoughts.....
The first story was written by Christine Warren. I have read one of the Others books by this author and thought it was ok but nothing to jump head first into the rest of the series. This is not part of that series but when starting a short story you never know if you are going to end up reading story 17 out of a series you have never read and have no idea what it's about. Anyway, this was about a demon bounty hunter who found herself having to pay one of the lesser devil's of hell back for a favor by performing 3 tasks for him payable when the mood strikes him. This will be the last of the 3 favors and she can't wait to get out from this contract. By doing this favor she ends up puting the balance of good and evil out of whack and possibly introducing armegeddon. So she hooks up with the hero who is hoping that between the two they can prevent this from happening. Interesting enough storyline what I didn't like was that the sexual chemistry between the h/h was off the charts so in a few short pages they almost did the deed and then actually did do it a little later. I know that this is a common enough occurance that I knew to expect it. What I didn't expect was the feelings of love after only knowing each other for 8 hours. I hate this type of romance story line. Towards the end the love was changed to "feelings" and then with the characters seeing where it led them but it still smacked of Love at First Errection...I mean Sight. 3.5 stars.



Second story was called The Robber Bride by Marjorie M Liu. I loved this one. The entire story was intriguing. Totally not a typical Vampire paranormal it has a dystopian theme to it and the reader is reading along trying to figure out just what are those bad guys. The storyline doesn't neccesarily have an ending. Actually there is an ending for this story just not a HEA one for the characters...more like a stay tuned for the further adventures of Maggie and Mr Crow. One of the most unique and interesting short stories I have ever read. Total 5 stars.



The third was by Caitlin Kittredge and by far my least favorite. I would say I would give it 2 stars tops. I hated the characters. There was no clear cut and dry good guy/bad guy. The good guy was a jerk-off and the good gal was a manipulator. They were better than the bad bad people but it was hard to cheer for a specific side. This story is part of her Black London books and I can't figure out where it takes place within that series. Not that it matters because I will not read them. Jack Winter is an ass. Also, I am an american but read books set all over and have to admit that this is the first time that an author used so much "non-american" slang that I wasn't familiar with that it really destracted me from the story. I could have benefited with a glossary had there been one in the back of the book.



The last story was part of Jenna Maclaine's Cin Craven books. I love Cin. I love Michael. I love Cin and Michael. I have read the first two books in the series and this short story falls between that 2nd book and the 3rd I haven't read yet. A great addition to the series and didn't suffer from lack of pages. The story felt full and complete. I would recommend that if you read this one you have already read the other 2 full books and the other short story found in Stange Brew though. Because they fall in chronological order with decades passing between each story I think this is important. 4.5 stars only because it is part of an ongoing series that I feel should be read in order. Totally recommend them though. Especially if you like the Cat and Bones books by Jeaniene Frost.

As a complete book I would give this one 4 stars. If it hadn't been for the Kittredge story this would have been an excellent anthology.

Wild Fling or Wedding Ring? by Mira Lyn Kelly

Description:
On her first night in Chicago, Cali McGovern meets seriously sexy surgeon Jake Tyler. Since she's still sore after her last relationship, her head's yelling Run —but her body's screaming for his touch…. For the first time ever, her head gets overruled! Jake isn't looking for a wife—been there, done that. But his hot new neighbor is in town just long enough for a wild fling…perfect! Yet when the time's up, he can't say goodbye. Is that just because of their sizzling chemistry—or something a whole lot scarier?

My thoughts:
I haven't read a Harlequin Presents in, oh, about 20 years and have to say that I probably went into this with not quite the open mind that I should have. I remember the Presents from back in the day, where the women were poor working their fingers to the bone virgins and the men were players with lots of money. They all really started sounding familiar book after book after book.

Anyway, I struggled through the first 10 pages for 2 days. This book should have only taken me 2 hours tops to read and it sat on my headboard taunting me for 48 hours. Within the first 10 pages I had not only one instance where my anal retentive ways sounded it's alarm and wouldn't let me continue on but then there were two. Most people probably wouldn't pick a statement apart and make it literal. I do.

Here is my example.....In the jazz club where Cali and Jake just happened to meet and spend an interesting couple of hours chatting and laughing away, Jake receives a phone call that he takes down the hallway. For a busy heart surgeon this is probably pretty common. Cali, completely gun shy decides it is time to head to the restroom then make a break for it. As Jake comes back down the hall, Cali comes out of the restroom and runs smack into Jake. This is where it got wonky on me. Wonky because instead of a shoulder bump of an encounter or even a body check where Cali unfortunately bounces back into the restroom the author elaborates to say that their legs tangled. Does that ever happen? I had visions of Cali jumping out of the restroom in full on flying bicycle kick.

Second example.....when Cali and Jake kissed (right around the leg tangling) she shuddered. In Mira Lyn Kelly's mind a shudder is an example of passion. In my mind a shudder is another way of saying "Ewwww. This isn't going to work for me, dude. I swallowed a little bit of my own vomit when attempting to snog you."

Not everyone would ever think these things were wonky with the book. I know, I'm anal. But now I bet you will think about it if you do read this book.

Once I ignored the issues I had with the first part of the book it did get better. I really liked Jake. Cali was just so-so but not unlikable. I liked the conflict that both of them had with themselves. Jake just didn't want commitment and Cali didn't want to risk her job. Oh did I mention that Cali's boss knows Jake and actually refers to him as "her Jackson"? I liked that when Cali explained her past experience with Jake the author could have kept it simple and standard that the evil ex used and then threw Cali away leaving her destitute, jobless, and alone but she didn't. Yes Cali's ex was a jerk-off but Cali was woman enough to admit that even though the ex was an ass it was her that allowed it to happen. I liked that. To tell the truth I was expecting to read the first version and was pleasantly surprised when it didn't happen.

I do wish that Cali's boss would have been a little more involved with the whole Jake and Cali thing. At least to give some closure. Her blessing or even the opposite. Personally if my star employee started dating "my Jackson" I would have something to say about it.

Overall this really was an OK book. It is the author's first and it does show but with time and experience she could really polish up her writing and start putting out really good books.I am giving this book 2.5 Stars and would say that if you were going to read it find it used or borrow it. I got my copy from Tellharlequin.com free for my opinion on it.

On a side note if you noticed there are two covers of this book mine actually didn't come with a picture on the cover at all. Just a plain white book with black lettering. Still not sure why unless these are Harlequin's ARCs. The white one is the Harlequin Presents American cover and the blue one is the Mills & Boon copy from the UK. I really like the blue book better. I think it makes Jake look super hot. The White one is actually a little closer to Cali's description as she has lots of curly hair. Unfortunately, neither one got the color right. Cali actually was described as having ginger and dark cherry hair....which doesn't sound blonde to me.

Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux

Book Description....


It was her father's dying wish that Samantha Elliot search for her grandmother, who'd disappeared from Louisville when she was a baby. So here she was, in big, dirty New York City...her parents were dead, her divorce was final, and she was all alone....



Michael Taggert was Samantha's landlord, and he was easily the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He was charming, too -- his zest for life was so contagious that in his presence Sam bloomed like a flower after the rain. Yet Mike could only get so far with her -- when he tried to get closer, it was like running into a brick wall.



But Mike wouldn't give up. As they probed her grandmother's past, he was slowly uncovering the joy and affection Samantha had buried long ago -- and leading them closer to the dangerous truth about a bloody spring night in 1928, and a seductive blues singer named Maxie....

My Thoughts......
 
I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. I didn't like Samantha. Deveraux tried to make her such a complex character that when it all came down to it the reasoning behind her attitude towards Michael it was a bit of a let down. I wont get into the specifics but Samantha is not a strong female lead. Over the years my tastes in romance have matured to a point that I need a kick ass woman, one that takes the crap that life can throw at her and kick it in the balls. Samantha is not this woman. After losing her mother and her grandfather she took care of her father while still a young girl. When she became an adult she married and then took care of her husband. When her marriage failed she went back to her father only to find he was dying. Once he was gone, to fullfill his will she had to move to New York and live in the apartment her father set up for one year while looking for her long lost grandmother. Michael Taggert was the owner of her new apartment.
 
When faced with these obsticles in life Samantha rolled over and sank into a depression. She also was afraid to walk around the block in her new city. Not exactly sheltered growing up I am still not sure what in her character would terrify her of stepping outside her door. She grew up in Santa Fe. Not a tiny farming town in the middle of the country.
 
Now for Michael....Never really got a good grip on him. It starts out with Sam meeting Michael while he had been playing football with some buddies and that he was toned and obviously worked out. Later in the book Sam was thinking about how much she loved his body builder's body. To me, a man who works out and in shape is completely different than one who is a body builder. But whatever. The big issue I had with Mike was that he liked Samantha. I couldn't see the connection. I didn't understand him wanted to pursue her. She would let him kiss her then run for the hills. She would spend days ignoring him. She was either hot or cold....mostly cold. I don't even know if it was the puzzle of her psyche that intrigued him.
 
There are two things in this book that I found very redeeming.
 
1-The Taggert/Montgomery Clan--They came for a visit to "meet" Samantha because finally Michael was interested in someone. I loved the picnic scene. I liked his whole family. His twin brother Kane was so very interesting by the way. I think I liked him more than I liked Michael.
 
2-The Mystery of Maxie--Although I was initially confused as to the timeline of her disappearance overall the mystery was intriguing. She disappeared when Sam was a baby but in New York Sam and Mike were investigating what happened when she disappeared in 1928 which would make the entire timeline wonky. It would make Sam 70 odd years old. It really took me forever to figure out that Maxie had indeed disappeared in 1928 when she then met and married Cal, Samantha's Grandfather. Almost 40 years later she disappeared again. So, Sam is trying to find out why she ran away in the late 60s but also trying to find out what happened in 1928. Crystal Clear. Once I figured that out I was really interested in reading about Maxie and her life as a gangster's girl. Super interesting.
 
Unfortunately these points were not enough to redeem the book for me. If I can't like the characters it is hard for me to enjoy the book. I will have to read Kane's book though....he sounds yummy. My Rating 2.5 Stars.

Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan

I cut my paranormal teeth on Christine Feehan's Dark Prince. It forever holds a spot in my heart because of this. I love that book. Over the years I have read every book that came after it with excitement and glee. After a point though I noticed I wasn't enjoying them nearly as much as I did at the beginning. I am honestly not sure if this is because I am growing and maturing as a reader or that the books just aren't or possibly both.

Carpathian Males by nature, are completely Alpha. Expecting their women to cower behind them and stay put because they decree it. In my ripe old age of Thirtysomething I now expect my heroines to be assertive and fully capable of kicking some vampire butt along side their men.

These books are still in the dark ages and all the men still beat their chests and grunt at their women to obey them (with the exception of two women who were not brought up Carpathian the women do listen too...for the most part.) But what I want to know is what is the point of being able to dissolve into mist, shift into an eagle or a wolf, or call down lightening if the XY's in your life won't allow it when it comes to fighting for your people's future.

Anyway, I should probably talk about this book now....

Dark Celebration is the 14th or the 17th book in the series, depending on if you count the 3 novellas published in separate anthologies. It is a full on Carpathian Reunion which sounds super cool unless you are like me and read the last book in 2006 and can't remember all but a handful of the characters. While reading the book I often had to stop and reflect (actually stop and try to remember)who certain characters were.

I read the hardcover edition of the book and there were approximately 300 pages of actual storyline. There were quite a few recipes after the end of the book submitted by Feehan Fans around the world. The recipes were a tie in to the Christmas celebration the Carpathians were having. I didn't really pay much attention to them to tell the truth.

In the book there were so many couples that I had a hard time keeping them straight. Also every couple had sex at least once. I also think that once a couple of them had sex we never heard about them again. It all felt a little gratuitous. Because every couple was engaging in some hot lovin' Feehan made each couple repeat that the other was their lifemate and without their other half they would be lost. After having read all of the books prior to this, I started getting annoyed with the repetitiveness of it all. Granted had I not read any of the books before this one some of it might have been good to know but even then a newbie to the series would have been irritated too.

Problem number one I had with this book....
Way too many characters. Seriously. There were at least 13 couples in addition to 2 couples not yet joined, one family friend, parents of two of the girls, one teenage Carpathian, and at least 10 children. So, I lost count at 44 people in this book.

Problem number two I had with this book....
No resolution to the big bad evil that was stalking our Carpathian women. They were all in very real danger but other than a couple battles that didn't actually take out the big baddie there was no real ending. Also a storyline was started and I have to assume it will continue in the next book Dark Possession and yet another storyline started with a 16 year old and her lifemate that I have to assume will be completed in the future as she is too young at this point to have a credible storyline.

So I honestly have only two really big complaints about this book. But they are doozies. In general Feehan's Carpathian books are all stand alone books because each one is about a different couple. This book, however cannot be enjoyed as a stand alone. Someone not familiar with the series could not fully appreciate it and would be very confused. Heck, I have read all the books and found myself confused.

So, my recommendation is....

Read it if you are already a fan of the series. Get the book from your local library. Unless of course you are like me and collect all her books. When purchasing it you might want to scour your Used Book stores and Thrift Stores looking for it. I honestly don't think it is worth full price.

My rating: 2/5

Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant

Synopsis courtesy of Shelfari....
First in a breathtaking new series, the bold and passionate Lucan MacLeod—one of three brothers cursed by dark magic for eternity—is driven by desire for the one woman he dare not let himself possess… He is magnificently strong—and dangerously seductive. One of the fiercest of his clan, Lucan MacLeod is a legend among warriors, inspiring fear in man and woman alike. For three hundred years, he has locked himself away from the world, hiding the vengeful god imprisoned in his soul. But then, a young lass caught in a raging storm awakens his deepest impulses…and darkest desires. Cara doesn’t believe the rumors about MacLeod castle—until the majestic Highland warrior appears like a fiery vision in the storm, pulling her into his powerful arms, and into his world of magic and Druids. An epic war between good and evil is brewing. And Lucan must battle his all-consuming attraction for Cara—or surrender to the flames of a reckless, impossible love that threatens to destroy them both…

My Thoughts....
I love paranormal books. I love historical romances. Having both in the same book makes Christina a happy girl. Among a sub genre that is filled with vampires and werewolves I love when I read a book that is altogether different. Somewhat similar to Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld....Lucan and his brothers all house a god inside their bodies. Grant does a great job of explaining how and why this all happened. I am not going to go into it because, well, I think you should read the book.

What I liked....The Bothers. Knowing that danger and evil were coming, they felt that Cara should learn to protect herself. Realistically they knew she would not have a chance against others like themselves (men with gods) but there were other creatures that she could defend herself against, so they taught her how to fight. In many other historical romances you find the Alpha male simply stating "I will protect her." Lucan is an Alpha male but it was refreshing to read a book where the men were realistic enough to know that they might be able to protect the women at all times.

Also, we are introduced to additional warriors with gods that I am sure will end up with their own books. One in particular had an intense hatred for Cara based on her ancestors. I found him completely fascinating and even now am not sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy.

What I didn't like... I thought that the connection with Cara and Lucan was not there at first. Sure Grant wrote it that way but I was not a believer until after Cara's training started. That's it. I really have  nothing else that struck me not quite right with the book.

Overall, a great read. 4.5 Stars! I am very much looking forward to the next book that is out soon. It is Fallon's story, Lucan's older brother. I can't wait to read it!

Second Sight by Amanda Quick

Synopsis courtesy of fantasticfiction.co.uk....
Financially straitened and on the path to spinsterhood, Venetia Milton thought her stay at the remote, ramshackle Arcane House would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engineer her own ravishment. She was there to photograph the artifacts collected by a highly secretive organization, founded two centuries earlier by an alchemist. And the alchemist's descendant-her employer, Gabriel Jones-has the eyes of a sorcerer.


But despite Venetia's intent to seduce Mr. Jones and move on, she is shattered upon her return home to read in the press of his violent demise. Using the sizable fee Mr. Jones paid her, Venetia establishes a new life, opening a gallery in London. Of course, posing as a respectable widow makes it easier to do business, so-in a private tribute to her lost, only lover-she assumes the identity of "Mrs. Jones."

Her romantic whim, however, will cause unexpected trouble. For one thing, Mr. Jones is about to stride, living and breathing, back into Venetia's life. And the two share more than a passionate memory-indeed, they are bonded by a highly unusual sort of vision, one that goes far beyond Venetia's abilities as a photographer. They also share a terrible threat-for someone has stolen a centuries-old notebook from Arcane House that contains a formula believed to enhance psychic powers of the kind Gabriel and Venetia possess. And the thief wants to know more-even if he must kill the keeper of the Arcane Society's treasures, or the photographer who catalogued them, to obtain such knowledge.


My Thoughts....

This is the 1st book in the Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick crossover Arcane Society series. I have read all the ones by her JAK name and am now working on the rest. After having read one previous AQ book (Lie By Moonlight) and being far from impressed I was hesitant to read more. But as I found I really liked the Arcane Society books I felt that I needed to read all of them and not just the contemporary ones.

Originally I started listening to this on unabridged audio and found that I was not enjoying the reader. I thought that her voice made the heroine sound like an uppity bitch which is a far cry from what Venetia really was. After listening to half of it and finding my opinion of the book was not good I opted to grab the paperback copy I had and finish it off. I should have done this in the beginning really.

Once I started reading it myself I found that I enjoyed the characters much more and Venetia's stubborn stand on independence was acceptable whereas when I listened to it on audio she came across as childish to me. Her siblings (Amelia and Edward) also vastly improved in my eyes. The reader had Edward sounding like a child barely out of nappies (at least that is how I perceived him to be while listening.) Gabriel also came across as more of a hero than an overbearing bully.

Amanda Quick does an excellent job of combining romance and intrigue in this book. The mystery behind who stole the artifact from the Arcane house was compelling even though the reader does have the baddie's identity early on. In addition to the main baddie it appears there are others involved and many people are not exactly who they appear.

As this is a historical romance that has a female lead who supports her family with a photography business we as readers are reminded by character actions and statements that this is an unusual event and once Venetia's "husband" come back from the grave so to speak it is a society "given" that he will take over the business end of her studio. Venetia struggles with this on a personal level even though she knows that this is custom and it grates on her that women are still "lessers" in the eyes of society and men in general. Her way of coping with it is to assure her clients that her husband is a modern thinking man and has no problem with her continuing to run her business as she sees fit. Although this information is rehashed many times throughout the book it doesn't seem repetitive because had this been a piece of non-fiction we would have seen the same struggle from our heroine because of the time it took place. Although the book did not give a specific date it does say it takes place mostly in London during the latter part of Queen Victoria's  reign. So my guess is that it takes place almost at the turn of the century somewhere between 1885-1900.

Overall, I would say that this was a pretty good book. I wish I had just read it myself because it might have been even better. I am giving this book 4 stars. I will get the next one in the series also by her Amanda Quick persona called The Third Circle. I am looking forward to it.

Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard

I tried to find a synopsis from both Shelfari.com and Amazon.com but all they said was..Wolf Mackenzie is a loner who has a way with horses and a deep distrust of outsiders - until one woman dares to venture onto Mackenzie's Mountain. Schoolteacher Mary Elizabeth Potter is determined to keep Wolf's teenage son from abandoning his dreams . . . and finds herself rescuing Wolf along the way. 

Now, I don't know about you but that isn't a synopsis to me. That is more of a generic sentence used probably more times then not to describe hundreds of romance novels.

So, let me tell you a little more about the book.

Mackenzie's Mountain was written in 1989 by the great Linda Howard. It has been a tried and true romance recommended by one romance lover to another for years. It is the first book in the Mackenzie saga.

Wolf Mackenzie is a quite man who has isolated himself just on the outskirts of a small one horse town on what he considers "his" mountain. The town distrusts him and treats him like a common criminal and in return he rarely ventures to town and doesn't really care to mingle anyway. His 16 year old son Joe has learned to be indifferent towards the town just as his dad does because the town treats him the same way they treat his dad. When Joe decides that he can't even get a decent education because of the poor opinion the town has on the Mackenzies he opts for dropping out of school to help his dad train horses. The new school teacher has other plans and makes it her mission to get Joe back into school and educate him into a better life. And if she has to spend more time around Wolf Mackenzie that wouldn't be such a bad thing either.

My Thoughts.....

After having this book in my TBR pile for years and years I signed up for a reading challenge where I challenged myself to read 24 books (which I pre-selected before the start of the year) from this pile. This was one of the books I put on that list. It's about time I read it too. As I mentioned it has been almost a "staple" of romance readers top favorites for years now and it has been recommended to me time and time again.

What I liked....

I went at it was extremely high expectations and overall I was not disappointed at all. Wolf is an interesting character. Proud, strong, intelligent. It first appears that he is antisocial and is maybe not the hero that you expect from a romance novel. And to tell the truth he isn't. What he is, is a man who has isolated himself based on the reactions from other people for self preservation.

I think what complicates the story is Joe, Wolf's son. At first I had a hard time with the concept of Wolf letting his son drop out of school to help with the horses. That seemed so....wrong. A 16 year old should never drop out of school. I know it happens. My rose colored glasses broke years ago. But I am used to reading books where it is very black and white. Good parents raise their kids to go to college. They raise smart, funny and beautiful children. Bad parents run out on their kids. They let them drop out of school and do who knows what because bad parents don't care. This book does not fall into the black or white. Once I accepted that I was able to really embrace this book.

Mary is a strong female character who is intelligent yet knows her limitations. She sets her sights on getting Joe his education and like a bulldog she stubbornly refuses to give in. She also sets her sights on Wolf. She finds him attractive, intriguing and mistreated by town. She ends up being the Mackenzies' champion when it comes to staring down the town and putting the town folks in their place.

In addition to an interesting set of characters there is a little bit of a mystery and danger involved which always makes a story even better for me.

What I didn't like....

I didn't understand the big Tah-doo about Wolf being an Indian (Howard continued to refer to Wolf as either an Indian or a Breed...usually when either Wolf referred to himself or one of the town's people referred to him or Joe). Anyway, this book was written in the late 80's (on the cusp of the 90's) and was set as a contemporary romance. With this in mind, why on earth would an entire town and Wolf himself feel the need to continually point out his being Native American? And in such a negative way too (trust me on this....they do). It really confused me. In addition, Mary (although I really liked her character) was something straight out of the 1800's. She felt better in long dresses and sensible shoes. She is in her late 20's but yet still a virgin and I believe she thought herself a spinster.

Between Wolf being a "dirty Indian" and Mary being a spinster if it hadn't been for the fact that Mary drove a car up Mackenzie's Mountain in the opening I would have sworn I was reading an historical romance. Don't get me wrong, I love historicals, but this wasn't one and I think that any book should follow certain rules. This book was written about a 1990 relationship between a white woman and a Native American and I expect the attitude of the characters to reflect what is socially acceptable at that time. If a book were written about a white person dating an African American in 1950's America I would expect a small town of folks to be outraged and hateful (I am not condoning this, just acknowledging that this was the way things were at the time).

So, despite the weird little timeline issue I am overall pleased with the way the book progressed. I am glad I read it. Not sure if I would read it again. I think I might actually if she decided to release another Mackenzie book (there are 4 and I have only read 2 by the way). I think that I would read them all in anticipation (or a quick reminder of who and what each book was about) if she ever did release another one.

My rating 4.5 Stars.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis.....


For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

My thoughts....

This book was highly recommended to me by several women who just raved about it. After finishing this book today I am undecided on my actual thoughts on the book. And after 8 hours I still am not sure if I liked it all that much. I didn't walk away from the book with warm fuzzies from reading it....it really isn't that kind of book. I didn't walk away with unanswered questions so that is good. I'm still not even sure if the back and forth switch between perspectives (some chapters are from Grace's and some are from Sam) was good for the book or just annoying. This by far is the hardest review I have ever had to do. Normally within a few minutes of me finishing a book I already know what I want to say about it. As a matter of fact, while reading a book I often am thinking ahead on what I will say about it when I am finished. This book has left me stumped.

As far as the characters go...Grace is very much an introvert which could be caused by her upbringing (her parents are more friends to her then authority figures) or it could be caused by her obsession with "her" wolves. Her character seems so much older then her actual teenage years. Sam also seems to much older which could be because he is a wolf most of the year. The interaction between Grace and Sam is....for lack of a better word...sweet. The characters are not what I enjoyed about this book however.

What I did enjoy was Sam's take on being a wolf. He struggles to retain his humanity and his biggest fears are turning into a wolf forever losing himself and never seeing Grace again. He likes being a wolf. It is part of who he is, but to be a wolf would mean giving up being Sam. Unfortunately, turning wolf forever is right around the corner. It is a part of the curse. It is inevitable.

Overall, this book was well written. It compelled me to continue reading to find out if Sam and Grace were destined to be together or if Grace would spend her life sitting in her backyard on the edge of the woods forever wondering what happened to her golden eyed wolf. I am glad I read it.

I would recommend that you get this one from the library only because for me this isn't a book that I would re-read. There was very little going on in the book that I might get confused about later. Despite this fact I am giving this book ★ ★ ★ ★. Stiefvater did a beautiful job of writing. She was able to make her wolves as real to me as they probably are to her.

Blood Sins by Kay Hooper

I have been a long standing fan of Kay Hooper. Last year I read an older book of her's called The Wizard of Seattle which I really enjoyed even. This must be why was I so surprised that this book was barely average? Although when looking back at last year's books read I did notice that I read the first book in this trilogy sometime between January and March of 2009 which isn't really that long ago and truth be told I can only remember one detail about it. Nope...not the character's names but the fact that the heroine wakes up covered in blood with amnesia. Yep that's it. So, why again knowing that the last book I read in this series was forgettable was I so disappointed while reading this one? Maybe it was because I really wanted it to be fantabulous. Maybe it was because I love paranormal books that are about psychics (maybe even more then the vamp ones). Maybe it was because I liked the color of the cover. Whatever the reason, I found this book to be a middle of the road read. One where during the course of the book it could go either way. A half a star given for a particularly witty exchange of words between the characters. A loss of a whole star for having a crazy cult leader called "Father". Ok, anyway, on to the book description and my thoughts (or rather more of my thoughts).

Book Description compliments of paperbackswap.....

Young, vulnerable, attractive, Tessa Gray made the perfect victim. Which was why Noah Bishop of the FBI’s Special Crimes Unit recruited her to play the role of grieving widow. As the supposed new owner of land coveted by the Church of the Everlasting Sin, she'd be irresistible bait for the reclusive and charismatic Reverend Samuel. His fortified compound in the mountains near Grace, North Carolina had been the last known residence of two women murdered in ways that defied scientific explanation.

Though hardly as naive or as vulnerable as she appears, Tessa knows she has a lot to learn about using her unique gift. She also knows that Bishop and the SCU have to be desperate to rely on an untried psychic agent in an undercover operation so dangerous. And desperate they are. For the killer they're hunting is the most terrifying they've ever faced and shakes even the most seasoned agents: a soulless megalomaniacal cult leader who can use their own weapons, talents, and tactics against them.

By entering the cult’s well-guarded compound, Tessa will be exposing herself to the dark magnetism of a psychopath on an apocalyptic crusade of terror that spares no one, not even the youngest victims. And Samuel has protected himself within a fanatically loyal congregation, many of whom occupy surprising positions of power within the community. Even Grace's chief of police, Sawyer Cavenaugh -- a man Tessa will have to trust with her life -- may be unable to protect her. Because no one, not even Tessa herself, can guarantee she’s strong enough to resist temptation -- or powerful enough to battle a killer who's less than human.

My Thoughts.....

You ever read a book that had more characters then you can actually keep track of? How about one that throughout the course of the book became more of a "family" reunion then a book about 2 specific characters. Well, this book is one of those...on both accounts.

As I mentioned earlier I actually read the first in this trilogy last year. By the way Blood Sins is book two in the trilogy but really book 11 of the Bishop/SCU series. Separated by themes but connected by one super psychic named Bishop and his band of merry men/women. Ok so, read the first in the trilogy last year, check. I remember pretty much nothing of the book, yep, check. I remember reading all the other 10 books in the "series" over the last 13 years...at least I remember adding them to my mental "I read that book" list. But really don't remember any of them in detail except book two of the Shadows trilogy (Hiding in the Shadows) which I thought the ending was sucky....just not my cuppa whatever (tea? tequilla?). Needless to say when a dozen characters from previous books started showing up for a big nasty good vs. evil showdown in this book I ended up being a little overwhelmed. It's like making chicken soup for you and a friend but then that friend invites a friend who invites a friend and so on and next thing you know you are adding 17 cups of water to the soup and making sure when dishing it up everyone gets one noodle and half of a slice of carrot in their bowls. Yes there is enough to go around but let's face it....it's just not satisfying.

Yes this book gives you a few hours of reading happiness. Let's face it, a bad day of reading is better then a good day at work right? But it blows just a little bit when you know your reading happiness could have been so much more had you just picked up the second book from the top of your to be read pile instead.

Back to the book...I am seriously getting off on tangets tonight. Once all the players were involved I kept having nagging thoughts that some of them I really should know. Hollis was a major player in this book (not the "leading lady" however). So why can't I remember her? Hooper does do a good job of "reminding" us readers what special ability each person has (half a star in the plus side for that Kay!) Dani is a super kick butt psychic who "Father" should fear....yep....I got nothing....don't remember her at all. Tessa is a secret under cover spy who might work for Bishop's SCU or maybe the private company of Haven either one maybe both. I have no idea. Did I mention I was confused?

What I did like was that Hooper kept the story moving along at a breakneck speed especially towards the last half of the book that made me want to add an extra ten minutes to my break at work so I could read just a little bit more. Or maybe I was literally reading at a breakneck speed which is why I was getting confused.

What I didn't like was the enormous cast of characters. It just felt enormous which to me says there were way too many. I didn't like that her books are now focusing on the mystery instead of the romance. Even though there really isn't much of a mystery other then why a hardcover book like the one I read retails for $25 US dollars. So, no romance. This part is actually what I thought sucked the most. There was an attraction between Tessa and Sawyer but nothing panned out. The whole book took place in a matter of days so I suppose its for the best. Had the characters professed their undying love for each other after 2 days I might have thrown up a little bit. I hate those types of romances. When it came to ending the bad guy....although Tessa played a major roll (this was after all "her" story) someone else did the deed. I never really got a good grasp on what Tessa could do by the way. They talked a lot about their powers growing at a fast rate during the course of the book but it seemed to me she ended up with a few powers that she didn't have a week before the book started.

Ok, so, after some adding and subtracting and a double shot of whiskey I ended up giving this book 3 stars. I enjoyed it too much to put it into the 2 range but hell if I thought it was worth 4....oh sorry the whiskey is making me a little testy (I should have stuck to tequilla). So, I borrowed this book from my local library. Yep I went the free route with this book and am glad I did. If you insist on reading this book borrow a copy from someone. I would recommend that you don't read this book if you are new to Hooper. Definitely start with one of her other books (maybe even ones in her Shadows trilogy) even her short really old LoveSwept books are not bad (not bad=better then this one).

Deadly Gamble by Linda Lael Miller

About the book....She's got an uncanny knack for winning at slots, but her home-sweet-home is Bad-Ass Bert's Biker Saloon. She'd love to go deep undercover with an irresistibly hot cop, but he's got baggage as big as his biceps. She's survived a mysterious tragedy, but Mojo Sheepshanks hasn't quite figured out who she really is or how to get on with her life. And now the wisecracking Mojo is seeing ghosts-the real, ectoplasmic kind-and turning up baffling clues to her real identity. Suddenly a wealthy man is claiming to be her long-lost uncle . . . and she's being shadowed by an ex-con brother with a talent for killer mind games. As Mojo races to finally uncover the facts, she'll need all her savvy and strange new talent to keep someone from burying her-and the truth-for keeps.

My thoughts....Having been a fan of paranormal for many years I have read tons of vampire/werewolf type books and although many are so wonderful they tend to spend all eternity on my keeper shelf I tend to have a soft spot in my heart for other types of paranormal books. The ones that center around some sort of psychic activity really intrigues me. I admit, I love shows like Medium and The Ghost Whisperer and reading books along the same lines is just right up my alley.

Mojo Sheepshanks wakes up one day (or night as it actually happened to be) laying next to her dead ex-husband. So starts her life as a person who can see ghosts. Understandably she is a little shaken and this book relives her emotions and experiences of that first contact. The story does seem a little out of whack a bit because it takes place in the first person where Mojo is actually telling the story of her first encounter with the dead. I was a little confused at first because although she is telling us about seeing dead people I couldn't figure out why seeing her dead ex was so traumatic. When I figured out this was her recap for the readers benefit the lightbulb came on and I really started to enjoy the book from that point on.

I was a little uncomfortable with Mojo's name....I kept reading it as...Mojo-jojo which is a character from the Power Puff Girls. But after awhile I got used to her name as I got used to the first peson narrative also.

The suspense of the book kept me reading as much as the paranormal woowoo stuff did. Mojo's background is unknown to her and the mystery of her childhood that she forgot is very intersting as is her adoptive family. She has two sisters who couldn't be more different from her. Both are as interesting as Mojo herself.

After a little bit of a rough start this book just took off and kept me reading late into the night. Right after having finished this book I immediately picked up the second in the series to read more about Mojo.

Although a great book I am not keeping this one, I might read it again at a later time but will get it from the library should I chose to do so. So, I would recommend that you find a copy either at the library or a used book store. Definitely a book you would like especially if you enjoy books like Victoria Laurie's Abby Cooper Psychic Eye series and her Ghost Hunter books.

Causing Havoc by Lori Foster

From the back of the book:

Sexy, sculpted extreme fighter Dean "Havoc" Conor has knee-melting good looks--and thick skin. But not from his brutal sport's enclosed rings. Orphaned and torn from his sisters as a boy, he has no family. That is, until he gets a letter revealing how much the once-little girls want him back in Harmony, Kentucky.

To stop one of his sisters from marrying a man as sleazy as he is wealthy, Dean finds himself teaming up with her pretty-but-smart-mouthed friend Eve--who's heard of "Havoc's" reputation and doesn't need some hunk trampling on her heart. Now all Dean has to do is protect his sisters, win Eve over, and expose a devious criminal. And he thought winning the heavyweight cage fighting belt was hard...

 

My Thoughts.....

 

This is the second SBC book I have read and both were just wonderful. Normally I am not a sports kind of gal. I don't watch them. I don't talk about them and I usually tune out those who do. I found myself fascinated by this book despite that Dean is an SBC fighter. Maybe because it isn't necessarily about his fights or the sport but the developement of the relationships between Dean and his long lost sisters.

 

Strangely enough although both part of the same series, the first one I read (My Man Michael) and this book are so different. Heck, they don't even take place in the same time. For those who don't know, My Man Michael is technically a time travel book. They do have a common theme though. Super alpha men and strong independent women.

 

I have read a few of Lori Foster's books...many won high marks from me. She writes characters that you might not have anything in common with but somewhere along the line connect with emotionally. She also has a knack for creating mouth watering men. I want my own Dean!

 

So anyway, this book is the first in the series and although many people just "have" to read series books in order (typically I am one of them) you don't have to worry about that. I read this one second and didn't feel disjointed or lost at all.

 

I honestly don't know what else to say about this book other then pick one up, try it, you'll like it. I own this one and might keep it to read it again later. You should find a copy where ever you can, even if it means paying cover price.

 

My rating.....4.5 Stars.

White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz

Synopsis....
Petite, thirtysomething Clare Lancaster is a Level Ten para-sensitive-and a "human lie detector." Over the years, she's come to accept that someone with her extraordinary talents is likely to have trouble in the relationship department. And she's even resigned herself to the fact that everyone, to one degree or another, hides behind a faςade...

And now it seems that meeting the half sister and family whom she never knew until seven months ago was a mistake. Her father summons her from California to play a role in his business empire, and Clare doesn't intend on making the same mistake twice. But after meeting Jake Salter, Archer Lancaster's "financial consultant," Clare is convinced that things aren't what they seem. Salter's careful conversation seems to walk a delicate line between truth and deception, revealing and resisting. Something sparks and sizzles between them-something more than the usual electricity between a man and a woman.

Caught in a dizzying storm of secrets, lies, and half-truths, Jake and Clare will plunge into an investigation that demands every bit of their special gifts-together they must overcome their mutual distrust in order to unravel a web of conspiracy and murder.

My Thoughts....
White Lies is part of Jayne Ann Krentz's Arcane Society books. I had read book a while back that mentioned the Arcane Society (not part of the series but mentioned the Society) it didn't go into details so I ended up confused as to what The Arcane Society was and why it was even really mentioned. This book is technically the second in the series (the first is actually a historical written under her pen name Amanda Quick) but it explained the Arcane Society so I am not confused anymore.

I have a few reservations about an author who writes a series of books switching time periods. The first book is an Amanda Quick and it is historical romance. This second book is contemporary. The third is once again an AQ historical and so forth. I have only read one Amanda Quick book and thought it was barely average. I didn't hate it, but really had no feelings about it either way. So I am a little concerned with this authors other offerings especially in a series that I might enjoy a lot (at least the ones written as JAK). I know JAK isn't the first author who has done this (Linda Lael Miller's McKettrick series comes to mind) but to alternate the time periods is new, different, a little weird. I won't rule it out though....I just wanted to mention I think it is a little strange.

Ok, so back to the book. I was impressed with book to the point that I went to the library and checked out all the rest of Arcane books that were available. I love paranormal woowoo storylines and this one was right up my alley. The heroine is a human lie detector of such extreme talent making her one of the rarest of the psychic community. Unfortunately not many human lie detectors remain ballanced because everyone lies to a certain degree. Being bombarded everyday by thousands of people lying usually drives these types of psychics crazy. Clare, in this case is such a strong person that she not only can handle her gift but has such a great outlook on lying that it surprises Jake. Jake by the way is super Alpha. Who doesn't love an Alpha Male??

This book had a great balance between romance and suspense. Krentz also was able to create characters so physically attracted to each other that I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to bust loose and have hot monkey sex where ever they might have been. Those hot monkey sex scenes were believable and didn't feel gratuitous, nor did they take over the storyline.

There is a secondary storyline that takes place in this book too. Not only do you see the main one that carries the plot along filled with suspense and intrigue but a background one is also apparent while reading.

Clare is actually the biological daughter of one of the more poweful men in the area and with her knowledge of her father Claire also gets a sister. The sisters have an interesting relationship and I hope that it continues into other books. With the knowledge of Clare's existence, her bio dad's wife feels the betrayal of it all and doesn't make it easy for Clare in the family. This dynamic makes for interesting scenes and dialogue between all the parties involved.

Over all a good book. 4 Stars and a happy reader who is looking forward to more Arcane Society books....maybe I'll even read the historical ones by Amanda Quick.

A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

Synopsis.....Last Christmas Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband, Bobby. This Christmas she's come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him. Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby's shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago, then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived stateside. Since then, Marcie's letters to Ian have gone unanswered. Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. But she is not easily scared off. As Marcie pushes her way into his rugged and reclusive life, she discovers a sweet but damaged soul beneath a rough exterior. Ian doesn't know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into the painful past and, what's worse, the uncertain future. But it is, after all, a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it's time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.

My thoughts.....Having read 2 other books in the Virgin River series by Carr I knew I was in for a good read. Marcie is the young widow of a Marine who's husband was gravely injured during the war and Ian was the man who carried him out alive. Marcie views Ian as a hero who gave her enough time with Bobby to say goodbye. Ian doesn't see it this way and seeks out solitude in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. After Bobby's death Marcie goes out in search of Ian....to thank him and make sure he is ok. Ian wants none of it....he doesn't think he deserves her kindness and doesn't want her there at all....she stirs up memories that he hasn't dealt with and doesn't want to.


A shorter book then other Virgin River books this one comes in at just under 300 pages but the story doesn't lack because the length nor....I might add...does any of the other books that I have read from this series feel too wordy because they are longer. I have not read one of Carr's books that I haven't liked. I did feel that this particular book was not quite as good as the others but maybe because the characters were not really part of Virgin River. Marcie did end up becoming part of the town dragging Ian with her but for the most part both Ian and Marcie spent the majority of the book out at a run down shack that Ian had inherited.

This was a very good book and even if you haven't read any other books in the Virgin River series you could still read this one and enjoy it a lot.

Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr

Synopsis....At twenty-five, after five years as her mother's caregiver, it's time for Shelby to experience freedom and adventure. Time for travel, college and romance. But when she visits Virgin River, she runs into Luke Riordan, decidedly not whom she has in mind. A handsome Blackhawk pilot, Luke exited the army after twenty years, four wars and having been shot out of the sky three times. At thirty-eight he's tough and jaded. His major was in one-night stands, with a minor in commitment avoidance. Technically, these two are all wrong for one another. But sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things…two very good things.


My thoughts....I don't think Robyn Carr could write a bad book. This is the second book I have read by her and it is part of her Virgin River series and although I didn't connect with the characters as well in this one as I did in her first book of the series I totally enjoyed this one. Not normally my cuppa this book is a May/December relationship type of book. Luke is 13 years older the Shelby and Carr did an excellent job of acknowledging it. She managed to create a storyline that, granted, had been done in the past with a younger inexperienced woman and an older worldly man, but made it fresh and didn't feel like a 1970's Harlequin Presents. Not that I am dissing those books....I cut my teeth on them, but after so many years my romantic tastes in reading material have grown and matured with me. I didn't think that I would or could like a book where the hero and heroine were so different but I did.
 
As far as the couple goes....Luke didn't stand a chance against Shelby. She set her sights on him and he tried to resist....tried really hard but in the end gave in (not such a hardship really). Shelby, although inexperienced in relationships she wasn't naive which I appreciated. I liked both Shelby and Luke.
 
During the course of the book, typical of the series, we experience life in Virgin River, see old friends, meet new friends and witness a major happening that brings that town together. From the books I read, this is a standard theme. I don't mind. It works. But this isn't all that happens. Carr carries the story of Virgin River along where it really doesn't feel formulaic at all. There are plenty of new happenings to keep the series fresh which is good because from what I hear she is continuing the series bringing three new ones out this year and next year....possibly the year after too. Great news for fans.
 
I cannot recommend this series enough to my fellow romance lovers. I often compare them to Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove books which I also really like.

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles

Synopsis....Who Knew An Angel Could Get A Girl In So Much Devilish Trouble?


Jackie Brighton woke up in a Dumpster this morning, and her day has only gotten weirder. Her familiar B-cups have somehow become double Ds, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her fi rst one-night stand ever...with a fallen angel. All she remembers is gorgeous Noah's oddly hypnotic blue eyes...and then a dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a sexy Itch. With help from Noah, Jackie begins to adapt to her new lifestyle -- until she accidentally sends Noah into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands herself in a fi erce battle for an ancient halo with the queen's wickedly hot righthand man. Who just happens to be the vampire who originally bit her. How's a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy's so hard to resist?



My Thoughts.....I finished Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles. I really really enjoyed this book. Not one usually for super steamy... I tend to cringe a little when the storyline contains an enormous amount of sex because in many cases the more sex the less actual romance the book contains. I love when a book makes me go Awwww but hate when a book makes me go Ewwwwww. With that said Gentlemen was really good. Yes there was a lot of sex but in this case the storyline supported the sex and the sex supported the storyline. Succubi are all about sex. It's how they live. It's how they survive. It worked for this book. Although there were little to no romance in this book I didn't find myself getting pissed because of the lack of it. Like I said, the book had an interesting storyline and it worked.

Jackie is a very good character who was thrown into the succubi world with no intro or anything. She struggles with who she has become and tries to fight it...she hates the thought of having to be a slut. The men in her life are ooo laaa laaa. Noah is a fallen angel. Zane is a vampire. Out of the two I have found my new obsession with Zane. A bad boy to the max. Perhaps with a heart...maybe not. His character is what I am looking forward to reading about in the next book.

Over all this might have been a 5 star read if it weren't the fact that Jackie's vampire master, when changing her left her in a dumpster in an icky alley. I don't think this was resolved well. If it were me I would definitely hold a grudge against the master. He left her in a dumpster!!! I wouldn't forgive that easily. She seemed to have forgotten in towards the end. Oh well. Still a 4.5 star read. Can't wait to get to the next one. Unfortunately with my reading schedule this month not sure if I can fit it in until April.

Street Game by Christine Feehan

Synopsis courtesy of http://www.christinefeehan.com/.....
For Mack McKinley and his team of GhostWalker killing machines, urban warfare is an art. But despite a hard-won knowledge of the San Francisco streets, Mack knows from experience that too many things can still go wrong. Danger was just another part of the game—and now he’s come face-to-face with a woman who can play just as tough.

She’s Jaimie, a woman with a sapphire stare so potent it can destroy a man. Years ago she and Mack had a history—volatile, erotic, and electric. Then she vanished. Now she’s walked back into Mack’s life, as a spy with more secrets than are good for her. Against all odds, she’s hooking up with Mack one more time to take on an enemy that could destroy them both, or bring them back together in one hot, no-holds-barred adrenaline rush.

My thoughts....

So, I have been a fan of Feehan since I picked up Dark Prince, the first book in her Carpathian series. I read one after another until I found myself eagerly waiting an entire year for the next delicious book to come out. Thankfully she has given her loyal fans several other series to snack on during the Carpathian lulls. One of which is her GhostWalker books. It took me a while to actually pick up the first in the series Shadow Game though. It was almost as if by picking up a book other then her Carpathians I was somehow cheating on them. Luckily the waiting for the next Carpathian book produced such a withdrawal I had to bite the bullet. I sighed and picked up Lily and Ryland's story and was hooked.

Once again Feehan introduced me to a fascinating world where not only are the men super Alpha but the women are equally capable. Both genders in her GhostWalker books can do extraordinary things. From mental telepathy to telekinesis they have it all. These are the characters that I was fascinated with my whole life. I wanted to be them....I wanted to wear Wonder Woman Underoos under my clothes to school. I wanted to be special.

So now you know my pathetic background let us jump to Feehan's latest installment of her GhostWalker series. Book #8 Street Game.

I really wanted to love this book. To not love it would be so wrong. Unfortunately, I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. I was just OK with it. It was a pleasant way to spend a few hours of my life. I don't regret reading it but I wasn't blown away by it either.

I found myself a little lost when starting the book because this book was about a totally different team of GhostWalkers that I knew nothing about. I really liked the old GhostWalkers....these were new ones. I wasn't comfortable with the new ones. OK, so I don't take to change very well. I recognize this flaw in my personality. While reading this book I just didn't feel the need to work on that particular part of me in order to like the book better.

I just didn't like Jaimie and Mack that much. Oh there was probably nothing wrong with them. But they weren't Gator and Flame. Although I did keep picturing Gary Sinese's character "Mack" from CSI:NY as this particular Mack. So I have a weird obsession with him. I think he's hot.

Anyway, even though I didn't like the main characters that much, I did find that the rest of this new GhostWalker team was super interesting. Javier really caught my attention. I can't wait for his book. Kane was another one. Oh, and don't forget about Joe.

I found the book easy to put down while I went about my business, often starting other books along the way. The steamy scenes were easy to skim (just an FYI I never skimmed Gator's steamy scenes....I'm pretty sure I read every word of every sentence. When I was done I went back and read them a second time even.) Most of the book smacked of crazy conspiracy stuff that normally would have resulting in major eye rolls and sarcastic remarks but knowing the background of Whitney and many of the baddies I was able to just go with it. I am afraid that if a new to The GhostWalkers reader would pick this particular book up they might never try another.

So, what did I like about this book??? After getting over the initial shock of not knowing any of these characters I was able to enjoy many members of this new team. I liked that even though none of my favorite past heroes were in this particular book there is hope intermingling. Jaimie did mention that she is in contact with one of the other ladies via computer. I want a giant family reunion (or would that be just union since most have never met) between all the GhostWalkers.

My advice is to read this book if you are a tried and true fan of the GhostWalker books. If you are new to The GhostWalkers you might want to start with an earlier one.

This is the spot where I tell you where to pick up your copy. A great book would get you a "Run right out to your local book store and dish out whatever they are asking. It's worth it". But since this is just an OK book I would advise you to get this book where ever you want. I keep all mine so prefer them brand spanking new (usually at Walmart prices) but I am a big advocate of the public library and that option will serve you well too.

Once and Always by Judith McNaught

Synopsis compliments of shelfari....
Across the vast ocean sailed Victoria Seaton, a free-spirited American beauty left suddenly orphaned and alone. Eager to claim her long-lost heritage, she was amazed at the formal elegance of Wakefield, the sumptuous English estate of her distant cousin...the notorious Lord Jason Fielding. Sought after at plays, operas, and balls by London's most fashionable ladies, Jason remained a mystery to Victoria. Bewildered by his arrogant demeanor, yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she came to sense the searingly painful memories that smoldered in the depths of his jade-green eyes. Unable to resist her spitfire charm, Jason gathered her at last into his powerful arms, ravishing her lips with his kisses, arousing in her a sweet, insistent hunger. Wed in desire, they were enfolded in a fierce, consuming joy, free at last from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of blinding anguish, Victoria discovered the shocking treachery that lay at the heart of their love...a love she had dreamed would triumph... Once And Always.

My thoughts....
Most of the way through the book I was so absorbed in it that I though for sure it was a 5 star book. The last 50 pages or so, unfortunately, dropped the book to 4. Still a good book, bordering on very good. While written 20+ years ago it does have a slight dated feel but definitely not too bad. Things that were "accepted" in the 80's in romance books are not the norm now. For example, a rape scene. Many modern romances do have rapes in the books but back in the day the rape was usually a whole Luke and Laura from General Hospital thing instead of today's rape scenes being about the heroine being raped and the hero coming to her emotional or physical rescue. I really had to take the book for what it was back in the 80's and try not to compare it to my today standards.

This alone was not why I rated the book a 4 instead of a 5. I really liked Victoria. She was strong, intelligent and witty. I loved Jason (tortured hero anyone?) and completely understood his actions. I could see Tory's influence in Jason and could see him opening up to Tory and experiencing fun and laughter that his life had been missing. Then something would happen and set him back to square one. After seening this pattern happen through a good chunk of the book I was pretty surprised that towards the end, it was if a switch was flipped and he had some kind of life altering epiphany which I felt I had missed. Oh there was an epiphany, but his about face came before it. Of course he declares his love for Tory but then says to her that he has loved her since she arrived at his doorstep. Yet no declariation of him admitting he was a shit and the reason why (maybe scared?). His background, which had been explained previously, was to just expain away his being an ass with no inner reflection on his part. Totally 80's.

Together I though they were fantastic friends. Unfortunately I found their interactions as friends part of the book was better then once they were married. Once they were married the friendship ended. This was part of McNaughts plot plan but I would have loved to see more romance once the I Do's were stated. These things might smack of a very low rating but honestly most of the book was just fabulous. I would encourage others to try this book unless of course rape scenes makes them too squeemish.

Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Synopsis: A Desperate Young Mother Rachel Stone's bad luck has taken a turn for the worse. With an empty wallet, a car's that's spilling smoke, and a five-year-old son to support, she's come home to a town that hates her. But this determined young widow with a scandalous past has learned how to be a fighter. And she'll do anything to keep her child safe -- even take on. . .

A man With No Heart Gabe Bonner wants to be left alone, especially by the beautiful outcast who's invaded his property. She has a ton of attitude, a talent for trouble, and a child who brings back bad memories. Yet Rachel's feisty spirit might just be heaven-sent to save a tough, stubborn man.

Dare To Dream--Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina -- where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose. here two endearing lovers will set off on a funny, touching journey of the heart. . .to a place where dreams just might come true.

My thoughts....

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has been a favorite among romance readers for years and I have found myself looking into the pool trying to decide if I should jump or just dip my toe in when it comes to her writing. After reading this book I have decided to put on my goggles, plug my nose and jump.

This book was fabulous.

I judge a great romance by how well I connect to the characters and if the story can play my emotions like a violin. This book does both.

Rachel is a character that you are able to laugh with, feel outrage for, and just plain old like. You can put yourself into her place and feel her desperation and pride, her love of her son and her need to stand with her head held high and her back straight.

Gabe is a little bit of a mystery at first. He appears angry and mean. Constantly snapping at Rachel and her young son. But he has a painful past that has made him the shell of a man that Rachel meets upon her arrival back in Salvation. It is this past which helps us readers understand who he was and who he has become.

These types of characters are what makes Phillips's books so wonderful. They are complex and interesting and guaranteed to keep the reader wanting to find out more.

Aside from the fantastic characters the storyline was also terrific. I don't want to get into too many details because I don't want to spoil anything for other readers but just know that if you have read Phillips's other books (Kiss an Angel in particular) and liked them, you will love this book.