Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

Shadow Heir
~Richelle Mead 

Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (December 27, 2011) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1420111809 
ISBN-13: 978-1420111804 
ASIN: B005JSZOOK

From the author's website:
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon--and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

*SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-3*

Shadow Heir picks up where Iron Crowned left off:  Half-human, half-fae, and Queen of two fairy lands, Eugenie Markham is pregnant with twins, the boy twin has been prophecied to lead the Otherworld to overthrow the human world.  Because of this, many of the Fae want her dead, others want her protected.  After an attack, Eugenie decides to continue her pregnancy in the human world in order to have access to medical care and keep her babies safe from her enemies.  She gets an urgent message that all is not well in the Otherworld, and knows she must go back and help find a solution before or her friends may not survive.

Dorian is still trying to make her his queen, and Kiyo is still trying to kill her, but the problems in the Otherworld are so bad that an uneasy truce has been drawn between them.

My thoughts:
A WTH? ending to a fabulous series.  I've loved this series from the first book and am sad to see it end.  Shadow Heir was, for the most part, an enjoyable read.  I didn't know how Ms. Mead was going to work the pregnancy into the storyline, but I shouldn't have worried... I thought the story flowed nicely through her pregnancy and after, and the storyline worked for me.  We met some new characters and got to say goodbye to some old friends, but the trio of Eugenie, Dorian and Kiyo were a strong focal point to the story.  I love reading about the Otherworld and it's inhabitants, so I definitely got my fairie fix.

Now, there were a few things that I didn't like:  I kind of felt like the babies were born and then disappeared from the storyline completely - it was such a huge plot point in previous books that I felt like they were just pushed aside without much fanfare.  The main issue for me, however, was the open ending.  Ms. Mead drops a HUGE plot twist on the readers and then just ....ends.  Without resolution.

So, I finished this series a little frustrated.  BUT, it was such a good series I would absolutely recommend it - the Dark Swan series is full of magic, action, and a red-hot love triangle; just... be prepared for the pseudo-cliffhanger ending.

My Rating:

This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Agony Ecstasy anthology

Agony/Ecstasy 
~edited by Jane Litte 

Paperback: 448 pages 
Publisher: Berkley Trade 
Publish Date: December 6, 2011 
ISBN-10: 0425243451 
ISBN-13: 978-0425243459 
ASIN: B005ERIJ5C 

From Goodreads:
With historical, contemporary, and futuristic backdrops, this outrageously diverse collection of original stories explores every conceivable variation of BDSM erotica--from knitting circles to the Titanic to a retelling of The Little Mermaid. Featuring all-new stories by Meljean Brook, Jean Johnson, Bettie Sharpe, Jill Myles, Margaret Rowe, Sara Thorn, and more, this book has everything a reader could hope for in an erotic romance.

I'm just going to jump right in to my thoughts on this one:
I'm not usually a fan of anthologies, so I was a bit hesitant to read this, but I ended up really enjoying it. I like reading BDSM if it's not too over-the-top, and these stories were just the right speed for me.  It's kind of silly, but I thought it was very cool that the book had two sides - you read the Agony side, then flipped it over for the Ecstasy stories.

My favorite story (actually two) was Transfixed (on the Agony side) by Anne Calhoun, and her other story, Transformed (on the Ecstasy side).  Very good BDSM stories; she's a dom and he's a big burly guy who likes to be hurt.  I'll say again:  Very good.  I've added Ms. Calhoun to my "authors I must try" list.

Also on the Agony side:
Safeword by Delphine Dryden - short, sweet, friends to lovers.  Hero was kind of a nerd.  Very cute.

Bachelorette Party by Jessica Clare.  At first I wasn't too into this but by the end I enjoyed it.

Wetwire by Snny Moraine was an original concept and I enjoyed it.  Set in the near future, an interesting twist on gaming.

On the Ecstasy side:
Rescue Me by Meljean Brook had me confused at first but once I figured out what was going on I really enjoyed it.

Silverhouse by Sarabeth Scott was way too short - I wanted more!  I liked the couple and their master/sub relationship in a historical setting was unique but good.

I also liked Bruised Ego by Christine D'Abo; I'll be looking for more by this author.  Kind of made me think of Willing Victim by Cara McKenna for some reason - maybe the boxing in order to be hurt?  I'm not sure - very good though.

There were only a few stories I didn't care for, none of them DNFs though, which I guess is the benefit of them all being short.  I liked the mix of historical, contemporary, and paranormal/sci-fi.  I didn't care for either GLBT story (there were only two - one f/f, one m/m), which kind of surprised me.

I would definitely recommend Agony/Ecstasy for readers who aren't sure if they'd enjoy BDSM-type reading, as well as readers who are already fans of the genre.  I've discovered some new-to-me authors I'll be pursuing in the future.


My Rating:4 stars Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Feral by Sheri Whitefeather

Feral 
~Sheri Whitefeather 

Paperback: 240 pages 
Publisher: Berkley Trade 
Publish Date: December 6, 2011 
ISBN-10: 042524332X 
ISBN-13: 978-0425243329 
ASIN: B005ERITCU

From Goodreads:
Mexico, 1850. One fateful night Noah Diaz is ravished by a bold woman who transforms him into an immortal lion. Now he is a wealthy man who owns an underground sex club where supernatural beings can indulge in no-holds-barred sensual play. Though Noah has scores of willing victims, it is the thrill of the hunt he desires... 


Jenny Lincoln runs a big cat rescue operation that can't stay afloat-until a donor comes through with the condition that she goes to his club. Both Noah and the club at first frighten her but eventually thrill her. It's clear that she is Noah's prey, but once she gets a taste, it is Jenny who wants more...

Jenny Lincoln runs her grandfather's ranch as a big cat rescue, but funding has been slow and she's going to have to shut down...then she gets an anonymous donation with the promise of more money - enough to keep the rescue running.  The only catch is she has to go out with the donor - to his "animal shifter" themed sex club.

Noah Diaz was human, until a vicious attack by a shapeshifter changed his life forever.  A century later, he's running a sex club for shifters and shifter groupies.  He happens to stumble across Jenny's rescue, and his cat side wants to chase her.  Obscenely rich, he offers her the promise of enough money to save her ranch.  Will the straight-laced, innocent Jenny take the bait?

My thoughts:
I'm going to be blunt:  I could not get into this book.  It started off well - Noah wants to date Jenny, he's wanting the thrill of the chase.  She's innocent and not very experienced and Noah thinks she's going to fight her attraction the whole way.  So far, so good, right?  I love when the H/H fight their attraction.

Then things quickly turn around:  She goes to his sex club and sees what it's all about, and the next day she's telling him her sexual fantasies and having phone sex!  Now "the chase" is gone.  They embark on a sexual relationship, there's a "Beauty and the Beast" reenactment, some magic stones, and Noah is now denying his love for Jenny while she's insisting he does love her.

All in all, the characters read as very inconsistent, the plot was weak, and at one point there was a scene involving yogurt and a sex toy that caused me to get up and walk away.  I'm not sure why her cousin Matt was written into the story, he seemed to serve no purpose, and Coyote, Noah's accountant, seemed to have an interesting background but was only used to push the story in the direction the author was going.

My Rating:1 star 
Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Dreaming of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Dreaming of the Wolf
~Terry Spear 

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (December 6, 2011) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1402245556 
ISBN-13: 978-1402245558 
ASIN: B005UF0V7C 

From Goodreads:
Werewolf pack leader Jake Silver is an acclaimed photographer. He sees a beautiful woman at the art gallery where his photos are on display, and his intrigue turns into wolfish protectiveness. Alicia Greiston has never met anyone like Jake-he's sexy, alpha, and totally irresistible, and he calls to something primal in her soul.

Alicia Greiston is a bounty hunter.  She's working a big case, trying to bring in two hardened mob criminals.  This case is personal, they killed her mother and Alicia is determined to put them away.  They'll stop at nothing though, and after a threat to Jake, the gorgeous guy she's falling for, she's got to go into hiding to protect him.

Jake Silver is triplet-brother to the pack Alpha, Darien.  He's in town, dropping off his landscape photos at an art gallery.  When he comes across a young lady who seems to be in trouble, he pretends to be her boyfriend in order to scare off the guys threatening her.  He's intrigued by this woman, and wants to get to know her better, but he knows it's pointless since she's human.  But he can't get her out of his mind, and after a fabulous afternoon of amazing sex, she disappears...but then he starts dreaming about her - every night.  And when he gets a call that she might be back in town, he goes looking for her.  What he finds changes everything...

My thoughts:
Dreaming of the Wolf is the 8th book in Terry Spears' Heart of the Wolf series.  You can definitely read this book as a stand-alone, although Silver Town and it's inhabitants are featured in previous books.  It's actually nice to see how Darien and Lelandi are doing since their book, Destiny of the Wolf (book 2).

I must admit I had a hard time starting this book, Alicia was a bit annoying and the mob tie-in was a bit fantastical (But werewolves aren't?  I know, I know!), but as I read on I started to like Alicia more.  The other thing that put me off at first was that the romance happened a bit quickly - like the same day they met.  But, once they were separated and the story progressed, I fell into it and enjoyed their dream sharing.  Then, when they got together again it felt "right".  I should also mention here that the sex in Dreaming of the Wolf is pretty hot *winks*.

There were some plot twists I didn't see coming, which always makes me a happy reader.  I liked how Jake and his brothers helped Alicia with her problems - both being a new wolf and her legal issues that kept cropping up related to her bounty-hunting the mobsters.

The other thing I liked about Dreaming of the Wolf is that the secondary characters are not just wooden cut-outs.  They're interesting and bring depth and humor to the story; there were several characters I wouldn't mind seeing get their own book.

Dreaming of the Wolf is a nice installment to the Heart of the Wolf series.  I'm hoping we'll see more of Silver Town and it's residents soon.



My Rating: 
Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Wild Thing by Robin Kaye

Wild Thing
~Robin Kaye

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Publish Date: December 6, 2011 
ISBN-10: 1402257279 
ISBN-13: 978-1402257278 
ASIN: B005UEXEHW

From the author's website:
Whitewater-rafting guide Hunter Kincaid lands his dream job–guiding sportswear models through Idaho's rugged wilderness for a week-long photo shoot. When he meets Toni Russo, the goth New York manager of Action Models, there are enough sparks to set the forest ablaze.

When Hunter finds Toni's book on how to marry the man of your choice, he studies it as a joke. Before long Hunter realizes he's never cared enough for a woman to bother working this hard to get her. But the last man in the world this city girl wants is a Survivor Man wannabe...

Toni Russo is a city girl, through and through.  Hunter Kincaid lives and works in the wilderness.  When Action Models sets up a photo shoot with Hunter's company, taking their models rafting and hiking, Toni ends up having to accompany the models at the last minute.   Toni would rather do just about anything else; she has a phobia about being in the wilderness.  But Hunter makes it his personal mission to be sure Toni loses her fears and has a good time...

My thoughts:
We first met Hunter and his brothers, Trapper and Fisher, briefly in Ms. Kaye's previous book, Yours for the Taking.  I am happy to report that we get more of not only Hunter, but his brothers as well - I love these brothers!!  I found Toni a bit rough around the edges, and not as easy to like as Hunter, but by the end of the story I was rooting for their HEA.

Toni is a goth-wearing, city-dwelling woman with an aversion to anything that even remotely resembles the great outdoors.  We learn later in the story why she has this phobia, and watch as Hunter struggles to make the trip not only bearable but enjoyable for her.  Toni is used to being surrounded by gorgeous models and not being noticed, so Hunter really throws her for a loop.

Hunter is not used to having the feelings Toni brings out in him - protective, posessive, and head-over-heels for Toni.  He wants a real relationship with Toni, but she doesn't have enough self-confidence to believe it and thwarts his attempts at commitment at every turn by telling herself it's only temporary until she gets back to the city.  (This was actually one of the issues I had with the book was that he fell so quickly - I would have liked their relationship to take a little more time)

There's quite a bit of humor throughout the book, so many times I chuckled out loud:

Toni watched Hunter run across the street and put her boots in the truck.  She'd probably drop the things in the incinerator when she got home, but then, if she kept seeing Hunter, he'd expect her to wear them again.  God, her closet was too small for ugly shoes.~page 233, Wild Thing

There was also a side story of a charitable organization Hunter is trying to expand, and a quite funny storyline about a relationship-help book Toni brings on the trip...

Wild Thing is a cute, funny, contemporary romance by an author who's writing style I really enjoy.  Fans of contemporary romance and the opposites-attract storyline will have a great time reading this book.

My Rating:

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Devilishly Hot by Kathy Love

Devilishly Hot 
~Kathy Love 

Paperback: 320 pages 
Publisher: Brava 
Publish Date: November 1, 2011 
ISBN-10: 0758265875 
ISBN-13: 978-0758265876 
ASIN: B005CRY7XM 

From Goodreads:
And you thought your job was hell. . . 
Annie Lou Riddle had a plan: Move to New York City. Break into the fashion industry. Work her way to the top. Nowhere in that scenario did she expect to accidentally sell her soul in exchange for a job at Hot! Magazine. Oops. 

Demons, it seems, aren't big on letting mortals off the hook. Now Annie is stuck working as assistant/personal slave to Finola White—diva extraordinaire, and glamorous she-devil. Whatever Finola wants, she gets, and she wants Annie to match her up with Nick Rossi, the gorgeous detective investigating shady doings at Hot! 

Frankly, Annie sees the appeal. Nick is effortlessly sexy, rugged, charming—and the one man Annie should definitely not be flirting with, or kissing, or. . . Oops. But some loves are too devilishly hot to resist. . .

Annie Lou Riddle is living in the New York and has just decided to pack it in and go back to Mississippi when she gets a phone call that changes her life: HOT! magazine has just called to offer her her dream job.

Fast forward three years and Annie is miserable; her boss is evil - no really, she's a demon.  Annie sold her soul for 10 years of being Finola White's assistant.  While the perks are great - fabulous apartment and great clothes, the downside is that if she can't please Finola and breaks her contract, Satan gets her soul.

Detective Nick Rossi is investigating the disappearance of 21 people over a period of a few years.  The only thing they all have in common?  They all worked at HOT! Magazine.  Nick is instantly attracted to Finola's beautiful assistant, but Finola is attracted to Nick.  He knows something's not quite right, but can't figure out what it is, and can't get proof the magazine is responsible for the missing people.

Now Annie's fighting her attraction to Nick and working like crazy to get Finola through Fashion Week without losing her soul in the process.

My thoughts:
Devilishly Hot reminded me of a paranormal Devil Wears Prada:  Finola and Annie were definitely Miranda and Andy.  However, where Andy would've just been fired, Annie would have lost her immortal soul by displeasing her boss.

While Devilishly Hot was cute, it couldn't hold my attention.  I couldn't reconcile good, kind Annie selling her soul for a job, no matter how fabulous.  I just couldn't make that leap, and it prohibited me from enjoying the story because I kept waiting for an explanation of what could have possibly made her sell her soul, and it never really came.

Nick was a good hero - masculine, possessive, kind and loving.  I liked him with Annie and their HEA was a nice note to end on.

While Finola and Satan were a bit caricature-ish, Finola's subordinate demon, Tristian, was a nice touch - I actually liked his character more than Fiona.  To be honest, aside from Tristian the demons were a bit silly.

All told, Devilishly Hot was a cute, light read, if a bit silly at times.



My Rating:
Book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch

Alien Proliferation 
~Gini Koch 

Paperback: 480 pages 
Publisher: DAW 
Publish Date: December 6, 2011 
ISBN-10: 0756406978 
ISBN-13: 978-0756406974 
ASIN: B005ERIKM4 

From the author's website:
A new set of conspiracies, old enemies, and a dangerous new drug being tested on unwilling subjects are more than enough to deal with, but new parents Jeff and Kitty Martini have an even bigger problem -- the bad guys want their newborn baby.

*SPOILERS for books 1-3*

As Alien Proliferation opens, Katherine "Kitty" Katt (now Martini) is nearing the end of her pregnancy, and she's miserable:  bed rest, inability to decide on even the smallest baby supplies, and discomfort all combine to make Kitty one cranky agent.

Then, a phone call comes in - Kitty's best friend from college is in trouble.  Jeff and Christopher rush out to save the day, but of course it's not that easy: more problems are uncovered than are solved, and then suddenly - there's a baby on the way!  Take a (half) alien baby, add the fact that dad had been force-fed untested alien drugs before conception, and you have a white-knuckle delivery on your hands.

From there, things just keep going crazy and Kitty and Jeff's new-parent bliss is clouded by disappearing agents and the realization there's a mole trying to take out the team.  What comes next is a lot of action, secret agent stealth, sci-fi conspiracy, and a ton of fun.

My thoughts:
I have been a huge fan of Gini Koch since the first book and Alien Proliferation has everything I've come to love about this series:  Smart, funny dialogue, diverse and interesting characters, and boatloads of action.

In addition to the sweet and sexy rapport between Kitty and Jeff, one thing I really liked about Alien Proliferation is that we get to see more of Kitty's relationships with her two BFFs:  Chuckie and Reader.  I have adored Chuckie since we met him (even before, kind of), and he gets one of the sweetest, most saddest lines I've ever read:

He got up, and I handed Jamie to him. He held her well. "She really looks like you. Beautiful baby."
"I still don't see it, but I'll take the compliment for both of us."
He held her for a few minutes, walked around the room with her. He finally handed her back to me. "Thank you."
"For what?"
Chuckie kissed the top of my head. "For letting me pretend."
~page 126, Alien Proiferation

Sooo sweet, right?  We (and Kitty) also learn a bit more about Chuckie through some of the other characters he works with.  I was very pleased with the amount of information/page time Chuckie had in this book.

The Kitty/Reader relationship is, as always, wow.   We were treated to more information about Kitty and Reader's relationship in the previous book, Alien in the Family, but Alien Proliferation gives us more insight from Kitty's POV, and it was moving.

And....Christopher gets a love interest in this book - I know, right?!?  He's such a great character and he's had a few hard knocks so I was especially pleased to see him happy.  I'm looking forward to seeing them together in future books, giving Jeff and Kitty a run for their money in the "happy and sex-crazed" department.

My issues with this book were really specific to me personally:  I had a hard time following some of the conspiracy plot, and Kitty referred to her boobs as "torpedoes" way too much; we get it - they're huge.  (and I may have been jealous of Kitty's post-birth recovery; you'll have to read to find out why, lol)

This series is often described as "over the top" which is exactly right - but it's so much fun!!  Gini Koch's Alien series holds a proud place on my "Keeper" shelf and Alien Diplomacy is already on my "Books I Can't Wait For" list.

My Rating:

This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Sins of the Highlander by Connie Mason with Mia Marlowe

Sins of the Highlander
~Connie Mason with Mia Marlowe


Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Publish Date: January 1, 2012 
ISBN-10: 1402261829 
ISBN-13: 978-1402261824

From Goodreads:
“Mad Rob” MacLaren thought stealing his enemy’s bride-to-be was the perfect revenge. But he never reckoned that this beautiful, innocent lass would waken the part of him he thought dead and buried with his wife. Against all reason, Rob longs to introduce the luscious Elspeth Stewart to the pleasures of the flesh, to make her his and only his forever. 


Even with her gift of the Sight, never had Elspeth Stewart imagined her wedding would be interrupted by a darkhaired stranger charging in on a black stallion, scooping her into his arms, and carrying her off across the wild Scottish highlands. With two clans against them burning for battle, they must find a way to join together–body, breath, and soul. Or both will be made to pay for the Sins of the Highlander.

Elspeth Stewart is getting married.  Her groom is the leader of a neighboring clan and her father has arranged the marriage to benefit both clans.  While they're standing at the altar, in rides "Mad Rob" MacLaren, stealing her from the altar and riding off with her!!!

MacLaren doesn't care about Elspeth, he's avenging his dead wife.   Elspeth's betrothed, Lachlan Drummond, is responsible for MacLauren's wife's tragic death.  His plan is to steal and keep her, thereby having some measure of revenge and embarassing Drummond in the process.  What he doesn't count on are the feelings he gets when he's around Elspeth, feelings he hasn't had since his wife died...

My thoughts:
I've been in the mood for Highlander Romances lately, and Sins of the Highlander was a captivating read.  (<-- no pun intended, lol)

I liked Elspeth - although she was an innocent maiden, she had a head on her shoulders and was a quick thinker.  She was constantly planning how to save herself or her loved ones in a manner that was well-thought out and reasonable, not full of fluff like some historical heroines.  Was she always right?  Well, no, but it's the planning, not the execution, that counts, right? Er...moving on...

MacLaren was not as swoon-worthy as I would have liked.  For one, he's supposed to be a clan leader, which I would think would require a keen eye for detail, yet he didn't notice Elspeth dropping her scraps of clothes for her father/fiance to find or notice a rope strung across the river to stop their voyage.  But, he did grow on me, and his inner turmoil regarding his feelings for Elspeth vs. his feelings for his deceased wife made me sympathetic towards their reaching an HEA.

I should also mention Sins of the Highlander contains some hot sexual tension and an interesting plot twist near the end that had me hurrying ahead to see how the book would end!


My Rating: 
Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Darker Still: A Novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber

Darker Still:  A Novel of Magic Most Foul

~Leanna Renee Hieber

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publish Date: November 1, 2011

ISBN-10: 1402260520

ISBN-13: 978-1402260520

From the author's website:
I was obsessed. It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I’d ever seen. Everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable-- utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.

There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide.

He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.

I’ve crossed over into his world within the painting and I’ve seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked- bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. And unless I can free him soon, things will only get darker still...

As a young child, Natalie Stewart was witness to a traumatic incident that rendered her speechless.  Now 17 and mute, Natalie is finished with school and convinces her father to offer her a job working with him at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City.

The big news in the art world is that the famous painting of Lord Jonanthan Denbury is for sale.  This painting is surrounded by rumors and speculation about the strange disappearance of the subject and the almost mystical feel to the painting.  Her father knows the museum can't afford to buy it, but he brings Natalie to meet Mrs. North, a wealthy widow, who is the most probable purchaser, in the hopes that she will lend it to the museum.

Natalie strikes up a sort of friendship with Mrs. North, their obsession with the painting as their initial shared preoccupation.  Mrs. North is also interested in all forms of spiritualism, and is convinced there is something peculiar and magical about the painting.   When she takes Natalie to see the painting, she's convinced Natalie has a special connection with the painting and encourages her to explore the connection. When Natalie notices a note for her in the painting, she reaches out to touch it, and falls into the painting!

Young Natalie discovers a curse, a gentleman, a murderer, and her inner voice; taking her far beyond the boundaries of what she thought she knew about the world she lives in...

My thoughts:
I have not yet read Ms. Hieber's adult series, but when I saw the blurb for her YA book, Darker Still, I knew I had to read it!  A mute heroine and a hero stuck in a portrait painting?  Set in the 1880s?  YA?  Yes, please.

I enjoyed the POV as coming from Natalie's journal entries.  It was a nice way to get around her inability to talk, and also gave the heroine time to think about the events as she writes them, making it more introspective than had we gotten her POV as events happened.  Natalie was a good heroine - clever, open-minded, loyal, and kind-hearted.  I kind of feel like we didn't really get a good look at Lord Denbury's personality, mostly because the story was told from Natalie's POV, and, of course, because he was trapped in a painting - there wasn't much he could do.

I liked the secondary characters, especially Mrs. North.  Her niece was a bit annoying and I have the feeling we'll be seeing her again.  The villian in Darker Still is suitably creepy - I think Natalie did a much better job of standing up to him than I would have done!  I loved the mystical/spiritual aspect of the story and hope that will continue with the series.

There were spots where the story moved slowly; I can't put my finger on exactly why, but I did find myself occasionally trying to read ahead to where we get more information or something exciting happens.  That being said, while I liked the ending, it was the only part of the book that felt a bit rushed; it seemed to wrap up quickly.  I am looking forward to the next book in the series though; I can't wait to see what Ms. Heiber has in store for these characters!

My Rating:

Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Home Sweet Home by Bella Riley

Home Sweet Home
~Bella Riley

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages 
Publisher: Forever 
Publish Date: October 1, 2011 
ISBN-10: 0446584215 
ISBN-13: 978-0446584210 
ASIN: B004QZ9PB0

From Goodreads:
Ten years and two hundred miles. That's what separates Andi Powell from quiet, secluded Emerald Lake-and that's exactly how she likes it. But now her job brings her back to the hometown she's tried so hard to forget . . . and to Nate Duncan, the man she's never been able to. 

Nate once looked at Andi with love in his eyes. But that was before she left him in the dust to pursue her big-city dreams. Now he's the town's ruggedly handsome mayor with the power to break Andi's career like she broke his heart. As the two clash over the future of Emerald Lake, the sparks that fly between them rekindle a passion neither of them can deny. 

 Andi may have left town looking for the life she thought she wanted. But could everything she needs have been in Emerald Lake all along?

After 10 years, Andi Powell has returned to picturesque Emerald Lake.  Not because she's homesick, but to save her job.  She's got to convince the townsfolk of Emerald Lake that they'd like new vacation condos on the lake for rich out-of-towners.

Nate Duncan was the love of Andi's life, until things went horribly wrong when they were teens.  He's never seriously dated anyone since Andi, and he can't believe she's back in town. Nate is now the town mayor, and while he's having mixed feelings about seeing Andi again, he's wholeheartedly opposed to the condo idea.

When they're together, it's like the years never happened, until reality sets in and they're on opposite sides of the condo issue.  How can they make a relationship work if Andi doesn't want to live in Emerald Lake and Nate doesn't want to leave?

My thoughts:
I just couldn't get into this story.  Andi and Nate were nice enough, but that's part of the problem, I think...they were so nice...no fiery passion or exciting action, and I really couldn't get excited about their story.  Andi's father was a politician who was gone a lot while she and her mother stayed home, and she's terrified this will be her future as well, so she leaves Emerald Lake as soon as she can and doesn't look back.

For about the first third of the story I kept thinking I had already read this book; I actually checked the publish date to make sure this was the book I was supposed to be reviewing.  The quaint lakeside town, the knitting shop on Main Street, the three generations of women, it all felt very familiar.  There was also a storyline involving Andi's grandmother as a young girl and a mysterious stranger she was in love with at that time.  This plot did not interest me at all and I skipped over those portions.

Nate's backstory was very sad and I found myself judging Andi, which may have been part of my issue with enjoying Home Sweet Home.  Was it a sweet story?  Sure.  It just didn't grab and keep my attention.

My Rating:

Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Last Breath by Rachel Caine

Review originally posted at FictionVixen.com

Last Breath
~Rachel Caine

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: NAL Hardcover
Publish Date: November 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0451234871
ISBN-13: 978-0451234872
ASIN: B0052RDK12

From Goodreads:
With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town—a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire—or something else entirely?

Claire Danvers is an extra-ordinary girl living in the extra-ordinary town of Morganville, Texas.  What makes Claire so special?  She's super-smart, having started college early, and, among other things, works after school in a lab with Myrnin, who's a little crazy...and a vampire.  In Morganville though, that's no so unusual - there are lots of vampires in Morganville.

While there is usually an uneasy truce between the humans and the vampires, things are currently a little strained.  Someone's planning a wedding, and as the countdown ticks down, it's plain that the wedding is one thing that everyone in town seems to agree on:  no one thinks it should happen; not the vamps, and definitely not the humans.

But while the town is focused on the approaching nuptuals, Claire and the gang learn that vampires are going missing.  Just a few at first, but as the days go by and there's no sign of the missing vampires, things start to get weird weirder than usual.  Claire sees something she shouldn't but can't remember what it was, Amelie gets a cryptic message that leads her to the decision to close down Morganville, and Myrnin has a decision to make.  Will Claire and her friends solve the mystery and save Morganville?  Do they even want to save Morganville?  Or is this their chance to be free of the vampires forever?

My thoughts:
Last Breath is a can-not-miss installation to The Morganville Vampires series!  As I've come to expect from this series, the story is fresh and the players are like old friends.  As an added bonus, in Last Breath, we are treated to viewpoints from not only Claire, but also Amelie, Eve, Michael, and Shane.

Fans of Myrnin will love Last Breath: he continues to be one of my favorite anti-heroes.  Even faced with the possible demise of Amelie, Morganville, and possibly himself, he steps up and does what needs to be done.  And Shane...oh Shane...*sniffs*  Shane faces possibly the most heartbreaking section of the book.

Without giving anything away, we do learn why this book is titled Last Breath; and believe me, you're going to be holding yours.  After 10 books in this series of characters we have grown to love, Ms. Caine continues to captivate the reader with jaw-dropping scenes like this:

     I lifted my head, and I knew my eyes were flaring with white power, driven by my rage, my revulsion, my desperation.  "Silence them Myrnin.  You know you must."
     He stared back at me for a moment in mute horror, and shook his head.  "I can't," he said.  "God witness me, I cannot do it.  Not to her.  The boy, yes, but not her.  Amelie, there must be another way."
     "Jesu, you think if there was, I wouldn't take it?"  I shouted it at him, fists clenched against the need to strike.  "You will do it.  You must."  And I put my will on him, pushing in a way that I so rarely did these days.  That I so rarely had to do.
~page 74, Last Breath

Last Breath was impossible to put down; every time I thought I knew where Ms. Caine was going to take us, I was wrong.  This new villain in Morganville is dangerous and scary; so terrifying that even the vampires are panicking.  And it's stealthy, sneaking up on us while we're busy looking somewhere else.

I have one complaint...usually Ms. Caine ends her stories nicely and things are as wrapped up as they can be, without ending the series of course, but that's not the case in Last Breath.  Last Breath ends with a definite cliffhanger, and I felt like the story was left unfinished.

Last Breath is probably the most emotionally-charged installment in the series to date; fans of the books will not be disappointed.  Between the surprise twists and the seemingly impossible challenges Claire must overcome, Last Breath left me gasping for breath.

My Rating:

Book received from the publisher.

Review: A Novel Seduction by Gwyn Cready

A Novel Seduction
~Gwyn Cready


Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages 
Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition 
Publish Date: October 25, 2011 
ISBN-10: 1451612648 
ISBN-13: 978-1451612646 
ASIN: B004T4KWWY

From the author's website:
When snobbish book critic Ellery Sharpe screws up at Vanity Place magazine, her boss assigns her the ultimate punishment: write an ode to romance novels, a genre she considers the literary equivalent of word search puzzles. To make matters worse, he hires her sexy former party boy ex, Axel Mackenzie, to shoot the photos. Axel really wants the project to succeed. For one, the magazine will double his fee if he convinces strong-willed Ellery to write a story no woman can resist. Besides, getting Ellery to fall for romance novels might be just the push she needs to believe people can change . . . even him. At his sister's advice, Axel gives Ellery a copy of Kiltlander, a much-adored romance whose warrior hero is utterly irresistible. To her dismay, Ellery finds herself secretly falling in love with the story-and with Axel, who's drawing his own lessons from the book's compelling hero. With her carefully crafted image of herself crumbling and her dream job on the line, will Ellery risk it all to make the leap from tight-lipped literati to happily-ever-after heroine?

Ellery Sharpe is head of the literary section at Vanity Place magazine.  She's trying to get on as editor of another prestigious magazine, and her next assignment is going to be her piece de resistance.  The only problem?  Her most recent article, a piece on the uber-popular book "Vamp" lambastes the book and the romance genre in general.  This would normally be fine, except her married editor is having an affair with Vamp's author.  Needless to say he's not happy, and to make his mistress happy, he's assigned Ellery a piece on why women like romance novels, and Vamp in particular.

Axel Mackenzie is a free-lance photographer who often works with Vanity Place.  He and Ellery dated several years back, and while their romance didn't work out, they remained friends.  Not close friends, but friends nonetheless.  He's trying to buy a small, independent brewery, and when Ellery's editor offers him a large sum of money to make sure she's doing a positive article.  He agrees, but doesn't know a thing about romance novels, so he consults with his sister, who recommends her favorite romance, Kiltlander.

As the story moves on, both Ellery and Axel remember their former relationship (the good parts and the bad), travel the world meeting readers of all shapes and sizes, and learn to appreciate a good romance novel.

My thoughts: 
OMG this book was so cute!!!  I read and loved Ms. Cready's Seducing Mr. Darcy, and when I saw the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it.

A Novel Addiction has everything I want in a contemporary romance, plus Outlander references, for a book full of win!!!  The humor is funny, the hero and heroine are likable, the secondary characters help move the story along without confusing or overshadowing the main story.

I loved the Vamp fans - they broke down into Team Britta or Team Ynez, and the fans are just as rabid as Team Jacob and Team Edward fans...

The Kiltlander scenes were my favorites:  Jemmie and Cara =Jamie and Claire.  The scene where Ellery sneaks into the bathroom to read Kiltlander because she's got to know what happens at the wedding scene is so funny.  And the fact that everyone she talks to has read and loves Kiltlander but won't spoil any of the book for her is such a true depiction of the camaraderie of the romance reading community in general - I loved it!!!  (And I had to go back and read my favorite parts of Outlander as soon as I finished A Novel Addiction *winks*)

The back story of Axel trying to come up with enough money to buy the bar, and Ellery's competition to win the spot at the other magazine added interest to the plot, but for me the most enjoyable parts were Ellery and Axel each reading Kiltlander and their reactions to it, as well as the romance that re-blooms between them.

I definitely recommend this book to any romance readers, especially fans of Outlander and "converts" to romance from other genres (like me).  This one goes on my "keeper shelf".


My Rating: Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

Drink Deep
~Chloe Neill

Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: New American Library 
Publish Date: November 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0451234863 
ISBN-13: 978-0451234865 
ASIN: B0052RERL4 

From the author's website:
Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and recently turned vampire Merit can’t tell if this is the darkness before the dawn or the calm before the storm. With the city iself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times haven’t been this precarious for vampires since they came out of the closet. If only they could lay low for a bit, and let the mortals calm down.

That’s when the waters of Lake Michigan suddenly turn pitch black-and things really start getting ugly.

Chicago’s mayor insists it’s nothing to worry about, but Merit knows only the darkest magic could have woven a spell powerful enough to change the very fabric of nature. She’ll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who’s behind this, and stop them before it’s too late for vampires and humans alike.

*SPOILER FREE REVIEW*
As Drink Deep opens, Vampire Merit is trying to get over the events that took place in the previous book, Hard Bitten.  She's made the decision to soldier on and be the vampire she needs to be in order to do her job of protecting Cadogan House and its inhabitants.  To that effect, she's been working with Jonah, from Grey House, who's been teaching her a few new things and is still trying to recruit her for the Red Guard.

When Lake Michigan suddenly turns black and stops moving, Chicago immediately blames it on their favorite supernatural scapegoat - the vampires.  Merit's job is to find out what's happening and make it stop, but in the absence of any clues she doesn't know how to fix it.  Adding to Merit's problems is Frank, the receiver appointed by the Greenwich Presidium to review Cadogan House; he's instituted a new policy of blood-rationing and is trying to edge Merit out of her position at the House.

While trying to solve the city's problem and dealing with Frank's machinations at the house, Merit is also trying to salvage her fractured friendship with Mallory, and that's not going so well either.  Has Merit finally taken on too much to handle?  Are the vampires going to finally be ousted from Chicago, or will it only be Cadogan House that suffers....

My Thoughts:
Ms. Neill's world-building is so well crafted it's like going back home after vacation each time I pick up the newest installment - as soon as I open the book I fall right in and immerse myself in this fictional, vampire-infused Chicago.  Merit continues to be one of my favorite UF heroines - she's tough, smart, loyal, and persistent, but not obnoxiously so.  She's definitely the kind of chick I'd love to have as a friend, if she wasn't a vampire ;)  The cast and crew of secondary characters are well-rounded and consistent - they stress me out right along with Merit!

I've got a little confession to make:  I liked Jonah in Hard Bitten and like him even more in Drink Deep.  *points to self* I'm definitely a Jonah fan; he's a stand-up guy and I think he and Merit work well together.  Is there some attraction there?  Sure, but Merit handles it nicely and I like the underlying tension between them; I"m a sucker for a love-triangle and usually try to see one whether it's there or not.

After the last book, I didn't want to see Tate ever again.  He's back in Drink Deep and creeps me the *f* out.  He talked Merit out of something that I hope won't come back to haunt her.

As far as the mystery of the lake, I enjoyed it - I kept flip-flopping between two theories but was wrong on both counts.  I did figure out the problem before Merit did though...

There are some changes that take place in Drink Deep, including two shockers near the end of the book.  I think most people will be happy with the surprise and not so happy with the twist (I'm sorry I can't be any less cryptic without giving away spoilers).  I surprised myself by being not so happy about the surprise, but can't wait to find out what's going on with the twist - this one's going to be good, I can feel it!!

So, again, I've got to trust Ms. Neil that she knows what's best for Merit and that she'll get her HEA by the end of the series.  Biting Cold is going to kill me, I can tell already!!



My Rating: Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

If I Tell 
~Janet Gurtler 

Reading level: Young Adult 
Paperback: 256 pages 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 
Publish Date: October 1, 2011 
ISBN-10: 1402261039 
ISBN-13: 978-1402261039 
ASIN: B005EU50PG

From the author's website:
It was like watching a train wreck. I wanted to look away but couldn't take my eyes off them. 

Her best friend and her mom's boyfriend. Locking lips. This is the secret Jasmine Evans has to keep at all costs. Because her mom is pregnant, and Jaz doesn't want to ruin her life-again (just being born did it the first time). But the harder Jaz tries to pretend everything is okay, the faster her life spins out of control. Until Jackson. He doesn't care about the popularity of her friends or the color of her skin. But can she really trust a guy who just transferred in from reform school? She might be willing to chance the heartbreak, but telling him everything and risking the truth getting out is a whole other level of scary.

If I Tell is the story of Jaz Evans, a young, biracial girl who catches her mother's boyfriend, Simon, kissing Jaz's best friend, Lacey.  Jaz has convinced herself to tell her mother what she saw, then her mother suddenly announces she's pregnant.  Jaz is torn between telling her mother and keeping the secret.  She's devastated that Simon, someone she looked up to and trusted, could betray her mother, and, in a round-about way, he betrayed Jaz too.  So now she's lost Simon and her best friend, and she's angry and hurt. While she's trying to work through it, there's a new guy, Jackson, hanging around, and Jaz thinks she could like him, but he's bad news, so she really should stay away from him.  But she can't.  And between Jackson and her new friend, Ashley,  Jaz finds that life is full of surprises, some good and some not so good, but it is the choices you make that ultimately determine who you are.

My thoughts:
While If I Tell starts off with a secret, it ultimately spirals into so much more.  In only 244 pages, it touches on several difficult subjects:  race, teenage drinking, pregnancy, betrayal, homosexuality, depression, rape, and "second generation parenting".  The problems that teenagers face today are realistically portrayed, and the actions of the characters are not cookie-cutter solutions where everyone gets along and goes home happy.

While at times I was frustrated with Jaz and felt like she was feeling sorry for herself, I thought to myself, "What teenager doesn't, really?"  Add to that her mother left her for her grandparents to raise and is now having another baby, she doesn't feel like she fits with either the black or white community, and the two people she confides in have betrayed her.  Who wouldn't be feeling sorry for themselves?

The secondary characters were varied and interesting and each character had their own story to add to the reader's perception of all the things going on in Jaz's head.

If I Tell was a wonderfully written journey of self-discovery:  for Jaz to realize she does have a place where she fits in, to understand what you see isn't always what you get, and to know that it's okay to ask for help.

My Rating:

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Bear, Otter, and the Kid by TJ Klune

Bear, Otter, and the Kid
~TJ Klune

Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publish Date: August 12, 2011
ISBN-10: 1613720874
ISBN-13: 978-1613720875
ASIN: B005H3MRVK

From Goodreads:
Three years ago, Bear McKenna’s mother took off for parts unknown with her new boyfriend, leaving Bear to raise his six-year-old brother Tyson, aka the Kid. Somehow they’ve muddled through, but since he’s totally devoted to the Kid, Bear isn’t actually doing much living—with a few exceptions, he’s retreated from the world, and he’s mostly okay with that. Until Otter comes home.
Otter is Bear’s best friend’s older brother, and as they’ve done for their whole lives, Bear and Otter crash and collide in ways neither expect. This time, though, there’s nowhere to run from the depth of emotion between them. Bear still believes his place is as the Kid’s guardian, but he can’t help thinking there could be something more for him in the world... something or someone.

Darryl "Bear" McKenna was days away from his 18th birthday when he came home to a letter from his mother:  She's leaving town with her latest boyfriend who does't want kids; so his mother is leaving Bear's six-year-old brother, Ty, in Bear's care.  Bear is devastated - he's about to graduate and go to college on a scholarship, but now all that's about to change. Luckily he's got his girlfriend, Anna, his best friend, Creed, and Creed's older brother Oliver (Otter).  They all staunchly support Bear and Ty and rally around to make sure things are okay - not perfect, but they're making it work.

As the story opens, Bear, Ty, and Creed are headed Creed's parent's home for the summer.  Their house is supposed to be empty, but Otter is there.  Bear hasn't spoken to Otter in almost three years - since the "incident" that Bear doesn't want to think about.  He's still angry Otter left the way he did.  But everyone else is happy Otter is back, and maybe Bear is just fighting how he really feels...

Otter has been living in San Diego, but he's come back to get his head together and try to salvage his friendship with Bear: he knows Bear is the only person he's ever loved without reservation.  Sure, he had a boyfriend in San Diego, but he never stopped thinking about Bear and what happened between them.  He thought he was doing the right thing when he left, but now he's not so sure, and he's come home to try to fix it.

What follows is a heartwarming, heartbreaking, frustrating and beautiful story of finding love and finding yourself.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed Bear, Otter, and the Kid.  TJ Klune has a knack for writing sympathetic characters and the reader will be feeling all the ups and downs in the story right along with them.  Klune writes a heartbreaking situation, but he does so with bits of humor interspersed to keep the reader from wallowing in pity:

Creed scowls.  "Hardly.  All he does now is mope like a goddamn teenage girl.  Anytime I'm home, he's in his room with the door locked.  I'm telling you guys, he got worked over really bad in San Diego.  I thought the whole point of having a gay brother was that they were supposed to be all cool and shit.  I've got a defective gay."
~ 21%, Bear, Otter, and the Kid

The secondary characters are written into the story in such a way that you think about them when they're not on the page.  You find yourself wondering how Ty is doing at his first sleepover or how Anna has been since the breakup.    Ty, Creed, Anna, and even the neighbor Mrs. Paquinn add depth to an already emotion-filled story.  I'll warn you up front, Bear, Otter, and the Kid is full of angst, but it's sooo good.  Bear does a lot of internal monologues, things he wants to say, needs to say, but doesn't say:

But everything else was crumbling around me, and I didn't know what else to do.  I know that I can't keep using that as an excuse, no matter how hard I try.  But something funny happened, Creed.  Otter came back.  Otter came back and something in me shifted, something in my broke free.  For the first time in a long time, I saw myself through somebody else's eyes.  It was blinding because it was like looking into the sun.  I've never had anyone look at me that way before.  Something in me changed, and I've been struggling with it since.  It's an uphill battle every day, and I don't see the end in sight, and that terrifies me.  But if you want to know the truth, I want you to know.  I love him.  I love Otter.  I think I always have, and I think I always will.  It sounds weird, I know, coming from me.  I'm the last person you'd expect to hear say something like this.  I just don't want to keep it in anymore.  I'm tired of fighting it, and Otter told me the fight for me was all he's ever known, and I couldn't do that to him anymore.  Not when he finally came home to me.
~56%, Bear, Otter, and the Kid

In case you can't tell from the monologue, Bear has a hard time accepting he's gay.  He does love Otter but can't admit he's gay.  I found this one of the most endearing and frustrating aspects of the book.  While I understand Bear's reluctance, at the same time I could feel Otter's pain and feelings of rejection.

One part of the story I had a problem with was Bear's mother.  Without giving away spoilers, her part in the story didn't make any sense and was never explained.  I think the story could have ended the same way without her appearance.

The last thing I'm going to mention is Bear's younger brother Ty.  Ty is absolutely adorable:  he's super-smart, and at first I was worried he'd be an annoying kid with a saccharine personality.  Not so - he was quite yoda-like with his knowledge of how the world works and his ability to read people.  Great kid, fun to read, full of smart advice for not only Bear, but the rest of the gang as well.

Poignant, funny, hopeful and heartwarming, I absolutely recommend Bear, Otter, and the Kid.    The sex is secondary to the storyline, very mild, so this would be good for new readers of gay romance, as well as those with a bit more experience in the genre.



My Rating: 
Book provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight
~Julie Kagawa

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harlequin
Publish Date: October 25, 2011
ISBN-10: 0373210361
ISBN-13: 978-0373210367

From Goodreads:
Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.  Unless he can earn a soul. 

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought. 

Then Meghan Chase - a half human, half fey slip of a girl - smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive. >

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end - a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Prince Ash of the Winter Court is on a quest - he intends to gain a human soul and thus be able to reside in the Iron Kingdom with his half-human love, Megan Chase, the Iron Queen.  As a fairy, he cannot be in the Iron Kingdom without becoming deathly ill, so he begins a journey to the End of the World to fulfill his promise to find a way to be with her.  No one has ever come back from the End of the World however, and Ash is going to need some assistance.  His traveling companions are quite a surprising and eclectic group, but they each have a reason for joining Ash's travels and hoping for his success.

My thoughts:
I absolutely loved the Iron King trilogy (my 5-star review of The Iron Queen here) and I was looking forward to Ash's story - I have been Team Ash from the first book.  That being said, The Iron Knight fell a bit flat for me.  Don't get me wrong - the writing was fabulous; Ms. Kagawa's imagination never ceases to amaze me.

We don't see much of Megan in this book, which makes sense since it's Ash's book, but I missed her.  We do get a big surprise in the form of a character from Ash's past.  I really didn't like her, though, and spent the whole book yelling at Ash to quit mooning over her.  Even though she redeemed herself near the end of the story, I still don't like her. (I think that might make me a bad person, lol).  Ash was also very moody around Puck.  I figured since their feud was over they'd be chums or whatever but no, he treated Puck pretty badly.  Upon retrospect, Ash has always been moody, so I don't know why this surprised me.

There were several aspects to the story that I did love:  The back and forth between The Big Bad Wolf and Grimalkin left me wanting more.  I'm pretty sure there's a good backstory there; I'd love to know what it is.  That would probably involve knowing what, exactly, Grimalkin is, so we'll probably never know...

The River of Dreams and the town of Phaed, where names are forgotten, were fascinating and creepy.  I am still continually amazed at the depth of Ms. Kagawa's creativity - the creatures that her characters encounter and the trials they go through are beautifully written and vivid.

I think, for me, the problem was that The Iron Knight was the story of Ash Finding His Way To Megan, not Ash And Megan's Happily Ever After With Adventures Together.  So the issue is with me, the reader, not Ms. Kagawa, the writer.

Would I still recommend this series?  ABSOLUTELY.  This is a series you don't want to miss.

My Rating:

This book was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Utterly Charming by Kristine Grayson

Utterly Charming 
~Kristine Grayson 

Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Publish Date: October 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 1402248512 
ISBN-13: 978-1402248511 
ASIN: B005EU50K6 

From Goodreads:
Bestselling author Kristine Grayson's fairy tale romances bring the classic stories into the present day, where fairy tale characters must grapple with the complexities of modern life as well as their own destinies.

This time when Sleeping Beauty wakes up, she wants nothing to do with the man who kissed her. Consoling Alex Blackstone, the rejected suitor who is a brilliant magician but inept when it comes to women, falls to modern career woman and lawyer, Nora Barr. Nora now has to deal with Beauty's evil stepmother, and the discovery that Alex just might be her own personal Prince Charming...

Nora Barr is a young attorney who decided to open her own practice instead of joining a big law firm out of law school.  Money's running short because she doesn't have a lot of clients, so when Aethelstan (Alex) Blackstone shows up in her building looking for an attorney, she agrees to talk to him.  It turns out he's trying to contact a dear friend in a coma, but the friend's guardian won't let him near her.  He is not related to this friend, nor does he have any sort of custody, so Nora tells him she can't help him and sends him on his way.  A few days later, Nora gets a call from Alex's friend telling her he's in desperate need of an attorney and to come right away.

What follows is a story about true love and what happens when you get what you think you want.

My thoughts:
I kept expecting this story follow Sleeping Beauty and that's not at all what happened....

Nora is a tough attorney, even though she looks like a cheerleader.  I like that she doesn't let anyone walk all over her - even magical beings who could turn her into a frog, lol.  She's practical, except where Alex is concerned, something about him just keeps Nora off-center.  But not so off-center that she doesn't continue to do what she thinks is right.

Alex did not grow on me as much as he could have.  His blind infatuation with Emma (the close friend in a coma), I think, in part was responsible for this - how can a romance grow and develop with Nora while he is pursuing Emma?

I loved Alex's friend, Sancho - he was funny and vividly written; I loved the scenes he was involved in! Sancho was the kind of wise but irreverent secondary character who lights up the page.

Utterly Charming was a fun, modern twist to a traditional fairy tale, full of magical characters learning to navigate life the 20th century.  A cute, light read.



My Rating:
The first book in this series, Wickedly Charming, is currently free in ebook format from your favorite retailers through October 9!
Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.