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Sunday, May 31, 2009

More reviews to come

So I didn't get to post all of my reviews this weekend, but will try and get more posted in the next couple of days. Right now, I have 3 more reviews to post for the following books:

Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks
Tap & Gown by Diana Peterfreund
Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye

For now, I can only say I loved all three books, but will get more post in the next couple of days.

Vamps and the City

Vamps and the City is the second book in the Love at Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks. From the back cover.~

Who says a vamp can't have it all?

Darcy Newhart thought it was a stroke of genius-the first-ever reality TV show where mortals vie with vampires for the title of The Sexiest Man on Earth. As the show's director, Darcy's career would be on track again. And she can finally have a life apart from the vampire harem. Okay, so she's still technically dead, but two out of three's not bad. Now she just has to make sure that a mortal doesn't win. If only she wasn't so distracted by a super-sexy and live contestant named Austin...

But Darcy doesn't know the worst of it. Austin Erickson is actually a vampire slayer! And he's got his eye on the show's leggy blond director. Only problem is, he's never wanted any woman-living or dead-as badly. But if he wins her heart, will he lose his soul? And if it means an eternity of hot, passionate loving with Darcy, does that really matter anyway?

Vamps and the City was a fun and sexy paranormal romance. Darcy Newhart is a vampire who was only turned to save her life. She dreams of once again being on a beach for vacation and truly misses everything about being human. Austin Erickson work for the Stake-Out team to rid the world of vampires. Unknown to Austin, he beings to fall for Darcy before he finds out who and what she really is. He has always believed that all vampires hunted mortals for blood, and must learn to reconcile himself to the fact that there are two types of vampires, those that eat only synthetic blood from bottles and those that prey on humans.

Darcy and Austin are attracted to one another from the first time they see each other. Darcy is also responsible for finding a new master for the vampire harem, where she has mixed in humans with vampires to vie for The Sexiest Man on Earth. While fighting her attraction to Austin, she must also keep the contest going and push the women from the harem towards a vampire contestant. Austin finally figures out that Darcy is in fact a vampire and must decide if he can live with her lifestyle or if he will send in the Stake-Out team after both Darcy and all of her friends.

Kerrelyn Sparks gives the reader a wonderfully fun story filled with romance, humor, and a bit of intrigue. I really love the characters in the Love at Stake series and enjoy seeing many of the same characters as the series progresses. Vamps and the City was such a fun read, that I had to start reading Be Still My Vampire Heart, which is the third book in the series, right away.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Book Reviews to come this weekend

So my life has been crazy busy, but fun lately, so I'm really behind on posting the last three books I've read. My oldest niece graduated from high school last week and then we went to Chicago for several days for her graduation trip. We had an amazing time just walking around and shopping and even got a chance to meet up with Stacy on Saturday and talked about books(thanks for the new authors to add to my reading list), shopped a little bit, and walked all over Chicago. Amanda and I got a chance to visit The Harry Potter Exhibition on Friday and saw Mary Poppins on Sunday, both of which were wonderful and we would both go see again given the chance. I'm going to a wine tasting with friends on Saturday, but promise to post reviews for all 3 books before Monday.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

"The Story of Son"

"The Story of Son" is a short story by J.R. Ward that appeared in the Dead After Dark anthology. From the back cover.~

Claire Stroughton is a beautiful lawyer who would rather spend the night with a legal brief that the man of her dreams. Then a routine client meeting turns dangerous-and deeply sensual-when she is held captive by a gorgeous man with an unworldly hunger...

Claire Stroughton is an attorney for the elderly Miss Leeds, a client she inherited from her father upon his death. Claire is introduced to Miss Leeds's son on a visit that turns to more that Claire could ever imagine. "Son" as he is called by Miss Leeds, turns out to be a vampire, who is kept hidden in the basement. Claire feels an instant attraction to "Son" and even ends up giving him the name Michael. The romance the blooms between Claire and Michael is both sweet and hot. I loved both characters and would love to see more of Claire and Michael in future BDB books, especially since they also live in Caldwell, New York. The WARDen gives readers another wonderful story with "The Story of Son".

Lover Avenged

Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward is the latest in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. From the back cover.~

J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood novels have introduced readers to a "different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing"*(All About Romance) world. Now, as the vampire warriors defend their race against their slayers, one male's loyalty to the Brotherhood will be tested-and his dangerous mixed blood revealed.

Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious nightclub that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood, even though his sister is married to a member. Because he's a symphath, his identity is a deadly secret-the revelation of which could result in his banishment to a colony for sociopaths. As plots within and outside the Brotherhood take their toll on Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world-Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

I loved Lover Avenged! I felt that Lover Enshrined, the last book released in the BDB series didn't follow the same story telling as other books in the series. With Lover Avenged, the WARDen went back to her old style of writing and kicked butt with Rehvenge's story.

Rehvenge is half vampire, half symphath. Having any symphath in him could cause him to be banished to the symphath colony in the North. Rehvenge has learned to battle back his symphath side by taking medicine. He must go to Haver's clinic to stock up on his Dopamine and this is where he meets Ehlena. Ehlena and Rehvenge are both attracted to each other from the first, only Rehvenge feels he must always hide part of himself. Rehv is being blackmailed by the Princess of the symphath colony. Rehv has also been asked to kill Wrath by someone who, unknown to Rehv, also knows that he is part symphath.

There are so many secondary story lines in Lover Avenged. Wrath is having more trouble with his sight, John Matthew is very angry with Xhex, one of Rehv's guards, yet very attracted to her, the continued battle with The Lessening Society, and Tohr is finally deciding to live again. The WARDen gives die-hard BDB fans more interaction between the Brothers. The main story always goes back to Rehv and his choices, and his romance with Ehlena. Rehv actually is mostly vampire when he is with Ehlena. Ehlena is quickly falling for Rehv, without knowing all the facts about him. She must decide if she can love the whole man that is Rehv and if she can accept him for everything he is.

The WARDen gives the reader a wonderful action-packed romance filled with twist and turns that I didn't always see coming in Lover Avenged. She has promised the next BDB book will be John Matthew's and Xhex's story, which will be called Lover Mine. It will not be released until next year, but the WARDen is starting a new series, Novel Of The Fallen Angels. Covet will be the first book in that series and will be released in October of this year.



Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Leslie Kelly/Leslie Parrish

Leslie Kelly has started writing darker romantic suspense books under the name Leslie Parrish. Fade to Black will be the first book released by Leslie Parrish and is scheduled for release in July 2009.

Leslie has written a press release, to which I've attached to link below.

http://www.prlog.org/10229481-romance-author-trades-sexy-banter-for-serial-killers.html

I've loved every book I've ever read written by Leslie Kelly and I look forward to reading a little darker suspense by Leslie Parrish.

Monday, May 04, 2009

7th Heaven

7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro is the seventh book in The Women's Murder Club series. From the back cover.~

The Women's Murder Club pursues two cases in an electrifying new thriller-chasing a deranged killer and searching for a murderer with a taste for fire.

A Very Public Disappearance

California's "Boy with a Broken Heart," the teenage son of a recent governor, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Michael Champion, born with an incurable heart defect, has grown up under the watchful eye of an adoring public. The pressure on detective Lindsay Boxer to learn what happened to Michael is overwhelming. When she finally does get a lead, it's devastating-and for Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano it leads to the biggest trial of her life.

A Deadly Rash Of Arsons

While working on the Campion case, Lindsay and her partner, Rich Conklin, also try to catch whoever is setting fire to some of the most beautiful homes in San Francisco, leaving their owners to perish in the flames. Lindsay enlists her friends in the Women's Murder Club to help her find the arsonist-and suddenly the fires start raging much too close to home.

A Chance at 7th Heaven

These two intense cases bring Lindsay and Rich closer together than ever-and put Lindsay on the brink. Torn between two men and close to an emotional breakdown, she has to draw on every resource to keep from being pulled under.

7th Heaven is another winner in The Women's Murder Club series. As in each of the previous books in the series, there are at least two tough cases and lots of personal drama in the lives of Lindsay and her friends. Lindsay and her partner Rich continue to grow closer as the work on both the disappearance of Michael Champion and the multiple arson cases. Lindsay, who is in a serious relationship with Joe, must fight her attraction to Rich while still working together to solve their open cases. Yuki is in court with the biggest trial of her life and dealing with an unwanted suitor, who doesn't know how to accept the word no. Claire is working long hours to help Lindsay with her arson cases, while being almost 9 months pregnant with her miracle baby, and Cindy is reporting the news and trying to get the Club to take a much needed weekend away together.

Patterson and Paetro gives the reader a roller coaster ride with 7th Heaven. The twist and turns of the plots kept me guessing through most of the book. The 8th Confession is the next book in the series and was released last week. I have my name of the list at the library and can't wait to get my hands on the 8th book in this series.