Thursday, August 25, 2016

Lazarus, Vol. 4: Poison by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark (Illustrator), Owen Freeman (Cover Artist)

Lazarus, Vol. 4: PoisonLazarus, Vol. 4: Poison by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The tentative truces between the Families are crumbling, in the wake of the concave and the attempted assassination of the Carlyle scion. Outright war in certain contested territories has broken out, and the Carlyle family's holdings are at risk in a war with another family. Forever, the Lazarus of the Carlyle family goes with selected army recruits to reclaim control. Forever is the draw of this series for me. She is a fearless warrior who fights for her family, but follows her conscience. But she's not the only hero in this book. The people who are considered serfs by the families are heroes and warriors in their own right.

While it's clear that there are good people who are entrenched in this horrible system of lands and people owned by few people who control all the resources. Whose lives seem to mean nothing, but are used as collateral or for what they can provide the family.

I believe this volume examines the whole feudal system, and how their power games eventually become destabilized. They feel safe in their ivory towers, and perhaps they are for a while, but eventually, all things come to an end. And they bring everyone else down with them. But in the meantime, they'll continue to play their game of chess on a massive scale.

View all my reviews

Low, Vol.1: The Delirium of Hope by Rick Remender, Greg Tocchini (Illustrator)

Low, Vol. 1: The Delirium of HopeLow, Vol. 1: The Delirium of Hope by Rick Remender
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the story of hope that never fades. Even in the face of the unimaginable horror a woman faces. The power of her hope keeps her children seeking a future that is safe and free from the poison sun that is slowly extinguishing life on the planet.

This book was really depressing. While I liked the message of optimism and never giving up, I don't like the fact that this woman's hope was dragged through deeper and ranker mud each time. It's almost like a slap in the face to the reader. This is what believing and hoping gets you. Nothing but sorrow and anguish.

I don't know if I would call myself an optimist. I believe in the power of good and power of love. I'm a Christian, after all. But I also believe that people will suffer in this life and that sometimes their hopes aren't realized in this life, but in eternity. It says in Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." That's my approach to fiction. I know that bad things happen in life, and the same in books, but I need to have some good with my bad when I read a fiction story. I don't like reading books where I feel worse about life after I finish it than I did when I started. This probably my major problem with this book.

The artwork was well done, and the story itself is suspenseful and exciting. It's just so very depressing. Since this is the first book in the series, I hope that hope does stay alive in this poor woman's heart, despite all that she's suffered.

View all my reviews

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 1 by Jim Butcher (Author), Mark Powers, Chase Conley (Illustrator)

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 1The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 1 by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the graphic novel version of the second book in the Dresden Files series. I loved the book and the graphic novel does a satisfying job of representing the prose version. Of course, the story is paired down, but the artwork makes up for it. It's interesting the way Dresden is represented in the graphic novel. It's not quite how I see him. He's more macho and superheroic-looking in this incarnation. One notable aspect of book is the action scenes. Right on par with the written narrative. The colors are vivid and active. In conclusion, these graphic novels don't take the place of the prose books, but they are a nice adjunct to them.

View all my reviews

The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

The Forbidden LibraryThe Forbidden Library by Django Wexler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love the idea of this book, about people whose magical ability is to read themselves into books. Appropriately enough, they are called "Readers". Alice is a recently orphaned girl who is taken in by a supposed great-uncle to stay at his estate, which he calls the Library.

It turns out that there is a library, a place full of danger, with possible answers on her father's death. Alice learns that all is not at all as it seems. The Library is sinister and has a life of its own, a doorway that leads to worlds even more dangerous.

I liked what was there, but there are big gaps in the story. I read a fair amount of books for middle grade readers, and this one feels like it's paced and laid out for a younger audience than necessary for the greater maturity of the storyline.

This is an interesting idea, but seems short and simplistic in execution. There are a few active scenes loosely connected by an underlying, although thin narrative. The story gets to a certain level, but doesn't go past that. By and large, the characters feel underdeveloped, save Alice, and possibly Isaac. The ending is not satisfying. Not a cliffhanger, but near enough. The reader deliberately left with questions. I find that a bit manipulative. Not so much a natural close to the first story, but one in which the reader is left hanging.

I liked the lead character, young Alice, a girl left parentless, and seeking answers. She goes from being timid to gaining empowerment in her new identity. I loved her new companion, Ashes, a talking cat. It appears the writer spends quite a bit of time around cats. He has their mannerisms down pat. Isaac's relationship with Alice is intriguing, but his characterization barely scratches the surface. The villains are shadowy figures that never coalesce in this book.

There's enough here in this story to make for a series that would be worth pursuing, although there were some disappointing aspects. It will be interesting to see where the story goes next, but I hope the next book is better developed.



View all my reviews

Punisher Vs. The Marvel University

Punisher vs. the Marvel UniversePunisher vs. the Marvel Universe by Garth Ennis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is exactly what the name implies. Frank Castle takes on the various Marvel heroes, and it's usually not pretty. The stories span from the earlier (and cheesier) Marvel days to the more recent Greg Rucka run. My favorite is still the Rucka run. The artwork steals my heart. I love it. Castle is scaled down to hard edges and determination and his partner Rachel Cole-Alves has that same edge of determination in her eyes.

The first story is a what if, the question being that the marvel heroes (the Avengers) unwittingly caused the death of Castle's family, and as such, Castle becomes a one-man kill squad who sets out to eliminate every super-powered person on earth. That was not fun reading. While Castle is always an antihero, I don't like when he's the out and out bad guy. Having him systematically kill all the Marvel heroes was damaging to my psyche and my perception of the Punisher.

There's a few stories my feelings are in-between about. I don't mind when Castle comes into opposition with the Marvel heroes when they don't end in lethal confrontation. There is one story arc where he's very, very mean to Wolverine. Understandable that Wolverine more or less can't be killed, but Castle was downright cruel in the way he incapacitated Logan.

In the last story, it's a post-apocalyptic scenario in which Castle is one of the few remaining humans who hasn't been infected by a plague that has made people into carnivorous monsters, if not zombies. The remaining folks have split up into tribes run by ruthless leaders. Castle's mission is to eliminate the monsters and protect the innocent, and the mission is everything.

Punisher is always single-minded. His psychology is very simple. See criminals punished and deal with bad guys with finality. Typically, he doesn't kill innocents or even good guys, but in the first story, he crosses that line. I didn't like seeing him that way. Anyone who reads this book has to realize that Punisher is definitely not the hero, if he ever is.

Definitely worth reading for Punisher fans.

View all my reviews

Night Game by Christine Feehan

Night Game (GhostWalkers, #3)Night Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reread in the Month of August, 2016.

Who doesn't love Gator? I certainly do. Gator definitely meets his match in sassy and lethal Iris aka Flame Johnson. Sparks fly from the beginning. Flame steals his heart just like she steals information. She keeps him running, and together they find out who is kidnapping songbirds from the bayou. Flame is determined to right wrongs and protect those who can't protect themselves. She knows intimately how it feels to be abused and misused as one of Whitney's childhood experiments. She's living on borrowed time, but she wants to make the most of that time. She really doesn't have time for an affair with sexy Bayou boy, Gator, but he makes it hard to say no. He's everything she ever wanted in a lover.

Gator and Flame are perfect for each other. Both fiery and protective. While Gator acts like he doesn't have a care in the world, he takes his responsibilities seriously. And he knows Flame is all his. She's used to protecting others, no to anyone protecting her. When he has to make a choice for her health, he's knows that it could damage their relationship, but he'd rather be in a world with Flame alive, even if they aren't together.

Wyatt, who is the hero of Viper Game, is Gator's brother, and it was very cool to visit with his younger version in this story. Also great to see Nonny in this book and how much she bonds with Flame. Flame finds the family she was missing for so very long, and the she can trust the GhostWalkers, even if she doesn't trust Whitney.

Loved rereading this!


****** Reread from June 3- June 6, 2012
My thoughts:

This book series sets me on fire. I know I talk about these books way too much.I can't help it. I just adore them so much! First of all, I find the idea brilliant, and I love the interactions between the characters. The heroes and heroines complement each other, and the passion is fiery. And the action and kick*ssery freaking awesome! The elements of family, both blood and by choice make these book shine, and make me wish I was a GhostWalker (yeah, I know that's crazy, but I kinda do).

Although I loved the first two books, Night Game definitely moves faster, and the chemistry between Gator and Flame keeps the story flying. As I loved it the first time, the banter is just wonderful. Humor is used perfectly, to keep a story that has dark undertones from being excessively dreary.

--Flame: Flame is an outstanding heroine. Life has shaped her into a strong and intrepid woman. She truly is kick*ss. I honestly love all the GhostWalker heroines, and it's hard to choose my favorites, but she might be in my top three. She has very deep scars that keep her from easily giving her heart to Gator, and that is utterly understandable. However, she has a very loving, warm spirit that makes it hard to cut herself off from others. Near the end, when she is so angry at Gator, I could see why. But I am glad she comes to realize that he had his reasons and his love for her will cause him to make choices that she might not always agree with. However, she needs that kind of man, and she knows it.

--Gator: A complex mix of qualities. I love his charm. He has seen the worse in life and has sins on his soul, but he still manages to keep a smile on his face and a positive outlook. But the guy is highly lethal! Loved him in the first book books, and adored him early in this book. I didn't think I'd be as drawn to him because he's the laid-back, carefree GW, but boy was I wrong. Gator snuck up on me, and on the reread, I smile at how irresistible he is. Flame doesn't stand a chance. Neither did I!

The action in this book is off the charts. And I love that Flame is in the thick of it. The suspense elements are quite dark, since they are looking for a young woman from the bayou that was kidnapped and run into a group of men who hate women. I like how they handle those men. I like it very much.

As usual, another well deserved five stars. So glad I took the time to reread this series!

Check my GhostWalkers Pinboard on Pinterest


Original Review:

Another outstanding book for the Ghostwalker series. It was awesome and unputdownable. I loved Flame and I loved Gator. They had a special relationship, and were made for each other. The banter was wonderful. I loved how Flame totally fit into his family like a missing puzzle piece. Loved how Gator wanted to take care of Flame, but also respected that she was a tough woman and could take care of herself. Flame is an alpha heroine, but she was never annoying and didn't get herself into scrapes she couldn't get herself out of. The bayou was another character that seduced me. I don't think I'd like the humidity, but I'd love the animals and the tranquility of the swamps. Again, it was great to see the other Ghost Walkers and to enjoy the camaraderie between them. What Flame suffered ripped a hole in my heart but filled me with admiration. She was an incredibly strong woman, and I loved that Gator got that and never tried to change her or mold her. He was happy with her the way she was. The action was incredible and intense. I was happy on all fronts as I love action/adventure to accompany my beloved romance story. I am so in love with this series. Please keep writing many more, Ms. Feehan.


View all my reviews

Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan

Conspiracy Game (GhostWalkers, #4)Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reread in the month of August, 2016

My sister and I are doing a buddy read, although I've zipped ahead. I can't help it. These books are so addictive to me.

Great to experience Jack and Briony's story again. This book has practically nonstop action, which is great, but I also loved the interpersonal moments between Jack and Briony, Jack and his brother Ken, and with the other GhostWalkers. This is well named. There is a serious conspiracy, Whitney has decided that he wants to take the GhostWalker program to the second generation, starting with pairing Jack and Briony. He doesn't mind moving people like chess pieces, even though it ended up with Ken being horribly tortured, and killing Briony's parents.

Jack is a hard man, but Briony finds his heart and teaches him to love without fear. One of my personal favorites in a romance story is a hard man who falls for a woman. He's not a marshmallow in general, but for Briony, most definitely.

I almost want to reread this book again, but I know at least I can keep moving and read all the wonderful books that follow this one.


*******Reread 6/11-6/12/2012
My Thoughts:

I did not want to put this book down, which is saying something for a reread. I feel that as much as I loved the first three books, I can see the storyline coming together in a lovely way, and I can imagine that Ms. Feehan is as excited at writing these books as I am a reading them.

Jack--
Jack is hardcore and dark. I loved him. I think that he was authentic. I can imagine with his tragic family past, he would go down that path. What I appreciated was that for self-image, Jack is not the unworthy man that he thinks he is. For all his ability to kill with ice water in his veins and his gruff way of expressing himself. He shows a sense of honor and integrity, and the ability to be tender and loving. He's what Dr. Bill Winston would consider a transition figure. Instead of continuing the cycle of violence that his father perpetuated, he chooses something different. Despite the fact that he believed himself unable to love, it's clear that he does love deeply. One of the best things about this book is the way he takes care of the two most important people in his life, Briony, and his brother Ken. Actions always speak louder than words. Not a man that a lot of women could love, but I think the right woman definitely could love him. And that woman is Briony.

Briony--
Briony is a woman who shows what courage is. She feels that she is always afraid of everything, and she hates that about herself. Sometimes we can't help being afraid, but what we do in the face of that fear is the really important thing. Briony has fought to live in a world that is hostile to her because of her psychic abilities. Being around people causes her pain and anguish. And with her family profession, she is around a lot of people, and works through that pain to do something that could be life-threatening everyday as a high-wire performer. When she encounters Jack Norton, she acts as a champion, continually facing her fears and not allowing herself to be boxed in or caged by them. She takes steps that make me quake in my boots, and I loved her for it. I am a broken record. I really do appreciate the heroines in this series. Each one unique and wonderful.

Ken--
Even though Ken is a secondary character. He is a very important one. His role in this book is crucial and adds delightful flavor to the book. He shows without words that Jack is not the lacking man that he thinks, but also augments Briony's understanding of Jack in important ways. He pokes, prods and matchmakes this couple together, and provides some delightful comic relief. He helps to makes this book the successful read that it is.

This book focuses more closely on the particular couple in focus than the GhostWalkers as a group, which some readers may like. I always enjoy the fellowship of this group, so I missed that, but the more intimate dynamics of Briony and Jack along with Ken definitely make for a rich read. The GhostWalkers show up a little, so that was good. I love how this story forwards the overlying storyline. The conspiracy thickens as we become aware that things are not as they seem, and the mastermind of the GhostWalker plan has even more sinister plans. Even on second read, this book makes me so excited to read the subsequent books!

Check out my GhostWalkers Pinboard on Pinterest




Original Review:

This book rocked my world. which is why I made myself put it down after four am to go to bed. When I woke up this morning, I immediately reached for it to pick up where I left off. Jack is a hero after my heart. I love the dangerous, gamma heroes, and I liked that he did worry that he was too dangerous and too intense to be with a woman. But when it came to Briony and his unborn babies, he's a marshmallow but will kill or die for them. The relationship between Jack and his twin Ken was really cool. I was glad that Briony and Ken got along so well. I liked Briony's brothers and how they protected her when danger came at her.

The plotline was pretty unique. I love pregnancy storylines anyway, but the pregnancy theme was used in such an unforgettable and creative way. Imagine a plot to pair you up with a warrior so you can breed second generation warrior offspring. Pretty interesting. Both Briony and Jack worried that the intense connection between them was just engineered. Maybe it started that way but they were definitely fated to be mated.


The action was incredible and there is no question that Jack and Ken are badasses, and so is Briony. She has tremendous inner strength to survive as an empath in a family that is full of loud people and as a performer in a circus. You can't help but admire her and you know that she was meant for Jack.

I can't help but fall more in love with Christine Feehan as an author. She knows how to write men that will keep your interest and keep you drooling. And the women are so perfect for them and admirable in their own right. This is one book that I didn't want to end. But at least I get to read Ken's book next. Yay!


View all my reviews

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer

The Opal Deception  (Artemis Fowl, #4)The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a great comeback from the third book, which wasn't my favorite. The action level was high, and the villain was more than a worthy match for Artemis, Butler and Holly Short. There is a very intense and tragic moment that is the catalyst for what follows in this book. Holly thought she'd seen the last of Artemis, but when the chips fall down, she's rushing to save him and Butler and knows that he's the only one who can deal with the villain, the nefarious Opal Koboi.

The characteristic wry humor is here, but Colfer takes things seriously in many ways (no patronizing tone). Artemis might be fourteen, but he is a mature fourteen who doesn't view the world from the vantage point of a child. I was happy to see Butler in the action as much as Artemis, and their back and forth, and that of Artemis with Holly, is what makes these books so enjoyable.

Opal is a very evil villain, not troubled by any morals that would preclude murder or even feeding a boy to bloodthirsty trolls. What makes it even worse is she looks like a cute little girl. I was very happy to see her dealt with in a fitting manner by Artemis and Co.

This is a clever and enjoyable series that many younger readers and some older ones will enjoy.


View all my reviews

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

City of Death by Sarwat Chadda

The City of DeathThe City of Death by Sarwat Chadda
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is even darker than the first book. Ash's problems grow exponentially. He suffers a terrible personal loss that drives him over the edge and forces him to return to the place of origin of his dark powers: India. This time, he is following the trail of Alexander Savage, his nemesis with strange companions, the street thief John and Parvati, a half-demon girl with a very ancient heritage. Ash has to face that the person he was before will never fit again. Too much has happened, and integrating all his past selves into that mundane existence doesn't work.

I know little to nothing about Indian mythology and folklore, but this book fills in a lot of those gaps. Ash has powers endowed by the black goddess, Kali, and that means that he draws from death energies. A horrible thing when it becomes apparent that those closest to him give him even more energy. Ash is learning the cost of his abilities and what powers they give him. He gains the accumulated knowledge of his past lives, but must suffer through the violent memories of those past selves and for them not to take control of him. The people, history, and places of India are vividly illustrated in this book.

Chadda writes excellent action, and there are no opportunities to be bored. Ash is an ideal hero, likable and snarky, and while he's powerful, he has not allowed those powers to give him a sense of overpowering arrogance, knowing how flawed those abilities truly are.

This book isn't for those who balk at seeing young people in danger. Oh, there is plenty of danger for the youngsters in this book. Some blood and guts, but not over the top. Ash and his companions end up in some nasty scrapes, and the bad guys aren't afraid of harming a young boy, or anyone else who gets in the way.

The characterizations are complex and layered. There are no blacks and whites, but instead each person has a little of both inside of them. Ash has to decided what path he will take and what he is willing to sacrifice to defeat Alexander Savage and to gain his greatest hope in this book.

The narrator does an excellent job with the various accents, Indian and British, not stereotyping either. I have enjoyed both books on audiobook and I hope to continue listening to the series in the future.

This series is a distinctive one, touching on a culture that is not often explored in young adult books. While the ending isn't strictly a cliff-hanger, it ends in a way that will make readers eager and ready for the next book, myself included. I'm looking forward to more adventures with Ash Mistry.



View all my reviews

Johnny Hiro: Half Asian, All Hero by Fred Chao

Johnny Hiro: Half Asian, All HeroJohnny Hiro: Half Asian, All Hero by Fred Chao
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This was a cute graphic novel. Lots of randomness and improbability. The hero is very ordinary, but he gets into the most extraordinary scrapes. At the heart, he's a guy in love with his girlfriend and wanting to make a good life for the both of them. He seems to look to hip hop artists for his life philosophy, which is quite interesting in itself. You aren't quite sure the whole time what is reality and what is dream/imagination. I suppose that's what makes it fun. The artwork is all black and white, but beautiful in its simplicity.

A random grab from my library graphic novel shelves, and a delightful find. I love to read books with Asian leads, and this is one I'd recommend if you want something different and off the beaten path.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

View all my reviews

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

His Revenge Baby by Theodora Taylor

His Revenge Baby: 50 Loving States, WashingtonHis Revenge Baby: 50 Loving States, Washington by Theodora Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I will be blatantly honest. If I was rating this book by part I, it would be getting three stars and nothing more. However, the book in whole gets four. The beginning of this book is probably one of the most unromantic starts to a romance I've ever read. A hero who has a serial history of paying for mistresses for six months for the better part of ten years but is so tied up and proper, they can't even call him by his first name? The heroine interviewing for him naked? No thanks! She's not allowed to touch him or be seen with him and has to call him, Mr. Nakamura. She does all the work in bed?

No is really unsympathetic and actually rather robotic at the beginning. I don't even understand why he would hire mistresses. He seems like he shouldn't even have a sex drive. He is so tied up and controlled, it's hard to believe that he could fall in love with a woman. Much less have sex with so many women. Perhaps that's his only outlet, but I would have found this more believable if he had actually been more reactive in bed. I get where the author was going with this. She wanted us to see how being with Ana changes No, and how she was different from other women. She wanted Ana to stand out from the crowd, but it was too gradual for my tastes.

Lili/Ana I liked from the beginning. I have to say she really loves her brother and niece. I don't know if I could interview naked to be some rich guy's mistress for my family. Thank God I haven't had to do that! She does have a sense of innocence, but at the same time, she is remarkably blase' about the paid sex thing. I think without her internal monologue, I would have been very confused.

Japan seems very real in this book. I felt as though the author is very well acquainted with it and rather in love with the country. I've read books set in Tokyo, but not in Osaka. It was lovely to get introduced to that city. It's always good when you read a book and it makes you feel like you're visiting the place.

Now, I am the biggest Harlequin Presents fan on the planet, and the mistress scenario is a big plot in that line. I can't say I've ever been a huge fan of mistress stories, but I'm not averse to a preposterous plotline that works well. It was certainly something different. Overall, despite it's start and some parts that I didn't gel with, I walked away from this book satisfied. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it, but I was intrigued, so I read a sample on my Kindle. I ended up borrowing it from Amazon and finishing it in less than 24 hours. That says a lot right there.

As to the sex. I think that the initial sex scenes are way clinical to me, and I didn't like the thing that No would do to make Lili climax. All I can say is 'ouch!' I didn't care much for the blunt sexual language. I'm not a big fan of that. It's not that romantic to me. I'm fine with descriptive sexual scenes, but not with some of the descriptors. Lust is easy to find, but where's the love and romance?

I really love Asian guys. It's a huge surprise to me how much No didn't appeal to me for the first part of the book. He did start to appeal to me when he gets mad and decides he wants revenge. He actually starts acting like a human being and not a robot at that point. I like pissed off No much more than Billionaire, Proper Japanese Businessman with an Erection But No Other Emotions No. I liked how he changes and thaws and starts reacting normally. I know that his family is seriously screwed up. I realize that Japanese culture is very rigid in expressing emotions and requires strict public etiquette. I liked him much better after he comes to the US to start a company with his friend and to get revenge on Lili/Ana and his father. Angry No is Hot No. At the beginning, I didn't find him attractive because he seemed so emotionless. I did kind of like how proper and buttoned up he was, but I would have preferred if he turned into a wild man in bed instead the way he has sex with Ana for their six months together. I also liked how he nursed her when she was sick and how he seemed to want to spend more time with Ana, despite his intentions. While I normally like a coldly ruthless hero, I think No didn't work for me at the beginning because he wasn't cold in the still waters run deep, but too robotic acting.

One thing that made this book stand out, but in some ways had a problematic execution was the thread of suspense/thriller that ran through it. I had no idea how cutthroat the Japanese businessworld is, at least based on this book. I don't know how much of that's true, but the fact that No's family is samurai on both sides gives their behavior an authentic feel. When you find out how truly heinous the behavior of a certain person is, it's chilling. This makes for a much darker than book that one would expect. I think it was problematic in that some of the action aspects weren't well described. I'm picky about action scenes, because it's a huge love of mine. And when you throw in katana-wielding ninja and samurai, my expectations go up very high. But, despite that, I found it charming.

I like over the top when it's done well. The OTP in this book was done charmingly. I could have been a little better executed, if I'm honest. But despite that, I did have a smile on my face when I finished the book.

I have been hard on this book, and i realize that. I do think Ms. Taylor is a gifted author. I have such a deep love for interracial romance, I am hard on the genre. I hate that the romance part seems to be taken for granted. I think Ms. Taylor seems believe in romance, but with a bit of a more jaundiced eye than I would like. I'm excited to read His Pretend Baby: 50 Loving States, Oregon

View all my reviews

Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this. I wasn't sure I'd get into the story, with both of the characters dealing with angst at their past failed matings. It was such a great book. I don't know why I was surprised because Nalini Singh is a fantastic writer. I've tended to be more of a Psy fan for a while, and the latest books in the series that were Changeling/Changeling mating weren't my favorites. However, this book broke that negative streak for me. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Psy storyline is so prominent! Riaz is a cool guy. He's a strong dominant, but he's also a very caring man. He comes off as being a jerk at first, but it's just him trying to deal with his soul-deep hurt. He's attracted to Adria, another dominant soldier in the SnowDancer pack. It's inconvenient and powerful. When she suggests they become lovers to deal with their need for skin to skin contact as changelings, he rebuffs her in a hurtful way. But he isn't able to stop his feelings for her. I liked how Nalini Singh dealt with the idea of fated mates not working out like one would expect. In this case, Riaz fated mate is someone else and he can't have her. Adria chose a partner who wasn't strong enough to handle her as a dominant female. It broke her heart. She's not in a position to fall in love again. I like that she isn't going to let Riaz walk all over her. He has to earn her trust and she does continue to guard her heart because of the fact that she's not Riaz's true mate. However, their love grows naturally and deeply. It's almost as though the whole concept of fated mates is turned on its ears in this book. But it's done so well, I was happy with the result. I loved how Riaz continues to woo Adria and show his love for her. The ongoing suspense story about the PsyNet breaking down--and Pure Psy's attempts to destroy it so that people can go back to their rigid and pure form of Silence--continues. This book follows up after Kiss of Snow and Sienna's manifestation as a powerful X-Psy, and what that means. Sienna and Hawke's relationship is still prominent in this book, but that's fine with me. I love them as a couple, and it's great to see how well things are going for them. The Arrows have their own plans in helping their people, and they form an alliance with Kaleb Krychek, a powerful Psy who has some motivations that aren't 100% clear. And there's some very good news for a past mated pair. This storyline just continues to grow and the connection between the Psy, Changelings, and Humans becomes more rich and complicated with each book. The Humans aren't the frail, ineffectual agents in this world that one might believe. Far from it. I'm so excited to read Kaleb, Vasic and Aden's book. When I started this book, I was mainly just reading it so I could make it to the next books, which are Psy-oriented. But I ended up enjoying this enormously.
Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family, #4)Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My sister and I listened to this on Playaway in the car as we did our usual car commuting. I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. I know that many fans weren't that happy with it. To my surprise, I really bonded with Avery. I got her. I understood her fears and what drove her and why she was trying so hard to avoid a relationship with Joe. It was funny how I would have a thought about the story and it would pop up either in the dialogue or Avery's thoughts.

I do also have to say that this nails some very integral aspects of Texas culture. I found that highly enjoyable. It was also interesting that Avery is a Texas woman to her core, but she connected to living in New York so much.

I loved Avery's relationship with her sister Sofia and the employees of her wedding/event planning company. Sofia and Steven's relationship definitely had me thinking that their sparks were of the romantic kind. I liked how Avery and Sofia were so close, despite meeting as adults. I'm very close to my sister, so I totally got the sister love between them. I loved the affection and loyalty they showed to each other. It felt very authentic.

As far as the romance, I wasn't 100% satisfied with it. I know that most of that is due to the 1st person POV format. It just doesn't work well for romance. I think that for me, I need to have access to both the characters to see the romance in a 360 degree view. I was forced to wonder and surmise how Joe felt based on what Avery saw or what he did in the book. I sometimes wondered what was defense mechanism or merely reacting to what Avery said or did.

I liked Joe, a lot, but he did let me down in a major way. (view spoiler)

I think my issue with this book is the same with the Travis series. I just don't care much for 1st person romance. I will always love the books, because Lisa Kleypas is a fantastic writer, and even my least favorites by her are still well-written. I did like catching up with the Travises. I really wish this had been multiple 1st person, because I really missed Joe's POV. I don't think I got to know him nearly as well I wanted. Hardy is still my favorite. Oh, that man! I could eat him off a spoon. But Joe is dreamy, and I loved him with Avery. Avery won me over and I really felt a kinship with her. I think I would like her in real life, and hanging out with her Sofia would be a lot of fun.

This was a very Texas book, with a couple of women that I felt like could be my friends in real life, and that was nice!

View all my reviews

Dark Paradise by Sara Craven

Dark ParadiseDark Paradise by Sara Craven
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don't have strong feelings about this book. It was different from what I expected. Matt's reasons for taking Kate to the Caribbean were more involved than just revenge. That part was kind of different. Matt is actually a nice guy, but Kate has already prejudged him as a jerk because of a bad experience in her last relationship. The way she talked to him at the wedding reception was pretty cold. I wish that some of the jerky heroes in the other Harlequin Presents I've read where they deserved it had been given that set down. Normally, I think the Vintage HPs are more exciting, but this one wasn't really. It wasn't bad. Kind of forgettable.

View all my reviews

Vows of Revenge by Dani Collins

Vows of RevengeVows of Revenge by Dani Collins
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

It's hard to say what I felt about this book. Probably why I procrastinated my review. The writing is very good, and I think the author went deeper with the story. I think that for a HP book, the relationship feels very realistic. The drama isn't manufactured, even when the author could have gone for one of those easy HP drama tactics (that admittedly I love since i am a drama hound).

Roman is a complicated guy. He is very emotionally disconnected and is not good at expressing himself verbally as far as emotions. He sends out a lot of mixed signals to Melodie and then doesn't understand the way she reacts to him as a form of self-protection. If it was about sex and being generous with his money, he'd probably be the perfect boyfriend, but that's rarely enough for a woman after a while. I was surprised at the vulnerability that Roman shows when he admits that he's used to women ending relationships because of his remoteness. And the fact that it bothers him that Melodie thinks he's one of the bad guys initially. He pursues her, sexually like a volcano, but holds himself back emotionally. I think that Melodie was brave to keep going with him, not knowing how he felt about her, and when she suspects it, that fear of rejection holding her back. I like that he's 100% self-made and it hasn't been easy for him. He's suffered some major hardships in his short life. I just wish that he wasn't such a wreck at being emotionally available.

Melodie has her own issues. Her father is despicable. And she's lived in the shadow of his inability to show love for his children and his wife, and her feelings of inadequacy. She turned her back on his money with strings attached and has been trying to make it on her own, and Roman has a habit of messing that up for her. She's conflicted about their relationship and its tone, but she has feelings for him that don't seem to want to go away.

The love scenes were very sexy and well-written. There's a lot of chemistry between them and they set the pages on fire together. From the beginning, there's a powerful string that keeps pulling them together. But I loved when Roman finally says how he feels for Melodie. She doesn't have to guess or try to read his behavior. It's all on the table. And it's clear that Roman isn't going to take it for granted in the future.

I think some readers will love this book. Very much a modern romance, although with a traditional happy ending.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



View all my reviews

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas, #1)Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My sister and I listened to this in the car on our trips around town. In that week or more we spent together, I felt like Odd became part of my life. I was rather sad when it ended. I appreciated the audiobook format very much. I think it was very immersive, and Koontz words were very poetic. Odd is such a unique guy. He's got a pure heart and that's saying something. His gift has made his life very difficult, but he doesn't take it like a curse. It's his life, and he takes ownership of that. He protects his town of Pico Mundo with a steadfast and vigilant dedication, and his only aspiration in life is to be with his true love, Stormy Llewellyn.

"Odd Thomas" is a story about a young man who sees ghosts and who does his part to resolve what has wronged them. When he meets a very strange man on what seems like a typical day, his life will change inevitably.

This book takes place over a short few days, but they are action packed days for Odd and the reader. He's trying to solve a mystery. What is drawing all these boggarts, which are dark spirits that Odd sees when something bad is going to happen. The weird man that Odd calls Fungus Man has so many around him that it makes Odd suspicious, and when he goes to the man's house, he sees something terrible, that makes Odd's fears for the town grow exponentially. This suspense thread goes throughout the book and leads to a dramatic conclusion.

Odd is a bit of an unlikely hero, but he is perfectly suited to be the hero of this novel. His way of processing things is very down-to-earth but quite brilliant. I love a good mystery with an intelligent sleuth, and while this is a ghost story, this is also a good suspense story.

It's also heartbreaking because you know that no matter what Odd does, people are going to die. He can only minimize the damage. In that sense, and in others, Odd is a very tragic hero. When the reader gets a glimpse at Odd's family life, it makes you wonder how this young man can be so well-adjusted, friendly, oddly hopeful, and in his own way content. But the good news is although his family is pretty awful, he has formed his own family of friends who love him deeply.

"Odd Thomas" is different for Koontz, but some of those touches that are so integral to his style are there. This is like his version of the coming of age novel, with a boy-man who sees ghosts and rights their wrongs, his typical sicko villain. I recommend reading this, and if you can get the audiobook version, I especially recommend that.

View all my reviews

Mind Game by Christine Feehan

Mind Game (GhostWalkers, #2)Mind Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reread in the Month of July, 2016 (Buddy Read with Lacy--she's still on the first book. :)

My thoughts:

I love Dahlia and Nicolas together. They fit together. Both of them so isolated from others and yearning for connection and significance. Dahlia is feisty and doesn't take crap. She can handle a tough, scary guy like Nicolas. He fell like a ton of bricks, which is how I love my heroes. The action was on point as usual, and the romance was luscious. I love the scene where Dahlia calls Nicolas on staring at her breasts (because of the psychic connection, she could feel it). That as priceless.

I just fall more and more in love with these books. Each reread is a new horizon in my discovery and love for them.

****Thoughts on Reread from May 10-May 13, 2012

I was very intrigued with Nico from Shadow Game, for his dark, lethally dangerous, very controlled aura, and how he seemed to fade into the shadows. I thought he'd make for a very good hero in his own book. His story lived up to his potential, both the first and second times.

Nico--

I like his controlled, ice cool persona, but also how Dahlia penetrates through his icy facade when no one else does. I also liked how he was very smitten with her early on and wanted to find a way for them to be together. He was protective and caring for her, but he realized that Dahlia was an independent woman, and he respected that about her. Even though she was going to go do her job, he was waiting for her in the shadows, there to protect her. I saw growth in his character from Shadow Game, or at least an expansion of his dimensions. He isn't or will ever be gregarious, but I was able to see how important Dahlia, the GhostWalkers, and Lily are to him. I also appreciated his dual background as Lakota and Japanese. I very much appreciate Asian main characters, and Nico whets my appetite for more!

Dahlia--

Dahlia is tough as nails. Despite her considerable disabilities, she manages to live a productive life. I certainly wouldn't want her abilities, with the horrible cost that comes with them. I can see why she feared she couldn't have a future with Nicolas, but I was very glad that they were able to work it out. Nico wasn't going to give up on her, and she needed someone to believe in after what Whitney had done to her, and the half-life she'd been living. I like that she also has depth as a character. Not a stereotype, but a full-fledged person. She's beautiful and delicate in her looks, but highly agile, and very strong for what she's dealt with her in life. I like that she doesn't back down from a challenge, and can handle a somewhat commanding man like Nico. I was very glad to revisit her character, and I hope she shows up again in Sam's book.

Overall Thoughts--

Great sexual chemistry, and otherwise. I loved the interchanges between Nico and Dahlia, and between them and the other characters. I loved how the GWs world expands with the introduction of Jesse Calhoun and his team of Navy SEALs. This is the book where we get introduced to the Norton twins, and they build expectations that they live up to very well. Some of the suspense elements were a bit hard to follow, but interesting all the same. I liked this book even more on reread, maybe because I had more time to focus on it when I read it the first time.

Next is Night Game with the smooth-talker Gator and his Flame. Looking forward to it!

Check out my Ghostwalkers Pinboard!



Original Review

I was so excited to read Nicolas' story when I met him in Shadow Game. And I was not disappointed. He was a great hero. I loved his ability to stay in control, but also the fact that one person, Dahlia made his ice cold blood turn molten. He can't seem to understand why this one little woman is the person who can turn his brain into mush and light his body on fire, when he is known for his ability to do what needs to be done without letting emotions get into the way. This is why he takes on the mission to bring in Dahlia when she is known to be a potentially dangerous loose cannon from Dr. Whitney's group of young girls he experimented on.

I thought that the chemistry and the connection between Nicolas and Dahlia was classic. They are a perfect couple and the scenes of them interacting were memorable and delightful, and not just the love scenes, which were pretty incendiary, if you ask me. This book had a lot more action and intrigue than Shadow Game, and Dahlia is a lot more tortured than Lily was. I felt sorry for Dahlia to be so affected by other people's emotions that they made her sick or made her manifest the excess energy as fire. Her situation is a tough one, but Nicolas is there to help her and protect her every step of the way, and he stakes his claim early on and isn't about to let anything take her away from him. You start the book wondering how this couple can get the happy ending that you crave, but you don't end this book disappointed. I was quite impressed with Ms. Feehan's imagination. I have read and watched books with people who are psychically gifted, but the direction that she took with the subject matter was different and exciting.

Mind Game was the kind of book that was hard to put down, and also makes you eager for more stories about the GhostWalkers. Meeting all these delicious, dangerous men is like getting invited to an All Books One Cent sale (or chocolate, whatever your addiction is). And we get introduced to even more GhostWalkers who are just as yummy, such as Jess Calhoun, and the Norton Twins. Can't wait to read their stories. Oh, wait, I do have other books I have to read that aren't Ghost Walkers books. But at least I can look forward to more Ghost Walker books with anticipation. Again I enjoyed the camaraderie between the Ghost Walkers and their gentle care and adoption of Dahlia, who has always felt like an outsider, and has lost the little family that she ever had. I really enjoyed this book, and finished it knowing that I am thoroughly addicted to the Ghost Walker series.


View all my reviews

Monday, August 15, 2016

Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

Tangle of Need (Psy-Changeling, #11)Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this. I wasn't sure I'd get into the story, with both of the characters dealing with angst at their past failed matings. It was such a great book. I don't know why I was surprised because Nalini Singh is a fantastic writer. I've tended to be more of a Psy fan for a while, and the latest books in the series that were Changeling/Changeling mating weren't my favorites. However, this book broke that negative streak for me. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Psy storyline is so prominent!

Riaz is a cool guy. He's a strong dominant, but he's also a very caring man. He comes off as being a jerk at first, but it's just him trying to deal with his soul-deep hurt. He's attracted to Adria, another dominant soldier in the SnowDancer pack. It's inconvenient and powerful. When she suggests they become lovers to deal with their need for skin to skin contact as changelings, he rebuffs her in a hurtful way. But he isn't able to stop his feelings for her.

I liked how Nalini Singh dealt with the idea of fated mates not working out like one would expect. In this case, Riaz fated mate is someone else and he can't have her. Adria chose a partner who wasn't strong enough to handle her as a dominant female. It broke her heart. She's not in a position to fall in love again. I like that she isn't going to let Riaz walk all over her. He has to earn her trust and she does continue to guard her heart because of the fact that she's not Riaz's true mate. However, their love grows naturally and deeply. It's almost as though the whole concept of fated mates is turned on its ears in this book. But it's done so well, I was happy with the result. I loved how Riaz continues to woo Adria and show his love for her.

The ongoing suspense story about the PsyNet breaking down--and Pure Psy's attempts to destroy it so that people can go back to their rigid and pure form of Silence--continues. This book follows up after Kiss of Snow and Sienna's manifestation as a powerful X-Psy, and what that means. Sienna and Hawke's relationship is still prominent in this book, but that's fine with me. I love them as a couple, and it's great to see how well things are going for them. The Arrows have their own plans in helping their people, and they form an alliance with Kaleb Krychek, a powerful Psy who has some motivations that aren't 100% clear. And there's some very good news for a past mated pair.

This storyline just continues to grow and the connection between the Psy, Changelings, and Humans becomes more rich and complicated with each book. The Humans aren't the frail, ineffectual agents in this world that one might believe. Far from it.

I'm so excited to read Kaleb, Vasic and Aden's book. When I started this book, I was mainly just reading it so I could make it to the next books, which are Psy-oriented. But I ended up enjoying this enormously.

View all my reviews

Wizard by Stephanie James

WizardWizard by Stephanie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes you just want to read an old school category romance, and that's why I ended up reading this. Plus, I never could resist a Nerd Hero. This is also a bit of an opposites attract kind of book. Sophy is the normal intellect daughter of two academic geniuses and she has a chip on her shoulder about academics. She likes cowboys. Her parents have mostly given up on making her in their image, but they are still trying to pair her up with an intellectual so they can have genius grandchildren. So of course, they push Max in her direction when he comes to Dallas for some consulting work, getting Max to meet her while he's in town.

Sophy is downright insulting to Max, initially, pretty much calling him dull as ditchwater to his face, and citing her preference for cowboys. Max is enchanted with Sophy and very, very jealous of her cowboy she's currently dating. For Max, it's practically love at first sight. He resolves to spend as much time with her as possible, and he ends up seducing her into giving this academic the old college try.

Stephanie James is a pen name for Jayne Ann Krentz and you can tell. Ms. Krentz/James seems to prefer intelligent, but very masculine alpha types, and well, who can blame her? I liked Max. He has a big POV, and you realize that he's a very layered man. Under his calm, intellectual exterior lurks a crouching tiger. I can see that he was more than willing to fight for his woman. I love a hero who doesn't give up on his heroine and pursues her despite all obstacles.

Although Sophy did come off a little bratty at first, it's apparent, she's a very sweet person. It was her way of dealing with the hurt of always being the normal kid around overachievers. I like that even though Max massacred the steak (steak-grilling is apparently a skill all men must possess or lose their man card), she still stroked his ego about it. That was very sweet of her. She didn't have to do that. She could have destroyed his fragile male ego, but she didn't. I like that Sophy is also very well-developed. She is a talented seamstress and designer, and her flair for color and design is apparent, even in the face of people (including her parents, dismissing it as trivial).

I lived in Dallas as a teenager (high school), and James captures it well. I have a book fondness for cowboys, but my real life experiences with them has left me disenchanted. Sophy's beau reminded me of some of the cowboys I went to school with, and he lives down to my worst experiences of that type. I can't say I ever met a real life cowboy I found sexy, but I will still cherish my fictional cowboys. However, nerds always win out. Max is one sexy nerd. I like that he's very supportive of Sophy and never treats her like she's his intellectual inferior. He seems to understand that being a book smart person isn't the sum total of experience. I liked that although her parents don't get her, Sophy's parents do love her, and she loves them. I think it took courage for Sophy to forge her own path, despite the fact that it took her in a very different direction from her family's aspirations.

This book lives up to the charm that old school category romances will always hold for me. It's amazing how much story a skilled writer can tell in under 200 pages. I'm really glad I was drawn in by the nerd angle, and I've enjoyed all the Stephanie James books I've read--this is no exception I'd recommend this if you can get a copy of it.

View all my reviews

Dancer by Nathan Edmunson, Nic Klein

DancerDancer by Nathan Edmondson
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting idea. A retired black ops assassin falls in love with a young ballerina and considers settling down with her. But that's when another younger assassin comes after him and his lover. But here's the catch: the assassin on his tail is a clone of him.

Straight up spy suspense with a sci-fi twist. The game of cat and mouse is very tense. Because the character is running from a younger, more ruthless, and more sociopathic version of himself. I felt like I didn't really get to know the dancer. She seems to react to the situation more than to have an ongoing story arc/inner life. The story is more centered on the lead character and his entanglements with the other assassin.

I gave this 3.5 stars because of the fact that I was missing more of a viewpoint from the girlfriend. The artwork was good and the storytelling was suspenseful. This would be an interesting ongoing series.

View all my reviews

Wolverine: Three Months to Die by Paul Cornell

Wolverine: Three Months to Die Book 1Wolverine: Three Months to Die Book 1 by Paul Cornell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was okay. Kind of hard to keep up with the story. I wasn't that keen on the artwork. It looks too cartoonish for me. Also, this is one of those books that you are lost if you haven't followed the series closely. I wish I had been able to write my review sooner, because I've forgotten aspects of the story.

View all my reviews
Shadow Game (GhostWalkers, #1)Shadow Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reread/Buddy Read With Lacy (Read in May/June 2016)

My sister and I decided to do a buddy read because I have been talking incessantly about this series for years and I wanted my sister to share the joy of the GhostWalkers. I ended up finishing long before Lacy has (she's still reading it.). So here are my thoughts. I will add questions to/from Lacy when she finishes the book.

I had forgotten some facts about the series to my great surprise. And I have to say I love this book even more each time I read it. I appreciate the more subtler nuances of the characters (Lily, Ryland, Team One GWs). Ryland is such an awesome hero. He's alpha and possessive, but also tender and gentle. No overcompensating with him. He loves Lily as is. It's nice to see Kadan before he became Crazy Kadan (who I love dearly), and as always, I loved the friendship/bromance between the GhostWalkers. In short, I think this is still a fantastic start to a fantastic series.

*****Reread May 3-7, 2012****
My Thoughts:

This series remains one of my all-time favorites. I love this concept and the characters. The suspense/action elements are easily as strong as the romance, and it satisfied my multi-faceted reading nature with both.

Ryland--

Ryland is one of those sneaky alphas who acts like a beta towards his woman. He was adorable at how in love he was with Lily. But don't be fooled. He is a lethal, fierce man. Very droolworthy. Even though I love some of the GhostWalker men more, it's a relative thing, because I realize on reread how much I love Ryland. I think for a nine (soon to be ten) book run, having only mildly disliked one hero (Mack) and loved all of the others, that's saying something.

Lily--

Lily is a multi-faceted heroine who I love and admire. She is wicked intelligent, with a highly cerebral scientific nature balanced by a fiercely loyal, caring, passionate and loving heart. I liked her in this book a lot, and it's great to see what a lynchpin she is for the GhostWalkers in the later books.


Together, their chemistry is sighworthy and hot! If you like plenty of love scenes, Feehan won't let you down.

Team One--

I adore all these guys. I love their strong bonds and their loyalty to each other. Not to mention their soldier bad*ssedness! They know how to joke around, but they also know how to take down the bad guys. It's great to see each one with their women. Going back and rereading this makes me even more excited for Sam's book. (big smile)

Final Thoughts--

I never find Christine Feehan a quick read, but I love her books all the same, particularly this GhostWalkers series. I am glad I did a reread and was able to dive deeper and appreciate things I may have missed the first time around, or just to immerse myself in this book world I love so much.
Mind Game is next and I am so looking forward to it! Glad to get GhostWalker fix. I an a stone cold addict for this series.


Check out my GhostWalkers pinboard!




Original Review


I gave this book five stars because I enjoyed it so much. I have heard that it is not the best of the series. I am happy to say that if this is not the best, then it will be a pleasure to read the rest of the books. Right from the start, I knew I would like Ryland, the hero. He came off as a principled, caring person, although with a dangerous edge (which I like in a hero). I liked his immediate attraction to Lily, and how he saw the beauty in her although she never thought she was beautiful. Lily is a good heroine with some qualities that make her stand out from other cookie-cutter heroines. I like that she has the tendency to be a nerd/brainiac type and is very cerebral. She can get sucked into her research and be cranky at times. It's refreshing to read about heroines who aren't goody-goody all the time, although they are good people all the same. It is clear that despite being a very scientific person, she also cares about people and about doing the right thing. I definitely saw the chemistry between Lily and Ryland and hoped that they would get together. I loved that they had a psychic bond that helped each other, when either was feeling pain or anguish. By the time the love scenes came, there was already a deep emotional connection that made the love scenes that much better.

I also liked the premise of the story. It's cool to read a paranormal with humans who happen to have enhanced mental powers. I loved how the Ghost Walkers could tell someone to look away and not see them, and persuade them to do things, yet they never used these powers in a cruel way. I thought the science was plausible, although clearly Feehan made an effort not to bog the reader down with it. The romance and the relationships were the strong focus, yet set in a world that is very exciting and interesting.

I also liked Ryland and Lily's relationships with the other Ghost Walker men and also with Lily's family of employees that have been with her since she was a small girl. I would say that Feehan has a skill at writing about relationships and the intricacies of those interrelations with people. She shows the turmoil that Lily had about her father and her discovering that her father did do some less than ethical experimentation on her and other young girls in his quest to develop psychic powers in human subjects. All the characters in this book were interesting, and I had quite a few good laughs as they joked with each other.

The action scenes were exciting and well-written, showing that this was another area that Feehan is good at. I love reading about tough people who can kick butt, and this book has this in spades. Also I liked seeing the Ghost Walkers and Lily use their powers when they got into fights and went on missions. It reminded me of the X-Men movies, comics, and tv show.

I can heartily say that this book was enjoyable and I am adding it to my keeper shelf. I am eager to read all the books in the series.


View all my reviews
Rugged Glory (Second Chance at Love, No 370)Rugged Glory by Cait Logan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An oldie but goodie with a cowboy who lives up to the rugged mantle. I love a good opposites attract romance. In this book, you have a cultured, intelligent school teacher from the city and an older, former rodeo man who is rich but still lives a simple life as a cowboy. Ben is definitely my cowboy book type. He's a bit grumpy and grumbly, but I can handle that. Long, tall, and fierce. He's met his match in Sami, a tiny, proper schoolteacher, that he hires to tutor his son so he can get his GED. Sami knows that she's taking a risk agreeing to work for Ben, a man who makes her feel things she wanted to forget, and in some ways reminds her of her big, brutal father. But the more she gets to know Ben, she realizes that he's the type to cherish a woman, never harm her. I love a hero in pursuit. My favorite kind. And Sami leads him a merry chase. He's really a romantic guy in his rough way.

This has plenty of atmosphere and although it's not that descriptive, the romance is steamy. It's a blast from the past as far as descriptions of clothing. I find that a bit amusing, even though I definitely don't miss the 80s fashions. I'm glad I listened to the urge to read this. It was a good little romance.

View all my reviews
Wait Until Dark (The Night Stalkers, #4)Wait Until Dark by M.L. Buchman
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I was interested in reading Big John and Connie's story because they seemed intriguing from the later books in the series. I liked the idea of a heroine who is very shy and how that would play out in a romance. It was different from what I thought. I don't think that calling Connie shy is adequate. She not so much shy as socially awkward and withdrawn from others. Because of her father's death and their lifestyle, Connie has never connected with others very well. People get a mistaken impression of her and her withdrawn nature and her extreme brilliance puts people off. John at first, doesn't like Connie, but he's fascinated with her. The more time they spend together, working side by side as mechanics in the SOAR unit, the more they get to know each other, and a romantic relationship develops.

My problem was that Connie stays too remote in the book for me. I didn't feel connected to her, and so that made it hard for me to buy into the relationship on a deeper level.

The action was good, although most of it was later in the book. There are some very tense moments as the team has to deal with some nukes in the wrong hands. I liked how Connie stepped up to the plate and gained a big win for the team, and also it did help her to see that John was worth taking a risk on. People die, all the time, but withdrawing and refusing to feel doesn't necessarily protect you from loss. You just end up being alone.

Not my favorite in the series, but I liked it.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

View all my reviews

A Virgin For His Prize by Lucy Monroe

A Virgin for His Prize  (Ruthless Russians #2)A Virgin for His Prize by Lucy Monroe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was surprised how much I liked this one. I had been disappointed with the other book in this duology, An Heiress for His Empire. This book, it hit all the right notes.

I really liked the discussions that Romi and Maxwell had. It was clear that they were actually friends in addition to lovers. I am 1000% over playboy/womanizer heroes, but I think this worked for me because Maxwell did have some vulnerability. He may have seemed like he was holding all the cards, but Romi was someone he really wanted and needed in his life, despite his fear of falling in love and his belief that love didn't exist. Romi is nicely independent and straightforward.

I did think the whole, "I'm tired of being a twenty-four year old virgin" comment was a bit eye-rolling. That really is not that old to be a virgin. If you're a virgin, it's probably for a reason. Just be honest and admit that you really want to be with Maxwell, no qualifications on it. The way that writers play virginity is either like it's a burden or some kind of special status. It's neither. It's just a state of identity that a person has or doesn't have. Yes, losing one's virginity is a momentous occasion, so treat it that way and move on.

I really liked Maxwell's Russianness (big surprise). Even though he had lived in America most of his life, it was clear this an important part of his culture. He reflects many of the values that Russian men value highly. He felt more Russian to me than Viktor in the first book. I liked him better as a person, other than his slamhound tendencies. I don't think I would have been as sanguine as Romi was about staying in his apartment where he brought all his conquests, even if they didn't share his bed (he used the guestroom).

This feels like more of a modern romance than some HPs, with a heroine who is very millennial (Not in a bad way though), and that did appeal. The wedding was really sweet and how devoted and adoring Maxwell becomes towards the end of the book really worked for me. I like that they do understand each other and accept each other as they are. The marriage between this couple feels strong, like it will last for many years.

The love scenes are steamy and descriptive, but Monroe is a bit coy about the BDSM, with Maxwell having dominant tendencies and Romi being somewhat sexually submissive. I did like that she wasn't willing to be tied up until she felt like she could trust him again. That made a lot of sense to me.

The strong bond of friendship between Romi and Madison (from the other book) is a prominent aspect of this book, which I also liked. Romi and Madison both feel like women I might have known or interacted with in my real life. It's cute that SBC (sisters-by-choice) married friends/business rivals.

So, I was pretty satisfied with this book.

View all my reviews

Macrieve by Kresley Cole

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark, #14)MacRieve by Kresley Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MacRieve follows up the story arc of the Order and in a huge way. I loved how Cole ties things together. Who would have thunk the Lore community would be so connected.

MacRieve might be one of the most tortured IAD heroes. His experiences as a preteen damaged him severely and as such, he has no hope of finding his mate or for his matehood to be normal. And it also gave him a violent hatred for succubi, which is going to be a problem. When he hears that there is a young woman that everyone wants because she's Webb's daughter (the leader of the Order-a group of humans who are out to exterminate all the Loreans), he shows up to get revenge on his enemy, and isn't above using his daughter, and recognizes his mate. That's not the beginning of a happy ever after. No there is a lot of pain ahead.

At times, MacRieve was a real mean bastard. I had to remind myself how damaged his was from his youthful experiences with a succubus. It didn't condone the way he treats Chloe, but it does give me understanding into why he was behaving that way. I did like how beautifully he changes and convincingly loves Chloe. I just wish he had done so a little sooner.

I loved Chloe. This is one of those instances where the heroine makes the book. She was awesome. I don't know much about Soccer, but she made me look up some women soccer players. I liked that she was very focused on her soccer and was fearless on the field despite her small size. That determination served her in good stead in her experiences with MacRieve.

I did also love hanging out with the New Orleans compound Lykae, including MacRieve, his brother Munro and the two young Lykae they are fostering until they get control of their wolves. I gained a lot more insight into the world of the Lykae with this book, and it was enlightening and fun. The world has gotten bigger with each book, and I find it more fascinating the more I learn about the Lore.

I wasn't really that interested in MacRieve before I read this book, but i could hardly put it down. MacRieve did win me over, but I think I loved Chloe even more than I loved him. I'm glad that he found his mate and that they realized how much they loved each other. I'm verra curious to see what will happen with Munro and his mate.

View all my reviews

Black Panther: The Client by Christopher J. Priest, Mark Texeira

Black Panther: The ClientBlack Panther: The Client by Christopher J. Priest
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I saw Captain America: Civil War and it majorly kindled my interest in T-Challa, who goes by the guise of Black Panther. T'Challa is the king of Wakanda, and he is also the latest Black Panther, a costumed fighter and righter of wrongs. Wakanda has incredible natural resources, being the only location in the world that has a store of vibranium, a very powerful metal (and what Captain America's shield is made of).

My trusty library had a copy of this, so that was fortuitous. I read the foreward, and the writer's thought processes made a lot of sense. He used a unique POV to tell this story, an unlikely and in some ways unreliable narrator. This adds a sense of absurdity to the story that I wasn't sure I liked. I did like the fact that this narrative device was used as clever way to maintain mystery about Black Panther. One side effect is that it makes this book more of a satire and leaves it up to the reader to divine who and what T-Challa is. I feel that a lot of narrative assumes that the reader has prior knowledge about his backstory and some parts of the Marvel Universe that are pertinent to his character. That made some aspects confusing.

I found the glimpses into Wakandan culture interesting, and a spotlight on the complex social issues going on in Africa with a focus on how they impact Wakanda, and vice versa. I would have liked more of that. There was a plot of intrigue about a charity sponsored by Wakanda and some ugly dealings including the death of one of the children it helped. Of course, we go to see Black Panther do some buttkicking. I like his style. I like his female bodyguards very much.Not only are they gorgeous, but they are lethal.

I love the idea of T-Challa, and what I appreciate about him from this read. I would like to read more about him, and I'm supremely jazzed about the movie that was greenlighted, which will again star (the may I say scrumptious) Chadwick Bozeman and the lovely Lupita Nyong'o. I hope to read more of his series.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 stars .

View all my reviews
The Fade Out, Vol. 3: Act ThreeThe Fade Out, Vol. 3: Act Three by Ed Brubaker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Any golden dreams about Classic Hollywood I have are gone. Not that that I had many, but the ones that were there have floated away, evanescent as air. This series is well-written and beautifully illustrated, but it's dark and cynical and sad. Charlie is a hero who is deeply flawed, and he is fighting a losing battle against the corruption that has consumed the lives of those around him, and is slowly rotting him inside. With his PTSD, he's already got a lot of baggage. More information is revealed about his troubled relationship with his writing partner, Gil, and that whole situation is so messed up right there. But that's not the most messed up thing about this story, by far.

Another cliffhanger ending that leaves me wondering where this story will go next.

View all my reviews

Mind Game by Christine Feehan

Mind Game (GhostWalkers, #2)Mind Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reread in the Month of July, 2016 (Buddy Read with Lacy--she's still on the first book. :)

My thoughts:

I love Dahlia and Nicolas together. They fit together. Both of them so isolated from others and yearning for connection and significance. Dahlia is feisty and doesn't take crap. She can handle a tough, scary guy like Nicolas. He fell like a ton of bricks, which is how I love my heroes. The action was on point as usual, and the romance was luscious. I love the scene where Dahlia calls Nicolas on staring at her breasts (because of the psychic connection, she could feel it). That as priceless.

I just fall more and more in love with these books. Each reread is a new horizon in my discovery and love for them.

****Thoughts on Reread from May 10-May 13, 2012

I was very intrigued with Nico from Shadow Game, for his dark, lethally dangerous, very controlled aura, and how he seemed to fade into the shadows. I thought he'd make for a very good hero in his own book. His story lived up to his potential, both the first and second times.

Nico--

I like his controlled, ice cool persona, but also how Dahlia penetrates through his icy facade when no one else does. I also liked how he was very smitten with her early on and wanted to find a way for them to be together. He was protective and caring for her, but he realized that Dahlia was an independent woman, and he respected that about her. Even though she was going to go do her job, he was waiting for her in the shadows, there to protect her. I saw growth in his character from Shadow Game, or at least an expansion of his dimensions. He isn't or will ever be gregarious, but I was able to see how important Dahlia, the GhostWalkers, and Lily are to him. I also appreciated his dual background as Lakota and Japanese. I very much appreciate Asian main characters, and Nico whets my appetite for more!

Dahlia--

Dahlia is tough as nails. Despite her considerable disabilities, she manages to live a productive life. I certainly wouldn't want her abilities, with the horrible cost that comes with them. I can see why she feared she couldn't have a future with Nicolas, but I was very glad that they were able to work it out. Nico wasn't going to give up on her, and she needed someone to believe in after what Whitney had done to her, and the half-life she'd been living. I like that she also has depth as a character. Not a stereotype, but a full-fledged person. She's beautiful and delicate in her looks, but highly agile, and very strong for what she's dealt with her in life. I like that she doesn't back down from a challenge, and can handle a somewhat commanding man like Nico. I was very glad to revisit her character, and I hope she shows up again in Sam's book.

Overall Thoughts--

Great sexual chemistry, and otherwise. I loved the interchanges between Nico and Dahlia, and between them and the other characters. I loved how the GWs world expands with the introduction of Jesse Calhoun and his team of Navy SEALs. This is the book where we get introduced to the Norton twins, and they build expectations that they live up to very well. Some of the suspense elements were a bit hard to follow, but interesting all the same. I liked this book even more on reread, maybe because I had more time to focus on it when I read it the first time.

Next is Night Game with the smooth-talker Gator and his Flame. Looking forward to it!

Check out my Ghostwalkers Pinboard!



Original Review

I was so excited to read Nicolas' story when I met him in Shadow Game. And I was not disappointed. He was a great hero. I loved his ability to stay in control, but also the fact that one person, Dahlia made his ice cold blood turn molten. He can't seem to understand why this one little woman is the person who can turn his brain into mush and light his body on fire, when he is known for his ability to do what needs to be done without letting emotions get into the way. This is why he takes on the mission to bring in Dahlia when she is known to be a potentially dangerous loose cannon from Dr. Whitney's group of young girls he experimented on.

I thought that the chemistry and the connection between Nicolas and Dahlia was classic. They are a perfect couple and the scenes of them interacting were memorable and delightful, and not just the love scenes, which were pretty incendiary, if you ask me. This book had a lot more action and intrigue than Shadow Game, and Dahlia is a lot more tortured than Lily was. I felt sorry for Dahlia to be so affected by other people's emotions that they made her sick or made her manifest the excess energy as fire. Her situation is a tough one, but Nicolas is there to help her and protect her every step of the way, and he stakes his claim early on and isn't about to let anything take her away from him. You start the book wondering how this couple can get the happy ending that you crave, but you don't end this book disappointed. I was quite impressed with Ms. Feehan's imagination. I have read and watched books with people who are psychically gifted, but the direction that she took with the subject matter was different and exciting.

Mind Game was the kind of book that was hard to put down, and also makes you eager for more stories about the GhostWalkers. Meeting all these delicious, dangerous men is like getting invited to an All Books One Cent sale (or chocolate, whatever your addiction is). And we get introduced to even more GhostWalkers who are just as yummy, such as Jess Calhoun, and the Norton Twins. Can't wait to read their stories. Oh, wait, I do have other books I have to read that aren't Ghost Walkers books. But at least I can look forward to more Ghost Walker books with anticipation. Again I enjoyed the camaraderie between the Ghost Walkers and their gentle care and adoption of Dahlia, who has always felt like an outsider, and has lost the little family that she ever had. I really enjoyed this book, and finished it knowing that I am thoroughly addicted to the Ghost Walker series.


View all my reviews