The Creed Legacy by Linda Lael Miller

Title:  The Creed Legacy
Author:  Linda Lael Miller
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Series:  The Creed Cowboys #3
Source:  Sent by Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. in exchange for an 
              honest review

Rating: 4/5


Synopsis:

Rough-and-tumble rodeo cowboy Brody Creed likes life on the move. Until a chance encounter with his long-estranged twin brother brings him "home" for the first time in years. Suddenly Brody is in Creed territory—at thirty-three, he's a restless bad boy among family with deep ties to the land and each other. And a secret past haunts him as he tries to make plans for his future.

Carolyn Simmons is looking for Mr. Right in Lonesome Bend, as the ticktock of her biological clock gets ever louder. Then she falls for gorgeous Brody Creed, the opposite of everything she wants. Until lassoing his wild heart becomes everything both of them need.

Review:

Let me just go on record as saying, I LOVE THIS SERIES!  I'm very sad to see it end but I can hardly wait to see what the author brings to the plate next!  I want to thank the wonderful ladies at Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. for contacting me about being a part of the tours for this series. :)

Our hero Brody Creed is back home in Lonesome Bend after being estranged from his family and living the hard and fast life of a rodeo cowboy.  Having made amends with his aunt, uncle and twin brother Conner, Brody is green with envy at all the happiness that his brother and their cousin Steven have found in their new marriages.  Brody wants some of what they have, so he's putting down roots and building his own place.

Enter Carolyn Simmons....

Carolyn Simmons  is pretty content with her life in Lonesome Bend.  She has a job, a roof over her head and a group of friends.  But there is something missing for Carolyn,  she wants her own Happily Ever After, complete with a family and a permanent home.  Many years ago she thought she found her HEA in younger Brody Creed.  Then Brody up and leaves her without a real explanation.  But being a child of "the system" Carolyn is used to being let down.

Enter Brody's "deep dark secret"....

There is a reason why Brody left Carolyn all those years ago.  Now it's a very tragic and painful place in Brody's life.  Right now though, Brody just wishes that Carolyn would open up enough and maybe let him get close enough that maybe they can have another shot.

I really enjoyed this book a lot.  There are plenty of emotions in motion throughout the course of this book that kept things very interesting for me.  I really enjoyed Brody's meddling sister-in-law the best.  I think that's what caused Brody to up his game.  Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a pretty happy read or enjoys reading romance novels centered around hot, rugged cowboy types.

Trace of Fever by Lori Foster

Title: Trace of Fever
Author: Lori Foster
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #2
Genre: Romantic Suspence

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:


Undercover mercenary Trace Rivers loves the adrenaline rush of a well-planned mission. First he'll earn the trust of corrupt businessman Murray Coburn, then gather the proof he needs to shut down the man's dirty smuggling operation. It's a perfect scheme—until Coburn's long-lost daughter saunters in with her own deadly plan for revenge.

With a smile like an angel and fire in her eyes, Priscilla Patterson isn't who she seems to be. But neither is the gorgeous bodyguard who ignites all her senses. Joining forces to plot Coburn's downfall, Priss and Trace must fight the undeniable heat between them. For one wrong move, one lingering embrace, will expose them to the wrath of a merciless opponent….

Review:

I was approached about this series when Trace's book was just about ready to be released.  I had read the first book in the series and could not wait to read the next book.  Yeah for extremely sexy sounding alpha-male mercenaries who know how to "rock a girls world!"  Plus, Trace really caught my eye in When You Dare.

OH MY GOSH!  This book was a page turner.  The action in the book starts right at the beginning of the book and doesn't let up!  Trace and his team of highly trained mercerinaries are undercover trying to bring down a human trafficking ring.  Trace and his family have been victims of this despicable trade.

Priscilla has her own agenda for why she wants to bring Murray down.  She's out for revenge and she's not going to let anyone stand in her way, even Trace.  She was a pretty likeable character, very determined and has a pretty HUGE set of cajones!

I thought that the author did an excellent job creating chemistry between Trace and Priscilla that was White Hot.  I felt that the progression of their relationship was very realistic and wasn't rushed.  At times I thought that Trace was purposefully challenging Priscilla to see if she would "rise to the occasion" or shy away.  Let's just say that Ms. Priscilla can put on a show when she wants to!

I thought that the addition of Jackson to the story was a great build up to the next book in the series.  Again, another book I can hardly wait to read!  I also really liked how the author kept us in the loop about how things were going with Dare and Molly and Chris too.  Sometimes I feel like the characters from the prior book in the series are sort of forgotten about as the series progresses...NOT the case here.

There were only a few tiny things that gave me pause about the book.  The first thing was Priscilla's nickname, Prissoverally dramatic.  Other than those little quirks I really enjoyed Trace of Fever a lot.  The more I read of this series the more I don't want it to end.

Blog Tour ~ Creed's Honor by Linda Lael Miller

Title: Creed's Honor
Author: Linda Lael Miller
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

 Conner Creed knows exactly who he is: a hardworking rancher carrying on his uncle's legacy in Lonesome Bend, Colorado. Maybe a small-town cowboy's life isn't his dream, but he owes the man who took him in as a kid. Until the identical twin brother he's been estranged from for years reenters his life.

Conner struggles with identity issues as he gets to know his wilder brother. And then he meets Tricia McCall, a beautiful woman who knows a thing or two about living someone else's dreams. Together, they just might find their own dreams right here in Lonesome Bend….

Review:


Connor Creed has all but given up on his own dreams and has decided that he's going to follow in his uncle's boot prints and become a rancher in his hometown of Lonesome Bend, CO.  I thought that the name of the town was more than appropriate for Connor and the way he happens to be feeling.  Then his wild card twin brother, Brody, shows up which is difficult for Connor to swallow.

Tricia McCall ends up in Lonesome Bend after the death of her father and she decides to take over his trailer park for him.  She doesn't intend to stay long, just long enough to sell the trailer park and move herself up to Seattle.  However, her crafty grandmother is working double time behind the scenes to get Tricia and Connor together.  Slowly but surely things start to progress along, then a stray dog named Valentino and Tricia's goddaughter are added to the picture.

I really enjoyed this book a lot.  I can hardly wait until the next book in the series comes out!  The thing that I really liked about this book was it was a romance with some drama and pent up emotions thrown in to keep things interesting.  The dialogue and the interactions between the characters, major as well as minor, felt so natural and like your actually there witnessing the book play out.

Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Title:  Steel
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Genre: YA/Time Travel


Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure.

The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home—one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain.

Time travel, swordplay, and romance combine in an original high-seas adventure from New York Times bestseller Carrie Vaughn.

Review:

I saw this book one day when I was looking on the Barnes and Noble web page and thought that the premise was good enough to add it to my shopping cart.  After checking out it's page on Goodreads I found that Steel got mixed reviews.  A lot of 3 and 4 star ratings.

I thought that the idea behind the story was right up my alley...mainly because it was a new-to-me idea.  I think reading Steel helped me get into the proper frame of mind for the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie that came out last weekend.

I thought Jill overall was a like able character, though in the beginning she was a little bit to "woe is me" for me personally.  There is being dedicated to your sport then there is addicted.  I think that at the beginning of the book she was leaning closer to addicted....To the point of NOT being able to enjoy a family vacation a MONTH after her last match.  Which leads up to Jill being transported back to the 18th century and becoming a member of the crew on the pirate ship Diana.  The more time that Jill spends on the Diana the more she's able to not only conquer her own issues she's also able to help the crew with some of their own problems.  When Jill is finally transported back to her own time she takes the lessons that she has learned on the Diana with her to use in her life from that point on.  Plus, there is a REALLY COOL "souvenir" too.

The pirate portion of the book was my favorite part of the book, meaning I'm not really a fan of the beginning but it got much better.  There was a TON of action.  The captain of the Diana was a WOMAN and I learned a TON.  Did you know that pirate ships are where the first forms of democracy were formed?  The main positions (captain, quartermaster, first mate, etc.) were all voted on.  Each ship has it's own rules which are known as in Steel the "articles."  Also, I really enjoyed that Carrie Vaughn brought actual pirates out of the history books and put them in her book.

The only part I had a slight misgiving with was the "romance."  There were plenty of hints at it but there was only 1 real kiss in the whole book.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for a fun, quick read, or a slight departure from what you've been reading recently.

RATING:

4/5

Blog Tour/Giveaway ~ The Shepherd by Ethan Cross

Title: The Shepherd
Author:  Ethan Cross
Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Synopsis:

Marcus Williams and Francis Ackerman Jr. both have a talent for hurting people. Marcus, a former New York City homicide detective, uses his abilities to protect others, while Ackerman uses his gifts to inflict pain and suffering. When both men become unwilling pawns in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of our government, Marcus finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse trapped between a twisted psychopath and a vigilante with seemingly unlimited resources. Aided by a rogue FBI agent and the vigilante's beautiful daughter--a woman with whom he's quickly falling in love--Marcus must expose the deadly political conspiracy and confront his past while hunting down one of the most cunning and ruthless killers in the world.


Review:

I was approached about joining the blog tour for this book a little while ago and I agreed based on the premise alone.  The Shepherd sounded like a book that would trip my trigger so to speak.  I'm glad that the book lived up to my expectations for it!

Marcus Williams is a former New York City homicide detective, who has just moved to town.  He really didn't think that his first job would come so soon after moving to town.  It seems that a mad man has made his way to the town that Marcus now calls home.  Now Marcus and our mad man are going to face off, unfortunately, there can be only one winner. Will evil prevail? or will good triumph?  In the end, who is going to be The Shepherd?

Francis Ackerman Jr. is our mad man.  He has basically been conditioned from a young age to become the monster that he is today. Ackerman has escaped a mental health facility and is making a terrifying tour across many states.  Only leaving behind a trail of bloody and mangled bodies.

If you are a person who enjoys suspense/thrillers I highly recommend this book.  There has been a fair amount of praise bestowed upon the book and I found that The Shepherd was definitely worthy of the praise.  If you do pick up this book, read it while it's light out (big mistake on my part).  It has THAT much creep factor to it.  The Shepherd, I found to be a very fast read with plenty of twists and turns and creep factor. 

RATING:

4/5

GIVEAWAY:

I am giving away my gently used copy of The Shepherd.

Rules:

1. Open to US/Canada addresses.

2. Please leave your email address in the comments section below.

3. Giveaway will conclude on May 26 @ 11:59 pm.

4. Winner will be announced Friday May 27.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight
Sophie Jordan

RATING:4/5

Synopsis:

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will’s dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She’ll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Review:
I received this ebook as part of Book Soulmates RAK program.  I had been wanting to read it for a very long time and I was beyond happy when a very nice individual offered to send it to me as an .epub file so I could read it on my Nook.  Yeah for the RAK program!

I started this book late yesterday morning and once I got started I just could NOT put it down.  I had to finish it, I had to know what was going to happen next!

Jacinda, one of our main characters, is a Draki.  Draki are descendents of dragons and can shift from draki form to human form.  As an unfortunate bonus for Jacinda she is a fire-breather, the first one in her pride in MANY generations.  Which makes her a valuable commodity to her pride…Much to Jacinda’s dismay, she’s not real thrilled about the fact that her mate has already been picked out for her. 

After a near brush with Draki death Jacinda’s mom decides that for her families safety they are going to move….to the desert….to try and kill Jacinda’s Draki.  Again, much to Jacinda’s dismay.

This is a really great opposites attract love story.  Jacinda is a Draki.  The boy, Will, that she is interested in is a Draki hunter.  Even though she knows she should avoid Will like the plague she can’t help her growing attraction to him.  What I really liked about this budding relationship was that through the whole thing Jacinda’s personality doesn’t change one bit.  She isn’t afraid to stand up to anyone, Will included.

Will was a great character too.  I really enjoyed him a lot.  Not only does he do something he really shouldn’t have done at the beginning of the story, he also has a secret.  One that you don’t find out about until almost the end of the book.  It’s a pretty good secret too.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book a lot.  I had never read a book about dragon/draki before and I found the mythology captivating.  Like I stated earlier, I had a very difficult time putting this book down.  I had to know what was going to happen next.  The only thing I didn’t really care for and it’s really a teeny tiny thing, was the cliff hanger ending.  I can hardly wait for the next book to come out!

EROTICA REVIEW ~ Four Play by Maya Banks and Shayla Black

Title: Four Play

Author: Maya Banks and Shayla Black

Series:

Genre: Erotica

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Release Date: October 5, 2010

Format: Paperback, 346 pages

Source: Bought for my Barnes and Noble Nook 

 

Rating: 4/5 overall

Smuttiness: 5/5

Pillow Talk - by Maya Banks 3/5

At the beginning of this story I was really into it.  It features main characters Zoe and Chase (who happens to be a yummy firefighter).  After a round of spontanious panty combusting sex they are having themselves a little pillow talk and they start talking about their fantasies.  Both fantasies are pretty incredible to be honest.

Well the vast majority of the story, ok all but a couple pages, are about fulfilling those fantasies.  In the beginning the sex scenes were Awesome Sauce, but as the story went along I think that it was mostly focused on the sex and not so much on the actual characters or the relationship. Which come to find out it was written like that on purpose as part of the story. As a result I was kind of turned off by this story by the end of it. Actually, I could hardly wait for it to end.

I'm not giving up on Ms. Banks though.  I can't base all of an author's works on one story.  I do like the way that Ms. Banks writes her works and minus an obscene (in my opinion anyway) amount of sex in this particular story she sure does know how to write one hell of a love scene.

Her Fantasy Men - 4/5

I really got into this particular story and was sad to see it end.  Of the 4 characters in this story Tucker is the only one that has actually known Kelsey almost her entire life.  The other two male characters are Kelsey's boss and her peeping tom-smoking hot-fire fighter neighbor.  I thought that Kelsey herself was a very likeable character who is one of those girls that be one of the girls as well as one of the guys.

It was actually very interesting to read how realtionship became pretty dang solid through the course of this story.  The truth of the matter is that the 3 guys only know each other because of Kelsey and they all kind of struggle with their possessiveness of her to make her happy.  Because she really can't bring herself to choose between them.  She reads very much like an "all or nothing" type of girl.

Naturally, the sex scenes were scorching hot.  What I really liked about this story is that each guy brought his own brand of lovin' to the story....complete with some BDSM for those of us who like that sort of stuff (I'm slowly but surely getting into it!)

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Title:  Where I Belong
Author: Gwendolyn Heasley


Synopsis:


Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .

When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

Review:

I got this one out of my local library.  When I started reading it I had a hard time putting it down once I got started.  I thought it was that good.  Though I did find a couple things that I didn't care for...Not many though.

In the beginning of the book I thought that Corrinne was pretty much a wanna be "Paris Hilton" (you have no idea how much Paris Hilton annoys me.).  I didn't really care for her very much at all. Then her dad gets laid off from his job.  And life gets really REAL for Corrinne.

I thought after she and her little brother arrived in Texas, that as much conflict as there was when they first arrived between Corrinne and her grandmother, that she became pretty "normal".  She wasn't doing the things that she was able to do in her old life.  If she wanted to survive she had to eat her grandma's fatty food, which meant she had to stop counting calories and watching her carbs.  She actually had to work, GASP SHOCK!  She actually had to go to PUBLIC SCHOOL, GASP SHOCK!  It turns out her first friend at public school is a cheerleader!

The farther I got into the book the more like able Corrinne became.  She started putting others before herself.  She did have a slight "relapse" when she met a rocker and thought they should be together, though it didn't take her long to see through him.  Then there was the "normal" guy who saw right through her from the start and by the end of the book there is potential there for a relationship.

Besides the Corrinne from the beginning of the book, I didn't really like the scene where Corrinne's friend from her B.R. life comes to visit.  Here Corrinne is turning her life around and making due and here comes her friend purposely trying to make things difficult for her.

I hope that there is another book.  The end of this one was to me anyway, a cliff hanger.

RATING:

4/5

EROTICA REVIEW ~ Blood Knot by Tracy Cooper-Posey

Title: Blood Knot
Author: Tracy Cooper-Posey

Synopsis:

Winter, a professional thief who can manipulate others' biologies by touch, accidentally "healed" her former partner-and former vampire-Sebastian, whom she secretly loves. Her healing created a symbiot pairing between them that neither of them wants.

Nathanial, a sexy thousand-year-old vampire and Sebastian's ex-lover, talks Sebastian and Winter into stealing evidence that will expose all vampires to the world. But Nathanial is a puppet-master who doesn't believe in falling in love with humans, leaving Winter unsure of his real feelings for her once he seduces her, or how he feels about Sebastian, the former vampire-now-human whose life he has turned upside down once more.

But the evidence they steal is hot property. The future of all vampires is on the line and others will stop at nothing to get it, leaving Sebastian, Winter and Nathanial with no allies but each other. They must trust each other to survive. Only...can they?

Review:

This was a very interesting read.  I've only read 1 other book where m/m/f love scenes were involved and I can definitely say that this one trumps it big time!  Hot doesn't even begin to cover it!  The premise of the story was really interesting to me because it involved two male vampires and one female who is supposedly human who are best known throughout the vampire world for their skills in stealing.

Nathanial, or Nial, is one smart cookie and not to mention one sexy vamp, who has a way of manipulating others minds to get what he wants.  I saw him as someone who needed to constantly be in control, it showed in his encounters and actions towards Winter and Sebastian.  He always seemed to be in the minds of others, being able to read them and make them react accordingly.

Winter was one tough ass chick that who was labeled a human but isn't really.  See she was born by human parents but she was given a gift that no one else has.  She has the ability to reach into other individuals simply by touching their skin and completely change their biological chemistry or heal them if needed.  That includes herself as well.  There was an instance in the book where she was able to heal herself from being poisoned simply by mentally reaching within herself and breaking down/diluting that strain of poison.  Therefore, reversing it and making her immortal like a vampire.


Sebastian, is yet another smexy vampire (side note: why are the paranormal ALWAYS uber sexy?) who has worked with Winter for two years.  In that time he's also been keeping his true feelings away from Winter.  See Winter has saved his sexy vampire backside numerous times and this last time was ALMOST the time where he actually broke down and told her how he felt...ALMOST.  What kept him from confessing?  TINY SPOILER>>> Thinking she was human. <<<END TINY SPOILER  The last time Winter saved him he was on the brink of death.  That's where she panicked and healed him back to human.

For me, this is where the story got really interesting.  After healing Sebastian, Winter finds that she has inherited some traits that she definitely did not have before...Like requiring blood, more specifically Sebastian's blood.  Also, her eyes and her hair have also changed on a permanent basis.

Sebastian thinks he was turned back into a human being because his biological chemistry has changed.  He's suddenly able to eat food and seems to be craving it.  This is where things get difficult for Sebastian, he's having an extremely difficult time dealing with all the truths revolving around the situation and decides that he's just going to run away from his feelings and trys to forget about Winter all together.  Well, until his ex-lover Nail shows up and persuades Winter into helping him find Sebastian.

This is the point where the heat-ometer goes up several notches. Winter and Nial keep finding themselves in each other's arms with an heightened sense of passion.  Especially AFTER they find Sebastian and the old flames are stoked between old and new lovers.

I decided that I couldn't give this book a 5/5 out of because I thought that there were some area's where a little more clarification would have been helpful.  One area in particular, what kind of immortal exactly was Winter.  It was very clear that she wasn't entirely human but wasn't exactly a vampire either.

RATING:

4.75/5

Blog Tour ~ A Creed In Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller

Title: A Creed In Stone Creek
Author: Linda Lael Miller
Series:
Publication Date: February 22, 2011

Synopsis:

When single attorney Steven Creed becomes guardian of an orphaned five-year-old boy, he trades his big-city law firm for a ranch near his McKettrick kin in the close-knit community of Stone Creek, Arizona. Taking care of little Matt and fixing up his run-down ranch house with its old barn loosens something tightly wound inside him. But when Steven takes on the pro bono defense of a local teen, he meets his match in the opposing counsel—beautiful, by-the-book county prosecutor Melissa O'Ballivan. It'll take one grieving little boy, a sweet adopted dog and a woman who never expected to win any man's heart to make this Creed in Stone Creek know he's truly found home.

Review:

Steven Creed comes to Stone Creek, AZ to make a new life for himself with his newly adopted son Matt.  Personally, Matt was the best part of the story for me.  Kids say the darngdest things!  Not long after arriving in Stone Creek and buying a "run down" ranch he meets Melissa O'Ballivan, a Stone Creek native. When Steven and Melissa meet there are sparks and an instant attraction. But they have both endured bad relationships in the past which makes the falling in love part very interesting.

Worse yet...They are both attorney's.  Melissa is a prosecutor and Steven is in the process of setting up his practice in Stone Creek as a defense attorney.  Oil and water!  When a local case comes up and these two end up going against each other in court they definitely butt heads.  But no matter how bad it gets their values and love for family are still the same and in the end help each of them.  Once they each get over their individual hang ups and insecurities they are well on their way to a happy ending. That last sentence makes it sound simple, but nothing is ever simple when two VERY stubborn people are added to the mix.

My main hang up with this particular book was Melissa.  I think that at times she was written as a borderline "man hater."  I think she definitely met her match in Steven Creed though.  He's a very determined guy.  Like I said above, I think little Matt was my favorite part of the book.  He kept the story "young and fresh."

RATING:

4/5

Whispering Rock (Virgin River #3) by Robyn Carr *Tiny Spoiler*

Title: Whispering Rock
Author: Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #3


Synopsis:

The tightly knit community of Virgin River has been a safe haven for more than a few lost souls over the years -- and there's always room for more . . .
 
A decorated U.S. Marine reservist, LAPD officer Mike Valenzuela was badly wounded in the line of duty, but has found hope and healing in Virgin River. When he agrees to become the town's first cop, he does so knowing it's time he settled down. Twice divorced and the lover of too many women, he secretly longs for the kind of commitment and happiness his marine buddies have found -- a woman who can tie up his heart forever. He finds that woman in Brie Sheridan, a Sacramento prosecutor who understands his drive to protect and serve. Virgin River becomes a safe haven for Brie after nearly losing her life at the hands of a crazed criminal. Though tough and courageous, she's got some fears she can't escape -- but now she has someone who will show her just what it means to trust again.

Mike will do anything to help Brie free herself from painful memories. Passionate, strong and gentle, he vows to give back to her what she's so selflessly given him -- her heart, and with it, a new beginning.

Review:

OMG!  I LOVE Robyn Carr!  Or at least I LOVE this series so far!  I really am glad that I found this series.  I found this book to be full of humor **TINY SPOILER ALERT** (Preacher announces to his Marine buddies he isn't going hunting cause it's ovulation day) **END SPOILER** , Men getting into trouble with their wives (see spoiler), as well as the original cast with a few new cast members thrown in.

Mike and Brie are both the victim's of tragic crimes and their courtship and romance through out the book is very sweet and very touching.  I loved how they both ended up relying on each other to get through their hardships.  Another aspect that I really enjoyed was when Mike would say things to Brie in Spanish and didn't realize that she's pretty much fluent in the language.

Then there's a deeper look in to Mel and Jacks' relationship.  There's more challenge's coming for these two.  They've been very bsusy people. ;)  Then Jack get's himself in trouble AGAIN...He's not handling the fact that his baby sister might have feeling for Mike.

One of my favorite scenes was when Vanni makes Paul (her husband's best friend) watch a birthing video with her because she wants him there when she has her baby.  To say that Paul reverted back to about 3 years old and on the verge of a temper tantrum is an under statement.  FUNNY STUFF!

There were a few sad parts too.  There have been a series of date rapes happening and Mike as the new town constable is working on the case.  Those parts were a little hard to read.  Then there is the death of Vanni's husband, and active duty Marine.  A very sad reality.

RATING:

4.75/5

Seduced by Destiny by Kira Morgan *link to giveaway

Title: Seduced By Destiny
Author: Kira Morgan
Series:
Publication Date: March 1, 2011
Source: Sent book from publisher as part of the From Scotland With Love Tour

Synopsis:

SWORN TO REVENGE

All her life, Josselin Ancrum has been trained for combat, hoping to exact vengeance for her heroic mother, who was killed fighting the English. When asked to spy for the Scottish Queen, Jossy joyfully accepts. But when a handsome stranger rescues her from sudden danger, his charm distracts her from her mission.

SHROUDED BY SECRECY

On the surface, Drew MacAdam may appear to be nothing more than a carefree champion, but his heart harbors a dark secret: This Highland hero is actually a skilled English soldier with a hatred for war and for the Scottish. Yet from the moment he meets the feisty Jossy, he's captured by her fiercely loyal heart. He's determined the honey-haired lass will be his ultimate prize - until the tragedy of their entwined legacies is revealed. Are these star-crossed lovers to be divided by their pasts? Or will they be...

Seduced by Destiny

Review:

I randomly found the posting for this tour in one of the groups that I follow on the Book Blogs ning and I signed up immediately.  Kira Morgan is a new to me author and I'm very happy to say that I really enjoy her writing. :)

Seduced By Destiny takes place in Scotland in 1561 and is written in a manner that there are all sorts of twists and turns.  On top of all the twists and turns throw in romance, some history on the game of golf, some pretty witty banter, some spying as well as many other elements and you get a pretty fast paced read.

Our heroine, Josselin (Jossy), is a Scottish lass who was raised by three combat warriors after her mother was brutally killed during a battle with the English.  Jossy is not only beautiful and smart...she has a hatred for the English.  Now this is were things start to get real interesting....

Our hero, Andrew (Drew) is an English soldier who hates war, hates the Scottish BUT is pretending that he is indeed a Scottish Highlander.  With a pretty wicked golf game.  Drew was raised by his three uncles after his father killed himself.  His father could not live with the fact that he had killed a woman in men's clothing on the battlefield.

When Jossy and Drew meet the sparks start to fly.  They are both easily attracted to one another, but with all the dark secrets that they have between them will there attraction and growing love survive the dangers that await them?

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romances or stories with Scotland as the backdrop.  The only quirk that I really had with the book was that I thought that after the prologue it kind of leveled off for a little bit.  But that's really all I had issues with.

RATING:

4.5/5

 

For a chance to win 1 of 2 copies of Seduced by Destiny click here.

Highland Master by Amanda Scott *link to giveaway

Title: Highland Master
Author: Amanda Scott
Series:
Publication Date: March 3, 2011
Source:  Received from publisher as part of the From Scotland With Love Tour

Synopsis:


When eighteen-year-old Lady Catriona Mackintosh discovers a wounded man in the forest near her Highland home, little does she know that he has sworn a sacred oath to kill her father and other members of the powerful Highland confederation known as Clan Chattan. Nor does she realize that she has met her soul mate. Independent, competent, intelligent, fiercely proud of her heritage, determined always to live near her own family, and known to her family as the "wee wildcat" because of her quick temper, Catriona is the daughter of a Highland chieftain and granddaughter of the even more powerful Chief (or Captain) of Clan Chattan. But her life changes forever when she persuades Sir Finlagh Cameron to return with her to her home to recover from his wounds.

Sir Finlagh "Fin" Cameron is on a mission for the heir to Scotland's throne, who has sent him to the Highlands to persuade the Chief of Clan Chattan to arrange a secret meeting for him with two other great lords (the Lord of the Isles and the Lord of the North). Until Fin meets Catriona, however, he has no idea that her father was the Clan Chattan war leader who led them in the battle that wiped out many of Clan Cameron's best warriors, including Fin's own father. The sole survivor of that battle, Fin accepted a bequest of vengeance from his dying father, providing him with a dilemma to face as he begins to fall in love with Catriona. He is not the only one enticed by her charms, either. There are two other contenders, one of whom is his own master, the heir to Scotland's throne. With royal mischief afoot, if Catriona and Fin are ever to find happiness, they must first avoid disaster that could change Scotland's history, and find ways to be open and honest with each other.

Review:

I found this tour randomly on the Book Blogs ning and I immediately signed up.  Who doesn't enjoy a Highland Hottie every now and then?  Amanda Scott is another new to me author and I will be reading more of her books in the future after reading this book.  It was a delightful read and I'm really glad that I found this tour!

At the beginning of the book Sir Finlagh Cameron swears to his father that he will avenge his death against the Clan Chattan's war leader.  Many years later, Fin has been attacked by an unknown would be assailant with an arrow and is saved by lovely and very spirited Lady Catriona.  It doesn't take long for Fin to figure out that her father is the man that he's sworn to kill.  But at the same time he is trying to tackle his growing desire for Catriona, which makes it very difficult to concentrate on his original mission.

For the most part I thought that Fin wasn't as angsty as he could have been...Which was a good thing.  He is experiencing all sorts of internal conflicts through a fair piece of the book...Mainly his vow to his father, his growing respect for Catriona's father (the man he's supposed to kill), and his growing love for Catriona herself. I thought that Fin was written as a very mature warrior who realizes that he has to let go of his past in order to have a future.  I thought that this was pretty refreshing considering I've read a couple of books lately where the hero is VERY wishy washy towards the heroine.  I think the best part for me was that Fin realized early on in the book that he was falling in love with Catriona and pretty much focused on her. Cat is very young and very headstrong. 

The second best part of the book for me was how the author made me feel like I was actually in the ancient Highlands while I was reading the book.  I really like a book that is able to transport me out of reality. This book is NOT a light "fluffy" read by any means.  There are plenty of politics, intrigue and twists and turns to add a level of complexity to the story as well. My main quirk with the book was I thought that the romance between our two main characters was pretty slow moving for a portion of the book but at the same time realistic.  Overall, this was a very enjoyable read.

RATING:

4.5/5

For a chance to win 1 of 2 copies of Highland Master click here

Virgin River by Robyn Carr

 

 Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans…and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

Why I decided to read this book: I signed up to try and win a copy of Promise Canyon on Goodreads and thought that I should probably start at the beginning so book 11 might actually make sense to me...provided I was able to win a copy. :)  Lucky me...I was able to find the first four books bunched together in a bundle available on my Barnes and Noble Nook.

Likes?.....: I really liked the premise of the story....Jack and Melinda (Mel) are both damaged souls looking for a change....and Boy Howdy do they get it in spades!  I also enjoyed the mostly good hearted turmoil between Doc and Mel....everyone thinks he needs some help and he doesn't.  I also enjoyed picturing Jack helping out the town as well as helping with a an abandoned newborn baby....Here's this big burly badass former Marine who is actually a gentle giant underneath all that big burly badassness.  I also enjoyed the reunion with Jack and his fellow Marine buddies and Jack's "fall from Grace" as a result of the reunion.

Dislikes?.....:  I think that the reason for Mel to stick around at times was a little thin.  Sure Mel's a midwife and babies are her thing but once she made sure that the baby was safely placed she could have easily taken off.  I also thought that in some places (not very many, just a few) that the story was a little bit rushed.  Another small thing that kind of rubbed me the wrong way a little bit at the beginning of the story was how Jack became almost instantaneously possessive of Mel.

Overall:  I think that this was a pretty good start to the Virgin River series.  Minus my few quirks with the book I think that it was a VERY good. Once I started reading it I was pretty much sucked in and could NOT put it down.  But my quirks prevented this story from getting a 5/5.  Jack and Mel's story is very sweet and it makes me wish I had a big burly badass Marine who's just a big ole gentle giant underneath all that badassness!

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Title: Hunger

Author: Jackie Morse Kessler

Series: Horsemen of the Apocalypse #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy

Publisher: Harcourt Graphia

Release Date: 2010, October 18

Format: Paperback, 180 pages

Source: Purchased with my own money

Rating: 4.75/5

Synopsis:

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Review:

I saw the cover of this book while checking out different YA titles on Goodreads one morning and thought that it sounded like something really interesting.  Something I needed to read NOW...So I got a copy.

I really liked the premise of the story - Horsemen of the Apocalypse and a 17 year old anorexic teenage girl as the new famine.  I thought the story overall was shockingly "real" almost to the point of being scary and uncomfortable for someone who has never dealt with the issues brought up in the book.  The research (the learning about famine) and the "the research" (from the author's personal experience) were very accurate and painted a lot of "not so pretty" pictures about eating disorders and world hunger.

Lisa is the new famine because of her eating disorder.  The "Thin Voice" keeps telling her that she's fat.  Then Death come along and throws famine in her lap.  At first she's scared to death (pun intended) of being famine.  But as the story progresses she becomes more comfortable with her new power.  She even conquers the blasted "Thin Voice".  Even kicks a little ass too!

The character that I liked the most was Death.  He wasn't real prominent character but when he was around it was memorable.  He was good looking too.  Sort of Kurt Cobainish only better and undead.

The character that I liked the least?...Hands down was the "Thin Voice."  I could NOT stand the "Thin Voice."

Minder By Kate Kaynak

Title: Minder

Author: Kate Kaynak

Series: Ganzfield #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: 2010, June 18

Format: Paperback, 264 pages

Source: Sent by author in exchange for an honest review 

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt. Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place. Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control. A stray thought can burn a building to the ground. And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads. But it's still better than New Jersey--especially once she meets the man of her dreams...

Review:

Holy Heck!  That was one of this first things that I was thinking after I finished reading Minder.  You know that feeling you get when you bite into some treat sample that is absolutely scrumptious and leaves you wanting MORE?  That's what I was feeling when I finished Minder.  Where had this book been in the whole time that I've been book blogging and why am I just NOW hearing about it?!

When I was first approached about reading and reviewing Minder I didn't really now what to expect.  I had never heard of this book or this author to be honest.  I'm very glad that I took that leap of faith!  Once I got started reading I was completely SUCKED into the story.  It pained me to put this book down to do everyday things.  I just wanted/had to know more!

From the very beginning of Minder there are TONS of emotions taking place throughout this book.  The beginning of the book was to say the least (and without giving away anything) VERY intense and "welcome to the dark-side" dark.  Honestly, the beginning kind of walked a fine line for me.  I knew it was an important piece of the Minder "puzzle" but it felt a little bit to real for me.

Once I got past my slight misgivings about the beginning of the book I found that I really enjoyed the characters.  They all seemed to be very well rounded and people you might know (if they were real that is).  The one character that I want to know more about is Seth.  He "talks" to Maddie telepathically and I really want to find out if there is more to him than what we've seen so far.

I guess my one quirk with the book was Maddie's relationship with Trevor.  I just thought that at times it felt a little bit "to good to be true."  I felt that the relationship was a little bit to "blah" for me.  There wasn't any conflict that I could see and in life that just doesn't happen.  But surprisingly that was my only real quirk about the book.

Seriously though, if you are going to pick up a copy of Minder don't make plans. You'll be busy visiting Maddie's world.  And it's totally worth it!

Arson by Estevan Vega

Title: Arson

Author: Estevan Vega

Series:

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Release Date: 2010, May 4

Format: Paperback, 318 pages

Source: Received from the author

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN'T SHUT IT OFF.

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl-who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin-moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. Using what he fears the most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

Review:

Oh my goodness!  I've seen reviews for this book all over the book blogging community and it really caught my attention.  The cover has just enough "creep factor" that I had to get my hands on it.  I mean just look at the cover!  A Freddy Krugerish "mask" and flames!  Anyway....moving on.

What really turned me on about this book was the writing.  From the very first sentence until the very last sentence the way that it was written kept me engaged and reading and pretty much putting my life on hold because Arson's life was oh so very interesting.  Oh well, Arson is oh so much more fun than doing laundry anyway.

The characters in the story for the most part I really enjoyed.  I did at times have trouble relating to/understanding a couple of the characters.  That is the main reason that I wasn't able to give Arson 5/5.  After learning all sorts of secrets as the book progressed I am looking forward to learning even more about all of these very interesting characters in the sequel that's coming up.

Overall, Arson is most definitely the most "different" (in a good way) book that I've read in the past couple of months.  Once you get past the "creep factor" I think this book is pretty dang good.  I think that Estevan Vega hit a home run with this one!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices Series #1

Genre: Fiction, YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: 2010, August
Format: Hardcover, 479 pages

Source: Purchased - Ebook

Rating: 4.75/5

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Review:

This is the first book by this author that I have ever read.  I definitely will be reading more of her books in the future!  Awesome Sauce is what it is and I LOVE me some Awesome Sauce!

Even though I think this book was Awesome Sauce I did think that it got off to a slow start.  I also was confused as to how exactly Will found Tessa at the Dark Sisters house.  Did he senses her while she was in someone else's body, a random tip?  That bothered me a little bit.

There were times when I thought Will was more than a little bit of an ass.  Now I like "bad boys" but there's a difference between being a "bad boy" and being verbally and emotionally abusive.  I think at times Will walked a little bit too close to that fine line for my taste.  I guess that makes me a member of Team Jem then.

I found the writing style to be of my liking also.  Once I got past the slow beginning I thought the story was a definite page turner.  The action throughout the book was very well described also.  You felt like you were there.  I also liked how the bad guy wasn't completely obvious (at least to me) until you got closer to the end of the book.  Just when you think you have it all figured out it turns out our completely WRONG!

Overall, I really enjoyed Clockwork Angel.  The cliff hanger ending has me thinking that next September will NEVER get here!