Re-Read: Stealing Shadows by Kay Hooper

Guess what?!? There is no Hauling Sunday post this week, because... I didn't buy books!! Woohoo! Surprised? LOL, I am. This is due partly because it was so busy and hectic as I mentioned in my other post, but also because there was no new releases. However, do not worry, everything will go back to normal this week and there will definitively be a post next week :) Proof? I got 4 books today LOL.

Since I don't have a Hauling Sunday post today, I'd continue catching up on the posts for 2010 that I've been wanting to do. So today, I'm wrapping up the Re-Read Challenge :) I'm concluding this challenge with a book from one of my favorite authors, Kay Hooper.


Stealing Shadows by Kay Hooper
published by Bantam Books in September 2000

What if you can enter a madman's cruel mind as he plans his vicious crimes? What if you can see the terrified face of his prey as he moves in for the kill-but you can't stop his frenzy once he strikes?

Psychic Cassie Neill helps the L.A. police catch killers-until she makes a terrible mistake and an innocent child dies. Cassie flees to a small North Carolina town, hoping that a quiet life will silence the voices that invade her unwilling mind. But Cassie's abilities know few boundaries. And she's become certain-as no one else can be-that a murderer is stalking Ryan's Bluff.

It's his fury that Cassie senses first, then his foul thoughts and perverse excitement. Yet she doesn't know who he is or where he will strike. The sheriff won't even listen to her-until the first body is found exactly where and how she predicted. Now a suspect herself, she races desperately to unmask the killer in the only way she knows: by entering his twisted mind. Her every step is loaded with fear and uncertainty...because if he senses her within him, he'll trap her there, so deep she'll never find her way out.

In Stealing Shadows, Kay Hooper introduces FBI agent Noah Bishop, whose rare gift for seeing what others do not helps him solve the most puzzling cases. Now, Bishop's adventures continue in two new electrifying tales of psychic suspense.

Beware of what you see. It's dawn when the police arrive at the murder scene. The victim is propped against a tree, her eyes still open, her head tilted, her lips parted in a silent cry. Just as Cassie Neill predicted. Just as she saw while she was inside the killer's mind. The killer knew she was there. And next time he won't let her get away.

Genre: Romantic suspense, psychic
Series: FBI SCU series, Book #1

The Story: Cassie Neill is a psychic with the uncanny ability of entering the minds of twisted monsters and seeing through their eyes. As a result, she has spent most of her life helping the police putting those monsters behind bars. However, her gift - or more accurately, her curse - only gives her an edge and is not a certainty. A wrong interpretation can lead to a tragic end; and when a little girl dies, Cassie knows she's reached her limits and can no longer continue. She retreats to Ryan's Bluff where she's inherited a house from her estranged aunt.

The last thing she expects in this small and peaceful town is to connect with the mind of a killer, but that's exactly what happens. With no big surprise, the sheriff refuses to believe her and Cassie cannot remain on the sideline. She decides to reach out for the judge, Ben Ryan, in the hope he can sway the sheriff.

As women are murdered, Ben and the sheriff quickly realize that Cassie might be their only way to stop the killer. However, Cassie is not certain she can go this once again... and Ben finds himself unwilling to let Cassie risks herself. Especially when the case is more complicated than they believed it was and connected to Cassie...

My Opinion: I discovered Ms Hooper FBI SCU series back in 2004 and simply fell in love with it. It was in-between two classes and I was at the bookstore, flipping through some books and I picked up Whisper of Evil. I started reading it and after a couple of chapters, I knew. I knew that I would love Ms Hooper and that these books were for me. So put back Whisper of Evil and set on a mission: go to every UBS in downtown Montreal to find Ms Hooper FBI SCU series books. After that, I came back to the bookstore and bought the ones that were missing :) Like I said, I just knew... and I was right :)

Stealing Shadows is the first book of the series I really enjoyed it, although it wasn't my favorite and I haven't re-read it in a couple of years... which is why I picked it up back in December. I was in a mini-slump and felt like reading a Kay Hooper and thought, why not Stealing Shadows? Sometimes, it's good a few years have passed, because you don't remember everything about the story and can go "Ohhh, right" and that's what happened :)

Overall, I really enjoyed re-reading Stealing Shadows. I pretty much like everything about it - the characters, the romance and the suspense. Cassie is very strong and independent. She might not be someone you get chummy with, but it's definitively someone you admire. It also seemed to me that she was finally living... For too long, she's focused on helping with her gifts and I can't imagine the pressure it was, the horrors she's seen... and thus, seeing her meeting Ben, falling and love and getting her HEA ending, it was great. As for Ben, he was really solid, exactly what Cassie needed. I liked that he was persistent in his pursuing of Cassie, that he did not give up and his protective side of Cassie. I have to say though, I would have liked to know Ben a little bit better, to have him a bit more fleshed out... However, I don't think it detracted too much from the book.

I would categorize Ms Hooper's Shadows trilogy as romantic suspense as opposed to her Fear and Blood trilogies being more mystery/thriller instead. That being said, the romance is on the light side. Still, I was satisfied with it. Cassie and Ben get to know each other, understand each other and build a relationship. Yes, the timeline was a bit fast, but the romance well written :) As for the suspense, I think that's what Ms Hooper does best. It was really suspenseful and complex. I think that the psychic element also allows Ms Hooper to flex the boundaries a little bit. At the same time though, it's not evident. What I mean is that because of the psychic element, not everything is explainable. For example, not everything is A --> B, sometimes, it's A --> C... and you perhaps have to suspend disbelief, so it probably doesn't work for everyone, but it does for me :) All in all, I think Ms Hooper did good balancing everything in this book :)

One of the thing I also like about this book is Noah Bishop's appearance. Noah Bishop is the pivotal character in the FBI SCU series, because he's the one who put together the SCU - Special Crime Unit. What I never caught on my first reading of Stealing Shadows though is that Cassie and Noah are cousins!! I only found that out later, on Ms Hooper's website, and after re-reading the book, I could pick up the clues. I thought that was really cool LOL.

Another thing that I really like about Stealing Shadows is that it might be the first book in this series, but it doesn't throw you in the SCU right away. Instead, it's like a preface book. It shows you a bit why Bishop wants to build the SCU, the motivation behind it and the usefulness of such an unit. I think it was a brilliant way to open the series really. Usually, in the first book, the unit would already be put together and running. You'd be introduced to all those characters and there'd be a lot of explaining about the unit, it's purpose, etc. This way, we get to experience it and I like that :)

Finally, the reason why I like the FBI SCU series and why it stands out the most for me is the way Ms Hooper has incorporated the psychic element into the suspense/mystery. The approach she's taken to explain psychic abilities is scientific and her characters are no-nonsense about it. Also, most importantly is that the characters have come to terms with their abilities and have learned to live with them... and her characters are stronger for it :) Some of them do have a vulnerable side to them, but it's not the fragility that you usually associate with psychics. Put it all together and that is why it matches with the suspense so well. Instead of the psychic abilities being mystic and something elusive, it's scientific, cold and solid and suits the FBI :)

My Grade: B. What's really hard with re-reads of romantic suspense and mystery/thriller books is that knowing who's done it takes out of the intensity... and Stealing Shadows is not an exception. However, I still truly really love this book :) Perhaps it's more sentimental than logical, but isn't that the way with books? :)

TBR Day: Where Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas

It seems that I have become an nocturnal blogger, since I no longer have time to blog during the day. Hmm, that means I'll definitively have to re-adjust.

Today is the last TBR challenge of the year. I did okay this year I think, missing two challenges if I remember correctly :( Hopefully, I'll do better next year because I do plan on continuing this challenge :D

Anyway, I guess I should start writing the review... if I want the review to go up before the day is over! :) This month, I read a real TBR pile book LOL. One that has been written a number of years ago and which has been in my TBR pile for a while :) Actually, I don't even remember when I bought this book, so it has to be 2 or 3 years :)

Where Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas
published by Avon in July 2000

Zachary Bronson has built an empire of wealth and power - now he needed a wife to help secure his position in society... and warm his bed in private. But not just any woman will do for a man whom all of London knows is not a gentleman. Then he unexpectedly swept Lady Holly Taylor into his arms for an unasked for - but very alluring - kiss, and suddenly he knew he had found a woman whose fierce passions matched his own.

Lady Holly Taylor was beautiful, generous, and, as a widow, destined to spend her life playing by society's rules, even when they went against her bolder instincts. But Zachary's kiss had aroused her, and though the shocking offer he made didn't include marriage, she was compelled to risk everything and follow him to the place where dreams begin.

Genre: historical romance
Series: none

The Story: Hmmm, the blurb is close, but not entirely correct... so let me attempt to write my own summary. Lady Holland Taylor had a very good marriage and relationship with her husband, before he succumbed to typhoid fever three years ago. She is now coming out of mourning and is attending a ball for the first time... during which she is mistaken for another lady and passionately kissed by Zachary Bronson.

Zachary has built himself a fortune and become a very influential man. However, he wants to take it farther and be accepted by the ton. All he needs is a little polish for himself, his mother and his sister. As such, he offers the position to Lady Holly Taylor, because her reputation and station is above reproach and because he wants her. At first, Holly refuses the offer, because a lady of her station should not work, but to work for Zachary would ruin her reputation entirely... but the amount of money Zachary is offering is very enticing... especially since the death of her husband, she's been living with his family and their charity. Although they treat her very well, she wants better for her little daughter, Rose. So she accepts... but close proximity to Zachary might make her forget all about her reputation.

My Opinion: I picked up Where Dreams Begin because Taja has recently reviewed it for the re-read challenge. I was actually surprised to find it in my TBR pile... totally didn't remember buying it ^_^;

I'm glad I read the book; however, this was not my favorite Lisa Kleypas book. Overall, I thought it was just okay. There were a lot of good things actually in the story... such as Holly having a good marriage with her husband. She was happy, she loved him and was satisfied (to a certain point). I also liked the timeline, i.e. that Ms Kleypas took her time building the relationship and attraction between Holly and Zach. I think that the book spans a period of 4 to 6 months. Plus, I felt Ms Kleypas really did her research - when Holly was teaching proper behavior, I learned a lot. The little details were very interesting... This is something I feel a lot of historical romance books are missing lately. The stories take place in the regency period, but the characters don't act the time period. The characters were also all quite lovable... even Zach, despite his whoring to quench his desire for Holly (it helped that it was only mentioned and not describe).

My issue though with this book is that I felt it fell a little flat. I didn't really connect with Holly and I don't think that Zach and Holly had much chemistry. They had very different personalities and while they tried to get to know each other better, I don't think they really succeed. Where Dreams Begin just didn't grab me emotionally. The only character I felt attachment for was Rose, because she was so cute. The book was well-written and pleasant, but something was missing. Perhaps a bit more action since the characters were quite passive and very internal.

A few things I'd like to add... I did like the secondary romance, although it was very minor. It had been fun to see more of it. I did like the fact that Zachary had a mother and how uncomfortable she was with her new status. I think that made the book more realistic. I didn't care about the addition of the duke as a third party. He was totally superfluous. Holly had enough on her hands, adding the duke and a promise to her dead husband... meh. Also, I didn't see why the duke agreed to the promise. Finally, I really would have liked it more if Holly had to grovel a bit more. Do women grovel? When she got cold feet, Zach specifically told her he didn't give anyone second chances... but then, she came back and they had sex and they got married. Meh.

My Grade: C. Like I said, Where Dreams Begin was not a bad book... but it did fail grabbing my interest.

Review: The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

I rarely read Young Adult books. I don't really know why... I guess it's harder to believe in the HEA ending when the characters are so young. From time to time though, I will pick up one because of a recommendation. That's what happened with The Thief. I first heard of The Thief on Jennie's blog (here) and it stuck in my mind. Partly because it was fantasy (it kind of reminded me a bit of the Poison Study premises... just a wee bit :P). Then, for March, the bookstore's special was 20% off on YA books, so I picked it up along with the two sequels, Queen of Attolia and King of Attolia.

Here is my review of the series. Few warnings though. First, beware, there will be spoilers. I will try to write the review of The Thief without any, but for the rest, I really can't go into any details without spoiling ^_^; Also, when I read the series, I did something very bad ^_^; I started reading The Thief, but got curious. I thought King of Attolia was the last book, so I read the end - just to see what happened. Of course, I've already read spoilers over at Dear Author, so... One thing led to the other and I finished King of Attolia... Then, I went back to read Queen of Attolia and finally, The Thief. So yeah, I didn't read it in order. Oups. So perhaps my view of the books is a bit different than what it should be... Still the series is excellent :)

Also, before going onto the review, I'd like to discuss a bit the world setting of the series. This series is fantasy and it sets in a world from the author's imagination. The world is heavily influenced by Greece, but is not exactly a Greek setting. The time period is also very difficult to pin-point, since there are guns, but soldiers seem to use their sword more. Overall, it's a very interesting and appealing world. I like the feel I get from it... It's very "ancient" period time, what with the three countries and their queens and kings and trying to take over each other, gain control over each other, but with a touch of modernity. All in all, I like the setting very much, but wished there was a map included that would allow the readers a better visualization.


The Thief
published by Hapercollins in October 1997

"I can steal anything."

After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task - to steal a hidden treasure from another land.

To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.

Genre: fantasy
Series: Queen's Thief, book #1

The Story: Gen is a thief who bragged that he could steal anything. After stealing the King of Sounis's seal, he ended up in prison. He is released by the Magus, because the King's advisor needs Gen's skills as a thief to steal the Hamiathe's Gift, a legendary stone that will ensure an alliance between the countries of Sounis and Eddis if it is successfully obtained. Thus, Gen embarks on a long journey with the Magus, his two students (the Elder Useless and the Younger Useless LOL) and Pol, their bodyguard. Their journey will lead them to Attolia, another powerful country which is ruled by a ruthless queen.

My Opinion: This was a great read :) The whole story is narrated by Gen and it was very enjoyable :) Gen is indeed a trickster and a thief, but he's also very smart and skilled. I know some readers didn't enjoy his character so much, because they thought he was selfish... However, I felt his character really fit his personality and the storyline. Gen is petulant :) He is very clever, kind and loyal. He does have a smart mouth that he sometimes should shut, but that's all part of his personality :) All in all, he's a very interesting and intriguing character. You do realize that there is more to him than meet the eye and you want to know what he is hiding :) I liked the other characters as well and I thought they were well developed. I liked the Magus. He is the king advisor and has the good of his country in his mind. Quite a clever person, but he still got outwitted by Gen :P

The storyline is quite interesting, but what really makes the book is the ending. The last quarter of the book had me sit on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen and if Gen, the Magus and the Younger Useless (also known as Sophos) would survive. And what about the revelation at the end? Oh my god, genius!!! I really didn't expect it and then, when you go back, you realized that the author has been dropping a clue here and there :)

As a whole, the book is even better because of Ms Turner's writing style. It's simple, but not simplistic... It's definitively not dumbed-down because it's for kids. It flows well and the pace is good :) If you're looking for a good fantasy, be sure to pick up The Thief.

Grade: B+.


*** Spoilers start here, beware***

Queen of Attolia
published by Harpercollins in April 2000

When his small mountainous country goes to war with the powerful nation of Attolia, Eugenides the thief is faced with his greatest challenge. He must steal a man, he must steal a queen, and he must steal peace.

But his greatest triumph - as well as his greatest loss - can only come if he succeeds in capturing something the Queen of Attolia may have sacrificed long ago.

Genre: fantasy
Series: Queen's Thief, book #2

The Story: So at the end of The Thief, we discover that Gen is actually Eugenides and is the Queen of Eddis's cousin as well as the queen's thief, kind of her right-hand man with lots of freedom. He can infiltrate Sounis and Attolia, the two neighboring countries, without being captured and as a result, is a dangerous man. In The Thief, Eugenides was able to successfully steal the Hamiathe's Gift no once, but twice - the first time from Attolia and the second, from the Magus of Sounis. As a result, he had secured the throne of his Queen, Eddis, and avoided a political marriage between Eddis and Sounis. However, in the process, he had made some enemy, namely the Queen of Attolia...

The story of Queen of Attolia starts with the queen of Attolia capturing Eugenides in her palace. To weaken Eddis' influence, she punishes Eugenides by cutting his right hand off and sending him back to Eddis. Fortunately, Eugenides survives, but the Queen is livid and declares war to Attolia. Sounis stands as a bystander, but will not for long. In addition, there is a Mede ambassador in the court of Attolia who seems to be getting cozy with the Queen and everyone fears an alliance between the Mede and Attolia... if it happens, then Eddis, Attolia and Sounis independence will be lost and their countries will not longer exist...

My Opinion: A great sequel to The Thief. What I particularly like in this book is that it was written in the third-person POV, so we get to see what everyone is thinking. I think it was a wise decision :)

Some will say that the book started off slowly - Eugenides lost his hand and has to recover, both physically and mentally. However, it makes sense. You don't rebound from having your hand cut so easily. I think that the author handled that part very well and was able to inject a bit of humor through Eugenides retorts. We also see Eugenides maturing in those pages and trying to build himself a new life. Then, when he realized that a war has started because of him, he snaps out of it and tries to find ways to resolve the problem. You can't help but admire Gen's mental strength.

I really enjoyed the relationships between all the characters and how they connect and the ambiguity. For example, Eugenides and the Magus are friends; however, the Magus can't deny that Eugenides is a dangerous man - he could easily assisinate the King of Sounis. On the other hand, the Magus is the advisor of Sounis and he keeps pushing for a marriage between the two countries that Eugenides does not want to see happen. Still the two men are friends.

The most interesting of course in this book is the romance that develops - rather quickly - between Eugenides and the queen of Attolia. From the beginning of the book, you know that these two characters are connected. However, I have to admit that it took me by surprise... and of course, Eugenides profession of love to Attolia completely took her by surprise. Can she trust him? Does he really love her or is it a ploy to become King? All those questions swirling.

Ms Turner is a great story-teller and she takes it a step deeper this time and gives us a heavy dose of politics, but that's what makes the whole book interesting.

My Grade: B/B+. I enjoyed Queen of Attolia very much, but I still prefer The Thief because of its great ending. However, it was still a great read and I love Eugenides! :)


King of Attolia
published by Harpercollins in January 2006

Standing alone in the doorway was the king. The ruler, anointed by priests and priestesses, of all the lands of Attolia, the official father of the people, the lord of the barons who'd one by one sworn him their oaths of obedience, the undisputed, uncontested, and absolute sovereign of the land. The swollen discoloration by his mouth closely matched the elaborated purple embroidery on his collar.

"Most people in your circumstances would kneel," said the king, and Costis, who had been staring transfixed, belatedly dropped to his knees.

Genre: Fantasy
Series: Queen's Thief, book #3

The Story: After the events in Queen of Attolia, Eugenides and the Queen of Attolia have married... and Eugenides has become King of Attolia. However, he is reluctant to assume the role. After all, he never wanted to be King, he only wanted to be with the Queen.

Unfortunately, the court does not know and understand Eugenides. They only see this younger, shorter man (than then queen) who had his hand cut by their queen. For them, this marriage is a farce, a fine revenge by Eddis to humiliate Attolia. As a result, nobody takes Eugenides seriously and his attendents "bully" him by playing some nasty tricks on him - sands in his food, food that he cannot eat because he does not have both his hands, stained clothes, etc.

However, we the readers know better. Eugenides is nobody's fool... he's a dangerous man, even with only a hand.

Costis is part of the royal guard and, well unfortunately for him, punched the King in the face. Instead of being exiled or executed, he becomes Eugenides' personal bodyguard. A difficult task, since he can't stand the man... However, bits by bits, Costis discovers the real man...

My Opinion: Definitively my favorite book of the series!! King of Attolia is simply great! Excellent! I loved it!! LOL! The court is full of fools, LOL, that's all I can say :)

The book is still written from a third-person POV and in this one, Costis is the principal narrator which was a very good idea. We get to see how the Attolians perceived the King which really does not fit our memories of Eugenides and we see the lightbulb going on in Costis mind :)

I loved the court intrigues in this book, the plots against the King and the Queen, and how Eugenides fooled everyone. It is soooo like him :) I'm also happy for Eugenides because he and his queen are happy together... and I love seeing a more adult Eugenides... although he still simpers and preens LOL :)

The second half of the book was excellent... from the attempted murder, to the fall of the House of Erondites to the fight at the end through which Costis forced the King to reveal himself :)

My Grade: A. Excellent storyline, excellent writing, excellent characters :) Just read it!

There you have it. One of the best series I've read so far in the year. Seriously, 2009 is shaping up great!! I love Ms Turner writing style in the series... I've noticed also that she doesn't bother too much with background information. For example, we know that Eugenides has siblings, but we're never introduced to them or even given a number. Also, the author limited the number of names... For example, we only know Eugenides' father as the minister of war... the Magus is still the Magus throughout the series. I find it special and refreshing. The author also doesn't waste time summarizing all the events that have happened in the past books, she jumps straight in the storyline. We're not given ages... These are all details that in other books, I'd probably want to know, but in this series, it doesn't matter. Also, don't you think the covers are gorgeous?!?! I love them sooo much!! And luckily for us, apparently, the series is not over yet... Yay!!! and the 4th installment of the series should be out next year. Oh, I wish so!

Review: Shadows at Sunset by Anne Stuart

So, here is another review! I have to say that the romantico-blogosphere has been very quiet today, so I'll try to make things livelier with a review :D

Shadows at Sunset by Anne Stuart: 3.5/5
published in August 2000 by Mira (Harlequin)

La Casa de Sombre is a well-known mansion in Los Angeles, featured on many scandal tours, and is haunted by the ghosts of the murder-suicide tragedy. In the 60's, the mansion became the hang-out place for hippies and now, it is the home of Jilly Meyer and her two older siblings. Very young, Jilly has figured out that their father didn't get a damn about her and her brother; he only cared about their older sister Rachel-Ann, and perhaps beyond fatherly love. Thus, she has become their protector and caretaker. As a result, when her brother is kicked out from the company, Jilly goes and confront her father, Jackson Meyer. However, Coltrane, Meyer's new right-hand man, is sent to deal with her.

Coltrane is a cold, calculative and manipulative man. He came to work for Meyer to figure out how his mother was killed and is sure that Meyer is involved. Thus, to get to Meyer, he figures that he could use/seduce Rachel-Ann as she's the weak link. Despite his plans, the woman he is attracted to is Jilly. As for Jilly, she really doesn't want to have anything to do with Meyer's man, but Coltrane is persistant and just insinuates himself in her life...

Series: none
Genre: contemporary, romantic suspense

Review: The book was okay; however, there's something that won't allow me to immerse myself completely in the story. I don't know if it's the story, the writing or the language. It's cold and you can't really root for the characters in my opinion.

Characters - I'd say Jilly is emotionally dependant. She needs to take care of someone or something to work well. She's usually too busy to think about herself and be selfish. She's the type of heroine that's strong and tough on the outside, but not so on the inside. As for Coltrane, well cold and indifferent and a bastard. There's very little to sympathize with both characters... they do sound real though...

Story & Writing - The story was good, but perhaps the paranormal side (ghost) might have bit a bit superfluous. As for the writing, well there's nothing to say... Anne Stuart didn't reach her status with bad writing. So I guess it's really the characters that prevent me from enjoying 100% the book.

The Cover - I actually like the cover a lot. No characters, just the house and I like the colors.

Am I keeping the book? For now yes... Later, I can't guarantee.

Anything else? I've heard a lot about Anne Stuart on the blogosphere and so, I wanted to give her a try. She writes both contemporary and historicals and although she's better known for her historicals, I opted for contemporary because it's more my style. However, perhaps I should give her historicals a try...

Almost the big day...

Hey everyone,

I really should be practicing my presentation, but my mind is numbed with stress... so I'll try to relax it with this review (I would start to read, but then, I'll never practice and going to sleep is unfortunately, not an option either)... So this is the book I read yesterday night and I really enjoyed it :D and it made me cry... I think that I needed to cry.

The Return by Dinah McCall (Sharon Sala): 4.25/5

I can't do a coherent synopsis, so here are the main facts that I would put in my summary if I write one:

- the Blairs and Joslins families have hated each other for years. Not ordinary hatred, a hatred so profound that they find ways for the other family members to have "accident"
- Fancy Joslin and Turner Blair fell in love when they were kids. When Fancy got pregnant, they married in secret and planned to run away and start a new life.
- Few hours after Fancy gave birth to Catherine, she entrusted her baby to the witch (Annie Fane) and then died, killed by dogs. Tragedy ensued and the three Blair sons are murdered, and another disappears. The only survivor is paralyzed by a stroke.
- Annie Fane runs away with Catherine and raises her.
- 25 years later, Catherine comes back to Camerune to bury Annie and faces the suspicions and supertitions of a whole town. Only Sheriff Luke DePriest is one her side.

All right, so where to start. Seriously, the beginning was so tragic that I couldn't help and cried. I don't want to give it away, but it's really poignant and touching. I liked both Luke and Catherine and I enjoyed how their relationship happened. Both characters are strong and good and everything, but Sharon Sala doesn't overdo it. You know how sometimes, a book has strong characters which override the story/plot... well here, it's really not the case. There is a great balance between characters and story...

Ok, seems my review isn't that great... All I can say is that I've always liked Sharon Sala's books and this is no exception. So if you like her style, don't miss this one. I guess what I like about her books it's that, the romance is subtle and there's always something happening. It's really not characters-driven and you know, it's plausible and no attempt to be extremely funny and so on.

Reads of the week-end

Hey everyone :D

So is everyone alive? It's been real quiet on blogland this week-end, but I guess that's because everyone's personal life is catching up + Thanksgiving. However, I do hope it comes back to normal soon. Oh and I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving :D and for non-US folks, I hope you had a nice week-end!

So guess what? Yeah, I finished my presentation! well at least the slides... now, I have to figure out what to say... and stupid as I am, I just realized that my results were the opposite of what I was expecting. Euh, really not fun!!! Anyway, I'm pretty proud of myself for the slides (I did very little powerpoint presentation)... So today, I have a practice... okay, that's not going to go well... The worst thing now is that my shoulders hurt as if there's a huge weight that sat on them, plus I'm always sighing... Another sign that I'm stressed. It's as if I need more air in my lungs and when I exhaled, it comes out as a sigh. Annoys my mom a lot :P Anyway, my torture is almost done! almost! Can't wait for it!

So, having to do my presentation didn't stop me from reading... Far from it. I finished two books over this week-end and here are the reviews:

Stuck in Shangri-La by Kasey Micheals: 3.5/5

Darcy Reed was once engaged to Cameron Pierce; however, all this is over. At least, that's what Darcy thinks... Until her uncle Horry dies. In his will, Horry leaves everything to Lucky, the 20 pounds bad-tempered cat that Darcy has given him 3 years ago, and stipulates that Darcy and Cameron have to co-habit in Shangri-La, his huge Victorian house, for a month if Darcy is to inherit the house or else, everything will be left to Uncle Edwin (who's never been part of the family). Of course, not everyone is happy, esp. Lily, Horry long-time housekeeper.

Okay, another synopsis that doesn't make sense. I think it's because my brain is tired. Basically, here is the break-down: Darcy is 26 y.o. and Cameron is 34. Cameron is ready to settle down and thought that Darcy wanted the same; however, Darcy just graduated from school and she wants to discover herself, see if she can do it on her own and stuff like that. So during an argument, Darcy blurts out that she has a 5 years career plans and only after that, will she settle down to have kids. This lead to an even bigger argument and when the next day, Darcy comes too Cameron's office to apologize, she sees him kissing his ex-gf. Of course, she blows up thing, break the engagement and moves to Pittsburg for her new job. Cameron wants to go after her, but Uncle Horry tells him to wait, that she needs space. Horry is an eccentric man and he changed his will as part of a plan to bring back Cameron and Darcy together... unfortunately, he never expected to really die. So now, he "haunts" his house and keeps Lucky company and see how all this mess is turning out.

So, so, so. Let's start with: I liked Cameron and I really wish I could meet a guy like him :P He really loves Darcy and he's making efforts to get to know her (because in Darcy's opinion, he doesn't) and he was going to make even more efforts to have a long-distance relationship once Darcy went back to Pittsburg and wait for her to be ready to settle-down. I mean, the guy is almost the dream guy... Okay, he does assume a lot of things and he's a guy, but if she talked to him instead of arguing, always jumping and taking everything as a criticism, I'm sure Darcy and Cameron could have work out something. Which brings me to Darcy. She's not bad, but she's annoying. She accuses Cameron of not listening, but she's not doing any efforts either. She says that she doesn't know herself and she needs to discover who she is... but in that case, how can you blame the guy for not knowing you? Also, I'm sure that she could have figured it out while still being engaged to Cameron. Man, I mean, they had a comfortable relationship. Anyway... I liked Uncle Horry and Lucky, Lucky was so damn sarcastic that it was funneh :D I gues this was meant to be a light comedy as the secondary characters are really exaggerated. Anyway, the story wasn't bad overall, but because I found the conflict avoidable and Darcy annoying, it did damper a bit the enjoyment. I also thought that some things were left unexplained: why was Cameron kissing his ex? Why did Uncle Horry not leave his house ever? Little details... So not a bad book, but Everything's coming up Rosie was better.

The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop: 4/5

Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord that has become a pleasure slave. Because he has killed the Queen he was servicing, he is now sentenced to the salt mines where he will suffer and suffer and suffer. However, for some unfathomable reasons, the Gray Lady (who everyone fears) has bought him at the slave auction saving him from the salt mines... But Jared is afraid, because of the rumors he've heard. No slaves that the Gray Lady has bought have ever returned.

At the same time, Dorothea SaDiabolo wants the Gray Lady dead, because she is one of true Queen and standing in Dorothea's way. So she gives this mission to her new Master of Guard with the threat that if this mission isn't successful, he'll suffer a very very sad and bad and painful fate.

Well, well, well. This is not part of the Black Jewels trilogy; however, the story occurs in the same world. Only two characters from the Black Jewels trilogy makes an appearance tho: Dorothea (who cares about her) and Daemon! Youppi! It was kind of cool to see Daemon in this story, because by the way, the story happens before the Black Jewels. So Daemon is real suave and all. The nice thing is that you don't really get to know what Daemon is thinking, but you get to see how others see him. So that was cool. As for the story itself, well Jared and the Gray Lady were nice characters. Strong and all. It had an interesting secondary characters cast as well and I did enjoy the book :P It's in the same vain as the Black Jewels trilogy really. Basically, the Gray Lady is going back to her territory along with the slaves she bought; however, she knows that there is a certain wrongness in the group and so she is making detours and all to figure out what is the wrongness and at the same time, avoid whoever wants her dead. If you liked the Black Jewels trilogy, you'll certainly enjoy this book as well.

The only thing I'm still figuring out is what does The Invisible Ring mean really?


So I'll go back to figure what I'm going to say for my presentation :P See you all later!

Review: The Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop

I really hesitated whether to post this review on my blog or on Twisted Kingdom or both... but in the end, I decided both, mainly because I still can't "edit" posts that were made by others and since we've decided to lump all our reviews of the same book together, well I couldn't do it. Anyway, I know, you guys are not interested with my problems :) what you want is the trilogy's review... well here it is:

Daughter of the Blood: 4/5
Heir to the Shadows: 4.5/5
Queen of the Darkness: 4.5/5
Dreams made Flesh: 4.5/5

Overall series grade: 4.5/5

So where to start... Very brief synopsis of what's happening. In this world where there are witches and warlords, women rule and men serve them. The amount of powers depend on which jewel you are born with and with jewel you possessed after you've made your Offering to Darkness. Your Offering to Darkness will also determine what position you hold: whether you're a Queen (there's many kind), a Priestress or something else. In the land of Terreille however, no Territory Queen (highest Queen position possible) rules. Instead, it is a Priestess, Dorothea, who holds the highest position; however, the males do not rush to serve her as a Queen as she expected... Therefore, her viscious game starts in order to corrupt all the Blood (ppl with jewels I think) and other territories. As she grows powerful, other Queens are fearful and therefore adopt Dorothea's way and become tainted. Then, one day, Tersa, a high-rank witch who should have reigned over Treveille instead of Dorothea if she'd made through her Virgin Night, announces that SHE is coming. The Witch, most powerful being, that will restore peace in every realm and will restore the Blood.

It will take 700 years before the Witch makes her first apparition... as a 7 y.o. girl named Jaenelle Alexandra. Her life will affect many, many ppl, but especially three men: Saetan SaDiabolo (50,000 y.o.), her adopted father, mentor and the High Lord of Hell. Daemon SaDiabolo (1,700 y.o.)who is Saetan and Tersa's son and had been used as a pleasure slave by Dorothea... in a few words, Dorothea has lent him to many Queens to be serviced... he is to be Jaenelle's Consort/mate. Finally, Lucivar Yaslava, also Saetan's son with a Healer, who will be Jaenelle's brother and protector. Lucivar's fate is not very different from Daemon; however, because he's Eyrien (a race of human beings with wings and very hot temper who usually become warrior), he has a hot temper that've hurt many Queens in bed. In the beginning of the trilogy, Daemon and Lucivar know that they are brothers, but do not know who is their father. It turns out that they are Saetan's sons out of wedlock and Saetan's been threatened with their lives and so, Saetan cannot become involved with them.

So slowly, we follow's Jaenelle's growth. She is an exceptional magical being. A normal person will usually be born with a jewel and get another after his/her Offering. There is a selection of jewels, the darker the jewel's color, the more powerful you are. When you do your Offering, you can gain a maximum of 3 jewels power. However, Jaenelle is obviously different. She possesses ALL the jewels + 13 Black Jewels (Black being the most powerful)... With all this power, she is able to psychically travels in different realms, different territories very easily and she befriends many, many ppl: humans, but also beings that were thought to be legend only. Although she yields lots of power, she cannot accomplish the basic Craft such as fetch her own shoes and so her family believes that she has no talent, she is nobody. In addition to that, when Jaenelle talks about her adventures, they think she makes it up to gain attention and that she has too much imagination; basically, that she is mentally unstable. Because she couldn't learn basic Craft at home, Jaenelle goes to Saetan... Saetan welcomes her with open arms as he was predicted that one day, his daughter of the soul would come. So Jaenelle will often slip from her house/home to come to Saetan or visit her friends.... Meanwhile, back at home in Chaillot, her grandmother is the Queen of Chaillot, she is sent to Briarwood... an institution for mentally unbalanced kids... However, the horror that you witness in this institution are unbelievable.

When Jaenelle is 12 y.o., Daemon is sent to Chaillot to service the Queen and her court. This is where Daemon and Jaenelle meet for the first time... Daemon is shocked to learn that the Witch he's been waiting is only 12 y.o.... but he nonetheless falls in love with her. During this span of time, Daemon also discovers that Saetan is his father as well as the reason why Jaenelle still remains in Chaillot instead of going to live with Saetan. Jaenelle has an older sister whom she wants to help give her Offering so her sister will be able to protect herself, before leaving Chaillot forever. However, things do not go according to plan. During her 5 years with Saetan, Jaenelle has attracted Saetan's ex-wife, Hekatah's unwanted attention. All her life, Hekatah has wanted more and more power and she is the influential force behing Dorothea. Thus, Jaenelle presents as a threat to Hekatah that she wants eliminated... As a result, she plans to break Jaenelle's spirit by having her rape in Briarwood. The rape occurs, but it does not destroy Jaenelle because Saetan and Daemon rescue her soul and body in time... However, there is a price and Daemon slowly falls into the Twisted Kingdom where ppl become insane.

Although Saetan and Daemon were able to save Jaenelle, it will take time for her soul to heal and come to her body. Meanwhile, Saetan took care of her body and become her legal guardianship. Daemon tried to save Lucivar who at that time was a slave, but Lucivar thought that Daemon was the one who raped and killed Jaenelle and so gave the last push necessary for Daemon to drown in Twisted Kingdom. Jaenelle finally makes it back to her body, but she does not remember anything of the trauma and has forgotten Daemon. Slowly, she becomes once again who she was and reconnect with all her friends from different realms and territories. Dorothea and Hekatah will later figure out that she's still alive and scheme for her downfall once again. Few years later, Jaenelle saves Lucivar and he comes back to SaDiabolo Hall and becomes her protector. Jaenelle is living a peaceful life till the day when the Queens and Dark Council in Terreille start invading lands that they say are "unclaimed" by humans. However, these lands are habitated by kindred animals which are animals born with Jewels and who can contact humans, if they will and if humans are listening, psychically. The Dark Council, which is under the influence of Hekatah, announces that if the lands are really claimed by kindred, then they need a human representative and under her current status, Jaenelle cannot be the representative. Although Jaenelle has power, she never wanted to rule, but she has no choice... She becomes Queen and set her court which is composed of many, many Queens and Warlord Princes who all yield their lands and territories to Jaenelle.

Before becoming the Queen, Jaenelle, through Tersa, remembers Daemon and tries to save him by guiding Daemon back to the real world. Although she is successful, she still needs to wait for him to come back to her one day... This occurs about 5 years after she officially becomes the Queen. Jaenelle might be the Queen of Darkness, Daemon finally returns as her Consort, Saetan is her Stewart, Lucivar is her first Escort and her court is powerful... however, Hekatah and Dorothea are still alive. They might only rule Terreille, but it is still enough to stir trouble. In her dreams, Jaenelle sees that the Blood is going to war against Terreille.... she also sees the consequences: very few of her friends will survive. However, she is pushed to engage in the war as Lucivar and his family, as well as Saetan are kidnapped by Hekatah. Jaenelle needs a way to be able to make the difference between the Bloods and the Bloods who've been tainted by Hekatah and Dorothea... she finally finds a way, but needs time. As a result, Daemon is sent as a decoy to Dorothea's court where he creates illusions that he betrayed Jaenelle, with the promise that when he comes back, when they've won the war, Jaenelle and him will marry. Because of Daemon's past, his stay in Twisted Kingdom and his behavior, Jaenelle's court does not trust him and the distrust becomes worst when Jaenelle gives them the interdiction to engage into war, because this goes against their nature. Finally, Jaenelle goes to war on her own with an army of dead-demons, so all the living Blood is spared. The plan is successful, everyone is freed, but Jaenelle is gravely injured...

In the end, Jaenelle will heal, but her condition is very fragile. She's also lost all her jewels and instead, have a new one, Twilight Dawn. Both Jaenelle and Daemon dance around each other for awhile, but finally, they will get married... and they will leave happily ever after.

Reviewer's opinion: that was a short synopsis right? well that's the shortest I could make and I left a lot out. The story is very good, although sometimes, I think it might exceed some boundaries. Not that I mind, but it can become very violent, brutal or crude. I like the fact that we follow Jaenelle' s growth from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. It is a very intriguing story and you want to know what happens. I really liked Jaenelle's childhood (except Briarwood), but what I really luv in this book was the relationships and personalities. I think that my fav. character is Saetan :) I've always been a sucker for those almighty characters with so much power, but face with someone they care for, they become grumpy old bear :) So the story was almost perfect, but sometimes, I got confused and that's why the 4.5 instead of 5. And I understand that Jaenelle and Daemon were meant to be together; however, you do wonder when did Jaenelle start loving Daemon... and by the way, what's their lifespan? cos Daemon is 1,700 y.o. and Jaenelle is not even 30 y.o. In addition to that, the world in which it happens is bit hard to understand, cos it's really Moyen-Age-ish, but they have nail polish, mud mask? Also, my advice is that if you are going to buy the trilogy, don't forget to include Dreams Made Flesh, because it contains the conclusion of the trilogy. It also have three other short stories worth reading :D

Recent reads - take 3

Okay, so the first time I tried to write this post I gave up... but then, I decided to start over, because the whole point of starting this blog was to share the books I read with the others and so far, I didn't really do it... so I started writing it up and then, lost electricity ^^; so hopefully, this time, it'll go up.

So, yes, I want to talk a bit about the books I've read lately, but I don't know in which format. I'm not the best writer nor am I the most coherent either... so yeah, I'm not the best reviewer and there's so many good reviewers in the romance blog land that I don't know if I can measure up (okay, I know it's not a contest, but...) I don't know if I should add the book blurb or not or whether I should write up a synopsis or just give my opinions... and talking about opinions, I don't express myself real well either, so... maybe I should just answer some questions. One review style I really like is Sandie's... so perhaps I'll try something similar to her...

But let's put everything aside and onto the recent reads now :D

Suzanne Brockmann is an author I'm not sure whether I like or not. I've read very few books of hers and so far, I've never been compelled to buy her backlist... Sure, I was a bit curious about some of her books and characters, because all her books are part of a series, but each time I thought of buying one of her book, I could stop myself. Even after reading 3 books this week-end, I'm still unsure...

The Unsung Hero : 3.5/5

This was a good book; however, there were too many sub-plots. I mean, if an author can squeeze 3 storylines in one book, then to me, it means that she didn't have enough material and had to scramble to come up with a full novel.

Tom and Kelly: They are the main characters and they're okay. It was nice that for once, the guy realized that he was in love with her first. What annoyed me was that Kelly was in love with Tom, but she didn't want to... she's afraid of marriage... but why?!? Personally, if it has been only their storyline, I would have bumped the grade down to 2.

Joe and Charles: Joe is Tom's great-uncle and Charles is Kelly's father and these two men have been best friends for almost 60 years... since WWII. I luv grumpy old men :P In novels, I've always loved how grumpy old men could soften to become reluctant sweet grandpa... not that it happens in this book, but still. Anyway, back to the book: both men were part of the 55th regiment and soon, it will be their regiment reunion (55 yrs. after WWII) and Joe will be celebrated as the Hero of Baldwin's Bridge town; however, he doesn't want to. Then, Joe is asked to be interviewed by a writer who wants to write the story of the 55th regiment. This create tension between the two best friends as Joe has agreed but Charles doesn't want him to talk. Basically, the story of this sub-plot is what really happened during WWII and who is the real Hero of Baldwin's Bridge.

Mallory and David: Mallory is Tom's niece and she's 18 years old. David, 20, is an artist who's working for the summer in Baldwin's Bridge and looking for a model for his new graphic novel's character. Mallory is somewhat of a rebel, but at the same time, she's sweet. She refuses to go to college because 1) her mom doesn't have enough money and 2) what will happen to her mom once she leaves? Then, she meets David who she considers a geek, but a nice geek. Anyway, story short, both fall in love with each other and it's so sweet! Both characters are sweet, but the most important is that they discovered what was inside :)

The Defiant Hero: 2/5

Basically, this book is not a keeper. I still haven't finished it, but I know... Anyway, here's the blurb:

The United States refuses to negotiate with terrorists." Meg Moore remembered the warning from her job as a translator in a European embassy.

Those same words will spell out a death sentence for her daughter and grandmother who have been kidnapped by a lethal group called the Extremists. Meg will do anything to meet their unspeakable demands; anything—even kill—to save her child.

When Navy SEAL Lieutenant, junior grade, John Nilsson is summoned to Washington, D.C., by the FBI to help negotiate a hostage situation, the last person he expects to see holding a foreign ambassador at gunpoint is Meg. He hasn''t seen her in years, but he''s never forgotten how it feels to hold her in his arms. John could lose his career if he helps her escape. She will lose her life if he doesn't...

The whole story is confusing to me and I'm not sure what to think of Meg. She kinds of double-cross John, but still, he stands by her side and is ready to sacrifice his military career for her. Quite noble... which is why Meg annoys me. Just accepts his help! Don't try to do it on your own, because seriously, what's your chance of succeeding? She involved him by asking him to be the negociator, then she throws him away again and again. Just doesn't make sense to me.

I have to say that I like the grandmother, Eve, plotline tho.... While Eve is being held as hostage with Amy, Meg's daughter, she re-tells the story of how she fell in love with her husband, Ralph, to little Amy. That's story is quite sweet.

Then, what annoys me in this book is Sam and Alyssa's relationship - is this your book? No... so how come you have more sex than the main characters? and how come all you do is have sex instead of doing something a bit more constructive? So yeah, Suzanne Brockmann tries to set up her next book, but they take too much place. They steal the screen time of the main characters and worse, their story is not settle yet.

Gone Too Far: 2/5

This is Alyssa and Sam's story which I understand, fans have been waiting for a long time. They first appeared in The Unsung Hero and some other books afterwards as well. I didn't read the books between The Defiant Hero and Gone Too Far, so I'm missing some parts of their story and that is something I don't like. I don't usually care reading random books in series, because I know that I'm only missing some bits of their story such as how they were introduced. However, in this case, I'm missing big gaps and I think it's something that the author shouldn't have done.

Personally, I wasn't that interested in Sam and Alyssa once I started reading the book, altho I've been quite curious about them since I read Hot Target a few months ago. So this was a major disappointment. Even the presence of Tom and Kelly from The Unsung Hero couldn't help me like the book... and the last storyline - Max and Gina - didn't make sense to me, cos once again, I was missing too many gaps from other books.

In a few words, Suzanne Brockmann's books are definitively not stand-alone books. You really need to read them all... and in my opinion, the intrigue kind of takes the backseats... and the characters are a bit unreasonable to my taste.

Charming the Prince: 2.5/5

Quite frankly, I didn't like the book. I think it's the main idea of the book that I dislike. Lord Bannor comes back from France after the war and must now take care of his 12 children - yes, 12. He can't... he can't bear them, they're too much for him. So he asks his steward to find a wife that will be a mother to his children.

Appears Willow - who's been taking care of her 6 half-siblings + i don't know how many step-siblings. She sees Lord Bannor proposal as an escape route, tired of taking care of her siblings that her step-mom keep popping out... however, becoming Lord Bannor's wife is not much better.

Then, you have Lord Bannor that finds his wife beautiful, but he doesn't want to bed her, because he doesn't want more children (his family line is very potent). At first, Willow is hurt by Lord Bannor seemingly indifference, then she understands. So she goes to the village's whore to seek for advices... urgh.

At first, I really pitited Willow. I mean, she was like Cinderella, except that her father wasn't dead: she was treated poorly by everyone, she had to do everything, etc. Then, when she finally escapes her faith, she ends up as Lord Bannor's bride with tons of children to take care of. Hello, Lord Bannor, wouldn't it have been easier to hire a few more nurse to take care of them. Having a talk with your children instead of ignoring them would have help also. Then, Willow seeking the village whore(Netta) was a bit extreme ^^; Wasn't there any older lady, someone who could have given her advice? Was Netta the last woman on Earth?

Other things I didn't like in the book was: Lord Bannor's son romance. Desmond is 12 years old and he's falling in love with Beatrice, 14, who is Willow's step-sister. Isn't that a tad to precocious? At least, make both 16, 17... that's a bit bearable. I like to see two young people fall in love, but this was really too young for me. Then, Stefan, another of Willow's step-sibling, this time, closer to her age, leecherous attitude. I mean, Stefan has been demeaning Willow ever since his mom married Willow's father, ever since he stepped into the castle. I guess, as they grew, Stefan has been lusting after Willow and looking for a way to take advantage of her. But then, sending his little sister Beatrice to seduce Lord Bannor so the man wouldn't marry Willow and that Stefan would get her was a bit ridiculous. Add to that the kidnapping scheme... really...

So didn't like the book... and the 2.5/5 is because they were some funny moments that made me laugh. Teresa Medeiros thus join Suzanne Brockmann in the category - do I like this author or not? So far, I've read After Midnight - her regency/vampire series - which didn't entice me at all and Yours Until Dawn which was quite good. So I guess I'm going to have to read more books to have a good opinion.