Tag: Missy Welsh

What I Read Last Week

Posted September 11, 2012 by Tracy in Features | 2 Comments

Late again. sigh Sorry!

Well it was another slow week for me last week. I’m not sure what my issue is with picking up books and putting them down again but it’s frustrating! lol I think I’ve had a bit of ADD lately. I just need to focus!

I went to an Irish Pub Night fundraiser on Saturday night that we held here at the church and it was SO much fun. There was live Celtic music and they had the Irish Pride Dancers as well. It was just a really fun way to end the week.

Ok, on to what I read this past week:

I started the week with book 2 in the Iron Seas series – Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook. This book was, for me at least, very different from book 1 but just as good. I love the world Brook’s has created – it’s fun, daring, scary and I just adore reading about it. The characters in this book, Archimedes and Yasmeen, are tough as nails but can have a soft chewy inside. They’re so darned perfect for each other and I loved their unconventional romance. Wonderful story! 5 out of 5

Next was The Inconvenient Duchess by Christine Merrill. This was one I got for free on my Kindle and it was the story of Lady Miranda who gets married to a Duke but only because he’s trying to save her reputation (there’s a bit more to it than that but I won’t go into all of it). The circumstances were chivalrous, but odd. Marcus is a hard, uncompromising man, or so she thinks, and his brother is a charmer. The brother, however, has ulterior motives and tries to seduce the new wife. She’s stronger than she looks and keeps him away. Meanwhile Marcus and Miranda start to get to know each other and fall in love. It was a good story that definitely kept my interest. I thought the brother was a complete cad – even when he seemed oh so innocent. I wish that Marcus and Miranda would have had more time for their romance though. It seemed that it was starting out with baby steps and I was enjoying that getting to know you stage and then it went full boar to the “I can’t live without you” type story. IDK, it was a little disconcerting but overall a pretty good story. 3.75 out of 5

My next read was a short called Come Cuddle Me by Missy Welsh. This is the story of a guy who sends his new address to two of his friends on a website called Pronblr – along with a half naked pictures and a cute note saying “come cuddle me.” Those friends then send it out to the public and soon his door is getting beaten down with interested parties. Luckily his supposedly straight next door neighbor comes to his rescue and they end up cuddling cuz the neighbor’s not straight at all. It’s a very cute story and I definitely liked it. I couldn’t quite figure out what his “friends” thought would happen when they went public with his home address. I would have had a thing or two to say about that. lol 3 out of 5

Next was Summer School by Tam Ames. This was the story of Jeremy who is an English teacher that needs extra money and agrees to spend his summer teaching History – of which he knows nothing. He’s in a bad place because his relationship of 8 years had ended when he caught his partner cheating. Lucas is a excited about his first teaching assistant’s job but when he meets angry Jeremy he’s not so sure how the summer will go. When Jeremy’s air conditioner gives out with no fix in sight Lucas takes him back to his house and the two start what they each believe will be a fling. It turns out to be much, much more. I have to say that while I felt sorry for Jeremy for all he’d been through with his previous boyfriend he was a bit tough to like at first. Once he calmed down I really liked him and I liked him with Lucas a whole lot. This was a very good story that was hot and sexy. Good job, Tam. 4 out of 5

Last for the week was Crossroads by Moira Rogers. This is book 2 in the Southern Arcana series and it was just as good as book 1. This book has Derek FINALLY deciding to go for it with Nicole Peyton and when they do it’s like taking a lit match to dynamite. They are almost inseparable from the start but pack politics and Nick’s sister take precedence over Nick’s decisions and she heads to New York to take her rightful place. Luckily Derek doesn’t give up that easily. I think what I really like about this series is that there’s romance in abundance (in a rough shifter kind of way) but the overall story arc is one of politics and the running of the shifters in America. It’s really great to read about and I have to admit that I’m really liking this series so far. 4 out of 5

My Book Binge Reviews that posted last week:
About That Night by Julie James

Happy Reading!

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What I Read Last Week

Posted January 16, 2012 by Tracy in Features | 7 Comments

Well it was another stressful week at work but I survived which was a good thing. 

We had a nice weekend as I headed out to my mom’s to help here with some computer stuff and then yesterday I got to see my grown & married nephew who lives in Pennsylvania.  Yay!  The local family got together for lunch and we had a great time just talking and catching up.  Here’s a picture that I took of my nephew and my youngest.  (I’d actually had one taken of him and me but apparently it turned out really blurry. I’ll have to take another before he heads home to PA.)

Don’t forget to enter the 2 contests I’ve got going.  One for a box of historical novels and one for a box of fantasy/UF.  The links are on the sidebar.

I read a really long novel at the beginning of last week and after that really felt the need to read a bunch of shorts.  Here’s what I devoured this week:

I started off the week with Season of the Shadow by Bobbi Groover.  This is an american historical that I read for The Book Binge and I really liked it but for a few items. The story was about a man (boy, really, as he was only 17) who was kidnapped, kept chained in a madhouse and treated like an animal for 6 years before he managed to escape with his life and most of his sanity.  He’s back in his hometown to destroy the person who did it all to him, his cousin.  He also is still madly in love with his first love but he thinks she might have had something to do with his abduction as well.  The man is confused and hurt emotionally but determined to get his life back from the man who stole it.  The book was very good but I did have a problem with the length which was 690 pdf pages.  Just too long imho.  I’ll let you know when my review posts at TBB. 4 out of 5

Here is where my short reading began:

First up was A Wedding Story by Dee Tenorio.  Ruth Ann and Bobby have been prankster enemies since they were young kids.  Ruth Ann isn’t thrilled when at her sisters wedding reception she is not only sat next to Bobby but they are at the kids’ table.  Ruth Ann and Bobby decide to make the most of it and decide to dance but that’s when things at the reception start going awry and when Bobby and Ruth Ann are left alone they realize that maybe they don’t hate each other as much as Ruth Ann thought.  Really cute and funny story. 3.5 out of 5 (free on Kindle)

Holding Out For A Hero by Stacey Joy Netzel was a short about a woman who is having a really crappy day.  When she’s at lunch, however, she sees something happen that makes her start looking at life a little differently and it changes everything.  A great story that has a little bit of a hopeful romance in it.   I did kind of a mini review that you can read here if you’re interested.  4 out of 5 (free on Kindle)

Next up was Fury by Anya Bast. This is part of her Otherkin series which is looks like there are only 2 of.  The story is about a woman who is in a “pack” of shifters but there are mostly wolven shifters.  She is a cougar but the elders want to make her their queen.  She runs but her mate comes looking for her.  This was an ok read.  I didn’t love the characters but the story was a good one and of course the sex was hot as is the norm with Bast’s books. 3 out of 5 (free on Kindle)

Without Mercy by Belinda Boring followed Darcy as she runs an errand for a pack bbq with the her future sister-in-law and best friend.  A crazed man who is on a mission ends up accosting the two and all hell breaks loose.  It was a sad story but it was so short that I just needed more.  More of the after effects of the whole situation, etc.  Maybe we were supposed to get that in future books but I never like being left hanging.  3 out of 5 (free on Kindle)

Four Kisses by Bonnie Dee was the story of two people who meet when they are 13 and share a kiss.  The pair meet about every 3 or 4 years due to odd circumstances and always share some form of a kiss.  It was a very sweet story and I really liked the whole scenario.  You can read my mini review here. 4.5 out of 5
So ended my short binge. lol

A Rose is A Rose by Jet Mykles tells the story of Carson who is in his early twenties.  He is a man used to be taken care of and when his “boyfriend” doesn’t want to take it to the next level it crushes Carson.  He finds out that he was just one of many who is man was seeing.  Carson befriends the owner of his building who is a shy manly man named Eddie.  Carson isn’t used to not being taken care of but Eddie helps him out with food and stuff but Carson knows that Eddie isn’t gay.  Of course Eddie will be gay for Carson as he just finds him beautiful and fascinating.  I really liked this book a lot.  Carson’s character was great but I just didn’t love the romance.  The story was told in third person but we never got to see things from Eddie’s pov.  When Carson decides that he needs to do things on his own we never get to see how that effects Eddie which I would have loved.  Overall a good story but I did have some issues with it. 3.5 out of 5

My next read was My Summer of Wes by Missy Welsh. Mal is friendless and lives in a vanilla world with no excitement until his new neighbors move in across the street. Wes is the neighbors son and though older than Mal they hit it off immediately.  Wes is gay and even though Mal has been called names and been accused of being gay for the past four years he is certain that he’s not.  Until Mal and Wes start spending more time together and Mal starts to see the truth in himself.  The story was very sweet with very little conflict.  The sex scenes were hot and I just loved Wes to pieces.  4 out of 5

A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare is the first in the Spindle Cove series and I finally read it!  It was really good and I’m so glad I did.  Bram was hurt in the war and is looking to regain his position in the field.  He contacts Sir Lewis in Spindle Cove and heads there with the hopes that he will get what he wants.  Sir Lewis not only turns him down but makes him an Earl (via the king) and then asks him to get a militia ready in a month.  Bram is pissed but Sir Lewis’s daughter Susanna is a nice distraction.  Distraction being the key as he can’t seem to keep his mind on his work due to thinking of Susanna constantly.  It was a cute book about the inhabitants of Spindle Cove and how they come together to try to make their local field day the best there is.  Susanna and Bram’s relationship was wonderful and just thinking of the book makes me smile. 4.25 out of 5

Last on the list was my read for the monthly TBR challenge and that was An Army Ranger’s Return by Soraya Lane.  Pen pal’s Jessica and Ryan have written to each other constantly and now Ryan is returning home.  Jessica is nervous about what will happen and what DOES happen is not what she expects at all.  I’d tell you more but then I wouldn’t have to write my review for Wednesdays post. lol  

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
crickets chirping

Happy Reading!!

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What I Read Last Week

Posted September 19, 2011 by Tracy in Features | 4 Comments

Hi everyone!
I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was completely unexciting as I stayed home the whole weekend. My kids weren’t thrilled with that but whatcha gonna do when you have so much to do? IDK!
Since not much was going on in my life I’ll get right to the books. :0)

My first read of the week was a short by Missy Welsh called WHAT. This is a free read and pretty darned cute. It was about a guy who works in a tattoo studio and has a crush on his straight boss but there are some paranormal things going on. It’s a VERY short story and I would have loved to have known more but for the quickie it was it was pretty good. 3.5 out of 5

Next was another free story by Missy Welsh called You and a Billion Blue Tiles. I loved this one. It was about 2 kids – 1 who has lusted after the other for a darned long time. They have one night of lovin but it doesn’t end there. This was another short (not as short as the previous one) and it just had that something that clicked with me. I ended the book with a huge smile on my face and that’s always a good thing. 4.5 out of 5

The Taming of the Rake by Kasey Michaels was my next read. This was a really good story about a woman who goes to her brother’s archnemesis when said brother is going to marry her off to a religious fanatic. She knows that the man, who is a bastard son hates her brother because of a past incident with her sister and she hopes that he can be talked into marrying her to save her. The story is about their trip to Gretna Green, his family and their romance. I loved the personalities of the characters and their humor. This is the first in the series about the bastard brothers, The Blackthorn’s, and I will definitely be reading the next 2 books. 4.25 

out of 5
As much as I loved the book I wonder at who chose the title. The man, Beau Blackthorn, was in no way tamed during this book and he certainly wasn’t a rake. In fact it said at one point it stated how much he liked his quiet life since he’d returned from the war. Who comes up with these titles???

My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was Physical Therapy by Z.A. Maxfield. It’s a shame that I even let this one sit for longer than 3 months but I did. I really liked this story a lot. You can read my review of it here. 4.25 out of 5

Red by Kait Nolan was my next read and it was a good one too! This was a YA paranormal that had to do with werewolves/wolf shapeshifters. If you like YA and paranormal I definitely recommend this book. You can read my review here. 4.25 out of 5

Next up was Bride for a Night by Rosemary Rogers. This was the story of a woman who is the daughter of a wealthy man but he earned his money through trade and he is the son of a butcher – not a great lineage as far as the ton’s concerned. But Talia Dobson gets engaged anyway (her father bought her a fiancé) but he jilts her at the altar. The father then blackmail’s the man’s brother into marrying her instead – and he’s an Earl! The Earl, Andrew, sends Talia off to his country estate where she is then kidnapped by the French for overhearing traitorous information. Andrew heads to the rescue and during the course of the book the pair fall in love. It was a good story but it dragged a little in the middle – which is when they were trying to escape from the French so it really shouldn’t have. Overall pretty good. 3.5 out of 5

Sand and Water by Shae Connor was after that. One man, John was a widower but had been with men before. He had a daughter but it had been 5 years since his wife died. He meets Bryan who is in town helping his sister and her husband renovate their B & B. They have a connection and talk about a relationship but Bryan has residual issues with moving forward because of his previous relationship and what happened with that (and I’m not going to give you that spoiler!). I liked the concept in this book and though I liked the story I did have some issues with it. One was that I loved the characters but felt that the author didn’t get into both characters as much as she should have. It was told in 3rd person but we only got to see things from John’s point of view – rather than both men – and Bryan was the one who, in my opinion, had more serious issues. 3 out of 5

Lord of Rage by Jill Monroe is book 2 in the Royal House of Shadows series. This was Breena’s book. When her parents are attacked she’s sent off and ends up in Ursa which is the land of the Beserkers. She meets Osborn who is actually a man that she’s been dreaming about. He wants nothing to do with her – well not exactly true but he fights his feelings – and she wants his help. I’ll be posting my review on Friday so I’ll tell you more then.

Last for the week was Must Love Lycans by Michele Bardsley. This is book 8 in the Broken Heart Vampire series and takes place 8 years after the last book. Damien is in a clinic run by Kelsey and she thinks that he believes himself to be a werewolf – but he really is and he wants her as his mate. He bites her to claim her but instead of just claiming her it starts to turn her into a Lycan, which has never happened before. They must try to find a way to stop Kelsey from dying as she may not survive the change. It was a darker book than the previous ones I’ve read from this series. It still had humor but not quite as much as I think Damien was just a darker character. Read for The Book Binge. 3.75 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted this past week:
*crickets chirping*
Happy Reading!

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