Title: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium #1
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Knopf
Synopsis: Mikael Blomkvist, a
once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life
rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected
(and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an
old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch—and there's always a
catch—is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious
disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With
few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator
Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority
issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least
one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the
dragon tattoo.
This is an Adult book and contains sexual content, strong language and violence. Recommended for mature readers.
Okay, I know I'm a little behind with this one, but it's been
sitting on my To-Read list for a while. Having finally got through it (it's unusual for me to take a month to get through a book),
I'm a little on the fence about this one.
The good: if you're into detailed, intricate plot lines, this one
is for you. There's a number of running story lines which are integrated
very well with one another. There's a great building of character and
individuality that made the characters very real.
The cookie crumbs that are laid out and how the main mystery comes
together are all very well done. As for the reading, it was both easy to
get caught up in, but pretty easy to put down and come back to. Because
of the almost episodic nature of the breaks in the book, it's easy to
find stopping places as well.
The hiccups:
And I call them hiccups because they're not things that are
innately wrong, just things that didn't work so well for me. The writing
is a little awkward, which I attribute to translation more than
anything, but it was noticeable, especially at the beginning. Once I got
used to it, it didn't bother me so much, and the writing isn't
particularly flowery so overall it reads pretty smoothly. But it was still dense so while smooth, it wasn't fast. I was driven nuts
by the use of Kronor, because I just had no frame of reference for how
much money anything really was (and since money and expense is a big
deal throughout the book, it's annoying). I wasn't agitated enough to
look it up, but it was still irritating.
But my biggest hang up with
this book was my indifference and borderline dislike of Mikael
Blomkvist, the main character. I wanted to like him. I actually liked
him quite a bit when portrayed by Daniel Craig, but I just couldn't
quite root for the base character. I loved Lisbeth, but while she is a
main character, she's not the main character, and the end of the book kind of broke my heart a little bit (and not in the good way).
So, overall, a worthwhile read for both Lisbeth and the pure
intricacy in the mystery. It's worth it to see what all the fuss is
about from the source, but the end broke my heart in the wrong way and
didn't really encourage me to pick up the next one.
Title: Time Untime
Series: Dark Hunter #17
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Synopsis: The Mayans aren’t the only ones with a 2012 prophecy…
Long before
recorded history, there was a Keetoowah warrior so feared that everyone
trembled before his wrath. Only a brutal betrayal by the one closest to
him could defeat him. But not even death was the end of a man so
strong.
The Time Untime approaches…
Kateri Avani has been
plagued her entire life with dreams she doesn’t understand. Images of
places she’s never been and of a man she’s never seen. Her quest for
answers has driven her to Las Vegas where she hopes to finally silence
the demons in her mind.
What she never anticipates is coming face
to face with the warrior who has haunted her her entire life. One who
belongs to a world the scientist in her refuses to believe is real.
Ren
Waya came back from the dead to keep the prophecy he began from coming
true and ending the world. For thousands of years, he has fought the
same evil that once possessed him. But now that evil has found the one
person he can’t fight. The one person who, against his will, holds the
most sacred part of him.
His heart.
But if he doesn’t kill
Kateri, the deadliest of evils will reemerge and destroy everyone else
on the planet. It was a sacrifice he made once.
Will he be able to make it again?
Okay, I am an unabashed Sherrilyn Kenyon fan. Her books usually come out and are done within the next day or so with me, so Time Untime left me a little confused. There were things I liked a great deal about it--mostly Ren--but there were things that I liked rather less. I managed to put this book down for a couple weeks and kind of forget about it. Not sure I've ever done that with an SK book before. There is a lot of old, old history in it, and I'm a history buff, so it's cool, but even for me and my love of things old and crazy names, keeping things straight in this book was occasionally a bit of a challenge. I especially got sort of confused when we go from Cherokee history to Mayan and exactly how that all tied together. The other thing this book did that bugged me was it got a little long-winded. Towards the end you have a number of nearly page-long paragraphs which are not only preachy, they're repetitive. At the end of the day, I'm not quite sure the mix of Maya and Cherokee worked for me, and that was disappointing. I mean, the name of the book is Time Untime, but it's mentioned early, then nearly forgotten--so much so that by the time I picked the book up again, I thought the one mention I saw of it was the first time I'd seen it. Maybe it was implied for a good portion of the novel, but not referred to enough. It was sort of "generic apocalypse, must stop the end of the world" feeling than a specific "this is the Time Untime" deal.
The pacing is good. When I was reading, I was in it, but Time Untime never had me so wrapped up that I could not walk away. Neither did it give me that keyed up feeling that a really good suspense or action scene will. It was a good read, but not the level I'm used to. I'm ready to get back to the Greeks and Atlanteans.
When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.
The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.
Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
I cannot stress this enough...these books are not written for teens or young adults who might be easily influenced.
Well, after skimming through other reviews of Fifty Shades of Grey on Goodreads, I admit to being a little nervous in writing this review. Quite honestly, outside of a full-on book report, book reviewing is a subjective matter, meaning that what appeals to me, might not appeal to you and vice versa...that being said, I, personally, enjoyed EL James' writing, often finding myself laughing out loud because of humor or the sheer absurdity of any given situation.
When you take time to stop and think, how many of the books you read are, or are destined to be, classic literary works of art? I understand that most of what I read is a type of pop-culture and serves, at best, as a lovely escape and form of immense entertainment. The same thing can be said about movies and television but rarely do these two cause as much heated debate and mud-slinging as books do. I wonder why that is?
So, what can I tell you about Fifty Shades of Grey that you don't already know. Very little, I'd guess. Yes, it was originally written as fan-fic based around the Twilight Series. A very adult piece of fan-fic, I'll give you, but fan-fic all the same. Christian, a control-freak, ego-maniac, falls for Anastasia, a plain looking, clumsy college student. Remind you of another love/hate couple?
Anastasia, quite literally, stumbles into Christian Grey's office on a mission for her school newspaper. Her roommate, the editor, is ill and Ana is forced to interview the illusive and powerful businessman in Kate's place. The first words out of Ana's mouth lead Mr. Grey to believe that Ana is a natural submissive. He stalks her, traces her cell phone, and becomes easily angered when other men come near Ana and this is all before his proposed relationship...if that's even what you could call such an arrangement. He couldn't be more wrong, and much to his surprise, he likes Ana's feistiness and smart mouth. He likes that she challenges him.
Unlike Bella, Anastasia doesn't go leaping into anything head first. She listens to Christian's proposal and does her research before deciding to give his "lifestyle" a chance. It doesn't take either of them long to figure out she's not cut out to be a submissive and could it be that Christian actually wants something other than what he's always had? Ana's realization and walk-of-shame out of his life may be the thing Christian needs to control his inner control-freak. What a conundrum!
Yes, this book is taking over the media. Yes, I gave into the hype and read it. Yes, I saw the similarities between this novel and Twilight. Yes, I am a Twilight fanatic and I'm not ashamed. Yes, I also enjoyed reading E.L. James' writing and Christian's and Ana's relationship. The book picked up pace significantly when the highly acclaimed e-mails began flying back and forth between the couple. I kind of loved that Ana could be so honest with Christian from behind a computer screen. Reminded me a little of myself and, before we judge, aren't we all a little braver when cloaked?
Would I recommend Fifty Shades of Grey to my friends? Only with a strong cautionary warning about the amount of, not only sexual content, but also of the BDSM content. Also, Christian is fervently screwed in the head...I haven't figured it all out yet, but I suspect his childhood sucked the normalness out of him, because while he's drop dead, smoldering sexy, he is also demented.
While I always love comments, and I do, please follow the Golden Rule and do as you would have done to you. I always encourage thoughtful and polite debate...our differences ARE what makes the world a more interesting place, so embrace them and respect them...ALWAYS. (This includes any comments posted to this review on Goodreads. I DON'T DO DRAMA! She says in *Yelly Caps*)
The month of April is filled with tons of giveaways and today, I'm adding one more. Laura Kaye, author of West of Want, has been kind enough to provide Better Read Than Dead with a preview and You a chance to win big!
Happy WEST OF WANT Preview & Prizes Event, everyone! Today, April 10, was the original release date for Book 2 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, West of Want. And then some really cool things happened: my publisher, Entangled Publishing, signed a huge deal with the nation’s biggest book distributor, which means for the first time ever, my books will be shelved in brick-and-mortar bookstores. And then, West of Want received a very nice pre-sales estimate by the booksellers and Barnes and Nobles bought it for all their stores nationwide (and it got bought for airports, too—squee!). The only bad news in this whole scenario was this: the release date got pushed back, by three LONG months! LOL So, I thought I’d celebrate the original release date with a preview of the book and a big contest, and give you a small taste to whet your appetite until the actual release date arrives.
"Laura Kaye’s captivating writing and vibrant world-building will have readers hooked on the gods of the Anemoi. WEST OF WANT is steamy, spellbinding, and a must-read for all romance fantasy fans."
~Elisabeth Naughton, author of the Eternal Guardians series
Forty sites are celebrating with me today, and there are different posts at those different sites. To see the whole list of participants, click here. Now, without further ado, here’s the book blurb and one of four different never-before-seen excerpts from the book available for you to enjoy:
WEST OF WANT BLURB:
Betrayal is all he's ever known, but in her, he'll find a love strong enough to be trusted...
When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive.
Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.
Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.
***WEST OF WANT EXCERPT***
Restrained power made Zephyros’s hands tremble. At first, he’d wanted to help Ella because he owed it to her. Now, want bloomed into need. When he’d held her soft curves, the strength of her life force soaked into him. Seldom did he have any cause to interact with humans, let alone touch them, but the soft yellow aura that surrounded her body told him this woman was good, pure, true. A rare character, in his experience.
And then she’d said his name. Whispered it, really, but that didn’t keep him from fully enjoying the way her lips wrapped around the sound.
Silently, he summoned the ancient, elemental power, the one that flowed through him, that made him what he was. His palms warmed. Soft white light spilled from between his clasped hands.
Ella’s eyes cut to his glowing hands, went wide. “What? Don’t hurt…” She swallowed thickly. A tear leaked down her temple into her hair.
He met Ella’s barely focused gaze. “Fear not, I promise to hurt you no more.”
Her only answer was a shiver that racked her whole body.
Normally, a healing of this magnitude required sacrifice. It was how the gods worked. Quid pro quo, and all that. But, in this case, Ella’s case, that was hardly appropriate. After all, she wouldn’t need to be healed if he’d kept better control of himself.
Words in his native tongue spilled into the quiet of the room. He parted his hands, held them over her prone form, and let the healing energy cover her. The pale, white glow infused her aura, which absorbed the curative force, distributed small doses of it throughout her body.
So, what d’ya think? Want more Zephyros and Ella? Visit more participating sites to read all the excerpts, meet the characters, see the the West of Want romance trading cards, and enter to win! Thanks for reading! July 10 can’t get here soon enough for me! *grins*
~Laura Kaye
“Using ancient winter mythology as an allegory for grief, Kaye has written a sexy story that packs a powerful emotional punch. NORTH OF NEED is pure winter magic and Kaye’s sparkling talent warms the heart.”
~Stephanie Draven, author of the Mythica series about multi-award-winning Book 1 in the Anemoi series, North of Need
WEST OF WANT PREVIEW CONTEST!
Event-Wide:
Seven participants who enter through the Rafflecopter form will win gift cards from winners’ choice of Amazon or B&N valued between $15 and $100! Those prize winners will be announced on West of Want’s release day, July 10, 2012. As a special thank you to those who have pre-ordered the print West of Want through Amazon or B&N, you'll receive extra entries - just enter your order confirmation number on the appropriate Rafflecopter line. Pre-orders are hugely important for an author because they determine how many books bookstores will actually stock and they count toward an author’s first-week sales which is when most authors have their best chance to hit the big bestseller lists. However, pre-orders/purchases are not required to enter. Commenting is the only required entry. Open to international.
One commenter from each participating blog site will win a West of Want bookmark and the romance trading cards for North of Need and West of Want. Simply comment to enter to win and be sure to leave your email address. These prizes will be announced soon after May 10. Open to international.
About Laura Kaye:
Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is a bestselling and award-winning author paranormal and contemporary romance. Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
Title: The Fallen One
Series: Sons of the Dark Mother
Author: Lenore Wolfe
BRTD: Hello, Sisters of Three! Good to have you with us today and thank you for agreeing to answer some of my questions. We know that you Sisters of Three have many things to do, so let’s get started.
BRTD: Who are the Sisters of Three, and who are the Jaguar People?
Mira: The Jaguar People were one people of the 5 ancient races of people who brought the original races to Mother Earth many thousands of years ago, when they brought the original stones, and the stone that is the heart of Mother Earth. They also brought the original temples of the people.
BRTD: We've heard that the three of you were split up during your childhood? How did that happen?
Dara: When we were very young, the vampires came and killed our nanny. We saw it happen. Our parents realized that we were not safe--that they would always come for us again, and again, until they had killed us—because of who we were to become. So they had us go with various family members—who were either human or working closely with humans—to disguise us.
BRTD: We understand that you ended up in foster care, Dara? How did this happen?
I ran away from the family I was placed with. They caught me—brought me back. A couple of times I even ended up in other placements for girls that were—out-of-hand. But I always ran again.
BRTD: Dara, you are a vampire, are you not? And yet, you are also one of the Jaguar People? How is that possible?
I was turned—by Constantine—only recently. And I have had to learn to deal with the hunger from that. But it was not as difficult for me—as it would be for you, human. I could all ready smell your blood—before I was turned.
BRTD: Y--ou, ummm.
Mira: Our people are not supposed to tap such power until we reach our majority, which is around 21 to 25-years-old, so that we can handle such power. The Jaguar People have extraordinary senses. Dara had learned to handle these senses—long before she had become a vampire.
I, on the other hand, forgot everything about my people. I was very young when I went to live with my aunt. So it was much more difficult for me—the first time I could hear the human heart—hear the blood pulsing through the human.
BRTD: That must be er—difficult. Jess, we understand that you lived as—human. Can you tell us a bit more about your world as one of the Jaguar People, the one we humans do not know anything about?
Jess: <laughing>Yes, I was raised with the humans. And yet, my parents were Jaguar. And I was able to visit my grandparents, so I never forgot who I was. There are worlds who live amongst the humans that the humans remain unaware of. We walk amongst you, work with you, and even try to guide you. But the humans cannot see us for who we really are. They see the Fae, but they see only what you wish to see.
BRTD: We understand that the three of you, the Sister of Three, have unusual powers? Can you tell us about these?
Dara: You mean—besides being a vampire—or one of the Jaguar People?
Mira: <clearing her throat> You have heard of such powers with the hit show, Charmed. But you do not understand the power of three. There are many legends about the power of three. There are the three fates, the father the son and the holy spirit, and the maiden, the mother, and the crone. But the power of three is the power of three times three. It is the power that is within each of us, magnified by our power brought together.
Jess: We were brought together to use our power to help the Princes fight to keep the Dark Cloth from ruling our Mother Earth. That must not happen. They have sought to rule since the fall of Atlantis. They manage to scatter the Alliance. But they could not destroy her. Always, the power of love has won out with the people. Many now know that greed cannot rule. Now is the time to fight—and to stop those who would use Mother Earth for their own gain—once and for all. We help the Princes fight to stop the forces of evil, who would use the humans like cattle, and force the rest of us into slavery.
BRTD: And that slavery would be brought by this--Constantine, right? What can you tell us about this Constantine--this ancient vamp who leads the rogue factions of vamps?
Dara: Constantine is an old battle vamp—and he loves war, but he is not the Dark Cloth. He has lived since before the humans knew anything about your bible. In fact, he originally commissioned the writings of your human bible. The Dark Cloth, the dark forces who hide behind your human governments, are the ones you need to be wary of. Yes, they seek to control Constantine. But Constantine only seeks only his own power.
Jess: He is a force to be reckoned with—this is true. But the true evil—is the Dark Cloth—and the Dark Cloth has been pulling the strings behind the human governments for hundreds of years.
BRTD: Wow! Which brings us to your Prince of Fire. So, what are these Princes of the Four Directions? And what is this Alliance?
Mira: The Alliance was put into place when the 5 races brought the original people to Mother Earth. The Dark Forces have been around almost as long. They have been around since some of the people decided that they wanted the power of the Heart of the Mother Earth all to themselves. The Alliance was nearly destroyed with the fall of Atlantis. Atlantis fell because of the greed of the people. The Alliance was shattered and scattered to the corners of Mother Earth. But she has been rebuilt. Now these races work together to bring all of our people back into the unity that was lost. We only have to wait for the human race to remember—and we will be as one again.
BRTD: Wow! And you remember your past lives—is that what I understand, Mira? You remember Atlantis? And your the men who have loved you—and followed you through all your lifetimes? How do they deal with having to share you?
Mira: We love each other very much. The four of them, and some others I have not come to know again in this lifetime, are immortal. They have followed me to help me to remember who I am—and to survive what I must do—in each lifetime.
Love is a special thing—a very powerful thing. It has no place with human jealousies. That is one of the things that the humans must put aside, if they are to ever open their hearts. This human need to control one another has no place with love. Love is not jealous. Love knows no such darkness.
BRTD: I can see that. Okay, which brings us to your Prince of Fire. So, what are these Princes of the Four Directions? And what is this Alliance?
Mira: The Prince of Fire has the power of fire–and is a shape-shifter. There is also the Prince of Air, the Prince of Water, and the Prince of Earth.
Dara: The Princes of Mother Earth are now back together–and we are only now learning what that means.
BRTD: What is happening with the battle with Constantine? And what about this Dark Cloth?
Mira: We have been working hard to keep Constantine beat back. And for now, he will not cause more trouble. But we must keep it that way. The Dark Cloth is another matter. We, as the children of the earth, the Children of Atlantis, face a much bigger battle. Constantine is not the Dark Cloth. All of the children of Mother Earth are needed now, especially the humans and they must awaken!
BRTD: How can I contact you if we are to awaken?
You can write to lenorewolfe@gmail.com. She will know how to contact us. But you have only to remember who you are—and to remember how to believe.
Beatrice De Novo
thought she had left the supernatural world behind…for the most part.
But when the past becomes the present, will she leave her quiet life in
Los Angeles to follow a mystery she thought had abandoned her? Where
has Giovanni Vecchio been, and why has he returned? Giovanni has his
own questions, and he’s looking to her for answers.
The sequel to A Hidden Fire will reunite Beatrice and Giovanni to
continue their search through the past while both wrestle with the
future. When the world as you knew it has changed forever, is there any
way you can turn back?
This Same Earth is the second book in the Elemental Mysteries series. It is a paranormal romance/mystery for adult readers.
This Same Earth is exactly what I have come to expect from the brilliant Elizabeth Hunter - fierce, sexy, and mysterious. This is the second book in the Elemental Mysteries Series, a series delving into a complete new world of vampires. The mystical creatures are able to call on one of the elements: earth, air, water, or fire to aid with anything from lighting a fire to battling their enemies. Their abilities coincide with their element, obviously. The lovely Beatrice stumbled into this world in A Hidden Fire, only to find herself deserted by the one she loved. In this installment, she will be forced to face her past and make decisions that will change her life forever.
Beatrice has grown into a beautiful young woman and has attempted to put the past behind her. She has a great job, owns a quaint little home, and has normal friends - including a boyfriend she loves. Gio disappeared from her life the day she moved to California and she despises him because of it. She suspects he has had a behind-the-scenes role in her life over the years; what she doesn't know is how great that role has been. She has no idea the extents he has taken to assure that she is safe. The people Beatrice has surrounded herself with all these years may not be what they seem.
When the past waltzes back into her life as nothing has changed, Bea finds herself buried in turmoil over her feelings for Gio. She is determined that he will earn her trust again, that he will not just up and disappear again, leaving her broken once again. The romantic tension between these two lurches up a few notches as Bea is determined to remain friends and avoid all romantic feelings for the fire vampire while Gio is determined to have Beatrice back in his life as much more than friends. Who will win, I wonder?
Just as the two are making their way to becoming friends, Lorenzo strikes again...killing someone dear to Gio. Beatrice is determined to be a part of this journey in every way. We tag along with Gio and Bea as they tromp through Europe, seeking justice and freedom, meeting an eclectic group of characters who provide both stability and chaos throughout the adventure. Some you will love and others you will hate. And have no fear...many of the old characters make appearances as time moves forward.
Ms. Hunter's phenomenal world building skills drop you deep into a world fraught with fantastical creatures, frightening circumstances, and unyielding love. This is an unique and addicting series.
The Force of Wind makes it's debut in March of 2012. I am not sure I can wait that long.
Check out my review of the first book, A Hidden Fire.
Shari Jones needs to get a life. Preferably someone else’s.
Single, homeless and jobless, Indo-American Shari agrees to her best friend’s whacky scheme: travel to Mumbai, pose as Amrita, and ditch the fiancé her traditional Indian parents have chosen. Simple. Until she’s mistaken for a famous Bollywood actress, stalked by a Lone Ranger wannabe, courted by an English lord, and busted by the blackmailing fiancé.
Life is less complicated in New York.
Or so she thinks, until the entourage of crazies follows her to the Big Apple and that’s when the fun really begins. Shari deals with a blossoming romance, an addiction to Indian food and her first movie role, while secretly craving another trip to the mystical land responsible for sparking her new lease on life. Returning to her Indian birthplace, she has an epiphany. Maybe the happily-ever-after of her dreams isn’t so far away?
Busted in Bollywood was just what I needed after a week-long reading marathon. I needed something light, fun, and sexy with a whole load of drama thrown into mix. Written in first person, Shari draws you into her journey to Mumbai, India to dump her best friends arranged-fiance. Ms. Marsh does a wonderful job bringing you into the Indian culture. Explicit details about their food, customs, and of course...the world of movie making in India.
We find Shari Jones with a broken-heart and downing mojitoes with her best friend, Amrita Muthu. Shari has agreed to travel from New York to India to impersonate Amrita. Amrita's parents have promised her to a man she has no desire to meet, much less marry. Interesting part is...she hasn't even seen his picture, throwing it in the trash when her parents gave it to her. Now, Rakesh, said sorta-fiance, is much smarter than Amrita or Shari gives him credit for - not to mention rich.
Shari arrives in Mumbai and meets Amjali...Amrita's crazy aunt. Her aunt is on the facade and has her own reasons for helping. Amjali is fantastically funny and left me laughing out loud on several occasions. She is a fiercely protective woman, placing herself directly in the lions den in order to save her niece from a lifetime of regret. She believes Amrita should be allowed to make her own decisions about love.
Once Shari meets Rakesh, she realizes that Amrita must meet him...and not just because he knows Shari isn't Amrita...but because he is simply amazing. Funny, rich, handsome, smart...everything any woman would want. However, a serious issue arises when Shari agrees to continue with the charade so neither family becomes suspicious. Someone enters the picture that could ruin everything, all the while, sweeping Shari off her feet. Someone else knows that Shari is not Rakesh's beloved Amrita. Someone else who is funny, rich, handsome, smart, and sexy-as-hell.
Once back in America, things begin to take off. Romances blossom, parents come out of the woodwork, drama arises, sex ensues. You know...all that fun stuff.
I enjoyed this book immensely. The only complaint I have is that it started off entirely too slow. I need books to get right down to it. The first couple of chapters were fluff...stuff I could have lived without. Now, with that said, Ms. Marsh knows how to keep the sexual tension flowing and the pages turning. Rama Mama is someone I hope I never meet in person.
*This book was provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley as an uncorrected e-proof in exchange for my honest review.
Born a genius;
education, wealth, and prestige came easy to Logan Richards. Actually,
there wasn’t much that Logan couldn’t learn or acquire. However, he knew
there was more to life than money and power. Logan was determined to
find the woman who he'd dreamed of his entire life and know what it was
like to love her before he died.
Amber Lewis, a waitress for a five-star restaurant in, Dana Point,
California, was overworked, stressed, and wary of life since her sister,
Heather, had passed away. Then, one evening while working she fell
hopelessly in love with Logan Richards, a chivalrous man who felt deeply
familiar.
For Amber, it was the beginning of a voyage of self-discovery and
renewal. For Logan, it was the completion of life. For each of them it
was the deepest sort of love.
Across Eternity is a beautifully written love story revolving around two soul mates who cross paths in every lifetime. Logan has spent most of his current life waiting for Amber. He sees versions of her in his dreams but never imagines that he will find her working in one of his restaurants. Their initial meeting made me laugh. Amber was so funny and feisty, never allowing Logan an easy exit. She knew immediately that he was hiding something from her and she wasn't patient about finding out his secret. However, Logan is a man practiced in patience and he made sure that Amber learned things when she needed to know them. One of these secrets made me want to through the book across the floor in heart-ache; however, I was reading on my Nook and I didn't want to break it.
This story had me laughing out loud at times and left me crying my eyes out at other times. This wonderfully written romance pulls you along on Logan and Amber's journey. The world that Ms. Whittier created was magical. Logan's family loved passionately, welcoming Amber with open arms. I found this a little odd. Most families of extremely successful and wealthy businessmen might be a little concerned why a woman ten years his junior would fall for him so quickly. Logan's family knew more about Amber and Logan's situation that Amber could ever imagine, and they trusted Logan's judgement unconditionally.
Across Eternity is one of the sweetest contemporary romances I have ever read. There aren't any steamy-hot sex scenes...just a tale of two people who love each other unconditionally. Two people who will find each other throughout the ages because they are meant to be. The twists and turns will keep the pages turning.
“Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it’s good.”
MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.
Twenty
years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that
expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that
she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged
into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals
who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.
What
follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and
now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to
acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.
In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.
Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her
dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she
glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?
From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of
an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the
terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to
face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save
the world . . . or destroy it.
Yep, you counted correctly...5 moon-women. Never in my lifetime have I read a series that left me so completely and utterly satisfied at its ending. Shadowfever is filled with death, loss, darkness, grief, and ultimately, the light that Ms. Moning has promised from the beginning. All the right questions were answered, my fears relieved, and my hopes sated, leaving only positive energy surrounding The MacKayla Lane Novels. My favorite part..."The End..." turn page "...for now." Hmmm...what could that possibly mean?
We find Miss Lane grieving over the death of Jericho Barrons. He died by her hand, causing her to devolve into a grief-stricken frame-of-mind. At this point she only wants to finish what she started and she will do it in any manner necessary, even if it means seducing the Lord Master, or Darroc as she now refers to him. This is the ultimate betrayal to those closest to her. I give her credit though, Mac set her mind to take control of the Sinsar Dubh and she doesn't back down. Too many peopl died at it's hands and Mac is taking over.
The Fever Series is filled with deception and betrayal, making you question every motive of every person surrounding Mac. Shadowfever will leave you screaming "WTF" and "OMG" with every turn of the page. Very few of these creatures are what you have been led to believe. Those closest to Mac will surprise you the most. The world of Dublin has become a terrifying place, filled with unseelie fae and the humans are just going to have to make the best of it, because there is no going back.
The secrets, oh the secrets, of Dublin have left my mind reeling with
amazement. So many secrets guarded so closely, right under Mac's nose
the entire time. The secrets about Barrons are probably the most
notable. I want to tell you all of them...all of the secrets, every last
one of them, but like Mac, you must find them out on your own. If you
haven't read this series or have been teetering on the edge, wondering
if you want to read them, you do. Trust me...you really do.
Okay, because I can't tell you any secrets or give you a great storyline, I am going to give you a few of my favorite quotes...
Jericho Barrons is dead. He lies on his stomach, motionless. He hasn't moved or breathed in the small eternity that I've been screaming. I can't sense him in his skin. On all other occasions, I've been able to feel him in my vicinity; electric, larger than life, vastness crammed into a tiny container. Genie in a bottle. That's Barrons: deadly power, stopper corking it. Barely. ... The million-dollar question: What are you, Barrons? - Page 7
Suddenly it shot up on all fours, head down. Bone crunched and cracked, settling into a new shape. Shoulders formed - strong, smooth, bunched with muscle. Hands braced wide. One leg stretched back, then bent as it tensed in a low lunge. ... A naked man crouched in the moonlight. - Page 172
He winked. "I'd planned to, anyway." "Oooh! Then why did you--" "Pretty girl and all. Asking. Gotta love that. Stuff of heroes. Don't get that role often." - Page 637
...She'd been taken. He'd loved her for all time. Before she was made. After he'd believed she was gone. Sunshine to his ice. Frost to her fever. I wished them forever.
You, too, beautiful girl. The Unseelie King was gone. - Page 653
If you have read this series...who is your favorite character?
Be sure to check out my reviews of the entire Fever Series.
Title: The Secret of Lies
Author: Barbara Forte Abate
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Release Date: April 21, 2011
Synopsis: Propelled by an
insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly
abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of
night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the
tortured memories of her past.
Days later, lost and
floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a
long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through
the dust of remembrance. 1957 - The last summer spent at the ancient
house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with
abundant promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control - torn apart
by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her
soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare
deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held
secrets of past and future are at last unveiled.
The Secret Of Lies follows the life of Stevie as she encounters deceit, first love, death, and lies. As a young girl, she and her sister spend summers on the beach with her aunt and uncle. Each year their lives become increasingly complicated until things finally culminate in an explosive combination of death and lies. Told in the first person, The Secret of Lies brings you up close and personal with Stevie's heartache caused by the events that surrounded her sister's death. These catastrophes will force Stevie into a type of seclusion that will rule the life she leads well into adulthood. Love never comes easy for Stevie.
The first couple of chapters were filled with fluffy descriptions that held back the flow of story for a bit. I've had this problem with several books lately, but once the action begins, I am hooked. That is exactly what happened with The Secret of Lies. Stevie's pain becomes deeper and more palpable with every flip of the page. It was a regular occurrence for tears to well-up in my eyes, threatening to overflow onto my Nook.
I read a ton of books and love almost everything I read. Seldom, though, do I come across a book that touches my heart like this book did. It was a very cathartic read that refused to escape my conscious. I do have to warn you that it is not a light and fluffy read. It is very dark and weighs heavy on your soul. If you love an intense and thought provoking mystery...this is the book for you.
Lucy is the Etruscan
goddess of the moon, hunted by a powerful demon. One misstep and he will
trap and consume her in his bid to escape the underworld. Lucy has
stayed one step ahead of him, but she didn't count on falling for minor
league hockey player Brandon Stevenson. Brandon's not one of her
worshippers, but he is determined to win over the gorgeous woman who
watches him at every game and won't give her up without a fight—even if
it means releasing the beast he holds inside.
*ADULT CONTENT
While I liked How to Worship a Goddess, I did not love the second installment of the Forgotten Goddesses Series. I enjoyed the lore behind Lucy Aster, aka - Lusna, Etruscan Goddess of the Moon, but I felt the story went on and on and on. Lucy was a weak character in my opinion. She is a forgotten goddess who has managed to retain some of her power via her Lucani followers. Lucy has a love for hockey and has her eyes set on Brandon Stevenson, local hockey god...little does she realize he has his eyes set on her. When he shows up at her hidden oasis, she decides one night of lust couldn't hurt anything because she intends on erasing his memories when all is done. Emotionally weak, Lucy doesn't erase enough and Brand is back at her bar the next night.
Lucy has been in control of everything in her life and Brand intends on dominating her in the bedroom. One thing Lucy has never been is dominated because her followers would never dream of "demeaning" her in that way. This storyline is far from unusual but I usually enjoy it; however, in this case, I just didn't buy it. Brandon initiated the domineering role but never actually followed through with it, with one exception. The sex is sizzling hot, but it could have been hotter.
Lucy has other troubles besides Brand on the horizon. A demon is hunting the goddesses in hopes of steeling their powers and gaining access to the mortal plane. When a trusted goddess sister of Lucy's shows up to warn her, Lucy decides she is invincible...leading her straight into the demons hands and endangering everyone she loves. Lucky for her, Brand's parents have taken great pains to hide what he truly is. With the help of friends, he may be the only one who can help her.
I would definitely say this is a worthwhile read for lovers of erotica, lore, and sports. How to Worship a Goddess is a unique blend of all three.
*Sourcebooks Publishing provided a free e-proof of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest honest review.
When accident-prone
Helen Grey finds a thong stuffed into the pocket of her boyfriend’s best
work trousers, it’s time for her to move on. His excuse that he needed
to dust the photocopier and just thought that it was a rag sounds like a
lame excuse.
Helen’s life is propelled in an unexpected
direction after her best friend, Ayshe, sets her a fourteen-day,
life-changing challenge. Helen receives a task everyday which she must
complete without question. The tasks are designed to build her
confidence and boost her self-esteem but all they seem to do is push her
closer to Ayshe’s brother, Kalem.
How will Kalem and Helen get
together when she’s too foolish to realize that she loves him? How can
he fall for her when he is too busy falling prey to her mishaps and too
in love with his own perfect girlfriend? How will Kalem’s Turkish
Cypriot family react when they find out?
Is it really possible to change your life in fourteen days?
If you ever need a really good laugh...sit down and read this book. Helen reminds me so much of myself, I couldn't help but laugh. I am obscenely uncoordinated...ask anyone who knows me, I fall all the dang time. Ugh. I made the mistake of reading this book late at night and nearly killed myself trying not to laugh and wake everyone up. Helen was just my kind of lady.
The book was fun, light-hearted, and inspiring. We find Helen approximately six months after she has rid her life of the cheating ex-fiance, Justin. Her best friend poses a challenge...everyday for fourteen days, Helen must do something that is outside of her comfort zone. Some of the things were normal every day things like volunteering to walk dogs...but others were a tad bit out there. Somehow, each of the challenges involved Helen running into her best friends brother, Kalem. Sadly the only times she ran into him was when something had gone horribly awry.
Along the way, Helen meets a few men who interest her. However, each one of them has a whole new set of issues that Helen can't overlook. Kalem goes out of his way to prevent one date from happening and Helen can't begin to imagine why. The further I read, the more I began to think of Kalem as Helen's challenge, then I decided it was his sanity that was being challenged.
Just a couple of my favorite quotes (there are too many to mention really)- These quotes do not contain misspellings...it's the language it was written in.
Kalem wondered over to Charlie, studying his drawing. "You might like to try drawing the whole subject next time, instead of just the penis." I glanced over at Charlie's very eyecatching piece. He'd taken up the whole paper with a ginormous willy.
[Questions from a gymn enrollment form -] 1) Sex? Answer: thanks, but no. 2) Age? Answer: thirty but look much younger. 3) Occupation address? Answer: anywhere 4) Occupational position? Answer: Standing but occasionally sitting down. 5) Do you have a heart problem? Answer: probably will in a minute. 6) Do you suffer from breathlessness during exercise? Answer: sometimes during sex but that was a long time ago. 7) Do you suffer from palpitations or unusual heart flutters? Answer: only when I think about someone special. 8) Do you have any back problems? Answer: Only when I did a handstand when I was very drunk. 9) Are you allergic to anything? Answer: men who cheat. 10) Have you had any operations? Answer: I think I had a lobotomy once, but I can't remember. 11) Do you enjoy a healthy eating programme? Answer: yes, started an hour ago. 12) Have you suffered from any illnesses? Answer: hangovers.
I was laughing so hard just typing that!!!
*I was provided a free ebook by the author in return for my honest review.
They may have stolen my past, but I’ll never let them take my future.
When the walls between Man
and Fae come crashing down, freeing the insatiable, immortal Unseelie
from their icy prison, MacKayla Lane is caught in a deadly trap.
Captured by the Fae Lord Master, she is left with no memory of who or
what she is: the only sidhe-seer alive who can track the Sinsar Dubh, a
book of arcane black magic that holds the key to controlling both
worlds.
Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first
step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle-filled streets
of Dublin to the treacherous politics
of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim
to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves, where
nothing is as it seems—and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering
truth.
Who do you trust when you can’t even trust yourself?
Be sure to check out my reviews of the entire Fever Series.
Another amazing book in the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. I was left completely dumb-founded by the ending of Faefever. I don't know what I thought was going to happen but I assure you...it was not this. Mac finds herself fighting to get her life back...not her old life...her life - period. The Sinsar Dubh is the least of her worries for most of Dreamfever. If she's not in trouble, Barrons is. She spends some time in the Hall of All Days becoming more and more confused as time passes. Is it possible that she is in fact the Unseelie King? Things happen that seem to be more than consequences leading her to believe she just might be.
I enjoyed Dreamfever because we finally see a different side of Barrons and start learning some of his secrets. I began to understand his reasons for being so secretive and a royal ass. And, after way too much time, we begin to see his true feelings for Mac. Mac is evolving into a kick-ass heroin by the minute. She is now going head-to-head with Rowena, who may possibly be worse than all her other enemies put together.
Mac definitely has to decide who to trust and soon. Sometimes I just want to slap her and yell for her to look in front of her. It may seem if there are multiple people who want her safe, but that is all a facade. Some are hiding secrets much worse than anything Barrons has to hide. Regardless of his motives, Barrons continues to dig her out of trouble at every turn in the road. After what he did for her in the beginning of this book, I don't know why she continues to doubt him.
A must read for fans of Fae and lovers of hot steamy men (creatures?).
A phone call from an old friend
sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he’d abandoned
years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to
the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract.
Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from
the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance
Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.
A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.
5 Stars!!! *Adult Paranormal Romance
A Hidden Fire is
saturated with mystery, intrigue, and romance. To be quite honest…this book
will make my paranormal romance top ten list of 2011. The characters are
enigmatic and brimming with charisma. Every character has a specific purpose in
the story, they are important and multidimensional. The romance is slow and
builds with a burning intensity throughout the book. And the mystery…well, it just keeps going and
going and going…and then at the end, it continues. The sequel cannot come out
soon enough for me. A Hidden Fire is
to say the very least…intense.
Let’s say hello to the characters, shall we?
Giovanni Vecchio is an Italian god; at least he
looks like one. Rich, sexy, and mysterious is a completely accurate description
of Gio. His weekly trips to the Special Collections reading room at the Houston
University library unearth a long lost collection of letters and poetry. This
collection will complicate every part of Gio’s life…as well as others.
Beatrice De Novo is beautiful and intelligent. She
is snippy, sarcastic, and made me laugh so hard. Her job at the library
entwines her fate with Gio’s. B, as she prefers to be called, has had a difficult
life. Her father died when she was young and she is left the haunting feeling
that he is still around. She is a strong heroin and will bring feeling to Gio’s
heart.
Casper appears to be Gio’s butler; however, the
more you learn about Gio, the more you realize that Casper is family. Casper
cares deeply about Gio’s well-being and attempts to help him find the life he
has always deserved. I loved Casper because he tells it like it is. He doesn’t
let Gio pull anything over on him and forces Gio to answer for his actions.
Stephen De Novo found something he shouldn’t of.
He paid with his life…in one form or another.
Carwyn, a great friend to Gio, is probably my
favorite character. He is a Welsh Priest who has lived a long time. Funny and
flirtatious, he is able to give Beatrice some of the answers she is looking
for. He believes that each person should tell their own story. He and Beatrice are great as friends…he can
read her like a book and knows exactly what to say.
Isadora De Novo is Beatrice’s only living family
member. She and Beatrice have become very close since her grandfather’s
passing. Isadora has been keeping a huge secret that may bring much unwanted
strife to Beatrice’s life.
Tenzin remains a mystery to me. She is very old
and powerful. A very close friend of Gio and Carwyn. She fights by their side
to obtain something extremely important to Gio. Tenzin is an odd one, but I
loved her.
Lorenzo is the pain in Gio’s ass. He seeks power
and seizes any opportunity to cause Gio discord.
Elizabeth combined the lore of elementals with the lore of
vampires and created an out-of-this-world world. I was extremely interested in
the creation of these immortal creatures. Being from Texas, I appreciated the
location of the story and became more interested as she took her characters
from Houston to Greece to Chili ending in California. The author did a great
job of pulling local culture into each of these locations.
The romance that is portrayed is not immediate and
overwhelming. It simmers slowly until it engulfs you in its entirety and leaves
you a tad bit disappointed, not in the story or the romance, but in the
situation. I wanted what Beatrice wanted…I wanted Gio to fight for her. I
suspect he has his reasons for his actions, but it doesn’t mean I agree. Ugh…men.
There is plenty of humor sprinkled
throughout the book to leave you smiling right before the tears come.
For fans of vampires or elementals…I highly recommend A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter. I
don’t believe you will be disappointed.
JUST IN - BOOK TWO WILL BE RELEASED IN DECEMBER. NO LONG WAITS FOR THE SEQUEL!
Two of my favorite quotes:
“Right,”
she frowned. “Right. No one would believe me because vampires aren’t real.”…He
chuckled in amusement. “Everyone
knows that.”
Carwyn
rolled his eyes. “Silly B, love is friendship…just with less clothes, which is
far more brilliant.”
*I was given a free e-copy of A Hidden Fire by the author in return for my honest review.
