Review: Highland Master by Amanda Scott

Highland Master
~Amanda Scott

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: January 25, 2011
ISBN-10: 0446574317
ISBN-13: 978-0446574310



From Goodreads:
When eighteen-year-old Lady Catriona Mackintosh discovers a wounded man in the forest near her Highland home, little does she know that he has sworn a sacred oath to kill her father and other members of the powerful Highland confederation known as Clan Chattan. Nor does she realize that she has met her soul mate. Independent, competent, intelligent, fiercely proud of her heritage, determined always to live near her own family, and known to her family as the "wee wildcat" because of her quick temper, Catriona is the daughter of a Highland chieftain and granddaughter of the even more powerful Chief (or Captain) of Clan Chattan. But her life changes forever when she persuades Sir Finlagh Cameron to return with her to her home to recover from his wounds.

Sir Finlagh "Fin" Cameron is on a mission for the heir to Scotland's throne, who has sent him to the Highlands to persuade the Chief of Clan Chattan to arrange a secret meeting for him with two other great lords (the Lord of the Isles and the Lord of the North). Until Fin meets Catriona, however, he has no idea that her father was the Clan Chattan war leader who led them in the battle that wiped out many of Clan Cameron's best warriors, including Fin's own father. The sole survivor of that battle, Fin accepted a bequest of vengeance from his dying father, providing him with a dilemma to face as he begins to fall in love with Catriona. He is not the only one enticed by her charms, either. There are two other contenders, one of whom is his own master, the heir to Scotland's throne. With royal mischief afoot, if Catriona and Fin are ever to find happiness, they must first avoid disaster that could change Scotland's history, and find ways to be open and honest with each other.

Although I've seen her name on the shelves at my local bookstore, this was actually my first Amanda Scott read. I've been in a highlander state of mind and with a title like "Highland Master" I couldn't resist ;) In the afterward, Ms. Scott tells us the book was based on an actual Scottish legend!

Catriona Mackintosh is a young highland lady, smart and spunky and full of life. She's wandering through the forest one morning and comes across an injured stranger. She comes to his aid and brings him to her home to recover more fully. As it turns out, he is traveling to see her grandfather, The Mackintosh, who happens to be visiting her family's home.

Sir Finlagh Cameron, Fin of the Battles, is a man of honor. As the sole survivor of a bloody Clan battle, he made a vow to his dying father for vengence. He's been sent by the future King of Scotland on an errand, and it just so happens the man he seeks vengence upon is the son of The Mackintosh and Catriona's father.

Highland Master was an agreeable read - I'm going to be honest and say I didn't get all the political maneuverings that were going on in the book, some of it I ended up skimming over. The character-driven part of the story, however, was riveting! Catriona's free spirit and Fin's more conservative one were at odds with each other despite their attraction; oh, Fin spent so much time with his jaw clenched! He was a bit bossy for my taste, but for that time period I suppose that wasn't unusual. Highland Master also had a mysterious friendship between supposed enemies, a scorned suitor, a Duke who spent most of his time being led around by his penis, and a threat to the castle; all of which combined to make a pleasurable read. I will certainly be checking out Ms. Scott's backlist.

My Rating:

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin (Yay for hockey!)

Icebreaker
~Deirdre Martin

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: February 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0425239799
ISBN-13: 978-0425239797




From the author's website:
Good thing high-powered attorney Sinead O'Brien has a rule about never dating clients. Because Adam Perry, the newest star of the New York Blades—and her newest client—has her headed for the penalty box. If only she could prove he's just another jock...

Adam's been charged with assault after a borderline hit on another star player, but off the ice he's a private, no-nonsense guy who knows the Blades are his last shot at Stanley Cup glory. Assembling her case, Sinead tries not to get distracted by Adam's dazzling good looks or strong work ethic, but she quickly discovers that there's a wounded man under that jersey, and she's starting to fall for him—hard.

Now Adam's having trouble focusing on the goal with Sinead in his sights. And Sinead is tempted to break her "no dating clients" rule. Can they play on their new found feelings without penalties?

I think my love of hockey romance is well documented here. And here. And here. And I love the New York Blades!

Icebreaker is the story between Sinead O'Brien, a workaholic attorney, and Adam Perry, the new captain of the NY Blades. Adam is being sued for assault after he knocked out another player on the ice and his "hockey people" have asked Sinead to defend him. Sinead doesn't know anything about hockey but agrees to take the case.

Part of Sinead's research is to get to know everything there is to know about Adam. He's a very close person; he doesn't have much to say and is very succinct when he does. Sinead is frustrated by his lack of forthcoming information. She runs into him at her parents bar and they have an interesting conversation - she learns more about him here than she has in the office, so she decides to try meeting in a less "businesslike" atmosphere to see if he'll open up a bit more. Adam wants to know more about Sinead, so he won't give without her telling him something about herself too.

They begin dating, but even though the male members of the firm often "entertain" their female clients, Sinead is called to carpet about her relationship with Adam, but Adam doesn't understand why it's such a big deal for Sinead, and Sinead is upset that Adam doesn't understand how difficult it is for her.

I really enjoyed this latest installment of Ms. Martin's NY Blades series. Sinead is a woman working in a predominantly man's world (law), and she's worked hard to get where she is. She was married, but eventually disagreement about raising kids ended the marriage - raising children, not having children. Although she really wants children, Sinead knows her career will falter and die if she takes time off to raise a family. She's very driven and is constantly thinking ahead about the repercussions of her actions at all times. Adam is focused on his career too - he knows he only has a year or two left on the ice and he wants to win the Stanley Cup. The lawsuit is hoey and he knows it, but it could end his career and change the way hockey is played if it succeeds.

I love the way Adam's history is slowly revealed to Sinead. There are some surprises in his background that she (we) did not expect. Reading them getting to know each other in tiny increments, Sindad debating with herself and her co-worker Oliver about her attraction to Adam, and Adam's interest in Sinead growing each time they meet set a nice pace. Sinead and Adam's romance slowly boiled into an inferno - once they let it ignite, their chemistry was hot.

If you're a fan of the series, you'll be happy to know we see a lot of familiar faces in Icebreaker: Ty Gallagher, Michael Dante, Quinn O'Brien, Sinead's parents and the Wild Hart Bar, Anthony and Vivi Dante and Dante's Restaurant, and a few of the players. We see a lot of Anthony Dante, the hero from Just A Taste, and I still like him - he was integral in helping Adam see that Sinead was not making up worst-case scenarios but that her workplace issues were real. We're also introduced to Sinead's best friend, co-worker, and resident horn-dog, Oliver - he steals the show! I love him - he's the kind of wingman every girl should have.

I identified with Icebreaker in that Sinead had real-life career issues that Adam, as a man, didn't understand. I find this to be true in Real Life too. Because they were both so private, sometimes they didn't communicate well and it took a friend (Anthony in Adam's case and Oliver in Sinead's case) to see the other side of the story.

I'll say this about the ending: At first I was disappointed, it didn't work for me, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then, I realized that was my problem - it didn't work for ME - but it worked just fine for Sinead and Adam. Once I sat back and thought about it, I realized it was actually a very happy ending ;)

I thoroughly enjoyed Icebreaker, Ms. Martin, and will keep reading your NY Blades stories as long as you keep writing them!

My Rating:

This book was provided to me by the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye

Yours for the Taking
~Robin Kaye

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: January 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 1402240104
ISBN-13: 978-1402240102





From the author's website:
Gina is convinced that he is either gay... or her perfect match He might be too good to be true...

Ben Walsh should be single. Handsome and wealthy, Ben is equally at home in Idaho where he grew up and in Manhattan where he's now an art dealer. Suave and successful with impeccable taste, he normally has women beating down his door. But the one woman he wants can't be convinced that he's for real... And she doesn't have the luxury of believing in fairy tales...

Gina Reyez has fought for every bit of her success, and it's about time for things to start going her way. So when Ben makes a proposal that will allow her to take care of her family the way she wants to, she agrees. Besides, a guy this perfect would never be interested in her...right? By the time Gina figures out that she's read Ben all wrong, their lives have become intertwined, and seriously complicated...

This is the 4th book in Robin Kaye's Domestic Gods Series, but can certainly be read as a stand-alone.

Gina Reyez had a rough childhood - a prostitute mother and drug-addicted father. She knows what it's like to live on the streets and has learned the hard way not to depend on anyone but herself. She lives with her younger sister, Tina, and Tina's husband Sam.

Ben Walsh is a successful businessman; he lost his parents in an accident when he was young and his grandfather is threatening to sell his parent's land if he doesn't marry soon.

Ben wants that land more than anything, and offers Gina a business deal - marry him and he'll pay her a monthly allowance, buy her a house, and settle more money on her when they divorce - after he gets the land from his grandfather. Gina realizes that with the money she'll make from Ben, she can buy herself a house free and clear that the bank will not be able to take away. She'll also be able to buy a house for her sister, and search for her brother, who she hasn't seen since he was a baby. Since she believes Ben is gay, she agrees to do it.

My thoughts: I've enjoyed Ms. Kaye's other Domestic Gods books, and Yours for the Taking was as sexy and entertaining as her previous books. It had a different feel to it, but still I liked it. Gina is a city girl - never been in a plane, doesn't know how to drive, doesn't trust anyone. Ben is more laid back - he loves being outdoors and commutes between Idaho and New York. It was fun to read these two butting heads, and Gina as a fish out of water in the Idaho wilderness was probably exactly how I'd behave :) The romance was sweet and the passion was hot!

My Rating:

Come back on Monday, January 24
for an interview and giveaway with Robin Kaye!

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

Quickie Giveaway!!

As I've mentioned numerous times lately, things have been pretty busy in Real Life, between the Christmas and the J-to the-O-to the-B and my reading has suffered a bit (a lot!) for it. I've got a few books I didn't get to review, so now I'm passing them on to you!

Group 1: Paranormal

Tempted by Fate by Kate Perry

Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire

Group 2: uhhh...NOT Paranormal, lol

Duchess of Sin

Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley

(Actually, I did review this one - here)

Just leave a comment telling me which group you want (it's okay to enter for both). Please leave me a way to contact you! Following my blog not a requirement but it is always appreciated. My apologies to international readers but I'm limiting this one to US and Canada addresses only.

Ends Sunday, January 16.

Review: How Sweet It Is by Sophie Gunn

How Sweet It Is
~Sophie Gunn

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: January 3, 2011
ISBN-10: 0446561991
ISBN-13: 978-0446561990

From Goodreads:
Single mom Lizzie Bea Carpenter learned long ago that no white knight was coming to save her. A hardworking waitress at the local diner, she's raising her daughter to be like the independent women in her "Enemy Club"—high school rivals turned best friends, promising to always tell each other the whole truth and nothing but!

Yet part of Lizzie wishes she did have a man's help, just for small stuff, like fixing up the house. Her fairy godmother must have been listening, because Dante "Tay" Giovanni soon appears. He's sexy, kind, and offering assistance—no strings attached.

Slowly, steadily, Lizzie's heart opens. But the grip of the past is fierce, and nothing in life is ever really free. Tay has his own tragedies to overcome, but if he can, he'll fix more than Lizzie's home. He'll show her just how sweet it is to be loved by him.

Lizzie Carpenter’s just gotten a letter from Ethan, the father of her 14-year-old daughter – the man she hasn’t heard from in 15 years. He’s decided it’s time for him to meet his daughter, and he wants to come on Christmas Day. Lizzie doesn’t know what to do; on one hand, Paige should meet her father. On the other hand, does he deserve to meet Paige after so much time has passed? So she takes the letter to work with her and discusses the situation with her “Enemy Club” – Lizzie and three other women who hated each other in high school and are now…friends who tell each other the truth – always.

Paige is delighted that her father is coming. The letter is postmarked from Geneva, so she’s sure he’ll take her back with him so she can work on her snowboarding there. She wants to be a professional snowboarder, and is dreaming that he’s come to take her away from the small town of Galton. Lizzie is stuck trying to be supportive of the fact that he’s coming, while trying not to get Paige’s expectations up. Paige accuses her of trying to keep Ethan from being interested in Paige by living in a shabby house. Lizzie knows she’s let things go, but doesn’t know how to fix it all.

Tay Giovanni is in the diner when he overhears Lizzie’s wish for a man to help fix up the house. Tay is passing through town on his own mission: A year ago, he accidentally hit and killed a woman in an automobile accident. Although it was declared an accident and he was not punished, he can’t get over it. He sold his possessions and tries to do good works. His final act of kindness is to give all his money to the woman’s daughter, Candy, who is going to college in Galton. Things don’t end up like he anticipated, and he ends up spending some time in town, where he decides to fix Lizzie’s fence.

From there, all sorts of things happen all at once: We meet Lizzie’s sister Annie and her husband Tommy, who have their own set of problems, Lizzie and Tay begin a romance, there’s a secret inside The Enemy Club, and Paige takes matters into her own hands.

How Sweet It Is is a bittersweet, multilayered Contemporary Romance. I liked Lizzie and understood her reluctance to accept Tay’s help in an effort to teach her daughter not to depend on men, but it was still a bit frustrating to read over and over her refusal of help. The interaction between Lizzie and Paige was soooo true-to-life. As the mother of a teenager, I can attest to that, lol. Tay was definitely an anti-hero, and his self-flagellation made me crazy! And while the romance was sweet, it felt a bit rushed – the sex scenes were each about two paragraphs long. I also thought the ending was a bit of a stretch with the mystery being solved in an unbelievable way.

How Sweet It Is is the first book in the Enemy Club series.

My Rating:

Review: Sins of a Highland Devil by Sue-Ellen Wellfonder

Sins of a Highland Devil
~Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: January 3, 2011
ISBN-10: 0446561789
ISBN-13: 978-0446561785

From the author's website:
The king has ordered three clans to battle to the death: the one left standing will reign over the Glen of Many Legends. James Cameron, known throughout the Highlands as “The Devil,” leads his men with ruthless determination. He knows no weakness — until a headstrong, flame-haired beauty from a rival clan tempts him to abandon his ironclad loyalties.

Catriona MacDonald’s past encounters with James have proved that ladies who play with fire can get scorched. But her brush with this devil leaves her burning to feel his touch once more, even though the fierce warrior is her sworn enemy. Now “The Devil” must fight for his family, his honor, and his very life… even as he surrenders to his desire to possess Catriona at any cost.

I have been in sort of a "historical slump", a slump I thought included highlanders. Oh, boy, was I wrong!

As the book opens, the last owner of the Glen has died, leaving descendants in each of the three Clans that live in the Glen. The King has ordered the three Clans to each put up 30 men, who will fight to the last one standing. The victorious clan will own the Glen. Alasdair MacDonald has just received the messenger bearing the news and he is not happy. Catriona, his sister, can't believe her ears - men will needlessly die. They know, however, to defy the King is impossible.

James Cameron, The Cameron, is upset that he must fight for what he believes is his. He doesn't want his men's blood spilled in a fight that will be nothing more than entertainment for the Lowlanders, but he knows he cannot go against the Kings wishes. One morning he goes out to seek counsel from his Seers, and he comes across Catriona wandering through his woods. He's attracted to her, but his honor requires that he sees her home to her brother safely. While he is at the MacDonald holding, James discusses some strange incidents with Alasdair. They are in agreement that they do not wish to fight but agree there is no other way.

James and Catriona are both captivated by the other, but they know they cannot be together as their clans have been enemies for centuries. They keep running into each other (sometimes on purpose, lol) and lust blooms. Love blooms too although neither will admit it...

Sins of a Highland Devil was absolutely enchanting; the characters were delightful to read and I was interested in each of their stories, not just the hero/heroine. Catriona was a willful, fiery-haired heroine, in love with James Cameron but too proud to show it. James Cameron was an honorable clan chief, his want to do the right thing warring against his want to ravish Catriona. We also meet Catriona's brother, Alasdair, who is a very strong secondary character - honorable but with a sense of humor - as well as James' sister, Isobel, and the third Clan chief, Kendrew Mackintosh and his sister, Marjory. James has a second-in-command, Colin, whom I hope we see again somewhere in the next two books :)

Sins of a Highland Devil had a bit of magic to it, with Seers and ghosts and a surprising secondary love story. As I read, it felt like I was there, in the Highlands, listening to this wonderful love story, complete with battles and dragons and legends and lore. This is the first of Ms. Wellfonder's Highland Warriors Trilogy, and I cannot wait to read the next two books!

My Rating:

I received this book from the publisher free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Question for my readers...

Mardi Gras is March 8 this year, and I'm planning on attending many, many parades (barring any sick kids, lol). I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a Mardi Gras loot giveaway? You know, stuff we catch off the floats:



Stuffed dolls, frisbees, cups, beads, soft spears...that sort of thing. I could probably throw in beignet mix and coffee with chicory, or pralines...





I actually thought about doing a giveaway last year, but since it's not book-related I didn't know if this was something anyone outside of New Orleans would be interested in.

So, what do you think?

Review: Deadlock by Moira Rogers

Deadlock
~Moira Rogers

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 972 KB
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Publish Date: January 4, 2011
ASIN: B004C44OXO


From the author's website:
Abandoned by her wolf shifter father and raised by her human psychic mother, Carmen Mendoza can't deny she's different. She craves things most women shy away from--and she has a trail of shapeshifting ex-boyfriends to prove it.

Working at a clinic for supernatural creatures, she's escaped the notice of her father's legacy-obsessed family. Until they need a pawn in their bid for power. Snared by a vicious spell designed to wake her inner wolf, Carmen's only hope is to trust the one man strong enough to soothe her darkest instincts.

Alec Jacobson was once the heir apparent to the wolves' ruling elite, until he walked away to marry the woman he loved. She paid with her life. He lives as a rebel, a black-sheep alpha who protects the supernatural residents of New Orleans from the wolves' barbaric class system. Too bad he can't protect himself from his need for Carmen.

Yet staking his claim on his enemy's niece will turn his city into a battleground. Unless he can find a way to stop breaking the rules--and start making them.

Warning: This book contains a renegade alpha wolf, a smart empathic doctor, very dirty sex with psychic safe-words, the occasional dominance game in and out of the bedroom, and a group of supernatural citizens ready to take on the corrupt leaders of their world.

If this book is any indication of the rest of my reads in 2011, I am going to be a happy, happy girl this year - Deadlock kicked ass!!

I have been a fan of Moira Rogers' Southern Arcana series since the first book, Crux. Deadlock, book 3 in the series, is my favorite so far:

Alec Jacobson is about as Alpha as they come - he's the unofficial leader of the New Orleans area "pack", and a lot of people rely on him to keep things running without interference from the official pack hierarchy up in New York. In previous books he's been a bit gruff, tough, and bad-ass, but you know he's got a heart of gold. In Deadlock we see some of Alec's past... we learn he was married to a human, and she died because of it. He hasn't really gotten over it, and pushes himself to protect the supernaturals in New Orleans so that they can live and love like he didn't get to do.

Carmen Mendoza is a doctor who is new to New Orleans - she's come to work in the supernatural hospital. She's half-werewolf and an empath. She's also got a very power-hungry father and uncle, and they're disappointed that they haven't been able to marry her off to another powerful werewolf family. When she refuses to meet their latest potential suitor, they decide to take matters into their own hands using powerful, dangerous magic.

Alec's protective instincts go into overdrive to save Carmen, and when she's near him she feels safe. The heat between them is scorching hot; I love that a 44-year-old man and a 30-something woman get to have this amazing, sexy, primal romance.

I also felt like this book did a great job of focusing on the rest of the supernatural community, both in and outside of New Orleans. Political issues that we've been watching in the first two books come to a head and I am love-, love-, loving where that storyline is going.

I can't do a proper review without mentioning Andrew and Kat. OMG I need their story NOW!!! Their pain and desire leaped off the page. I want these two to get an HEA so badly!

The combination of the love story, the political machinations, and Andrew and Kat's yearning storyline made for a fabulous read! When I wasn't reading Deadlock I was wondering about the characters; I love it when a book grabs me like that.

I know this review has been all over the place; I feel like I'm pointing in every direction and saying "how cool is this", and "look at that", and "check this out", "and this too!", but there were so many good things going on!

I'll leave you with this little fun thing: One of the locations in Deadlock is Algiers Point, a small neighborhood on the Westbank of New Orleans. I've lived in Algiers for over 20 years, and for many of those years lived 2 blocks away from Lavergne Street, which is specifically mentioned in the book. In addition, Alec mentions that "they've got someone in the 4th", which is where one of my brothers works. You know as soon as I read that I wanted to call him and ask him which of his co-workers he thought was a werewolf! So those things took an already great read and made it a bit more fun for me ;)

I do recommend reading Crux and Crossroads, the first two books in the series, before reading Deadlock. It can be read as a stand-alone, but will be much more enjoyable if you know all the background players and their history.

My Rating:

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

December Wrap-Up

Okay, December was a weird month for me - super busy at work, several late nights (hubs ended up doing most of the Christmas shopping this year - thanks honey!!), and, as many of you know, my brother was in a motorcycle accident at the beginning of the month, so I headed out to Houston to be with him - a crazy fast 2-day trip. (He's doing well - broken hip, surgery and rehab, but he's back at work today!) Then we headed back to Houston for a long New Year's weekend. Needless to say I did not get much reading done, and even fewer reviews:

1. Matched by Allie Condie (4 stars)
2. Daisy's Back in Town by Rachel Gibson (3 stars)
3. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (5 stars)
4. Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (5 stars)
5. Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles (4 stars)
6. Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn (3 stars)
7. With Good Behavior by Jennifer Lane (DNF)
8. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (3.5 stars)
9. Burning Up by Susan Andersen (3.5 stars)
10. Hard & Fast by Erin McCarthy (4 stars)
11. Staked by J.F. Lewis (3 stars)
12. Guilty Pleasures by Kitty Thomas (4 stars)
and Natalie from My Disorganized Ramblings guest reviewed Stronger than Sin (3.5 stars)

I just finished my first read of the New Year (Moira Rogers' Deadlock - loved it!) and am hoping January will be a little less exciting than December was, although with the Shadowfever release party in New Orleans I think it's going to be another crazy month!!!

Speaking of which: Is anyone going or know anyone who's going to the release party? I'd love to meet you!!!

I hope everyone's holidays were joyous, restful, and full of good reads - Happy New Year!!!

Let's start the New Year off with a rant...

I didn't think I'd start the New Year off with a rant, but I guess you really can't predict these things...

I don't shop at Borders very often, mostly because my local Borders bookstore does a piss-poor job of stocking Romance books on their release date (I don't know about other genres so I can't say if it's just Romance or all New Releases). It's gotten to the point where I don't just run out to the store, I call ahead and see if it's in, then listen as they tell me it should be on it's way and will hopefully arrive sometime this week. By the time it's in, I've already gone to Barnes & Noble and purchased the book, read the book, possibly reviewed the book, and traded it in to my local used bookstore for someone else to enjoy.

I have a Barnes & Noble "rewards" card (or whatever it's called) and definitely get my money's worth out of it (and, at our B&N you can also use it at the Starbucks). I wasn't going to buy the upgraded Borders "rewards" card (not the free one but the $20/year one), but someone gave me a gift card for Christmas, so I decided I'd use it to try out the upgrade and see if I'd use it enough to buy it again. So, I shop for books online, add the Borders Rewards Plus to my cart, and go to check out.

Here's what Borders tells me:
"Please Note: Because you have selected to auto-renew your Borders Rewards Plus membership, you will need to pay for this order with your credit card. This will allow us to bill your credit card at renewal time."

What?!? I tried several different times and got the same message... First of all, I'm not auto-renewing, I'm purchasing this for the first time. Secondly, I don't want you to auto-renew my membership at renewal time. I don't want to have to think about when renewal is coming up and go through the hassle of canceling if I'm not happy enough to continue - Barnes & Noble tells me at the register when my card is about to expire and asks if I'd like to renew. I might feel differently if you were a bit more diligent about getting new releases in on their release date.

So, Borders, while your coupons are fabulous and the Borders Bucks thing is pretty good (although I don't shop there enough to rack them up very quickly), they're pointless if the books I want are not in stock. I'll admit to a need for instant gratification and I don't want to wait for the order to come by mail; I enjoy the bookstore experience. I refuse to buy a membership that I have to go through hoops to cancel. I'll use my gift card because, hey - free books! - but I think it's time to break up with you.