Monthly Reads: February 2012

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a good week-end :) It's gorgeous outside at the moment. It's also supposed to be +20C (68F) for the whole week! Which is quite unbelievable weather for March :) But I won't complain. In fact, I think I should try to do something outside... but I don't know what ^_^;

I didn't buy any books this week as there were no new releases I was looking forward to. So I decided to post my Monthly Reads post for February :) Initially, I was thinking later this week... but I realized there was also the TBR Challenge and it'd probably be too busy. So all works out well :) And as I mentioned yesterday, my Week-End's Minis feature is really working out well. This Monthly Reads post took me no time to put together and almost all of the books have already been reviewed! Yay!  I can't help but feel good about it :) Speaking of Week-End's Minis, don't forget the poll on the sidebar!

So here is what I read in February...

1) Deadly Intent by Kylie Brant: D

I've been on the hunt for new RS authors to discover. After reading No One Left to Tell, I was looking for other RS books heavy on the investigation side. I had Deadly Intent in my TBR pile and hoped it would satisfied my craving.

What is the worst fear for parents who had their child kidnapped? To have her being kidnapped a second time. This is what is happening to the Mulders and it's even worse this time around since it was from her own bedroom in their fortress. Millionaire Stephen Mulder does not hesitate one second to call Adam Raiker who returned Ellie the first time and bring in his team, in the hopes that the miracle will be repeated. Adam brings in Macy Reid, a linguist who's an expert on kidnapping and has gone through the trauma herself when she was a child, and Kellan Burke, an investigator who is not afraid to break some rules to obtain results. Macy and Kellan are complete opposite and often seem to be at each other's throat... but that's only because they are attracted to each other.

Overall, Deadly Intent was an okay read. There was some investigation going on - yay! - but at the end of it, it was more about turf war between Adam Raiker's team and the FBI and that got old pretty fast. In addition, the storyline didn't feel very suspenseful... you didn't feel like it was a race against time. Everyone, including the parents, were just so level-head. I think if Ms Brant has used some date/time headers like Karen Rose does, it would have increased the suspense a little... Because as it is, I found it hard to know how much time had gone by.

While I know this was Ellie's second kidnapping, I felt the investigators wasted too much time going through list of suspects related to the first kidnapping... which were pedophiles/human trafficking people. I guess this was to link with Macy's own kidnapping/past. By the way, I thought there would have been more links between Ellie and Macy's kidnappings... and perhaps it'd be more emotional. But it wasn't and I thought that was a waste. You give the heroine the perfect background to sympathize on such a case and you didn't carry it out. I know Macy is a professional, but still. Also, a bit part of the investigation didn't make much sense to me. The first time around, Ellie was taken from a birthday party outside... that speaks of opportunism. Kidnapping Ellie from her bedroom from a millionaire's house with so many security levels and all? It takes planning and money... and it's a complete different feel. I'd think trained investigators would have recognized this. Oh and the resolution of the case? The "who" did it? Not great either. Just very sad actually.

Finally, the romance was meh. I liked Kell because he was fun and a bit devious :) However, I never really warmed up to Macy... and I didn't feel like the H/H had much chemistry.


2) Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones: B


3) Because of the List by Amy Knupp: B-

4) Dark Awakening by Kendra Leigh Castle: C

I received this book at RWA last year. I've seen good reviews for the second book floating around blogland and therefore chose to give this a try :) Plus, I haven't read many new paranormal romance series and was wondering if I was missing any.

Dark Awakening focuses on the vampires in this world. Vampires are divided into Houses with low and high bloods individuals. Tynan MacGillivray is a cat-shifting vampire who is part the Cait Sith which are considered lowbloods and have been enslaved by the Ptolemy House. Because of his hunting abilities, Tynan has been favored the queen of the Ptolemy and he hopes to lessen the burden on his brothers' shoulders. Some dark entity/curse has been killing Ptolemy vampires and they need to find a Seer in order to launch an attack against he enemy. Enter Lily Quinn who lately has been haunted by nightmares of a woman being beheaded. When Tynan discovers Lily, he thinks he's found the Seer... but the strange mark on her neck makes him hesitate. Unconsciously, he knows that Lily is much more than a Seer and wants to find out for himself... even if it means defying his queen.

First, I'd like to say my mood wasn't great when I read Dark Awakening... so the grade might be more me than the book ^_^; Overall, I thought the book had a lot of potential with its world building. I really liked the idea of dynasties and the politics that arose. It definitively makes for a complex and interesting world :) What I liked less about this world was the whole lowbloods and highbloods, the prejudices and condescension. It just got old very quickly. I find I have a lot of difficulties with such behaviors lately, perhaps because there is still so much in own world. Anyway, I wondered why the Cait didn't rebel earlier... or at least try. Also, how do you decide who becomes what house? Does it depend on the sire? Are some born this way? Does it depend on your ancestry? I'd have liked for this to be clearer.

So I found the world building very interesting and by extent, Lily's and the House of Lilith's story as well. I think it was really well thought out and executed. What I didn't much care for was the romance ^_^; All in all, Ty and Lily were okay characters... I thought Ty's character was interesting and quite honorable. He's trying to gain favor of the queen so he could show his House's worth and therefore, elevated it... The only problem is that he remained blind to his queen's faults too long. And Lily, I liked her because she has guts and was smart. However, once again, I thought their attraction was too fast, too instantaneous. Sometimes it works, if the characters show really good chemistry or usually, a prior acquaintances. But in this case, I wonder how Lily wasn't overwhelmed with all the new knowledge, the new world and the danger.

On the plus side, Dark Awakening had some interesting secondary characters. I really loved Vlad and Anura... Such old and powerful characters must have interesting back-stories in my opinion and I would definitively read more of them. Jaden and Damien, Ty's brothers-in-arm, I`m not sure ^_^; Although I have to admit, I'm tempted by Jaden's book, Midnight Reckoning. Guess I'll find out :)


5) Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood: C+


6) Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep: C+


7) Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke: B+


8) Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow: C-


9) Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb: B-

10) Black Wings by Christina Henry: D

Madeline Black is a 30 years old, single woman who happens to be an Agent of Death. As an Agent of Death, she is responsible for escorting the souls of the newly departed to the afterlife and she has retractable wings, which when opened makes her invisible, to reach her destinations. She inherited this job along from the powers from her mother who was killed by a monster which left her soulless. When Maddy's best friend is killed in the same fashion, Maddy is determined to find out the culprit and exact revenge... However, nobody at the office believes her, least her supervisor. The only help she receives surprisingly comes from her new tenant Gabriel Angeloscuro who's there under false pretense. Indeed, the angel was sent by Maddy's unknown father to keep an eye one her...

I was looking for a new UF series to start and remembered that Black Wings was one that I wanted to try. However, I doubt I'll be continuing it ^_^; I kind of liked the premises of this series, the fact that it involves demons, nephilims, angels and etc. And I also found Maddy's background/root story to be interesting... which actually all linked back to the demons and angels. However, the rest of the book didn't really impress me :( First, I thought that Maddy's attitude throughout the book was tad too casual. The timeline is quite short and given everything that's happening, it should be suspenseful and exciting... but Maddy's thought process and action negate that urging feeling. Also, it didn't make sense to me that she didn't seem to have any training in fighting or magic. Isn't that weird for Agents of Death? Does that mean that souls always follow them meekly? I didn't necessarily want a kick-ass heroine because there are so many out there in UF series... but I did expect someone with some basis. Add in the fact that she suddenly saves the day with magical powers she wasn't even aware of. Sigh.

Another strike for this book was the romance. It's clear that early on, Maddy and Gabriel are attracted to each other... but it seems their feelings for each other are a bit too premature. Then, Ms Henry seems to be setting up for a love triangle, if it's not a square.

In the end, instead of being satisfied with my read, I was left pondering too many questions. Sometimes it's a good thing, because it makes you want to read the next book to find out. Other times, like this instance, not so much because it shows that the book and the world building are flawed.


11) Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox: C
Upcoming Buddy Review for Breezing Through.


12) Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit by Kelly Hunter: B-


13) I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella: B


14) Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh: B


Books bought: + 8
Books read: -14
TBR pile: -6


Genre

Historical Romance – 2
Category Romance (Contemporary) – 3
Romantic Suspense – 2
Mystery – 1
Paranormal Romance – 2
Urban Fantasy – 3
Chick-Lit – 1

Something else to feel good about is the number in the TBR pile!! That's two months in a row with negative numbers :) I think I'm really doing well so far with my book-buying and reading. Also, something I've been wanting to add to my Monthly Reads post was the break-down in genre of my reads... But because my posts were always so long, I decide against. Now that it's much shorter, there you go :)

So what do you think of my months? Any books in there you've read and agree or disagree with my take? :P And how was your month of February?

WEM VI: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella and Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood

Time for the Week-End's Minis!! :) So, this week's winner was I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella :) I also decided to review Frostbound because this is the second time the book has come in 2nd place in the polls. Guess there are some people who really wants to know what I thought of the book, so I'm more than happy to oblige :)

It also turns out that I'm pretty much caught up on my reviews for my February reads. Probably a first, LOL. I'm really happy as it seems the WEM feature is really working out :) Plus, as I mentioned in yesterday's review, most of the books I've been reading lately are books I want to write full reviews for. So this week's poll is for books I've read a while back... and I decided to choose books from the same genre: YA. So let me know which one you'd like me to review!! :)

Also, this is the 6th edition of the Week-End's Minis... A lot of you told me you enjoyed the mini-reviews format when I started. Now that it's been running for a while, I'd like to get more feedback :) Do you still feel the same way? Are you enjoying the mini-reviews? Am I starting to be too lengthy?

Onto the reviews now! :)


I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

published by Random House Publishing in February 2012

I've lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Genre: Chick-lit
Series: None

What do you need to know? The blurb is pretty accurate. Poppy and Magnus met 6 months ago and are about to marry. He and his parents as well as brothers all have academic careers and this leads to very intellectual conversations which often leaves Poppy out and feeling inferior. She believes that his parents don't approve of her and therefore, the last thing she wants is to let them know she's lost her engagement ring, which is a family heirloom.

So in the book, Poppy's cell phone is stolen... and then, finds another one in the trash. It's like faith! Except the cell phone she found used to belong to Sam Roxton's previous PA who just left him hanging. Not only he needs the cell phone back, but also a new PA. Since Poppy has given the number out for her cell phone, she's reluctant to give it back. She promises Sam that she will forward all his messages... and of course, she can't help herself and read them. Seeing how terse and strict Sam is, Poppy starts trying to help out...

Why this book? I didn't know what to read and was started a reading slump... so I asked for suggestions and Tabitha recommended this book. I thought I'd give it a try since I don't read many chick-lit.

My thoughts? I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed I've Got Your Number. It was a very cute read that made me smiled from one end to another :) I was also surprised at how much I liked Poppy's character :) Most of the time, when reading chick-lit books, I find either the characters or the situations they find themselves are superficial... but it wasn't the case in I've Got Your Number. Poppy's character actually felt quite real to me and one I could relate to. I think part of it is Ms Kinsella found the perfect job for Poppy - a physiotherapist. As a physiotherapist, Poppy has to know what she's doing. She was also self-sufficient and put together, it diminished the "airhead" factor to me... actually, it made her smart and normal in my book :) I also liked that she was like a white knight, standing up for her friends. And of course, she wouldn't have been any fun if she wasn't a bit noisy :) However, at times, I definitively thought she needed better friends ^_^;

Overall, I enjoyed her interactions with Sam :) I liked how she tried to help him out, but at times, it backfired LOL. I thought the two of them had good chemistry. Her confiding in Sam was easy because he was a stranger... and her, making Sam realizes that there is more than work was sweet. Although as a whole, I thought Sam being so dedicated to his work wasn't a bad thing :) Also, I thought Sam was quite yummy as a hero once you make him realize there's more to work. And oh, his grand gesture at the end? So sweet!

While I enjoyed the book, there were a few hiccups for me. I didn't like that the storyline took place so close to the wedding date ^_^; In the beginning of the book, you can feel that Poppy loves Magnus a lot and how it was "love at first sight" for them... And then, everything starts to unravel. Yes, finding out more about Magnus did precipitate things... but I guess I just didn't like the fact that Poppy fell out of love with Magnus so easily or quickly ^_^; Also, I think that at one point, the book lost some steam and started being a bit draggy. Not enough to get on your nerves, but enough to be noticed... Finally, I was a bit taken aback with how the whole "mystery" was resolved. I mean, would someone keep calling the wrong number for three weeks? Wouldn't that person realize at some point it was the wrong number? That to me seemed a bit far-fetched.

My Grade? B. Despite the few hiccups, I've Got Your Number was a very fun book :) I definitively recommend it if you're in the mood for chick-lit or something different.


Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood
published by New American Library (Signet) in June 2011

Every dog might have his day, but the hellhound guards the night...

As a snowstorm locks down the city, more than the roads are getting iced. Someone's beheaded the wrong girl, and vampire-on-the-lam Talia Rostova thinks it was meant to be her. Now she's the prime suspect in her own botched murder—and the prisoner of her smoking-hot neighbor.

Lore is a hellhound, bred to serve and protect, so he's not freeing Talia until he's sure that she's the prey and not the hunter. You'd think a beautiful woman in his bedroom would be a good thing, but trouble-prone Talia has run afoul of someone more sinister than your average lunatic killer. An ancient Undead is wreaking vengeance on the city—and on her—and Lore will have to go far beyond a stake to put him back in his grave...

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: The Dark Forgotten, Book #4

What do you need to know? Lore is the Alpha of the hellhounds and they have just escaped from the Castle (either a part of Hell or another dimension). So the hellhounds are slowly adapting to the world we know and as such, are kind of starting at the bottom of the ladder. Lore is focused on making the transition easier and building a better life for all of them... and finding his mate is not part of his concerns at the moment.

Talia Rostova grew up a part of the Hunters, a clan whose members are all skilled enough to take down supernatural beings. It's because she was a Hunter that Talia was changed into a vampire against her will. At the first opportunity, Talia stole a large sum of money and escaped from her sire, becoming a rogue.

When Talia's cousin/roommate who bears an uncanny resemblance to Talia is found beheaded, Talia knows it was meant to be her. She tries to run away, but is captured by Lore who is replacing the town's sheriff. And he won't release Talia until he finds the culprit... because he can feel that something really bad is coming.

Why this book? I read the first book in this series, Ravenous. Thought it was okay, but not a series I particularly want to continue. Then, at RWA last year, I got a copy of Frostbound and Ms Ashwood actually won a RITA for Unchained... So picking up this series was on my list of things to do. When I saw that Samantha has read and enjoyed Frostbound, it was the kick I needed to give this series another chance :)

My thoughts? Not having read Books #2 and #3 of this series, it wasn't the best idea to simply just pick up Frostbound. It's not that I had a hard time following the storyline, but there were obviously stuff that I missed... like Lore and hellhounds escape from Castle. Plus, the whole politics scene at Fairview with a vampire presenting himself as a candidate - this seems to be an ongoing story. Then again, I'm not sure I want to go back and read the books I missed ^_^;

Overall, I really liked the paranormal aspect of the book. How all the supernatural beings co-exist, the rules and so on. I thought the world building was well done and interesting. As well as the intrigue and the whole "who did it." The two elements really caught my attention and had me keep reading. I do admit I'm a bit tired of "humans" being so afraid that it leads to group like the Hunters whose sole purpose is to kill "monsters." I know it's understandable for humans to fear, because they are considered "weak." At the same time, it speaks of such bigotry ^_^; And perhaps, it's just a bit too real to my comfort :(

Anyway, back to Frostbound. Another strength of the book was Talia as a character and also, her storyline. I liked that Talia was able to take care of herself. From the blurb, I got a feeling she was weak... but it definitively wasn't the case :) LOL, the part where she called Lore "Bad dog" was simply priceless. She definitively had guts, but at the same time, wasn't too kick-ass :) Ms Ashwood did a great job creating a balanced heroine. I also liked the fact Talia was on the run. It shows she was smart... and had integrity (not spending the money she stole). Also, her torn emotions between humans and monsters because of the way she was raise and what she had become was well done.

What else did I enjoy? The quatuor: Lore, Joe, Errata and Perry and I wished they'd been more of us :)  I simply liked the sense of camaraderie and all.

Unfortunately, I thought the let down of Frostbound was the romance ^_^; I didn't feel that connection between Lore and Talia. The whole thing happened quite fast... One moment, Lore was suspicious of Talia and the next, he was all caring towards her. Sure, he was attracted to her before the book started. Plus, she really impressed him with her guts... but it still felt a bit too quick. It seemed their romance stemmed more of the situations they found themselves in instead of their attraction to each other. Plus, the whole resolution for the mate thing was too easy. I think it would have helped if there had been more of Lore in the book. It's not as if his character was neglected, but I didn't really get a sense of who Lore was. Instead, it was more about the hellhounds and his duty to them. Sure, it's a part of him, but I don't think it's all there is to him. Perhaps that's what I missed by not reading Book #2 and #3 of the series.

My Grade? C+. I'm glad I read Frostbound... but as I said, I don't feel the urge of going back and read Book #2 and #3, hence the grade despite some very good intrigue and world building.

Review: Thread of Death and By a Thread by Jennifer Estep

Finally, the week-end! I have no plans except for continuing to read and hopefully review :) I'm just looking forward to some time to relax and de-stress. What about you? I also need to try to read a book for the TBR challenge!!

I've been reading a lot of books I was looking forward to. So expect some reviews :) I thought I'd start off with By a Thread by Jennifer Estep. And I decided to knock out two birds with one rock by reviewing the novella that came out just before By a Thread, Thread of Death. Enjoy!!


***Warning: There are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk!***

Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep
published by Simon & Schuster in January 2012 (e-book only)

Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, might have finally killed her nemesis, Mab Monroe, but that doesn't mean that it's smooth sailing. Gin goes to Mab's funeral to say her goodbyes and runs into some of Ashland's most notorious underworld power players, including Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid. McAllister wants her dead, and Kincaid has his own murky motives when it comes to the Spider, and Gin once again finds herself fighting for her life. Only this time, she might wind up in the cemetery right next to Mab.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin series, Book #5.5

The Story: It is Mab Monroe's funeral and everyone with a modicum of power in Ashland has turned up. Gin and her entourage have also decided to come, for closure. However, not surprisingly, the Queen of Ashland's underworld will not go quietly - even dead...

My Opinion: When I heard that Ms Estep was contracted for two additional books in the Elemental Assassin series, I was thrilled :) And once I read Spider's Revenge, I was even more looking forward to By a Thread for the change of scenery and therefore less predictability. However, reading Thread of Death gave me some doubts as to whether or not my expectations for By a Thread were too high ^_^;

Basically, I had no issues with the writing of Thread of Death. I thought it was solid and I welcomed the additional POVs (Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid) that we got. Although I admit that Jonah McAllister's voice seemed to be a bit off. I thought it wasn't distinct enough from Gin or Phillip... but still, it was a nice touch because it really let you know where he was coming from and how deep his hatred for Gin is. Gin hasn't only killed Mab and Jonah's son... but she single-handily changed his life the way he knew it. From very high, he now has fallen to the bottom. That loss of status is hard to swallow and he's definitively not going to accept meekly and thus, is going to try to take out Gin. That part of the novella made sense to me :) I also really liked getting Phillip Kincaid's POV. He's been mentioned several times in the series, but I think this is the first time readers got to meet him. For some reasons, in my mind, I thought he'd be older... Anyway, I'm now really intrigued about Phillip and Owen's friendship!! Obviously, there was a woman who came in between and has clouded Owen's judgement. From the bits we got, I think I'm really going to like Phillip's character! A ruthless man, but still loyal to his friends... almost honorable :) And I think Ms Estep did a great job at foreshadowing Widow's Web, the 7th book in the series. Right now, I'm really excited to read that book for Phillip, but also to know more about Owen's past!! I do hope that the friendship between the two men will be mended.

Where Thread of Death didn't work for me was the concept/idea of it: Gin attending Mab's funerals. I can understand that Gin and Bria need closure... but I think attending the funeral wasn't the right way to go about it. First of all, why would Gin - the owner of the Pork Pit and eternal college student, and Detective Bria Coolidge attend the funeral? Actually, could they? I mean, most of the people present at the funerals are the ones with power, the cream of society... Gin and Bria are neither. So wouldn't they stand out like a sore thumb? Okay, so Owen and Finn do have some status, but they were not friends or enemies with Mab. So even their presences are questionable. Then, there's the fact that Gin went after the sniper. For an assassin, it seemed to me Gin has tossed caution aside and has definitively tipped her hand here. Yes, there's been rumors and McAllister knows her true identity... but I don't think it was Gin's intention to confirm those rumors and that's exactly what she did. You'd have to be a moron to be at the funeral, see what Gin did and not wonder who that woman was and whether or not the rumors could be true... and most often than not, people in power are not morons ^_^;

My Grade: C+. To sum up my review, I think that Thread of Death's storyline was a bad idea conceptually. It simply didn't make sense to me. However, once written, it was well-executed and because of it, I'm looking forward to Widow's Web even more :)



By a Thread by Jennifer Estep

published by Simon & Schuster in February 2012

When killing people is your job, there’s no such thing as a vacation.

Then again, how often does an assassin live long enough to enjoy her retirement? In this line of work, you either get lucky or you get dead. And since I destroyed my nemesis Mab Monroe a few weeks ago, all of Ashland’s lowlifes are gunning to make a name for themselves by taking out the lethal Spider—me, Gin Blanco. So I’m leaving behind my beloved barbecue joint and heading south with my baby sister, Bria, to cool my heels in a swanky beach town. Call it a weekend of fun in the sun.

But when a powerful vampire with deadly elemental magic threatens an old friend of Bria’s, it looks like I’ll have to dig my silverstone knives out of my suitcase after all. Complicating matters further is the reappearance of Detective Donovan Caine, my old lover. But Donovan is the least of my problems. Because this time, the danger is hot on my trail, and not even my elemental Ice and Stone magic may be enough to save me from getting buried in the sand—permanently.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin series, Book #6

The Story: Ever since Mab Monroe's death, rumors abounded that Gin Blanco, owner of the Pork Pit, is in fact the fearsome assassin, the Spider. As a result, Gin has been fielding ambushes and attacks right and left from everyone who wants to make a name for themselves. For a retired assassin, she's seeing a lot of action... and it's starting to take a toll on her. Thus, Finn proposes a vacation. They end up choosing Blue Marsh, a swanky beach town and Bria's hometown.

Gin ends up driving down to Blue Marsh with Bria a day before Finn and Owen join them. Ever since they have reunited, Gin and Bria's relationship has been fragile because of who Gin is and it has become even more tenuous after Bria has been kidnapped and tortured by Mab. Therefore Gin hopes this trip will give them the opportunity to strengthen their bond... especially since she's worried Bria has decided to return "home" now that their enemy is dead. However, Gin's bonding experience is not happening, in part because she feels like the third wheel once she meets Callie - Bria's best friend and the "sister she never had." Then, to her shock, Callie also turns out to be the fiancée of Detective Donovan Caine... Gin's lover who really hurt her in the past.

And to complicate the whole situation, Callie is in trouble. Callie is being harassed by a rich and powerful vampire to sell him her restaurant. She is the only land owner still holding out and therefore, is the only obstacle left in Randall Dekes' plan to build a resort and mega casino. Gin kindly proposes to take care of him... but let say her proposition doesn't go over well with Bria and Donovan... that is until, Dekes kidnaps Callie.

My Opinion: As I mentioned earlier, I've really been looking forward to By a Thread :) Overall, I have enjoyed the Elemental Assassin series; however, by the end of the first story arc, i.e. Spider's Revenge, I found the series really suffered from too many recaps and became too predictable. Therefore, By a Thread felt like Ms Estep's opportunity for another fresh start. In the end, although she didn't fully exploit the opportunity she was given, I think Ms Estep did a good job nonetheless :)

Overall, I did enjoy By a Thread. While the plot wasn't as refreshing as I hoped it'd be, it was a bit less predictable and still a very solid read. I guess there are plot limitations when your heroine is an assassin and her first reaction is to kill first and think later ^_^; Plus, Gin's victims have to be villains, people who deserve it... I mean, nobody likes a heroine who kills innocent, right? Going in By a Thread, I didn't expect Gin to be someone else and I knew she'd be doing her job, i.e. killing people... and in that respect, kudos to Ms Estep for being consistent with the characterization :) However, I can't help but be a bit disappointed because I felt Randall Dekes wasn't different from the previous villains in the series nor was the situation Callie was in which prompted Gin to take care of it. Once again, you have an underworld lord who appears to be nice and philanthropic bullying regular folks and resorting to violence and death. Like I said, it wasn't very original and I hope that in the next book Ms Estep will be able to come up with something different. In the meantime, Ms Estep pulls it off  in By a Thread because there are some interesting twists in the plot :) I really liked that Gin was reminded of her vulnerability in By a Thread. Not surprisingly, after killing Mab who is such a powerful elemental, Gin has gotten a bit too over-confident. It's a very normal reaction in my opinion... but it's also a very dangerous one and Gin pays for it. As an assassin, Gin cannot get sloppy... Sloppy means death. Also, there's always someone stronger waiting in the wings. So in that aspect, I think the plot worked :) And as usual, there was some nice action :)

The real strength of By a Thread wasn't the plot or the action this time around. Instead, it was the development and progress in the characterization and relationships in my opinion. I thought Ms Estep really did a great job. I liked that she tackled the broken relationship between Gin and Bria. I feel that ever since she's appeared in the picture, Bria has been acting like a spoiled kid. Bria was lucky... she was saved and then, was raised by a loving couple. Gin wasn't as lucky and in the end, she survived the only way she could. Obviously, Gin being an assassin does go against Bria's moral standards... but doesn't Gin deserve a break given what she's been through? I felt Bria should be the last to be so judgmental about Gin. Also, there was a lot of emphasis about how angry Bria was at Gin because Gin was the reason why Bria was kidnapped and tortured by Mab... and I just don't understand this part. The way I remember it, if it wasn't for Gin, Bria would have been killed right after she returned to Ashland ^_^; With or without Gin, Mab would have gone after Bria simply because of who she is... so I really didn't get why she blamed Gin. Anyway, I'm glad that seeing how Donovan treated Gin finally opened Bria's eyes and made her realized how badly she's been treating Gin. At the same time, I was also very glad that Gin was able to let go of Bria. Our heroine has been trying so hard to win over her little sister and really, I just thought Gin deserved better.

Another relationship that Ms Estep tackled was Donovan Caine. When I heard from Ms Estep that Donovan would make a return in By a Thread back during RT 2010, my first reaction was denial. I really wasn't looking forward to it, because I just hate love triangles... and there's no doubt to me that Gin has not let go, mainly because Donovan is the man who walked away and hurt her so much. Does someone you don't have feelings for can hurt you this much? No. So whether she admits it or not, I feel like Gin has loved Donovan at some point. I guess that in facing Donovan again, Ms Estep's intention was to give Gin some closure... and she did get closure, but it felt forced to me. My problem is that whenever Owen came up, Gin would think/talk about how much she loves him, how much they suit each other and how Owen accepts her... which is all true. However, the way it was done, it seems to me Gin was reminding herself. She was reminding herself to love Owen because he was safe, he wouldn't hurt her :( Also, in By a Thread, Donovan really acted like an ass ^_^; From his "too good" attitude towards Gin to the last scene at the restaurant... Ugh, Gin is totally better off without him. At the same time, I feel that Owen deserves more from Gin... And I hope Ms Estep will work on that in the next book. Oh and also, I loved Owen's attitude throughout By a Thread. Always supportive towards Gin, but also, he trusted her. He never pushed her, forced her in anyway to prove that she loved him... Sigh, such a great guy. I really hope Gin realizes how lucky she is :)

Finally, I want to say that I liked that Ms Estep addressed some of the issues readers have brought up in the previous books, mainly the recapping. I don't know whether she really listened to the readers or it's because By a Thread is a new story arc and didn't require as many recaps, but I hope she keeps it up :)

My Grade: B. I really wavered between a B or a B+. Had I not felt the way I do about the whole Gin and Owen, this book would definitively have been a B+. In the end, I just feel a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation and I hope Ms Estep will really make it clear in Widow's Web :)

Review: Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

Ouf, I'm finally done with the big experiment! And it worked! Yay! But really, the best part about big experiments is the down-time needed after to analyze the data LOL. As a result, I should have more free time to blog and review, I hope! I'll need it since my reading has picked up and I've also been obsessed with a new chinese TV series about doctors :) This week is the final week and I've been watching the episodes raw, i.e. in Cantonese. I can catch a word or two here and there LOL. Luckily, there was a nice person on the forum that translated some detailed summaries, so I can kind of follow :) Can't wait for the subbed episodes though.

Anyway, I'll make a bigger effort to review, because I have a few books I want to talk about! The first one is Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones! Enjoy!

By the way, last day to vote for the Week-End's Minis!! Poll is on the sidebar :)


***Warning: There are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk!***

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

published by St. Martin's Press in January 2012

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind him for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.

In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.

While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.

Genre: Mystery with paranormal elements
Series: Charley Davidson series, Book #3

The Story: It's been almost 2 weeks since the events of Second Grave on the Left and Charley has barely slept a wink, thanks to coffee. The reason is every time she falls asleep, Reyes appears to her and they have sex... It should be a good thing, but not when he's angry at her. However, 2 weeks without sleep is definitively starting to take a toll on Charley. And suddenly, the cases start piling up.

First, there's a doctor claiming his wife has disappeared...However, with her superpowers, Charley senses foul play. The wife has disappeared all right, but she is sure the doctor is involved somehow. Second, there's Reyes who suddenly escapes prison! It turns out that while being tortured by demons in Second Grave on the Left, he learned that "his" mortal father faked his death all these years ago and is actually alive. Reyes always knew he was innocent of the crime, but this is taking it to a different level... and this time around, he's determined to find the SOB and clear his name. Finally, there's Charley's father... Charley's anger at her father has not passed and their relationship is on the rocks... but now, he wants her to change career?!?

Yep, just another week in the regular life of the Grim Reaper :)

My Opinion: The Charley Davidson series is one I've enjoyed a lot in 2011 and so, I've really been looking forward to the next installment, simply because the books are so much fun :) Seriously, I wonder how Ms Jones writes a character like Charley. LOL, the stuff that comes out of her mouth? Priceless! With the cliff-hang-ish end of Second Grave to the Left, I simply couldn't wait to get my hands on Third Grave Dead Ahead to find out what would happen next :) Overall, I did enjoy Third Grave Dead Ahead... but at the same time, I had some mixed feelings ^_^; Most probably because I'm a bit wary of the ending and the direction the series is taking.

First thing first though, what did I enjoy most in Third Grave Dead Ahead? The characters. They are the strength of this series in my opinion :) I like Charley because she's fun and despite all the things that happen, she has a positive outlook on life. I find it refreshing :) I also enjoyed how she finds herself in some ridiculous situations. Plus, her and Cookie provide a lot of LOL moments :) My description makes her sound like an airhead, but she is definitively not. As I said in my previous reviews, there is depth to Charley. She is a lot smarter than she lets on and also a competent PI. Taken all together, I find Charley to be a refreshing heroine :) It's nice that while she has unusual powers as the Grim Reaper, she's not a kick-ass heroine like we find so many in UF. Aside from Charley, we're also treated to a nice supporting cast which balance out Charley's quirkiness. Oh and I really liked the new characters introduced :) A nun that can hear angels talking? Charley's guardian? They fit right in and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the future. I hope they'll have a more dominant role LOL.

Another good element of Third Grave Dead Ahead is the progress in some of the relationships and the story. While not prominent, I liked that Charley's sister was in the picture and the sisters' relationship is on the mend :) I also liked that we finally find out why Officer Vaughn has been such a pain in the ass to Charley throughout the series. It's really been bothering me and I'm happy that we finally got some closure. I'm also happy to know that Officer Vaughn will probably not turn into a psycho and attack Charley in her sleep ^_^; I also thought the scene at the hospital at the end was very interesting. Charley's entourage definitively know more than they let on. It's a good thing given how much powerful she seems to become lately. As for Charley's relationship with her father... It really saddened me how fast it is degrading. I understand her father feels guilty and therefore, wants Charley to be safe... but he really took the wrong decisions. It is not the right way to make their relationship right again. I hope it can be mended :(

I thought Third Grave Dead Ahead was a very consistent book when it came to the characters and the writing; however, I found that the mystery wasn't as suspenseful as usual and as tight as usual. Perhaps it's because I'm getting used to her style so there are less surprises and instead, there is a pattern ^_^; However, I think another reason is the case Charley took this time around was very similar to the one she caught in Second Grave on the Left as both were about wives who have disappeared. Finally, I thought there were major flaws in the case involving Reyes' non-dead father and that's why I felt the mystery wasn't as tight. Some things in it just didn't make sense to me. Let say Earl Walker had really faked his death 8 years ago... Would he really hang around Albuquerque and risk discovery? Even if he followed news involving Reyes - to return and threaten Charley just didn't make sense to me. Also, it was an easy way to wrap the mystery ^_^; Also, the fact that Reyes used Charley as bait, that was a definite no-no. So stupid of him!! Especially after the events in Second Grave on the Left. Once again, you see some echoes from Third Grave Dead Ahead in Second Grave on the Left. Too many similarities in my opinion that didn't help make this book more enjoyable.

And then, there's the romance. I was really happy when I first read that Reyes' father might not be dead... because that meant somehow, Reyes would be exonerated right? It's one thing to know that Reyes didn't commit the crime, but another having a hero who's in jail ^_^; Let just say it's not easy to root for romance in such conditions LOL. Also, ever since I've started this series, I was wondering how Ms Jones would take care of this issue. And she did an okay job about it. In any case, Reyes out of prison would be yay!! Except I'm unhappy at Charley and Reyes' relationship state at the end of Third Grave Dead Ahead and also the fact that Ms Jones seemed to have introduce a love rival. Ugh!! I really hate love triangle and I hope this is not the direction Ms Jones is taking. I don't wish for the Charley Davidson series to become a series where whenever there's hope for the H/H to be together, more obstacles will be thrown in to prevent them :( I mean, it was finally clear that Garrett didn't have a chance and then comes in Donovan? And let say this was not the road that Ms Jones decide to go down with. Let say Reyes is the love of Charley's life - which I'm a firm believer of, I still wonder if/how their relationship can work out. I definitively hope that Ms Jones has it planned out. I know I said Charley reminded me of Stephanie Plum in my previous reviews... but the last thing I want is for Charley's romantic life to be like Stephanie's!! And so that's why I'm wary, sigh.

My Grade: B. I enjoyed Third Grave Dead Ahead and I thought it was a solid installment, but not as good as the two previous books when it came to the mystery side of it. Also, it left me with an uneasy feeling because I'm anxious to know what is going to happen. The good news is I'm definitively going to pick up Fourth Grave Beneath my Feet to find out and I hope Ms Jones will be choosing the direction I'm rooting for :)

Hauling Sunday LXXIII

How is everyone doing? Hope everything is good and you're not too tired from the "spring forward" LOL. I wen to the sugar shack yesterday with some friends :) It was pretty nice considering the nice weather we had :) Seems like spring is coming fast. Yay!

Best part of sugar shack is of course, the desserts! :)

 LOL. Now, onto books :)  The "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion was still on... which means I once again had a really good week book-buying wise LOL. Best of all, they finally found the books I wanted. Why would people put new releases in the over-stock?!?

The Temporary Wife/A Promise of Spring by Mary Balogh - I was a bit hesitant about this book, but I've been reading very good review for The Temporary Wife, so I decided to go ahead and buy it :)

Oracle's Moon by Thea Harrison - I haven't been a big fan of this series... but reviews have been really good for Oracle's Moon. In addition, the blurb has drawn my attention. I think I'll enjoy this one :)

Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash - This book has received a mixed bag of reviews. Some really enjoyed it while others found it shallow. I hope to be part of the ones who enjoyed it LOL.

The Tattooed Duke by Maya Rodale - Hmmm, another one I was hesitant about... but the price was real appealing with the promotion :) Plus, I did enjoy the writing in the two previous books... I'm just not sure about this particular storyline.

The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne by Madeline Hunter - Ms Hunter is a great writer and I thought this premise was refreshing :) Looking forward to reading it :)

Eon by Allison Goodman - I've heard a lot of good about this book and it really seems like something I would enjoy. However, the one time I got it from the library, I didn't feel like reading it ^_^; I think part of my reservation is due to the Asian influence this book seems to have. Recently though, this book has resurfaced on my Goodreads and blogs thanks to Christine and Mariana. So I thought I'd check it out again :)


I went to the bookstore again today, just to be sure I had everything I wanted LOL. Got some mangas and this book:

Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel - I actually wanted I Want Candi by Susan Donovan, but they couldn't find it, so I got Not Wicked Enough. Ms Jewel is an author I've read before, but never her historicals which I've been meaning to. And Ames enjoyed this one :)


And there we go :) This was my week. I think that's pretty much going to be it for the rest of the month :) Should keep me up till the new releases in April. What do you think? :) All right, I'm off to go watch the Briers finale!! Go Ontario! (Men's curling LOL)

WEM V: To Wed a Wild Lord and A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries

Yay, I made it! :) LOL, I usually write the Week-End's Minis post on Saturday  morning... but today I'm a bit short on time because I'm going to the sugar shack with my friends and I'm the driver :) But it's now moot because I did it! :)

I've read a lot this past week, but it's mostly books I want to write a full review for. So instead, I went back to books I've been planning to review and hadn't gotten to it... and came up with the two last books of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series by Sabrina Jeffries :) Enjoy!!

Oh and the poll is back on :) I haven't gotten much feedback about it, so I don't know if you guys like it or not, but the one comment I got was for it... so back it goes :) So don't forget to vote!!


To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries

published by Simon & Schuster in November 2011

Drowning in guilt over his best friend's death seven years ago, Lord Gabriel Sharpe, the Angel of Death, knows his only hope at redemption is a race against a shocking opponent.

Shrouded in darkness for the past seven years, the infamous racer Lord Gabriel Sharpe is known to accept every challenge to race thrown at him. When his next challenge comes in the form of his late best friend's sister, Virginia Waverly, Gabe is shocked. Yet she presents just the opportunity Gabe needs--marriage to fulfill his grandmother's ultimatum and ensure his inheritance. What he didn't count on was needing her love.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Hellions of Halstead Hall series, Book #4

What do you need to know? I find the blurb a bit misleading. Among the 5 Sharpes children, Gabriel and his younger sister, Celia, are the ones still unmarried. Gabriel knows that if he remains single, Celia will keep holding out as well in the hopes that their grandmother rescind the ultimatum... and Gabriel doesn't want to be the reason why Celia doesn't marry. As a result, he has decided to take a bride... and has chosen Virginia Waverly, figuring that he owns her because of his part in her brother's death seven years ago. However, she won't hear of the courtship as she is too focused on avenging her brother's honor... Thus, Gabriel agrees to a wager. They will race and if Virginia wins, they will race at Turnham Green, the course that has killed her brother. On the other hand, if Gabriel wins, she'll let him court her.

Why this book? I like Ms Jeffries' writing and have been enjoying this series :) So logic dictated that I pick up To Wed a Wild Lord.

So my thoughts? Overall, I enjoyed To Wed a Wild Lord. I thought the storyline was interesting and engaging. Gabriel definitively had a challenge on his hands, trying to convince Virginia to let him court her and eventually, marry him. The race part was a nice touch to settle things and it fit with the characters :) I also really liked the twist about Virginia's older brother, Roger, death and Gabriel role in it. No wonder he's been so tortured about it and has taken so many risks. Oh and the overall storyarc about the Sharpes' parents murders progressed well.

Unfortunately, I never really warmed up to Virginia in To Wed a Wild Lord and by extension, the romance. I  understand that she idolized her older brother and that her grandfather's hatred for Gabriel only added fuel to it... but one part of me thought she was too hung up on it and the other part of me thought she forgot about it a bit too fast when she fell in love with Gabriel. I know, very contradictory of me ^_^; But it seemed such an obsession... and once she fell for Gabriel, she was determined to find out who had instigated the race, so she could be with Gabriel without guild. I felt it was such a conditional love. Could she be with him, would she have married Gabriel if the answer hadn't been the one she hoped for?

I thought the fact that Virginia was Roger's sister was too much baggage for the book. That's the only things I would have changed in To Wed a Wild Lord.

My Grade? B-.


A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries
published by Simon & Schuster in January 2012

When the youngest Sharpe sister hatches a plan to gain marriage offers, the straight-laced Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter knows he'll do whatever it takes to ruin her scheme...

With two months left to find a husband to fulfill her grandmother’s ultimatum, Lady Celia Sharpe sets her sights on three eligible bachelors. Becoming betrothed to one of these wealthy, high-ranking men will surely prove her capable of getting married, so hopefully the wedding itself won’t be necessary for Celia and her siblings to receive their inheritance. Step two of her audacious plan is hiring the dangerously compelling Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate the three men she’s chosen. But with Lady Celia bedeviling Jackson’s days and nights, the last thing he wants is to help her find a husband. And when she recalls shadowed memories that lead his investigation into her parents’ mysterious deaths in a new direction—putting her in danger—Jackson realizes the only man he wants Celia to marry is himself!

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Hellions in Halstead Hall series, Book #5

What do you need to know? Now, Lady Celia is the only one left unmarried and she wants to remain so, for now. Therefore she has hatched a plan: she only needs to get one of three eligible bachelors - a duke, an earl and a baron - she has set her caps to propose. Once her grandmother see Celia is able to secure a husband if she desires to, she will change her mind about the ultimatum.

Thus, she asks Pinter to investigate her marriage prospects. Pinter and Celia are attracted to each other, but neither will admit it. Plus they believe they have profound disdain for each other, so it doesn't help matter. All Pinter wants is to elucidate the previous marquess and machioness' murders. If he does so, Lord Stoneville will support him in his dream of becoming magistrate... and to become a magistrate, he cannot be associate to any scandal.

Why this book? This is the final book of the series :)

So my thoughts? Unfortunately, I never got into A Lady Never Surrenders, but I think it was more a case of me and my mood than the book itself. Still, I think A Lady Never Surrenders was definitively not the best book in the series and was a bit weak considering it was the final installment. One of the reasons is because I felt the book was too predictable. Ms Jeffries has been building up Pinter and Celia's romance since the first book, The Truth about Lord Stoneville. So when the story finally focused on them, some of the excitement was gone and there wasn't that much sparks for me. Plus, Celia never had been one of my favorite characters... she's been rubbing me the wrong way from the start and it didn't get better in A Lady Never Surrenders.

Also, Grandmother Hettie's schemes really got on my nerves in this book :( Her first ultimatum was one thing, but in this book, she didn't do what was best for her granddaughter. She thought she did, but she never really considered what Celia wanted. The worst is that she's done the same mistake with her own daughter... You'd think a woman as smart as Hettie would have figured it out :(

While I didn't like Celia much, I enjoyed getting to know Jackson Pinter more. I guess because he was the new element in the book and Ms Jeffries did a good job as his characterization... Except for his fear of scandal. Sigh, what is it with characters that cannot attach themselves to scandal? Luckily, Pinter wasn't maniac about it. Another aspect of the book I enjoyed was finally finding out the culprit of the murder. Although I have to say, once again, this followed a pattern. In every book, the featured Sharpe sibling would "remember" something from that dreadful party. See what I meant by predictable? In the end though, I thought it was well resolved.

My Grade? After careful consideration and factoring in my mood, A Lady Never Surrenders was a C read for me.

Review: Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh

Ouf, between work, reading and curling, my blogging is taking a hit ^_^; Work has been so busy as we're planning a rather important experiment next week. I have to prepare the samples and that's what failed earlier this week. Now, it's finally working! I don't know what was wrong with it, but my guess would be one of the reagents. Unfortunately, I changed too many of them to know which one was the faulty one. My reading has finally picked up! Yay!!! :) All I needed was new precious LOL. I went to the bookstore again today to take advantage of the "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion. Hopefully, it'll last me till the beginning of April when a lot of interesting new releases come out :) And curling... Sigh. I don't know. Perhaps I hyped it too much in my mind? Well it doesn't help the team I was rooting for is basically out :( Also, while there are a lot of close games, it seems to me a lot of teams are struggling and it's based rather on mistakes than on good shots :( Like the really important shots are missed rather than made. Still, it occupies me so that's a good thing :)

Since I don't usually have any reviews prepared, I'm taking a shortcut once again by reviewing Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh, LOL. Enjoy!


Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh
published by Berkley in February 2012

In Angel's Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

In Angels' Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all...

Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT

In Angels' Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless...

And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Angels' Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Guild Hunter series, Books #0.5, #1.5, #4.5 and #4.75

Angel's Flight is a compilation of 4 novellas in the Guild Hunter series by Ms Singh. I have already read and reviewed Angel's Judgement and Angel's Wolf. Follow the links for the reviews :)

However, it was my first time reading Angel's Pawn, the prequel e-novella that Ms Singh had published to introduce the series :)

The Story: In Angel's Pawn, a newly-made vampire from an old vampire family has been kidnapped by  a kiss - a group of vampires banding together for a common purpose. The regional angel, Nazarach, could easily intercede and put an end to the feud; however, he has decided to teach his people a lesson and has therefore retain the service of the Guild. Thus, the task falls onto Ashwini. Knowing the situation is much more delicate than it seems, Ashwini reaches out to Janvier, a 200+ years old vampire that she's hunted twice before. Having been part of Nazarach's court, he is aware of the regional politics and could be a great ally to have on her side...

My Opinion: I've read all the Guild Hunter books and have been curious about Ashwini and Janvier's relationship and therefore was looking forward to finally read Angel's Pawn. The title really fit the story very well, as Ashwini was essentially a pawn in Nazarach's game. Overall, I really enjoyed this novella. My favorite part was the characters. Ashwini and Janvier were both interesting and rather unique. Of course, what stood out was their flirty relationship, their chemistry and the sexual tension :) Still, you could gleam their competence through their actions. These two know what they're doing... and it makes them even more interesting. I would have liked to know more about Ash's powers, but I guess it's something we'll find out in their book. I'm looking forward to it and hope we won't have to wait too long :P

For such a short story, I think Ms Singh had a good storyline. It was a bit simple, but still interesting and more importantly, well paced with some nice twists thrown into it :) I especially enjoyed the politics :) Everyone is after power and is playing games to obtain it. It also really fit the series. However, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much have I read it as the prequel it is supposed to be. I think have I read it without any knowledge of the Guild Hunter series, I would have been disappointed with the world building and lack of information.

All in all, a very nice and solid short story. Unfortunately, I had one issue with Angel's Pawn and it's actually one of my biggest pet peeve... the French!! I know most people who are reading this won't be picking up the errors. But if it's going to be in print, might as well be sure it's correct! And seriously, I'm sure if Ms Singh or anyone at Berkley asked someone to check it out, that person would be flattered and embarrassing situations could be avoided! Let's start with the easy one... the 'cher.' Janvier is talking to Ashwini and calling her 'cher.' Well there's only a little problem: Ashwini is obviously a woman. So it's not cher, but chère. And notice the accent on first e!! I can't tell you how many time I've seen both these mistakes! It's easy, cher for men and chère for women.

Now, the second mistake and more embarrassing one ^_^;

"[...] along with a proposal that I should consider marrying his daughter Jean." Pronounced in the French way, the name sounded sensual and electric.

One of the reasons French is such a difficult language is because words have genders - feminine and masculine and you have to consider what they refer to. Hence the cher and chère. Well, some first names have feminine and masculine versions too... And unfortunately, in this case, Jean is the masculine version ^_^; Basically, it's John... and pronounced the French way, when referring to a woman, it does not sound sensual nor electric ^_^; It should have been spelled Jeanne and pronounced the French way, it actually sounds a lot like Jane... perhaps just a little softer. Luckily, those mistakes happened early in the story and so, didn't impact my reading too much.

My Grade: B+. Despite the French mistakes, I still enjoyed Angel's Pawn very much :)


And the new novella written by Ms Singh for Angel's Flight was Angel's Dance.

The Story:  Angel's Dance takes place 400 years before Angel's Blood and features Galen - one of Raphael's Seven, Jessamy and their romance. Back then, Raphael had just become an archangel and Galen had decided to postulate for the position of weapon-master. There was no room for Galen in Titus' court, in which he grew. Had he stayed on, he would eventually had to fight his mentor. However, it seems that Galen would have to prove himself much sooner than he expected, as the archangel Alexander seems unhappy with Raphael's quick ascent into the Cadre and ready to declare war. As Galen prepares himself, he must know the politics that might inform tactics and is thus referred to Jessamy, the Teacher, but also historian. Jessamy is  a very old angel, but she's also different. Born with a birth defect in one of her wing, Jessamy cannot fly and therefore has been bound to Earth... until a barbarian angel came and freed her.

My Opinion: I'm really happy that Angel's Dance was Galen and Jessamy's story as I was curious about them :) I thought the story was very sweet, but draggy at times.

My favorite element in Angel's Dance was the characterization. I thought Ms Singh did a great job :) I love how different Galen and Jessamy's personalities were. Galen is a warrior - big and physical, but also smart. He's definitively more than brawn :) I love the part where it was revealed he had a temper LOL. As for Jessamy, I thought Ms Singh nailed it. Her characterization was very real. Jessamy is more than 2,500 years old... so very, very old. Because she could not fly,  Jessamy isolated herself when she was younger... and thus, growing up, she seemed to be out of reach. Add in the fact that she's the Teacher, the angel who's been teaching all the babes... and it was almost as if she was asexual. In their mind, she wasn't a woman... She was the Teacher, an angel that commanded respect, an angel that they loved... but always above, always untouchable. Raphael and Illium saw her that way, even Dmitri... So it took an angel from outside like Galen to see the woman that was there. I also liked that Galen hadn't been her student, because it lessened the icky factor. LOL. Or the part where Jessamy has never left the Refuge. Raphael had never realized that it was because Jessamy couldn't, not didn't want to. So I think Ms Singh really did a great job with the characterizations and I liked both our H/H.

I also realized why I enjoyed Archangel's Kiss so much. I knew it was because it took place in the Refuge, but I couldn't pinpoint it... but reading Angel's Dance, I realized why. It's because when they are at the Refuge, the angels behave more normally. They are among themselves, so they don't need to act or put up a front... They are themselves and most of the time, it means they appear less psycho LOL. Oh and I loved seeing the baby angels!! They were just so cute and so innocent! I guess immortality will warp your mind ^_^;

As for the romance and the story, I think they were okay. I thought the romance between Galen and Jessamy was sweet. For someone to finally see the woman in Jessamy... However, it definitively dragged :( Especially after Jessamy was taken to New York. I don't understand why Galen let let her go. It was just plain stupid to me. As for the overall storyline, I enjoyed seeing some of the characters' background and how Raphael's troop came together. However, the whole war with the archangel Alexander, that was weak. Especially the reason Jessamy was attacked? Just a bit far-fetched to me. The whole storyline just wasn't as solid as what I'm used to with Ms Singh's writing.

My Grade: B-. Really glad I read it, that we found out more about Galen and Jessamy. However, it wasn't stellar and not one of Ms Singh's best novella.