Frostbite

Frostbite is the second book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. From the back cover.~

When Love And Jealousy Collide On The Slopes, Winter Break Turns Deadly…

Rose Hathaway’s got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladmir’s on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians-including the legendary Janine Hathaway…Rose’s formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks. This year, St. Vlad’s holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose-and her heart-are in more danger than she ever could have imagined…

I’m so glad that I stumbled upon The Vampire Academy series. It is one of the best YA series that I’ve found so far. Rose is such a strong, kick-ass character, yet she also has all the same problems as any other teenage girl. She has the added bonus of being a Guardian in training set to protect her very best friend, Lissa. We also meet Rose’s mother in Frostbite. To say they have a dysfunctional relationship is like saying the Titanic ran into a little bit of ice. Rose is angry at her mother for not really being there for her while she was growing up. Janine wants Rose to focus more on her training and stay away from all the guys in her life.

Rose must once again step up to protect her friends, but this time she must team up with Christian. Only after Rose battles the Strigoi to try and save her friends can she really appreciate all her mother has done in her life.

I really enjoyed Frostbite, and am so excited that I have the next two Vampire Academy books in my to be read pile/mountain. The third book in the series is Shadow Kiss, and the fourth book is Blood Promise, which was released on August 25.

Double Play

Double Play is the first in a new baseball series by Jill Shalvis. From the back cover.~

Getting to first base is a cinch…But getting home will take a grand slam…

Pace Martin is the ace pitcher for the Pacific Heat. He’s got the arm, the experience, and the wins. He’s also got the pain, the pressure, and the possible end of his career looming over him. The last thing he needs now is a distraction, even if it comes in the form of a tough, beautiful, tell-it-like-it-is writer who sees past his defenses.

Holly Hutchins knows a good story when she sees one, and the tall, dark, and slightly attitude-challenged Pace Martin fits the bill. But when she realizes there’s more at stake than just a win, she starts to see the handsome, broad-shouldered jock in a different light.

Pace and Holly begin a seductive game, but in the face of unexpected betrayal and challenges, they’ll have to find the courage to swing for the fences…

Jill Shalvis combines two of my favorite things with Double Play: romance and baseball. Pace Martin is one of the best pitchers in the league. However, no one knows that he has a shoulder injury that could affect the Heat’s chances for the World Series this year. Holly Hutchins is a reporter sent to do a story on the star players from the Heat, especially Pace Martin, who almost never gives an interview. Holly can tell that Pace is trying to hide something from their very first meeting. Pace thinks Holly is a royal pain in the butt from their very first meeting. However, the more time they spend together, the more they become attracted to one another. Following a heated kiss in the Heat’s locker room, Holly and Pace battle their attraction for one another as Pace continues to try and hide his injury. Holly and Pace continue to grow closer, and when they finally give into their attraction, their passion is electrifying.

I’ve loved every book I’ve ever read by Jill Shalvis, and Double Play is another winner. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, Slow Heat, which comes out in February 2010.

Hunted

Hunted by PC Cast and Kristin Cast is the 5^th book in the House of Night series. From the inside cover.~

At the start of this heart-pounding new installment in the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secret any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and on one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona is gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life unearths secrets Zoey doesn’t want to see and truths she can’t face?

On the run and holed up in Tulsa’s Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well-they’ve even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home-but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex, Eric, but she can’t stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet’s sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?

I’ve loved the House of Night series since I read the first book, Marked. Hunted is another winner for mother-daughter team PC Cast & Kristin Cast. Zoey, as usual has more than anyone her age should have to handle. Not only has Neferet turned from the Goddess Nyx, but Zoey also has to keep the red fledglings in line, protect her friends, and deal with three different guys. Luckily, Zoey has all of her friends around her again. Zoey must use all of her strengths to fight Neferet and Kalona. While trying to save all of her friends and her school, Zoey is like any other teenage girl, and must decide which of the three guys she really wants. Between her human ex-boyfriend Heath, who has been in her life the longest, ex-boyfriend Erik, who still hasn’t forgiven her for cheating on him, and Stark, who died in her arms and is now a red fledgling, Zoey has her hands full trying to make everyone happy.

With more action and drama in Hunted, the reader is given a non-stop, edge of their seat ride with Zoey and her friends. The next book in the series Tempted comes out on October 27, 2009, and I will be at the bookstore that day to get my next fix from the House of Night series.

Book Reviews to Come

So I seem to keep getting behind posting about the books I've finished reading. Last week I read Hunted by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast, Double Play by Jill Shalvis, and Frostbite by Richelle Mead. In the next few days, I plan on posting about all 3 books.

The 8th Confession

The 8^th Confession is the latest book in the Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. From the inside cover.~

APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING

As San Francisco’s most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching-waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city’s most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it’s the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

BUT THE TRUTH CAN BE DEADLY-

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed-a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim’s history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

LET THE CONFESSIONS BEGIN.

As the hunt for two criminals test the limits of the Women’s Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and Lindsay’s partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women’s Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women’s Murder Club series, The 8^th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode this year.

Patterson and Paetro give the reader another winner in the Women’s Murder Club series with The 8^th Confession. There are two great mysteries for Lindsay and her friends to solve, as well as a bit of romance between Lindsay and Joe and Cindy and Rich, Lindsay’s partner. You also see the relationship between the members of the Women’s Murder Club grow in the latest book.

I really enjoyed The 8^th Confession and look forward to more books in the Women’s Murder Club series in the future.