What I Read Last Week
Tagged: Elle Kennedy, Gale Stanley, Hunter Raines, Karen Erickson, Lee Brazil, Mary Wine, Samantha Lucas, Suzanne Enoch, The Book Binge, Thea Harrison, What I Read Last Week, What I've Been Reading This Week
Hey all!
Not much happening this week. I was sick in bed for 4 days. I managed to get up during short intervals but otherwise it was bed, sweet bed. Yeah, I watched a couple of movies here and there but mostly, I just read. Trying to put a dent in that amazingly huge TBR pile dontchaknow. 🙂
I have to say that I took my TBR challenge to new limits this week. I think I was feeling guilty for not reading any last week so I read 4 this week! Yay me!
So what I read:
I started off with Bad Boys Online by Erin McCarthy (one of my TBR Challenge books), a book I’ve had in my pile for a while. I think I got this one from the very first So Cal Blogger get together which was last November. While the 3 short stories that revolved around computers were cute I found myself skimming ahead and then having to go back. I so rarely do this that it was freaking me out a little. lol This was an erotic read and when you start skimming the sex scenes, there’s a problem. Not that it was hot, but there was so much of it! lol The last story in the book, User Friendly, was by far my favorite. 3 out of 5
My Re-Read Challenge book for the month of June is Simon Says by Lori Foster. I’ll post my review on Tuesday.
Next was In Bed With A Stranger by Mary Wine. I started reading some of Mary Wine’s books when I was getting ready to go to Lora Leigh’s RAW and I enjoyed her books (and her, she’s a really nice lady!) so when I saw this was coming out I scooped it up. I have to say that the first approx. 100 pages I had to fight not to put the book down because I was bored. However, it got much better after that. It’s a Scottish Historical about the bastard born daughter of an Earl getting sent to marry a Scottish Laird because her legitimate bratty half sister doesn’t want to bear children. The evil Countess thinks that she can send Anne in place of Mary, have the Laird get her pregnant, and then after the baby is born send Mary back to the Laird and he’ll be none the wiser. Pretty funny when you think of it. I very much enjoyed the not-as-dumb-as they-thought-he-was Laird, Brodick, he was pretty cool. 3.5 out of 5
Next up was another TBR challenge book, No Words Alone by Autumn Dawn. Katiebabs sent this to me a million years ago and I’ve just now gotten around to reading it. I wanted something different and this sci-fi novel definitely provided it. Two starships collide and both land on a planet where you pretty much can’t be outside after dark. It’s uninhabited except for nasty creatures. The only female in the group is treated horribly by her crew but very nicely by the alien race (who strangely enough happen to look just like humans!) and she ends up becoming a war prize for the captain of the alien starship. They end up marrying and the story goes on to show them falling in love, etc. I’m not really a sci-fi romance lover but this was pretty good. 3.5 out of 5
Next was Josh Lanyon’s Collected Novellas Volume 1. I’ll be posting my thoughts on this one on Thursday.
For my 3rd TBR Challenge book I read Heaven Sent 2: Purgatory by Jet Mykles. I really liked this story. Reese has been in love with Luc for forever. He kissed him one day 6 years prior but Luc pushed him away saying he wasn’t gay. Now Luc and the band are back in town and since Luc has explored his sexuality and found he does like men he wants to hook up with Reese. But Reese now has a teaching job at a straight-laced school and says he’s not gay any longer. Luc sets out to prove him wrong. I thought that Luc and Reese were great together. Did Luc annoy me at some points? Sure. Reese did too. But despite those time the story was a quick, fun, sexy read. Hopefully it won’t be months before I read the next book in the series. 4.25 out of 5
Continuing my reading in the Drakon series I read Queen of Dragons by Shana Abe. As you can guess I’m really enjoying the series. This book was no different. This book centered around Maricara who we met in book 2 and Christoff and Rue’s oldest son, Kimber. Talk about a volatile pairing. Wow. The writing in this book is just as good as the previous two books. Worth the read if you started the series. 4.5 out of 5
Charming the Highlander by Janet Chapman was a book that borrowed from Holly when I went to see her. I did a review of it which will post over at The Book Binge. I’ll let you know when that goes up.
And my last TBR Challenge read, and my last book of the week, was The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn. I was looking on my shelves for a historical that I knew was going to be a great story and I picke a good one. This book, as much as it broke my heart for most of it, was wonderful. I think I’m giving it such a high score not only for the story but for the writing as well. I know Julia Quinn is a fabulous author but when I was reading this book today I was blown over by the sheer emotion I was experiencing. I was feeling for Miranda so many times in so many different ways I was literally holding my chest because it hurt. 4.5 out of 5
Happy Reading!
She’s baaaaaaack! Lol Hey everyone! I’m back from West Virginia and I had soooo much fun! I’m not even sure where to begin everything. So I’ll try to start at the top and work my way down.
Thursday: Extremely long flight – or it seemed like it going from the Pacific time zone to the Eastern time zone. My friend Jen and I left at 11:30 am from LAX and didn’t get into Huntington, WV until 10:00pm. Wow.
So we had called to make sure the shuttle from the hotel would be there to meet us and of it wasn’t – bummer. So we called and they said it was full and had to leave so they sent us a cab – on them. Ok then. I can do that. Unfortunately since we got in so late we couldn’t see shit of the countryside – another bummer. Got to the hotel and it was very nice and found out that not only did we get free breakfast in the mornings but 2 free drink tickets per person for the restaurant bar for each night we were there! Woohoo – let’s party! lol We hung at the bar for a little bit then went to bed at about 12am
Friday: 5:00am: Fuckin freight train goes through town!!!!! OMG!!! Have you seen the movie My Cousin Vinny where Vinny and Mona Lisa keep trying to get some sleep and trains and loud noises keep waking them up? I felt like I was living that movie! Lmao!!! I tried to sleep again but then another came through at 6:30am so I gave up!
At breakfast we sat down and eventually a woman by herself came to asked if she could join us. Of course we said yes and introduced ourselves…she was none other than author Delilah Devlin! She was very sweet.
We went for a walk all over town. It’s not a small town but it’s definitely seen better days. About every other store front is empty and there are huge buildings that aren’t in use at all. I’m sure there was more of the town that we didn’t get to but I’m not sure where it was! Lol We walked over to Marshall University which was very nice and walked through the campus and went to the stadium. Marshall University is best known, unfortunately, for the tragic plane crash in 1970 that killed most of the football team and the coaches. The movie We Are Marshall tells the tale of the rebuilding of both the football team and the lives of those left behind.
12:00pm – RAW Registration – got a great Samhain publishing bag and lots of cool goodies.
2:00pm – Book sale! Woohoo!!! Unfortunately all of the new releases that we were told were going to be there weren’t so no Chosen Sin by Anya Bast, no Mercury’s War by Lora Leigh, no Magical Christmas Cat by Nalini Singh. BIG bummer! But I found plenty others! And I got out for under $100.00! lol
7:00pm – Slumber party begins! So much fun. Most everyone in their PJ’s eating talking, meeting new people and bustin a move – just a good time.
About 11:00pm – party in Jacquelyn Frank’s suite! Jacki was making butterscotch martini’s for everyone and raffling off ARC’s her new book, Ecstasy, that comes out in January 2009. Bianca D’Arc and Nalini Singh were also there. Great time just talking and laughing.
Saturday: (no the train didn’t go through on Saturday!) Free morning so we had breakfast and walked around town some more. I think we probably walked about 5 miles! There was a chilifest going on right on the street by the hotel so there was lots of people, food and music. You’ll see the picture of the blue buss from Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third? WTF is that? Can any of you who live near WV explain this to me? Lmao!
2:00-4:00pm Book Signing!!! This was one of the best times of the weekend for me. Just talking to all of the authors was fabulous. Everyone was so nice! A few thoughts:
Shelley Bradley/Shayla Black is hilarious! So down to earth. She grew up in the city that I currently live in so we gabbed a lot about that.
Nalini Singh – I love this woman! She is so incredibly sweet and down to earth and she’s got a great sense of humor!
Donna MacMeans – that woman just cracks me up. She’s always smiling and laughing!
Lucy Monroe – so sweet and nice and her hubby sat behind her the entire time and he was just as nice as she was.
J.R. Ward – so nice and talkative and took time with everyone there. I tried hard to babble but it was difficult!! Lol
(I’m such a friggin fan girl…some of my photos you can see I’m just a dork and grinning from ear to ear.)
Jacki Frank – Such a nice person and very down to earth!
7:00pm Masquerade Ball – this was great fun. Food and drinks and wonderful homemade desserts: the cheesecake was to die for! Everyone had such great costumes and/or masks and it was fabulous. Unfortunately by this time I was pretty much on my last leg and didn’t take any photos. 🙁Sunday: Wake up call at 4:00am and down in the lobby by 4:50am to catch the shuttle to the airport. Again the shuttle wasn’t available and they paid for a cab to get us to the airport. As we’re waiting in the lobby for the cab a pizza delivery guy shows up! At 5:00am! Is this normal back east? I know in my town they do NOT deliver after about 11:pm!!
So the taxi shows up and the guy pops the trunk and just sits there. Okaaaay. We put our stuff in the trunk and close it. Open the back doors and plumes of pot smoke come wafting out from the interior! I shit you not! He got us to the airport safely. It was a huge drag that we got to WV at night and couldn’t see any of the countryside and then left at the butt rack of dawn and didn’t see anything then either!
I’m so tired I think this post is a little dryer than I’ve intended. We only got a total of 16 hours of sleep because we were going and going. Overall it was such a fun weekend. Meeting new people, talking to the authors, relaxing and not having to worry about every day life made the weekend the best one I’ve had in a very long while.
Oh and I read this week too!
B.O.B.’s Fall by Veronica Chadwick and Lora Leigh – good
A Wish, A Kiss, A Dream Anthology by Shiloh Walker, Mary Wine & Lora Leigh
Tempt Me With Darkness by Shayla Black – I liked it a lot. Can’t wait for the rest of the series.
Seasons of Pleasure Series by Anya Bast: I read the first 3 – Winter, Spring and Summer. Pretty good – I liked them. Now I have to find book 4 since they’ve taken it off of Ellora’s Cave.
Death of A Pirate King by Josh Lanyon: omg, omg, omg OMG! This book freakin rocks!! This is by far my favorite book in the Adrien English Mysteries series. Josh knocked it out of the park on this one. So. Damn. Good. (In fact I’ll probably read it again this week)
You Don’t Know Jack by Erin McCarthy – a follow up book to the Pregnancy Test… pretty good.
Hey Kids! How’s it hangin??? Did you have a good week? I hope so!
My week was very quiet as the kids were at my parents all week and John didn’t get home until Friday…but they’re all home now which is wonderful!
School starts for my kids next week…WTF?!!! lol Seriously how did that happen? I just can’t get used to this only 2 months off in the summer thing. They’re looking forward to it, I’m the one who’s not. haha
I also realized that RAW is only about 6 weeks away! My goal was to read at least 1 book by each author – totally easier said than done. Truly. I read a lot, this should be no problem. I just haven’t been motivated for some reason so I’m trying to jump further into that bandwagon.
Ok then started my week off with Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer which I liked…thoughts below. As I said in that post, I think I’m in the minority but, whatever. 🙂
Trying to read my RAW authors I read a short novel (novella) by Sylvia Day, Misled. It’s about vampires in outer space. Whodathunk? Really. It was ok – lots of sex.
Next was another RAW author, Dawn Ryder. She also writes under Mary Wine who I like. Strangely enough, both of them will be at RAW! lol Anyway, this one was Hawk’s Prey. Another sci-fi book about a girl who moves with her brother and father to a penal colony even though she’s an innocent because she doesn’t want to be alone and shunned. Wow – big move. She meets up with a Hunter, Hawk, who is more a less a guard. They hit it off, sex ensues. However, Hawk is “linked” with his partner so then you’ve got the old menage goin’, even though her feelings are for Hawk. This sounds strangely weird, but it was actually strangely intriguing. I think I might be reading more in the series…not sure yet.
Next up, on the advice of Lisabea, I read Samantha Kane’s At Love’s Command. Samantha just won a Passionate Plume award for best historical erotic romance, 2007. Congrats Samantha! At Love’s Command is a m/m/f romance and it was wonderful. I loved this book and now want to go back and read all of Samantha’s Brothers In Arms series. Wonderful story, wonderful. Very, very sexy book.
Ended my week with Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I have to thank Kat for turning me on to the Dark-Hunter series. So dang good. I was very much looking forward to Acheron to learn all about his past, what makes him tick, how the hell he was gonna get away from Artemis and who was gonna be the love of his life. All of my questions were answered and it was a fabulous, fabulous book. Wonderful. Grade A+
Happy Reading!
What have you been reading this week?
DJINN’S WISH: by Shiloh Walker
When Tamric chose to become Djinn, he never imagined that he would be trapped in service to a magical mirror for thousands of years, granting one wish to each woman who holds it.
Tam is ready to do anything to obtain his freedom when he meets the human who will make him burn with a hunger he had long ago forgotten and yearn for a love unlike any he has ever imagined.
For her he will give up his freedom, his dreams, his everything. Just to see her joy – before he disappears from her life forever.
PAYING UP: by Mary Wine
Christina Faulkner made a bet and now she owed him a kiss. If she’s lucky, he’s forgotten all about it. Shane Jacobs didn’t just want the bet paid. He wanted a whole lot more.
But once passion touches its targets, desire transforms simple contact into mesmerizing obsession.
And Christina is about to discover that Shane hasn’t forgotten her. In fact, he’s coming back to claim what is his. All of it.
COWBOY AND THE THIEF: by Lora Leigh
The owner of the ancient Irish Torque will always be an Irish lass. The wearer, the lover of her heart and soul.
It’s Angel Manning’s legacy and has sparked dreams of an unknown lover who would fill her nights with heat, her heart with joy.
But when her father sells the Torque to Jack Riley against her wishes, destiny and fate are put in motion. She’ll get it back if she has to steal it. But Jack catches her, and he’s not giving it up without a fight.
Sometimes when I’m in a reading funk, an anthology, short story or erotica will help me get out of it. With that in mind, I picked this one up the other day and really enjoyed it.
Cowboy & the Thief By Lora Leigh
The owner of the ancient Irish Torque will always be an Irish lass. The wearer, the lover of her heart and soul. It’s Angel Manning’s legacy and has sparked dreams of an unknown lover who would fill her nights with heat, her heart with joy.
But when her father sells the Torque to Jack Riley against her wishes, destiny and fate are put in motion. She’ll get it back if she has to steal it. But Jack catches her, and he’s not giving it up without a fight.
I’m not a huge fan of Lora Leigh. I’ve enjoyed some of her novels, but she isn’t an auto-buy for me and I’ve never felt the need to glom her. I did really enjoy this story, though.
Angel was a good heroine, tough and able to think for herself, without being stupid. She doesn’t take any crap from Jack and only stays with him because she wanted to. And she was honest with him right from the beginning, telling him she didn’t want to give him her heart, because he’d just break it.
Jack is one of Leigh’s typical alpha heroes – domineering, controlling and somewhat of a jackass. I have to admire his inventiveness in getting Angel to stay with him, and his prowess in the bedroom. I was less impressed with his constant denial of his feelings, but in the end he was redeemed for me when he admitted everything he’d done had been for Angel.
This is probably one of the better Lora Leigh stories I’ve ever read.
4.0 out of 5
When Tamric chose to become Djinn, he never imagined that he would be trapped in service to a magickal mirror for thousands of years, granting one wish to each woman who holds it.
Tam is ready to do anything to obtain his freedom when he meets the human who will make him burn with a hunger he had long ago forgotten and yearn for a love unlike any he has ever imagined.
For her he will give up his freedom, his dreams, his everything. Just to see her joy—before he disappears from her life forever.
I’ve seen Shiloh Walker being reviewed on various blogs (almost always favorably), but this is the first I’ve read by her. I have several of her books TBR, but I haven’t been in the mood for a paranormal in ages, so I haven’t read any of them. I’m kind of sad about that now, however, because this was an excellent story and my favorite of the collection.
This was a beautifully touching love story. Tam has been a Djinn for centuries, and has become jaded and cynical about the human race. So when his mirror is given to Katlin Dixon, he doesn’t expect much more than he received from everyone else..she’ll make a wish, he’ll give her a kiss granting it, and then he’ll be sent on to the next person.
Kaitlin Dixon was is pretty cynical herself. Just after finding out her husband and best friend were having an affair, she was in a car accident and lost her eyesight. Three years later, she’s become a recluse and hardly leaves her apartment. Since she can’t see, she has no idea Tam is in the mirror, and therefore doesn’t know he can grant her a wish.
Tam sees this as the perfect opportunity to be set free. If the owner of his mirror gives it to him before making a wish, or wishes him free of it, he’ll be able set free and return to his land for all eternity. Since Kat doesn’t know he came from the mirror, he devises a plan to get her to give it to him: He’ll pretend to be her new next door neighbor and get her to gift the mirror to him.
But there’s a problem…the more he gets to know Kat, the more he wants her happiness. Even if it costs him his freedom.
Walker does an amazing job writing both Tam and Kat as believable characters who have both suffered from things that happened in their past. Kat was an especially interesting character. Watching her come out of her shell and discovering life was beautifully done.
I found their love story to be wonderfully well drawn. I was completely wrapped up in it. It’s not often that I can say this, but the story was perfect as it was. I can’t even say I wish it had been longer, because everything was so perfectly executed I didn’t feel that anything was missing at all. I never do this, but I’m going to give it a:
5 out of 5
It was that well done. I’ll be digging through my TBR pile for more Shiloh Walker novels ASAP.
Dream – Paying Up By Mary Wine
Christina Faulkner made a bet and now she owed him a kiss. If she’s lucky, he’s forgotten all about it. Shane Jacobs didn’t just want the bet paid. He wanted a whole lot more.
But once passion touches its targets, desire transforms simple contact into mesmerizing obsession.
And Christina is about to discover that Shane hasn’t forgotten her. In fact, he’s coming back to claim what is his. All of it.
This was my least favorite of the three. There’s a note on EC’s website that says this is the 3rd book in Wine’s Dream Series, but it can be read as a standalone. That’s a lie. I was just confused throughout the entire story. You know how you walk into a conversation halfway through and you stand there feeling like an idiot because you have no idea what’s going on? Yeah, that’s how I felt about this story.
Christina and Shane met during some previous book and apparently shared an attraction for one another. But Shane sent Christina home after she’d been shot four times and she hasn’t seen him in two months. Then all of a sudden he shows back up in her life and decides he wants to sleep with her. She tries to fight her attraction to him, but can’t and they end up in bed together.
I didn’t connect with either of these characters. Christina is trying to pick up the pieces of her life after being kidnapped and shot, but seems to just be floating in limbo, waiting for something to happen. She didn’t really inspire anything from me, one way or the other. Perhaps if I’d read the first two books in this series I’d feel differently, but as it stands she was just a “blah” character for me.
Shane mostly just annoyed me. He stayed away from Christina because he thought she’d be better off without him, but then all of a sudden, because his brother said Christina was sexy, he decides he wants to be with her? Ugh. Then he treats her like a child and talks to her like she’s an idiot. I wasn’t impressed.
There is a really adorable scene at the end, though, so I’m going to give this one a:
2.75 out of 5
I’m thinking my grade would probably be higher if I’d read the other books in the series. Then again, the hero just annoyed me, so maybe not.
Overall a pretty good anthology and one I’d recommend. Especially the Shiloh Walker and Lora Leigh installments.
Total Grade: 4.0 out of 5
This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here or here in e-format.