Midnight Rising by Lara Adrian

Midnight Rising by Lara Adrian


My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I didn't like this book as much as Midnight Awakening. The main issue I had was Dylan flat out annoyed me in some scenes. Especially with her escape attempt. What was that about? She could have went along with Rio's plans to scrub her and then went about her life. I think it was just a plot point to drag out the story, frankly. My other issue was: Okay, this sounds really sexist, but her potty mouth was really bugging me. It seemed like the woman could not express herself without expletives and oaths. I'm not overly found of foul-mouthed heroes (probably Sam from the Suz Brockmann books is one of the few notable exceptions), but a bad-mouthed woman really is like nails on a chalkboard. It's a small thing, but that didn't help to endear her to me. Also, she just seemed too abrasive at times. She was used to being a survivor and being tough. The whys were revealed and it made sense, but I never felt for her the way I wanted to. I feel I'm being too hard on her. She was a good person, and I admired her dedication to her mom, and her sense of loyalty. She had a good head on her shoulders, and she did the right thing when it came to the pictures and story about the hibernation chamber. But, she just rubbed me the wrong way.

I really liked Rio. I felt bad for him for what he had lost. I think he had some self-pitying moments, but with his breedmate betraying him, I couldn't blame him too much. Overall, he was a good hero.

The romance itself seemed a bit rushed. I wasn't sure I completely bought into Rio falling so hard and fast for Dylan. Probably needed about fifty more pages for me to feel that. However, I liked the way Eva's ghost manifested to try to make things right after what she did. That was a nice paranormal touch.

My issue with this story is no fault of Lara Adrian's. It's me. I just like more going on in my paranormal romances. Compared to some of my other series (and it's wrong to compare, I know it), this series seems less vivid. I like the rich worldbuilding that I am treated to with some of the other paranormal faves. I'd be the first to admit that I'm not that keen on aliens as a plot device, and the whole alien vampires came to Earth and bred with special human women to form the Breed is just not floating my boat that much. I miss all the various paranormal species that interact with other. Heck, I'm a supernatural girl. I came out and said it, okay! Anyway, that's probably why I'm not in love with this series.

But, for what it is, I think the intrigue was good, and the conspiracy behind the spectres that Dylan was seeing was pretty interesting and rather disturbing. I feel bad for those poor girls.

As far as the story wrap-up, it was a little abrupt, but left some loose ends. I guess I'll have to see how this picks up in the next series. In the end, Midnight Rising was a good read, but it didn't set me on fire.

Overall rating: 3.5/4.0 stars.

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She's Got It Bad by Sarah Mayberry

She's Got It Bad by Sarah Mayberry


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book made me angry and sad. To think that a woman valued herself so lowly, and did unconventional things to shock others and to make herself feel strong, instead of because that was her personality. I was angry that she let a man control her life so much. In a way she did. When Liam left her, she did something really reckless, that had a permanent effect on her life.

I was mad when Liam decided he needed to save her because she clearly (at least in his way of thinking) needed his help. It struck me as very arrogant on his part. Maybe some good came out of it, but it had me frustrated, like he could look down in judgment on her.

I wasn't too fond of Liam for most of this book. I didn't like his arrogance in thinking he could fix her because she had to be acting out (even if he was right) or his blindness to the fact that he loved Zoe, and that's why couldn't stop meddling in her life. I was annoyed at Zoe for continuing to give him power over her. I didn't like the vulnerability that she showed to him, when he didn't seem like he was willing to do the same for her.

I guess I have an issue with heroines who think they are in charge of their lives because they call the shots sexually. That's really not being in charge, in my opinion. On one hand, I could see why Zoe had developed this attitude after being rejected by men in relationships because of what had happened to her and the consequences for the future. But it didn't make a determination to indulge in casual flings the right decision.

I have mixed feelings about this story. It was good and well-written, but it annoyed me so much, so I can't say I really enjoyed it. I had this pit of pain and rage in my chest as I read it. I'd give it four stars for the fact that I think the writing is good, and I cared about the characters. I came to like Liam eventually, as I realized that he wore a facade just as much as Zoe did. He was really hurt from what his father did to him, and it crippled him emotionally. I felt sorry for him because of that. But he still annoyed me that he feels that he had the right to judge her for her lifestyle, when his was probably the male equivalent.

I'm not a big fan of Blaze novels, because I don't agree with the casual sexuality that is a big part of their typical storylines. According to the world and modern views represented in Blaze and television, movies, etc., it seems like a woman is stronger and more independent if she chooses to have casual sex. I'll never agree with that. So, by and large, I avoid this line of books. I decided to read this one because it received a lot of good reviews for the strong plotline and emotional elements. Also, I do like unconventional and tormented heroines. Zoe was definitely that. I liked that she was tough, and a tattoo artist and a rock music singer. I liked that she was a survivor. However, I hurt for her that she gave herself away so lightly. Although it was made clear that Zoe wasn't easy, and she didn't come off that way, casual flings to me are giving oneself away lightly. She was worth more than that. There were good guys who would treat her right and have a committed relationship with her, despite what she felt she couldn't offer them for the future as far as a family. I don't have an issue with women being sexually loose because I judge them. My issue is more that I feel that each woman is of value and too valuable to throw herself away on a guy who doesn't care enough about her, just for a good time in bed. Yeah, she might enjoy it, and think it's enough for her. But, most of the time, I don't think it is enough. That's my opinion, and what I feel deep inside. I can't put that aside when I read these books, so I usually end up wincing the majority of the time when I read these books. Thus, they tend to be avoided.

Well, I know I'm in the minority, and that's okay. Since my reviews reflect my feelings on what I read, I'm going to be honest. This is just how I feel. In the end, She's Got It Bad was a good book, but a painful read for me.

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Naked in His Arms by Sandra Marton

Naked In His Arms by Sandra Marton


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This book was almost a wallbanger at certain parts. The hero and heroine were acting way too hormonal for me. They had some serious imbalances in their brain chemistry causing them to act like idiots. But then it would settle down and I'd like it again.

Alex is a jerk. He's very macho and tough, and judgmental. He has decided that Cara is a skanky ho because he believes she is the ex-mistress of a crime lord. Even though he says he doesn't have an issue with a woman being sexually experienced. Whatever dude. This from the guy who picks up women in bars for sex. I thought he treated Cara pretty bad for too much of the book, although he's caring in other parts. This is part of the hormonal imbalance issue.

Cara is typical for Sandra Marton. She's way too soft with the hero. She lets him get away with too much crap. She gets snarky a few times, but most of the time, he can kiss her into submission. That really gets on my nerves when the hero can kiss the heroine and she turns into a pile of jello. Sometimes it's okay, but it's overused, especially by this author.

Don't get me wrong. I really enjoy Sandra Marton's books. But I think she has borderline uber-alphas in some of her books. Uber-alpha means bad alpha to me. Not the tough, possessive loving type of hero. But the testosterone toxicity hero. Alex definitely falls into this category. He really didn't use his brain as much as he should have. I figured out pretty early just what Cara's connection was to the crime lord. I don't mean to stereotype, but it was fairly obvious that Cara wasn't mistress-material. All he could see was how hot she was, and that made her skanky, crimelord guy's ho in his mind.

I was disappointed with the adventure plot. It could have been a little better executed. He did some covert spy stuff, but mainly it consisted of breaking into Cara's apartment, accosting her in the shower, and sexually intimidating her. And then at the end, he and his two brothers break into the crime lord guy's mansion to get 'closure' with Cara. The Desert Virgin (the 1st book in this series that I read) had much better action. This one really wrapped up way to easily and it was very anti-climactic.

I have to say this is probably my least favorite Sandra Marton book although some parts were okay. I am keeping it because it's part of a series with The Desert Virgin, and I hate to break up a series in my collection.

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Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was an interesting read with a different take on vampires that borrowed from familiar nuances but took things in a different directions. Rose is a likeable protagonist, despite being a touch reckless. But then she's a teen who has a tough road ahead of her. Dimitri is some kind of yummy. A formidable warrior and guardian, he is disciplined, observant, dedicated, and hopeless in love with Rose, although she is forbidden to him. He accepts and understands her as no one does, even Lissa, who has a unique bond with Rose. I do hope that they get together at some point, and I look forward to more interactions between Rose and Dimitri.



I don't feel like I got to know Lissa nearly as well, but I hope that over the course of this series, I will come to know her. I do love that she cares just as much for Rose, and made enormous sacrifices for her, despite the fact that Rose is expected to literally lay down her life for Lissa.



Christian is an intriguing character who has the elements that I really like in a character: misunderstood, enigmatic, a little bit dark and tortured. I definitely want to know more about him.



The infusing of Slavic/Russian culture into this book was a welcome surprise. Fascinated as I am with Russian culture, I enjoyed those elements. It also added to the mysterious and in some ways sinister mood of the story.



Things I didn't care for as much: There is a good bit of the high school pettiness (I hated high school with a fiery, burning passion) in this book: reckless partying, cliques, casual sex (not the main characters), gossiping, etc. I'm not a big fan of all that, but since this is a teen/young adult book, it's expected. Despite that, I think a older person who likes a good vampire story would definitely enjoy this story and find something fresh and interesting in it.


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Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian

Very good book. I am liking this series more and more. The thing that I like most about this series is the interesting mythology and world-building behind the vampires. It's very dark and gritty, and the violence is in your face when it comes to humans being harmed and murdered. I think that part is almost too much for me. I love a book with intense action and a dark edge, but I do hate to see innocent people dying, and this series has a lot of that.

I didn't really find Dante or Tess very tragic, although they had issues there were dealing with. I guess not all the characters can be tortured although I certainly wouldn't mind. Dante was a character that I enjoyed reading about, but I can't say I ever fell in love with him. I do feel like Dante and Tess were meant to be together.

I liked that Tess was a veterinarian, but I think some aspects of her trade were almost simplified. The truth of the matter is that a veterinarian needs lots of help to run her practice. I was wondering how she was accomplishing all the treatment of animals and the money part with just one part-time employee. I'd like to see her give a pet intravenous medications or fluids by herself. Not an easy thing to accomplish. I was glad she didn't romanticize the economic aspects of veterinary medicine. You cannot afford to treat and save every animal and get all the bills paid. It breaks my heart, but I know that this is real life. Tess made choices to price things where she could help the most clients and their pets, but she couldn't make ends meet when it came down to it. This is one of the most heartbreaking aspects of the profession. All and all, it was nice to see a veterinarian doing her thing in these books.

I really liked Chase's character although I did not like Elise. She was a bit too whiny-mopey for me. I hope that he moves on from her and finds a real woman who's not so much of a whiny baby. Normally I don't mind a vulnerable heroine, but she bugged me. Probably because she didn't show Chase very much respect as the brother of her dead mate or see him as a flesh and blood man of meritand realize all the sacrifices he had made for her.

The part with Rio choked me up. Poor baby. Really looking forward to reading his book. I enjoyed reading scenes with the likable Gideon and his mate Savannah. Nice to see some ethnic diversity in the paranormal romance genre.

So all in all, I liked this one more than the first book, and I suspect I will like the books increasingly as the series continues. By the way, just loved little doggie, Harvard. I was so glad he was doing alright. That part nearly made me cry (with some of the stuff going on in my personal life.)

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian

Good book and very imaginative storyline. Adrian really developed a unique concept of vampirism and vampire society. Although the warriors remind me of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, they are not carbon copies, and the Midnight Breed series is claiming its own place in the paranormal romance genre. I love warriors, and these guys are definitely creme de la creme. One thing that bothered me was the casual indifference about humans being killed by the Rogues. The Breed warriors did protect humans, and that was clear, but the ones that died in this book didn't seem overly mourned by the warriors. It seemed a little callous to me. Perhaps this due to many, many years of seeing humans dying and savagely killed by the Rogues. Lucan is a hard man (vampire), who doesn't open his heart. It was great to see Gabrielle sneak into his heart. For a young woman who felt isolated and drifting in her life, I was happy that she found her home in Lucan. I am curious about the warriors that fight alongside Lucan, and I can't wait to read their stories.

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

This book is utterly fascinating. What an interesting universe. I wish I had this author's imagination. For anyone who's read Lovecraft, I think this book is Lovecraft mythos meets romance novel. I can say that reading this book was a unique experience. Ms. Ione did a fantastic job developing this world within/around/under the regular world, where demons are the good guys. Sort of. Not all demons are good, but not all are bad. I can't say too much about that without spoiling a person who wants to read this book. Let's just say that it really turns around things for a person raised in the Christian tradition. I don't feel like a person who believes in Christianity shouldn't read this book, though.

This book is sexed up. However it makes sense if you consider the characters and their demonic type. I felt that the sex did fit in with the story very well.

The characters are well-developed and interesting. Their motivations are clear and their struggles play well into the storyline. I feel that Ione captures the tortured characters that I like very well. Although she follows a similar formula for the paranormal series, she claims this niche and makes it her own. Tayla is a likable heroine although she is not the unblemished, cleancut type of heroine. She's had a very rough life and seen and done things that would keep some people up at night. I admired her fortitude and her strength. She had to go through some pretty painful things in her life, and within the timeline of this story. Eidolon was also likeable and conflicted. He's born to be on the dark side, but has done his best to have morals and has dedicated his life to medicine. He is about to face a change in his body and mind that could drive him over the edge, and it does make this story compelling. It's hard to say too much because it would spoil a person, so I am eluding to these things. I would say that reading this book is like peeling away onion layers to find higher levels of understanding. It's an enjoyable process. As a fan of mythology and folklore, I think she made the demonic taxonomy, if you will, very credible for her universe. I wouldn't mind reading one of the demonic natural history books that Eidolon owned, in fact. She made up quite a few species and gave them characteristics that were interesting and creative, causing laughter at some moments, and dread at others.

One of the things I liked about this book was how she played with the reader's perception of right and wrong. You go from feeling bad for the humans, then to feeling bad for the demons, and then you come to realize that in this universe, neither group is always right or always wrong. They both commit atrocities that will make you wince, and it adds to the moral ambivalence of her universe. For that reason, you should approach this story with an open mind and with the understanding that it is a fictional world which does not have to have bearing on our consciousness of the real world.

The secondary characters are very intriguing, particularly Eidolon's brothers. You definitely want to read about their stories, and also Gem, who plays a very pivotal role in this story. I want to see how things play out with the human male Kynan, who she is in love with.

At times eye-raising, and always intriguing, I did enjoy this book. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed, but overall, the pacing was very good and the story flew by.

Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan

I must admit that I loved the Ghostwalkers books much more than this one. I think it was because I am not enamored with fictional subjects about celebrity. The elements pertaining to Joley's world-wide stardom as a rock singer seemed to overshadow the narrative in this book. I wonder if Ms. Feehan has a favorite female singer who inspired her to write this story and to model Joley after. I wouldn't be surprised if the answer is yes.

It was a very good story. If I hadn't read and fell for the Ghostwalkers books first, I would probably have loved it more. But since they were my first exposure to Feehan's writing, I can't help but like this one less. I know it's wrong to judge this book based on another set of books, but the bar has been set very high.

Things I loved about this book:
1)Ilya. Ilya. Ilya. I am so in love with Russian heroes and he's a yummy one, the poster child for Hot Russian Hero. He is dangerous with a capital D. Very enigmatic and mysterious, and devastatingly gorgeous. I loved the fact that he saw Joley and had to have her. I thought it was so cool that he heard her singing at a really dark moment in his life, and bonded with her. He bought all her records, but then he had to see her in real life. It was over for him at this point. I know he kills without remorse, but he kills really bad people. Morally speaking, murder is wrong, but I think that there are circumstances where killing is justifiable. And the people he killed were the scum of the earth. I got glimpses into his past, but I wanted to know more about his training as a child. I hope that this is revealed in the next book. Anyway, I loved the hero so much in this book.

2)The close bond that Joley has with her sisters. I have a sister that I would die for. She is my best friend and we are very close. So I identified very closely with this.

3)Joley's warm, generous heart. She is a very kind, caring person. She went out of her way to help and to be there for others.

4)Joley's love of music and all of the musical motifs and themes in this book. I love music very much. I sing out loud and hear music in my head. I have very limited musical ability although I learned how to play the clarinet and the guitar. But all the same, I feel that music is in my soul. I really identified with that about Joley. It was so cool that people had different songs to Joley depending on their emotional state. Ilya was her soulmate in the sense that he also saw this in people.

5)The interaction between the characters. I feel that this is a strength of Ms. Feehan as a writer. In the seven books I have read by her, she is dead on in the portrayal interpersonal relationships. She has the intimacy that is present between good friends and loved ones. That is one of the things I loved about the Ghostwalker books and it is present in this one. I loved the connection between Ilya and Joley and the mark he put on her and how it was used.

6)I loved the seventh son/seventh daughter destiny thread. It was pretty cool and funny whne Joley found out the implications of it. Let me say I wouldn't mind being Joley if I could have Ilya. Although I have no desire to be a world-renowed singer. I like my privacy way too much.

7)Brian's situation. It was pretty neat to have that storyline. I enjoyed it a lot. I am sorry that things didn't go better, but in a way the tragedy of it was beautifully done.

8)The fact that the Drake sisters' abilities weren't played as a heavily pagan sort of thing. I don't know what religion they are, but it was more portrayed in this book as their legacy and not based on pagan beliefs. I don't have anyting against pagan beliefs, but I don't really enjoy when it is shoved down the readers' throats. In my opinion, this is just as preachy as Christianity being shoved down the throat of a reader who is non-religious.

What I didn't like: As I said earlier, I found the celebrity stuff tedious. I have been known to watch E Network and scan the tabloids, but I just don't care for it in a romance novel. It was an integral part of the plot, and it had to be since Joley is famous. But I'd rather see a more personal story or a story with the couples on the run and spending lots more private time together. Joley did have private time with Ilya, but not as much as I wanted. I also didn't like the depictions of the dark side of fame: the drugs, the illicit and improper sexual situations, the stalkers. Practically each band member had to deal with issues along these lines or suffered the consequences of it. I still didn't get what Logan's deal was. He didn't have to do what he did to his wife Tish. Something good came out of it, but I don't know if I am good enough like Tish was to forgive him. I'd love the baby though. I'd kick Logan to the curb and just keep Lissa. Good thing I'm not Tish.

All and all, this was an enjoyable book. I would like to read the other books, and I am looking foward to Elle's book in particular. This Jackson guy sounds way up my alley.

Veiled Truth by Vivi Anna

This was my favorite in the Valorian Chronicles series, probably because I thought that Lyra and Theron had a close connection that drove the book. I have found that these Nocturnes are just too short. There is not enough room to get anything accomplished, so the storyline can be a bit rushed. I didn't find it quite as noticable in this book, but I do feel like it could have delved deeper if the book could have been about 75-100 pages longer. But for a shorter book, it was very good. I like antiheroes, so Theron appealed to me. He had a dark side, a history of casting black magic spells that backfired on him. To be honest, it could have been worse, but for Lyra, who was a white witch, that could have kept them apart. Fortunately, Lyra went with her heart and believed in Theron despite the obvious fact that he was hiding part of himself from her. Lyra is an appealing protagonist. She's nice, intelligent, but is certainly no plaster saint. I liked her dialogue with her deceased grandmother who hovers over her as a spirit, and gives Lyra guidance whether Lyra wants it or not. It was also nice to revisit the CSU team, and catch up with Caine and Eve and Jace and Tala, from the first two books. Again, this was a good book and I enjoyed it. I just wish that it was longer and more in depth.

Second Sight by Amanda Quick

This was an entertaining book, but I think it could have been more enthralling. I felt a connection between Venetia and Gabriel, but I felt that it should have been more intense physically. The love scenes were way too abbreviated considering that Gabriel was a man of strong passions, although he was trying to keep those under control. I think too much focus was placed on the mystery and not enough on the romance. Had this been marketed as a mystery novel, I would have no complaints. But since it was a romance novel, I felt a bit cheated. It was well-written, and loved the Victorian setting with the paranormal elements. I loved the way Gabriel talked, it was very distinctive. I also liked the idea of Venetia being able to see auras and while she was in aura visual mode, how everying was in the negative. That was pretty unique and cool. I just wish that the romance had been better developed, along with the sensuality between Venetia and Gabriel.