Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Released: July 27, 2010
Publisher: Avon
Rated: Adult
A Night Huntress World Novel, book 2
Buy Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World, Book 2) here

An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness...and now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she's only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he'd seen it all. Then Kira appears - this fearless, beautiful....human who braved death to rescue him. Though her burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose either the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

What I thought:

I didn't really like Mencheres in the other books. After reading this one I don't know why I didn't like him in the others, maybe because he didn't get enough page space to really get to know him like we do in this book. The second of the Night Huntress books is a great continuation of the characters Frost has set up.

Kira was a great character, one of the better ones I have read lately. I like the strong, independent women we read today, but she also had vulnerability we got to see, even if it was solely in her thoughts. She put on a brave front, in hopes no one would see her down. This was a great change of pace from Denise.

While I get excited to see Cat and Bones in these books, sometimes I'm disappointed in what I read about them. They don't seem to be the same characters, but maybe it is just because they don't have much space in these books. They just didn't have the same feel to them.

When I first heard, I was a bit disappointed when Frost chose Mencheres first over Vlad, but I'm glad, in the end, we got to see Mencheres finally finding the love he has always wanted. But I do hope that Vlad's is next. Vlad is still among my favorite that Frost has written.

Waiting on Wednesday/WWW Wednesday (11)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Release Date: Sept 7, 2010

Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

*What are you currently reading?
  - Seduced by Shadows by Jessa Slade

*What have you recently finish reading?
  - Golden Boy by Claire Thompson

*What do you think you'll read next?
  - Break No Bones by Kathy Reich (series that inspired the tv show Bones) most likely, as it is the next book for my book club.  

Teaser Tuesday (11)

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I am between books, so I'm posting the first two sentences from the novel I will be starting today.

Seduced by Shadows by Jessa Slade

"The end is nigh."  Ferris Archer braced his shoulders against the Chicago wind that whipped straight up the whistle around the balcony railing with savage glee.

When Sera Littlejohn meets a violet-eyed stranger, he reveals a supernatural battle veiled in the shadows, and Sera is tempted to the edge of madness by a dangerous desire. Ferris Archer takes Sera under his wing, now that she is a talyan—possessed by a repentant demon with hellish powers. Archer’s league of warriors have never fought beside a female before, and never in all his centuries has Archer found a woman who captivates him like Sera. With the balance shifting between good and evil, passion and possession, Sera and Archer must defy the darkness and dare to embrace a love that will mark them forever.

Want to win some ARCs?

Carolina is giving away some amazing ARCs!  Go to her page here to sign up or to look at what she's giving away!

The Winners!

Thank you, everyone, for participating and making the Got Books? Weekend a great success, I had tons of entries and over 70 new followers in two days.  Don't forget to check out Got Books? To see a list of winners from the kick off contest and the twitter party, they will be announced tomorrow, Monday the 26th.

Since my fiance is helping me with book costs, instead of giving away two of each, the winners have their choice of either book!  Congratulations to:


Lori A
Caitlin G
Connie B
Adrienne S

I will be emailing you for your address and which book you'd like.  You have 48 hours to get back to me before I pass the prize along to another.  Thanks everyone!  I had a great weekend participating in this great event!

All winners have responded.  Thanks everyone for a successful giveaway!!!!

Got Books? Weekend Giveaway! Twice Bitten & The Body Finder

The Got Books?  Giveaway is now Live! Edit:  My very generous fiance has just informed me (he's proud at the massive response so far!!) that he will be chipping in for some books, so I will be giving away 4 books!  Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill (or the first book in the series, if you haven't read the series yet) and The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.  You must be +18 to win Twice Bitten, but there is no age restriction on The Body Finder.

Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill
A Chicagoland Vampire Novel, book 3
(Some Girl's Bite can be substituted if you haven't read the series yet)

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission. Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
The Body Finder series, book 1

Violet Ambrose is starting her junior year in high school and faces problems shared by many teens. She is madly in love with Jay Heaton, her best friend since first grade, but does not know if he feels the same. She is trying to do well at school, but classes do not always hold her interest. Unlike others, however, Violet has the ability—or perhaps the curse—of sensing violent deaths around her. Every demise leaves a hint screaming to be discovered: sometimes a sheen of colors, other times a chorus of bells or even a specific smell.

When Violet was eight, she discovered a girl's body in the woods behind her house. This same killer is now striking her community again, kidnapping and murdering teenage girls. He even seems to be getting closer to Violet with every kill. She must deal with her emotions for Jay at the same time as she tries to stop this vicious murderer before it is too late for both. Derting's first novel provides the reader with both Violet's and the killer's perspectives. Violet's fear is palpable and rises as her attempt to find the murderer leads her close to death and as she confronts her feelings for Jay.

~How to Enter~

You do not have to be a follower to enter, but it is appreciated if you like what you see on my blog.

Fill out the form and then leave a comment (the comment is to help remind you that you entered to keep from getting duplicate forms submitted, there will be a lot of contests to enter this weekend to keep track of!).  If you do not fill out the form you will not be entered in the contest.

I will be emailing the winners, while I would love for you to come back and check on the contest, realistically it is easier for all parties involved to be emailed since we have over 100 blogs participating.

You will have the option to choose the book of choice on the form. It is not set in stone!  You can change your mind if you win.

You will be responsible for checking to see if your country is listed on The Book Depository for shipping.  If I can't ship it to you, I will pass on the prize to someone else.

Contest is closed July 24 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on the 25th!

Thanks for stopping by and Good Luck!

The Contest is Now Closed!

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Released:
Publisher:
Buy Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) here

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

What I thought:

This was a bit hard for me to get into at first, but after about the fourth chapter I really got hooked and couldn't put it down. I didn't think it was a fast paced novel, but the plot really intrigued me the more I read on.

When I first read the synopsis on amazon, I was under the assumption that Alexia was a vampire (because of the title) but no, no this is more clever than that. This one shakes up the paranormal world a bit. Where there are vampires and werewolves and ghosts there are preternatural, who counterbalance the supernatural. Clever, very clever.

Alexia is an interesting character who has a horrible family. Her mom reminds me of my mom (in a few ways) and I felt for Alexia, whose mother thought her not pretty in any way and always mentioned it, as if her daughter was a burden to her. Her mother unceremoniously skipped her coming out party to put her up on the shelf of spinsterhood all to early, where she's stayed, watching her younger sisters get the chance for marriage. Anyone else wanted to knock the mom out? Or is it just me?

I gave it 4 stars!

Waiting on Wednesday/WWW Wednesday (10)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Alpha by Rachel Vincent
A Shifters Novel, book 6,


Power, revenge, and justice - prepare yourself for the final battle! In the final chapter of "The Shifters Series", Faythe and her Pride must fight a tyrannical werecat intent on taking over the territorial council, and the south-central Pride in particular. It's down to Faythe to take on the role of Alpha before she feels completely ready for the job. Forced to rise to the occasion, Faythe must balance experience, advice, and the urge for vengeance. She must also finally choose between Marc and Jace...No decisions will be is easy, and not everyone will survive this epic fight to the death.


WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.
To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

*What are you currently reading?
  - Soulless by Gail Carriger

*What have you recently finish reading?
  - Need by Carrie Jones

*What do you think you'll read next?
  - I'm not sure at the moment, there are a couple new books that I added to my wish list from Teaser Tuesday I want to check out.   

Private Games by Tawny Taylor

Released: July 30, 2005
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Rated: Adult
Buy Private Games here

Who would have thought a simple board game could change your life. Three women learn it can when they toss the dice, face a challenge or two, and win...love, laughter, and hot, hot sex.  

Playing for Keeps Maddy Beaudet needs to shake things up a bit, but playing a board game isn't exactly what she considers exciting. Jace Michael has just moved across country to recover from an ugly divorce. Anxious to dive into work with both feet, the last thing he needs is a distraction, but the minute he meets Maddy, his employee no less, and learns about the game she's playing with her friends, a whole different game comes to mind.

Master May I? Britt Olsen is shocked when Andre Cruz-Romero delivers a birthday gift, mistakenly mailed to Britt's former home. Unfortunately, what she finds in the box isn't what Britt expected. Then again, neither is Andre. The sexy entrepreneur who sports golf shirts and khaki pants by day wears leather by night. And the room that used to house Britt's workout equipment now holds a different kind of...apparatus...for an entirely different kind of game.

A Game of Risk Taking risks is what day-trader Olivia Blake's life is all about. Well, at least financially. Personally is another story. It takes the draw of a card for her to approach the man she's pined over, her older sister's brother-in-law. The minute she does, she wonders if she's made the right decision. EMT Ty Wilcox spends his days rescuing people who toss caution to the wind and get injured or worse in the process. Playing it safe is the only way to live. But after seeing Olivia in a skimpy dress that almost covers her vitals, he wonders if risk is the four-letter word he'd always thought it was.

What I thought:

This is the second book I have read by Tawny Taylor and boy! Can she write steamy scenes! This particular novel has three stories with the theme of a very naughty board game that gets girls in very sticky (but fun) situations.

I liked the short stories, the unified theme. I was able to read these stories in between my other novels, each story separate from each other, except for the board game. While there are some cheesy lines (hey, can't have a nice romance without them, right?) that I will never admit to out load that I actually kind of liked, they were well written stories where you got to really know the characters while they got to know each other.  Very easy and enjoyable read.

I gave it 4 stars!

Teaser Tuesday (10)

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Soulless by Gail Carriger
The Parasol Protectorate, book 1

"Please, Lord Maccon, use one of the cups.  My delicate sensibilities."  The earl actually snorted.  "My dear Miss Tarabotti, if you possessed any such things, you certainly have never shown them to me."

Synopsis:

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Need by Carrie Jones

Released: December 23, 2008
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Rated: YA
Buy Need here

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks.
Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far.  Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out.  Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.”  Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.  
Wrong...

Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination.
He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings.  He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs.  And he’s trailing Zara.

What I thought:

This had a great story in it... enough to keep me reading even though I hate how it was written. I have stopped reading other books because of the style before, but this story hooked me. Because of the style, I did dock it a star, because at parts it was so distracting I had a hard time continuing. I like my stories in past tense, present tense is just too weird for me.

I loved the story, it was a great change from what I usually read. Most of the time I get tired of the high school drama, but this wasn't so bad. Sure there were fights over the popular boy, fights over the new girl, but it wasn't played up so much where I found it just too frustrating.

This story was kind of sad, I found myself on the verge of tears a couple of times. I understood why Zara was sent away, but she seemed to come out of her shell all too quickly.

I gave it 4 stars!

Blog Hop/Friday Follow (2)

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!

RIGHT THIS INSTANT, WHAT BOOK ARE YOU DYING TO GET YOUR HANDS ON (PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE)?

There are so many!  I can't pick just one, so let me give you a few (don't worry, not too many)!

Alpha by Rachel Vincent (the last book in the Werecat series)
Shadowfever by KMM (last book in the fever series)
Ghost Town by Rachel Caine (last book in the Morganville series)

Alot of my favorite series are ending!! Oh well, as they say, all good things must come to an end.




Leave me a comment and I'll follow back!

Bitten & Smitten by Michelle Rowen

Released: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Forever
Rated: Paranormal Romance

Blind dates can be bad, but Sarah Dearly's date is a true contender for worst ever. His neck nibbling didn't just leave a bruise; it turns her into a vampire, and the newest target for a pack of zealot vampire hunters. With her date now their latest victim, Sarah runs for her immortal life--straight into Thierry de Bennicoeur, a master vampire who is just a wee bit suicidal. Thierry can't resist a damsel in distress and agrees to teach Sarah how to live the vampire life if she'll help him end his own. But as it turns out, Sarah may be his best reason for living.

What I thought:

What an enjoyable read. It wasn't amazing, it didn't rock my world, but it was fun. Sarah, our main girl here, has such an attitude, I loved it! I love sarcasm. For others it can get old fast, so fair warning, lots of sarcasm is used throughout this book.

It wasn't something I thought was totally unique. Slightly different vampires, who still have heart beats, breathe, and can walk in the sun (this didn't bother me as much as I thought it would) but still need blood. But they are all drinking from the tap now. That's right, tap. They have kegs of blood shipped in to drink from. They are also hunted by slayers who think of them as an abomination and monsters. Yeah, I saw that coming, but well, every book needs a plot.

Don't expect this novel to be super serious, take it as it is, as an entertaining, humorous novel with attitude.

I gave it 3 stars!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Released: March 16, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Rated: YA


Violet Ambrose is starting her junior year in high school and faces problems shared by many teens. She is madly in love with Jay Heaton, her best friend since first grade, but does not know if he feels the same. She is trying to do well at school, but classes do not always hold her interest. Unlike others, however, Violet has the ability—or perhaps the curse—of sensing violent deaths around her. Every demise leaves a hint screaming to be discovered: sometimes a sheen of colors, other times a chorus of bells or even a specific smell. When Violet was eight, she discovered a girl's body in the woods behind her house. This same killer is now striking her community again, kidnapping and murdering teenage girls. He even seems to be getting closer to Violet with every kill. She must deal with her emotions for Jay at the same time as she tries to stop this vicious murderer before it is too late for both. Derting's first novel provides the reader with both Violet's and the killer's perspectives. Violet's fear is palpable and rises as her attempt to find the murderer leads her close to death and as she confronts her feelings for Jay.

What I thought:

This was a great read. I found it on a blog hop and loved the cover and the premise, but I wasn't expecting to love it right away. The characters are great, the plot believable (almost too believable) with a slight paranormal twist.

This isn't heavy into the paranormal setting, which was refreshing from all the UF and PNR books I read. There is a romance aspect of it, but it focuses more on the plot. I was a little concerned at first, when we got to read from the bad guy's point of view because I didn't want it to be spoiled who it was. I hate knowing when no one else in the book knows (even if you are supposed to). It was well written to keep the identity a secret until the very end.

The plot itself was very realistic, because it happens in real life. It drew me in. While I found it very sad, I found it very intense and riveting at the same time and I couldn't put this book down until I absorbed every last word written.

I gave it 5 stars!

Ordeal by TK Varenko

Released: February 7, 2010
Publisher: CreateSpace

Buy Ordeal here

It is a verse-ornated story
About love, betrayal, wrath,
Royal vampires' bliss and glory
Bringing them straight to their death.

Luella, fierce, strong vampire,
Falls for a pretty human catch
Sent on her fiancé's desire
To celebrate they are engaged.

This unexpected turnabout
Is doomed to come to a dead end:
Her human sweetheart's dead to shroud;
Her fiancé's avenged for that;

And she is punished for blood treason,
Banished into a mortal child,
Whose human body is a prison
For all her powers to bind.

Her memories obliterated,
She is to find her love at last
Who proves to be too much related
To the misfortunes from her past.

What I thought:

I have to admit I had some pretty big misconceptions on poetry style writing.  While there may be some out there that is written with some double meaning and you have to dissect and try to figure out what every line really means to get the story, this isn't like it.

This was hard to get the hang of at first, as I haven't read anything in verse before, but after I got into it, it flowed amazingly well.  It is a well written tale of vampires, falling in love, and rediscovering the past, written in such a way that really makes it stand out and not blend in with other books I have read.  It had an unique story to it, at least, to me, it was unique.

There was a scene in here, I don't know if it was on purpose or not by the author, when Luella wakes up to find her love interest in her room (Twilight reference?) and Luella being freaked out by it thinking he just may be stalkerish.... loved it!  Very funny!

I'd recommend it to anyone who likes paranormal romance and is looking for something different.  I was given this, by the author, for review.

I gave it 5 stars!

Waiting on Wednesday/WWW Wednesday (9)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Ghost Town by Rachel Caine

A Morganville Vampire Novel, book 9

Release Date: October 26, 2010

While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re-establish the field around this vampire-infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders.

But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are-even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment- before she forgets how to save Morganville...

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

*What are you currently reading?
  - Ordeal by TK Varenko (review request)

*What have you recently finish reading?
  - Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

*What do you think you'll read next?
  - I'm really not sure yet!  I have a few series I'm reading right now, so probably continue on in the Highlander and I need to reread the first Dresden Files book for a local book club.  

Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

Released: April 27, 2010
Publisher: Signet
Rated: YA
Buy Kiss of Death (Morganville Vampires, Book 8) here

Vampire musician Michael Glass has attracted the attention of a big- time producer who wants to cut a demo and play some gigs-which means Michael will have to enter the human world. For this, he's been assigned escorts that include both a dangerous immortal as well as Michael's all-too-human friends. And with that mix of personalities, this is going to be a road trip from hell... 

What I thought:


I'm still loving this series, which seems to be unusual for a series with this many books to still be well written, but there are some out there. Claire and her friends lead a different kind of adventure this time, which I loved the premise of.

It helped to make this novel stand out, since when Claire, Shane, Micheal and Eve get into trouble this time, they aren't in Morganville. They don't have the protection of the pins they received or any vampire to stand for them. They get into trouble in a town that knows nothing of the life they lead elsewhere.

It was great, it shook up the dynamic that we are used to in Morganville. Now that they are on the outside (even just for a week) they can't seem to stay out of trouble. Oliver is a great character, and one of my favorites. I can never tell what is really going on with him, which I love, and this was no exception. He was a great addition to the road trip.

To be honest, I wasn't so sure about Claire and Shane, but now I'm slowly getting on the wagon with these two as a couple. Shane, at first, was too much of a hot headed teenager for me to stand, but now that he's calmed down a bit, he is growing into a character I could learn to love. What is fantastic about Rachel Caine's characters is the ability to grow.

Can't wait for the next, and I'm sad it will be the last in this great series.

I gave it 4 stars!

Teaser Tuesday (9)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine
A Morganville Vampire Novel, book 8

"She looked over, and Jennifer was waving. So was Monica. This, from the two girls who’d punched and kicked her, thrown her down a flight of stairs, abducted her at least twice, threatened her with knives, tried to set her house on fire ... yeah. Claire didn’t really feel like redefining the relationship on their new buddy-buddy terms."

The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Released: October 1, 2002
Publisher: Dell
Rated: Adult
Buy The Dark Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 5) here

Journey to a world of ancient magic, breathtaking sensuality, thrilling time-travel.... Journey to the world of The Dark Highlander. Crisscrossing the continents and the centuries, here is a novel as gripping as it is sensual--an electrifying adventure that will leave you breathless....

I am Dageus MacKeltar, a man with one good conscience and thirteen bad ones, driven to sate my darkest desires…
From his penthouse lair high above Manhattan, Dageus looks out over a glittering city that calls to the darkness within him. A sixteenth-century Scot trapped between worlds, he is fighting a losing battle with the thirteen Druids who possess his soul, dooming him to an eternity of sexual pursuit. When Chloe Zanders, student of antiquities, is drawn into his world, she finds the insatiable alpha male an irresistible lure.Before long, she is caught up in an ancient prophecy that will sweep her back into time to medieval Scotland. Plunged into a world of timeless magic and dark seduction, she will soon face the challenge of a lifetime: fighting thirteen evil spirits for the heart of one irresistible man....

What I thought:

This was an enjoyable read, not my favorite in the series, but a good read. While I am enjoying the series, it is starting to get a bit predictable (although, that isn't really a bad thing) and I already know what is happening before it happens. It has some great steamy scenes, which I read it for, that keep me entertained and a good plot that I wanted to see through to the end.

While I liked the characters, I'm still waiting for a different kind of heroine. They are all starting to blend together with roughly the same personalities. All so far have been strong characters that have lent their strength and will to their men. I would like to see the roles reversed, where both characters aren't so strong all of the time. While the characters had vulnerabilities at moments, it wasn't enough. I like strong characters, but they all can't be strong all of the time.

I gave it 3 stars!

Giveaway! Chloe Neill's book Twice Bitten

YzahBella is hosting a giveaway for the latest release in the Chicagoland Vampires and is doing a guest spot with Neill herself.  Take a look here, sign up and participate!

YzhaBella's Bookshelf

Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs

Released: August 25, 2009
Publisher: Del Rey/Dabel Brothers
Rated: Urban Fantasy
Buy Mercy Thompson: Homecominghere

Mercy Thompson is a walker, a magical being with the power to transform into a coyote. She lives on the fine line dividing the everyday world from a darker dimension, observing the supernatural community while standing apart.

When Mercy travels to the Tri-Cities of Washington for a job interview, she quickly finds herself smack-dab in the middle of a gang war between rival packs of werewolves. And as if fangs and fur weren’t bad enough, Mercy must deal with the scariest creature of all: her mother, who is convinced that Mercy is making a mess of her life and determined to set her daughter on the right course.

What I thought:

This was excellent! I haven't read a graphic novel before, but since I love the Mercy books so much, I gave this a try. It was nicely written and drawn.

There were a few things different from the vague background we got from Mercy, but in the end it was a great story of what her first days were like when trying to make a life for herself while trying to stay away from both her mother and the Marrok. I was a bit sad we didn't see Bran, since he is one of my all time favorite characters, but I do hope we get to see more of him when Briggs does more of these graphic novels for the Mercy world.

I gave it 5 stars!

Blogging 101 (3)

Blogging 101 is hosted by  Candace.  Check out her site to see her answers.

I've been blogging only since May, but doing reviews for about a year on shelfari.  It has been a learning process, as I have yet to find my voice when doing reviews.  Granted I have gotten much better, but I'm no where near where I would like to be.  I'm a patient girl and I have tons of great material to read so I will have mounds of practice yet to come!

Blogger awards are a fun way to share with others how much you enjoy their blogs, etc. But how does one deal with receiving these awards? Do you make a post every time you win one? Do you just thank them for the award and then post it on your sidebar? Are you always able to pass it on?

Well I don't really do the awards.  I have gotten a couple but they were the "pass it on to fifteen friends" sort of thing.  It didn't strike me as if I'd earned it.  Just someone needed someone to pass it on to.  Those ones I haven't passed on.  Sure there are some fantastic blogs I follow and love, but it seems to cheapen the work that people put into it when they realize you are supposed to give it away to lots of other people.  I'm a beginner, and I have a long ways to go, but if/when I earn one that doesn't require a chain letter sort of effect to it I would add it to my blog.

Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

Released: July 6, 2010
Publisher: NAL Trade
Rated: Adult
Buy Twice Bitten: A Chicagoland Vampires Novel here
Book 1 Some Girls Bite
Book 2 Friday Night Bites

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire. 

What I thought:


It seemed like forever for the next installment to come out, but it was definitely worth the wait. While trying not to rush through it, I couldn't help but feel compelled, by the story and characters, to push through and see what would happen next.

The story was great, great twists to where I didn't see the ending coming (don't worry, no spoilers here), and I had a difficult time putting down the book until I finished every last word on the page.

The chemistry between Ethan and Merit, while at times frustrating, showed signs of being a beautiful thing. I know, others feel differently since there is such an age difference between them, but I found the humanity that Merit brought to the table an interesting thing. Even more interesting to see Ethan adapt, after centuries, and become slightly more human despite the odds. Beautiful.

I was thrilled to see the storyline with the pack play out, adding a new dimension to the series, one I hope to see continue as I wait, not so patiently, for the next book.

I gave it 5 stars!

Waiting on Wednesday/WWW Wednesday (8)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews

The Edge, Book 2
Release Date:  September 28, 2010

Cerise Mar and her clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands. When her parents vanish, her clan's long-time rivals are suspect. But all is not as it seems.

Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge-and Cerise's life. 

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

*What are you currently reading?
  - Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

*What have you recently finish reading?
  - Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn

*What do you think you'll read next?
  - The Dark Highlander (book 5 in the Highlander series) by Karen Marie Moning  

Teaser Tuesday (8)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
The Highlander Series, book 5

"More than once she'd wanted to ask what those tiger-eyes saw.  What judgment they passed, what the hell he seemed to be waiting for, but in the bliss of his hard body against hers she forgot time and again, until she was back at work and it was too late to ask."

Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn

Released: June 29, 2010
Publisher: Tor Books
Rated: Adult

Buy Kitty Goes to War (Kitty Norville, Book 8) here

Kitty Norville, Alpha werewolf and host of The Midnight Hour, a radio call-in show, is contacted by a friend at the NIH's Center for the Study of Paranatural Biology. Three Army soldiers recently returned from the war in Afghanistan are being held at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs.  They're killer werewolves—and post traumatic stress has left them unable to control their shape-shifting and unable to interact with people.  Kitty agrees to see them, hoping to help by bringing them into her pack.   

Meanwhile, Kitty gets sued for libel by CEO Harold Franklin after featuring Speedy Mart--his nationwide chain of 24-hour convenience stores with a reputation for attracting supernatural unpleasantness--on her show. 

Very bad weather is on the horizon.

What I thought:

I just can't get enough of Kitty. These are getting better and better with each new book that comes out. I've read a few reviews that say the title is misleading, while it may seem to some, I thought it was entirely appropriate.

The Iraqi and Afghanistan wars are still touchy today, Ms Vaughn takes a new look at the war. An entirely fictional look, but interesting none the less. What would happen if the Army utilized a highly trained and skilled werewolf team that could go where no others could go? What happens when those soldiers come back from said war only to suffer as any of their human counterparts would?

I love how Kitty just wants to help people, her humanity is definitely noteworthy. While she is willing to do what it takes, she also realizes that sometimes you aren't always successful.

Another part of this book I loved was a bit of a closer look at Cormac, who has just been released from prison and is trying to cope with being an independent citizen again.

I can't wait for the next, I will keep rooting for Kitty.

I gave it 5 stars!

Music Corner

I don't know about the rest of you, but sometimes I like to listen to music as I read.  I like the background noise to cover up sounds of the house settling (if I'm reading a suspenseful novel, this can really freak me out) and whatever else my imagination can think up.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and they were playing alot of Chris Cornell.  Sound Garden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog and some of his solo material.  Can I just say how much I love this guy?  His voice, from the first time I heard any of his music hooked me.  Now I can't listen to any of his music without putting down what I'm reading (really odd, for me!) without singing along or with some of his music, just closing my eyes and just listening to the beautiful music he makes.  I, personally, think he is a musical genius.  So does my fiance, which, when I mentioned it he responded "I think I love you!"  Touching, yes?

There is few other artists that affect me this way, such as CCR, but Chris Cornell just rocks my world whenever I hear his unique voice serenading me across my speakers.  One of the truly gifted song writers out there, he can create such beautiful stories.  He is able to take something common and say it in an uncommon way that really makes me sit up and listen.

Do you like to listen to music as you read?  What do you listen to?  Or do you read better with complete silence?

Blog Hop/Friday Follow (1)

Hosted by Crazy for Books

For the first week, I'm going to make it simple -
Tell us your NAME and WHY YOU STARTED BLOGGING

My name is Aimee, and I started blogging because I loved doing my reviews on shelfari, but it wasn't my own little corner of the site.  I wanted to be a bit selfish and have a site that I could do myself, post what I wanted without being drowned in reviews that didn't make sense or gave way to many spoilers to let the book still be enjoyable.  I'm still new at the blogging, but I'm loving it!  (It somehow saved my information from another meme, but I've been blogging for 3 months and I read mostly Paranormal/Urban Fantasy books)

Friday Follow is hosted by Parajunkee

Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Released: September 4, 2001
Publisher: Dell
Rated: Adult
Buy Kiss of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 4)here

A laird trapped between centuries... Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he’d ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side.... A woman changed forever in his arms... Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern — to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she’d ever seen? Or that once he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t let her go? Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them ... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves....

What I thought:

This is a very enjoyable read, but very predictable. It has some hot and steamy scenes and the story line is good, and I'm still wanting to read on and find out what happens to the twin. But I'm still waiting for the book to wow me. Haven't reached that yet.

This was a bit different than the rest. No fairies, or fairy children, caused the time travel this time. Druids aren't something you read about often in fantasy books and it was interesting. I found it sad when we learned Gwen's background, I liked her as a character, but all the female leads are starting to blend together. They all have the same personalities and I'm waiting for something new.

I gave it 3 stars!

Blogging 101 (2)

Blogging 101 is hosted by  Candace.  Check out her site to see her answers.

How far in advance do you write up your reviews? Do you write up the review as soon as you finish the book and then post it the next day? Or do you post it when it fits in best? Do you hold off on posting when it's months until the books actual release?

I do my reviews after reading the book while it is still fresh in my mind.  It is too easy to forget everything I liked or the things I didn't like after some time has passed since I read so much.  I haven't done any reviews that people have asked me to do, so I don't have an answer on the actual release part.  But if I were, I would wait until the month of release.  Out of sight, out of mind, so it would be better to do the review right away and then schedule the post closer to the release date.

What do you do when you read a book by an author you normally love or an author you communicate with on a regular basis and you hate the book? Not just dislike, but actually want to give it a horrible review?

Well, I would love to converse with some authors, but I don't have any that I regularly talk to, since most are pretty busy.  But I think honesty is important.  Not only for the author but for readers.  I have quite a few friends who have the same tastes I do. If I didn't like something particular it can let them know if that would be something that would make the book worth while anyway or not.  I don't want to tell people 'Oh, this book is horrible, don't read it!' since we all have different tastes, but it gives people more of an idea if the book would really be something that they would want to read.