Tag: Dana Marie Bell

What I Read Last Week

Posted April 9, 2013 by Tracy in Features | 4 Comments

I’m so behind this week! So sorry!

Last week I was feeling a little bad and hoped I wouldn’t get sick. Yeah, no one listened to me and my hopes and I got the cold and headache from hell. Just an all around bad week but I’m recovered now so that’s a good thing!

I also have some news about my sister who lives in Kansas. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of the year after multiple tests. She is the first one in either side of the family to have it and it’s been a bit of a crazy time mentally – for everyone. (I want to say mind fuck because it fits it so well. For my sister more than anyone.) On the first of April she had a double mastectomy – luckily they caught it very early – and she’s home and doing really well so far. Obviously there’s pain but she’s been a trooper from what I understand. My mom has been with her since the day before Easter and I’m so happy she’s able to do that and be there for her. My mom put some info up on her blog about what Allison went through just to be diagnosed (the cancerous lump was NOT found via regular mammogram – fuckin scary!) so if you want to read more you can go here. Anyway, any prayers you might want to send up for her would be more than welcome. 🙂

Not much happened last week except sickness and lots of reading so I’ll get on to what I read last week (I’m not putting in author links this week – sorry!):

I started off the week with Dangerous Refuge by Elizabeth Lowell. This is the story about Tanner an LA cop who is in the Sierra Nevada’s due to the death of his uncle. He knows almost from minute one that there’s something off about his uncle’s death and starts to quietly investigate. He does this with the help of Shaye from the conservancy that the uncle was going to sign the land over to at one point. They work together to find the killer as well as fall in love. Good book. You can read my full review tomorrow her on the blog. 3.75 out of 5

Next up was Big Boy by Ruthie Knox. This was a great book about a couple who only see each other once a month and role play. Unfortunately that isn’t enough for either but they’re not sure they can make it work otherwise. You can read my full review for this great book here. 4.5 out of 5

Before the Moon Rises by Catherine Bybee. The story is about Janet, a nurse whose last patient of the night goes from unconscious to totally ok – freaking her out just a bit. The patient, Max, is a werewolf and for some reason just didn’t come to as quickly as normal and was found in the streets of LA. Max is taken with Janet and asks her out. He ends up not only taking her out but falling hard for her. Unfortunately his arch enemy also has fallen for Janet and would like nothing more than to cause Max pain and takes Janet. This was a decent story yet a bit strange. Max seemed a bit odd at first even though I knew going in that he was a werewolf. In the end it was good but short. 3 out of 5

Next up was Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath. It’s FINALLY Rafe’s book in the Lost Lords of Pembrook series. Rafe is intrigued by Evelyn who is being sold as a mistress to the highest bidder – by her half brother. He hates her because she’s the daughter of their father’s mistress and wants her gone NOW. Rafe intends to make her his mistress but alas love gets in the way. It was a really good book and I’ll be posting my review for it later this month. 4 out of 5

Unbroken by Melody Grace was the story of Juliet who goes back to a town that she hasn’t been in for 4 years to pack up the family’s summer house as it’s to be sold. Four years prior she had had a scorching summer with Emerson and was devastated when he broke it off as they had made plans for their future. The book is about the couple seeing each other again and the feelings that that brings out in them. I basically thought the story was mess. I liked the writing in the story as it completely kept me engaged but the characters in the story acted immature and their love was more obsession than love, imho. I read this one for The Book Binge so I’ll let you know when my review posts. 2.5 out of 5 (as I said in my review – it would have gotten a 1 if not for the writing.)

Taking Shots by Toni Aleo is the first book in the Assassins series. The Assassins are a pro hockey team in Nashville and their captain, Shea Adler, sees photographer Ellie Fisher and wants to get to know her better. The story covers their relationships, their troubles, Ellie’s insecurities and more. You can read my review for this one here on the blog on Friday. 3.75 out of 5

Finding Forgiveness by Dana Marie Bell is an m/m story about wolf shifter mates who haven’t mated. One mate, Ben, believes that the headaches that he feels his mate Dave have are due to alcoholism when in fact they are debilitating migraines. When Ben finds out what he’s done – he hopes that Dave will find it in his heart to forgive him. The story was cute – pretty hot and I really liked the sense of humor. 3 out of 5

Next was Ten Reasons to Stay by Sabrina Jeffries. An Earl who is only half English and has been living in his mother’s country of India sets foot on English soil after many years only to catch a horse thief in his stable. The thief ends up to be Eliza who is trying to run away from her uncle who plans on marrying her off to a man she’s never met. She’s trying to get back to her school to seek help from the headmistress. The Earl, Colin, ends up locking up Eliza in his house until he can get to the bottom of things as he doesn’t believe her story. During the course of the story the two fall in love but it’s rather quick. Good story though. I’ll review this later this month. 3.5/3.75 out of 5

Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare was wonderful. This novella is set in Spindle Cove and is Diana Highwood’s story. If you’ve been reading the series you know that Diana’s mom is set on getting her married to a title while all Diana wants is the local blacksmith. I’ll be posting my review of this one in the next couple of weeks but know that it was good. 4.5 out of 5

Last for the week was Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde. This is a much harder and harsher type of romance than I normally read but it was oh so good. The story is set, for the most part, in the inner workings of a motorcycle club. If any of you watch it just think Sons of Anarchy and you’ll get the gist. The story is about Marie whose brother gets involved with the Reaper’s Motorcycle Club. Some of the members start coming over to talk to him and Marie, who has just left her abusive husband, meets Horse. Horse wants Marie from minute one but Marie has serious problems with what they call their women in the MC – like sweet butt, property and old lady. She eventually has to make a decision about being with Horse to save her brother but it’s a great way of getting her to be with him which is all he wants. Like I said it’s definitely a harsher romance but it was really good and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. 4 out of 5

My Book Binge Reviews that posted last week:
Let it Be Me by Kate Noble
Only Lycans Need Apply by Michele Bardsley
Love is Blind by Elizabeth Cole
Bite Me, Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann

Happy Reading!

4 Comments

Tagged: Book Binge, Catherine Bybee, Dana Marie Bell, Elizabeth Lowell, Joanna Wylde, Lorraine Heath, Melody Grace, Ruthie Knox, Sabrina Jeffries, Toni Aleo, What I Read Last Week, What I've Been Reading This Week

Review: Very Much Alive by Dana Marie Bell

Posted March 1, 2009 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Her destiny rests in their hands…

True Destiny, Book 1

Kiran Tate and Logan Saeter have been on the run from Oliver Grimm for so long they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be free. Ending Grimm’s power games won’t be easy, but this time they have an ace in the hole. PI Jordan Grey, Guardian Investigation’s resident hot shot—and Grimm’s step-granddaughter.

Jordan Grey has her doubts when Logan and Kir show up in her office with a tall tale of how her step-grandfather has framed them for murder. And to top it all off, they’re claiming that they’re really the ancient Norse gods Loki and Baldur, and that Grimm is Odin!

When the two lovers see the sexy detective for the first time, stopping Grimm suddenly takes a back seat to seducing her into their arms. But Grimm never rests, and when his anger spills over onto Jordan, it sets them all on a collision course with a destiny that will rock their world…

This was another recommendation by Angela James. Very Much Alive is the first book in Dana Marie Bell‘s True Destiny series.

Kiran and Logan, who are actually Norse gods Loki (a trickster god) and Baldur (god who controls spring), have been on the run for centuries, ever since they were betrayed by Grimm, who is the god Odin, Baldur’s father. They’ve been trying to prove Grimm tried to have Baldur killed, but with little sucess. After yet another attemp on their lives, they finally enlist the help of Jordan Grey, a PI and Grimm’s great-great granddaughter.

Jordan has no idea that gods and goddesses still roam the Earth until Kiran and Logan prove it to her. Even then, she has a hard time wrapping her brain around all she’s learned. But she can’t deny the irrefutable proof they present her with that they are who they say they are. And she also can’t deny that her great-grandfather is responsible for all they say he’s done.

Kiran and Logan realize as soon as they meet Jordan that she’s special, and they’re both extremely attracted to her. Even though they’ve been lovers for hundreds of years and they’ve never been interested in adding a third to their relationship, they agree they both want Jordan. As they work together to unravel the centuries old puzzle and prove that Grimm is guilty, they also work on seducing Jordan.

Although I enjoyed this book for the most part, it was hard to follow at times. I think part of the problem is the plot is based on Norse mythology, something I’m not at all familiar with. So when the characters were discussing gods, goddesses and the mythology surrounding them I had a hard time keeping up.

I liked Jordan, but her stubborn refusal to think about her own saftey grated on my nerves sometimes. As an independent woman, I understand chafing under strong, alpha males, but for a smart woman some of the things Jordan did weren’t very bright. She knew she was in danger and yet she had no regard for her own safety. That was frutrating. Other than that, though, I thought she was a strong woman and definitely balanced out Kir and Logan.

Kir and Logan were great when it came to their dealings with Jordan. They understood her and each other and the relationship balanced out well. I did have problems with them being gods, however. There were several plot holes that surrounded their powers and many of their actions didn’t make sense. It seemed implausible to me that they’d be on the run for hundreds of years and yet within days of meeting Jordan come up with a solution to all their problems. Very unlikely.

I did find this story enjoyable for the most part, however, and will be looking for the next book in the series (the author’s website doesn’t say when it will be released).

3.5 out of 5

This book is available in e-format only from Samhain Publishing. You can buy it here.