Four Quickie Reviews

Ten by Gretchen McNeil
A thrilling who-done-it that kept me guessing until the very end. I loved the characters and the atmosphere of the book put a chill in my bones.
4/5 Books of Love

Dark Wolf by Christine Feehan
This book reminded me of why I love this series so much. I’ve been waiting for Skyler’s story for a long time and I wasn’t disappointed. The relationship between Dimitri and Skyler was sweet and romantic, and although it went against his very instincts he always treated Skyler as his equal.
5/5 Books of Love

Made For You by Melissa Marr
I love Marr’s writing; she has such a unique voice when it comes to storytelling. Her characters are always realistic and came right off the page for me. It was thrilling and creepy with a touch of romance. A slow but steady build of intensity, by the time the villain was revealed I was tearing my fingernails to the quick.
5/5 Books of Love

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick
A great story with a thrilling storyline, I enjoyed this book from start to finish. But I did figure out early on the plot and just who each character was and the part they had to play with certain events. I was slightly disappointed that I discovered the villain so early on, but I still found the romantic tension enjoyable and absolutely loved the ending.
4/5 Books of Love

Six Super Quickie Reviews

Of Neptune by Anna Banks
The finale to the fun Syrena Legacy, filled with action and romance. Although, like many others I thought the second book had wrapped up Emma and Galen’s story rather well, I loved getting a final farewell. A lot of history is covered in this book which answers any lingering questions from the first two books.
4/5 Books of Love

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
Underneath the southern twang and small town ideals, was an incredible who-done-it mystery. But this was not your ordinary murder-mystery; this book was light and fun with a touch of romance, while still treating the dark subject matter seriously.
4/5 Books of Love

River Marked by Patricia Briggs
I love the Mercy Thompson series and this addition definitely did not disappoint. Readers are given a lot more insight into Mercy’s past and the origins of her shifting abilities. The relationship between Mercy and Adam continues to grow stronger. Adam is one Alpha I’d love to cozy up next to!
5/5 Books of Love

Private Demon by Lynn Viehl
I enjoyed the first book of the Darkyn series, and liked this one too, the characters are interesting enough but honestly I found my concentration wandering at times throughout this book. It might have been because it’s been over a year since I read If Angels Burn and I forgot more than I remembered about this world.
4/5 Books of Love

Dark Storm by Christine Feehan
Typical to the Carpathian series, a few new characters were introduced and some older ones made reappearances. The romance was fast and furious: classic narrative for this author, but with more than 20 books within the same series, there is bound to be some repetitions.
4/5 Books of Love

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
While not my favorite from this author, I did still enjoy the story and characters. If you haven’t read this author before, I would suggest starting with another one so you can really get a feel for her writing style and storytelling.
4/5 Books of Love

Five Super Quickie Reviews

Gasp by Lisa McMann
After narrowly surviving two harrowing tragedies, Jules now fully understands the importance of the visions that she and people around her are experiencing. She’s convinced that if the visions passed from her to Sawyer after she saved him, then they must now have passed from Sawyer to one of the people he saved.

That means it’s up to Jules to figure out which of the school shooting survivors is now suffering from visions of another crisis. And once she realizes who it is, she has to convince that survivor that this isn't all crazy—that the images are of something real. Something imminent.

As the danger escalates more than ever before in the conclusion to the Visions series, Jules wonders if she'll finally find out why and how this is happening—before it's too late to prevent disaster.

This was a great ending to this thrilling Visions trilogy; I love Lisa’s writing style and loved these characters from beginning to end. Each book was even more suspenseful than the last, with non-stop adventure, a sweet romance and a genuine mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.

Entwined with You by Sylvia Day

The worldwide phenomenon continues as Eva and Gideon face the demons of their pasts, and accept the consequences of their obsessive desires…

From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.

No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.

Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…

Another trilogy (Crossfire) I read back-to-back; I loved every moment of the bedroom scenes within these books, but still have a lot of trouble getting past the absolute control Gideon executed over Eva in their everyday lives. I loved the underlying story and I am still new to reading erotica and if they all have these controlling, alpha males, I don’t think I can continue to read them. I will probably finish this series when the next books are released because I am truly enjoying the series.

Invincible by Diana Palmer
He's everything she fears…

and everything she wants

Mercenary by name and by nature, Carson is a Lakota Sioux who stays to himself and never keeps women around long enough for anything emotional to develop. But working with his friend Cash Grier on a complex murder investigation provides Carson with another kind of fun—shocking Cash's sweet-but-traditional secretary, Carlie Blair, with tales of his latest conquests.

Then Carlie lands in deep trouble. She saw something she shouldn't have, and now the face of a criminal is stored permanently in her photographic memory…and Carlie is the key piece of evidence that could implicate a popular politician in the murder case.

Her only protection is Carson—the man she once despised. But when she learns that Carson is more than just a tough guy, Carlie realizes she's endangered herself further. Because now her only chance to live means losing her heart to the most dangerous kind of man…

More book romantic crack for my brain. Same mold for every character as her previous books, just with a tweak here and there. But, it’s Diana Palmer…I enjoyed it because she is my bookish crack.

When You Dare by Lori Foster

The tougher they are, the harder they fall…

Professional mercenary Dare Macintosh lives by one hard and fast rule: business should never be personal. If a cause appeals to him and the price is right, he'll take the mission he's offered. But then the lovely Molly Alexander asks him to help her track down the men who'd had her kidnapped—and for the first time, Dare's tempted to combine work with pleasure.

Fiercely independent, Molly vows to trust no one until she's uncovered the truth. Could the enemy be her powerful, estranged father? The ex-fiancé who still holds a grudge? Or the not-so-shy fan of her bestselling novels? As the danger heats up around them, the only anchor Molly has is Dare himself. But what she feels for him just might be the most frightening thing of all…

 

This was a fabulous series (Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor) opener, and why-oh-why did I wait so long to read these? Also this is my first time reading Lori’s work and I was NOT disappointed! Action-packed and filled with romantic tension, I was glued to the pages. Each alpha male was more incredible than the last, and yet they are incredibly sensitive without losing their hard edge.

Winger by Andrew Smith
Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

What can I say about Andrew Smith and his inconceivable ability to tell a story? I love that he never writes what is considered the “popular genre” and always writes to his own "tune." I’m never disappointed and always kept completely engaged and emotional until the very last page. This book is about so much more than it leads you to believe, Ryan Dean was a wonderful character and he took me completely by surprise. I’m at a loss as to just how to articulate my love for this book. Just read it. It’s a book that needs to be read and shared.

Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye {Mini Review}

Hard As It Gets :
Tall, dark, and lethal...

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey's tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome--pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He's left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander's daughter. Loyalty won't let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn't expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge…

Hard As It Gets was an intense and passionate introduction to the Hard Ink series by Laura Kaye. This series is definitely on my auto-buy list from now on. This was also my first foray into Laura’s writing style, and I have to say that I loved it. The characters were well written and the plot was gritty, fast paced and kept me intrigued the entire book. This story has it all: ex-special forces, alpha males covered in tattoos and with hidden hearts of gold. The romance was sweet and fierce, and there was enough suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat.

A missing persons case quickly unravels a conspiracy that involves a terrible incident from Nick’s past military life. In order to save Becca’s brother, Nick must pull the remaining members of his team back together. Despite the hard feelings they harbor for one another, the men come together to form a new team and regain the honor that was stolen from them.

The King by J.R. Ward

The King:
Long live the King…

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over?

The King by J.R. Ward felt very much like an ending of the Brotherhood to me, and I don’t know if I’m quite ready to say goodbye. I read this entire series in just under a year, and loved practically each and every one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Beth and Wrath, oh how I love these two. I think this book is even more emotional than their first, Dark Lover. I finally got to see beneath the layers of their king and queen personas, and the absolute love they have for one another. Their long and sometimes tremulous journey was rewarded with a very happily-ever-after that fans of the series hoped for. I loved the history contained in their story, and of course every character in this series plays an important part and I just love the dynamic relationships created throughout the series.

So, with the exception of a few plotlines that were left open: Trez and iAm, Layla and Xcor, as well as Assail and Sola, this book gave me the closure I was searching for when it comes to Beth and Wrath. I read that Ward is still going to continue with Brotherhood series, but I almost feel it would be a spin-off of sorts (which, don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to) and not as intimate with the Brothers as we have read so far, but you never know what the future will hold. 

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward {Mini Review}

Lover Unleashed:
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.

When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.

As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward was honestly more about Vishous and Jane rather than Manny and Payne. And while there was some steamy scenes between Manny and Payne, there just wasn't the romance I was craving.  On the other hand, it brought a whole lot of closure to Vishous and Jane's relationship than we didn't really get in Lover Unbound—and finally gave us a true emotional response from Vishous as he deals with the past abuse of his father and the abandonment of his mother. For hundreds of years Vishous had no idea that he had a twin sister. Suddenly he is thrown into the role of "big brother" and he quite simply breaks down. It's one more thing that his mother, the Scribe Virgin, has kept from him and it pushes his relationship with Jane to it's very limits. Without Butch and the amazing relationship they have, I honestly don't know how Vishous would have survived the revelation of his sister or his heartbreaking confrontation with Jane.  This book ended with a HEA for both couples and a new twist in the storyline that I'm looking forward to reading more of.  

The Lost (ARC) by Sarah Beth Durst

The Lost:
Lost your way?

Your dreams?

Yourself?

Welcome to Lost.

It was supposed to be a small escape. A few hours driving before turning around and heading home. But once you arrive in Lost...well, it's a place you really can't leave. Not until you're Found. Only the Missing Man can send you home. And he took one look at Lauren Chase and disappeared.

So Lauren is now trapped in the town where all lost things go-luggage, keys, dreams, lives-where nothing is permanent, where the locals go feral and where the only people who don't want to kill her are a handsome wild man called the Finder and a knife-wielding six-year-old girl. The only road out of town is engulfed by an impassable dust storm, and escape is impossible....

Until Lauren decides nothing-and no one-is going to keep her here anymore.

Sarah Beth Durst has created another masterpiece with her debut adult publication. Completely unique and utterly unlike anything I have read before, The Lost kept me riveted from beginning to end. With rich descriptions and robust characters,  this book has layer upon layer of intense storytelling that pulls its readers into the pages: from the simplest enlightenment to the most complex of landscapes. I think everyone can relate to this book; everyone at some point in their lives has lost something, and that is exactly what this book is about. It’s about finding what you lost, even if that is a part of yourself. Sarah puts so much emotion into her storytelling, by the end of this book I felt I had been through each ordeal personally. While this was truly Laurens story, each and every character played just as big of a role as she did. Lost is more than just a place where missing things end up, it is a town filled with complicated people and even more obscure rules. The people who end up in Lost have lost or misplaced something in their lives, and they cannot leave until they find it. Surrounding the town of Lost is an indescribable ‘void’ and if you are not found by the Finder, you will fall unto despair and simply cease to exist. The Finder (Peter) brings you to Lost saving you the fate of disappearing, and the Missing Man helps you to find what you’ve lost in order to send you home.

Lauren is slowly losing her mother to a vicious cancer, but that is not what brings her to Lost. While trying to discover exactly where she is, she comes across some very strange people who guide her to the Missing Man. At their introduction the Missing Man appears to be afraid of Lauren and disappears. The townspeople become an angry mob and force Lauren from town, even though Lauren has no idea how to survive in Lost. But thanks to a little girl named Claire she escapes the mob and is introduced to the Finder. Only he cannot help her find what she lost. Scavenging over mountains of waste that cover the outskirts of Lost, Claire, Peter and Lauren make a home for themselves. As time passes, Lauren discovers that she has the ability to enter the void and exit on her own unscathed, and this means that she can help others find what they’ve lost; she might even be able to send herself home. But Peter doesn’t want Lauren to leave, only she must return to her mother before it is too late. …This is where I’m going to stop, because otherwise I’d be giving away too much. I will say this though: The Missing canNOT be released soon enough.

Cold Light by Traci L. Slatton

Cold Light:
The end of the world brings chaos, madness, and psychic powers. For Emma and Arthur, separated by an ocean, it brings a love that demands everything. Emma's beloved daughter is kidnapped by vengeful raiders, and Emma embarks on a soul-crushing journey to rescue her. When Arthur finds Emma, can she trust him? Against impossible odds, Emma draws near the rogue camp, where she also confronts the deepest choice of her heart....

Cold Light takes its readers across the cold plains of Alberta with vivid scenery, and it was full of action and fast paced storytelling. This is the second book in the After trilogy by Traci L. Slatton, if you haven’t read the first book, Fallen, you really need to in order to understand what is going on in this story. While I did enjoy most of the story, I still had a lot of qualms with Arthur and his controlling, demanding ways. There were a few points that I took issue with, for example: Emma goes off alone (her husband promised to stay with their youngest daughter so she wouldn’t be without at least one of her parents) into sub-zero temperatures to rescue her oldest daughter, but after teaming up again with Arthur (who left Europe in order to get Emma back) suddenly they cross paths with her husband—who miraculously “saw” that the path to rescuing their daughter was open, and he should be among the rescuers. It felt like a very forced love triangle and took away from the story for me. On the other hand, Traci wove a successful tale of heartache, sacrifice and survival. Emotions run high as well as the danger and tension surrounding the characters. Emma is successful in rescuing her daughter but now she has to make a decision: return to Europe with Arthur, the man she has fallen madly in love with, while he tries to destroy the mists forever. Or stay in Canada with her husband and children.  While to me, this wasn't a very strong second for a trilogy, I am interested to see what happens to Emma and the world in the final book: Far Shore.

Fallen by Traci L. Slatton

Fallen:
As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides seven children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other. Will Emma stay with him?

Fallen by Traci L. Slatton was an interesting post-apocalyptic novel with a gripping beginning, and an action packed story to follow. Ever read one of those books where the characters start off really interesting, and then they do something or behave in a really dumb way and you just can’t like them anymore? Yeah, that happened to me with this book. I loved the heroine, Emma stayed pretty consistent throughout the story it was the hero, Arthur, which I had problems with. Oh, he was dreamy, and had swoon worthy moments, but there were also a lot of control issues with this man and when he discovers that Emma has a whole life waiting for her, including another child—despite how she has fallen in love with Arthur—he has a tangent and decrees foolishly that she is now his, and she is now divorced. To me, that is not romantic it’s childish.

The premise behind the story was really intriguing: man-made biological mists that have nearly destroyed the entire earth. They were initially created to stop war, but the people who developed them lost control and now the mists rule, eating everything they touch. The few survivors have been changed by more than their search for survival, the mists have given them psychic powers, and to some they are coveted and sought out for their abilities. Not all groups are like the one Emma now lives with; some are cruel and inhumane, so surviving the mists might not always the best thing.

Emma, her daughter and a small group of children are foraging for supplies when they come across Arthur and his band of survivors. She makes a deal with Arthur to contribute to the camp (and for her that includes his bed as well) in return for safety. Their relationship quickly grows into something more, but Emma knows that it cannot last because back in Canada she has a second daughter and husband waiting. But as she begins to fall for Arthur, she is captured by a rogue band of survivors and learns that his ability to control the mists is more than just a coincidence. The leader of the rogue camp was once a colleague of Arthurs and knows the truth about the mists. And when Emma is given the chance to reunite with her family her decision to leave Arthur, while difficult, is made easier due to her anger. The last we see of Emma and her daughter they are on a plane flying over the ocean on the way to returning to her family. In Cold Light we continue on Emma’s journey, and I’m looking forward to more of her adventures.

Venice in the Moonlight by Elizabeth McKenna

Venice in the Moonlight:
After her husband’s untimely demise, Marietta Gatti is banished from the family’s villa by her spiteful mother-in-law. She returns to her hometown of Venice and her only kin—a father she hasn’t spoken to since her forced marriage. Her hope of making amends is crushed when she learns she is too late, for he recently has died under suspicious circumstances. Grief-stricken, Marietta retraces her father’s last night only to discover someone may have wanted him dead—and she may be next. When the prime suspect turns out to be the father of the man she is falling in love with, Marietta risks her future happiness and her life to avenge the death of a man she once hated.



 

This was a short romantic read with touches of suspense, but despite its length it was a fine story. Elizabeth McKenna took me back in time to Italy and its aristocrats with vivid scenery and interesting characters. I would have liked to have seen the characters and mystery flushed out a bit more, but I did really enjoy this book. The story surrounds a lovely and strong heroine, Marietta. Wed at a very young age to a despicable and abusive man, fate almost seems to be on her side when her husband meets with an untimely death. Only her in-laws are just as cruel and send her out of their home. Determined to make her own way, Marietta turns to her gift of painting for income. Upon her journey to return to Venice, she has a chance meeting with a very wealthy man named Nico. And it is here that her adventure truly begins, refusing his advances only makes him want her more, and hiding beneath his playboy image is actually a very kind and thoughtful man. Upon returning to Venice Marietta discovers that her father has passed away, and the circumstances of his death are quite questionable. Determined to discover the truth she is quickly drawn into a dangerous exploit. With Nico courting her at every move and the truth of her father’s death so close to being discovered, Marietta uncovers a secret society that will stop at nothing from remaining hidden from the public eye, and now she has become a target that needs to be silenced.

Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

Lover Enshrined:
Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love....

Like the rest of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books by J.R. Ward, Lover Enshrined is about more than just the main characters. The only real action in the book occurred with anyone other than Phury, and although this book was rife with sexual tension, I can say that this was not a favorite for me. In all honesty, I was more absorbed with the secondary characters and their plot lines rather than Phury and Cormia’s story. I really didn’t feel their relationship, it felt like they barely spent any time together on the pages…and yet, they were “fiercely” in love. Phury was a drug addict but that didn’t change the fact that he was a person of worth—someone willing to give up his freedom for the good of the race—but I felt that he was rather washed out of his own book. Phury spent countless hours wasted on drugs, managed to get himself kicked out of the Brotherhood and nearly lost Cormia because he can’t look past his own history. The only time he managed to endear himself to me was in the end when he finally took control for himself—as the Primale he has the ability to make new rules—and he chooses to obliterate the idea of a Primale and free the Chosen women who are to bear his children, giving them the CHOICE of remaining a Chosen. He also makes great progress in cleaning himself up, he has the chance to go back to what he knows and remain a drug addict, but in the end he chooses a clean life with Cormia by his side.  As a whole I enjoyed the book, but if it was based on Phury and Cormia alone, then no, this is not something I could recommend to others outside of the BDB fandom. 

Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler

Tracking the Tempest:
Tracking the Tempest begins four months–and one eyebrow sacrificed to magical training–after the close of Tempest Rising. During that time, Jane’s been busy honing her supernatural powers and enjoying her newfound sense of confidence. Rockabill may not yet be heaven, but she’s realized it’s home. Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucking boyfriend - can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. An overwhelming dose of boyfriend interference and a last-minute ticket to Boston later, and Jane's life is thrown off course.
But Ryu’s best laid plans inevitably create more upheaval than even he can anticipate, and Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings committed by a being of tremendous power . . .

. . . who, much to Jane’s surprise, happens to be another halfling.

In this action packed second addition to the Jane True series by Nicole Peeler I was quickly swept up into Jane’s world again from the very first page. Jane’s world was flipped completely upside down four months ago when she discovers that she is part selkie and there is a whole supernatural world out there that she could never have imagined. She is a strong character who, although she doesn’t believe it of herself, is a heroine that any reader would love. My only real qualm with this book was Ryu. I understand that he was meant to appear protective, but he just came off as overbearing and arrogant. He constantly second guessed Jane and treated her like a child. Again, I know that she is new to all this supernatural stuff, but she has proven a time or two that she can stand on her own two feet. I truly enjoy all of the secondary characters like Caleb the satyr and Daoud the djinn, I’m definitely looking forward to more of them in the future. But who I would really love to see more of is Anyan Barghest, the hell hound who has watched over Jane since she was a child.

Jane knows she isn’t completely safe even though they defeated Jimmu four months ago, but she is making the best of her new life by training to use her newly discovered powers. When a romantic weekend with Ryu goes awry after they are attacked by an escaped killer named Conleth, and Jane is yet again pulled into a dangerous investigation. While Ryu believes the target to be himself, it is actually Jane that has garnered the attention of the halfling killer. There are also forces working against Ryu and his team of supernatural investigators, because they harbor dangerous secrets regarding the truth of Conleth’s origins. The team quickly learns that they are unprepared for where the investigation leads them, but they are determined to stop the senseless killing and stop Conleth from getting his hands on Jane.