Well it was a pretty quiet week until Wednesday when I was standing up from my chair at work and my back kind of hurt.  Huh?  I ignored it but when I went to stand up again it hurt even worse and just kept getting worse.  On Thursday I finally went to the doctor and it turns out I sprained my back!  I know, how is that even possible?  I have no idea, but apparently I did it.  So I’m in a back brace (which isn’t too bad actually as it keeps me from moving strangely), on meds and am loopy.  lol  Ok, not loopy all the time but a lot of it. 🙂

I met Nikki and Lori for lunch yesterday in Northridge and that was quite fun.  We checked out Borders (cuz the great used bookstore that used be close to there closed down waaaaaah!) and had lunch at Wood Ranch – yum.  We had a great time.  I love getting together and talking about books and life. 

Anyway, on to what I read this week:

My first book was a read for The Book Binge called Whisper Kiss by Deborah Cooke.  This is book 5 in her Dragonfire series and like the others it was pretty darned good.  This was straight-laced Niall’s story and he was matched up with Rox, a tattoo artist and the farthest thing from straight-laced there is.  But despite how they look on the outside they have a lot in common.  I’ll let you know when my review posts. 4 out of 5

Next was the book that was chosen for my pick-it-for-me challenge on Goodreads, Wishbone by Lauren P. Burka.  This was a story that was both fantasy and historical.  The story of Wishbone, a male prostitute who is picked up by a man who’s not human. Many things happen and Wishbone ends up working for the “man”.  I couldn’t get a connection with the characters and then bdsm scenes that were quite bloody started I just couldn’t read any longer.  I got about 140 pages in (of 233) and had to call it quits. DNF

Next up was If I Must by Amy Lane.  A cute novella about Joel who becomes roommates with a genius, Ian.  Joel takes care of Ian, as he’s not sure how the man survived with him before.  When Joel is off visiting his mom he realizes his true feelings for Ian…and the fact that he’s gay.  3.75 out of 5

Wolf Games by Vivian Arend (Granite Lake Wolves book 3) is the novella I read after that and it was a good one. A woman who hadn’t shifted to her wolf form in 7 years because of trauma with her previous pack visits her sister and meets her mate, who is an incredibly understanding guy.  They get to know each other during the Arctic Wolf Games and love blossoms. 4 out of 5

My next read was a short 30 page book called Cade’s Thanksgiving by Cia Leah.  I can’t remember when I got this book but I think it’s been sitting there for a while.  Anyway, it was 30 pages of sappy sweetness.  A widower gets a mail order bride to take care of him and his twin sons.  She gets off the train and is beautiful and the perfect woman and they all live happily ever after.  I think I got a cavity while reading.  2 out of 5

My Tracy’s TBR Challenge book for the week was Highland Knight by Cindy Miles.  This is the story of an author with writers block.  Her assistant decides to send her off to the serenity of the Highlands of Scotland.  In her rented castle she meets some highlanders that aren’t all there.  Not that they’re stupid, they just literally are not physically there except for one hour a day.  They were enchanted and have lived like this for hundreds of years.  Amelia of course falls in love with the Laird, Ethan, and tries to help the 6 men return to their medieval lives.  Darned cute book.  I very much enjoyed the writing as well as the humor.  4 out of 5

Fair Game by Josh Lanyon was next and it was a good one!  It comes out tomorrow, August 2, and I’ll be reviewing in on Thursday.

Next up was Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn.  I  have to say I just love Quinn’s writing.  She’s got a great sense of humor and her stories are always just sweet romances – but not to the point of sappiness. I read her books so quickly because I just don’t want to put them down once I start.  This was the story of Annabel who is basically a poor relation and her aristocrat grandparents are trying to marry her off to a man, the Earl of Newbury, who is 3 times her age and just wants an heir.  He’s a disgusting man and Annabel is torn.  She wants to save her family who is quickly running out of money but she truly doesn’t want to marry this loathsome man.  Then there’s Sebastian who has no attachments and lives on charm – oh, and the money he makes from writing novels.  He is Newbury’s heir and though he doesn’t care about that, the Earl hates him and does not want him to inherit – thus the desire for the heir. And of course you guessed it – Sebastian and Annabel fall in love. Just a very good book that I really enjoyed. 4 .25 out of 5

And last but not least another book for The Book Binge called Devil’s Highlander by Veronica Wolff.  This is the first in a series about the MacAlpin family.  Marjorie and Cromac have always felt that they would be together – even as children.  Cormac’s brother, Aidan, is kidnapped and Cormac feels responsible and undeserving of Marjorie.  Marjorie feels that Cormac blames her for the kidnapping.  When another child that Marjorie knows goes missing she seeks out Cormac’s help.  I’ll let you know when my review posts. 3.5 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted this week: