Review: Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr

Yay, another review!! I think I'm really getting back into a rhythm :)

Today, I chose to review Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr because I know some of my blogger friends wanted my opinion before they decided whether or not to pick up this book. So I hope this review helps!

Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.

The gods died a long time ago.

Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.

However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.

Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: The Blackwell Pages, Book #1

The Story: This one is a tough one to summarize ^_^; Matt Thorsen is a descendant of Thor and is therefore very familiar with every Norse myths and legends. However, they are the last of his concerns because he's too busy living up to his family standards - his father is the sheriff, his grandfather is the mayor and his two older brothers have set the bar very high as perfect students and athletes. However, when the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming, it turns out that Matt is the one chosen as Thor's champion. Now, he has to follow the path of his ancestor if he wants to prevent the world from ending... His first step is to gather the other champions, starting with Fen... which won't be an easy feat as Fen really dislikes Matt.

 If the Thorsens are the perfect families, the Brekkes are like the other side of the track - the wrong one. The Thorsens believe to be the only ones who have retained the knowledge of their ancestors, but they are in for a surprise. Fen Brekke is a descendant of Loki and has the ability to shapeshift into a wolf. As one who has present with power, Fen has three choices: to join the wulfenkind - a gang made up of Loki's descendants, to pay his dues or to become a lone wolf which means never staying in one place long. Fen really hopes that his cousin Laurie will also develop powers so they can join Laurie's father as lone wolves. For now though, it's time for him to pay his dues and for some reason, the wulfenkind wants an old shield... and Matt Thorsen.

My Opinion: If I remember correctly, I first heard about Loki's Wolves at the RT conference in 2010.  Wow, that is a while ago ^_^; It was during a YA panel and immediately, I put it on my radar. This book is a collaboration between Kelley Armstrong (squee!) and Melissa Marr. Initially, I think the plan was for each author to write one of the protagonists' POV, but I can't remember which ^_^; My best guess would be Thor for Ms Armstrong and Loki for Ms Marr. In any case, the plan must have changed along the way because we ended having a third POV, Laurie, or perhaps they wrote that part together? Anyway, fast forward 3 years and I pre-ordered Loki's Wolves because I'm a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong :) I was excited that Ms Armstrong was having a new series which seemed different from her Women of the Otherworld series... but unfortunately, as it turns out, not refreshing and unique enough to stand out from other YA books with similar concepts, which in the end, was the downfall of Loki's Wolves :(

As a whole, I thought Loki's Wolves was not a bad read. However, when you have a story about kids having powers, being related to Gods, and having to fulfill prophecies that are legends - well you are not going to escape comparison with Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series... and the truth is, Mr. Riordan's series is better. As a result, "not being bad" gets bumped down a few more notches ^_^; In its favor, Loki's Wolves has good writing, good incorporation of the Norse mythology and some good dynamics. But all this is outweighed by so-so storyline and characters ^_^;

Let's start with the good elements. Ms Armstrong and Ms Marr are two very popular YA authors and writing-wise, they did not disappoint in Loki's Wolves. I think they did a good job at meshing their styles and voices as Loki's Wolves flow really well. They also did a good job at integrating the Norse mythology in the story. Let's be frank, Norse mythology is not as popular as Greek or Egyptian ones and my knowledge of it basically comes from the Thor movie ^_^; However, I didn't feel lost while reading Loki's Wolves and I don't feel my lack of knowledge affected my enjoyment of the book :) Also, I enjoyed the different dynamics between the characters. Fen and Laurie are cousins and are very close, a brother-sister's relationship where Fen looks out for Laurie and Laurie trying to show she can stand her own. I thought it was very sweet and seriously, given Fen's background, I was so happy that he had someone he could lean on. Fen and Matt's relationship was also an interesting one in the sense that you have two guys who aren't friends, but have to cooperate with each other and are kind of vying for the leadership position. It'll be interesting to see how this develop and how it will turn out. For now, there is a truce between the two boys... but Thor and Loki's relationship is never far in their mind.

As I mentioned above, for me, the weaknesses of Loki's Wolves were the storyline and the characters because they failed to engage me, to hook me in. A large part of the book was dedicated to the world building which was necessary of course, but the rest of the story was one-dimensional. I felt like the characters were just going through the motion... They were running around with no inkling of what to do and still managed to stumble across the other champions. The storyline was simply too straightforward and lacked subtleties and hints for what is to come. In addition, the book is meant to be for middle graders and I think it was reflected in the action sequences. As for the characters, I thought they were well developed, each of them having an interesting background and his own issues. Matt is the son of the sheriff with two older brothers that excelled at everything so he feels the pressure. He's already the youngest and the smallest, he's not about to be the disappointment as well. Fen on the other hand has a big chip on the shoulder, he's sullen and never backing down from a fight. He's been shuffled from one relative to another and lacked familial stability. And so, when you bring them together, you have the golden boy and the bad boy butting heads. And then, you have Laurie in the middle who doesn't really know what is happening and is discovering the truth along the book. I thought the characters were likable and well developed... but for me, they lacked the charisma to pull me in, to make me root for them unconditionally.

Before I wrap this review, I want to mention the illustrations in Loki's Wolves. I was quite surprised at them because I did not expect them at all. They are a fun addition to the book although I think they do reinforce the the middle grade feeling of the book. They were like the rest of the book, very straightforward and the style of it was pleasant. I have to admit though I much prefer the cover style and I wonder why they had two different artists. I mean, if you knew they were going to be illustrations in the book, why not offer that person to do the cover? Because the cover is the first image you have from the book and is the one that sticks with you and suddenly, you see the illustrations inside and they don't have the same imagery... Oh well, that's just me being picky ^_^;

Overall, as I said, Loki's Wolves was not a bad book... it simply probably wasn't for me. It's clear the target audience was a younger crowd (middle graders) and they might enjoy it a lot more. As an adult, I just feel the story is too straightforward, simple and serious to be fully engaged. In addition, I'm a huge fan of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and so, perhaps I'm biased. At this point, the only reason I'd pick up Odin's Ravens would be that I'm a big fan of Ms Armstrong.

My Grade: C-.

Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop

OMG, a review!! Yay!! Finally! I'm also particularly happy because Written in Red is a book I've been wanting to review ever since I read it, because I wanted to share its awesomeness with you all! Hope you enjoy it :)


Written in Red by Anne Bishop
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2013

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Others, Book #1

The Story: In this world, among the humans and the others, there is a special race of female humans called cassandra sangue or more commonly known as blood prophet. Whenever their skin is cut, they see the future, prophecies. They are rumored to live in special place away from the population for their own safety and pampered, but in truth, they are raised in a compound with no control whatsoever of their life and their ability is sold to the highest bidders.

When cs759 escapes from the compound, she takes the name of Meg Corbyn. Knowing that the Controller won't let her go that easily, she takes refuge in the Lakeside Courtyard, a business district operated by the Others where human laws do not apply, as their human liaison. Her job consists of receiving deliveries, sorting and delivering the mail and packages. For the first time in her life, Meg is free to live how she wants and she's avid to discover life.

Simon Wolfgard is the leader of the Others in the Lakeside Courtyard. He's confused and intrigued by Meg because while human, she doesn't smell like prey. One thing he does know is that she quickly becomes an integral part of the Courtyard, befriending everyone with her special attentions, especially Mr. Erebus - the patriarch of the Sanguinati (read vampires) - and Simon's nephew Sam. As such, whoever wants to harm Meg will have to face the Others.

My Opinion: Written in Red has been on my radar since I've found out about it, but I had my doubts at first. I enjoyed Ms Bishop's Black Jewels series, but some of her other books/series, not as much. However, after seeing all the positive feedback that Written in Red received, I decided to pick it up and I am so glad I did! Because I looooove Written in Red and have already re-read it three times since March!! LOL, I guess that says it all, right? :)

Written in Red excelled on all levels: the writing, the characters, the plot and the world building. However, what stood out the most for was the world building because it felt like it was the purpose of this book. I loved that there was no information dump and instead, Ms Bishop chose to show the readers how things were and worked. Written in Red was all about the little community that is Lakeside Courtyard and the interactions, dynamics, inter-plays of the different Others with the humans, between each other and with Meg. Oh, I'm sure there's much more to this new world Ms Bishop has built, but for now, I feel I had a good grasp and I'm satisfied. And the bonus was that I really enjoyed seeing the day-to-day events and how Meg became part of the Lakeside Courtyard :) I also loved the cast of secondary characters that Ms Bishop introduced in Written in Red and I find they are an integral part of the world building :P

While the storyline did take a back-seat to the world building, I still found it quite interesting and thrilling because the threat of the Controller was constant. Meg knew he would never let her go and readers also came to that understanding when we learn how accurate and sensitive Meg was. I liked that Meg didn't let her guard down, that she was always aware of her surrounding and what was going on, but at the same time, it didn't stop her from enjoying life. And I have to say, it was chilling to see the Controller's reach and to what extent he'd go to get Meg back. I really commend Ms Bishop for doing such a good job weaving the intrigue into the world building so seamlessly and also putting things in place for the future storylines. My only complaint about the storyline in Written in Red is that the pacing was a bit slow with the bulk of the action all happening at the end, and that's very minor considering everything.

I read a review somewhere about Written in Red in which the reviewer stated that this book seemed to be a bit of a departure from Ms Bishop's usual style. I personally don't agree. It is true that Written in Red is not outright dark and I was grateful for that. I enjoyed all the funny, light-hearted moments and I felt it was refreshing, different from the sarcastic and cynical humor that readers are accustomed to with urban fantasy kick-ass heroines. But really, there is an underlying darkness to Written in Red: the real truth about the blood prophets, their cuttings and the nature of the Others in general, their disregard for humans and so on. It is subtle, but it is there. Also, the focus on Lakeside Courtyard and the pace in Written in Red reminded me a lot of Shadalor's Lady, which is one of my favorite Black Jewels books :)

Finally, my favorite part of the book was Meg's relationships with Sam and Simon. I liked Meg's character a lot. She was a great blend of determination, rightness, sweetness and innocence. Her personality and her desires to belong are what won her the respect and friendship of the Others in the Lakeside Courtyard and I feel she deserved it. Meg's friendship with Sam was just so sweet, the two of them discovering the world, opening themselves. I also think Meg not knowing Sam prior to his mother's death helped, it was like starting anew. As for Meg and Simon's friendship, I definitively hope it will lead to more :P

My Grade: A. There's no doubt in mind that Written in Red will be in my Top 3 favorite UF books at the end of the year :) It was such a great start to a new series full of potential, but more importantly, it was a fun and enjoyable read :) I just can't wait to see where Ms Bishop will lead us next and I hope to find out more about the blood prophets soon! :)

Hauling Sunday CXII

Hi everyone!

How's your week been? Mine has been okay. I still haven't gotten back into a rhythm or found my mojo yet, sigh. And the weather is just not helping. It's been cold and rainy the whole week, but particularly this week-end. Brrrr, simply didn't feel like doing anything. I just wanted to stay in bed and get warm with a book which is pretty much what I've done LOL. The good news is that I did catch up on my reading a little bit. May won't be totally catastrophic :P

It has been a really quiet week release-wise as well. I actually didn't think I'd have a post, but this came in the mail on Friday. Have to love pre-orders and early releases :P

It came just in time because I was between books and didn't have to think too hard what to read this week-end :P Fans of the Jane Jameson series by Ms Harper, you'll want to get A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses :P

***

I was sorting through some of the pictures of the trip this week-end and I thought I'd share these with you :) Guess what they have in common? :P

Hauling Sunday CXI

Hi everyone!

Hope you're having a great week-end :) In Canada, it's a long week-end and I'm enjoying it, just relaxing. I'm waiting for the reading and blogging bugs to bite again to get back into some rhythm. One of my issues at the moment is my left eye. I hate to be complaining about a health issue again, because it seems that's all I do nowadays :( Anyway, I went to the optometrist and it seems my prescription has changed. Not much, only 0.50 so I'm not sure that's really the explanation, but I do plan to change my glasses lenses soon, so we'll see. Otherwise, what is keeping me busy is Candy Crush and I feel I really need to stop playing ^_^; It just takes so much of my time ^_^; and I feel a lot of luck is involved.

Changing subject, here are my new precious! :)

  

I pre-ordered The Originals and it arrived while I was away on the trip :) I've already read The Autumn Bride and The Importance of Being Wicked, but was waiting for a promotion to get them in print. The surprise of the week was an anthology, When Honey Got Married, which features one of my new auto-buy author, Kelly Hunter :) Thanks Li!

What about you? What new books did you get this week?

I'm home!

Hi everyone :)

Quick post to let you know that I'm back! Yay! The trip was fun, but jeez, one week went by soooo fast!

This was my first all-inclusive resort trip and I have mixed feelings about it. I loved it because I was with my sister and friends, so that was a lot of fun. The beach and the pool were both great :) And surprisingly, it wasn't as crowded as I feared. The wedding was beautiful - we were lucky and got great weather for it :) However, the hotel itself and the food - not impressed. The food especially was either bland or too salty, sweet, etc. Would I go back on my own? Probably not, but it was a good experience to have :)

Here are some pictures :)

I might post more pictures later this week. I need to go through them and really weed out. Plus, a lot of us have taken pictures, so need to get them all... and we took a lot of videos this trip, so I want to do a mini-recap, something fun. Although probably going to take a while, especially since I'm in a really lazy mood LOL. Guess it's residual from the trip :P All I want to do is get warmed under my blankets (it's really cold in Montreal these few days!!) and read :) By the way, I finished only two books ^_^; Loki`s Wolves and No Strings Attached which were the two I really wanted to read.

Have to say, it's good to be home and I really missed you all! So let me know what you've been up to the past week!

Review: Slashback by Rob Thurman

Hey everyone :)

I have a buddy review up over at Breezing Through. Joining me is Leslie and/or Hilcia to discuss our yearly fix of the Cal Leandros series :) So head over to Breezing Through to find out how much we enjoyed this new installment!





Slashback by Rob Thurman
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2013

I stopped and let them circle me, first because it was intriguing and, second, because, honestly, what could they do? Only knives, but all armed, and that made them even more interesting. Interesting. Fun.

Playtime…

Taking on bloodthirsty supernatural monsters is how Caliban and Niko Leandros make a living. But years ago—before they became a force to be reckoned with—the brothers were almost victims of a very human serial killer.

Almost.

Unfortunately for them, that particular depraved killer was working as apprentice to a creature far more malevolent—the legendary Spring-heeled Jack. He’s just hit town. He hasn’t forgotten what the Leandros brothers did to his murderous protégé. He hasn’t forgotten what they owe him.

And now they are going to pay… and pay… and pay...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, Book #8

Monthly Reads - February 2013

Woohoo, you gotta love scheduled post! Can't believe that I have at least one! :) Yay!  Since I'm writing this before I leave for Punta Cana, it means that the mini-reviews are pretty rushed. However, I think they reflect my opinions of the books, just not as polished as I'd like. Now, I need to catch up on the other months!

Enjoy!


1) The Runaway Princess by Hester Browne: B

2) Heist Society by Ally Carter: B

3) Sweet Deception by Heather Snow: D

I wasn't in the greatest mood when I read Sweet Deception, but despite everything, I feel the book was really so-so. Emma was an interesting character and Derick had an interesting background, so there was potential to Sweet Deception, but the execution left a lot to desire. I liked Emma's math mind and that she was up her "expressions" - that was endearing. At the end though, I feel there was just too much that was told instead of being shown and that was the downfall. I also feel the author could have developed the hero's story a bit more. I feel that at the end of the day, I still didn't know about him except for his anger at his parentage. Plus, the ending was a bit unbelievable and we didn't really know the villain's motives - why and what he did with the money. Oh, the "can't help themselves" romance and big misunderstanding were the nails in the coffin. Just so used :(

4) One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean: C-

I think this one might have gotten a higher grade if I had been in a better mood. However, it is what it is. The beginning of One Good Earl Deserves a Lover was very strong in my opinion. I just enjoyed the dialogues, the exchanges and how Pippa left people speechless LOL. However, once Cross decides to succumb, I kind of lost interest in the storyline. The hero has not been with a woman for six years, so why Pippa? Yes, he was attracted to her, but what was it about her? Is everyone so weak that they can't control their urges? Is it weird that I want reasons for when they behave differently? Aside from the romance, I'm pretty sure there was an intrigue, but quite frankly, I can't remember it ^_^; The only thing that stands out in my mind still is that Pippa was outraged when she found out Cross' true identity... and I can't help but wonder why. She said she did her research and I doubt that it was such a big secret. So she's not very good at it? Also, can Cross really just walk back and claim his title? Meh.

5) How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox: C

Ms Knox is quickly becoming a favorite author on blogland, but for me, she's more hit and miss. I picked up How to Misbehave because everyone raved about it and it left me a bit lukewarm. Yes, it was hot and sexy, but the timeline just didn't work for me. I'm so tired of hook-ups and that's essentially what this story was about. The hero and heroine have been eyeing each other, attracted. Then, suddenly, they are thrown together because of bad weather, can't resist and have sex. The hero is not into commitment so walks away, the heroine is heart-broken and eat ice cream. However, the hero cannot live without her and therefore, returns and boom, let's be together. Meh. Also, there was a lot of sad stories and sequel baiting. Perhaps if it hadn't been in a novella format, it would have worked better for me. 

6) Always the Best Man by Fiona Harper: C

I was looking for a opposites attract story with my favorite theme, the stuffy shirt hero and happy-go-lucky heroine, and found it with Always the Best Man. Unfortunately, the storyline didn't hit the right not for me, mainly because it was just no fun. The reason I enjoy the stuffy shirt hero and the happy-go-lucky heroine so much is seeing how the heroine thaws out the hero, how perplex he often is in front of the heroine... and that just didn't happen in Always the Best Man. In fact, both the hero and heroine had a lot of baggage in this book and the heroine wasn't as happy-go-lucky as I thought, she just hid behind an acerbic sense of humor. Also, she wasn't as confident as I'd hope. As for the hero, he was more likable, but only because he realized at the end that his thinking was flawed. He'd put his best friend's wife as the ideal woman and figured out he was wrong. Since the title was Always the Best Man, I wished we've read a bit more of him as a best man LOL. Otherwise, I feel they lacked a bit of chemistry and wished they had worked a bit more on their issues. As such, it makes it a bit unbelievable for me that the hero would propose at the end and that the heroine would accept. Overall, not a bad book, but not impressed either.

7) Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O'Keefe: B+

8) Hip Check by Deirdre Martin: C-

I don't know what took over me to read two hockey romances one after the other, especially since I'm not a fan of hockey ^_^; However, that's what happened and given that the premises were similar to a certain point, i.e. the hockey player hero getting guardianship of his niece, well I can't help but to compare the two books... and unfortunately, Hip Check was lacking in comparison. 

Mainly, I thought it was hard to like the hero, Esa Saari. I can understand resenting getting guardianship of his niece because he has to change his lifestyle, but he's the adult here. At one point, he needs to suck it up and just be there for his new charge, because the kid is what matters. And I don't want him to start making efforts, to change simply to please the hot nanny. I want it to come from his heart and I found that honesty missing in Hip Check. The heroine was a bit more likable. I liked that she chose to become a nanny and that she enjoyed her job, that's what she wanted to do and she was good at it. I liked Maddy's relationship with her charge. It's just too bad she let her father and brother walk over her.

Also, the romance in this one was so-so. I think the sudden attraction between Esa and Maddy was awkward, it needed a little bit more build-up. For me, it seemed that Esa suddenly realized his teammates found Maddy attractive and he decided they couldn't have her. Also, the pacing of the book with the fast-foward in timeline just didn't help the romance.

9) The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie: B-

10) The Best Intentions by Candice Hern: B-

11) Pivot Point by Kasie West: A

12) Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb: B

***

Balance
Books bought: +6
Books read: -12
TBR pile: -6


Genres
Category Romance - 1
        -->(Contemporary - 1)
Contemporary Romance - 3
Historical Romance - 4
        -->(Regency - 4)
Romantic Suspense/Mystery - 1
Young Adult - 2
Fiction - 1

***

It doesn't look like so from the grades and number of reads, but I felt February was a hard month for me. Just because there was a period where I didn't really enjoy what I was reading :(  Luckily, the end of the month was so much better! I have to say, i don't remember much of my February month, but given how my reading year is going, I'm happy with 12 books :)

What about you? How was February?

Happy Birthday Tracy!

Hi everyone :)

Today is my birthday, but I share it with a wonderful lady, Tracy :)

Best wishes for your birthday, Tracy. 

Hope you have a wonderful day

and

may the best happens to us!

Hip, hip, hooray!

What books to bring on vacation?

So I think the title of this post says it all LOL. I'm leaving on Saturday and I'm thinking what books should I bring with me. I have no idea how much time I'll have to read, but I figure a lot since there's not much visiting to do. Here are some books that I know that I'm bringing already.

The new releases:

The re-reads:

The comfort reads:

 

The TBR pile:

What do you think? What should I add?

Hauling Sunday CX

Oh, my poor neglected blog!! I've been meaning to blog, I swear, but life has been really hectic in the last few days. Basically, it's because I'm going to a wedding next week. Except my friend wanted a destination wedding and as such, I'm leaving on Saturday for a week to Punta Cana! Yay! It's going to be my first all-inclusive, resort vacation. Not sure what to expect, but just the work "vacation" makes me happy LOL. However, before I can enjoy the vacation, there is the departure and as usual, I'm running around like crazy to get some stuff: swim suits, bag, medicine, hat, etc. If that was all, it wouldn't be so bad... but this Friday is my birthday :) Usually, I'd keep it low-key... but I'm turning 30 :P It's a nice number to celebrate I think LOL. And so that's what I did last week-end :)

 
We had pork tenderloin with mac and cheese, some smoke salmon tartar, spinach salad with strawberries and feta cheese and shrimps wrapped in bacon. The food was extremely yummy and luckily for all of us, I wasn't the one cooking LOL. However, I helped and since I was hosting, I cleaned... and so my week-end passed really fast! Seriously, I've barely had time to read :(

Tonight, I'm going out with my new friends for curling and tomorrow, we're taking out my friend's aunts who came from Hong Kong for the wedding. When I went to Hong Kong in 2000 (jeez, I cannot believe it's been so long!!), they welcomed us into their home and so, this is a thank you in Montreal :) And on Friday, apparently, I need to beautify my legs and feet for the beach. In the meantime, I need to pack and I'll definitively try to write a couple of posts for next week.

In the meantime, I have a New Releases post with Ames over at Breezing Through. Check out what books I'm looking forward to in May here :) And while I know we're not Sunday, I thought I'd still show you what I've got last week and this week :)

I've actually already read Written in Red by Anne Bishop, but I loved it so much that I needed to get the hardcover :) Loki's Wolves is totally a score, considering that it's coming out only next week! No Strings Attached - I'm trying very hard to be a good girl and keep it for next week while in Punta Cana. It just seemed to be the perfect beach read! The Mary Balogh is also coming with me because I need to find out why Ames enjoyed it so much :) And  I'm currently reading Lord of Wicked Intentions :P

So what books did you recently acquire? Any suggestions of what I should bring with me?