Review ~ Faery Queen by Michelle Pillow

TITLE: Faery Queen
AUTHOR: Michelle Pillow
COPYRIGHT: 2007
TYPE: Fantasy/Romance
PAGES; 233
SERIES: Yes
1. Unblessed King
2. Faery Queen
3. Stone Queen

REASON FOR READING: Read the first one as a re-read had to see where the series was heading

Summary : {From Goodreads}(NOT SURE WHY IT’S THE SAME SUMMARY BUT THERE YOU GO)
Immortality has a way of changing fate. Merrick, dark elfin King of Valdis, had once been heir to all that was good-happiness and pleasure his domain. Now, trapped as the ruler of mischief, king of necessary evil, he stands on a precipice of choice. On one side, his estranged brother, now ruler of what should have been Merrick's and, on the other, King Lucien of the Damned. Both would sway him. Damnation is winning. Lady Juliana of Bellemare is from a human family, protected by the blessed, coveted by the damned. Betrothed to an old friend of her father's, Juliana is resigned to living out her days close to her childhood home, longing for an adventure, never dreaming she'd get what she wished for. When her fiancée is murdered and the children of Bellemare are stolen, Juliana is sent on a quest in a strange realm where appearances are deceiving. Merrick brings more adventure and passion than any woman could want. Can she withstand the temptations of the unblessed king? The spell she weaves over him is more than he can resist and, desperate to be the one to rule her, Merrick offers her a choice; either come with him until he tires of her.or die.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
I thought this book took off really well from where we were left in the first. The Earl promise the Faery queen he would be back but he hasn’t come. This makes her heart break b/c she really thought Hugh loved her. Slowly day by day that he doesn’t come she begins to loose her fairy magic and starts to grow darker. This is not good for the Fariy kingdom b/c they live off of pleasant things and happiness. Eventually the Queen grows so upset she makes a pact with Lucien the King of the Damned. And the story goes from there.

I have to admit at first I wanted to strangle Hugh and shake the Queen but eventually as Michelle let the story unfold I realized how great she made these characters b/c I really understood where they were coming from.

Finally we got our HEA with Hugh and the Queen only to discover that Juilianna King Merrick’s bride and Hugh’s sister has turned herself to stone. CRAP. So the story continues with Merrick get his HEA?

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it!!!

SCORE: 9 out of 10

Review ~ One Scream Away by Kate Brady

TITLE: One Scream Away
AUTHOR: Kate Brady
COPYRIGHT: 2009
TYPE: Suspense/Romance
PAGES; 464
SERIES: Yes strangely enough this is.

REASON FOR READING: Reading Romance sent me the Arc.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.


Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
First off I'm not a HUGE suspense/thriller romance reader. I like them every once in a while and when I feel like it a good one really hits the spot. This one didn't work for me. A lot of it was the characters. I know a lot of people will find the contradiction refreshing but I didn't. I felt that the heroine was SUPER weak one moment and than TOO tough the next. I understand that she had been through a lot of horrible crap and nightmares ect. are par for course but one moment she is ready to blow his head off, while the next she is shaking so bad simply being reminded of his name...

Another thing I didn't care for was how fast the hero came in and took over the heroine's life and she was fine with it.

Now that was all the bad things let me talk about the parts I liked:
I enjoyed the villain/bad guy he was well rounded or as rounded as a psycho killer can be. I was actually able to understand his breakdown and why he did what he did. That was very interesting.

All in all I thought the plot with the suspense was handled well, the background story of how the characters came together was also well done and the dolls used was wonderful.

While I didn't care for this book I feel that others might enjoy it based on the plot and tactics used. Even though this book didn't work for me I would pick up another by this author

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it.

SCORE: 4 out of 10

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins

TITLE: Left Behind
AUTHOR: Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
COPYRIGHT: 2000
TYPE: Christian
PAGES; 352
SERIES: Yes

REASON FOR READING: My mom’s been trying to get me to read this series forever!

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Piloting his 747, Rayford Steele is musing about his wife Irene's irritating religiosity and contemplating the charms of his "drop-dead gorgeous" flight attendant, Hattie. First Irene was into Amway, then Tupperware, and now it's the Rapture of the Saints--the scary last story in the Bible in which Christians are swept to heaven and unbelievers are left behind to endure the Antichrist's Tribulation. Steele believes he'll put the plane on autopilot and go visit Hattie. But Hattie's in a panic: some of the passengers have disappeared! The Rapture has happened, abruptly driverless cars are crashing all over, and the slick, sinister Romanian Nicolae Carpathia plans to use the UN to establish one world government and religion. Resembling "a young Robert Redford" and silver-tongued in nine languages, Carpathia is named People's "Sexiest Man Alive." (This reviewer, a former People writer, finds this plot twist plausible.) Meanwhile, Steele teams up with Buck Williams, a buck-the-system newshound, to form the Tribulation Force, an underground of left-behind penitents battling the Antichrist.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
I thought this is a good book talking about the end of times. Most people tend to forget that this is fiction which means two people set down and wrote it. However, they based it off of facts in the Bible the book of Revelation. So with that in mind this is a Christian book and while it seems unbelievable to some to me it is what I would envision happening. And personally makes me hope I go in rapture so that I’m not sticking around to watch this happen to the world.
The book starts off with a pilot who is thinking of cheating on his wife only before he can he realizes people are missing from his plane. As they get closer to home they realize that millions of people around the world are missing. They just disappeared in the blink of an eye. All the children are gone as well which frightens those left behind.
Hence the title. Anyway this book sets up the series of what will occur on Earth before the Lord returns. I think it had some pros and cons. I do believe if you are curious as to what the whole rapture thing is about then I suggest checking out your bible then reading this book

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it going to see if I want the rest.

Review ~ Broken Wing by Judith James

TITLE: Broken Wing

AUTHOR: Judith James

COPYRIGHT: 2008

TYPE: Historical Romance

PAGES; 350

SERIES: No I don’t believe it is a series I might be wrong though

REASON FOR READING: Kristie kept talking about it and I didn’t want to be out of the loop

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Set during the chaotic beginnings of Napoleon's rule, this saga tells the story of Gabriel St. Croix, a street survivor searching for a place to belong. Abandoned as a child and raised in a brothel, he has never known friendship or affection. Hiding physical and emotional scars behind an icy façade, his only relationship is with a young boy he has spent the last five years protecting from the brutal reality of their environment. But all that is about to change. The boy's family has found him, and they are coming to take him home.


Sarah Munroe blames herself for her brother's disappearance. When he's located, safe and unharmed despite where he has been living, Sarah vows to help the man who rescued and protected him in any way she can. With loving patience she helps Gabriel face his demons and teaches him to trust in friendship and love. But when the past catches up with him, Gabriel must face it on his own. Becoming a mercenary, pirate, and professional gambler, he travels to London, France, and the Barbary Coast in a desperate attempt to find Sarah again. On the way, however, he will discover the most dangerous journey and the greatest gamble of all is within the darkest reaches of his own heart

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
I have to admit this book shocked me. Not something I would have normally picked up but I'm glad Kristie talked me into it. The budding love was fantastic. I was upset at how Gabe acted but I understood his actions and still loved him for it. Very, very good romance.

Things I enjoyed:
-The characters were strong in their own right. They both had a lot to work through and yet Sarah didn’t let it stop her from being a caring person. And even though it took more time for Gabe it still didn’t stop him from loving Sarah
-How strong Gabe was just to survive. And yet he still managed to let another person into his heart. Yes it took a while but that is what made the romance so sweet.
-OMG the romance was fantastic how they fell for each other and the struggles they had to overcome in order to be with each was a nice touch.
- The teaching him how to kiss scene priceless

Things I didn’t care for
- Okay I’m probably the only one who didn’t like the scenes where Gabe was a way killing to survive. Yes it was important to character growth but at the same time I just ended up skimming over those scenes. It did nothing to help me grasp the situation nor did it matter at the end to me.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it for now will end up buying though.

SCORE: 9 out of 10

Anything Else: At first this book turned me off b/c its not my normal read but once I started reading it I fell in love with it.

Review ~ The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

TITLE: The Fairy Godmother
AUTHOR: Mercedes Lackey
COPYRIGHT: 2004
TYPE: Fairytale Re-take
PAGES; 496
SERIES: 1st in the series
1. The Fairy Godmother

REASON FOR READING: Apparently I am on a fairytale kick

Summary : {From Goodreads}
In the land of Five Hundred Kingdoms, if you can't carry out your legendary role, life is no fairy tale…
Elena Klovis was supposed to be her kingdom's Cinderella—until an accident of fate left her with a completely inappropriate prince! Determined not to remain with her stepfamily, Elena set out to get a new job—and ended up becoming the Fairy Godmother for the land.
But "Breaking with Tradition" was no easy matter. True, she didn't have to sleep in the chimney, but she had to deal with arrogant, stuffed-shirt princes who kept trying to rise above their place in the tale. In fact, one of them was so ornery that Elena could do nothing but change him into a donkey.
Still, her practical nature couldn't let him roam the country, so she brought the donkey—er, the prince!—home to her cottage to teach him some lessons. All the while keeping in mind that breaking with tradition can land everyone into a kettle of fish—sometimes literally!
And so begins a whole new tale…

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
This is a different telling of Cinderella and what could have happened. It tells that all fairytales are really happening but due to the Tradition that is forcing them alone. With the help of wizards and Godmothers (as well as bad) they are happening one way or another. Unless a very cunning Godmother can redirect the Tradition in a way that still satisfies the storyline.

Things I enjoyed:
-Elena was a good strong character she knew enough to take care of herself and she was going to no matter how bad her life had been.
-The fact that Cinderella got a chance to be something other than the same old same old was refreshing. The plot was good and strong and I enjoyed watching how Ms. Lackey made her world work and function.
-I like the twist on the fairy tale stories and I liked the explanation of why there are so many.
-The secondary characters were fantastic! I enjoyed the Brownies and the mirror both added just enough magic to the story to make it really cool but not childish.

Things I didn’t care for:
- I didn’t care for the way the fairies are the ones that played a big role in Alexander’s transformation. If he would have come to the conclusions on his own I would’ve been okay but it just was strange one page he was an ass (for lack of a better term) on the next not.
- Also there was no real reason to have this story turn into a romance. Did it add a little extra yeah but not enough to matter.
-The sex scenes are kind of boring and pointless. We didn’t need to know that about them she could have skipped over the scenes and been just as good. Instead they kind of took away from the story and I ended up skipping them

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it only b/c it was a library book. I may end up buying it though.

SCORE: 8 out of 10

Anything Else: If you like fairy tales you will really enjoy this book it takes a twist on fairy tales and makes them even more interesting
*******

Review ~ Night's Rose by Annaliese Evans

TITLE: Night’s Rose

AUTHOR: Annaliese Evans

COPYRIGHT: 2009
TYPE: Fairytale Re-take
PAGES; 384
SERIES: 1st in the series
1. Night’s Rose

REASON FOR READING: I love the story of sleeping beauty and had to see what she did with the fairy tale.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
For nearly one hundred years, Rosemarie Edenberg has worked tirelessly to wipe the dreaded ogre tribe from the earth. Now the tribe has gathered in London to work a spell that will destroy the scourge of their kind, the one they call the Briar Rose.


Two magnetic men will unite to aid Rose--her mysterious fey advisor, Ambrose, and the vampire Lord Shenley, an earl of scandalous reputation and even more scandalous appetites. One will save her, one will betray her, and both will challenge her to face the past that haunts her.


Once upon a time, she was ensnared in the mists of enchantment, cursed to sleep one hundred years. But this beauty wasn't awakened with a kiss and has never known happily ever after. But with the help of her handsome allies, Rose may find it yet.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
I have always enjoyed the story of sleeping beauty. So when I found out that this was the main fairy tale this book centered around I got really excited and couldn’t wait to read it. It had some really good parts that I enjoyed.

Things I enjoyed:
-I liked that all the characters were fleshed out.
-Watching Rose’s background come out with the legend of sleeping beauty was heartbreaking (b/c of what happened to her) and yet very well played I really enjoyed the twist on the story.
-I liked that Rose was such a strong character. She was able to fight and yet knew that she wasn’t always able to do it alone.

Things I didn’t care for:
- I have to admit I didn’t care for who she picked it seemed to me he tricked her in a way like the other one did (granted the other man in the picture did something horrible that was way worse) still he tricked her.
- I ended up skipping a lot of the battle scenes after awhile they became the same scene

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it.

Anything Else: If you like fairy tales you will really enjoy this book

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

TITLE: Proven Guilty

AUTHOR: Jim Butcher
COPYRIGHT: 2007
TYPE: Urban Fantasy
PAGES; 496

SERIES: 8th in the series
1. Storm Front
2. Fool Moon
3. Grave Peril
4. Summer Knight
5. Death Masks
6. Blood Rites
7. Dead Beat
8. Proven Guilty
9. White Night

10. Small Favor

11. Welcome to the Jungle

REASON FOR READING: Come on I’ve read them all up to this one so I had to complete the series.

Summary : {From Goodreads}

The White Council of Wizards has drafted Harry Dresden as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in Chicago. Malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in the Windy City, but it's all in a day's work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

We are back in Chicago with Harry picking up where he left off in the last one. This one involved the Carpenters which I love to learn about. If you remember or you might not the dad Michael is a White Knight of the sword. This one also reminded me of an episode of Charmed where movie characters are coming to life so that kind of ruined the whole OOHHH factor However, the twist at the end was pretty good and I enjoyed it so that helped redeem the book.

Things I enjoyed:

-Uh duh Harry! He’s the best wizard EVER!!! *clears throat* Okay let’s be more specific. He is loyal, trusting, honest and well just wants the good guys to win even if that means getting his butt kicked. (Still sticking with this statement from the last review)

-This plot helped move the whole story further and I can see where we are heading with it.

-I really enjoyed watching the Carpenters come together as a family and seeing Charity being knocked down a peg. I also enjoyed learning why Charity hated Harry so much.

-I also enjoyed the humor Harry has the best one liners ever.

Things I didn’t care for:

- Like I said the plot didn’t wow me like it could of considering that I’ve seen it before on Charmed. However, it did have a nice twist to it that did redeem it.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it only b/c it was a library book and sadly enough I haven’t kept any of the series.

SCORE: 6 out of 10

Anything Else: You need to read the series to understand the complex nature of this book. Too many of the sub plots are taken from other stories in the series

Review ~ Rising Tides by Nora Roberts

TITLE: Rising Tides
AUTHOR: Nora Roberts
COPYRIGHT: 1998
TYPE: Romance
PAGES; 330
SERIES: Yep Book 2 in a 4 book series
1. Sea Swept
2. Rising Tides

REASON FOR READING: I enjoyed book 1 and really liked Ethan’s character so I had to read what happened to him.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Set on the windswept shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Nora Roberts's Rising Tides, the second book in the Quinn Brothers trilogy, continues the story of the lives and loves of adopted brothers Ethan, Cameron, and Philip Quinn. Eager to honor their father's dying wish that their other brother, Seth, be cared for, the three settle into life with a 10-year-old. Of all the brothers, it is Ethan who finds himself drawn to the young boy, because both suffered horrific abuse before being adopted by the Quinns. Time hasn't extinguished Ethan's pain, only buried it deep within his heart, a fact that may keep him from the only woman he has ever loved

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
Ethan’s story is the one that I wanted to read the whole time I was reading Cam’s story. I really enjoyed how serious he was, how calm, and that he took his time before making a decision he appeared to be the kind of man you could like and respect. I also found that I was really interested in Grace’s story during book 1. She appeared to be the kind of woman I could be friends with and I just wanted to see her get a HEA. The book takes off a few months after the last one. Cam and Anna are married and on a honeymoon in Rome. Leaving Seth with Ethan which was good b/c Seth’s past was a WHOLE hell of a lot like Ethan’s the only difference was how far the abuse went. God what Ethan had to go through was horrible and I found myself crying with Grace while he told her. The shame and guilt he felt and the fact he believed he was tainted about broke my heart.
As far as Grace is concerned she is doing everything she can just to survive. She has a daughter with no father. Her own father cut her out of his life (but that was a mutual thing) she is working 2 jobs and trying to give her little girl the best life she can. She was exactly what Ethan needed.

Things I enjoyed:
-I really enjoyed that Ethan helped Seth come to terms with his shame and helped him to realize that he was still an okay kid even after what had happened to him. I really feel that Ethan is the reason that Seth started to connect with the family.
-I enjoyed Grace. Yes at times she was beyond stubborn but she figured out early in life you can’t count on anyone to take care of you but yourself and by God did she ever.
-Watching these two dance back and forth fighting their feelings, mis-reading each other and not talking would usually be a turn off for me. But in this case I really enjoyed it.

Things I didn’t care for:
-I didn’t care for the almost rape scene that happened at the bar and how Ethan reacted to. I thought it was a little out of character for him and didn’t do anything for the plot other than help Grace realize that maybe it is okay to ask for help.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it. It was a cute book but not a re-read for me.

SCORE: 7 out of 10

Anything Else: You really need to read book one in order to fully appreciate the situation with Seth and the brothers.

White Night by Jim Butcher

TITLE: White Night
AUTHOR: Jim Butcher
COPYRIGHT: 2007
TYPE: Urban Fantasy
PAGES; 416

SERIES: 9th in the series
1. Storm Front
2. Fool Moon
3. Grave Peril
4. Summer Knight
5. Death Masks
6. Blood Rites
7. Dead Beat
8. Proven Guilty
9. White Night
10. Small Favor
11. Welcome to the Jungle

REASON FOR READING: Come on I’ve read them all up to this one so I had to complete the series.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Professional wizard Harry Dresden is investigating a series of deaths in Chicago. Someone is killing practitioners of magic, those incapable of becoming full-fledged wizards. Shockingly, all the evidence points to Harry's half-brother, Thomas, as the murderer. Determined to clear his sibling's name, Harry uncovers a conspiracy within the White Council of Wizards that threatens not only him, but his nearest and dearest, too...

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
We are back in Chicago with Harry picking up where he left off in the last one. Okay FINALLY we get a WHOLE book on Harry’s Half Brother Thomas whom I heart but not nearly as much as Harry himself!!! Not to mention the action was kicked up a notch. People from Harry’s past showed up to play and Lash became a main character! Well she sort of has been but she grew into a character I adored in this book.

Things I enjoyed:
-Uh duh Harry! He’s the best wizard EVER!!! *clears throat* Okay let’s be more specific. He is loyal, trusting, honest and well just wants the good guys to win even if that means getting his butt kicked. (Still sticking with this statement from the last 5 reviews)
-Okay like I said before we got to see more of Thomas and his interaction with Harry. Learning about him and what he’s been up to while hiding his secret (which was an excellent twist never saw that coming) was wonderful. Favorite scene was when the cops showed up at Thomas’ apartment and Harry acted like his gay lover LOL. OMG was ROTFLMAO seriously.
-I think this book had more humor in it that really offset the darker side of the story. Again this one is my favorite of the series because of Thomas.

Things I didn’t care for:
- There wasn’t much that I didn’t enjoy in this book. This one has been my favorite of the serious hands down

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it only b/c it was a library book and sadly enough I haven’t kept any of the series.

SCORE: 9 out of 10

Anything Else: You need to read the series to understand the complex nature of this book. Too many of the sub plots are taken from other stories in the series.

Review ~ Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

TITLE: Princess of the Midnight Ball
AUTHOR: Jessica Day George
COPYRIGHT: 2009
TYPE: Romance
PAGES; 280
SERIES: You know I’m not sure

REASON FOR READING: The ladies over at the Book Smugglers reviewed it and it was one of my favorite fairy tales as a child so I thought I would give it a whirl.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
A tale of twelve princesses doomed to dance until dawn…


Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
I really enjoyed the sisters and there interactions with each other. However, it did get old having 12 of them in a conversation LOL. Yeah that’s me hard to please. The author was very good at setting up the story and telling it in a way that stayed true to the original myth I remembered as a child but yet added some things I didn’t know like the knitting (or at least that I didn’t remember). Galen was an interesting character and I enjoyed learning more of the Under Stone part of the story.

Things I enjoyed:
-Galen he was not a young man to be messed with after fighting in the war as long as he did. He lost the only family he ever knew but yet still had a sunny outlook on life. He wasn’t one to sit and brood about it or turn into an ass about it either. I enjoyed that even after a hard life he still enjoyed living.
-As I mentioned above the author stuck to the original fairy tale but at the same time managed to bring it to life without altering it too much.

Things I didn’t care for:
- -I did enjoy the 12 sisters but at times it was almost too much

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it. It was a library book that was cute but not a re-read unless I have children.

Anything Else: If you enjoy fairy tale remakes this one is pretty good.

Review ~ Small Favor by Jim Butcher

TITLE: Small Favor
AUTHOR: Jim Butcher
COPYRIGHT: 2008
TYPE: Urban Fantasy
PAGES; 416

SERIES: 10th in the series
1. Storm Front
2. Fool Moon
3. Grave Peril
4. Summer Knight
5. Death Masks
6. Blood Rites
7. Dead Beat
8. Proven Guilty
9. White Night
10. Small Favor
11. Welcome to the Jungle

REASON FOR READING: Come on I’ve read them all up to this one so I had to complete the series.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
The new novel in the New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series.


No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow.


An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she's calling in her marker. It's a small favor he can't refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills-and loyalties-to their very limits.


It figures. Everything was going too well to last...

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
So wow its been a while since I’ve read this book so give me a second to think about it more. I know that in this one Harry finally starts to slow down with life and then WHAM Mab comes back to claim a favor he owes her. Gentleman Johnny Marcone is taken and Harry can’t determine if this is a good thing or not. Before he can make up his mind Mab comes in and request her favor. In the meantime Harry has the 3 Brother’s Billy Goats chasing him. Michael doesn’t trust him, the Denarians are back and badder than ever and its going to take everything Harry possess to keep them from getting what they want.

Things I enjoyed:
-Uh duh Harry! He’s the best wizard EVER!!! *clears throat* Okay let’s be more specific. He is loyal, trusting, honest and well just wants the good guys to win even if that means getting his butt kicked. (Still sticking with this statement from the last 6 reviews plus he’s in my hut now!!!)
-This had a lot more action than the normal Harry books. Harry gets the ever loving crap beat out of him and yet still manages to use his brains in order to save the day and a little girl. All in a days work.
-I liked that Harry has actually got a reward this time in the form of a Warden which I think added to making me appreciate how much Harry is a real person.

Things I didn’t care for:
- I got tired of constantly getting the reminders of people. Most of the people picking up this book are going to know that the Blue Beetle isn’t really blue, that Thomas is Harry’s half brother and that Mouse is a gifted dog.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it only b/c it was a library book and sadly enough I haven’t kept any of the series.

SCORE: 9 out of 10

Anything Else: You need to read the series to understand the complex nature of this book. Too many of the sub plots are taken from other stories in the series.
*******

Review ~ Sea Swept by Nora Roberts

TITLE: Sea Swept
AUTHOR: Nora Roberts
COPYRIGHT: 1998
TYPE: Romance
PAGES; unsure
SERIES: 1st in the series
1. Sea Swept

REASON FOR READING: Well I’ve never read a Nora book before and this one came HIGHLY suggested so I figured why not

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Sea Swept tells the tale of three brothers--all former juvenile delinquents adopted by Raymond Quinn and his wife, Stella. Cameron, Ethan, and Philip are as different as can be, but they are bound by their love and respect for their adoptive father, who has recently passed away. On his deathbed he asks his sons to look after their most recent brother, 10-year-old Seth, who--if the rumors are to believed--just may be Ray's biological son. Of course, the brothers don't know anything about caring for the young boy, and if social worker Anna Spinelli has anything to say about it, they won't. However, the sparks that fly over the fate of Seth are nothing compared to the romantic sparks that fly between Anna and Cameron

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
For my first Nora book it was pretty good. I enjoyed the setting St. Christopher Bay. The brothers were different all from a horrible background and taken in by wonderful people who gave them a chance to better their lives. The only hiccup was the fact they were all BEAUTIFUL, GIFTED, RICH, Ect… and so forth including the women listed. That got old but I cancelled that out based on their horrible childhoods and made it work. The brothers are living their lives when it falls apart. The man they call Dad just died and left behind a kid just like them. Only this time Seth is left with scandal. The town believes that he is Ray’s son which of course the brother’s don’t believe. This book focuses on the eldest Cam who races boats for a living and his “heroine” Anna who happens to be Seth’s Social Worker.

Things I enjoyed:
-Anna she was very strong, she knew what she wanted and wouldn’t stop at anything to get it. Plus when Cam was being an ass she decided that yes it would hurt but she didn’t need him to survive. She is a heroine after my own heart and I really enjoyed her whipping Cam into shape.
-The plot was pretty good and watching Seth and the brothers come to terms with their life being flipped around was very sweet. I also liked that Seth and Cam liked each other but at the same time didn’t know how to take each other. It wasn’t like the brothers became a family all at once.
-Seeing how the brothers interact with each other was fantastic. Their fights and arguments were very believable.

Things I didn’t care for:
- Like I stated above the brothers were almost too perfect. They were all handsome, rich, well to do, had a great job, ect. It was a little too much
- I didn’t care for “Ray” making a ghost like appearance I thought that was a little silly. I guess it worked but something about it was off for me.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it. While it was cute it just wasn’t a re-read for me.

SCORE: 6 out of 10

Anything Else: I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fluffy and quick romance read.

Review ~ Riding Wild by Jaci Burton

TITLE: Riding Wild
AUTHOR: Jaci Burton
COPYRIGHT: 2008
TYPE: Erotic Romance
PAGES; 288
SERIES: 1st in a series

REASON FOR READING: Christine and everyone was talking about the latest release so I thought I should join in and at least read the first one.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
He's a Harley-riding ex-thief working undercover for the government. She's a gun-toting ex-socialite hired to protect a valuable museum exhibit. But in her attempt to stop a heist, she never anticipated having her breath and her heart stolen...

Mac Canfield was the last man Lily West expected to see again, never mind aim her gun at. But here he was, the bad boy who'd broken her heart years ago-still a thief, this time high-jacking a priceless artifact--and it was all she could do to push aside the memories of how it felt to have his perfectly chiseled body next to hers.

Mac was no less shocked to see the beautiful girl-next-door all grown up, threatening to shoot him on the spot. Little did she know she was blowing his cover-and now he had to figure out how to get her out of harm's way without succumbing to his crazy desire to take her on a hot trip down memory lane.

Unfortunately, Lily has no intention of going anywhere with Mac. Which means he has to resort to kidnapping. Unless, of course, she agrees to let him take her for the kind of ride destined to drive them both unbelievably wild

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
Okay don’t hold this against me but to be honest I don’t care that much for erotic romance. Usually I can do okay with it when I am so engrossed with the story/plot that I forget about what I’m reading or the sex makes sense. So bare with me through this review b/c while I LOVED the plot and the sex was HAWT. I could’ve done without five or six of the sex scenes. I didn’t think they helped anything in fact a couple of them were just pointless to me (and only me so don’t flay me alive).

Things I enjoyed:
-I enjoyed that Lily was able to fully enjoy sex without any reservations. She knew what she enjoyed in bed and wasn’t scared to try anything new. In other words she wasn’t your typical I love sex but really I have no idea what I’m doing.
-I liked that Mac really did love Lily and always had but thought he wasn’t good enough for her. Those kind of heroes always make me swoon. He’s a bad boy that knows it and only wanted what he thought was the best for Lily.
-I liked that Mac came to realize that only Lily knows what’s good and what isn’t for Lily not him and that he was going to have to let her experience things on her own without being the over protective alpha that doesn’t budge.

Things I didn’t care for: -Like I said above I could’ve done without some of the sex scenes and ended up skimming through most of them (the superficial ones) once they came together as a couple it was perfect.
-Another thing was introducing us to all the guys. I understand for interaction sake it was important and to let us know who the future books were about this was important but still it just seemed unnecessary.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it b/c it was a library book. If I like the next one I might considering buying but I doubt it. I just don’t do long series anymore.

SCORE: 5 out of 10

Anything Else: If you like erotica this is a fantastic book and I would highly recommend it.

Review ~ Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

TITLE: Silent in the Grave
AUTHOR: Deanna Raybourn
COPYRIGHT: 2007
TYPE: Mystery
PAGES; 512
SERIES: yes first in a series

REASON FOR READING: Everyone kept talking about it and hey I wanted to join in. Renee actually was the first to suggest it.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife, Julia, and a roomful of dinner guests.
Prepared to accept that Edward's death was due to a long-standing physical infirmity, Julia is outraged when Brisbane visits and suggests that Sir Edward has been murdered. It is a reaction she comes to regret when she discovers the damning paper for herself, and realizes the truth.
Determined to bring her husband's murderer to justice, Julia engages the enigmatic Brisbane to help her investigate Edward's demise. Dismissing his warnings that the investigation will be difficult, if not impossible, Julia presses forward, following a trail of clues that lead her to even more unpleasant truths, and ever closer to a killer who waits expectantly for her arrival.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
This book takes place in Victoria England which was a selling point for me. Anything during that time period is interesting. Add in that its not your typical romance and I was hooked. The book is 1st person POV of Lady Julia Grey and it starts off immediately with her husbands death. A death she assumes is from natural causes b/c after all Edward had a bad heart. During her year of mourning she comes to believe that he might have been murdered. At first this book started off really slow for me. And there were a few times I was tempted to put it down. However, as the mystery became deeper and deeper I found I couldn’t put it down.

Things I enjoyed:
-While the book was slow we did learn a lot about Julia Grey and I enjoyed that. Watching her grow into the woman she always was but didn’t realize was an interesting sub-plot
- I liked the mystery behind Nicolas Brisbane he was a fascinating character that I enjoyed learning about. I had hoped that Nicolas and Julia might end up together but alas this is a mystery not a romance so that didn’t happen.
-The mystery itself wasn’t too complicated until the end when extra pieces that fit together were thrown in. Usually I don’t like this but it worked really good for this plot.

Things I didn’t care for:
-Like I stated before this book moves really slow so unless there is something there that holds you interest you have a long way to go before the mystery is solved. Sometimes that got a bit old and I found myself skimming parts.
-The March family was really odd while some of it made sense some of them made me want to pull my hair out.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? This is a library book. If I read the second and enjoy it I might consider buying the series. But for now it would be a pass

Anything Else: This is a good first book and sets up the characters well

Review ~ Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

TITLE: Dead Beat
AUTHOR: Jim Butcher
COPYRIGHT: 2006
TYPE: Urban Fantasy
PAGES; 448

SERIES: 7th in the series
1. Storm Front
2. Fool Moon
3. Grave Peril
4. Summer Knight
5. Death Masks
6. Blood Rites
7. Dead Beat
8. Proven Guilty
9. White Night
10. Small Favor
11. Welcome to the Jungle

REASON FOR READING: Come on I’ve read them all up to this one so I had to complete the series.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Filled with kickass adventure and supernatural fireworks, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novels have been compared to Harry Potter. Now, Harry Dresden must save Chicago from black magic and necromancy-all in a day's work for the city's only professional wizard.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
We are back in Chicago with Harry picking up where he left off in the last one. His hand is still mess and not working, he still fears using his fire magic due to the accident. He has conflicting emotions regarding Murphy (She is going to Hawaii with Kincaid and it burns his ass) However, he doesn’t realize it until its too late. There were a couple of twist including Wardens and Harry for once seeing eye to eye. And the demon coin he touched has taken on a more active role.

Things I enjoyed:
-Uh duh Harry! He’s the best wizard EVER!!! *clears throat* Okay let’s be more specific. He is loyal, trusting, honest and well just wants the good guys to win even if that means getting his butt kicked. (Still sticking with this statement from the last review)
-The plot continued to move forward letting us get to see the Warden’s and the war. What the effects are for the most part this has been happening in the background but not in this book.
-Also Mr. Butcher is very good and interweaving plots from previous books and showing you that just b/c the book has ended some of the loose ends will be wrapped up in another story line. I really enjoy that.
-I also enjoyed the humor Harry has the best one liners ever.
- I enjoyed SUE and BOB’s role in this book (you will know what I’m talking about once you read the book)

Things I didn’t care for:
- Okay I didn’t care for Butters at all. He annoyed me and I seriously thought someone needed to shoot him or just run him off. He kind of made up for his cowardly ways toward the end but not enough to satisfy the urges.
- And the Warden twist was good but I didn’t like the whole bait and switch (again you will have to read it to understand what I am talking about.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it only b/c it was a library book and sadly enough I haven’t kept any of the series.

SCORE: 8 out of 10

Anything Else: You need to read the series to understand the complex nature of this book. Too many of the sub plots are taken from other stories in the series.

Review ~ Grave Surprise by Charlanie Harris

TITLE: Grave Surprise
AUTHOR: Charlaine Harris
COPYRIGHT: 2006
TYPE: paranormal/fantasy?
PAGES; 295
SERIES: yes
1. Grave Sight


REASON FOR READING: Read the first was curious to see where she would take the series.

SUMMARY: {From goodreads}
A college class gets more than it bargained for when Harper gives a demonstration of her uncanny talent. Instead of just finding one body in an old grave, she finds two: the original occupant and a recently deceased girl whom Harper had tried, and failed, to find two years previously. To dispel suspicions about her own innocence, Harper and her stepbrother Tolliver undertake their own hunt to find the killer-only to find yet another body in the same grave.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
This book was good. I like the way Ms. Harris can write a mystery that leaves me guessing who did it until the very end. I really like that about her and her writing. Not to mention that she can really suck you into the story line no matter if it revolves around Lilly or Sookie and now Harper.

Things I enjoyed:
Again I really enjoyed the mystery aspect. I also like the gift that Harper has being able to find dead bodies and can see how they died. This is an interesting twist in the paranormal world and I have yet to find another that can do it. So it has the unique aspect adding to it. I like Harper’s relationship with her brother and I like learning more about her gifts.

Things I didn’t care for:
The relationship with the step brother is starting to go down a romance turn and even though they are step sibling and even though they were teenagers when their parents met and married it still disturbs me greatly LOL.. no idea why.

Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? Nope I’ve read her before many a times

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping b/c its hard back and cost a lot

Anything Else: You should probably read the first one just to get an idea of Harper’s background.

Review ~ Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine

TITLE: Lord of Misrule
AUTHOR: Rachel Caine
COPYRIGHT: 2009
TYPE: young adult
PAGES; 244

SERIES: yes book 5 in the series
1. Glass House
2. The Dead Girl’s Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus (not released yet.)

REASON FOR READING: I have read all of them and wanted to see what was happening with the series.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
The feast is over ... and the battle for Morganville has begun. Bishop's on one side, Amelie's on the other, and Claire's status as Amelie's most trusted human ally has just landed her on Morganville's Most Wanted list, along with all of her friends. As a bitter Texas storm bears down on the town, there's nowhere to hide ... from anything.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
This takes off right where the last book left us. So we jumped right into the middle of the war. Knowing that its YA and all I didn’t expect some of the twist and turns that happened. It wasn’t anything too graphic but it was still different than I expected.

Things I enjoyed:
-Claire is starting to prove that she can handle herself and that being 17 isn’t going to stop her from getting what she wants
- Claire actually grew in this one she still had her teenage moments but she FINALLY had a couple of adult thoughts
-The group as a whole had to depend on each other a lot more which was a nice surprise.
-And the greatest surprise had to deal with Shane (I won’t ruin it) but man was it sweet.
-I REALLY Liked the ending and I can’t wait for book 6

Things I didn’t care for:
-There wasn’t a lot I didn’t care for. I still don’t like a lot of the vampires. And the storyline with the humans rising up against the vamps wasn’t the greatest.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping! It was a library book but I rushed out and bought it.

SCORE: 9 out of 10

Anything Else: This is a series you have to read in order or you will be lost.

A Woman's Guide to Healing Heartbreak of Divorce

TITLE: A Woman’s Guide to Healing Heartbreak of Divorce
AUTHOR: Rose Sweet
COPYRIGHT: 2001
TYPE: Self Help
PAGES; 296
SERIES: nope

REASON FOR READING: I was looking for something to help me with my divorce

Summary : {From Goodreads}
It's not just grief that breaks a woman's heart. After divorce, residual feelings about the man you loved and the life you lost can lurk undetected for years. A Women's Guide to Healing the Heartbreak of Divorce can bring real recovery and genuine joy . . . in a heartbeat!

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
This was a great book for those of us going through a divorce or even in my situation a year later trying to pick up the pieces. It is very God centered and Christian in its focus which really helped me to understand some different things in my life and to help me understand why things happened.

Things I enjoyed:
-I enjoyed the letters at the beginning of every chapter. Each one focused on what the chapter would be about and they were from God telling us he understands and will help.
- The chapters flowed in a nice order and were well written. This woman has been through a divorce so she understood where some of the emotions were coming from even when I couldn’t figure it out.
I did enjoy the ending prayer to help get through the day or week however, long you wanted to take to get through he book.


Things I didn’t care for:
-The only thing I didn’t care for were the chapters with children involved. I understand a lot of people that go through a divorce have children but I didn’t and it would have been nice to see a book for single with picking up the pieces without children or women like me who were in a relationship most of their 20s and have no idea how to date.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it has parts I would like to take a closer look at again.

SCORE: 8 out of 10

Anything Else: This is a very good book that focuses on building your relationship with God and trusting in him to help and heal you after your heartbreak.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

TITLE: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
AUTHOR: Carrie Ryan
COPYRIGHT: 2009
TYPE: Young Adult/Fantasy
PAGES; 310
SERIES: 1st in a new series

REASON FOR READING: Katiebabs talked me into it with her review

Summary : {From Goodreads}
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
At first this book was hard to get into. I couldn’t understand or sympathize with the main character. She grew up her whole life afraid of everything outside her fence. Her father was turned and now her mother was crazy with the loss. She resented the fact she had to watch her mother to prevent her from going to the fence after her father. And the worse thing that could happen did. Now Mary has to survive and learn what is really out there for her and if there was more to life then fear.

Things I enjoyed:
-Like I said at first I didn’t care for Mary I thought she was selfish and immature however, as the book continued Mary grew into a person that I could relate to a little bit. Yes she still had her selfish moments but she also had moments of understanding and realization. These are what helped her grow
-I liked seeing what the world was truly like and how one group controlled another by keeping the past from the people. It had an underlining mission to it that I thoroughly enjoyed and related too as well.
-The ending was wonderful and left just enough questions for the second book.

Things I didn’t care for:
-Again I didn’t care for the selfish moments that Mary had all the way up until a major life turning event. She was so single focused on those issues and hang-ups she couldn’t ever appreciate what she had until she lost it. It was rather depressing but still it made her into the person she needed to be by the end.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it b/c it was a library book. After the next one comes out and if I like it I will probably buy both.

Anything Else: This was an interesting story line different that I normally read but I was glad I gave it a try

Review ~ Lamaent: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

TITLE: Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception
AUTHOR: Maggie Stiefvater
COPYRIGHT: 2008
TYPE: Young Adult/Fantasy
PAGES; 326
SERIES: 1st in a new series

REASON FOR READING: The girls over at Book Smugglers Talked me into it. Although I can’t recall what they thought I just had to read it after their review.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. When a mysterious boy enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of nowhere, Deirdre finds herself infatuated. Trouble is, the enigmatic and conflicted Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin – and Deirdre is meant to be his next mark. Deirdre has to decide if Luke's feelings towards her are real, or only a way to lure her deeper into the world of Faerie.

Luke isn't her only problem. A sinister faerie named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Long-time enemies with a common goal, Luke and Aodhan carry the same assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is her best friend James whose devotion has been teetering precariously on the line between friendship and love for months – a feeling that Dee doesn't quite reciprocate. It's Luke she can't stop thinking about: Luke, who was supposed to kill her immediately but hasn't. Luke, who cannot refuse the Queen's orders without paying an unimaginable price. Deirdre ultimately must confront the Faerie Queen before she loses everyone she loves.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
This starts off with a young girl trying to find her place. She gets stage freight bad enough she throws up before every performance but her mother still makes her play. This time however, she runs into Luke the boy from her dreams. At first she can’t believe its real but after he continues to show up along with some other, too beautiful to be real, people she begins to wonder about them. Add to it her grandmother’s warning, attacks, and of course the general weirdness that happens around her and Deirdre begins to wonder if she loosing her mind or if there is something more out there. Turns out there is someone out there that views her as a threat.
Now Deirdre has to stay one step ahead of the queen to prevent her death and those she cares about. This was a wonderful fantasy book that kept my attention through the whole thing.

Things I enjoyed:
-At first I didn’t like Deirdre. This is the problem I have with teenage books I think they are all too young, whinny, and have the its all about me complex. Which Deirdre did except she grew in the book and started to come into her own. Her issues with Luke were annoying but they even started to shape and form. So after a while I finally started to sympathize with her and that’s a HUGE feat for the author to do.
-I loved Dee best friend he was awesome! He played the bagpipe he never doubted her when she told him about the weirdness in her life. He was very supportive of her and he was in love with her. OMG I was so rooting for him.
-I like the twist she did on with the Faire world, the myths and world building the author did was very good.

Things I didn’t care for:
-Like I said at first Dee got on my nerves and I wasn’t happy with her personality but she grew and that was impressive.
-I didn’t care for the songs. Its just me but I just couldn’t get into them and I ended up skimming them but this was just a minor thing.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it b/c it was a library book. After the next one comes out and if I like it I will probably buy both.

SCORE: 8 out of 10

Anything Else: This was an interesting look at the Faire world and I highly recommend it.