tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1544394423121491522024-03-08T10:08:54.468-06:00Melody's BookshelfMelodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-40649607801400398382014-03-09T16:17:00.001-05:002014-03-09T16:17:45.617-05:00Speaking at a Librarian Convention!<p>Hi all! I’m pretty excited about April Fool’ Day this year, because I’ll be speaking at a Master’s Class for librarians in Oklahoma. We are having a panel discussion about genres and I’ll be speaking on Urban Fantasy. In preparing for this, I realize that no matter how much I have read in the genre, I have still missed a LOT of authors! I wrote down pages and pages of authors in the genre and I’m certain I’ve barely scratched the surface. What’s so great about Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance is the variety! While I enjoy a great vampire tale, I also enjoy books about angels, demons and the fae. Let’s not forget about steampunk either. I’ve read some fun pieces in the pat few years that touched on steampunk stuff. </p> <p>Finding a book with unique world-building is quite rewarding! Hopefully some of the books I write about over the next few days will intrigue you!</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-70784859127794947122013-08-26T23:19:00.001-05:002013-08-26T23:19:23.240-05:00Book Review: Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich<p>Summary: </p> <p><em>Big Girl Panties</em> by Stephanie Evanovich is a rollicking and poignant romantic comedy about a young widow who decides to get in shape...and winds up getting her groove back—and a whole lot more!<br>Holly Brennan used food to comfort herself through her husband’s illness and death. Now she’s alone at age thirty-two. And she weighs more than she ever has. When fate throws her in the path of Logan Montgomery, personal trainer to pro athletes, and he offers to train her, Holly concludes it must be a sign. Much as she dreads the thought of working out, Holly knows she needs to put on her big girl panties and see if she can sweat out some of her grief.<br>Soon, the easy intimacy and playful banter of their training sessions lead Logan and Holly to most intense and steamy workouts. But can Holly and Logan go the distance as a couple now that she’s met her goals—and other men are noticing? from amazon.com <hr> <p>Review: <p>I picked this book up on a whim because I thought it looked hilarious. It had an intriguing premise: a large woman decides to change her life dramatically by losing weight. As a woman who has changed her own life over the past year, by losing a significant amount of weight, I was ready to love this book for the topic alone because it was such an unexplored theme. I was greatly disappointed. <p>I “get” what I think the author was attempting to do with this book: educate people about obesity, confront stereotypes and provide a larger heroine, thereby proving “overweight women” can have fun and have a HEA (even if they still have 20-50 pounds left to lose). The writing, however, was not very good and in my opinion did not convey the message as well as it could have been done by a more experienced writer. I thought the hero, Logan, was a shallow man-whore, self-centered, overly-focused on feminine weight, commenting about his best friend’s love of women with excess flesh with the implication he doubted his ability to “deal” with extra weight in a partner. The sex was mediocre and the side story involving previously mentioned best friend and his partner’s sex practices was really extraneous. <p>My biggest problem with the book is how it was so “preachy” about obesity and health. I’m not complaining about pointing out some facts about obesity and how some people will never be thin, due to bone size or body type. Certainly a large portion of people need to lose weight and this book does indeed point out safe ways to do just that: proper nutrition, portion control and exercise are the best way to do that. There is no magic pill that will take away years of bad habits and psychological problems related to food overnight or even in a month. My problem with the book comes more from the way the author presents the issue. She probably meant to portray realistically confronting society’s notion of thinness and health, but it seemed like she got caught up in a few of her subplots instead of having the hero confront his prejudices earlier in the book. As it stands, he just magically comes to his senses (well, OK, with a little help from…a certain event—no spoilers!) at the end of the book. It just didn’t ring true to me. I had already invested so much time and frustration in grumbling to myself about what a scumbag in an Adonis suit he was that I just didn’t buy his transformation. <p>There were, however, some really good parts. I loved the part when Holly worked at a gym and encouraged an extremely large woman who had come into the gym to begin the road to losing weight. That alone was worth the price of the book (but it wasn’t enough to give it an overall good rating). I loved when Holly stood up for herself on a few occasions that really warranted it. I wanted to yell at the book “You go, Girl!” <p>Recommendation: While the book has a few good points, I cannot in good conscience recommend it to most people. I think the target market is overweight women and it does have some scenes that will appeal to them, but as I mentioned earlier, there is an emphasis on change, not acceptance of who one is. While change is necessary in changing life situations where one is obese, I would wager people reading this book don’t want to read a fiction book about the need to change their life (they KNOW it already!). This review is written by a formerly fat person, so I know the importance of change, patience and perseverance, but I also know I despise being told what to do in my personal life by a book I pick up to read for laughs. <em>Bet Me</em> by Jennifer Crusie deals with a not-tiny heroine and the Adonis who falls for her in a much better way. <p>Sensuality: some sex, not amazingly written and spanking. <p>Rating: 2 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-34386261196209795082013-08-25T11:30:00.001-05:002013-08-25T11:30:48.796-05:00Personal Update<p>Hi all, it’s been a while since I posted any kind of personal update, which makes it a good time to do that now!</p> <p>The past few years have been pretty insane. I lost my dad, grandma and my mom in the space of a year. I turned 40, finished grad school and lost about 90 pounds, celebrated my 10-year anniversary with my husband and had my gallbladder removed. I have 2 seniors in high school and a junior; they all drive now and have jobs, which means between school, their work and mine and their social lives, I don’t see them as much as I would like to. Time certainly does fly by! Oh yeah! I also got a job in the public library where I did my internship and began serving on state library association committees. Life is good and all kinds of fun right now. While I still read a lot, it is not nearly as much as I WANT to read and my to-read list grows longer and longer, in addition to the ones I want to re-read and savor all over again. I’ve had to limit myself to re-reading favorite passages instead of full books, sadly.</p> <p>Back to the weight loss. My husband and I each lost 80 pounds in about 7 months by completely changing our lives. We take Plexus Slim pink drink, the accelerator, pro-bio 5 and bio cleanse. Those help regulate our blood sugar, reduce sugar cravings and help with portion control. We also walk regularly together as well as completely changed our diet (read good nutrition, not fad diet) by greatly reducing sugar consumption, adding lots of fruits and veggies, choosing lean meats and also limiting excess carbs (greatly reducing breads, pastas) and choosing healthier options like whole grains when we do choose to eat those. We don’t follow a strict paleo diet, but we do make careful food choices and try to have a balanced and varied diet. It seems to be working well for us with maintaining the weight loss. If you are interested in Plexus at all, please feel free to go to that site and try the product. You order directly from the company and it arrives in about 3 days. plexusslim.com/mpalmer is where you can order it. OK, no more commercials except to say we feel fantastic and our lives are completely different today compared to a year and a half ago.</p> <p>My job is actually as a children’s librarian, but I am hopeful to be moving more into adult literature eventually. That’s part of the reason I haven’t been posting here quite as much, because I’ve been on the lookout for quality children’s literature to add to the library. I’ve found a good amount of really good children’s books, but obviously that’s the wrong type of book to review here. I do think though that I will occasionally review some cookbooks. I LOVES me some good cookbooks. I especially enjoy ones that tell a story or have entertaining chapter intros. I’ll make a post about 2 I recently purchased, as well as some fun cookbooks I pull out and reference fairly often. I will also be posting reviews to some YA books I find intriguing. There are just so many good books out there right now! I plan on including more of a variety of books in my blog from now on, but still focus on adult and YA. I’ll probably look into reading more of the new adult books that are being published now. I might on occasion review some children’s books that are particularly entertaining as well, though I expect that will be fairly rare.</p> <p>So, a big thanks for sticking with me through thick and thin. I love doing this blog, even though I don’t get to update it nearly as much as I want to!</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-43762298408782433932013-08-25T10:25:00.001-05:002013-08-25T10:25:31.344-05:00Book Review: Fifth Grave Past the Light<h4><font size="4">Book Description</font></h4> <p>Release date: July 9, 2013 | Series: Charley Davidson (Book 5) <p><i>Never underestimate the power of a woman </i> <p><i>on a double espresso with a mocha latte chaser high.</i> <p> —T-shirt <p>Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper. She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinaire. However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case. Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason. When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’ help. Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay. <p>Charley Davidson is at it again in <i>Fifth Grave Past the Light</i>, the sexy, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny fifth installment of the <i>New York Times </i>bestselling series by Darynda Jones. <hr> <p>Review: <p>It’s been a while since I enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed this one. Ms. Jones masterfully blended humor, mystery, terror and sensuality. It was a bit light on the mystery, but the book furthered the storyline of the series a reasonable amount. I’m really looking forward to the next one, especially due to the bomb dropped at the very end of the book. It was not quite a cliffhanger, but pretty close to it. <p>Ms. Jones continues to build a rich world in this installment. Her Reaper who can speak all languages ever known to humanity and the supernatural element continue to fascinate me. While I enjoy a good vampire or werewolf story a much as the next person, it’s refreshing to read an urban fantasy that focuses on neither of those. </p> <p>It’s pretty difficult to write a review for the 5th book in a series because I don’t want to give away anything from previous books either. If you haven’t read the first 4 books in the series, much of the story will be lost on you, so go pick up <a title="http://www.amazon.com/First-Grave-Right-Charley-Davidson/dp/B006Z30DLC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377443721&sr=8-3&keywords=darynda+jones" href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Grave-Right-Charley-Davidson/dp/B006Z30DLC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377443721&sr=8-3&keywords=darynda+jones">http://www.amazon.com/First-Grave-Right-Charley-Davidson/dp/B006Z30DLC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377443721&sr=8-3&keywords=darynda+jones</a> if you like humorous urban fantasy books with some sensuality, a unique world which is a quick, fun read. If you like that one, read the rest in the series before you enjoy this one.</p> <p>I can’t emphasize enough how much I enjoyed reading this book. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite series, along with the Cassie Palmer Series, the Grave Witch Series and the Hollows (Rachel Morgan) Series.</p> <p>Sensuality: some sex, descriptive, but not overly-explicit.</p> <p>Rating: 5 stars </p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-29951860811719232982013-07-18T21:29:00.001-05:002013-07-18T21:48:20.787-05:00Book Review: Tempest Reborn<h4><font size="4">Book Description</font></h4> <p>Release date: May 28, 2013 | Series: Jane True (Book 6) <p>Anyan may be trapped in an evil dragon and Blondie may be gone, but Jane knows one thing: she's not about to give up. She's ready to tear down heaven and earth to save her lover, despite those who believe he's lost.<br>Luckily for Jane, those who've given up on Anyan do not include those closest to her. Defying The Powers That Be, Jane and Company form their own crack squad of misfits, in whose hands the fate of the world may well rest.<br>With a little help from her friends, the Universe, and lots of snacks, Jane embarks on her greatest adventure yet, confident that with great sacrifice comes great reward. The question is, who will be that sacrifice?<br>The fantastic conclusion to Nicole Peeler's urban fantasy series featuring Jane True. (From amazon.com) <p> <p>Review: <p>I wanted to love this book, I really did. I’ve been a fan of Jane True and company since Ms. Peeler published the very first Jane True several years ago. Jane is a spunky character who fiercely loves her friends, family and hometown (and the ocean). <p>Warning: slight spoilers for earlier books included in this review. If you haven’t read previous books, stop here, do not pass Go, do not collect $200, unless you don’t care about spoilers. Me? I read the end of books first because I have to know, but I digress. <p>I realize many of my problems with the book are personal preference. When did Jane become British? She began using “whilst” in her inner monologues this time around and it nearly drove me insane, like it always does when American authors use that. To me, it’s like they are trying to sound fancy and more scholarly—Ms. Peeler is smart, she doesn’t need to “try” to sound smart or European. It also irritates me when American authors use “as” in place of because. It comes off as a misguided attempt to to sound literary. <p>Word choice quibbles aside, Jane read completely different this time around. Her personality was more abrasive to me; she also seemed more frail emotionally, (understandable) because her lover was not there and she had a lot of inner turmoil relative to the methods she might need to use to save him. I did love the emphasis on friends working together to save the world and how they all had each others’ backs during fights. I didn’t really buy her as the champion. Yes, she had the power that was gifted to her and she listened to her friends who had more war experience (planning and execution of those plans) than she did, but it still didn’t “feel” right to me as a reader. <p>Anyan and Jane /sigh. I’ve been cheering for them to get together since the first book (never did like Ryu as a leading man), but I didn’t like them together as much as I wanted to. I loved the build up, but the keeping them apart felt artificial. Also, in the past few books, Jane calling him “Puppy” just didn’t sit well with me. Seemed too weird. I know he’s a barghest (big black dog) shapeshifter, but I still didn’t like that term of endearment. <p>All complaints aside, overall the book was well-written and was a (mostly) satisfactory conclusion to the series. I definitely would not recommend picking this series up with the final book, because of back story involved but it’s a must-read if you’ve read up to this point (Book 6 in the series). It’s an easy, light read, I just couldn’t get into it as much as the other books, which I tore through from the moment I downloaded them to my kindle. <p>Recommendation: If you have started the series, you should read it to complete it. You’ll probably enjoy it, I just had personal issues with the book that detracted from my enjoyment. <p>Sensuality: some descriptive sex scenes, not for younger teens. <p>Rating: 3 stars (that’s a bit generous because it took me about a month to finish it when I normally devour a book in an evening) </p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-67121672125780980212013-05-20T22:46:00.001-05:002013-07-18T21:48:59.050-05:00Book Review: Dead Ever After<p>Book Description: (from Amazon)</p> <p><b>THE FINAL SOOKIE STACKHOUSE NOVEL </b><br><b><i>There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart....</i></b> <p>Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.<br>Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime. <p>But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough… <p> <hr> <p>Book Review:</p> <p>It’s time to say goodbye to another series. I finished this several days ago and have been letting it sit and find the longer it sits, the more satisfying the ending.</p> <p>Sookie’s been through the wringer in the last few books, both physically and emotionally. People have developed very definite ideas about which character Sookie should end up with romantically. The bottom line is, not everyone will be satisfied with the ending; it will leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. My purpose here is not to give spoilers or to join in any argument about the ending to Ms. Harris’ series, as it is hers to write and end as she chooses. Other quibbles I’ve read that people have with the book is parts have a different PoV (3rd person omniscient in addition to the normal 1st person—Sookie). I’m used to series jumping around PoV to PoV, so this didn’t bother me.</p> <p>The murder was to a character I didn’t mourn at all though the family did garner a bit of sympathy. I THOUGHT I had figured out who was to blame, but I was only partly correct (have to add that I love it when I’m surprised at least a little bit!). Most of the loose ends were tied up in a satisfactory manner, but I still look forward to this fall, when the book that wraps everything up with everyone in Bon Temps is released.</p> <p>I feel like I can’t say much more without giving anything away. If you’ve read the series, read this book. It’s a really good conclusion to the series, highly recommend. The best line in the book, bar none was: “Life should imitate romance literature far more often.” The last 2 paragraphs remind me of why I love this series. Sookie is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t lose her head in a crisis. Thank you for introducing us to Sookie, Ms. Harris. </p> <p>Sensuality: some sex, would let older teens read.</p> <p>Rating: 5 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-5144654075123879312013-05-17T10:07:00.001-05:002013-07-18T21:49:28.884-05:00Book Review: A Memory of Light<p>Book Description: (From amazon) </p> <p>Since 1990, when Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time® burst on the world with its first book, <i>The Eye of the World,</i> readers have been anticipating the final scenes of this extraordinary saga, which has sold over forty million copies in over thirty languages. <p>When Robert Jordan died in 2007, all feared that these concluding scenes would never be written. But working from notes and partials left by Jordan, established fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson stepped in to complete the masterwork. With <i>The Gathering Storm</i> (Book 12) and <i>Towers of Midnight </i>(Book 13) behind him, both of which were # 1 <i>New York Times</i> hardcover bestsellers, Sanderson now re-creates the vision that Robert Jordan left behind. <p>Edited by Jordan’s widow, who edited all of Jordan’s books, <i>A Memory of Light</i> will delight, enthrall, and deeply satisfy all of Jordan’s legions of readers. <p>The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass.<br>What was, what will be, and what is,<br>may yet fall under the Shadow.<br><i>Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.</i></p> <p> <hr> Book Review:</p> <p>As I wipe a few tears from my eyes, I wonder how in the world do I review the final book in a series that took over 4 million words and nearly 12,000 pages to complete the tale (wikipedia). In this saga of good vs. evil, you expect some characters you’ve grown to love while following this series for years will play their part in the Pattern and die. I tried to not think about that as I read <em>A Memory of Light</em> and just allowed the story to unfold as Jordan intended it to be told, albeit through another writer, Sanderson.</p> <p>This was a (mostly) satisfying conclusion to the series in that it tied up loose threads from the myriad of storylines. I wanted more though, that’s where the mostly comes in! I suppose though, that one of the first rules of Being a Master Story Teller ™ is to leave your audience wanting just a little bit more and in that, Jordan greatly succeeded. He created a world where we really began to care about the characters, to think about them while away from the created world. If you’ve never read a Wheel of Time book, this is NOT the place to begin. Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200. Start with <em>The Eye of The World</em>, originally published in 1990, and read the series in order, all 4 million+ words. It’s a rich tapestry, intricately woven to pull you in. The characters are fantastic, and watching them develop throughout the series is truly a treat. Even if you don’t want to actually read the series but are kind of interested, you might consider listening to the audiobooks. The voice actors truly deliver amazing performances (a man and woman read respective parts).</p> <p>It took me quite a while to read this final installment for a few reasons: finishing grad school, wanting to savor the last book and some parts just kind of drag in the middle. I know the author is setting the stage, but I really didn’t need to read for the hundredth time about the forces of good being overrun by Trollocs. I get it. The Shadow has nearly inexhaustible forces to block in our heroes so someone can come in and save the day.</p> <p>Rand’s fight with the Dark One was very different from what I expected, though I’m not sure how else it could have gone with a spirit entity. </p> <p>Criticisms aside, this really was a fantastic conclusion to the series. It was full of hair-raising moments, chilling moments, awwww moments, gasp-out-loud moments, dread-inducing moments, stomach-dropping moments, eyes-bug out-of your-head moments, LOL moments and teary moments. It’s quite a wild ride and you won’t regret sticking with the series to its completion. </p> <p>Since I don’t want to give spoilers, there’s really not much more I can say except for if you like epic fantasy series and choose to make the time to read long ones, you will be the richer for having read this one. There’s quite a lot of plot a child will not be able to grasp (we’ll leave out the sheer size of the series for that consideration), but older teens and adults who enjoy fantasy will likely relish diving into this series. Highly recommend.</p> <p>Sensuality: It’s the end of the world, people, there’s nothing in this one that I remember.</p> <p>Rating: 5 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-76895605373198441662013-04-30T10:30:00.001-05:002013-07-18T21:52:28.961-05:00It’s almost done!<p>Hi folks! I know, I know, it’s been a while, but not for lack of reading! I’m wrapping up grad school in the next week and beginning life as a librarian.</p> <p>For those of you who don’t know, the past few years have been an amazing journey personally, intellectually as well as professionally. I feel like a completely different person, though I know I’m fundamentally the same. Transformed with purpose, I guess you could say. I’ve lost my mom, my dad and my favorite grandma, lost 80 pounds and in a week will have a Master’s degree and a new profession, 2 kiddos will be seniors next year and the other a junior. My husband and I joke about being on a 2 year plan now, but it’s really true. In all likelihood, in 2 years, we’ll have one in college, one in a technical school and one on the way to the military. Life surely does look different now than it did 2 years ago.</p> <p> </p> <p>What have I been reading?</p> <p>I’ve been savoring the final book in the Wheel of Time series, <strong>Memory of Light</strong> by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. So far, 5 stars and I can’t anticipate changing that. If you want to read a truly epic tale, this is one for your must-read list. I should preface this by saying make sure you have a bit of time though because the series has almost 12,000 pages. The audio books are fantastic if you would rather listen, most of them are between 30 and 40 hours with a grand total of 461 hours.</p> <p>I read the second Vlad book in the Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost: <strong>Twice Tempted</strong>. I’ve always loved Vlad and it was fun to meet his love, but I’m really looking forward to reading another Cat and Bones book, which should be out soon. 5 stars. Ms. Frost knocked this one out of the park.</p> <p><strong>Black City</strong> by Christina Henry was another fantastic read. 5 stars. </p> <p><strong>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</strong> by Laini Taylor. 5 stars.</p> <p><strong>Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac</strong> by Gabrielle Zevin . 5 stars.</p> <p><strong>The Color of Earth</strong> by Dong Hwa Kim. 5 stars.</p> <p><strong>Days of Blood and Starlight</strong> by Laini Taylor. 5 stars.</p> <p><strong>Touch of the Demon</strong> by Diana Rowland. 5 stars.</p> <p><strong>Speak </strong>by Laurie Halse Anderson. 4 stars.</p> <p>I’ve read others too, some for my Young Adult Literature class, but these were the ones I really enjoyed and think people who read similar books will enjoy as well. I’ve probably read more that I can’t remember right at this moment, but I can always tell you about them later! Happy reading!</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-53863013783718406032013-01-27T21:51:00.001-06:002013-07-18T21:54:30.173-05:00Recent Books Read<p>Waking Up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly:</p> <p>It’ a pretty hokey start: hot, rich bachelor determines a girl he meets in Vegas is his ideal mate, computer programmer girl approaches said bachelor and asks him to play along. See, she approached him to get her fellow bridesmaids off her back. Boy convinces girl to marry him because “his plan is better” (she wants to have a baby and is planning artificial insemination. Both are anti-romance but hero still does some wooing as they get to know each other. Blah blah blah, predictable, mediocre writing. I don’t read romances for the “surprise” of oh-my-goodness-are-they-really-going-to-get-together? I do, however expect something fresh, really good dialogue, likeable characters. The author didn’t deliver; I didn’t really care about either character and honestly got frustrated with the two of them.</p> <p>Rating: 2.5 stars</p> <p> </p> <p>Black Lament by Christina Henry</p> <p>This picks up right after the events of the last book (Warning! Spoilers for previous books in this review). Granddaddy Lucifer comforts a grieving Maddy at the beginning of the book and gives readers a shock. Since the author loves to put Maddy through the wringer, not much time passes until she’s presented with several impossible obstacles. Nathaniel is an active part of this book, along with her normal crew of Beezle, Samiel and J.B. </p> <p>Azazel is just as vile as before, but thankfully, we do not encounter him very much. Throw in some more Faerie shenanigans and Agency politics and you have an action-packed book. Maddy begins down a dark path in this book and I’m not certain she will be returning to her previous way of life. That said, I’m a bit intrigued with where the author is headed with the series as some really big events occur at the end. Big. Huge. Still can’t tell which guy she will choose, but it appears it will be Nathaniel or JB (I totally called that in Book 1! Gabriel was just very boring.). </p> <p>If you like supernatural-themed books with a lot of action and smart-alleck sidekicks, you should try this series. Start at the beginning with Black Wings as you will have a difficult time with the amount of backstory involved if you just pick this one up.</p> <p>Rating: 4 stars</p> <p> </p> <p>Other recent books I’ve read:</p> <p>Command Indecision (Lexi Graves Mysteries) by Camilla Chafer</p> <p>Rating 4 stars</p> <p> </p> <p>Head Rush (The Disillusionists Trilogy) by Carolyn Crane</p> <p>Rating: 3 stars</p> <p> </p> <p>Mr. Real: Code of Shadows Book 1 by Carolyn Crane</p> <p>Rating 3 stars</p> <p>Wild About You (Love at Stake) by Kerrelyn Sparks</p> <p>Rating: 4 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-49267093605751512642012-11-12T14:42:00.001-06:002012-11-12T14:42:17.482-06:00Update: Still Alive!<p>I promise, I’m still alive and kicking, but school is simply consuming all my spare time this semester! I’ve read very little, although I did read Neil Gaiman’s <em>Stardust</em> and Ilona Andrews’ <em>Gunmetal Magic</em> (from the Kate Daniels world. This one is about Andrea and Raphael. That was a fun book, reading about those crazy boudas! </p> <p>I’ve also been reading <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>. I confess: I’m 40 and I am just now reading it. I’ve tried a few times before but never made it past the first few chapters before. I’ll actually finish it this time! I’ve been losing myself in the language; it’s quite different from what I usually read and I’m finding it’s very immersive for me this time around (maybe I just need to be able to lose myself for a few minutes at a time and escape the school pressures). I have to admit: I’m looking forward to treating myself to the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice once I’ve finished. Colin Firth. Enough said. I’ll probably shanghai my youngest daughter and make her watch it with me <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-By1dmfSpsoM/UKFfKBcF-0I/AAAAAAAAABY/GFASZarQg2E/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> I don’t think anyone else in the house will tolerate it, but that’s ok. Anyway, back to school stuff, I’ll write more when I’ve finished the book!</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-16319321493073683442012-08-26T15:03:00.001-05:002012-08-26T15:03:15.219-05:00Book Review: The Principal’s Office by Jasmine Haynes<p>Book Description:</p> <p>Rachel Delaney, divorced mother with two boys, isn't complaining. Her life is fine. Really. There is one thing that could make it better, though: a strong, warm, male body to help her make it through the occasional lonely night. No strings, and no relationship, thanks. Just a little fun with a perfect stranger. And there's no more perfect a stranger than Rand. <p>He's tall, blond, unattached, smokin' hot, and looking for the same thing Rachel is: wild, abandoned sex with no limits, no last names, and no complications-until Rachel's eldest son gets in trouble in class. <p>Only then does Rachel discover that her down-and-dirty, dangerously sexy mystery lover is also the new school principal. They're not exactly the ideal role models for a troubled student acting out his own frustrations. With Rachel's life turned upside down, Rand's the only one who can make it right-by maybe taking their hot-bodied hook-ups into a warm-hearted new direction... (from amazon.com) <hr> <p>Book Review: <p>This was a delightful surprise! I found this gem listed as a suggestion when I bought another book and decided to try it. I expected it to have a decent amount of sex, and it did, but was completely floored by the amount of character building included. The book described a wide variety of sexual experiences ranging from flirting to fantasies, role-playing to voyeurism. <p>I loved watching Rachel grow from a tired, beaten-down divorcee (though not a mouse) to a woman confident in her sexuality. I found it very easy to relate to the characters. The author did a great job with the characterizations of Rachel and Rand as well as the ex, the kids and Rachel’s co-workers. I’ll be re-reading this one and also reading the other 2 books in the series that deal with Bree and her guy and Erin and Dominic. <p>The hero and heroine are a little bit older than many written about today. At 39 and 40, they each have some life experience yet quite a lot of life left in them, no inexperienced miss fresh from the schoolroom making her first appearance to the ton here. It was quite refreshing to read about characters my own age with a similar past. I loved reading the role-playing scenes Rand and Rachel acted out. “Playful” doesn’t even begin to describe them. This is a grown-up erotic romance, steamy and real. If you are looking for something with extremely simple sentences that reads like Penthouse or Playboy letters, you’ll need to look elsewhere because this is excellently written, classy and has real depth to it. There’s joy, laughter, tension, anger, frustration and much satisfaction. <p>My only complaint about the book is Rachel was a little wishy-washy while she grows as a character as a result of facing some really tough decisions. That said, she reacts believably and in-character, it was just a little bit frustrating to read it. The author did a great job alternating between Rand’s and Rachel’s PoV, but I would have liked to read just a bit more from Rand’s viewpoint. Rachel’s discovery of Rand’s school position occurs a little later in the book than I really expected. That’s not a bad thing, just another example of how surprising this book was. <p>If you are looking for an erotic romance with real characters, that is fresh and playful, this is a great place to start. I highly recommend it. <p>Sensuality: many descriptive sex scenes <p>Rating: 5 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-36844008439946737502012-08-26T11:23:00.001-05:002012-08-26T11:23:25.545-05:00Book Review: Unbreakable Bond by Gemma Halliday and Jennifer Fischetto<p> </p> <p>Book Description:</p> <p>Her name is Bond. Jamie Bond. And her life is about to be shaken and stirred in a cocktail of sex, lies, scandal, and one very dead body.<br>Jamie Bond is a former cover model who switches gears to take over the family business: The Bond Agency, a high-powered P.I. firm located in Los Angeles that specializes in domestic espionage - catching cheating husbands. Jamie's assembled a team of other disenchanted former models to help her take names and kick derrieres among L.A.'s wealthiest philandering husbands. Her current client: Mrs. Veronica Waterston, the young, distraught wife of superior court judge, Thomas Waterston, known for his tough sentencing, right-wing leanings, and his fondness for blondes with double D's. Easy target. But Jamie's simple case takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the not-so-good judge winds up on the ten o'clock news with a bullet through his head. It's clear that someone has set Jamie up, and suddenly she's on the run, under fire, and in serious jeopardy of losing it all. With a hot A.D.A. on her trail, a killer on the loose, and her life on the line, Jamie must prove once and for all that nobody messes with a Bond. <hr> <p>Book Review: <p>After several weeks of reading books that were pretty blah, this was very refreshing! I devoured it in an afternoon. If you are looking for a quick, fun read, look no further! If you have read any of Gemma Halliday’s High Heels Mysteries or the Stephanie Plum books and enjoyed them, this will be right up your alley. <p>I really enjoyed Jamie’s (short for James) character. She is a beautiful, sexy, smart, funny woman with a heart of gold. I loved her persistence and her indomitable spirit. She has a photographer best friend, Danny, who assists her on cases when necessary. The relationship here interests me and I look forward to reading where the authors take this story arc. <p>The cat and mouse game with the very attractive Assistant DA, Aiden Prince, alone is worth the read. The scene in the park cracked me up and I loved the twist the authors threw in. If that scene wasn’t enough for you, the courthouse scene will make you pick your jaw up from the floor. <p>The former models who work for Jamie are also a treat to read about, all successfully balancing intellect, street smarts and allure. As befitting any work where the main character’s name is James Bond, there are some fun gadgets thrown in, but not enough to make this feel like a spy or sci-fi movie. The ending was a bit predictable, but the character development was very well done. I’m eagerly waiting for the next in the series as this one made me laugh and bite my nails. It grabbed me by the hand and pulled me in, not letting go until the very last page. Highly recommended. <p>Sensuality: references to sex <p>Rating: 5 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-51602372591790204132012-08-10T13:10:00.001-05:002012-08-10T13:10:02.186-05:00Book Review: Volcanoes by Nicole Hamlett<p> </p> <p>Book Description:</p> <p>Be careful what you ask of Fate - sometimes she gives it to you.<br>When we last saw our heroine, she'd watched her faithful pet rip off her new best friend's head to save her son's life and Atlantis was rising from the depths. Now, Grace Murphy is back in the third installment of the Huntress series, but this time she's facing an all-out war. It's critical that Nyx (and Atlantis) stay buried, but her psychotic brats will do most anything to get her back.<br>With Hypnos invading her dreams, Dylan caught up in the throes of his "change" and juggling her relationships with Drew and Heph, to say Grace's hands are full would be an understatement.<br>You didn't think that was all, did you? Of course there's more!<br>Grace wished her life would just go back to the way it was before, and that she wouldn't have her powers or responsibilities anymore. Unfortunately, it looks like Fate answered this time. The results aren't pretty. <p> <hr> <p>Review: <p>I wanted to love this book, I really did. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two in the Grace Murphy series: <em>Huntress</em> and <em>Rifts</em>, despite the cliffhanger ending on the second, and eagerly anticipated the release of <em>Volcanoes</em>. Sadly, this book did not live up to my expectation. Honestly, I almost stopped reading it about 1/3 of the way through and forced myself to continue. It picks up after the 1/3 mark. <p>I didn’t remember Grace being such a whiny little girl in the first two books. Or nearly as prickly. This one, Grace goes waaaaaay overboard on the pity parties and/or verbally skewers anyone who dares to present an alternate opinion (or /gasp! not keep her, as the least-trained Hunter, completely in the loop about everyone’s actions and motivations—completely annoying). That said, the author leaves a LOT of room for character growth, which does occur. We see Grace put on her big girl panties and take care of business in a good way. The ending, while not a cliffhanger, was kind of ambiguous and abrupt. I THINK the author was referring to one character but maybe she meant a different one? (I’m really not sure.) Although she could be referring to a completely different character. It’s just not as clear as it should have been. One other area that could have been better is summation of previous books. I’ve seen some authors do a lot more and some do less. There’s a fine line and the author really only needed to review just a tiny bit more. There were a few things that happened in the first two books I didn’t remember happening that the author could have thrown in a sentence refresher and been done with it. Although, maybe most people really just need the mention of it and not a little bit of background. Like I said, it’s a fine line between too little and too much. <p>I did enjoy reading about the developing relationship with Grace and her mother. The author did a stellar job there. Moms and daughters… ‘nuff said. I also really enjoyed the introduction of Poseidon and look forward to reading more about him in the next one. This really felt like a transition book for the series. The author wisely left many threads active for future exploration. <p>I guess <em>Volcanoes</em> could be read as a standalone novel, but a new reader would really miss out on a lot of character motivations and events from the previous two. My recommendation is to read the series in order. It’s a good series and well-worth the read. They all read quickly and contain lots of action and fast-paced dialogue. I recommend this to people who like to read the Queen Betsy series, especially the first ones. <p>Sensuality: a kiss or two, no sex. So far, this series is safe for younger readers. <p>Rating: 3 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-53602535412626672382012-08-08T10:52:00.001-05:002012-08-08T10:52:21.486-05:00Book Review: Single and Searching by Rita Herron<p>Book Description:</p> <p><b><i> <p><b><i>Overview</i></b> <p><b><i></i></b> <p>SINGLE AND SEARCHING...</i></b> <p>A woman looking for love... <p>A reporter looking for a story... <p>A mad rush to find a criminal... <p>When the truth comes out and danger strikes, will they succumb to the passion burning between them? (from amazon.com) <hr> <p>Book Review: <p>Hmmm, where to begin? This book was hysterical! Some of the mental images will stick with me for a very long time: the 2 year old who greets the “plumber” carrying his teddy bear dressed in _______ with a _____ had me laughing out loud (I don’t want to deprive you of the pleasure of reading it first-hand). Obviously, this author has had some experience with children and knows anything that can go wrong will (in very unpredictable and hilarious ways). <p>Casey is a single woman, a children’s book author and adoptive mother. Her lifestyle is delightfully scattered and chaotic. <p>Gabe is a reporter, cynical by necessity, but good-hearted. At the urging of his editor, he agrees to write an article about on online dating service between his usual investigative articles. <p>Casey and Gabe get off to a rough start, but it’s certainly entertaining! Trust is a big theme in this book as the main characters face some pretty big obstacles to trusting each other. <p>The criminal is telegraphed pretty well and there’s another aspect of the story that wasn’t entirely unexpected (no spoilers!). Overall, it was a delightfully fun read. I probably won’t read it again simply because my to-read list is so long, but I will remember parts of this story for quite some time (I love it when a good story sticks in my memory for a while). I definitely recommend this book for a fun, light-hearted mystery romance. <p>If you like Jennifer Crusie, you will probably enjoy this book as well. It’s well-written, well-paced and easy to read. <p>Sensuality: some sex, fairly descriptive <p>Rating: 5 stars Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-45846656869307642002012-08-08T08:18:00.001-05:002012-08-08T08:18:39.860-05:00Book Review: The Dream Child by Emma Daniels<p>Book Description:</p> <p>After years of trying to have a baby through IVF, Sophie Quinn’s marriage breaks up. In their attempt to start a family, Sophie had put the rest of her life on hold, including a thriving business, so now at thirty-five she’s single again, living alone in a tiny apartment, with a dead-end job, trying to pick up the pieces of her life. <br>The last thing she needs is to start having erotic dreams about a handsome blonde stranger who turns out to be a real person, Vic Rose, the new manager, who walks into the office to discover the beautiful dark-haired woman he’s been dreaming about is not a figment of his imagination either.<br>Sophie and Victor are just as drawn to one-another in real life, but neither are prepared to admit to the dreams they’re having about each other, not until the arrival of the dream child..... <hr> <p>Book Review: <p>I have kind of mixed feelings about this one. Overall, it was an enjoyable book, but I was highly distracted by errors. I realize the author is from Australia and some of the “errors” stemmed from me not grasping minor differences in language use/slang, but not all. If the author wants to contact me through my blog, melodysbookshelf dot com, for a list of errors, I will be happy to respond. That aside, I thought the premise of the book was truly unique and enjoyable. <p>Things I enjoyed about the book: <p>1. The premise <p>2. The dream scenes (I wanted more!) <p>3. The reveal (what was behind the dreams—awesome!) <p>4. Sophie, free-spirited bead jewelry maker <p>5. The ending. Loved, loved, loved it! <p>Things I didn’t love about the book: <p>1. Pacing was a bit strange, offering highly descriptive dreams (very nice!) then skipping weeks and months at a time in other parts of the book. I realize part of the months skipping was necessary as nothing relevant to the plot really happened, but it still felt weird to me as a reader. <p>2. Vic, stuffed shirt, kind of a jerk at times <p>3. The lack of communication drove me nearly insane. Misunderstandings and failure to resolve issues/dragging out the conflict is a serious pet peeve of mine as a reader. <p>Again, overall, it’s an enjoyable book, but I won’t read it again. I do recommend it as a good beach/weekend read as it reads fairly quickly. <p>Sensuality: some descriptive dream sex <p>Rating: 3 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-33739977101680885022012-08-08T07:28:00.001-05:002012-08-08T07:28:10.930-05:00Book Review: Who Glares Wins by Camilla Chaffer<p>Book Description: <p>Only a few weeks into her new job as a private investigator, Lexi Graves thinks she may have bitten off more than she can chew with her first solo cases.<br>In between going undercover as a plush pony at a “Bronie” conference and following her cheating brother-in-law, she’s got a saboteur-turned-killer to catch and a missing woman to find. Two of her cases may be connected, but how?<br>There’s no short list of suspects to investigate, but the closer Lexi gets to the killer, the more her life is put in jeopardy. Trying to avoid being framed for a murder she didn’t commit, Lexi knows her luck is running out.<br>To make matters worse, her boyfriend, sexy detective, Adam Maddox, thinks she’s out of the PI game faster than she got into it. Her boss, the mysterious Solomon, meanwhile, hopes to get her between the sheets by night, as well as solving cases by day, and Lexi’s "just say no" resolve might not be as fortified as she believes.<br>All she wants is to be taken seriously and there’s only one way she can do that—solve the cases, no matter what. (from amazon.com) <p> <hr> </p> <p><strong>Book Review</strong></p> <p>Ms. Chaffer pulls it off again. Lexi is just as charming in <em>Who Glares Wins</em> as in the first book in the series, <em>Armed and Fabulous</em>. <p>Lexi very much wants to be respected by her co-workers, but they all think she and Solomon have something on the side and that is why she got the job. I enjoyed how the author allowed Lexi to prove she is a capable investigator. She also has good instincts, developed in part by growing up in a family of police officers. She takes 3 solo cases, 2 pro bono without Solomon’s knowledge, and juggles them well. I love how Lexi utilizes all the tools she has available, work, family and friends and new acquaintances to solve tricky informational needs. The scene where she lays a honey trap for her brother-in-law is priceless and is worth reading the book! <p>I like how the book focuses primarily on the cases, family and friends, with romance off to the side. It’s not quite an after-thought, as Lexi does contemplate the two men in her life more than a bit, but it doesn’t take center stage and that’s a refreshing change from my usual reads. Lexi grows quite a bit in this book and doesn’t seem quite as klutzy as in the first one and far more capable. <p>My one quibble with the book is how much people underestimate her, specifically Maddox. Although that actually turns into a positive when she proves just how capable and resourceful she is and successfully vindicates herself. <p>The humor, language, editing, pacing are all excellent. <em>Who Glares Wins</em> grabs your attention quickly and hangs on to it until the book is over. I highly recommend this series and am eagerly waiting for book 3, which is supposed to be out later in August 2012. I think the book would work as a standalone novel, but a reader would benefit from reading <em>Armed and Fabulous</em> for the backstory. <p>Sensuality: kissing, references to sex. Safe for teen readers. <p>Rating: 5 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-77600042758309467002012-07-31T09:42:00.001-05:002012-07-31T09:42:51.540-05:00Book Review: Armed & Fabulous (Lexi Graves Mysteries, 1) by Camilla Chafer<p> </p> <p>Book Description:</p> <p>All Lexi wants to do is get through the day at her boring temp job with Green Hand Insurance. That’s until she discovers the vice president, Martin Dean, in a pool of blood and herself at the center of an investigation into insurance fraud.<br>Millions of dollars are missing, the chief suspect is dead and her mysterious, sexy, new boss is not what he seems.<br>Recruited by the joint task force working on the case, all Lexi has to do is work out who killed Dean and where the missing millions are. That’s easier said than done when her sister insists upon the baby shower to end all baby showers, her wise-ass cop family just wants to keep her safe, someone keeps leaving her creepy gifts, and all the clues point to a seedy sex club on the wrong side of town.<br>As the bodies start to pile up, Lexi is on a race against time to find the killer and the money, before she’s the next one in the murderer’s sights. (from amazon.com) <p> <hr> <p>Review: <p>Prior to finding this book on a list of free books, I had never heard of this author. I read a lot of indie authors or not really very well-known authors and sometimes they are good and sometimes, eh, not-so-good. This book was one of the really good ones. <p>Lexi is the youngest of 5, born into a family of police officers. She is smart and capable, though she hides this well, personable, but has no place to really direct her energies, so she works as a temp. <p>Adam and Solomon are on the task force with her and provide an interesting love triangle. I hope the author doesn’t drag that aspect out too much. I enjoy a little love triangle as much as the next person, but they can be drawn out too much. Adam is the good-guy cop, boy scout-ish, Solomon is the bad-boy, dangerous. Another reviewer compared this series to Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich and that’s a pretty accurate assessment. Adam=Joe Morelli, Solomon=Ranger. At least it seems that way from the first book. <p>Things I really enjoyed about the book: <p>1. Lexi’s friendship with Lily. I love that the author didn’t throw the best friend under the bus because some hot guys were around. <p>2. The dialogue/inner monologue was great. The humor was fantastic (I laughed out loud many times). There was only one time I felt it was over-done. <p>3. Believable sexual tension build-up between Lexi and both Adam and Solomon. <p>4. I Loved her family. The protective older brothers and the too-perfect older sister provided some comic relief as well as some genuine displays of caring. The author did a fantastic job portraying family commitment and exposing faults (and setting up future books). <p>5. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book quite a lot and was a little surprised at the ending. The author did a good job building the tension. <p>Things I didn’t care about: <p>1. I would have liked a bit more information about her past. I realize the author is stretching the story out a bit over a few books, but darn it, I want answers now! (just kidding). Specifically, I want to know about “the army incident” and why she can’t be a police officer. I have a feeling the 2 are related. <p>That’s it for what I didn’t enjoy about the book. Seriously. It was a great book. Well-edited, dialogue great, pacing great, believable characters and actions. <p>If you like funny mysteries with a similarity to the Stephanie Plum novels, you will probably enjoy this as well. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series (I’ll be buying the next installment as soon as I post this review) and highly recommend this book. <p>Sensuality: a few kisses and some sexual tension, references to sex. It would fine for a teenager to read. <p>Rating: 5 stars Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-46054427794261822352012-07-17T16:43:00.001-05:002012-07-17T16:43:41.736-05:00Book Review: Subtle Magic (Subtle Lovers, Book One)<p> </p> <h4><font size="4">Book Description</font></h4> <p>Publication Date: October 13, 2008 <p>Duse Ammadon has been without Skylar for over four hundred years and he'll not wait another minute. His life mate is the first to be reincarnated since the depraved Watcher, Asmoday, killed his brother's mate, forcing her into a sexual response, which robbed her of her magic essences. Now a whole world of criminal possibilities has opened to the once innocent race of Watchers. Because Duse knows Skylar could be the next target for Asmoday's depravity, he doesn't have the luxury of re-introducing Skylar to Watcher ways or for a slow, patient seduction. To set the protection spell, he has to make love to her immediately. If only she could remember him from one lifetime to another. Skylar Halifax always knew she was different. She could see auras and manipulate subtle matter to promote healing. She sensed there was something unique about Duse, something beyond his god-in-man form and phenomenal good looks. Duse can't waste any time convincing Skylar that he is different. So different, in fact, that he's not even human. Will Skylar accept Duse as her life mate or will Duse have to use other means to convince her that he is her destiny? <p>Review: <p>This was a mildly entertaining book, worth a quick read, but not much more than that. While I appreciate the author working to provide a backstory and an introduction to the way her world works, especially since it’s the first in a series, I felt it was a bit over-done on the description of the subtle bodies and some of the chakra information. Some of the past life story regarding Skylar was interesting, as she had been a healer, wise woman, village leader previously. <p>I would have liked a little bit more build-up before the hero and heroine had sex the first time. Sex scenes were pretty steamy; if you are reading the book just for the sex, this will probably be a good choice for you. I just didn’t like the way all the sex scenes jumped right in without much other play (could very well be personal preference on that one). <p>One of the things the author could have done to make it more of a story was to make the danger a bit more apparent. That part of the story felt rushed and contrived. I would have liked more page time with Jax and maybe a bit more with the bad-guy. We know he’s evil, but I just didn’t feel the importance of what he was doing besides that he was killing these young women to keep them from “feeding” other Watchers. I also would have loved for the author to explore what appeared to be a budding relationship between Ainge and Sherry, who, btw, was probably my favorite character in the book. A retired police officer, smart, attractive (if a VERY young grandma), she kind of steals the show in the end. <p>I liked parts of the book, but feel like it fell short of what it COULD have been. Bottom line: read if you are in the mood to read something sexy and not particularly interested in the story. <p>Sensuality: explicit sex, adults-only <p>Rating: 3 stars</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-42714401373754749432012-07-17T15:49:00.001-05:002012-07-17T15:49:57.589-05:00Book Review: When Libby Met the Fairies and Her Whole Life Went Fae by Kirsten Mortensen<h4><font size="4">Book Description</font></h4> <p>Publication Date: May 10, 2011 <p>Biologist Libby Samson wants only one thing: to rebuild her life after an ugly divorce.<br>So she quits her job and buys an organic farm. <br>Then, one evening, a two-foot tall man stands up out of the shadows and greets her by name.<br>It’s hard enough for Libby to come to terms with the fact that “little folk” exist. <br>But when word of Libby’s experience leaks out onto the Internet, her peaceful farm soon swarms with kooky strangers. The media shows up. Her annoying sister shows up. And her horrified boyfriend thinks she should be on meds.<br>Libby finds one person she can confide in: Dean, her solitary (but sexy) next-door neighbor. <br>But what if trusting Dean is a huge mistake? <hr> <p>Review <p>This was a well-constructed book. I felt like the characters were well-drawn and mostly realistic while some of them felt a bit cartoonish (Gina, Libby’s sister). <p>Things I liked about the book: <p>1. The premise. Libby, a biologist, wants to be an organic farmer. She is a nice woman who just wants to have a quiet life in the country after she goes through a divorce and is laid off. <p>2. Maizey and Dean. Maizey is the niece, Dean is the sexy neighbor. Maizey’s kind of a breath of fresh air, exuberant. Dean is a quiet beta-type hero who has a heart of gold under a slightly crusty exterior. His dog, Bo, is awesome. <p>3. The fairies. I think there should have been more in the book about the fairies, not about people who attempt to capitalize on Libby’s experience with them. They were an interesting little group. <p>Things I didn’t like about the book: <p>1. Libby displays passive aggressive behaviors. Instead of dealing with her problems, she hides from them. <p>2. She allows people to walk all over her on her own turf and almost allows these people to steal her dream of organic farming. I could not stand Gina. She was pushy, belittling, and then made it seem like Libby was in the wrong. I hate bullies. I wanted to jump into my Kindle and punch her in the face. However, I also don’t like in books when people don’t stand up for themselves. <p>3. I also didn’t like her boyfriend, Paul (selfish jerk). I thought she stayed with him entirely too long (a great example of rationalizing her problems and hiding from them). <p>I realize some people may think some of the good things are bad and vice versa. It’s worth a quick read, but it’s not a book I will re-read. I’d recommend this for people who like “train wrecks.” You know, that TV show or movie that you are watching and can’t stop because you know it’s going to be bad. I have a difficult time with that sort of thing and usually just walk away if I can tell it’s going to be painful. <p>Overall, it’s a good book, pretty enjoyable to read. <p>Sensuality: references to sex and some kissing, not descriptive, safe for younger teens, though they probably won’t be very interested. <p>Rating: 3 stars Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-12047770806669398492012-07-11T16:22:00.001-05:002012-07-11T16:22:47.032-05:00Book Review: Tempest’s Fury by Nicole Peeler<h4><font size="4">Book Description</font></h4> <p>Publication Date: June 26, 2012 <p>Jane's not happy. She's been packed off to England to fight in a war when she'd much rather be snogging Anyan. Unfortunately, Jane's enemies have been busy stirring up some major trouble -- the kind that attracts a lot of attention. In other words, they're not making it easy for Jane to get any alone time with the barghest, or to indulge in her penchant for stinky cheese.<br>Praying she can pull of a Joan of Arc without the whole martyrdom thing, Jane must lead Alfar and halflings alike in a desperate battle to combat an ancient evil. Catapulted into the role of Most Unlikely Hero Ever, Jane also has to fight her own insecurities as well as the doubts of those who don't think she can live up to her new role as Champion.<br>Along the way, Jane learns that some heroes are born. Some are made. And some are bribed with promises of food and sex. (from amazon.com) <hr> <p>Book Review: <p>I’ve been following the adventures of Jane True since the beginning (late 2009), watching Jane grow from a girl with a tragic past to a young woman with a mission to save the world. At times funny, endearing, touching, horrifying, sexy, this series delivers a wide range of experiences from Jane’s point of view. <p>It took me a little while to sit down and actually write this review, even though I read it on Release Day. I enjoyed the book, I’ll say that right away, because I don’t want people to think my criticisms stem from a lack of enjoyment of the book. <p>If you haven’t read the first 4 books in the series, stop right now, head to the book store or download and read them on your e-reader. You will not be able to grasp the character motivations or some of the implications for actions taken. This book will be much more enjoyable after you’ve read the other books in the series. <p>This book felt more like a transition book than anything else. Lots of small things happened and a HUGE cliffhanger ending. The author ended up posting her reasoning for the way she ended the book on her website because she’s fielded a LOT of comments about it. It’s HUGE, did I say that before? Well, it is! My main complaint about the book is the cliffhanger, leaving us stranded for at least 6 months. I get so impatient! <p>I did enjoy several characters from past books visiting with Jane. Grizzie HAS to be one of my favorite characters, so colorful! Also, Jane’s dad is fun now that he’s better. But neither of them hold a candle to Jane and Anyan; it’s been so much fun watching as they became a couple. <p>I can’t really say much more about the book because I don’t want to give anything away. I can’t wait for the 6th (and final) book. I expect it to be epic. <p>Sensuality: a sex scene and several “close calls” <p>Rating: 4 stars Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-14106811238294525612012-07-11T14:53:00.001-05:002012-07-11T14:53:38.904-05:00Book Review: Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard<p>Book Description: </p> <p>Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption. <br>When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide.<br>An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love and redemption, “Gabriel's Inferno” is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man's escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible...forgiveness and love. <hr> <p>Book Review: <p>This book was pretty strange and I can’t quite decide whether or not I really enjoyed it. It had some good parts to it, was well-written, editing was pretty decent, but I didn’t really like the main characters. Oddly enough though, that doesn’t necessarily mean I can’t enjoy a book. For example, I’ve read the Twilight series oh, about 5 times but I really didn’t like Edward OR Bella. I just loved the story. <p>A few things bothered me about Gabriel’s Inferno. <p>1. It felt like the author was trying to write a “literary novel” (and didn’t quite succeed). References to paintings and works in other languages abounded. I guess this could be just me, maybe I’m not “cultured” or “smart” enough to enjoy this (I don’t think that’s the case as I do enjoy literature and going to museums, etc.) <p>2. It took waaaaaay too long for us to discover what Julia’s issues involved. She should have told Gabriel much sooner. I got the gist of what had happened earlier, but I felt like the author delayed divulging the information much longer than the story warranted. <p>3. The relationship was a little bit troubling (professor-student) but the author did a good job with keeping them apart until that was not an issue (but it does set up the conflict for the next book), also pointing out that they had been in contact before, kind of family friends. <p>4. The way Paul, a fellow student, and Gabriel treat Julia was weird. I realize that’s not really very descriptive and I realize the author was attempting to convey how much these men valued her and would cherish her but it felt kind of creepy. Paul called her “Rabbit” and treated her like a porcelain doll. Gabriel treated her also like a porcelain doll but the cherishing part was a bit overplayed in my opinion. I honestly can’t believe I am saying that, because I ADORE feeling cherished (husband is awesome at making me feel cherished) and am a sentimental sap when it comes to reading romances and seeing the man just take care of his woman. I eat up old-fashioned stuff like that! I say all this to say that if I say it felt overdone, I’m not speaking from a position of feminism. <p>I did enjoy the end. Honestly, that’s why I’m even contemplating reading the next book, <em>Gabriel’s Rapture</em>. The author wrapped up the story with Julia’s past and set the stage for the next book. <p>The chemistry between Gabriel and Julia was well-done, the dialogue was enjoyable for the most part and felt pretty natural (not much worse than reading an adult book that read like a middle-schooler wrote the dialogue). <p>If you enjoy books that deal with more literary topics, you will probably enjoy this book (for that kind of audience, I would probably give the book 4 stars). For people like me, probably 3 stars. For people who want a quick, uncomplicated story, probably 2 stars. This is a pretty lengthy book (I took 2 days to read it and I’m usually a book-a-day kind of gal). This is a complex book, entertaining at times, but it is not one I would recommend for everyone. <p>Rating: 3 stars <p>Sensuality: many kissing/petting scenes, one sex scene. Well done, probably not a book for teens, especially early teens.</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-12994928850460295672012-07-07T21:41:00.001-05:002012-07-07T21:41:38.822-05:00Book Review: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price<h4>Book Description</h4> <p>Publication Date: July 3, 2012 <p><b>When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…<br></b><br>As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie. <br>But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a string of suicides occur in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shades have no memory of the days leading up to their brutal endings, so despite the very public apparent suicides, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why do the shades lack the memory of their deaths? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all… (from amazon.com) <p> <p>Book Review: <p>I marked the release of this one in my calendar months ago. For some reason (OK, OK, many reasons), this series really sticks to me. I finished the book this morning and I just want to go back to the first two and re-read them. Not that I was lost in this book’s storyline as it relates to the other two books because the author did a fine job of reminding the reader about past occurrences without sounding like a broken record, but because I want to re-experience the introduction of Death and meet Falin again. Surprisingly, I also want to go back to read parts about her dad. Now there’s a mystery I want solved! The author leaves much unexplained and open for future development. <p> <p>While the case takes up a lot of page time, we do get to visit with her friends and keep up with them as well, the revelry during the Equinox was very interesting and I find myself wondering which court she will choose. I hope the next book develops the fae storyline a little bit more, because there is a LOT the author could explore. The Winter Queen is an awesome character to hate! <p>We meet a new character, Briar, who is um, an interesting character. I kind of hope we see her again. The author’s development of the ghost characters reminds me a little bit of Karen Chance’s Cassandra Palmer series (one of my all-time favorite series), but it never felt “copied.” I loved it when Roy asked if he could have the broom closet for his office. <p>Ms. Price threw in some unexpected (yet hoped-for) events and really knocked it out of the park with this one. It will probably be about 9 months before the next one comes out. I can guarantee the release date will be marked on my calendar the moment I see the date. <p>I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy urban fantasy that’s a little bit different, with a bit of a mystery, a bit of romance and a strong female lead who seems like a real person. Alex messes up, stumbles around, uses her magic, and pays the price for her magic (with her eyesight), no perfect Miss here. She’s grown quite a lot since we first met her in <em>Grave Witch</em> and has taken the reader along for the ride. Do yourself a favor, though and read the first two books in the series before you dive into this one. <em>Grave Memory</em> will be all the richer experience if you do. <p>Sensuality: some kisses and a sex scene, a little descriptive, probably OK for older teens. <p>Rating: 5 stars.</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-31658159637451494242012-06-25T19:01:00.001-05:002012-06-25T22:15:25.384-05:00Book Review: Bared to You<h4>
Book Description</h4>
Publication Date: May 24, 2012 <br />
<b>"If I were to recommend any book today to readers who enjoyed <i>50 Shades</i>...this would be the first one I would offer....scorching love scenes."--<i>Dear Author </i></b><br />THE <i>NEW YORK TIMES</i> BESTSELLER<br /><b>Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness... </b><br />He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily... <br />Gideon <i>knew</i>. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private worlds...and desires.<br />The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart... (from amazon) <br />
<hr />
Review <br />
I got an e-mail a few weeks ago which read something along the lines of “If you enjoyed <em>50 Shades of Grey</em>, you should read Bared to You.” Sadly, it had not been released yet, but I eagerly counted the days. I read some early reviews of it and they were overwhelmingly positive, which increased my anticipation even more! Finally, I had the book on my Kindle Fire (release day) and sat down to read, completely ignoring the assignment for my summer class that was due in less than a week and devoured the book. I couldn’t put it down and finished it the day I started it. It grabs ahold of you like a baby with a piece of candy and refuses to let you go. <br />
Gideon and Eva were both damaged characters. I enjoyed that they weren’t perfect but not so damaged I couldn’t relate to them, even though they both had some moments you wanted to smack them upside the head. <br />
The book was well-written, interesting story, Eva and Gideon had chemistry that almost made you forget to breathe and steamy sex scenes. Eva’s model best friend was a great character, as was her boss and his boyfriend. My one main gripe about the book was really about Eva’s financial responsibility. Her stepdad was rich, her biological dad was a police officer. At the beginning of the book, she says something about not being able to pay for her student loans so she let her real dad take care of them (we’ll forget also for a moment we find out later she has a nest egg she refuses to touch that started at 5 million and has been growing under the watchful care of her step dad but she can’t use the interest or the investment returns and her middle class dad has to pay for it?) Then later she buys a very expensive ring? Not acceptable to me. I get that it’s fiction and she has many people in her life that are wealthy, but that just seemed wrong. OK, I’ll stop griping about that now <img alt="Smile" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sDRfrIvdibw/T-j776Ddj7I/AAAAAAAAABM/DSOR9ZK5NOU/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none;" /> . <br />
I didn’t even finish reading the book before I recommended it to my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Mother-in-law LOVED it, haven’t heard from sister-in-law. If you enjoyed 50 shades (and even if you didn’t like 50 Shades but you like steamy books every now and again), you should give this a read. Not for younger readers (I won’t let my teenage daughter read it yet). <br />
Sensuality: several descriptive sex scenes <br />
Rating: 4 starsMelodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-89072910989367978152012-06-10T15:27:00.001-05:002012-06-10T15:27:52.238-05:00Book Review: Forgotten Father<h4><font size="3" face="Georgia"></font> </h4> <h4><font size="3" face="Georgia"><font style="font-weight: bold">Book Description</font></font></h4> <p>Publication Date: November 19, 2011 <p>When Delanie Carlyle wakes in the hospital after a car accident, she discovers she cannot remember the past month of her life…and to her dismay, she’s newly pregnant. With no husband or lover in her life, she must take care of her child alone and then an elderly friend dies and she must deal with the complications presented by a large, unexpected inheritance.<br>Eighteen months later, Mitchell Riese meets again the woman who has stolen half his inheritance. Delanie knew who Mitchell was when she fell into conversation with the dark, handsome tycoon at a cocktail party celebrating the re-opening of his grandfather’s historic resort. She has supervised the restoration of the massive turn-of-the-century hotel and, in the process, has earned the fond affection of the irascible, elderly Donovan Riese.<br>Mischievously, Delanie parries Mitchell’s attempts to learn her name. But somewhere between the casual conversation and the sparkling champagne, she falls instantaneously, head-overin love with Donovan Riese’s sexy grandson. After a night of glorious passion, she wakes and slips away from his bed, still awash in the glow of finally having found her soul mate.<br>At breakfast later that morning, Delanie waits with teasing expectancy when Donovan introduces her to his grandson, Mitchell. When the man she thought was her hero viciously attacks her for supposedly taking advantage of his grandfather, Delanie runs away, only to crash her car in her distress and wake up...having forgotten with whom she made a baby. (from amazon) <hr> <p>Review <p> <p>I enjoy reading independent authors because discovering a really good new author is such a great surprise. When I read independent authors, sometimes I find grammatical mistakes, spelling errors, word choice problems. All of those are very fixable and if I really like the story, the characters, the chemistry, I’ll shoot the author an e-mail and tell him/her about it so they can fix it. I won’t do that with this book. <p> <p><em>Forgotten Father</em> by Carol Rose has an interesting premise, but I disliked this book intensely, mostly because the hero is a misogynistic asshole. I read the book on my iPhone and there were so many times I wanted to throw my phone up against the wall when I read Mitchell talk about how all women are money-grubbing whores. The author had the good sense to not actually use that word in the text, but it’s strongly suggested on more than one occasion. I’m getting mad again just writing about it. He had no redeeming qualities whatsoever and did not deserve the heroine at all. <p> <p>Delanie wasn’t the best heroine either. She was just OK. I recognize the author was attempting to make her a multi-faceted character, but she came off as a bit like a person who has multiple personality disorder might be portrayed. It seemed incongruous that she was a smooth-talking situation smoother and then not be able to verbally defend herself. The resolution was too-pat and too fast. I realize people can have aha! moments and change, but given the depth of Mitchell’s hatred of women, it was not well-done at all. <p>I should also add that one of my least favorite storylines is The Misunderstanding.If you really like that type of story, you might like the book, but characters who don’t communicate well and continually misinterpret each other’s actions irritates me at best and angers me at worst. If you couldn’t tell, this one angered me <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NUjOeLNAxxE/T9UDR_AqddI/AAAAAAAAABA/-0y-BhvPk34/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800">. I do not recommend this book and I’m not sure I’d read another of her books, at least for a while, hopefully I’ll forget this book soon.</p> <p>Sensuality: a few sex scenes, not terribly graphic, decently written</p> <p>Rating: 1 star </p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154439442312149152.post-87794882042949287132012-04-18T19:55:00.001-05:002012-04-18T19:55:02.139-05:00Quick List of Good Books Read<p>Disclaimer: I’ve read quite a few more books than this, generally 3-5 a week, but many are ultimately forgettable, so if I’ve remembered it long enough to post it here, it would definitely be worth the read-time (3-5 stars).</p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>Lover Reborn</strong></em> by JR Ward </p> <p>This was one of the more enjoyable BDB books. It was a nice blast from the past with some character updates. The story was necessarily slow, taking place over a year. I wanted to smack Tohr so many times for his harshness. No’One and Tohr both showed a great deal of character development, as did Xhex and John. I don’t really care much for Xhex but she had a great part in this series entry. I am very interested to see where JR Ward goes from here.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Shades of Grey</em></strong> trilogy by EL James</p> <p>This was originally a fan fiction piece for Twilight, but it’s much more adult. It’s not a vampire story (darn, I love the vampire stories!) but it was nonetheless captivating (I read the trilogy in less than a week). </p> <p>I was originally intrigued when my husband sent me a link to an article about the first book. Evidently this has polarized men and women due to the subject matter. DO NOT READ this series if you are faint of heart as it does deal with BDSM and has explicit sex (although I wouldn’t call it erotica, it has more sex than many books I’ve read). This is NOT a book for teenagers. I don’t normally read books with BDSM, but this was very well done. Ana and Christian, while not necessarily realistic characters, are well-drawn and the trilogy is about their journey as a couple, much more than the manner in which they play.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Drink Deep</em></strong> by Chloe Neill</p> <p>The latest book in the Chicagoland Vampires delivers! It begins with the transition the House and Merit go through in the aftermath of the last book. Merit is caught in the middle of vampire politics, Mal is in the middle of her wizard exams and the other main character (the city of Chicago) has some serious problems (understatement of the year there)! The ending was VERY unexpected and you will be waiting for the next installment from the moment you finish the book.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Maybe This Time</em></strong> by Jennifer Crusie</p> <p>I love Jennifer Crusie! This was a fun novel, a little paranormal (ghosts!) a lot of heart. Madcap, zany characters and kids who need understanding.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>By a Thread</em></strong> by Jennifer Estep</p> <p>The latest Elemental Assassin takes you on a wild ride when Gin and Bria go on vacation. Needless to say, things don’t go quite as planned and Gin brushes off her assassin skills again, this time to help Bria’s childhood friend. There’s plenty of Owen page time, which makes me happy and a satisfactory conclusion. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Black Howl</em></strong> by Christina Henry</p> <p>I can’t say much without giving spoilers but if you’ve read this series at all, you definitely need to read this one. Maddie has lots of problems here from a surprising source with a truly unexpected ending.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Third Grave Dead Ahead</em></strong> by Darynda Jones</p> <p>This series keeps getting better and better! Charlie Davidson (grim reaper) can’t go to sleep or she summons Reyes (in my mind that’s good! He’s a great character!). She’s doing her normal private investigator stuff and she runs into problem after problem. It’s a wild ride you’ll be glad you didn’t miss. Don’t start with this one, since it’s the third in the series, you’ll be lost. We meet some new characters which are certainly colorful and learn quite a lot about some characters we already know. Can’t wait for the next one, it promises to be an even wilder ride!</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Shadow Heir</em></strong> by Richelle Mead</p> <p>This was the conclusion to the Dark Swan series and it packed a wallop! I didn’t necessarily agree with some of the decisions she made, but I think Eugenie was trying to do the best by everyone, as a ruler sometimes needs to do. The battle scene was great! The antagonist was delightfully evil and Dorian was charming. It was a good ending. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Secrets of the Demon</em></strong> by Diana Rowland</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Sins of the Demon</em></strong> by Diana Rowland</p> <p>O M G These books keep getting better and better! Diana Rowland is on my to-read list as soon as her books are published! People might be put-off by the premise of a demon summoning police officer, but it’s not satanic. The paranormal police procedurals are amazing and I highly recommend them!</p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>Huntress</strong></em> (Grace Murphy novels) by Nicole Hamlett</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Rifts </em></strong>(Grace Murphy novels) by Nicole Hamlett</p> <p>I got the first book in the series from the amazon prime monthly book checkout (too bad I had to give it back!) and had to read the next one asap. The premise is truly brilliant; the main character begins as a romance writer who finds out she’s the daughter of a goddess and goes through an amazing metamorphosis. Curse the author for leaving a HUGE cliffhanger!</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>The Sex Club: A Detective Jackson Thriller</em></strong> by LJ Sellers</p> <p>I debated putting this one in because I got pretty mad at the author for “preaching” liberal stuff at me. I don’t mind if the characters are liberal, but books where the characters are portrayed as extremely virtuous for making politically correct environmental and personal choices (and demonizes people who are conservative Christians) make me angry. The book was well-written though, the mystery engaging with a fascinating premise. However, be aware you might or might not like the preaching in it.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Spying in High Heels</em></strong> by Gemma Halliday</p> <p>This was a fun weekend read.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>The Clockwork Prince</em></strong> by Cassandra Clare</p> <p>Can’t wait for the next one! Will, Jem and Tessa will engage you better than many books I’ve read lately. It’s technically YA literature, but even adults can enjoy this one. It’s the second in the Infernal Devices trilogy, so definitely read Clockwork Angel first. What’s with authors and cliffhangers lately?! Anyway, definitely worth the read.</p> <p> </p> <p>Like I said at the beginning, I’ve read far more than this since I blogged last, but these are the best. Have fun reading!</p> Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12159930706068606764noreply@blogger.com0