ARC Review: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed by Anna Campbell

Author: Anna Campbell

Title: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed

Series: Sons of Sin #1

Source: Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley

About the Book: Will a week of seduction...

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

...Spark a lifetime of passionate surrender?

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?

 

My Thoughts:

When I saw that Anna Campbell had a new historical romance out I absolutely knew I had to request it. I was not wrong, not in the least. The book is written very much in the Tradition of Claiming the Courtesan and Untouched. In fact, as soon as I figured that out, I could pretty much tell where the story was going and just about how it was going to unfold. I was also right about all that. Even so, what kept me tethered to the story were the same things that kept me very invested in those two other stories: the writing. Ms. Campbell does some beautiful writing. How can the following passage not draw a smile:

"You're just playing with me."
"Most definitely, tesoro. But your dilemma is your own fault. You're so irresistible."
"Command your willpower, Mr. Merrick. Defeat this weakness."
"I try, dear lady, I try."
"I'll bite you," she said savagely
"I'll bite you too before I am done."

From beautiful descriptions to heartbreaking tenderness, Ms. Campbell does it very well, and this book has it in spades. I loved the dialogue, when I was not smiling at some funny exchange - or the occasionally cheesy Romancelandia line - I was all caught up in the descriptions, or catching my throat at the haunting tenderness of it all - and mind you, I knew exactly what was going to happen. But I am not complaining about her formula, bot just because it works for me, but also because each set of characters to creates to play out the drama are wonderful.

I loved Sidonie and Jonas. Loved them. I loved that as much as possible, Sidonie tried to remain true to herself - and she never once tried to lie to herself. She wouldn't give herself to him when she did not want to or feel like she could afford to; but the moment she decided she wanted him, that was it. No prevaricating, no waiting for him to make another move, etc.

Another thing I loved about her was her perceptiveness. She could see through Jonas to the quick. Smart and beautiful and true. I started a bit when she referred to Jonas as a wanton in her private thoughts, and then decided I loved it very much! I never hear guys described as wanton in HRs, although the girls are always the virgins and they are the ones with oodles and oodles of debauching experience.

I also enjoyed Jonas' character very much. The vulnerability about him, and the fact that like Sidonie, he did not try to lie to himself. I'd wax more poetic, but my hands are getting tired of typing. :/

Finally, I also very much liked how true love did not make everything run smooth. Even after the admission of love, there were Sidonie's hopes and dreams and plans to consider, and Jonas' hang-ups to stand obstacle. I loved that they did not just vanish, and that the couple had to attempt to work through them.

I wasn't sure what rating to go with after I was done, but in the end, I settled on five, I had a roaring good time reading it, and will definitely revisit it. What more can you want? This makes me 3 for 3 with Ms. Campbell!

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

 

Review: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

Author: Neil Gaiman

Title: Preludes and Nocturnes

Series: Sandman Vol. 1

About the Book: In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his seventy-year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman. This book also includes the story "The Sound of Her Wings," which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

Collecting issues #1-8, this new edition of PRELUDES & NOCTURNES features the improved production values and coloring from the Absolute Edition

My Thoughts:

I don't think I've read a comic (graphic novel?) quite like this one before. It was dark and twisted as only Neil Gaiman can do. It was also brilliant.

As I understand it, The Sandman is a series of novels chronicling the morbid adventures of Morpheus, the god of dreams, which all began after he was mistakenly imprisoned by a bunch of fanatics who were gunning for his sister Death instead. Preludes and Nocturnes is the first volume, detailing Morpheus' capture, imprisonment, escape, and quest to return himself to full strength.

I didn't understand a couple of episodes, but could still appreciate their brilliance. The ones I did understand I thought were perfect. The illustrator also did a very good job with the volume. The pictures were more crude than refined, but communicated he darkness and rawness in the tone very well. The final episode, where we get to see Morpheus' sister - originally intended captive - Death in action posed a lot of interesting existential questions.

As soon as I can get my hands on Volume II, you can be sure I will be reading it.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

 

Review: What a Dragon Should Know by G.A. Aiken

Author: G.A. Aiken

Title: What a Dragon Should Know

Series: Dragon Kin #3

About the Book:Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, 'Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us - the most loved of all dragons?' No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer. So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying...woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman - one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor? And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?

 

My Thoughts:

The first book in this series was very enjoyable for me, but the second one was not too good, and frankly I didn't expect to like the third book, this one, because of the lead character, Gwenvael. In the previous books, he was portrayed as a bumbler, and a rabid man-whore who slept with anything that moved...eh.

But I was surprised to find that he had much more depth than the his character in the previous books would suggest. Additionally, the focus on smex was very little (compared to the other books), which allowed Ms. Aiken to focus a lot more on character development and the various relationships in the book. I thought that was wonderful.

But what made the book for me was Annwyl's story. She has been the most compelling character for me since I started the series, and I am delighted to get to follow her and Fearghus as hey get on with their lives. Seriously. They are the reason I continue with the series - Annwyl and Fearghus along with Bercelak and Rhiannon - so I can see what shenanigans they're up to. My favorite scenes in this book had to do with the birth of Annwyl's twins: so moving how much they all love her.

I definitely enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, and I have a lot more respect for Gwenvael after reading his story.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Dragon Actually
2. About a Dragon

 

Dying to Get in August....Male Authors all Around!

*At the beginning of the month I post covers of new releases I am just dying to get my hands on and why I am so excited. Inspired by Waiting on Wednesday *

This month's Dying to Get includes a release from last month! Ben Aaronovitch's book released on July 31st, so it's practically an August release anyway. More importantly, I didn't even know about just how awesome a writer Mr. Aaronovitch is until July, when I started the first book in the Peter Grant series.  So without further ado, I present you the two books I am dying to get my hands on this month (well, I've already gotten my hands on one, but still, ). Hah! I just noticed it's all male authors this month!

 July 31st: Whispers Under Ground. 

Book 3 in the Peter Grant series. Without a doubt this is one of the most unique and best UF series I have ever read. I love, love, love this series. I adore Peter as a character, I love London as a setting, and the beauty that is the narrative cannot be overstated. I also love just how ordinary Peter is. Also, I really like how well this male author can write women without making them seem cliche or caricatured. I can't say how glad I am that I stumbled upon this series! I don't know what made me put off picking up book 1 for so long!!!

August 14th: The Demigod Diaries

Book 2.5. It's an anthology about Percy Jackson and some of the demigods in mini-adventures after the battle with the Titans in The Last Olympian. I have SUCH tremendous appreciation and respect for the teen? man? boy? demigod? person? Percy has become, from his bewildered beginnings in The Lightning Thief. Percy is so many things, all of them good. He also manages to be all those things without in the least seeming like a Gary Stu or like he's too perfect. Can't wait! Plus I hear tell there's a story of a date with Annabeth in there. Mebbe we'll get some kissing. Squeee!!! But at $9.87 for the kindle price, I am not sure I will be getting this after all :(

Review: Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh

Author: Nalini Singh

Title: Blaze of Memory

Series: Psy/Changeling #7

About the Book: Dev Santos finds a woman with amnesia-and all she can remember is that she's dangerous. Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor and programmed to kill, Katya's only hope is Dev. But he could very well be her next target.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one for a book that didn't have any changeling protagonists and didn't have any wolves in it (no Hawke for me, sniff, sniff). I enjoyed Dev and Katya very much. I also enjoyed seeing Sascha and Lucas.

Things got a bit cheesy and rather improbable at the end, but what-the-heck, it's fantasy, after all :D.

If I didn't know better, judging from the conclusions jumped to on every single occasion by a certain person, in just about every book, I'd think the primary jobs of empaths are to prophesy as much doom-and-gloom and see impossible odds for people while going on and on about their own bliss as possible.

And oooh! I am beginning to appreciate the awesomeness of Judd Lauren, and beginning to be more interested in Kaleb Kyrcheck, Aden, Vasic and the other arrows.

Fun times.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Slave to Sensation
2. Visions of Heat
3. Caressed by Ice
4. Mine to Possess - 2.5/5
5. Hostage to Pleasure
6. Branded by Fire

 

Dying to Get in July: Andrea's Story

*At the beginning of the month I post covers of new releases I am just dying to get my hands on and why I am so excited. Inspired by Waiting on Wednesday *

The only book I absolutely must have this month releases on the last day of the month, so it's practically an August release :(

July 31st: Gunmetal Magic.

When Ilona Andrews first announced that the next book book in the Kate Daniels series would be Andrea's story instead of a new adventure with Kate and Curran, I was not very amused. I needed my Kate and Curran fix, dammit! But as the days went by, the idea began to grow on me, and I am fully intrigued now. After reading the first chapter, I am fully invested - I want this book now! I can't wait to explore Andrea's backstory. It is going to be epic. On an aside, it's never gonna happen, but it would be totally awesome if she dumped Raphael and went off into the sunset with Roman!!

Quickie Review: Untouched by Anna Campbell

Author: Anna Campbell
Title: Untouched
Series: N/A
Pages: 374

Beautiful Grace Paget has no reason not to believe these words. After all, she was kidnapped, spirited away to a remote country manor, and told she is to grant this man his every desire . . . or lose her life. But Grace is no common trollop. So she risks everything to save her virtue by planning a daring escape, even though she finds herself tempted by this handsome man. There is something in his eyes that makes her wonder if he is as dangerous as he would have her believe.
Sheene knew nothing of the plan to bring him this woman. Locked up as a prisoner, called "mad" by all of the world, he will do anything to reclaim his life, and Grace's sensuous beauty has distracted him from his goals. And although he finds her irresistible, he is horrified to hold her against her will. Now, together, they must both revolt against the strange set of circumstances that have forced them together - for only then will Grace truly surrender to him . . . forever.

I don't think I can do this book justice. I feel the same way about it as I feel about Ms. Campbell's debut, Claiming the Courtesan: the storytelling is good enough to hold my attention, but I end up loving the story way more than I expect. The depth of the characters, and the beautiful, wistful prose makes for heady reading. That's all I have.

I can't believe I've owned this book for at least six months and have been sitting around complaining of reading slumps and not having any good books to read. I know this review is not very helpful, but it's all I can do. I love, love, loved this story!!

★★★★★

 

Review: The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn

Author: Sharon Shinn
Title: The Shape of Desire
Series: Shifting Circle #1
Pages: 336
Source: Owned

For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back-at least not all the time.
Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can't choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. But Maria, who loves him without hesitation, wouldn't trade their unusual relationship for anything.
Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she's been telling about her life have turned into lies she's telling herself...

I am a huge fan of Sharon Shinn, and have been looking forward to this book for almost a year now. Having read it, it is different from Ms. Shinn's usual work in that it is set in the real world, in present-day Missouri, and reads more like magical realism than fantasy. I enjoyed it very much, but it was different.

Maria Devane has been in love with Dante for fifteen years. Dante is a shapeshifter, and as the years have gone by, he spends more and more time in his animal shape, so that he is human only a few days a month. Maria's whole life revolves around keeping Dante's secret and she lives for the moments she can be with him in his human form.

The story is quite slow-paced, but I think that was the point. It's not an epic tale, or one filled with adventure; not a lot of things happen. It's the simple story of Maria life, her daily routine, and the brief moments of happiness she has with Dante. It's about the strain of keeping his secret, of choosing to be in a relationship, which although it makes her happy, is not entirely healthy and balanced.

In the end, we find out it's also about Dante, his motivations, and the choices he's made; the new choices he can choose to make.

The issues that arise in Maria's life around the choices she makes concerning Dante, and how she reacts to issues in the lives of the people around her provides a lot of food for thought - both for Maria and for me as a reader. There are no easy answers.

It's a slow story. But it is also a simple and heartfelt story, told with grace and stark beauty, with complex characters who have complex motivations, who make difficult choices.

I waited a year for this, and although it was not what I expected at the end of that wait, I was not disappointed at all. Of course I recommend it - it's Sharon Shinn!!

★★★★

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

N/A

Review: River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Author: Patricia Briggs
Title: River Marked
Series: Mercedes Thompson #6
Published: March 1, 2011

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.
An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

It feels really blasphemous to be rating a Patty Briggs book so low, and to be fair, I liked it a lot more than many books I've rated three stars. However I rated Bone Crossed for stars and I liked that one much better than this one. So I am rating in comparison to the other books in this series as opposed to the book on its own merit, if you get what I mean. That's said......

I liked the story. It was a good something. But for me it lacked the draw that other books in the series have had. I didn't care much for the first book in the series, but every one after that has held me spellbound until I finished it. This one I found hard to get into from the beginning and had to put it down for awhile. When I came back into it, it hit its stride and I rolled with the story until the end, but it was still lacking in Patty's usual subtle oomph for me. 

I think a part of that could be attributed to the new setting. The story takes place away from the pack, and the usual supporting cast, and has a slew of new characters. They were interesting to read about, and I really liked to see Mercy 'explore' her Native American heritage; it was also moving in parts - especially the scene where she saw her father's ghost dancing and the scene where Coyote explains that dance to her. But it still lacked the magic of previous books, the cohesiveness the Columbia Basin support cast brings. 

And this one is my fault. You know how people read to see their favorite characters - like how most people will read to see Mercy and Adam again? Well, my favorite character is Samuel, and I sorely missed the glimpses of him I usually get. I mean, it's not Patty's fault that I had the bad taste (well. it's good taste IMO, LOL!!!!) to fall hardest for a side character, but it is what it is.

And this part is a little ranty. You can skip it entirely, as I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the only one who feels this way :)

For the first time, Mercy and Adam really got on my nerves. Adam with his posturing and yellow eyes....yes sah! We get it. She's your wife, your mate, she belongs to you, no one can hurt her, blah blah blah. Enough already. Adam used to be both possessive and sensible; in this books he was not sensible, and I wanted to smack him on the nose. I felt more than a share of malicious glee when Wolf got his own back on Adam. In that scene especially I felt his behavior was uncalled for, so I was glad he was 'put in his place', so to speak.

And Mercy going on and on and on and on ad nauseum about not being a fragile flower, and not needing to be protected and how Adam was her mate.....we get. We really do! We've been rooting for you guys all along. Now we don't need to be reminded every two pages. The Lady and the Gentleman doth protest waaaaaaaaay too much. Okay, rant over. 


It was a good book, a solid book, an enjoyable book and I have no doubt many, many people will love it. It just didn't pack the punch for me Patty's books usually does, and so I was disappointed. The whole was less than the sum of its parts, for me.

★★★

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Moon Called - 3/5
2. Blood Bound  -5/5
3. Iron Kissed - 5/5
4. Bone Crossed - 4/5
5. Silver Borne - 5/5

 

Review: Curran Hot Tub POV by Gordon Andrews

 *NB: This is a freebie snippet of Curran's POV in the Kate Daniels series. It is a quick read; you can find it on Ilona Andrews' website here. This one takes place during Kate Daniels book #3, Magic Strikes.


Author: Gordon Andrews
Title: Curran Hot Tub POV
Series: Kate Daniels, Curran #4
Source: Ilona Andrews' website.


I LOVE my Curran (well, he's actually Kate's Curran, but we're not dealing with semantics here, hehe)!!

Hanging around in Curran's mind never fails to make me smile. I love how he thinks, how he sees himself, the way he analyzes the situation, how he sees Kate. I love everything about my Curran :D.

This scene was from Magic Strikes, the hot tub scene, and the events just preceding it. owing to the nature of the scene, Curran's POV was slightly cheesy, but still sweet. His interactions with Derek made me laugh out loud.

Again, thank you Gordon Andrews, for making my night!

★★★★

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Curran
2. Fathers and Sons
3. Curran #3

 

Waiting on Wednesday #5

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Jill's blog, and highlights upcoming releases were highly anticipating.





Today's WoW is for one of my FAVORITE authors in all the world, and the very first author who was on my autobuy list before I knew there was such a thing as an autobuy list. It releases on April 3rd 2012. 4 more weeks! To say I can't wait is an understatement. If she wrote it, it's going to be good.

For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back-at least not all the time. Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can't choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. But Maria, who loves him without hesitation, wouldn't trade their unusual relationship for anything. Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she's been telling about her life have turned into lies she's telling herself...

Yayy!! And isn't the cover beautiful?! I am getting this baby in hardcover and on kindle.
Any new releases you're excited for? Leave me a comment or a link to your WoW!

Memorable Monday #4

Memorable Monday is a new meme hosted by the ladies over at Escape in a Book, and invites us to share a memorable quote from something we've read/ are reading.

Today's quote is from one of my all-time favorite books by one of my all-time favorite authors. I have no words to tell how much I love Sharon Shinn and Archangel. If you haven't read it, you should! Someday, I'll do a reread again and post a whole new review :)

This is Hannah describing Gabriel to Rachel:

"... he takes most things seriously. He can be difficult. He can be very sure of himself, so other people's opinions do not always matter to him. He thinks it's a very easy matter to separate right from wrong, good from bad, so subtleties often elude him. He is not patient. But he is - he is never less than committed to making things right. Everything he does is with the goal of bringing goodness to the world. I can't explain what I mean. There is no evil in him. That is a rare thing to say about anyone, even an angel."

How awesome is that? This quote describes Gabriel so perfectly! A man (well, he's actually an angel) with real flaws, not ersatz/minor ones. But who, when you strip everything away, is a truly good man, the kind of man you want to have your back, the kind of man you want to run your country, the kind of person you want to be at the heart of it. I know I say this a lot, but I LOVE Gabriel. he is one of the first ever heroes/main characters I fell in love with, and he has a special place of honor on my heroes-I-love shelf. Rachel too, but this post isn't about her :)

On the Prowl (anthology)

On the Prowl by Patricia Briggs
My rating: ★★★★

Alpha and Omega - 5 stars
This is my second read of this novel, the intro to Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series, and I am upgrading my rating to 5 stars. I loved it! And I had more time to notice other things since I was already familiar with the storyline, and oh, the things I noticed! I LOVED Anna's first impression of Charles, and the descriptions she gave of him were KILLING ME SOFTLY!!! And Charles, being all studly on Anna made me giggle (and melt), LOL! You stud, you.

And of course I loved the three references to Samuel. He wasn't there in the book, but his father and brother's perceptions are so telling. From them I caught a glimpse of the 'lighthearted person who "had joy in abundance"' (in spite of his past) and had taken the time to teach Mercy to be joyful too. I saw him how he should be instead of the sad person he is now, bowed under the weight of so much pain. And my heart broke all over again.

Bran  must have some amazing genes to have created the offspring that he has! Patty sure knows how to write those Cornick men!

Inhuman - 2.5 stars
Eileen Wilks tells a story set in the World of the Lupi, about a hellhound and a telepath caught in the search for a killer. It's not too hard to follow, but there were quite a few references to things and events I can surmise happened in the previous book (this novella is #1.5). I was a bit impatient with the heroine: if i tell you there's a killer who can assume anyone's shape and then later I tell you that people who saw the killer say they saw you - wouldn't you be able to put two and two together? It was a good enough read, but the first half was much better than the second. It also felt rather soapbox-y to me, making me want to steer clear. Overall not a bad novella, but it doesn't inspire me to go looking for more books in this series.

Buying Trouble - 5 stars
This one is labeled Dorina Basarab #1.1 I haven't started the Dorina Books, and have only read the first of the Cassie Palmer books. In the one I read, I was really confused and not too impressed with Ms. Chance. Well, now I am super impressed. But for a moment there I had no idea what was going on. The main character was introduced and I went 'Claire who? LOL!' It's the same world, I guess, but this one was so much more fun than Cassie's book. There's a motley crew of paranormal beings featured - everything from trolls and fey to werewolves and dragons and a 'null'. and let me tell you, I have never read any male described as having "creamy buttocks," LOL! the story was full of surprises I didn't see coming; and laughs too. Wholly original and so much fun. Oh yes, the story is about the adventures of a Fey and a Null.

Mona Lisa Betweening - 2 stars
As far as I can tell, this one was about a shifter queen running around having sex with the men in her court under the full moon - rather reminiscent of Anita Blake. No thanks.

View all my reviews

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

Unbound #1
Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent
★★★★

I am giving this one 4 stars, but I might change it to 5 stars. I gotta think about it.

I told Mimi this book was "good in a bad way", and this review will be my attempt to explain it. *It might be spoilerish, so if you don't wanna read them...*

I also just saw Kristen's status update for this book, and she is like, "Oh no! This book is an emotional roller coaster already and we haven't gotten anywhere yet!" I know exactly how she feels.

Let me start with the good
1. Whatever else I might say about her, however much I can complain about some aspect of her storytelling, Rachel Vincent has mad world building skills. It is her peculiar strength. She creates these worlds that just stand out from all the worlds in the (urban?) fantasy genre.

This time around, she introduces us to a world divided along the lines of Skilled and UnSkilled people. From what I understand, there are 12 skills, among them Binders, who can seal any oath and make it binding, Trackers, who can track people by name or through blood, Seers (self-explanatory), Travelers, who can travel anywhere through shadows..... and I don't think she mentioned about the other 8. Yes - pure awesomeness. I want to know more about a world like that, don't you?

2. Her other skill is engaging the reader. I am completely focused when I pick up one of her books. I don't skim pages, And I am not impatient to get to the end (sure, I peek sometimes, but I always go back and patiently read from where I was straight through till the end).

Then the bad (or it's still more good, depending on how you look at it).
1. Her characters often make me violent - I want to slap some sense into them half the time. When I don't want to kill them, I'm rooting for them.

Olivia, Anne, Kori, and Noelle were four childhood friends fooling around who managed to bind themselves with an oath to help each other no matter what. Unbeknownst to them, they were all skilled. Anyway, Liv is a very powerful bloodhound - she can track anyone so long as she has a whiff off their blood. Anne invokes the oath when she sends Liv on a mission to track and kill her husband's murderer. Which brings me to the first person I want to smack to high heaven and beyond: Anne. Stupid. Selfish. Despicable. How in the world do you force someone into danger because of revenge for your dead husband? Emphasis on dead. If that thug had been slightly more skilled, Liv would be dead, and there would be no story. Your dead husband is not worth more than your living friend's life or your petty desire for revenge. Simple as that. Endangering Liv to track your missing daughter is understandable, but not this. Never this. Anyway. I never liked Anne, not even when she was doing her 'protective, loving mother' outbursts - it just rang hollow and selfish to me. I don't like her.

Then Liv. A prophecy that she and Cam would be the death of each other prompts her to leave him without a word. No explanation no nothing. WTH? That is not noble, or remotely okay. It is an incredibly selfish thing to do is what it is! Why would you do that to someone you claim you love? Oy.

Then Cam. the girl you loved and was going to ask to marry you ups and leaves without a word, so what do you do? Sleep with Anne, her best friend. No, he couldn't just get stupendously drunk or get into a fight. Caramba. Now you see why I say this book is good in a bad way?

The novel is told from alternating 1st person POV of Cam and Liv, and the world that is revealed through their eyes as they fight to track Anne's daughter is fascinating. It is also raw and gritty. This is a story about desperate people trying to survive in a harsh and unrelenting world. And you come to see and understand them, you understand the choices they make (except that Anne, yuck!) enough to get past their nonsense to root for them and wish for their HEA. In some respects, the ending was rather poignant (just a fancy word for sad :( )

You can bet you I will be preordering book 2 in this series, Shadow Bound. Book 1 comes highly recommended. This world is one you have to experience for yourself.

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Under Her Skin by Frost, Andrews, and Brook

Under Her Skin by Jeaniene Frost
My rating:★★★★

Pack - 3 stars
This is Jeaniene Frost's novellita, a tale of a girl bitten by a werewolf while on a hike in the park. It was a good story while it lasted, but very forgettable after that.

In Sheep's Clothing - 4 stars
Jill Myles' contribution was a rather sweet story about a werewolf who was abducted by a highway killer *shudders*. It wasn't bad at all, although I did notice that the werewolf acted more like a friendly domestic dog than like a werewolf :) Also a rather forgettable story.

Grace of Small Magics - 5 stars
Ilona Andrews' entry was the rather Stockholm Syndrome-like story about a girl bondservant to a powerful magical family. It was very interesting, packed quite a punch, and...was rather cheesy. It was also quite twisted. Loved it ^_^. 4 stars for the story, 1 more for originality.

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Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
My rating: ★★★★★

I read this for Samuel and only for him.

I also gave this one five stars for Samuel. The rest of the story is good too, but for me, everything took a back seat to my favorite werewolf.

Samuel broke my heart. I spent a good deal of the story with a lump in my throat for him. The conversation he has with Mercy in the X-ray room was so poignant, so sad. :'( And it was interesting too, seeing into the mind of a wolf who was losing control. I am glad Samuel found someone to live for. But I'll miss Sam. I liked the wolf being in control. I raised my eyebrows a bit when Mercy was thinking it was good that Ari had a sense of humor, because she'd only allow someone with a sense of humor to have Samuel. Smh. she complains about how protective he is, but she is also so very protective of him. She really does love him - you know, love that has everything to do with friendship and nothing to do with being in love. That was sweet to see.

And Bran....you gotta love Bran.

Um yes. The rest of the story was good, as stories in this series have always been. Truth be told, I wasn't paying it too much mind: I had eyes only for my Samuel.



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Love, Come to Me by Lisa Kleypas

Love Come to Me by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: ★★★½

At times like this I really wish GoodReads would let us use half-stars. This is the perfect example of a book caught midway between three and four stars.

I think this is one of Lisa Kleypas's earliest books - you can definitely tell it was written much earlier in her career because although it is enjoyable, it isn't as masterful as her more recent work. It was a good story, but fairly unremarkable.

My biggest issue was probably Daniel. He was made only as a foil for Heath, so we could see how awesome he is. Daniel was portrayed as a stickler, a controlling person and someone with no regard whatsoever for women. After portraying someone like that, I don't want to see him near any female in the book. I don't understand why we have to pair him up with someone else,a s if it's supposed to be okay that he isn't with the heroine. He shouldn't be with anyone, period. Lots of authors do this too, not just LK :/

Then there was Damon too. Damon was a wonderful character, nuanced in a way neither Lucinda or Heath were. Stickler for duty and honor, with some prejudices, but willing to discard them when confronted with it. I wanted to know more about him, and it is a shame there is no sequel featuring him. he was the best written person in the book. I didn't understand the purpose of making him want Lucy too....

Overall a good read while it lasted, but quite forgettable. Except for Damon, :)

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Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews

Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
My rating: ★★★★★

Ilona Andrews is beyond awesome! And getting a Kate and Curran story as a holiday gift knocked beyond awesome out of the park!!

Like all stories, this one is not without its flaws, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially on Christmas day!

I love Kate, I love Curran, and I loved this novella.

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Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

Alpha and Omega #2
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
My rating: ★★★★★

Anna Latham Cornick mate of Charles Cornick, Omega of the Aspen Creek Pack. Wolf. Sister. Daughter. Lover. Beloved

Anna: You are a remarkable man Charles Cornick.
Charles: I know. And often underappreciated by those who don't know any better.

You know, on an aside, if Bran, Charles, and Samuel were real, I'd be so jealous of their mates.

I loved this one even more than Cry Wolf. Patricia Briggs' storytelling works wonderfully well for me. I love the gentle strength that characterizes Anna. and Charles. and Bran. and Samuel, come to think of it (Samuel has nothing to do with this book, but I can't talk of Charles and Bran without mentioning him, lol!) You don't see it often enough in any genre.

The whodunit worked very well for me. Sure, it was predictable, but the execution of it was rather unexpected, quite flawless, and done for maximum effect.

Loved it! Now I have to go pre-order Fair Game

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Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
My rating: ★★★★★

5 stars, with misgivings.

My thoughts
1. Patricia Briggs' storytelling alone deserves 5 stars. It is done with consummate skill. And discretion too. I had to go back and read the rape scene after the book ended because I completely glossed over it the first time, she'd written it so subtly. I loved the story, and couldn't give it any less than five stars, but there were a few issues, hence the 'with misgivings.'

2. Ms. Briggs has slowly been redeeming Ben across the books, and she did splendidly in this one. I love the idea of seeing, not an underdog, but a true villain be redeemed slowly over time :D

3. Mercy isn't usually this stupid, going about blurting stuff all over the place. I didn't see the need for her telling that lawyer everything. Especially since the lawyer didn't do jack. If I was one of the Gray Lords, I'd have killed her for that alone. Just putting that out there.

4. Again, Mercy has far more sense than just going to Tim's place alone, without letting Samuel or Adam or someone know where she was going to be. I mean, none of us knew just how unfortunate that decision would turn out to be, but still. I had thought her care and consideration for Adam would have at least afforded him the courtesy of her letting someone know where she'd be. Even she knew it was not a good thing to do going to his place and not letting anyone know. Before anyone shoots me, I am not blaming Mercy for anything. I just remember thinking the entire time that she was going to his house that it was a stupid and inconsiderate thing to do, even as she was thinking the same - with no knowledge of what was going to happen once she got there.

4. I am glad Ms. Briggs resolved the whole love triangle (quadrangle?) and I love the way she went about doing it. It was awesome.

5. I wanna know all these fae stories!!

6. I love Adam and think Mercy belongs with him, but for me, Samuel is the star of this show. He commands every scene he enters, and everyone else falls away from him. I love, love, love Samuel Cornick (Marrokson, lol) and Mercy's description of him as a healer cemented it for me. Love me some Samuel! Can't wait for his HEA - he HAS to get one!

7. Can't wait to delve into the next book in this fantabulous series.

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