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: Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare

Author: Pamela Clare

Title: Unlawful Contact

Series: I-Team #3

About the Book: When a young woman disappears, journalist Sophie Alton investigates and is led to the woman's brother, a convicted killer who is running from the law. Together, they follow a dangerous path toward the truth-and unforgettable passion.

My Thoughts:

Definitely the best of the I-Team series so far. I really don't know why I put off reading it for so long, despite all the assurances from my friends that I would love it. Go figure.

Shy, bookish, orphaned Sophie Alton lost her virginity to her high school secret crush one starry night at a school party(?) the first time he deigned to speak to her. The next day he was off to military school. They lost touch until twelve years later. By this time, Sophie is an investigative journalist who's covering/interested in the story of a drug addicted young mother who suddenly vanished with her baby during a supervision. she gets an anonymous to that leads her to question a prison inmate, who happens to be Hunt, the high school secret crush/cherry picker and also the brother of the young lady who pulled the vanishing act. He uses her to orchestrate his jailbreak, and what follows is a race against time to find the sister before the bad guys can get to her, and also avoid the cops, to keep Hunt from being sent back to jail.

I loved Sophie!! I didn't like Tessa from book 2, but really liked Kara from book 1. Well Sophie has none of the annoying traits of Tessa and had all the good bits of Kara magnified. She was a good balance of all girly (hot pink vibrators), slightly silly (not wearing boots in winter because they didn't look good), sensible, and smart. Marc Hunter was....awesome. Move over Reece, I think I just found a new favorite I-Team guy! I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed myself with this one.

As stories go, this one was a teensy bit syrupy, with none of the over-the-top cheese from the previous books. Ms. Clare erred on the side of cute with this one. Me likey.

Hmm... I wonder if we're ever going to have an I-Team Peep's Children Grew Up and Are Having the Hots for Each Other series, what with all the kids these people are popping about. I for one am gunning for Kara's son with Julian's daughter and Kara's daughter playing older woman to Hunt's son, LOL!!!

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Extreme Exposure - 4/5
2. Hard Evidence - 3/5

 

Review: Dragon on Top by G.A. Aiken

**Only the novella by G.A. Aiken is being reviewed.  Couldn't find a separate cover.**

Author: G.A. Aiken

Title: Dragon on Top

Series: Dragon Kin #4.5

About the Book: Escorting the highborn Bram through deadly Sand Dragon territory will try Ghleanna’s patience… and her resolve. For Bram is determined to enhance the journey with a seduction no female could resist…

My Thoughts:

Throughout the Dragon Kin series, a recurring thread has been how much Ghleanna hated her father's past as 'Ailean the Whore.' His reputation fared well for their sons, she always said. People ascribed prowess to them, while expecting that his daughters must be whores.

Well, in Dragon on Top, Ghleanna, who had always thought she'd be alone as a result of these assumptions, gets to find her soul mate. And surprise, surprise, he's been staring her in the face all this while. Bram the Peacemaker, as he's known, is the truce maker for Rhiannon's court. He's nothing like the fierce warrior Ghleanna is. He's quite beta, actually, and has been in love with her for ages. I think everyone knew but her.

I loved it! Loved the contrast of these two! So far, this is the only pairing I've read in this series where the two partners weren't both 'dominant,' 'alpha' characters. I love the sense of calm and purpose that surrounded Bram; I loved the calm and rationality he brought into the mix of this crazy family.

I loved seeing Ghleanna realize her chance for love stood right in front of her, albeit in a different package than she expected. I loved seeing Ghleanna herself in action, maneuvering her way around Helena's court with a stratagem worthy of any politician.

And best of all, I loved the tenderness that underpinned the whole novella. From the obvious love Ghleanna's family have for her and each other, Bram's gentle love, the younger brothers' appearances, and Ghleanna's realization that her father was so much more than his past.

Perfect little novella!

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Dragon Actually 
2. About a Dragon
3. What a Dragon Should Know - 4/5
4. Last Dragon Standing

 

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 :(

Quickie Review: The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley

Author: Jennifer Ashley

Title: The Duke's Perfect Wife

Series: Highland Pleasures #4

My Thoughts:

Hart Mackenzie's heroine did him justice. They were two wonderful people, and theirs was a beautiful, tender love story. Eleanor is a very well-drawn character, and a someone I'd like to be friends with if she were real. I enjoyed it very much - so much more than Ian Mackenzie's book. My favorite Mackenzie, my favorite heroine, and my favorite story of this series.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
2. Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage
3. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron

 

#1: Spotlight on....Gabriel

*The place where I continue to gush about authors, books, and characters, because the overflow won't fit into a review :D*

Anyone who knows me knows that I like to go on and on and on ad nauseum about the angel Gabriel.

For starters, who is Gabriel? Gabriel is the male lead in one of my most favorite books of all time, Archangel, written by Sharon Shinn. And he is definitely in my top three all-time favorite heroes. The best character analysis for Gabriel comes from the book itself, when his stepmother, Hannah, was describing Gabriel to Rachel, his bride-to-be, also chosen for him by the god Jovah.

"... 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."

What a wonderful description of a person! It struck me when I first read it, and it strikes me each time I see it.

Gabriel is not a badass - on the contrary, he can be quite uptight and all sanctimonious. But his heart is always, always, in the right place. He will do the right thing every time, even if it is unpopular, simply because it is the right thing to do.

When you read the Samaria series, you notice that there are more 'fun' characters around, and certainly more well-liked by most people (in the series): Nathan. Obadiah. And sure, once or twice they - Obadiah especially - would express outrage at the injustices going on. But that was just in passing. It is Gabriel who speaks out openly against slavery; it is he who is viscerally disturbed at the injustices in Samarian society. Not any of those 'fun' people. For that alone, I'd take the stoic Gabriel over them a thousand times any day.

His seriousness is a big part of his character, but so is his love, his strength, his leadership, his dependability, his dominance, his wisdom. And he can be funny and witty when he wants. Another thing I noticed while reading the series was that even the ones who hated him could vouch for his character. Literally the only insults you could come up with for him are about his being uptight and sanctimonious  and a bit autocratic at times. That was it. Everyone acknowledged (even if grudgingly) that he was an amazing leader, a good man, a fair man, a wise man.

Also, everyone who was close to him knew all of his faults - hell all of Samaria knew the dude's many faults- but they loved, respected and admired him. This happened without fail. Hannah did; Ariel did; Obadiah did; Nathan did; Josiah did... and finally Rachel did.

I love, love, love Gabriel. What is there not to adore about a man who does everything with the goal of goodness in mind, a man in whom there is no malice? If you disagree with me, you are just wrong! (hehe. But I am serious, lol). Gabriel is deeply flawed - and none of those noble and fake flaws you have in PNR/UF either: no possessiveness or feeling overly responsible blah, blah blah, but proper weaknesses. Yet he also has amazing strengths that outshine his weaknesses. He is not 'cool', but he has strength of character that is etched immutably in stone. Again, I'd take that over 'cool' any day! If he were real, I do think I'd marry him if only I could get past Rachel!

Review: It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

Author: Lisa Kleypas
Title: It Happened One Autumn
Series: Wallflowers #2

It happened at the ball...

Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing." And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London's most eligible aristocrat.

It happened in the garden...

When Marcus shockingly—and dangerously—swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn't even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed...thank goodness they weren't caught very nearly in the act!

It happened one autumn...

Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable...as his bride?

I really, really, really liked this one.

From the first book I could tell Lord Westcliff was a keeper, and I was not too happy he was going to be paired of with Lillian, as she wasn't shown to be the nicest kind of person in the first book.

she was shown in a much better light this time around, and I was glad to see that she and Lord Westcliff were perfectly suited :D. For two people who are so tactile, headstrong and feisty, their story was a very muted, very gentle one - straight from the first kiss at the beginning to the admissions of love in the end, and I loved every second of it. I totally enjoyed this love story.

I love, love, love, Lord Westcliff. He has a lot of the charm and nuance of your normal Kleypas hero, which was missing in the hero of the previous book. And she showed such poesy and tenderness, i loved it! I also think Ms. Kleypas did a great job of making Lillian much more likable while keeping her true to her character from the previous book. I was liking lord Sebastian St. Vincent too, with his his funny remarks, until he did what he did at the end to his [probably only] friend at that. It was a despicable thing to do. Now I am not sure I like him at all and am worried for the next book.

I liked seeing Daisy again, and the Bowmans' mother made me laugh,s he was so over-the-top. I am indifferent to Annabelle's presence. I don't think it added or took anything away,and she was rather a wet blanket in this one. It was a shame Evie didn't have much face time in this book, but her piece in the epilogue was epic. I enjoyed just about everything in this book and am excited to start my favorite wallflower's story next. And even though I have heard awesome stuff about Sebastian St. Vincent of the next book, for me Lord Westcliff will be a hard hero to beat, I think :). We'll see about that.

★★★★½

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Secrets of a Summer Night - 3/5

 

Review: Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane

Author: Stacia Kane
Title: Sacrificial Magic
Series: Downside Ghosts #4
Pages: 403
Source: Owned

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

Chess and Terrible, now that they have admitted their love for each other, are in a relationship. Chess knows that Terrible loves her, but given the events of the previous books, she's walking around feeling like this relationship is hanging over her head like the Sword of Damocles, waiting to crash upon her should she make the tiniest mistake. Amid all of that, she has a new case from the church, which is tied to the ritual murders going on in both Slobag and Bump's sides of town.

Wow. My thoughts are kinda jumbled right now. I truly enjoyed the story. I liked seeing Chess work. One of my favorite scenes was where she looked down her nose at the officious people by the school. She doesn't play and can give as good as she gets :).

Most of the book was like watching a learning curve for Chess; you can see her character growing, becoming empowered. She learns very slowly to accept a friendship offered (Beulah), and to choose her friends (Lex) - for herself, and not because it suits Terrible or no. Seeing her like that felt so good her drug use didn't overshadow everything for me like it does in the previous books. She's still a junkie, but it's now no longer the center of her life - she has Terrible, other things and people are beginning to creep in.

There is not much to say for Terrible except that he is BEYOND AWESOME and that I am not entirely sure Chess deserves him. I truly like Chess but I want to beat her up sometimes because she hurts Terrible and that is in no way acceptable, for any reason :)


The final scenes in the book, from the climax to the resolution, are so heartfelt and beautiful.

In the end, I loved the story, but I am very, very, very ready for Chess to begin to actually take charge of her life. I like Chess and I am glad she is beginning to envision a new life for herself, a better life. However I feel a lot of the epiphanies she came to are long overdue, especially given her life's trajectory. I'm trying to say - it's not as if her life has only been bad, compared with say Terrible's life - she's had tremendous good too: she's educated, she has a steady job, has been around more than just Downside and crime, more than just screwed up people around her; she's found love and a new reason to live. She's had time to let it all sink in. It shoulda sunk in long before then. The curve for her has been too slow, is what I'm tryina say. But now that realization has come, I am very ready for her to stop regressing, build some self-esteem, stop waiting for the other shoe to drop for every little thing, stop hurting Terrible because she is afraid of getting hurt first, get off the damn drugs! I am ready for it all to happen. Much as I love the series and Terrible, I am not sure I will continue reading if she doesn't at least begin doing that.

So I guess Chasing Magic might be a game-changer for me.

★★★★

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Unholy Ghosts - 3/5
2. Unholy Magic - 4/5
3. City of Ghosts - 4.5/5

Memorable Monday #7: Terrible Again!!!

This meme is fast becoming one of my favorites ever!  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.


Okay, I haven't read any books with notable moments, lately. But when in doubt, rely on oldy-but-goody.

Stacia Kane. We're talking Terrible here, people, Terrible! Who happens to be one of the awesomest heroes anywhere!! And our tidbit from Terrible is not from a specific book, but a specific saying:

Give you whatany you want, Chessiebomb, whatany you want. 

Ai, it fair kills me with love for him when he says that. I melt!If you know Terrible, you know what I mean, and chances are  it does the same to you. If you don't know him, well, whatever are you waiting for? Go grab a book!!!

Memorable Monday #6

 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 comes to you by courtesy of Curran, another of my favorite heroes evarrrrr!!!!! This is taken from his POV from Magic Strikes:

Kate short-circuits my brain. In my head we always have these clear and coherent exchanges, but once we meet, what comes out is, "Kate, do as I say or I will kill you." Her default reply is "Fuck you!" and we go downhill from there. 

Gotta love Curran! :D

GUEST REVIEW: City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane

*Today's review comes courtesy of my Goodreads friend Mimi.  You can find her on Goodreads here.*


Author: Stacia Kane
Title: City of Ghosts
Series: Downside Ghosts #3

Chess Putnam has a lot on her plate. Mangled human corpses have started to show up on the streets of Downside, and Chess’s bosses at the Church of Real Truth have ordered her to team up with the ultra-powerful Black Squad agency to crack the grisly case.

Chess is under a binding spell that threatens death if she talks about the investigation, but the city’s most notorious crime boss—and Chess’s drug dealer—gets wind of her new assignment and insists on being kept informed. If that isn’t bad enough, a sinister street vendor appears to have information Chess needs. Only he’s not telling what he knows, or what it all has to do with the vast underground City of Eternity.

Now Chess will have to navigate killer wraiths, First Elders, and a lot of seriously nasty magic—all while coping with some not-so-small issues of her own. And the only man Chess can trust to help her through it all has every reason to want her dead.

4.5 stars

"Only through penitence and pain is forgiveness possible.
—The Book of Truth, Veraxis, Article 72"

Downside World 301 by Mimi

Well, you know the way by now... I have to admit I wasn't as concerned about the world and fact-collecting here. Just waiting for them to finally get together distracting me from...well almost anything else. But here it goes.

* Psychopomps were very present here and I think I figured out the deal.

"Chess had never known if psychopomps actually came back to life, if they were for the brief time of their use breathing creatures with pumping hearts. Seemed they weren’t. They weren’t animals at all, just reanimated corpses, empty shells full of instinct and magic."

But then later it's mentioned the animal doesn't need to die in order to make a psychopomp. But basically the skull is the animals'. It allows you to summon the physical form of said animal. Then that form hounds ghosts to the City.

*There are wraiths, too...

"Wraiths. A witch’s freed living soul, joined with one of the restless undead. A ghost cranked on living energy, strengthened by magic, its living partner giving it the ability to do what astrally projected spirits could do: fly."

Not sure about that, but next to Chess&Terrible...Who cares?

*Still not sure what the Hand of Glory thing is? Chess carries it around and it's connected to magic, so...

*There is an inner organization at the Church-Black Squad. Church law enforcement.

The story

Remember that unexplained scene in book #2? The one with the seance and the almost-poisoning? Well apparently it's important here! The witch is being executed at the beginning, but it turns out she was Bound to a spirit and that ghost kills someone. At the same time Chess is contracted by her Elder Griffin. But before she does it she has to make an oath to the original Elders, which bounds her and kills her if she breaks the terms-silence and obedience.

Anyway, the bad conspirators are back, in Downside this time and she must investigate them with Laura, an obnoxious enforcer (of Black Squad).

At the same time(you've guessed it) she has to work an angle with the drug dealer and Terrible. So she can't say anything to them about the job, or to the Church about what she does for them. So she investigates, almost gets killed, and of course, pulls through.

Now onto more important things...

Chess&Terrible

This was such a drama here. I genuinely liked seeing Chess suffer a bit for everything that happened. And she does suffer and feels guilty. But this time she knows what she wants and what she feels-and she FIGHTS for it. She doesn't take pills and screw up other people's lives, she takes pills and tries to fix them.

There's so much I learned about Chess along the way. Sometimes she lets pain and bitterness overwhelm her...

"You let people into your life and you ended up getting hurt. Or hurting them. Either way, the road to pain was paved with other people, and she wanted no part of it anymore."

"Chess lied to herself every day; it was just something she did, like taking her pills or making sure she had a pen in her bag. Little lies, mostly. Insignificant. Of course there were big ones there, too, like telling herself that she was more than just a junkie who got lucky enough to possess a talent not everyone had. That she was alone by choice and that she was not terrified of other people because they couldn’t be trusted, because they carried filth in their minds and pain in their hands and they would smear both all over her given half the chance."

But she doesn't give up and I really like her for that. yes, for the first time I actually LIKE Chess. Who knew? And when she was breaking...

"But he’d lied too. He’d lied, because he’d told her—not in those words, but he’d told her—that he’d seen something special in her. He’d made her believe, for that one moment, those two short days between the time he’d made his little speech and that horrible night in the graveyard, that there was something special in her. Something good.And there wasn’t. And she’d hurt him, and she hated herself so much, so much for that, for making that mistake, for doing that to him, so much she couldn’t stand it another second, and he could make it stop. He could forgive her or he could punish her"

...Terrible was there to pick her up. Not forgive her that easily. Not give in so easily, but one step at the time. But, IMO, she showed here that maybe, just maybe she deserves him...

"Once she’d thought he was ugly; he still was ugly, she supposed. She just didn’t give a shit. He was who he was, and her heart fluttered in her chest and wouldn’t stop."

Finally figured out some things, I guess...

This book was definitely the most emotionally poignant so far. It's about pain and regret and as that quote at the beginning says you can't have forgiveness without them. It really is what this book's about. And I loved seeing Chess and Terrible get there.

And, of course I loved Terrible...

“He lifted his head to look at her. Giving her his eyes, giving her what was behind them. “You know I do, aye? Love you right, Chessiebomb.”

★★★★½

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Unholy Ghosts
2. Unholy Magic

 

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 :)

Waiting on Wednesday #4

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





 
Today's entry is for Sacrificial magic, book #4 in Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts urban fantasy series

Cover and description taken from goodreads.com

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

I am so excited! I get to see Terrible again! I am only on book 2, but I hear by this time Chess is actively attempting to clean up her act, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Your turn now :D

Memorable Monday #3

This meme is fast becoming one of my favorites ever!  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 a book I just finished reading: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane. There are so many good quotes to highlight what I want, I don't know which on to choose. So here goes:

"So why do you work for Bump?"
"Only thing I ever good at"
"What, beating people up?"
He nodded "I got no school, you know. No family. Bump took me in, I just a kid. Getting in street fights for food, sleeping any flat wheres I could find. Now I don't have to fight. Nobody wanna dance with me." Faint pride colored his voice as he spoke the last sentence.

This is Terrible's life story, as told to Chess I LOVE Terrible. One of the best characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading since I began reading romance and (urban) fantasy.. He's a badass - his job requires hat he be one but I don't know anyone else who's a bona fide thug (dude's an enforcer for a drug dealer, or as my friend put it, professional bully) who also manages to be so genuinely sweet, so kind, so considerate.  Okay enough rambling.
 

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.

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Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Study #3
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
★★★

This has been a disappointing end to what had the potential to be an awesome series. Perhaps Poison Study should have wrapped up neatly and been a stand-alone novel. After reading Magic Study and Fire Study, I feel as if they were superfluous, and actually don't add much to Yelena's character.

I was a bit tired of this long-distance 'love' between Yelena and Valek, since they almost never saw each other.

I was also not enamored of the plot, especially of this book. It felt fillerish and caused Yelena and other characters to do very stupid things you wouldn't see anyone with a modicum of intelligence doing, just so the story could be moved along.

I mean, for those who have read the books - how stupid does one have to be, to not kill Cahil after his constant foolishness which ends up putting people in mortal danger? How stupid does Cahil himself have to be, to go about every single time,hanging out with fools and murderers and doing horrible things (beating Yelena) and then realize the error of his ways and come asking for forgiveness? How stupid do you have to be not to know that the people you are hanging with are not good when they're capturing people and killing them for blood rituals, when even children are included among their captives? Just petty stupidities like that - from Yelena, Lord Marrok...just about everyone except Valek.

I felt this diluted the quality of the characters, after all, they can't be so great if they're so stupid, can they? And I do think somewhat less of Yelena now. Valek, and perhaps, Ari and Janco, are the only characters whom I felt maintained their integrity.

If Maria Snyder had stopped at book one, or come up with completely different plots for books two and three, she might have had a proper winner on her hand.

I read somewhere that someone read somewhere that Ms. Snyder had originally intended Poison study to be a stand-alone novel, and wrote it accordingly. But the publisher had wanted more than one book (prolly to make more money) and so she'd changed the ending to an open-ended one and come up with this trilogy. If that is the case (and I can certainly see how that could have been the case), then it's a major fail on Ms. Snyder's part and the part of her publishers.

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A Lot Like Love by Julie James

A Lot Like Love by Julie James
★★★★★

I don't have too much to say, except that I enjoyed this novel enormously. The humor, the characters, the plot...everything blended perfectly, just like good wine, I guess. Teehee.

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Sirantha Jax by Ann Aguirre

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
My rating: ★★★★½

I am sure this is the start of a new and beautiful friendship with Ann Aguirre.

Sirantha Jax is a rare carrier of the J-gene, meaning she can jump through space, a talent which makes her a valuable asset - she can lead the charge in charting space, discovering territories - you know the kind of thing that space ships do. She also suffers from major survivors' guilt over her last jump, which went terribly wrong and killed quite a number of people. She is in prison, waiting for it to all end, when March and his crew appear to break her out. They plan to use her and her ability to help break the monopoly the corrupt Conglomerate holds over space travel.

It was a bit confusing for someone who hasn't read any science fiction in a while, but once I found my feet, everything started rolling and didn't stop until the very end. I could see clearly in my mind's eye Sirantha's interactions with the crew, and her thoughts (obviously, since it was written in first person), and it was fascinating. I think Ms. Aguirre painted the portrait of a badly broken person trying to find her way very excellently, and I felt for and with her throughout the novel.

March - well, does anything need to be said about him? I think I found myself a new dangerous hero to love!

And oh yes, one more thing - the book is written in first person present tense. It is a little thing, but you never realize how used you are to reading 1st person past POV' until you get confronted with something else. I noticed it right away, and it took some adjusting to, but also made the narration a little more unique.

And oh yes - the book also gets extra points for NOT taking the Lord's name in vain. I know many people don't care, blah blah blah, but for once it was so refreshing to not see that! So it gets extra points for awesomeness.

Definitely very highly recommended.

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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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