A little after Christmas reading....

The Christmas-rush is over - thank goodness! I love the season but every December 26th I'm a veggie lying limply on the couch all day trying to "recover". Here's what I've been reading during the after Christmas let-down...

The Accidental Vampire
by Lynsay Sands

This book was kick-ass! Then again... most of Lynsay's books are. Victor is an enforcer for the council that is sent to a small town to investigate a woman who placed an ad in the personals claiming to be a vampiress looking for a relationship with a male vampire and the rumor going through the club scene that there is a female vampire residing in a certain sea-side town. This is a big no-no according to the 'laws' because it draws attention to their kind. When he arrives, under the guise of a potential suitor who has been corresponding with said vampiress for weeks, Victor discovers that the woman, Elvi, didn't place the ad or correspond with him (or rather his friend at his behest) at all- it was her well-meaning but very meddling friends. And he is not the only immortal to respond to the personal, which results in a cast of characters that add to the opportunity for many an amusing scene.

It also becomes quickly apparent that the personal ad leading to possible exposure is the least of Elvi's offenses, the whole town knows who and what she is and she's been biting mortals. To make matters worse, because she had no Sire to train her not only is she ignorant of their laws, the very laws that my result in her losing her head... literally, but she's been sleeping in a coffin and *gasp* stopped eating real food (including cheesecake and chocolate!!) for the last 5 years due to the fact that she used the movie Dracula as her guide to living as a vampire.

When Victor realizes that she's his life mate he is torn between duty to the council and joy at finding someone to spend the rest of his days with. Then the attempts on Elvi's life begin and Victor (along with the other immortal men who answered the ad) are in a race against Elvi's independent nature to keep her from further injury.

The only issue I had with the plot is part of the ending where the threads (most of them at least) are tied off. Things were a little to conveniently wrapped up in conclusion with the people trying to kill Elvi, the threat of the council's wrath, and even the other immortal men brought to town by the personal ad. It was just a wee bit too pat.

This book has a good dose of Lynsay Sands' trademark humor mixed in with the romance, mystery, and light intrigue. I found myself laughing out loud at several points. I can't wait for the next Argeneau vampire romance to come out in February!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Double Vision
by Fiona Brand

I was intrigued by this one because it appeared to be a romantic suspense with a bit of a psychic paranormal element - which it was... sort of. There was nothing particularly wrong with the author's writing but this book should not be classified as a romance, in my opinion. The romance was VERY poorly developed and the hero was a pretty flat character. I was highly disappointed. However, I'm betting that readers who like mystery/suspense books would find this very enjoyable. I just don't recommend it for romance readers.

Merry Christmas to all...

Hope you all have a great holiday!

Random Recommendation

Because we've been remodeling the kids' bedroom, I haven't had much time to read lately (I have read only two books in the last week and that is REALLY bad since I normally read 1-2 a DAY!) but one of the books I read was an oldie but goodie that is one of my favorite futuristic/paranormal romances by author Jayne Ann Krentz so I thought I'd give it a quick mention.

From the back cover:

Sariana was a cool, confident business-woman, an outcast from the East determined to regain her rightful status. Gryph was an intense mercenary respected and feared throughout the opulent cities and savage frontiers of the West. But from the moment they met, fate made them one. Was it their destiny to be bound to a powerful force that both captivated and frightened them? When Sariana and Gryph join forces in a dangerous quest to save their world, their love is tested to its limits - sweeping them into undreamed realms of shimmering, shattering ecstasy.

This description doesn't really touch on the paranormal elements... Amazon has a good review/description of the book posted though.

Now... back to work for me! Although the room itself is now finished I'm still dealing with the fall-out (messy and disorganized) that it caused in the rest of the house. *sigh*

Contests... contests... and more contests....

Here's a rundown of some of the interesting contests I found during my recent search:

My top contest pick.... *keeping my fingers crossed*
For November, Angela Knight is giving away a signed Advanced Reading Copy of BEYOND THE DARK, which contains her novella, Dragon Dance.
Enter Contest Here!

Win a copy of Shelly Laurenston's THE MANE EVENT and PACK CHALLENGE along with a Shelly Laurenston carry-all bag.
Enter Contest Here!

Enter Meljean Brooks' contest for an Advance Copy of the 5th book in her Guardian series DEMON NIGHT.
Enter Meljean’s Contest Here!

Win a bounty of books from Kathryn Caskie.
Enter Contest Here!

Enter Linda Conrad's to win a $30.00 gift certificate to Walmart, a box of Godiva, and the entire six book set of Linda’s Night Guardian series! I won one of Linda's contests for the whole Night Guardian series previously so I'm not entering this one but I thought I'd let y'all know about it - the series is interesting and well-written.
Enter Linda’s Contest Here!

Starting November 10th and going through Dec. 22nd, you can enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Julie Miller's AT YOUR COMMAND, along with one backlist title--winner's choice! All you have to do is email her your answer to a multiple-choice question about which cover is HOTTEST. This one was my choice...

Is this smokin' or what???
Enter Contest Here!









Win a signed ARC of Gemma Halliday’s upcoming release UNDERCOVER IN HIGH HEELS and some High Heels goodies.
Enter Contest Here!

And finally, Bertrice Small is giving away a $50 gift certificate to Borders Books this month.
Enter Contest Here!

Happy Entering!!!!

Savage by Lila Dubois

SAVAGE
Book 2 of the Zinah
by Lila Dubois

Savage, the second story in the Zinah series, is the story of Anleeh, the ex-Zinah called "Lord Justice." Anleeh is tasked by the King and Queen to facilitate agreements between the people of his homeland, the Den, and the new monarchy. His companion for this venture, Siara, is the Headmistress of the Temple College who longs for adventure. But adventure is not the only reason Siara is eager for the journey - the chance to explore her great attraction and long-denied feelings for the former Zinah is an opportunity she can't pass up.

The Den are brutal and raw in their passions. The mixture of submission and wildness is highly prized (and expected) in the women and at first Anleeh is reluctant to subject a female, any female, let alone a sheltered, plain pigeon like Siara to such conditions. He also harbors a secret fear that returning to his homeland will trigger his "beast", the one that made him the pride of the Den but which he has learned to control during his years of service as a Zinah.

As they journey through the lands and Anleeh begins Siara's training in the ways of Den culture and sexuality, he soon learns that Siara, though not of the Den, has her own "beast" and it is a powerful match for his. But can she accept and love him once she sees the reality of his beast in all its brutal glory in action?

I loved Savage even more than Forbidden (book 1) – which was a major emotional rollercoaster that I think we (as readers) and the characters had to experience before we could get to this point and move on in the series. I was completely absorbed in Savage by page 10 and couldn’t tear myself away from it long enough to even put the laundry in the dryer. I HAD to know what happened next!

Both Anleeh and Siara are well-rounded and realistic characters (for a paranormal-type book). They both have their own insecurities and flaws - they are not perfect cookie-cutter characters but rather a mixture of vulnerability and strength. Anleeh is alpha and a dominant male although not in a “me say, you do” sort of way – not even during the ‘training’ sessions but he is vulnerable to his need for control of his beast and his desire for acceptance of that same beast. Siara is highly intelligent, which often causes her to examine the world around her in a methodical, analytical way, but she also a woman who longs to explore her passions but only with the warrior she secretly fell in love with at first site so many years ago. The fact that she is not the average ‘perfect-body hottie heroine’ makes her even more interesting to me – although Anleeh (and the other warriors of the Den) think she’s pretty damn sexy!

The story was well-paced and moves forward in both the action and the emotion at a steady pace to the climax of the storyline. Most of the story takes place on the journey and revolves around the budding emotions of the two and Anleeh preparing Siara for Den life. In that part, I actually felt most connected to Anleeh but the most emotional scenes (IMO) come once they reach the land of the Den and then I felt more connected to Siara because of her experiences and emotions related to the cultural differences, specifically the violence and public expression of sexuality and because of her new awareness of self and power that she gained from being ‘trained’ on the trip there.

Overall, I rate Savage as a KEEPER. Not only is it highly erotic, it’s emotionally engrossing and actually rather intellectually stimulating – I see the author’s anthropological background shining through Siara in some parts of the story.

Learn more about the author, Lila Dubois.

Buy Savage, now available from Liquid Silver Books.

Update & some randomness

Savage is here (YAY!) and I forgot to post that it was available now on Monday. Actually, when I posted that it was only "two more days 'till Savage" on Sunday I was off by about a day... I seem to be in a time-warp right now and can't figure out what freaking day it is. *sigh* I downloaded it late Monday night but haven't had time to read it yet.

I did re-read Ritual of Proof by Dara Joy in random bits of free time this week. I enjoy the book but it's such an alternate warped reality from what we are used to in romance novels. I can't help but be TOTALLY fascinated with any writer who can create such a story and make it enjoyable. Still, whenever I read it I feel a vague internal sense of wrongness throughout because it is so opposite of the what society considers the "norm" - it really is an interesting piece of romance literature.

I'm in the middle of reading Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day right now (because Savage on my PDA and a hot bath just don't mix - so I had to choose a regular book to start instead). Atlantis Awakening is KICKING BUTT and takin' names so far.

So, what is everyone else reading?

Only 2 more days 'till SAVAGE!!!!!!!!

Find out more about Lovely Lila's contest HERE!

Find out more about Book 1 of the Zinahs HERE!

Which Zinah is your Match?

AnleehThat sexy fun exterior hides a dark and dominant side. Want to know more? Check out Anleeh's story, Savage, available November 5.http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/savage.htm
Take this quiz!








Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

HURRY!!! for Gena Showalter's ARC contest.

The party has started over on Gena Showalter's blog. This author of awesome paranormal romances is having a blog-party to celebrate this week's release of books from other great authors. Today (MONDAY), she is having a contest on her blog for a signed ARC of Savor Me Slowly - she'll be drawing on Tuesday morning, I think, so enter quick!

ENTER HERE!

If you don't make it in time for this contest, pop on over to her blog anyway - she'll be running new contests everyday (M-F) this week. Woohoo! Contests!

Embrace The Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

Release Date: October 30, 2007

The Blurb:
Lady Shay is the last of her kind. Half human, half Shalott, her blood is a precious aphrodisiac to vampires, who consider it more precious than gold. Though Shalotts are renowned assassins, a curse held over Shay lands her on the slave auction block, where her fate is uncertain...
Viper, the beguiling chief of a deadly vampire clan, can't explain his longing to possess the beautiful Shalott who once saved his life, but now he is free to do anything he wants with her. Strangely, while he desires both Shay's blood and body, he wants her to surrender willingly.
A hidden evil has been stalking Shay since she left the slave market with Viper. It is an evil that endangers the very existence of Viper's kind, and there's no reason he should court such danger just to protect a Shalott. But the love he feels for Shay is enough to make him willing to go to hell and back if it means spending an eternity with her in his arms...

My Thoughts:
It's been less than a year since the first book in Alexandra Ivy’s (aka Deborah Raleigh) Guardians of Eternity series came out but I (and many others that I know) have been EAGERLY awaiting book two. It's finally here! For those who may not have read the first book yet, Embrace the Darkness is about two interesting secondary characters that we met in Book 1.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Yep, you heard me. Looooooovvvveeeed it! The characterizations are fabulous - I really felt like I connected with both Viper and Shay. The storyline was exciting, well written, and kept me glued to the book until the very last page.

Viper is a great hero. Although he buys Shay from from the slave auction, he is not quite sure why he buys her or what exactly he's going to do with her, but he knows that he must have her with him - he has been unable to shake the memory of her from his mind since they fought the witches together (in book 1). In fact, before 'buying' her he spent weeks setting up the bedroom and things she would need (or want) to be comfortable in his house. He finds Shay to be exotically beautiful, exciting and a little dangerous with a core of honor and courage and it isn't long before he finally realizes what it is he wants - her... forever.

Shay is totally pissed that Viper buys her after she saved his life and although he calls her "pet" (which I find so sexy but he kinda does it to rile her up) as a nickname, he takes her home and essentially treasures her. He is strong, sexy, tender and he leaves Shay feeling TOTALLY confused. She's never had a 'master' treat her like Viper does and to top it off he is a vampire whom she would normally distrust and despise after her father was murdered by one and she has been in danger of becoming a delicious vampire snack (because of her Shallot blood) since birth. She can't bring herself to hate him though, the attraction is too strong and she begins to see much to admire and love in her vampire 'owner' who doesn't act like he owns her at all but rather like an equal and willing lover.

The big conflict/suspense of the storyline is that someone else wants Shay - bad enough to attack and kill anyone or anything in their way. This element is very well plotted and ties up very nicely in the end. Ms. Ivy also started the set up for the next book (Styx's) enough to make me hunger for his book without giving too much away or getting in the way of Viper and Shay's story. The next book in this awesome new series, Darkness Everlasting will be out in May 2008 - I can't wait!

I highly recommend this book for readers who love parnormal and vampire romance! It's an excellent example of the paranormal sub-genre that balances the paranormal, the romance, and the suspense elements to create a riveting effect on the reader. It's not essential to read the first book in the series to get into this one (it's pretty stand-alone) but I recommend reading When Darkness Comes anyway just because it was so good.

My Rating for Embrace the Darkness:

True Deception by Patricia Waddell

The Blurb:
A man who lives for revenge and a woman who clings to hope. Together they fight a common enemy . . . and discover a passion neither one dreamed could exist.

Aedon Rawn’s world died the day his wife and child were murdered by Conglomerate pirates. Now, his only reason for living is to avenge their deaths. The Directorate gives him that opportunity when he’s selected to become their first undercover agent. His mission: infiltrate and destroy the oppressive government of an outer region colony.

Kala Char’ari is a woman in need of a miracle. She’s dedicated her life to freeing her people, but they're on the edge of extinction. Risking everything, she dares to trust a dark stranger with the hardened heart of a warrior.

My thoughts:
The storyline of True Deception is pretty basic and one familiar to lovers of futuristic romance. The people of Hachyn are being oppressed and abused by the government and Kala is the second-in-command to (and being trained to be the next) the leader of the resistance. When her mentor is killed she has to put her trust in Korcian undercover agent, Aedon Rawn (although she doesn't KNOW he's an undercover agent). She's attracted to him and despite the fact that their first sexual encounter seems to be more of a result of her grief over the loss of her father-figure/mentor than true lust, she falls in love with the man that she knows is keeping secrets but cannot resist following her instincts and believing he means to help them fight the Conglomerate.

Aedon's wife and daughter were killed by the Conglomerate (the same gov't responsible for oppressing the people of Hachyn, and he wants revenge - his assignment is to assist the freedom fighters of Hachyn in overthrowing the conglomerate reps there and destroying factories that the Directorate (the good guys) believe may be producing weapons. When Aedon meets Kala he begins to feel emotions he thought he'd never feel again after the loss of his family

I really liked the first book in this series, True Blood. It was a wonderful futuristic romance - the perfect blend of romance, danger, and suspense.

This second book was a bit of a disappointment though. It was not bad, it was actually an OK read but I felt the story itself was kind of blah and the attraction between the H/h didn't feel very 'sparky' or real. I wasn't pulled into the story -probably because is was heavily detailed on the suspense side and not developed enough in the romance - I didn't really get to know enough about the main characters' "inner" selves enough to care or feel connected. But the part that took this book from a "Keeper" to a "Library" rating was that the ending felt somewhat incomplete and there were several random threads in the story that were never resolved, had no discernable purpose but seemed important at the time they were introduced, or were resolved too easily - that frustrates me because I have such a curiosity problem.

On the other hand, Ms. Waddell did an excellent job portraying Aedon's need for revenge and sorrow over the murder of his wife and child without it becoming an overblown conflict or letting it detract from the relationship between the H/h. While I don't highly recommend True Deception, it was a decent read - I have definitely NOT given up on this author or this series. I do highly recommend the first book True Blood though - it was a total keeper!




My rating for TRUE DECEPTION by Patricia Waddell:

What I've been reading

Just to get caught up since I was MIA for so long here are some recommendations for GREAT books that I read earlier this month but won't be going back to review:

Wicked Pleasure & Wicked Fantasy by Nina Bangs - paranormal

Unmasked by CJ Barry - futuristic

Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning - paranormal (it's written in first person though *gag*)

An Enchanted Season Anthology (I recommend Nalini Singh's contribution only - the rest were pretty blah) - Paranormal

The Sword, The Wolf, The Master by Joan Johnson - Paranormal (this is a FABULOUS series!)

Planet X by Evangeline Anderson - Futuristic

I discovered a couple of AWESOME new authors and read a bunch of their books I highly recommend:

Joanna Wylde (her books are available at EC) - futuristic

Lisa Renee Jones paranormal

Here an ARC, there an ARC, everywhere an ARC ARC

Alright.... y'all will have to rush on some of these but here are some of the interesting ARC contests happening this month:

Alexis Morgan (*sigh* Paladins make me HOT!) is having a contest for an ARC of her upcoming book Redeemed in Darkness. It's real easy to enter.
http://www.alexismorgan.com/contest.html

Enter Sarah McCarty's contest for an ARC of Caine's Reckoning at http://www.sarahmccarty.net/contest.html

Win and Advanced Reading Copy of Lucy Monroe's upcoming book Deal With This.
http://www.lucymonroe.com/contest.htm

Now, I've never read this author (she looks a little too tame for me) but just in case any of you are interested: Lauren Willig is offering an ARC of The Seduction of the Crimson Rose.
http://www.laurenwillig.com/diversions/contest.html

Cynthia Eden has a Halloween giveaway on the Bradford Bunch blog for an ARC of A Red Hot New Year. http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/arc-giveaway-and-another-contest-too/

There were more great contests but my fever is back and I'm going to bed now. Damn cold! But I do want to make mention of a contest that Casee posted over at Book Binge for an autographed set of Robyn Carr's trilogy. Check it out! http://thebookbinge.blogspot.com/ This one ends Friday so BE QUICK!


On the upside, at the bookstore today I got:
Star Shadows by Colby Hodge
True Deception by Patricia Waddell
Embrace the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy
Highland Guardian by Melissa Mayhue
Howl at the Moon by Christine Warren (who has her website updated now and it looks GREAT!)

YAY!!

Alive

Yes, I'm alive (thanks for checking on me, Casee. You're a sweetie!). I hope everyone hasn't crossed me off of their blog-destinations since it's been so long. I had an express college course that was kicking my butt plus it seems like the kids have been in a perpetual state of illness. I swear I've spent more time in various doctor's offices with the kids in the last month than I did for the entire year of 2006. It's been a WILD time!

Anyway, I'm back. In fact, I'm going out to the bookstore today and, book-gods willing, they'll hopefully have some of the new releases that I'm looking for in stock and I'll be blogging about them soon and I have at least 3 great ARC contests to tell you all about.

Here's a little something as a reward for coming back to see me even though I've been MIA for OVER a month!








And for my friend Y:

The Contest Scoop - September

Hey everyone!

Here are some of the more interesting results to my recent contest-hunting expedition.

Vicki Lewis Thompson is counting down until the release of Over Hexed her upcomoing paranormal romance (a new direction for Thompson) and she's got a WHOPPER of a contest going on! It's a two-month contest with three tiers of prizes. All winners will be drawn on October 1st (the day before Over Hexed arrives in stores).
First prize is a $300 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and your choice of six books from Vicki's backlist.
Second prize is a $200 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and your choice of four books from Vicki's backlist.
Third prize is a $100 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and your choice of two books from Vicki's backlist.
More Info: http://www.vickilewisthompson.com/contest.html

WooHoo!! The fun that I could have with one of those gift certificates!!!!!

I'm a JAK fan.... are you? Jayne Ann Krentz (aka Jayne Castle; aka Amanda Quick) is having a contest! The prize: a Sizzle and Burn ARC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More Info: http://www.jayneannkrentz.com/drawing.html

Bloodfever - due out Oct. 16 - by Karen Marie Moning is giving away and ARC (advance copy) on her website.
More Info.: http://www.karenmoning.com/news/contest.html

Here's one that I'm pretty excited about! The second book by Alexandra Ivy (aka Deborah Raleigh) is due out in November. Her September contest winner will receive an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of Embrace the Darkness!!! YAY!
More Info: http://www.deborah-raleigh.com/contest.html

No Rest for the Witches is on my "Buy" list for October Lori Handeland is having a contest for an ARC of this anthology with stories from her and 3 other bestselling authors.
More Info: http://www.lorihandeland.com/contest.html

Marianne Stillings is offering up TWO ARC's of her upcoming release (book 2 in the Darling Detective trilogy) "Satisfaction".
More Info.: http://www.mariannestillings.com/index.htm

This one is ending the 25th so hurry! Shana Galen's contest is for an ARC of Blackthorne's Bride which is due out at the end of October.
More Info.: http://www.shanebolks.com/contests.html

Here's another one ending the 25th. Sydney Somers has ARCs (e-books) of her upcoming release Unbreakable for TWO lucky winners.
More Info: http://www.sydneysomers.com/

Brenda Joyce is giving away a ROMANTIC WEEKEND GETAWAY for two. The winner will also have the opportunity to be involved in the production of the book promo video. This contest ends October 31st.
More Info: http://mastersoftimebooks/contest..htm

Angela Knight is giving away a signed copy of her latest anthology "Warlord".
More Info: http://angelasknights.com/contest.htm

I've already posted about this one but it's not too late to enter!
Access Romance's quarterly ROMANCE GALORE contest for a box of 55 autographed romance novels ends September 30th.
More Info: http://www.accessromance.com/galore/index.php

From my latest reading 'obsession', Denise A. Agnew, you can win a download of her out of print historical MIDNIGHT ROSE.
More Info: http://www.deniseagnew.com/contest.html

Also of interest: http://www.joynash.com/contest.htm where Joy Nash is having a contest that offers the chance to win an autographed copy of the award-winning first installment in her Druids of Avalon series, THE GRAIL KING, plus a chance to win an Advanced Reading Copy of DEEP MAGIC later this year.

Happy Entering!

New Rating System

So I've finalized a 'rating' system - & created corresponding graphics - for the books that I read and talk about here. Here are the 4 categories:

My VERY top rating: "Absolutely Amazing!" - these are the books that I ADORE and will highly recommend to EVERYONE. This will be used VERY RARELY. It would be for books like Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling books, for example



"Keeper" is my rating for books that are.... you guessed it... going on my keeper shelf. These are books that I love - ones that I will re-read again and again. I think these books are worth buying and recommend them.



Rating a book as "Library" means that it was an OK book but not worth the money. These are the books that I wish I had gotten it (or am glad that I DID get it) from the library. They're not a recommended read but not a total stinker either.



Finally, this rating is for books that I "wish I'd passed on..." These are books that I REALLY didn't enjoy - basically, the books that I thought sucked.


What do you guys think... good system?

Is this the HOTTEST Nathan Kamp cover?

I've blogged about Nathan Kamp being on SO MANY covers a couple of times. And I continue to find more and more (older) books with him as the model. Now that I've noticed it's like I became hyper-aware and I'm seeing him EVERYWHERE! I just can't escape.

Yesterday, I read Truly, Madly, Dangerously by Linda Winstead Jones (good book, by the way) and I kept thinking to myself... that cover is SMOKIN' HOT!




Then I looked closer.... guess who the male model is? Yep. Nathan Kamp. So I'm voting this the HOTTEST Nathan Kamp cover I've come across.

What do you guys think? Is this the hottest? Or do you have another NK favorite?

If you post the title of the book with your favorite Nathan Kamp cover on it I'll find it and add it to this post so we can see what everyone thinks.

Caressed by Ice out TUESDAY!

Nalini Singh continues her amazing PSY/CHANGELING series with yet another AWESOME story.

Judd is the ultimate weapon, a Psy so deadly that the existence of his kind has been reduced to myth & legends. He left his life and his position as an elite soldier for the Psy Council and brought his family to the SnowDancer den to protect them from the Council's order for their rehabilitation - a life worse than death as a living zombie. Although his other psy family members have found a place for themselves in the pack Judd, the most dangerous, is still looked upon with suspicion by most. However, only Brenna is a threat. Judd needs the emotionless existence of Silence in his mind to prevent himself from losing control of his talent and causing the death of the innocents around him and the sensual wolf-changeling woman is a danger to his control.
Brenna is recovering from the torment of being at the mercy of a twisted serial-killer Psy. The experience of having her mind raped by a sadistic monster has left her with shattered-looking eyes and powers no changeling should possess. The attraction and safety Brenna feels with the coldly-beautiful psy male seems inconceivable but the pull is strong and she turns to Judd when her life and sanity is threatened again.

The body of a packmember, whose death Brenna saw in a ‘dream’, is discovered with marks similar to the ones left by the serial-killer Psy who brutalized Brenna. That mad Psy is dead so who is this new killer… and how is it connected to Brenna?

I absolutely ADORED Caressed by Ice! This is the best book I’ve read since… well, since Visions of Heat was released earlier this year.

I was the tiniest bit afraid that Brenna would be a helpless-victim type of heroine but in reality she is beautifully strong and capable. And Judd is an amazing alpha hero. Ms. Singh did a wonderful job showing us the truth of the man beyond the Psy training, buried under the layers of Silence. I never felt that Judd was truly cold or emotionless and despite the fact that he was an assassin and had done bad things in the past, I saw him as a strong, and noble man doing what he believed was best to protect others.

The progression of the relationship between the characters was captivating, as was the change in Judd. Even as he struggled to maintain Silence for the safety of others, his emotions and connection with Brenna are a painful/pleasure that he can’t refuse. And the love scenes were steamy… who knew that a man from a race of emotionless, sexless people could be that HOT?!? Can you tell that I totally fell in love with him? LOL!

The storyline flowed really well with a great balance of romance & suspense. Ms. Singh included more secondary character scenes (which I ended up skimming the second and third time I read it) than in the previous books but they add necessary background information.

***SPOILER ALERT***
I loved that Brenna kicked ass in the climax of the suspense plot. After being victimized previously, it was awesome that she defended herself and didn’t totally have to be ‘rescued’ again. It was very well-done and reinforced the strength of character and determination of Brenna while still allowing Judd to do the ‘hero’ thing too.
***END SPOILER***

I didn’t want this story to ever end! Nalini Singh has created an extraordinary world & vivid characters for her PSY/CHANGELING series. This is the third book and it’s as fabulous as the first! I seem to fall in love with the first book of a series and then subsequent books are never quite as good as the first to me but so far I am loving every book – it would be too hard to pick a favorite.

Rating: DEFINITELY A KEEPER!!!

Visit Nalini Singh’s website: www.nalinisingh.com
Behind the scenes info about the PSY/CHANGELING series
Buy Caressed by Ice

If you haven’t read them be sure to check out
Slave to Sensation and Visions of Heat

PIMPING: Sealed with a Kiss by Lila Dubois

It's 1:21 am Friday morning here. That means that Samhain's August 31st releases are up and available. Why is this cause for celebration you ask? *snort* as if you need to ask... helloooooo NEW BOOKS! Always cause for celebration.

But today it's special because my friend, erotic romance author, and all-around kick-ass chick Lila Dubois has a short-story - SEALED WITH A KISS -available at Samhain.The BLURB:
When a man who isn’t human is accidentally enslaved by a woman who has no idea what he is, the result is magical.

A Midsummer Night’s Steam story

Signing up for a one-week adventure vacation, Helena expects to be kayaking in the Pacific, not having every sexual fantasy fulfilled in her guide’s bed.

Ocean is more than he seems, his kayaking business a cover for his deepest secret.

When Helena accidentally enacts old magic, enslaving Ocean, he doesn’t know if she is the luckiest girl on earth, or an enemy of his kind, bent on imprisoning him forever. Ocean’s strange behavior worries Helena but she’s distracted by the mind-blowing sex.

After the truth is revealed, will their budding love be Sealed with a Kiss?

OK, I don't like the cover but this story is really good! SEALED WITH A KISS is a sexy, vivid, and unique paranormal romance. How do I know? I got to be a.... beta reader, I think it's called. Is that right, Lila? Basically, I got to read an early version of it and then analyze the crap out of it (which we all know I love to do). I've got the final version now and it's just CALLING to me. I can't wait to re-visit Ocean (the sexy hero). Oh, yeah... and that heroine-type chick too.... what's her name? Well, it doesn't really matter since I'm going to have to kick her butt to keep Ocean for myself. *sigh* He's so FINE. Then I'm going to get the bungee cords from the back of my mom-mobile (aka minivan) and tie him naked to the.... oh, wait.... did I type that aloud?

Lila is in the process of changing and updating her website so be sure to check it out. In the BOOKS section you can find more information about the first book in Lila's wildly erotic paranormal romance series about the Zinahs. (not related to Sealed with a Kiss) There is also a FREE anthology available on the page.

Anyway, off to read now....

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW BOOK, LILA!!

My Immortal by Erin McCarthy

The BLURB:
In the late eighteenth century, plantation owner Damien du Bourg struck an unholy bargain with a fallen angel: an eternity of inspiring lust in others for the gift of immortality. But when Marley Turner stumbles upon Damien's plantation searching for her missing sister, for the first time in two hundred years it's Damien who can't resist the lure of a woman. But his past sins aren't so easily forgotten-or forgiven.

My Thoughts:
This book starts off on a sour note for me. The hero is a selfish bastard and I hated him.... in the beginning. For all of you who have picked up this book and abandoned it after reading the first little bit that focuses on Damien (I have a friend who did this) then pick it back up and keep slogging through the crap.... it does get better. It took me about 15 minutes and revealing a TON of spoilers to convince my friend of this fact but it REALLY does get better.

The storyline is pretty simple, and one that we romance-readers have seen about a hundred thousand times but rarely get tired of:

Older sister (aka THE MARTYR) rushes to the aid of younger sister (aka THE IRRESPONSIBLE SELFISH BRAT) because she feels it's her responsibility to 'rescue' said younger sister. Of course, the rescue doesn't go as planned because younger sister has taken off to party somewhere else but big sister doesn't know where and is horribly worried so she goes to the 'last known' location and tries to track her down.

Enter the big, bad, immortal (aka THE misunderstood BAD BOY). Immortal demon meets older sister and is wholly fascinated and entranced by her beauty and goodness as well as the fact that she is the ONLY woman who can resist him. Demon tries to stonewall older sister so that she will go away "for her own good" because he is BAD and dangerous but demon realizes that he wants her too much to let her go. Demon then says that he'll help older sister because he wants to get into her pants. Then he gets into her pants and finds love there (*snicker* - I couldn't resist) and revelations are made that help us readers (and later big sister) understand that demon isn't as bad as he seems. Of course, about this time irresponsible little sister shows up, is a vicious brat to older sister, then toddles off to 'play' again without regard for anyone else. Older sister's trip was a useless endeavor but she can't be THAT upset because she met the immortal demon. Oh, Yeah.... but she doesn't KNOW that he's a demon.... yet.

And last, but certainly not least, add in a big helping of "EVIL PLOT" which only older sister can save bad-boy demon from, with a dash of "EVIL DEMON LORD-type" character, and a smidge of "SEMI-EVIL DAUGHTER OF EVIL DEMON LORD-type" and you get.....

TA DA!

My Immortal by Erin McCarthy

OK... so I'm in a silly mood. I think the brain is fried from studying. LOL!

Seriously now, while this book wasn't a fabulous read it was decent enough despite the rocky start with the hero. The plot flowed well and was enjoyable, if overly familiar, as were the characters. I had heard that it was supposed to be a new 'darker' direction for for her books but I REALLY don't think it was a dark book. Actually, in that respect I thought it was more equal to Katie Macallister's paranormal books. The writing style isn't the same and McCarthy's books don't have the humor that is normally an element of McAllister's writing, but I would recommend My Immortal to people who enjoy Katie MacAllister.

RATING: Library (I'm starting a new 'rating system' so I'll post next about what this means).

I've read all of McCarthy's books but my favorite continues to be Mouth to Mouth which is being re-released with a nice new cover in November.

Here's the cover of my copy:

Here's the NEW cover:

I like the new cover better but if I remember correctly the woman's hair color is wrong.... hmmmmmmm.... I think I need to re-read it but I thought she was blond-ish.

What do you all thing. Is the new cover hotter or is the more plain, first one better? Is it irritating when pubishers re-issue with a different cover? I've heard (and voiced) many a complaint about being foold by a new cover into thinking that it's a new book and buying it before realizing that it's a re-issue. Doesn't happen so much since I began keeping a database but every once in a while I get caught that way.

Tuesday is the day for HUNTING THE DEMON!

I'm book-pimping today......

Hunting the Demon
by Jaci Burton

The BLURB:
IN A WILDERNESS SEETHING WITH SIN AND SEDUCTION, THE CHASE IS ON.
Hunting demons for a living can have its moments. Especially when Shay Pearson’s latest quarry is the gorgeous bronzed surfer who just stepped out of the sea. Uncovering Nic Diavolo’s devilish side could prove Shay’s toughest assignment yet. Because while she’s acting as bait to snatch this sexy bad boy, Nic’s got a plan of seduction no woman—earthly or otherwise--can resist.
Caught between two warring realms, Nic needs to stay alive long enough to figure out who his enemies are. That includes the beautiful hunter who won’t let him out of her sight. And something far worse: A force of evil with an almost unimaginable goal – possessing Nic’s very soul. But the hunt really heats up when a guy who’s hotter than Hades and a woman who’s afraid to love join forces, igniting an inferno of lust and longing that could send them into mortal danger...or straight into each other’s arms…

MY SUMMARY:
Shay Pearson is a kick-ass demon hunter who volunteers to be 'bait' for Derek's long-lost younger brother Nic Diavolo. Because, like Derek, Nic is half-demon, she makes contact to assess him and whether he should be brought into their group or eliminated. Shay voluteers for the assignment because she feels a connection to Nic partially because of her psychic visions but is unprepared for the attraction between them which is instantaneous and electric. Circumstances force her to call the team in to kidnap Nic and, of course, he sees it as a betrayal and is enraged. Shay and the other demon hunters try to make Nic see the truth of his demon-family heritage not only because they need his help to stop the demons plans but also for his own safety.

Nic doesn't believe a word his 'kidnappers' say. His father wasn't evil, he has no brother and he certainly isn't half-demon. He knows he has to pretend to believe in order to escape and the only real part of his 'act' is the attraction and feelings he has for Shay. Before he can completely escape, he sees the reality of the demons for himself and knows that the demon-hunters were telling the truth. Now he must prove that he can be a part of the team and regain Shay's trust because her visions depict a horrifying possible future if he should lose control of the demon inside him - and he can't control it alone.

My Thoughts:
I have been eagerly anticipating this second book in the Demon Hunters series since Derek and Gina's book- Surviving Demon Island - came out in January and I wasn't disappointed with Nic & Shay's story.

I didn't fall instantly in love with Nic the way I did with Derek (the grouchy hard-ass) in the first book. In the beginning, Nic seemed to be a useless rich, pretty-boy surfer - I began to worry that I wasn't going to like this character which can ruin a whole book for me. I kept on reading and I began to see Ms. Burton's purpose in portraying Nic that way. The way he was at first served to accentuate the progression of his metomorphosis into a strong hero throughout the book. The core of determination inside Nic is tapped by his discovery of the existance of demons and he now has a purpose and a direction.

Shay was a good heroine, although the one major problem I had with this book has to do with her psychic ability. First, she fights the visions even when they could help them - OK, I know that they leave her feeling wrung out but I thought she should have been more open to them for the good of the team; Second, she has had these psychic visions since childhood but nobody else knows about them. My problem with this is: If she's so affected by them (left weakened or shaken by them) how can we believe that the whole group of highly observant demon-hunters, who spend almost all of their time together, wouldn't notice this about her? Third, suddenly in this book she is the one sensing the demons because of her psychic powers and the two people who usually sense them are suddenly 'unable' to. I could buy this if there were some explanation but there wasn't (or if there was I TOTALLY missed it).

Other than my beef with her psychic talent, I liked Shay. She was the perfect match for Nic - able to kick demon ass but still vulnerable and loving. I felt that this was a good combination for her because Nic needs someone to protect, as well as to be protected by. And despite his demon nature and his transformation into hero-material, he still had a bit of the playful surfer in him so Shay's loving personality fit.

Overall, I found Hunting the Demon to be well-paced, sexy, and engaging. I planned on skimming through it yesterday just to refresh and ended up re-reading it again... I got sucked into it. Surviving Demon Island is still my favorite - I loved Derek & Gina but this one is a solid addition to the series and book #3, The Demon's Touch, is due out in 2008 and will be on my 'buy' list.

Visit Jaci Burton's website
Pre-order Hunting the Demon

Glossary of PC Messages

It says: "Press Any Key"
It means: "Press any key you like but I'm not moving."

It says: "Press A Key"
(This one's a programmers joke. Nothing happens unless you press the "A" key.)

It says: "Fatal Error. Please contact technical support quoting error no. 1A4-2546512430E"
It means: "... where you will be kept on hold for 10 minutes, only to be told that it's a hardware problem."

It says: "Installing program to C:\...."
It means: "... And I'll also be writing a few files into c:\windows and c:\windows\system where you'll NEVER find them."

It says: "Please insert disk 11"
It means: "Because I know darn well there are only 10 disks."

It says: "Cannot read from drive D:...."
It means: "... However, if you put the CD in right side up..."

It says: "Please Wait...."
It means: "... Indefinitely."

It says: "Directory does not exist...."
It means: ".... any more. Whoops."

It says: "The application caused an error. Choose Ignore or Close."
It means: "....Makes no difference to me, you're still not getting your work back."

This post is sponsored by my damn computer which crashed AGAIN! I HATE MY COMPUTER! Either the devil has possessed it or HP has put out this particular model as a cruel, cruel joke on the customers.

A few books available early & my "To Buy" list

I was cruising through Border's bookstore looking for new books today (yeah, I'm like a squirrel with nuts - I KNOW I'm going to run out of new books to read so I'm always trying to stock & hoard. LOL!) and what do I spy sitting on the new release table as pretty as you please?
Yep, you guessed it. Caressed by Ice! *gasping* I was shocked! Stunned for a moment. Thinking.... wait, it's almost two weeks until this is supposed to be out! But alas, the book was out there. It was soooooo tempting. Although I already have the ARC, I was reflexively tempted to snatch the book up and run to the register with it (Hey, it's my favorite author, what can I say?) but I restrained myself to wait for the actual release date so that I can be sure my purchase will count towards any bestseller lists.

Why, you ask? Well, from what I've 'heard' from several sources and Jacki Frank confirmed with her editor - books purchased before the actual 'release date' don't count towards the author's sales when they're tallying totals to decide who belongs on the bestseller lists. Weird huh? In addition, because it's a little unclear as to whether online sales count, it's better to purchase them at an actual bookstore. It makes no sense to me why only specific purchases should count but whatever.

So to be safe and because it's not really a hardship since my beautiful Caressed by Ice ARC is sitting on my bookshelf RIGHT NOW (OK, I know that was just downright mean-hearted but I can't help but rub it in just a bit more! *snicker*), I'll wait to buy my regular copy until September 4th when it's released.

I also saw Janelle Denison's book Born to be Wilde which has a release date of September 4th too. That's on my buy-list.

And Highland Thirst by Lynsay Sands & Hannah Howell was out - it's only a few days early though.

Other books on my "To Buy" list coming out within the next couple of weeks:
Dark Possession by Christine Feehan
Silver Master by Jayne Castle
My Immortal by Erin McCarthy
Strength of Three by Annemarie McKenna
Wicked Magic by Cheyenne McCray
Warlord by Angela Knight

I'm also considering Coming Undone by Susan Anderson. I liked her earlier romantic suspenses but haven't been terribly impressed with the most recent so I'm 'waiting' on that.

Tomorrow I'll be blogging about Jaci Burton's book Hunting the Demon which is due out on Tuesday. *using best TV announcer voice* Stay tuned.

Psy/Changeling Hero

He's mine.... ALL MINE!
Here's my results of a quiz from Nalini Singh’s Blog called "Which Psy/Changeling Hero is for You?"

So here's my changeling honey....

Which Psy-Changeling Hero Is For You?

Your Psy/Changeling Hero: Clay

Intense, silent and beautiful in his masculine grace, Clay Bennett is a leopard who prefers the shadows. For the woman he considers his, he'll move heaven and earth...but first, you'll have to be willing to walk into the shadows to find him.Find out more about Clay and the series at www.nalinisingh.com
Take this quiz!








Quizilla
Join

Make A Quiz More Quizzes Grab Code

AND, my results said out of 73, 0% had gotten this result. So Clay is MINE and mine alone! *evil laugh* OK, so maybe I'll share him with his heroine when the book comes out but he'll still be all mine until February!

On a related note: My Caressed by Ice review will be up later this week so be sure to stop back and check it out!

Denise A. Agnew

I'm hooked.
I'm a junkie.
I CANNOT seem to stop buying and reading and loving this author's books!

I know I recommended her in another post but I've been on a real Denise A. Agnew binge so I want to share it with you all. She writes paranormal romance with suspense and some contemporary romantic suspense.

So far I've read:
Over the Line (SIA)
Primordial (SIA)
Night Scream - Novella (SIA)
Impetuous (SIA) -- one of THE worst covers... UGH!
Sins & Secrets (SIA)
Shadows & Ruins (SIA)
Jungle Fever (SIA)
Hideaway (SIA)
Clandestine (SIA)
Instinct (SIA) -- HOTTEST cover!! YUMMY!
and Male Call which I reviewed for RORR. Unfortunately, you can't view that review because it's not posted yet.

I've also got Dark Fire sitting on my shelf waiting, The Dare loaded onto my PDA just begging to be read - hey, any book that starts with the heroine seeing the hero through the window buck naked has my vote!!!

The only one so far that's been a 'stinker' to me was Hideaway. It was just kinda slow and boring. I found myself skimming parts and not really connecting with the characters.

My favorite is probably Instinct because of the characters (Lucas and Mina are HOT!) but as far as storyline goes Over the Line and Sins & Secrets take first and second.

All of them are available from Ellora’s Cave except Male Call which is published by Samhain. SIA is short for Special Investigations Agency and the books in that series are about people who work for a highly secretive agency that specializes in dealing with supernatural threats/beings/investigations. Some of them are heavier on the suspense than the paranormal but they're highly enjoyable and well-written IMO. Ms. Agnew has a talent for characterizations which make even the novellas (which I don't normally like as much) great.

So now I've got a new author addiction... I'm sure I'll be reading ALL of her books within.... oh, the next week or so at the rate I'm going. LOL!

I really recommend this author to lovers of suspense and paranormal romance. Now I'm off to read more. I've also got Serati's Flame, the newest book by T.J. Michaels waiting for me... it's been calling to me for the last hour in addition to the Agnew books. It's so hard to decide where to start!

Happy reading!

Primal Desires by Susan Sizemore

The BLURB:
In Las Vegas, Jason Cage is known as "The Beast Master." But his onstage feats of magic are nothing compared to the abilities he keeps hidden from human eyes. Jason is Prime of his vampire family, and once used his telepathic skills to tame wild werewolves. It's a talent that leads him to beautiful, sensual Sofia Hunyara, who instantly triggers all of Jason's primal urges. Sofia is destined to be his bondmate, but keeping her alive long enough to convince her of that fact will not be easy.

Sofia has no reason to trust Jason, or to believe his story about her family's secret history as Wolf Tamers. The only thing she's sure of is an overwhelming attraction that quickly develops into a scorching affair. If Jason's claims are true, can Sofia embrace her legacy -- when it means walking away from a soul-searing desire that's deeper than any she's ever known?

My Thoughts:
Ok, so I've never been a big Sizemore fan - her books just don't have the oomph and sizzle, IMO. But I'm so desperate for reading material that I keep thinking each new book will be better. I just don't enjoy them. Not a single one has made it to my keeper shelf. So I've got to face the fact that this author is just not for me and stop buying her books.

HOWEVER, I will say that I think Sizemore fans will enjoy this most recent addition to her vampire series. I really liked the hero. He was tender yet strong. He also wasn't overly arrogant but still had enough Prime personality to be sexy. He also treats the heroine way better than the heroes of her last few books IMO - he really adores her. The heroine wasn't bad, I wasn't particularly impressed with her though.

*****MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD******
The plot was a bit weak in places though. For instance, one 'conflict' element was the fact that the heroine was fated to be a Wolf Tamer. Super.... how interesting and this causes conflict how exactly? Well, supposedly he may have to let her go so that she can fulfill that duty. And I kept wondering why? He's not Clan, he's from the Families. Different rules. Plus he travels as a performer - it's not like his job or position is so important that they can't work it out. I just didn't get it. And it was not fully explained or resolved that I saw. It was just mentioned in passing a few times then the epilogue has a reference to how it was resolved but it wasn't a good resolution IMO. She basically doesn't become the Wolf Tamer and instead is the 'Beautiful Assistant' in Jason Cage's act. 'Cause we all know that is SO much more important and fulfilling than, oh.... helping the world. Whatever. There were a lot of elements like this that were thrown into the plot but not fully developed. And some very weird things too, like a vamp female who wants the hero to be a sperm donor and approaches the HEROINE with the request. The hero has already said no to the vamp once but the heroine tries to convince him to do it! Luckily, Cage says NO WAY... ALL of me belongs to you even though there would be no sex involved - I thought that was romantic.

Still, the premise and storyline of a Vampire Prime finding the Wolf Tamer to train her only to find that she is his mate was good. The training and the emergence of her powers was ok if a little vague. The rest of it... just blah to me -underdeveloped - but I liked it better than Primal Heat.

Did anyone else read this? I'd love some opinions on it!

I'm LOVIN' it!

Well, I did it... I broke down and bought something to read my e-books on (other than my desktop computer). I've been debating between a straight up e-book reader or a PDA for a while but the expense of both made me hesitate.

But I finally chose.................ta-da!

The Palm Tungsten E2

So now, I can read all of my PDF e-books (I don't have to pay to get them in another format YAY!), I have my book buying spreadsheets on it and I can even modify them on there, I can listen to MP3's and watch certain video clips (I haven't tried this yet), I have pictures (it's my mobile brag book now), I have a calendar, my address book, my 'To Do' list, a memo function (no more sticky notes all over!), and many more things which I haven't explored. PLUS, it's Wifi capable! I just can't decide if I'm going to spend the extra $ to get the neccessary card to do that.

Oh, and did I mention that I have this hottie as my screen background on it? YUM!!

And, I got it for only $63 on e-bay. It's in perfect condition and came with all of the 'stuff'' and a nice case. Don't you LOVE e-bay! BIG kisses to vrod3315 who was one of the BEST sellers I've ever dealt with.

I'm so happy with my new toy!

It came in especially handy yesterday since I had to wipe and reconfigure/install my hard-drive. Grrrrrrrrr! BUT I sat and read e-books while the computer was 'working' so I was less frustrated than normal by the process.

Recommendations

Here are some quick author/book recommendations that I want to throw out there although I'm not going to do any analysis/reviews of the books.

Denise A. Agnew has an awesome series for lovers of paranormal romantic-suspense! It's the Special Investigations Agency series and I've read 4 of them so far and loved them!! Most are available in e-book & print format from Ellora’s Cave.

Cindy Dees has an interesting series of books from Silhouette Bombshell. It's called the Medusa series, I guess. I couldn't actually verify that because her website has been taken down and eharlequin.com has precious little information about past books even from their own publishing lines. But it kicks off with The Medusa Project which was published in February 2005 (#31) and I highly recommend it!!

Touch of Darkness by Christina Dodd

TOUCH OF DARKNESS
Book #2 in the Darkness Chosen series
Christina Dodd

The BLURB:
Handsome, powerful Rurik Wilder holds the power to transform himself into a fierce bird of prey-a gift that's caused death and destruction.
At last he's offered the chance to redeem himself. Only one woman stands in his way-a beautiful writer determined to wreak revenge on the assassins who murdered her family. Assassins, it's been rumored, who have powers no human should ever possess...

My Thoughts:
Yes, I know I said I wasn't going to do it. I wasn't going to purchase this second book in the series that got off to such a crappy start IMO. I just couldn't resist when I saw it on the shelf though and I caved and bought it.

MUCH better characterization, world building, and plot for this second instalment in Dodd's new series!

Rurik is an archeologist (of course) and Tasya is a photographer endorsed by the college/foundation (I can't remember which) that is funding the archeological dig. Both of them have their own personal reasons for wanting to be involved with the dig and those reasons relate to the Varinski's and the curse but Rurik seeks redemption for the Varinskis (at least his branch) and Tasya wants to bring Varinski secrets out into the public to destroy the clan. When the 'evil' Varinski's come onto the scene the H/h have to work together to stay alive and find the relic - although only Rurik knows that they're at somewhat cross-purposes.

The other side of the Varinski family tree as a threat is still a little weak but the search for the relic keeps the story going. The heroine's history with the bad Varinski's as a secret obstacle between Tasya and Rurik adds a good element of conflict as well. I did cry for a little while towards the end - which in some people's minds is a compliment about the author's ability to stimulate emotions in their readers but really.... I don't like the tear-jerkers unless I'm in the mood. But it didn't last long so all is well. LOL!

Overall, I was satisfied with this read. It's about half-way between a 'library' and a 'buy' type of read for me.

RATING: C+

Something Wicked by Catherine Mulvany

SOMETHING WICKED
Catherine Mulvany

The BLURB:
Investigative reporter Regan Cluny is in hot pursuit of a reclusive philanthropist who is financing a mysterious archaeological dig in the California desert. Attempting to convince Charles Cunningham Nash to grant her an interview has proven impossible long distance, so Regan sets off uninvited for his dig to woo him in person. Instead, she meets with deadly trouble; a biker gang corners her at a remote rest stop, sabotages her car, and leaves her for dead on a country road. Miraculously, Regan survives with only one strange memory of her attack...and the man who comes to her aid is Nash himself.

Strongly attracted to her handsome protector, Regan can't know that Nash is a vampire tied to her attackers by a vicious blood feud that dates back to the Civil War - or that he has hungered for the life and soul of a mortal for nearly two centuries. With the local sheriff determined to nail Nash for the violence perpetrated by his dire enemy, Regan must decide whether the dark secrets of a lover she can't live without are something wonderful...or something wicked.

My Thoughts:
I have never read Catherine Mulvany but I saw the cover for this book a couple of months ago and put it on my 'to be considered list'. KICK ASS cover!!! Plus a 'kudos' from Christine Feehan on it!

Something Wicked was a decent paranormal romance. There was nothing wrong with the book and it's actually well developed and written. It was just a bit... well, dull-ish. Sort-of. I know this is SO unhelpful in helping others make a decision to purchase the book so I'll just say I wasn't bored but neither was I wow'd by either the characters or the plot. This would be more of a 'library' choice to me. Good to read but not run-out-and-get-it-now worthy. Actually, people just getting into reading the paranormal-romance sub-genre would probably enjoy this one. It's about 65% on the darkness scale. It's not a dark book but neither is it middle of the road either. Plus, it doesn't have a convoluted world or a system of paranormal beings that can make new readers long for a glossary so that they can figure out what's happening.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS!!!! BEWARE!!!!
This would REALLY be full of spoilers if I went indepth but here are a few issues I had with the book: 1) The whole 'reincarnation of past lover' thing.... doesn't really do it for me. It can be done well or it can be done VERY badly so I always worry when books have that element. Mulvany actually did pretty good - it didn't take over the story or cause any awkwardness in the heroine's internalization of her feelings for the hero. But still not my favorite. 2) The relationship between the hero's 'past love', the villian, and the reason for the animosity between the hero & villian has a bit of an ick factor for me. 3) How Nash was made a vampire - although that's kind of related to #2. Also, this didn't really bother me but some people will be irritated by the ending - the solution to how a vampire and mortal end up together. To me, the way it came about was a little too 'pat' but I know some people who won't enjoy it for other reasons - which I can't tell because that would be WAY spoiling.

Overall, it's worth reading but I wouldn't put it at the top of the TBR list. I'll be watching for her next one though and check it out at the library!

RATING: B-