Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday's New and Notables



  1. First, this amused me. Then, it intrigued me. Mmmm cowboys.
  2. I've been hearing a lot about the movie. I need to get the book.
  3. Library spam
  4. "I miss them already." Me too, buddy. Me too. 
  5. Brilliant
  6. G-Spot news.  
  7. I may have to break my "no spending money on books in 2012" rule for this one.



Review: A Demon Does it Better by Linda Wisdom




A Demon Does it Better by: Linda Wisdom
Source: NetGalley
(Sourcebooks Casablanca 2012, 352 pages)

Blurb:
After more than a century, Doctor Lili Carter, witch healer extraordinaire, has returned to San Francisco and taken a job at Crying Souls Hospital and Asylum, where something peculiar and wicked his happening. Patients are disappearing, and Lil wants to know why.
AND DOUBLY DANGEROUS FOR A DEMON...
Lili finds herself undeniably attracted to perhaps the most mysterious patient of all-a demented but seriously sexy demon named Jared. What's behind the gorgeous chameleon demon's late-night escapades?
Before long, Lili and Jared are investigating each other-and creating a whole new kind of magic.


Review:
This being the sixth book in the series, but the first that I have read by this particular author, I am going to give a lot of leeway in this review. The background information that would have been recognized and appreciated in a book that had been read from the beginning of a series was lost on me. I may eventually pick up the first one to see if I appreciate the story more after learning about the world from the start. 
That being said, the author did do a good job of catching the reader up on the ins and outs of how this world works. I enjoyed the story overall between Lili and Jared and thought that it was a sweet romance that happened within the circumstances. 
My main problem with this book is the believability of those circumstances. Yes, yes it's paranormal romance and not believable to begin with. However, I couldn't help thinking through most of the story that the characters didn't really do as much as they could have with the situation. I felt that Lili could have explored other avenues on ways to help Jarod and the other patients but she seemed to be content to go about her job and moan a little on the side about what she was missing and what he may be suffering. I felt like I was more involved with the situation than perhaps she was. 
If you are looking for a light-hearted romance with a world you can pick up on pretty quickly then this is a good one for you. It would probably be something good to read on a plane.

Sexual Content: m/f


At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges: 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Review: The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark


The Demon Lover by: Juliet Dark
Source: NetGalley
(Ballantine Books 2011, 448 pages)

Blurb:
Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.
But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart.

Review:
It has taken a while for me to write this review because I have a lot of mixed feelings about the book. When I picked the book I was under the mistaken impression that it was a young adult book. It seems that a lot of readers have had a similar impression. The cover was probably a bad choice since it really does not go along with the flavor of the book at all and gives the impression of an innocent story despite the title of the book. This book is more along the line of an urban fantasy / paranormal romance with some erotica thrown in. Some of the scenes are very sexually graphic but I think they balance out with the story eventually.
The world Juliet Dark was able to build was very imaginative. I liked how she wasn't afraid of letting her characters become scary or unlikable even if they seemed to be something else early on. One of the main problems I had with this book though was how Callie seemed to take all of the discoveries she made with such an amazingly calm attitude. Despite learning about a whole new world that she had seemingly wished for all her life with her obsession about Myths and fairy tales, she never showed any excitement or amazement or fear or any O-M-G-IS-THIS-REALLY-HAPPENING moments. She took it all in stride. As if to say, "Oh yeah. I knew that would happen.Can we move on now?"
The romance was sweet and my urge to throw my nook across the room when I finished the book was probably just a side effect of wanting to find out how their story ends and not necessarily a reflection on the book as a whole. Needless to say, I'll be keeping my eye out for the next in the series.  

Sexual Content: m/f


At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face (kind of)
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges: 

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Review: Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs



Bone Crossed by: Patricia Briggs
 Source: Ebook - Library
 (Ace 2010, 304 pages)


Blurb:
Marsilia, the local vampire queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan. Now, she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack-and her relationship with its sexy Alpha-it's not Mercy's blood Marsilia is after...
Review:
I am really enjoying this series. Urban fantasy isn't my usual go-to genre but this has just enough romance to get the heart pumping. The action is, as always, fantastic and the story has remained consistent with the rules that govern the world Patricia Briggs has created. A great read but if you start the series I definitely recommend starting at the beginning with Moon Called.


At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges: 

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Review: The Last Honest Woman by Nora Roberts

The Last Honest Woman by: Nora Roberts
 Source: Audio Book - Library
 (Mills & Boon 2011)



Blurb:
Never tell the whole truth, nobody wants to hear it. As the widow of an infamous racing car champion, Abby O'Hurley shunned publicity. Now a single mum, struggling to keep her family and farm afloat, Abby has invited charming, disarming and ruthlessly cynical biographer Dylan Crosby to tell her story. Abby's doing it for the sake of her sons, but she needs to keep Dylan from uncovering her darkest secrets. She'll tell him just enough to close that chapter of her life, even if Dylan wants more than she's willing to give...

Review:
I can usually count on a Nora Roberts book to be a decent read but honestly, the only reason I was able to finish this book was because I really wanted to give the whole series a try. From the start I wasn't able to connect with Abby. I had a hard time with parts of her character that seemed so incongruous I felt like there were two characters instead of one. One minute she was strong, the next she was a weak helpless female that needed a man desperately to help her with everything. She was brave, and scared. She was a mystery but she was the most open and honest woman ever invented. She made my head hurt.
Dylan was overbearing, pushy, and opinionated. At least his characteristics were consistent but geez, it certainly didn't endear me to him and I would have kicked him out of the house for his unprofessional behavior.
Not one of my favorite Nora Roberts books.
   
Sexual Content: m/f


At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges: 

 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Review: Sins of the Highlander by Connie Mason


Sins of the Highlander by: Connie Mason
 Source: NetGalley
 (Sourcebooks Casablanca 2012 ,352 pages)



Blurb:
ABDUCTION
Never had Elspeth Stewart imagined her wedding would be interrupted by a dark-haired stranger charging in on a black stallion, scooping her into his arms, and carrying her off across the wild Scottish highlands. Pressed against his hard chest and nestled between his strong thighs, she ought to have feared for her life. But her captor silenced all protests with a soul-searing kiss, giving Elspeth a glimpse of the pain behind his passion—a pain only she could ease.
OBSESSION
"Mad Rob" MacLaren thought stealing his rival's bride-to-be was the perfect revenge. But Rob never reckoned that this beautiful, innocent lass would awaken the part of him he thought dead and buried with his wife. Against all reason, he longed to introduce the luscious Elspeth to the pleasures of the flesh, to make her his, and only his, forever.

With two clans against them burning for battle, they must find a way to join together—body, breath, and soul. Or both will be made to pay for the...
SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER


Review:
I really enjoyed this book. It had a bit of everything I enjoy in a romance novel. A little bit of the paranormal, a little bit of the helpless female, a little bit of the alpha male who needs a woman to help him heal. Yes, it's been done before. It's nothing new. But when it's done well, oh boy! It becomes one of those stories that lurks in the back of your mind and reminds you of that gushy feeling you get when you finish a good romance. Definitely worth the read.
   
Sexual Content: m/f


At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges: 





Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Free Find

Get it Free at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Dark Season by: Amy Cross

After being nearly killed in a brutal mugging, Sophie finds herself drawn into Patrick’s world. Unable – or unwilling? – to say a word, Patrick is a vampire with a dark past. He’s the last vampire on the planet, having been the only one to survive a devastating war that lasted for centuries. But how did he survive, and what dark secret has he sworn never to reveal.
Meanwhile a dangerous vampire hunter closes in on Patrick, and it becomes clear that Sophie’s destiny is linked to the last vampire in ways she can’t possible imagine.

Librarything Rating: none / Goodreads Rating: 4.27



Monday, January 16, 2012

Review: Kiss of Twilight by Loribelle Hunt

 Kiss of Twilight by: Loribelle Hunt
 Source: Galley from Carina Press
 (Carina Press, 2011, 88,000 words)



Blurb:
Dupree Jackson is everything a senior soldier of the Order of Templar should be. Cold. Unbreakable. A master at arms in the fight against demons. But as a hybrid, Dupree is beginning to lose himself to the demon half of his soul. One woman has the power to save him. If he lets her. Kara Stone wants two things in life: to be merged with a demon so that she can become a full member of the Order; and Dupree Jackson. She knows they are meant to be together, if only Dupree would love her back.
Though his desire for Kara is undeniable, Dupree's need to protect her is stronger. Not wanting to see her merge, to face the internal struggle he deals with every day, he refuses to bond with her. But when Kara becomes a target and uncovers a dark secret about her past, Dupree may no longer have a choice...

Review:
This book took a while for me to get into and understand what was going on with the characters. After about 100 pages I FINALLY felt like I understood how the world Dupree and Kara lived in actually worked and how the characters related to one another. I wouldn't say the book was slow to start because there was enough action to keep me entertained but I think I may have understood their world better if I has read the first book Kiss of Darkness.
The romance between Dupree and Kara was mediocre and didn't really have much of a sizzle. The main plot for the book was Dupree not wanting Kara to merge with a demon. I didn't feel like that was enough conflict for all the issues it created between them. There were several times while I was reading that I just wanted to tell the characters to grow up, get over it, and find a demon couples therapist. Oh wait...that was touched on but it didn't really help. The problem created so much hemming and hawing from Dupree that the strong characteristics that Kara had no longer held any weight when she kept putting up with the whining.I felt little affection for the main characters but eventually enjoyed the world that was created enough that I will give the author another try and hunt down the first book. Maybe it will make me appreciate this relationship a little more.

   
Sexual Content: m/f


At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges:




Thursday, January 5, 2012

Free Find



 Get it Free at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Sunfire by: Lynne Connolly

Rock meets classical. Paranormal meets mortal. Will anybody get out alive? The members of rock band Pure Wildfire are firebird shape-shifters. Manager John Westfall will sacrifice anything for the power they wield, even his daughter Corinne.Corinne attracts Aidan in a way he's never known before. He'll do anything to release her from Westfall's trap. He offers her marriage, but Aidan wants more from Corinne — he wants her heart. And he'll give her his in return.Classical guitarist Corinne is desperate to escape her father's control. She loves Aidan but craves her freedom — can she trust him to give it to her? Can she trust the wild man of rock with her heart? There's only one way to find out. Dive into the wildfire!

Librarything Rating: none / Goodreads Rating: 3.8








Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Review: Enchantment by Pati Nagle

Enchantment by: Pati Nagle
Source: Librarything Early Review
(Evennight Books 2011)


Blurb:
Holly Parker's life changes forever when she visits Enchantment Spring with her older sister Madison. They hike through the woods, and when they reach the spring, Holly's disappointed. A concrete coffin full of water? She expected a pool surrounded by flowers, birds, dancing dragonflies.
But fine. They eat the lunch they packed, and lounge around in the sunshine a while. As they get ready to leave, Holly dabbles her fingers in the water.
And sees a face beneath the surface.  

The joy of first love fills her, but Holly's happiness turns to horror when she learns that the government plans to demolish Enchantment Spring. Her passion for Ohlan 'the beautiful water spirit who inhabits the spring' is so strong that she'll gladly risk her life, standing between the spring and the backhoes, to save him.

Review:
The whole time I read this book I kept feeling hopeful. Hopeful that the story would pick up. Hopeful that I would find meaning somewhere in the story. Hopeful that the characters would develop beyond that of the man from the spring that smiles a lot and the girl who seems to have everything figured out in her life except where to go to college and that pesky plan to destroy the spring where her soon-to-be lover lives.
My hopes were dashed. The story doesn't pick up until 3/4 of the way through and neither myself nor the characters feel any richer for having experienced it.
To give the book credit though I thought the idea behind the story was great. The author could have done so much more with what she had to work with. I also think the book was written well and was easy to read.

At A Glance:
1= Could not finish the book
2= A struggle to read to the finish
3=Meh. Average with all the elements I like in a book but nothing notable
4= I ended it with a smile on my face
5=Excellent. I want to read everything this author has ever written and when I
finish all the books on my wishlist I will reread it.


Challenges: