What I Read Last Week

Posted April 23, 2012 by Tracy in Features | 7 Comments

Greetings Earthlings
It wasn’t too busy of a week this week. Now that Easter’s over the office has calmed considerable so it’s kind of business as usual. I like the super busy times but I also like when my days are just “normal”. That doesn’t happen very often as I never know who’s going to walk through the office door but when it happens it’s great. 🙂
The fam and I managed to get to a (very small) carnival yesterday that they had in town for a few days. The girls had fun riding the rides and I managed to win them a couple of toys to take home. Yep, I’m mean with a water pistol. lol
I just had to share this picture of our kitten Echo. She was just so cute hanging out below the window as we have a mother bird nesting under out back patio cover. I was zooming in and she turned around right when the flash went off and this was the result. LOL Too funny.
Have you ever seen the movie The Iron Giant? Great movie but this picture reminded me of the giant when he turns his eyes “on”.
Anyway, on to what I read this week:
I started off the week with Deadly Nightshade by Victor J. Banis. This was my TBR Challenge read for the month and it was really good. Gay cop gets partnered with a straight cop to investigate a series of murders and it looks like a drag queen’s the murderer. Stanley and Tom investigate the murders and kind of end up investigating each other. You can read my review here. 4.25 out of 5
I liked Deadly Nightshade so much that I immediately started on Deadly Wrong by Victor J. Banis right after. This had Stanley headed from San Francisco to Bear Mountain in Southern California to do a childhood friend a favor. Stanley’s supposed to see if he can figure out any info about a supposed manslaughter case. Unfortunately Stanley apparently asking the wrong questions and gets himself into trouble. Tom finds out about Stanley heading south and isn’t thrilled at all – to say the least. This was another great story. I love how Banis seamlessly weaves the relationship portion of the book with the mystery so that it’s all just one great story rather than 2 portions of the same book. I can’t wait to read book 3! 4 out of 5
My next read was North of Heartbreak by Julie Rowe. This story took me to Alaska where Willa has been living and running a clinic. She meets the new pilot Liam who takes her to other villages and to the hospital when needed to deliver a patient. Liam is attracted to Willa right off but she’s leery of men as she was horrible abused by her previous husband. You can read my full review here. 3.5 out of 5
Next was Power Play: Resistance by Rachel Haimowitz and Cat Grant. This story was about a multi-billionaire who wants a man he’s met to play his submissive for 6 months in exchange for 3 million dollars. You can read my full review here. 3.75 out of 5
Priceless by Cat Grant was next up. This story was about a professor who gets sent a rentboy for his birthday by one of his friends – only the professor has no idea that the guys a rentboy and starts having feelings for him. I’ll be reviewing this one this week so keep your eyes open.
Natural Evil by Thea Harrison is a novella in the Elder Races series. This story was about human Claudia Hunter who is driving through Nevada and sees a large dog by the side of the road. She decides to stop and help the animal but starts to think that he may not be a regular dog. He isn’t, he’s a Wyr shifter by the name of Luis who definitely would have died if left on the side of the road. The story follows Luis’s recovery – the reason for his almost demise as well as Claudia and Luis getting together. I really liked the story even though it was to terribly deep. I didn’t care for the fact that it cut off without a HEA but it did give us a Happy For Now ending. 4 out of 5 (Is it just me or does the guy on the cover look like Antonio Banderas?)
A Gentleman Says “I Do” by Amelia Grey was a book I read for The Book Binge. This is the story of Iverson Brentwood who is pissed off because a man wrote a parody about him and his twin brother that basically made his deceased mother look like a loose woman. He goes to the man’s house to knock some teeth and instead of the man finds the man’s daughter Catalina. Iverson and Catalina are instantly attracted to each other and have some great conversations.. But Catalina is keeping secrets from Iverson and isn’t quite sure he’d like her too much if she told him what they were. This was a cute story. It started out slow and got a bit too dramatic at the end but I very much enjoyed the middle. The intelligent yet witty banter between the h/h was pretty darned good. 3.5 out of 5
Under the Vampire Moon by Lynsay Sands – another book read for The Book Binge – is book #16 in the Argeneau series. This was about Christian Notte, Marguerite’s son, who heads to the Caribbean on his mother’s request. There he meets his life mate, Carolyn, but she is not going to get close to Christian because she’s 42 and she believes Christian to be around 25 (he’s actually about 500). Christian’s cousin comes up with a plan where she tells Carolyn that Christian is gay and needs a Beard – that way Carolyn can hang with Christian and get to know him without feeling guilty. I like this series – it’s just fluff and humor and just hits that spot for me every time. 3.75 out of 5
Last for the week was a short called Realize by Kerry Freeman. This was about a senior in college who “takes care” of his roommate who is 3 years younger. He has feelings for his roommate though he’s never acted on them. This story has to two getting together. It was a good story but too short! lol I would have loved this to be longer but oh well. 🙂 3 out of 5
My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Happy Reading!


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7 responses to “What I Read Last Week

  1. Aww. You guys got a kitten? Adorable! And YES! I have seen The Iron Giant. One of my most favorite movies ever. I can see the resemblance between the Iron Giant and Echo.. definitely in the eyes! ; )

    Wow.. #16 in the Argeneau series! I wish I had caught up in that series.. it was cute. Too many other series calling to me.

  2. Iron Giant, Jr. indeed! 🙂

    God, when I first saw the picture on my Google Reader, I thought I was seeing my cat and I thought 'What the–?'! I have a half a dozen pictures of my cat (Real name Sassy, nicknamed "She-Devil"–for a reason…) with eyes like that. It freaked me out the first time the picture came out that way. Why? Because of her, her attitude and evil-ness (though I love her!).

    I swear, I'm still 99% convinced that she's either some demonshifter or a being from another planet….Both would totally explain the way she is….
    LOL. 😀

    🙂 Great list of books–wish I was able to read that many (and review them), but this year has been far too hectic to even try. I'm lucky if I get 2 books a week, and maybe one review. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

    Enjoy!
    TBQ

  3. You can just hear the little lasery "pew pew" noises in that picture, can't you? 😀

    I'm glad you're enjoying reading about Tom and Stanley!! They're such a great couple.

  4. LOL, I don't know Iron Giant, but seriously, it's an awesome picture!! Alien cat LOL.

    Another good reading week. I like the cover of A Gentleman Says "I Do."

  5. I did see the movie The Iron Giant and you're right, eyes do light up the same *wink*

    I've been horrible because I should've e-mail you more than a week ago a package got delivered. Iz sooo happy!! Will e-mail you more this weekend.

    BTW, haven't I seen your rating on Goodreads for The Witness by Nora Roberts? Did you read it…if it was your rating you did!! I just finished it today and I was so in luv again with a NR book *sigh*

  6. Christine – Yes, I can't believe we got a kitten but there she is, roaming my house. lol She really is great so I can't complain. 🙂
    Argeneau 16 can you believe it? That's a lot of family members! lol

    TBQ – My kitty usually turns her head away right when I'm about to take a picture so I have a ton with the back of her head. lol I think mines a demonshifter sometimes too when she gets crazy and starts charging around the house. My god! It's like something as taken over her body! lol

    Chris – I can TOTALLY hear those sounds. lol My kids got a kick out of the picture as well. 🙂
    Tom and Stanley are wonderful! I'm trying to get through my review reads for this week so I can get back to them. 🙂

    Nath – The Iron Giant is a great movie. So simple but wonderful. *sigh* lol
    I like the cover of the Grey as well.

    Leontine – Can you not see the Giant? 🙂
    Oh I'm so glad you liked the journal. You never know when you get something like that if you're gonna like the innards as well as you like the outside.
    Yes, I just finished The Witness and really liked it a lot. I'll post my review this week.

  7. Wow – if your cat really had eyes like that it would totally freak out the birds. Probably your family too! LOL

    The guy on the cover of the Thea Harrison book looks like Antonio Banderas when he was in Desperado. Love that movie!

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