Review: Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

From the author's website:
Book#2 in the Children of the Mist series
His kiss is her undoing...

SINS THAT CAN’T BE FORGIVEN
Tristan MacGregor is famed throughout the Highlands as a silver-tongued seducer and an unrepentant rogue. Bold and charming, he’s dallied with many women, yet none as beguiling and mysterious as the lass he steals a kiss from at the king’s court. Little does he know this beauty is one of his clan’s greatest enemies. br>

PASSION THAT CAN’T BE DENIED
Isobel Fergusson has despised the bloodthirsty MacGregors ever since they murdered her father. When she learns the handsome stranger who melted her resistance is a MacGregor, she vows to forget him. But Tristan means to possess her at any cost and Isobel’s body turns traitor at his touch. Can a man she’s sworn to hate be the only one she can ever love?

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I had not read Ms. Quinn's first book in this series, Ravished by a Highlander, but when the opportunity arose to read the 2nd book in the series, Seduced by a Highlander, I jumped on it!

10 years ago, young Tristan MacGregor got into a fight with young Alex Fegusson. It spiraled out of control and when the dust cleared, Tristan's favorite uncle was dead, and Alex's widowed father was dead too - leaving his older brother Patrick as leader of the Fergusson clan. Patrick and Isobel were still children themselves, and had to take care of their 5 younger brothers, leaving them susceptable to raids from stronger clans nearby. The bitterness between the MacGregors and Fergussons was deep and strong.


I am a sucker for handsome, rogue-ish Highlanders. The kilts, the speech, the stubborn perseverance...I love it all. I liked Tristan, very much. He was a sympathetic hero - I don't know if you could call him a Beta hero or not - he knew how to fight and was good at it, but he preferred to convince you to see his way of things instead of beating you until you give in. His father and brothers were more prone to get their way by fighting, Tristan was more like his dead uncle.

Isobel was a terrific heroine - spunky, opinionated, fiercely loyal to her family. She was a hard worker and cared for her brothers very much.

I was captured from Isobel and Tristan's first meeting. The back-and-forth between them was lively and engaging. When Tristan goes to Isobel's home to try to set things right - hilarity ensues. Isobel's brothers were very funny, as was Tristan's reaction to them. I've said before I don't like kids in my romance stories but these kids were funny.

I really, really enjoyed this book - the end was a bit abrubt, I would have liked a bit more detail, but other than that it was a sweet story.

My rating:

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

Winner: Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Many thanks to all who entered the giveaway, and to Simon and Schuster for providing the book! The winner of Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson is:

Bethie!!!
Congratulations! Please send me an e-mail at bookaddictpatti at cox dot net with your mailing info and I will get this book right out to you!

To everyone else:

Review: Sin Undone by Larissa Ione

From the author's website:

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

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OMG - Larissa Ione is the Queen of Romantic Tension! This book was so freakin' good! Definitely my favorite book of the series!

Sin is a wonderful heroine - tough-talking and definitely able to cash the checks her mouth writes - she is one kick-ass heroine. I liked her in the previous book, Ecstasy Unveiled, and was excited that she was getting her own book.

And Con, *swoons*, oh, Con is completely sigh-worthy! The perfect blend of bad boy Alpha-type male with a tender heart on the inside (of course, he has to go through trial by fire to find that tender heart, but when he does....*swoons again*). And plenty of biting *winks* - very nice!

Ms. Ione kept me on the edge of my seat throughout this book. First of all, there's the plague that Sin accidentally started in Ecstasy Unveiled. It's growing out of control and they can't seem to find a cure. I really, really felt bad for Sin. Soon she's being hunted by the Wargs, the Turneds, the Assassins, and a weird guy on horseback.

And when Sin and Con got thrown together to try to find a cure - oh, the tension really sizzled. It went from "will they or won't they" to "more, more, more please!!!" Then, we learn about the dangers of a blood addiction for Con and it seems an insurmountable obstacle for them. Throw in his Clan's requirement that he join in for the mating season, and I just didn't see how these two were going to get their HEA. I think there were about four different points in this book where I thought to myself, "You've written yourself into a corner Ms. Ione, how are you going to fix this?" and wow, she really did!!!

There was a secondary story with Con's co-worker, Luc, and another werewolf, Kar. At first I was a bit thrown off until I realized who they were; their story was sweet and tied in nicely with the main storyline. We also got to see quite a bit of Sin's four brothers, Eidolon, Shade, Wraith, and Lore, and their mates and children. It was good to see how everyone was doing and I enjoyed how protective they all were of Sin and each other.

I loved this book! I heard this is the last book in the series, and if it is, what a way to go! A tip of the hat to you, Ms. Ione - bravo!


My rating:

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

Review: Dangerous Desires by Dee Davis

From the author's website:
As the extractions expert for A-Tac, an elite CIA black ops unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college, Drake Flynn knows how to survive behind enemy lines. But he’s about to meet one adversary he can’t subdue . . . or resist.

A RACE FOR SURVIVAL
Stranded in the Colombian jungle after a mission goes bad, Drake has only one objective: evade the mercenaries hot on his trail and deliver “the package” to U.S. officials. But “the package” has a mind of her own, and she has no intention of trading one set of captors for another. Madeline Reynard is beautiful, headstrong, and hell-bent on escape after years as a crime lord’s pawn. She’ll risk everything for freedom, even if it means deceiving the dark, handsome soldier who now holds her life in his hands.

Drake has been burned too many times to let a woman manipulate him, especially a secretive one like Madeline. Even so, they cannot deny the attraction between them. Now as enemy forces close in, Drake and Madeline must trust each other with their lives—or face certain death.

_______________________

When I read the first book in this series, Dark Deceptions, I was trying something new, as "special ops"-type books are not usually my thing. I was pleasantly surprised, and have been looking forward to Dangerous Desires, the 2nd book in the A-Tac series.

Dangerous Desires did not disappoint! Drake was a great moody Alpha male. Burned at love and trust by another agent, he want's nothing to do with Madeline - he' sure she's untrustworthy from the get-go. I really, really liked Drake.

Madeline's story ripped my heart out... her attempt to help her drug-addicted sister lands her in a Colombian prison. She is released to a drug lord (her sister's source) and forced to do various jobs for him to pay off her sister's debts. Then she learns her sister is dead, and she knows she has to get out. Her attempt to contact the US Embassy ends in her contact's gristly death, and Madeline is ready to give up hope. Then, Drake Flynn comes charging into her room at the drug lord's compound....

The action in Dangerous Desires was high - the jungle adventures and fighting off the bad guys kept me turning the pages. Watching Drake and Madeline get to know each other while fighting for their lives was riveting and their physical relationship progressed at a satisfying pace. I liked them both and was rooting for their HEA. There was also a bonus HEA for them that was super sweet :)

There is still someone sabotaging the Unit's missions. My suspicion from the first book is still my suspicion in this book, and I'm ready to jump into the next book, Desparate Deeds, to hopefully find out who it is. Desparate Deeds takes a little turn from the first two books in the series, as the main character is a female member of the Unit. Based on the excerpt it's going to be good!

My rating:

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

Review: Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas

From Amazon.com:
Emily Vargas has been taken captive. As part of his conditioning methods, her captor refuses to speak to her, knowing how much she craves human contact. He's far too beautiful to be a monster. Combined with his lack of violence toward her, this has her walking a fine line at the edge of sanity. Told in the first person from Emily's perspective, Comfort Food explores what happens when all expectations of pleasure and pain are turned upside down, as whips become comfort and chicken soup becomes punishment.

DISCLAIMER:
This is not a story about consensual BDSM. This is a story about “actual” slavery. If reading an erotic story without safewords makes you uncomfortable, this is not the book for you. This is a work of fiction, and the author does not endorse or condone any behavior done to another human being without their consent.

________________________________

I was first made aware of Comfort Food when Cecile reviewed it, then did an interview with Kitty Thomas. Cecile -thank you.

I don't know where to begin....All I can say is, "Wow." I read this book in one sitting, I was sucked in from the first page and couldn't put it down.

Comfort Food is the story of a true Master/slave relationship, not a fetish, but an actual way of life. Emily is kidnapped, held hostage, and manipulated emotionally until she is a willing slave.

Ms. Thomas says in her interview at Cecile's place: "Any readers who are expecting a lot of physical violence or some type of brutal rape ... that doesn't happen here."

She's absolutely right - it's all psychological, and both horrifying and fascinating at the same time. I didn't find it a dark read, more....almost clinical, if you will, and I think that was due to the descriptive quality of Ms. Thomas' writing. The "cell" was light, the other rooms were bright - I never got the impression she was ever left in darkness.

The "relationship" that developed between them was so fucked up I just couldn't look away:

"....I came to trust him more than I'd ever trusted anyone. Because even if he was a monster, he followed his own rules. And he was my monster."

I didn't miss the irony of Emily being semi-famous for writing self-help novels, and that she had a degree in psychology. She knew what was going on and was still helpless to stop it. I was very interested in Master and the reasons behind his actions. I wanted to hate him, I knew I should hate him, but I was fascinated with his motivations. I was thrilled when Ms. Thomas gave us a peek into Master's journal.

"If I have this dark need to have compete power over her, she has an equal almost pathalogical need to give it to me."

Although I thought the fact that Master was rich made things a bit too easy, it didn't bother me for long. I just couldn't put the book down, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished reading it.

We never do learn Master's name, and I can't stop wondering if Emily ever does either.

My rating:

Winner!!!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered.

This is a pretty cool prize pack:

~Tote bag~
~3D viewer bookmark~
~White Heat lip gloss – made especially for the book!~
~A copy of White Heat~

Congratulations to
Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews!!

Please contact me at bookaddictpatti@cox.net with your name and mailing address!

Many thanks to Mira and Big Honcho Media for offering this great prize pack!

Waiting on Wednesday: Matched by Ally Condie

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I'm waiting on Matched by Ally Condie:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (November 30, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0525423648
ISBN-13: 978-0525423645
(Description from Amazon.com)



I don't know why I've become borderline obsessed with this book, but I have! (Possibly it's the fact that I'm a sucker for a good love triangle?) Hurry up November 30!!!!

How my book addiction broke my bed....

Fiction Vixen did a guest post over at My Overstuffed Bookshelf today that made me think about my bookshelves and how they broke my bed....

This is my TBR bookshelf. Each shelf is two rows thick. I've got it organized (sort of) by historical, paranormal, contemporary, and YA. This little shelf used to be next to my bed, between the bed and the wall. At the time, I had all my "keeper" books on the shelves and the TBR was piled on top. As you can imagine, it was a teetering, towering mess.

So, I went out and bought another cheapie shelf, moved this one to it's present location, and proceeded to move the big "keeper" shelf into the spot between my bed and the wall:

(don't laugh at my pig)

(Yes, it leans, and yes, that is my Edward doll standing on a rock my sister-in-law brought me from LaPush)

Well, unbeknownst to me, the big shelf was not only taller, but wider... If you look at the picture above my bed - that used to be centered over the headboard(and yes, that's only two of my three children, it's true what they say about the third child never having any pictures).

Anyhoo, I pushed over the bed to make room for the shelves. That's what anyone would have done, right? Well, apparently, this bed has three support bars underneath that hold the frame up, and when I pushed the bed over the support bars bent at an angle....Now, hubs and I are not petite, so when we "jumped" into bed - BAM!! Down that mattress went! Talk about scare the crap out of me (and hubs!)!

Luckily, hubs was able to fix it, and now has carte blanche to tease me about making room for more books...

Review: Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready

From the author's website:
What's Blood Got to Do With It?
Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin seems to finally have it all. A steady job at WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll. A loving relationship with the idiosyncratic but eternally hot DJ Shane McAllister. A vampire dog who never needs shots or a pooper-scooper. And after nine years, it looks as if she might actually finish her bachelor's degree!

But fate has other plans for Ciara. First she must fulfill her Faustian bargain with the Control, the paranormal paramilitary agency that does its best to keep vampires in line. Turns out the Control wants her for something other than her (nonexistent) ability to kick undead ass. Her anti-holy blood, perhaps?

Ciara's suspicions are confirmed when she's assigned to a special-ops division known as the Immanence Corps, run by the Control's oldest vampire and filled with humans who claim to have special powers. To a confirmed skeptic like Ciara, it sounds like a freak fest. But when a mysterious, fatal virus spreads through Sherwood—and corpses begin to rise from their graves—Ciara will not only get a crash course in zombie-killing, but will be forced to put her faith, and her life itself, in the hands of magic.

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I've been waiting for Bring on the Night since I read the last page of Bad to the Bone. This is a great series and Bring on the Night did not disappoint. As a matter of fact, I think it' my favorite of the three books in the series so far. If you haven't read this series before, the (very) basic premise is that the radio DJs at this station are all vampires. Each is from a different era, and in this world vampires are "stuck" in the era they died in, they have a lot of trouble with change (and OCD). Ciara is an employee of the radio station, and dates one of the DJs, sexy Shane (he's stuck in the 80s). Needless to say, each book has a great soundtrack!

There is a lot going on in this book but Ms. Smith-Ready makes it flow smoothly:

• Ciara's started her service with the Control, and she's been assigned to the super-secret division, which she's not happy about.
  
• There is a mysterious illness spreading around the town that is killing residents, including some who are very close to Ciara.
  
• There are zombies - I'm not gonna lie, there is one particular scene were the zombies cracked me up, I could just imagine the looks on the faces of the characters in the book while they watched what was going on!
  
• One of the vampire DJs goes missing.
  
• Shane and Ciara's relationship takes some pretty major turns, and they are both forced into serious soul searching.

You know how sometimes you read a book and you really like it but there are parts you kinda skim *cough~lessers~cough*? I didn't do that here at all. Ms. Smith-Ready weaves such a good story I had no need nor want to skim. Now, honestly, I kind of guessed some of the plot, but I didn't know how Ms. Smith-Ready was going to take me there; the journey was completely enjoyable. (I can't go into specifics without giving away spoilers, but her attention to the nuances of the vampire OCD habits is always fascinating.) I read this book everywhere: at work, at home, the grocery store, waiting at the shuttle stop near my job... I had four pages until the end of the book when I got off the shuttle and had to wait about three hours until I could pick the book backup again and finish. It was totally worth the wait; I loved the ending!!!

My rating:






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

Guest post and giveaway with Jenny Nelson, author of Georgia's Kitchen

Yesterday, the day I’ve been awaiting for months arrived: My debut novel, Georgia’s Kitchen, was published! After years of writing, revising, pitching, and polishing, Georgia’s Kitchen is now on sale at bookstores everywhere. I’m still pinching myself (and obsessively checking Amazon and B&N, of course)!

Release day started out like any other – with my dog, Clarabelle, leaping up on my belly and licking me until I threw back the covers and roused myself out of bed. After waffles with my daughters, followed by a few rounds of ring around the rosie (“we all fall down” became “Mama’s book is out!” – much better, in my opinion), my husband and I dropped the girls at camp then made our way to New York for my book launch party. Funnily enough, though I’d planned to spend the day “bookstore stalking” (which is exactly what it sounds like), I didn’t go to even one store. Instead, I treated myself to a mani/pedi (nails gotta look good when signing books!) and a Wildberry yogurt (to make up for the all the eating and drinking I knew I’d be doing later), before meeting up with my mom, who flew in from Canada, and my sis, who arrived from L.A. By the time we finished getting ready, we had to hightail it down to Kenmare, the fabulous and stylish restaurant – think funky Santorini lounge, complete with disco ball and giant mosaic snake on the ceiling – hosting my party.

Now, I’m not big on the spotlight, and throwing parties for myself is not something I normally do. However, if I were to, I’d want them all to be like this one: Great friends, family from everywhere, delicious food and wine (thank you, Joe Bastianich, for donating your amazing wines!) and a happy, upbeat vibe. I felt so lucky to be surrounded by people who knew just how hard and how long I’ve worked on Georgia’s Kitchen, and who wanted nothing more than to celebrate that effort. We topped off the evening with a fantastic dinner at Bar Pitti, an authentic Tuscan restaurant we’ve been enjoying for over ten years, and the perfect place to raise one last glass to Georgia. On the cab ride home, I got my final and favorite treat: my daughters singing the “congratulations” song (hint: it sounds a lot like Happy Birthday) on a message. I’ll keep it forever.

Jenny's website

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And now for the giveaway:
Thanks to Simon & Schuster, I have one copy of Georgia's Kitchen to give away. Leave a comment telling me you'd like to read this book - ends August 26. Must be a follower, US addresses only. Please check back to see if you've won.