Review: Midnight's Daughter by Karen Chance

Ugh, why is it that every time I have a plan to write a review, I get busy? Seriously! Okay, I was perhaps a little ambitious, wanting to review all three books of the series, LOL, so I should be happy that I at least managed to write this one... Anyway, it seems that I need a better plan since the next few weeks are going to be extremely busy with the holidays but also the lab closing. Hmmmm, if only I was good at building up a stash of reviews LOL. In any case, I'll be trying and I guess that's what matters!

Enjoy!


Midnight's Daughter by Karen Chance

published by New American Library in October 2008

Dorina Basarab is a dhampir-half human, half vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. So far Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing.

Now Dory's vampire father has come back into her life. Her Uncle Dracula (yes, the Dracula), infamous even among vampires for his cruelty and murderous ways, has escaped his prison. And her father wants Dory to work with gorgeous master vampire Louis-Cesare to put him back there.

Vampires and dhampirs are mortal enemies, and Dory prefers to work alone. But Dracula is the only thing on Earth that truly scares her, so when Dory has to go up against him, she'll take all the help she can get…...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Dorina Basarab series, Book #1

The Story: As it says in the blurb, Dorina is a dhampir, i.e. half-human, half vampire. Dhampirs usually live short lives given vampires' hatred for them and the berserker blackouts. Dory is a rare one, probably the only one, who has managed to survive 500 years... However, she knows her end - that one day, she'll go into a rage and won't come back either because she'll be killed or will have lost her mind. For now though, she is content with her life. She even has found a roommate, a null, who has a calming effect on her rages. Except that Claire has suddenly disappeared and Dory suspects foul play, especially when word on the street is that Claire is pregnant and the baby is a dhampir.

So Dory is busy and is less than happy when her father, the mighty Mircea, shows up and demands that she helps him with family business. Considering that family business is to capture Dracula - again - and she almost got killed the last time, plus uncle Drac hates her and is looking for payback, let just say that Dory is less than thrilled. However, as a bargaining chip, Mircea offers to find Claire and with the Senate resources at hand, he is most likely to achieve it faster than Dory is... and thus, Dory accepts to help. As a result, she is now saddled with Louis-Cesare, her uncle Radu's first-level master vampire offspring, who is determined to fight with her for control of the mission.

My Opinion: I was looking for something to read and came across Li's post for October new releases. On it, she had Fury's Kiss by Karen Chance. Li has been a fan of Ms Chance for years and she's always so excited when a book comes out and always seems to enjoy them so much. I tried reading Touch of Dark, the first book in the Cassie Palmer series, years ago and I don't know, just didn't get into it... and I'm not likely to try again given the love triangle. However, Fury's Kiss blurb sounded really interesting and Dorina seemed like my type of heroine :) Plus, this is a spin-off series, so I thought I'd give it a try from the beginning... and I'm really glad I did :)

As I suspected, Dory was indeed my type of heroine: kick-ass and a little crazy LOL. She was also very loyal, not only to her friend Claire, but to her family as well. I'm sure that given some time, she would have accepted to go after Dracula even if Mircea didn't offer the incentive. And I liked her attitude. Life is not perfect, but she rolls with it. She doesn't weight herself down thinking too much about the past or the future and it's not that she doesn't care, because she does... but mostly, she simply lives in the moment. Which is not a bad idea for someone who expects to die at any moment. In addition to her character, I also loved her family background - that she is the daughter of Mircea, a powerful vampire on the Senate, and the niece of Radu and the Dracula... Also that Ms Chance based it on a little on history with Mircea, Dracula and Radu... It was the perfect backdrop to this dysfunctional family because the conflicts were real and it definitively added a little something to the series.

Another pro to Midnight's Daughter is that I really enjoyed all the other characters and their dynamics with Dory. The relationship that Dory shares with Mircea is complex, but also very interesting. The way Dory talks about Mircea, it seems he doesn't care about her and is always manipulating her... but I'm sure Mircea loves Dory a lot. Perhaps it's being an outsider and therefore having a new perspective. Or else, it's always been there, but Dory just never wanted to believe, preferring to lie to herself. In any case, she talks a good game, but as I said earlier, she cares and she does love Mircea. I loved, loved, loved Radu!! He was soooo hilarious LOL. His interactions with Dory were fun and ridiculous. There's a solid bond between Radu and Mircea which I liked. I liked that family matters - to a certain extent - and that Dory, Mircea, Radu and Louis-Cesare have each other's back. As for Louis-Cesare, once again, I liked his interactions with Dory. LOL, that opening scene when Dory is rubbing Louis-Cesare's face in the rug... He also has a huge chip on his shoulder which makes him resent Dory a little, but despite that, he's still loyal to Radu and Mircea. I feel we haven't seen him enough, but from what we saw, I say he is intriguing and has potential.

Where it gets tricky in Midnight's Daughter is the plot. It was actually interesting and it got me hooked... at first. I mean, Dory and Louis-Cesare are going after Dracula! It should have been very exciting, with action non-stop... but it wasn't. There were quite a few down times and those felt incongruous with the storyline. I also need to mention that for some reasons, the storyline was difficult to follow. I read and re-read some parts and somehow, things were still jumbled up and I just could not untangle it :( Furthermore, there was the other storyline about Dory's missing friend Claire which intersected with the main plot several times... and it just added to the confusion ^_^; Perhaps some of it stemmed from not reading the original series and therefore, missing some information in the world building... but I don't think so. Plus, I actually liked the world Midnight's Daughter is taking place in, mostly because while it does focus on the vampires, it doesn't have all the vampires clichés and is therefore refreshing. Although I wouldn't mind reading a bit about the different levels of masters and their hierarchy and what is going on with the world besides the fact there is a war. Anyway, at the end of the day, Dracula was slayed, but I thought the showdown was anti-climatic.

My Grade: B-. I think that Midnight's Daughter does a good job at setting up this spin-off series. It introduces Dorina, the important players and their dynamics well... But as much as I loved that part of the book, I think the storyline was a bit disappointing. It had a lot of potential, but things never really happened... Or they did, but it was so confusing that I didn't get it ^_^; At the end of the day though, I enjoyed Midnight's Daughter enough to start the next book, Death's Mistress, right away :)

Monthly Reads: April 2012

Over the week-end, I was thinking the blogland was in a lull once again. Today, I came back home from work and there were 27 posts waiting in my Google Reader... In a couple of hours, that's not bad. It seems everyone has decided to post today :) And I won't be left behind!

So here is what I read in April:


1) About that Night by Julie James: B

2) Just Down the Road by Jodi Thomas: B+

3) Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire: C+

4) Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman: D

5) I Want Candy by Susan Donovan: C+

6) Flirting with Intent by Kelly Hunter: B-

7) We'll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart: C+

8) I'd Tell You I Love You, But I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter: B-

9) Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter: C

It's the start of a new semester at Gallagher Academy and the girls are in for a surprise. The first mission in their Covert Operations class takes place in at the Jeffersonian museum in Washington D.C. and it is to make it to a certain display at a given time, without being tailed. Unfortunately for Cammie, she trusted the wrong person and failed miserably. However, she does confirm the existence of the male counterpart of Gallagher Academy: Blackthorne. And for the first time in history, the two academies are going to work together... which explains the presence of Zach - the boy whom she trusted in Washinton, at the academy. The more she interacts with Zach, the more Cammie feels something fishy is going on... and with her friends, she decides to put into practice the skills they learned to find out what.

I picked this right up after reading I'd Tell You I Love You, But I'd Have to Kill You. Why not right? Since the story and world would still be fresh in my mind :) While Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy was still a fun book, I thought it wasn't as good as I'd Tell You I Love You, But I'd Have to Kill You. One reason is I thought there was a bit too much moping from Cammie since her relationship with Josh came to an end. Then, there was the new love interest introduced: Zach. In this case, because she's not over Josh, it felt very much like a love triangle which I really dislike ^_^; Also, Cammie is a character who needs to have the upper hand and knowing that Zach knows something she doesn't, she doesn't feel secure. As a result, she questions Zach's action and motives a lot. Obviously, it doesn't help that Zach is indeed keeping some stuff away from her ^_^; And what really hurt Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy in my opinion was the fact that it didn't really have an overall plot. Li said on Goodreads that it lacked substance and I agree with her. Ms Carter got away in  I'd Tell You I Love You, But I'd Have to Kill You because she was setting up the series, so there was a lot of world building... but it wasn't the case in Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy and it impacted the enjoyment a lot.

Still, as I said, the book was fun. I did like the friendship between the girls and the test at the end was entertaining. I still wonder if the Code Black breach was part of the test or not... Also, I liked that there are people able to get the upper hands on Cammie and her friends when it comes to spying or uncover their spying :P It makes it realistic and more balanced. In any case, I was still interested enough to read the next book :)

10) Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter: C+

It's summer and Cammie is visiting one of her roommate, Macey McHenry, in Boston. Actually, Macey is on the presidential campaign as her father, Senator McHenry, has accepted the nomination for vice-president and she wanted company. During the visit, Cammie and Macey thwarted a kidnapping attempt... and for the first time, Cammie is confront with the reality that despite all her training, there are things that she cannot do. When school starts again, Macey is back to Gallagher Academy, but this time, with a bodyguard from Secret Service... who turns out to be Cammie's aunt Abby. However, Macey is still expected to participate to the campaign and that means doing brief appearances at several events. Cammie has seen how Macey's father's political aspirations is stifling her life. However, what concerns Cammie most is the kidnapping attempt and she worries Macey is still in danger. Therefore, Cammie and her friends decide to take matters into their hands.

I was really looking forward to Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover, because based on the blurb, I thought the setting was going to be different than the two previous books, not taking place at school. I was wrong, but Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover still turned out to be an enjoyable read.

I thought the first part of Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover was very good and solid. I liked the electoral campaign, it was a good backdrop for the story and it fits the concept of this series: being secretive, acting discreetly and not getting noticed :P Also, the influx of new blood - Cammie's aunt and geeky boy Preston who is Macey's counterpart - is a good move on Ms Carter's part too. I also think the plot in Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover was the most interesting thus far in the series and that we're finally getting somewhere with the overall storyline of the series. The best part though, what makes the book for me, is the deepening friendship between Cammie and Macey :) It's nice to see the evolution of their friendship and some development of the secondary characters. Hopefully, Liz and Bex get the same treatment :)

The reason Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover is not getting a higher grade though is that while they are improvement on several fronts, others are getting old and predictable. For example, the whole snooping around is getting old and how Cammie can so easily sneak out of the academy. I know that's the basis of the series given that Cammie and her friends are spies in training, but it feels very repetitive. Also, the whole Zach thing is getting old as well. Cammie's wishy-washy attitude towards him: is he a good or bad guy, is he interesting in her or not and the fact that he knows more than her and she kind of resents him for that ^_^; Also, what bothers me is that I find it arrogant that Cammie and her friends thought they could protect their friend better than the pros. It stems from a good heart, but you really think you can do better when you don't have all the facts? I feel their just stumbling around like an elephant in a china store and perhaps making things worst instead of aiding.

While I enjoyed Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover more than the previous installment, I found that I needed a break from the series... and have yet to pick up the next book.


11) Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins: C+

12) Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg: A-

13) The Witness by Nora Roberts: A-

14) The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan: B

15) Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have) by Sarah Mlynowski: B-

16) Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong: B-
Upcoming review to come.


17) The Calling by Kelley Armstrong: B-
Upcoming review to come.

18) Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford: C-

The Sullivans family is a well-off family, but their wealth relies on the matriarch, Arden Louisa Norris Sullivan Weems Maguire Hightower Beckendorf, and unfortunately, someone has displeased her. As a consequence, she demands a written apology by New Year or else, she's disinheriting the whole family. The problem is the family has no idea who have displeased Almighty Lou, but they guess it's one of the girls. So each writes their own letter, confessing their sins. First you have Norrie who fell in love with a guy 8 years her senior and ran out to him on the night of the Bachelors Cotillon which is basically her introduction to society. Then there's Jane who got into a feud with her best friend and has taken to blogging - revealing all the family dark secrets... and finally Sassy who believes she has accidentally murdered her step-grandfather.

I got this book through a contest over at RT and was really looking forward to it for some reasons... but once I got it, it languished in my TBR pile. Having read it now, well I wouldn't have minded if it languished in the TBR pile a bit more ^_^; I think the problem is I was expecting something a bit more fun based on the cover and Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters wasn't. Basically, the book is divided into 3 parts, each narrated by one sister retelling what happened. Overall, I thought the writing was good, but the problem was the story. First, the book was too short to contain 3 POVs and as a result, Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters lacked some depth in my opinion. It would have been a lot better if Ms Standiford had focused on one story. My favorite was Norrie's, probably because it was the most mature and romantic. I thought Jane's story was passable, but Sassy's was pointless. Seriously, I could have done without.

While Norrie's story was my favorite, I do question the relationship between a 17 years old woman and a 25 years old man. I'm not saying that it's bad or anything... I just wonder if a 25 years old guy would really be interested in such a young woman for an invested relationship. I think this might have worked better for me if the man was a tad younger.

Book-wise, Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters was definitively not the best YA I've read. Far from it. Based on the story, I think I would have given it a D. However, it got upgraded to C- because I did like Norrie's story and I really enjoyed the family dynamics, especially the siblings complicity :)

***

Balance
Books bought: + 10
Books read: -18
TBR pile: -8

Genre
Category Romance – 2
Contemporary Romance – 4
Fiction – 1
Romantic Suspense – 1
Urban Fantasy – 1
YA – 9

***

Sigh, time goes by so fast! It's almost the end of May and I forgot how awesome a month April has been! I'm really happy with my numbers :) 18 books is a great number and I reviewed almost all of it! Unbelievable. Seriously, that would have been impossible last year. As months pass, I'm really tickled with my Week-End's Minis feature :)

Reading-wise, I think the month was very balanced :) I had some really great reads - hey 2 As in there!  Those are rare for me LOL. There were also some duds, but they happen and didn't really dominate the month for me, so that's a good thing :) Really, thinking back, I have to say April was a really good month. I was looking forward to many new releases and they all delivered! :)

I also really like the negative number in the TBR :) Another thing I'm doing great at this year. I realized today that I have not been running after new releases as much as previous years either. It feels unnatural at times and good at others LOL.

Also, I think the surprise is the number of YA I've read last month... I feel I've been burning out on a lot of genres lately and therefore, fell back on YA. Even though it's really the same genres that I read usually - contemporary and urban fantasy - the fact that it's a younger set of characters does make a difference LOL.

All in all, April turned out to be a really good month :) What do you think?

TBR Challenge 2012: Island Heat by Sarah Mayberry

Ouf I made it!! Yay!! LOL, I've been meaning to blog... but I didn't get enough sleep this week-end (girls' night on Friday till 5am and reading on Sunday till 2am LOL) and so I've been paying ever since ^_^; It's really hard to stay awake when you don't have energy, let alone string words together in a coherent fashion!! Since I had no Hauling Sunday post last week-end (yep, been a good girl), I was planning to at least get the Monthly Reads post for November done... Yeah, as if LOL. Luckily, I got this one done!! Woohooo! One month down, 11 to go LOL.

Enjoy the review!


Island Heat by Sarah Mayberry

published by Harlequin in March 2008

It's been eight years since Tory Sanderson has seen Ben Cooper- eight years since she found out he seduced her to win a bet with some classmates at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, and eight years since she got her revenge...

After fulfilling her dream of publishing a cookbook of island recipes, Tory is thrilled when she's invited on a Caribbean cruise as a guest lecturer. But excitement turns to anxiety when she finds out that Ben, who is now a celebrated restaurateur, will join her as the guest chef.

Ben accepted the guest chef gig in order to enjoy a week of Tory sweating it out in the kitchen. But once the heat starts to climb, getting even turns out to be the last thing on his mind. In fact, picturing a future with Tory in his kitchen might add just the right amount of spice to his life...

Genre: Category romance, contemporary
Series: Mediterranean Nights, Book #10

The Story: The blurb above is really spot-on. I was trying to write a synopsis of the book and it was basically identical to it LOL. So here are some details that are important to the story, but not part of the blurb :)

Tory accepts the invitation as a guest lecturer on the Caribbean cruise not only to share her passion, but also because she hopes to find closure. Eight years ago, Tory lost her twin brother, Michael, who was undercover for the DEA, in a plane crash on the coast of these islands. For eight years, Tory has felt like she lost half of herself... but it is now time to move on and Tory wishes to do so by visiting the place where Michael lived his last few months so happily.

As for Ben, he's going through a tough time. He's just discovered that the baby girl he fell in love with is not is daughter... While the mother is willing to let Ben have a relationship with the baby, Ben thinks it's better if they have a clean break, especially since she's going back to the father. Therefore, to put a little distance between them, Ben accepts the job on the cruise... Of course, he intends to face Tory and have a revenge of his own.

My Opinion: For this month's entry, you can thank Tabitha who sent me Island Heat after she read and reviewed it a couple of years ago :) Thanks Tabs!

Ms Mayberry is a beloved author on blogland and she's one of the reasons why I pick up more category romance to read. But I wonder sometimes if that's a good thing, because it seems my expectations are really high when it comes to her books and well all know that's not always a good thing ^_^;

For me, Island Heat started out well. I really liked the setting - the Caribbeans, the cruise and the kitchen :) It was refreshing, original and it made for a fun atmosphere. Ms Mayberry did a great job incorporating the cuisine aspect into the storyline. I always had a weakness for chefs because it's fun see people so passionate about their work and the chaotic environment. In this case, Ms Mayberry used it to her advantage not only to create a good feel, but also showcased Tory and Ben's differences. They come from a completely different background and their personalities are also polar opposite... but they share their passion and can relate through it.

I also liked our H/H, Tory and Ben. They each had a lot of depth, were well-developed and interesting. The tension between the two felt real and was quite enjoyable. What I liked the most about their relationship is while they did let the past events cloud their judgement, at the end, they were able to work it out like two mature adults. I really liked the parts where Ben realized why he acted the way he did - both in the past and present. Not only he realized it, but also acknowledged and changed his behavior. However, I have to admit Ben annoyed me a little just because he kept changing his mind. One minute, he wants Tory; the next, he doesn't want long-term and then, he's angry at how casual Tory is acting... but happy when he finds out she wants him. Ugh. He reminded me of a wind vane! Seriously, just make up your mind and act accordingly! He was lucky that Tory didn't make it more difficult to win her. Also, I thought their relationship was not very romantic. Perhaps because they had a past and it was a question of clearing the air... To me, it was much more a relationship than a romance...

If Ms Mayberry had focused on the elements above, Island Heat would have been a winner for me. Unfortunately, it wasn't the case. Aside from Ben and Tory working out their relationship, there were also Tory trying to win her father's approval and two other subplots - one concerning Tory's brother and the other about the cruise necklace. Tory's issues with her father were interesting and I think were portrayed in a very realistic manner. Obviously, following in her father's footsteps, she wished for his acknowledgement and that's totally understandable. I just felt bad for Tory that her father never seemed to have taken time to help her, teach her. I'm glad that at the end, Tory worked through her issues and broke free from her father's hold. At the same time, I felt it took away from the ending - it should have been focused on Ben and Tory instead. As it is, I felt the ending was quite rushed :(

The other thing that dimmed my enjoyment of Island Heat is that there were too much going on. I mentioned the two sub-plots. I really think that the cruise necklace plot was superfluous. Not only that, it simply didn't fit the atmosphere of the book either :( I really wished it had not been part of the story, sigh. As for the other subplot with Tory's brother, that one had potential and it worked for me... But it also made me feel the book was unbalanced. It seemed to me it was all about Tory's issues. I understand that not everyone has baggage and I don't require both the H/H to have issues. I'm perfectly good with happy and content characters... but in the case of Island Heat, we know that Ben is going through a tough time with the baby girl that isn't his daughter. That's some issue!! And I would have liked it to be developed instead of glossed over and that's why I felt the book was unbalanced. In addition, one other thing that bothered me was unplanned pregnancies. One is fine, two is stretching it but three?!? Separately, it would have been okay with me, but when you put them all in the same book, isn't that a bit too much?

All in all, there were definitively parts of Island Heat that I liked and really enjoyed. However, it wasn't enough to negate the bad parts... and I wonder if it's because I have such high expectations for Ms Mayberry? Then again, it could simply be the book. I think if I've been more into Tory and Ben's romance, it'd have been easier to overlook the parts I wasn't as interested in.

My Grade: C.

Re-Read: Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

My re-read this month - okay, last month :P - was Mine To Possess by Nalini Singh. The reason I chose to re-read this book was to prepare myself for Ms Singh's upcoming release, Bonds of Justice, as the hero, Max, was introduced in Mine to Possess. LOL, great minds think alike, since Hils did too :)

You can click here to read my original review, which was a buddy review with Chantal over at Breezing Through. 


Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

published by Berkley in February 2008

A ghost returns from a leopard changeling’s past, making him question everything—even his base animal instincts…

Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed... and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.

Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life--the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...

Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past...or lose everything that ever mattered.

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: Psy-Changeling series, Book #5 (counting novellas)

The Story: Clay and Talin met as children. Talin was with a foster family with parents that abused her and when Clay found out, he killed the foster father. He ended up in juvie for 4 years and when he came out, was told that Talin has died. Luckily for Clay, he was later picked up by Nate who brought him back to DarkRiver.

Fast-forward 16 years and Talin shows up, asking Clay for help. Talin is a social worker, working for the Shine Foundation, and her charges have disappeared. One was found dead with some organs missing, the other is still missing. Talin's life is running short, but she's determined to keep her promise to Jonquil and not give up on him. Unfortunately, Enforcement is not interested in the case and thus, Talin needs help from people with power and connection...

My Opinion:  Phew, my memory was a bit rusty ^_^; I mean, I remembered the big lines of the book; however, for the life of me, I could not place Max LOL. So I'm happy I did the re-read.

On one hand, this book was very interesting. Mine to Possess was the first book with a human protagonist and as a result, it introduced a new dimension to the Psy-Changeling world. Primarily, we got to explore outside the Pack and the Psy, see how the world is in 2080. The introduction of the Shine Foundation and the Forgottens was engaging and well weaved in the storyline. I especially liked the addition of the Forgottens. It sounds simple and very logical at first, but I think it's something  not all authors would have thought to include in the world building. Ms Singh definitively has her world all figured out and she's revealing it according to her plan :) All the elements introduced move the whole story-arc forward and I thought Mine To Possess was really a pivotal book in the series :)

As for the plot itself, the kidnapping and etc. I thought it was good. Perhaps the whole was a bit too easy to figure out - connect the dots, but it was still good. I especially liked how the kids were rescued :)

What didn't work too well for me was Talin and Clay characters and subsequently, the romance. Talin was a hard heroine to like, especially in the beginning of the book. There she is, having lied to Clay, made him suffer... and she shows up out of no where, asking for his help... and when he becomes angry, she has the nerves to say: "What happened to you? You weren't like that before." I mean, seriously?!? You betrayed him and you expect him to welcome you, open arms? Plus, she's afraid of him which obviously doesn't help... but worst, you antagonize him!! Ugh. I understand she had a terrible childhood and was traumatized, but I didn't follow nor was able to sympathize with her train of thoughts and outbursts. As for Clay, he was more likable than Talin, but not by much. He was such an angry character, with the brooding and the growling. Then, he pushed and pushed Talin till she accepted and started breaking out of her shell. Good, but by then, I cared little about them and the romance :( All in all, I just feel that Talin and Clay were not the most compelling characters Ms Sing has written.

My Grade: Originally, I gave Mine to Possess a B+. Now, after re-reading it, I feel that was the fangirl in me talking and Mine to Possess is more of a B-. Ms Singh is definitively a great author and all of her books are strong and solid. Still they are some better than others, unfortunately, Mine to Possess is not one of those. I just couldn't connect with Talin and Clay and it kind of ruined it for me, luckily, the engaging plot and events saved it for me :)

Review: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Ugh, I so need to stop playing Bejeweled Blitz ^_^; It's really taking a lot of my time, which I could be spending reading instead :(

My reading has been slow this week, but I've just finished a great book: Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep! Actually, this month has been great so far, quality-wise :) As a result, I have so many reviews to write ^_^; Hopefully, my reviewing muse will not desert me!

But first, let's continue the Percy Jackson and the Olympians week! :P By the way, I'd like to apologize... my reviews for this series are a bit superficial... Like I only graze the surface and don't go too much into details. Part of it is because it's a series, so I end up saying the same over and over again ^_^; But also, it's been a month already since I've read them and I'm starting to forget the details... But I guess the most important is whether I enjoyed them or not, right? :)

***SPOILERS ALERT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISKS!!***


The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion Books in May 2008

Percy Jackosn isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invite its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigods friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

Genre: Young Adult, fantasy
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #4

The Story: It's now the summer and after the open house day at his new school gone bad, Percy is heading to the Camp Half-Blood. With Percy getting older and soon reaching 16 years old, Nico's disappearance and anger against Percy and Luke and Lord Kronos becoming more prominent threats, the tension at the camp is rising.

Then, during a training exercise, Annabeth and Percy inadvertently found an entrance to the Labyrinth. The half-bloods are aware that Luke is looking for the plans to the Labyrinth, which would allow him and Lord Kronos's army to invade the camp through an underground route, bypassing the protective boundaries... The only way to stop Luke is to find the plans first and so it's Annabeth's turn to lead a quest. Along with Percy, Grover and Tyson, she enters the Labyrinth. What awaits them?...

My Opinion: I really, really enjoyed The Battle of the Labyrinth :) Mainly because the action was non-stopped and of all the twists and surprises. I was simply engrossed by this book and couldn't turn the pages fast enough :)

What I really like about this series is that it is not too predictable and it's not filled with clichés. Add in the greek mythology and it's really refreshing and original :) Plus, Mr Riordan has a good sense of humor and so, there are many laughs while reading it.

Back to The Battle of the Labyrinth, so it has a very strong plot in my opinion. Some might find it too much, but to me, it was great :) I was happy to see Tyson again. It was so funny to learn that Tyson and Grover are scared of each other LMAO. There were many storylines, one of the most interesting one being Nico's. I was happy to see him again and glad that he had some closure.

Again, we see the characters grow and I'm always amazed at how Mr Riordan is able to incorporate these elements in the storyline seamlessly. Now, Percy and Annabeth are almost 15 years old... Deeper feelings are developing between the two... but add in a third party and the relationship and interactions between Annabeth and Percy definitively shift. LOL, Percy is really a guy, not being able to deal with it :P

The only thing that I didn't enjoy much was Annabeth's wishy-washy attitude towards Luke. I understand that he was her friend and someone very important when she was younger... and so, it's harder to turn her back on him and consider him "evil." But the fact that he is the enemy is undeniable and thus, I think that Annabeth should get her act together and treat him so. Her hesitation could have led to tragedies... but then, when you're 14.5 years old, it's not evident I guess.

LOL, something I kept wondering while reading the series was why the half-bloods weren't studying greek mythology more? I mean, wouldn't it be helpful to deal with monsters and people they meet? :) Instead of trying to remember, they would know! :)

My Grade: B+. Anyway, all in all, a great book with a good storyline. The Battle of the Labyrinth is very enjoyable and not just a connecting book or something written to advance the series storyline.

***

I was debating whether to post the movie trailer today or not, but I think I'll wait till tomorrow with the final post :) However, I'll be discussing them.

I've pretty much been through all the trailers available online. My sister has not read the books, so she's been quite curious about them. So I've seen a lot of scenes and characters and so on... and here is a list of things I've been unhappy with so far ^_^;

- Persephone's presence in the movie and the fact that she doesn't seem very much in love with Hades.
- They've eliminated Clarisse character or at least, I don't see her at all in IMDB. I mean, I've read somewhere that they've casted Silena Beauregard... That's just weird/wrong.
- Annabeth's invisibility cap seems to be missing.
- Percy looks way, way, way too powerful. I don't think he was able to manipulate water so well till the last book!
- Hades actually got his hands on the lightning bolt. By the way, I bet his Helm of Darkness is not missing.
- Percy vs Luke's showdown - on top of buildings and all. Ugh.
- What they did with Medusa's head.
- Percy's shield :(
- No mention of Kronos at all!

Okay, I guess the list could go on and on and on ^_^; Am I being too picky? It's just, I like my movies to be faithful to the books if they are adaptations. I can understand changes to the story if it's too hard to adapt... but to eliminate important characters and make things more dramatic just for the movie to be more of a hit. Nah... especially since The Lightning Thief is part of a series. I mean, are they planning to adapt the other books as well? In that case, they're going to have lots of difficulty...

What do you think?

Review: Almost Like Being in Love and My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

I think 2010 is starting great so far :D It seems that my reviewing muse has come back and my blogging mojo as well and I've already have 2 books under my belt :) Not bad right?

Next, I'll have start working on a recap of 2009 and get back to Breezing Through... In the meantime though, I want to review two books that I've read and thoroughly enjoyed: Almost Like Being In Love and My Most Excellent Year, both by Steve Kluger.


Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger
published by HarperCollins in April 2004

A high school jock and nerd fall in love senior year, only to part after an amazing summer of discovery to attend their respective colleges. They keep in touch at first, but then slowly drift apart.

Flash forward twenty years.

Travis and Craig both have great lives, careers, and loves. But something is missing... Travis is the first to figure it out. He's still in love with Craig, and come what may, he's going after the boy who captured his heart, even if it means forsaking his job, making a fool of himself, and entering the great unknown. Told in narrative, letters, checklists, and more, this is the must-read novel for anyone who's wondered what ever happened to that first great love.

Genre: Fiction (GLTB), contemporary
Series: none

The Story: I cannot summarize it better than the synopsis of the book. So I'm not going to try :)

My Opinion: This book first came to my attention a few months ago when Tracy reviewed it. I told myself I should get it and give a try, especially since my library had it (surprise!). Then, I was reminded to do so when Hilcia put up her own review. Two of my favorite bloggers loving this book... Seriously, what was I waiting for, right?

I do admit that the format of the book - narrative letters, checklists, e-mails, notes, etc. did put me off a little. This is definitively not my favorite style of books, but I'm soooo happy I decided to sit down and read it... because this is a gem!! This is a wonderful book: it's clever, funny and heart-warming.

Where to begin? First, I love Travis and Craig. These two are definitively great, unique characters. Credit goes to the author for not over-stereotyping them. Best example would be Craig... He is a jock, he does love sports, but he's not the tough, macho man. He's sensible and funny and it makes him more real. Of course, Travis and Craig are more sensible and close to their emotions than heterosexual men, but that's normal and not exactly a stereotype... I love how both were comfortable with their sexuality and never tried to deny it. Travis and Craig were at ease with who they were and I believe that made a difference in this book :) I love how unique Travis and Craig's voices were while I was reading the book... and oh, Travis' OCD behavior? Soooo cute LOL. It provided so much laughs :D

Surprisingly, Almost Like Being In Love was not exclusively Travis and Craig's story. Actually, I think these two only spent about 1/3 of the book together and that was mostly at the beginning, when they were in high school. It took a very long while before Travis and Craig reunited and that was a surprise, but in a good way. It made the book more powerful in my opinion... especially given that Craig was in a long-term relationship - 12 years!! And you can't help but like Craig's significant other, Clayton. He loves Craig deeply as well and is definitively committed to this relationship. He's a sweetheart, he's a great guy... and I was prepared to hate him. Seriously, whoever gets in between the H/H happy ending gets no love from Nath... but I just couldn't. He totally won me over... As a result, as a reader, I didn't know for what ending to root... Craig and Travis? Craig and Clay? I think I would have been happy for either ending and sad for the one who didn't end up with Craig. It was great from M. Kluger not to take the easy way out and make Clayton into a jerk. As a whole, this whole situation definitively makes the book better and the ending, more powerful. Almost Like Being in Love is really about love - first love, other love, love between friends... but still what marks me most is that Craig and Travis' first love wasn't just love, but there was a sense of belonging...

But I digress. I meant to say that Almost Like Being in Love has a great cast of secondary characters... from Clayton to Gordon, Travis' best friend. They are all lovable and a total riot LOL. There's a lot going on, interactions between Gordon and Travis, Travis and people he meets on his journey, Craig with his colleagues, Craig with his clients... and everything put together make them who they are.

And the best thing about this book is that it's fun. I LOLed so many times, I enjoy re-reading passages because they make me smile or chuckle. Today at lunch, I was talking about this book to my co-workers... and when S heard it was about two men, he made a face... and I tried to convince him that no, he should read this and give it a try... and I read passages to him and he changed his mind, he'd like to try it because it sounded fun. You cannot not fall for Travis' charm :)

My Grade: A-. Two reasons why I'm not giving this an A. 1) While it was fun to follow everything and everyone, there was a tiny bit too much going on and combined with 2) the epistolary format (yes, it did make the book stands out, but...), Almost Like Being in Love was at time a bit confusing. However, it's still a book that I strongly recommend :)


My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger
published by Penguin Young Reader Group in March 2008

There are only three great loves in T.C. Keller's life: the Red Sox, his father, and his best friend and unofficial "brother," Augie. But ninth grade is the year when he falls head-over -cleats in love with Alé Perez. She's pretty, sassy, smart, and a great dancer. Alé is so busy playing hard to get that she doesn't realize that she just might be falling head-over-tap shoes for T.C.'s Boston accent, too. Meanwhile, T.C.'s best friend, Augie, is falling in love as well, but with a boy? It ma not be so clear to him; but to the rest of his family and friends, it's totally obvious that Augie, who loves musicals and old school screen sirens such as Judy Garland, is head-over-hells in love with Andy Wexler.

Genre: Young Adult
Series: none

Story: Again, not going to try :P Read it to find everything out!

My Opinion: I loved Almost Like Being in Love so much that I had to find M. Kluger's backlist. This is his most recent release, My Most Excellent Year. At first, I was a bit disappointed that My Most Excellent Year was a YA novel. I have nothing against YA, I've read and enjoy some. However, I find that sometimes they don't emotionally satisfy me as much as much as romance books because it's hard to believe in a HEA ending when the characters are only 16 y.o... I should never had doubted M. Kluger, because My Most Excellent Year turned out to be, for me, an even better read than Almost Like Being in Love!

Again, I totally fell in love with the characters. T.C. and Augie are two very charming boys... T.C. is the regular cool kid, the popular one... but he's more vulnerable and sensitive and he's not afraid to show it. Part of it is because he lost his mother at a young age, another part would be due to Augie. Augie is just your diva teenager LOL, but in a good way. It's not that he is high maintenance as in wanting the latest cool clothes or wanting everyone's attention, it's just that he demands so much of himself and how he views his entourage. It also comes from his passion for musicals, it just makes him more sensible and prone to drama LOL.

For example:

"Mom? Dad? I'm gay." Oh, please. That is like SO pedestrian. What happened to my sense of style?! Maybe I'll throw a coming-out party. With a grand entrance down a staircase. "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night." No. Engraved coming-out announcements.

Know what I mean now? LOL.

These two boys have such good chemistry... they know each other so well. I wish there would have been more scenes of them together. Then you throw in a girl, who's smart and sassy... and you have the perfect three musketeers :D Alé was another great character. I thought she balanced out T.C. and Augie so well; she was the in-between, a real mix of T.C. and Augie :)

The story was simply so cute. Augie falling in love and discovering he was gay. T.C. trying to get the girl LOL. The side-story was T.C. discovering a little, deaf, 6 y.o. boy reminding him of Augie and who waited for Mary Poppins to come live with him. That story was very touching and it was nice to see teenagers care about something more than themselves.

Again, this book is about love, friendship, discovering yourself. I do think that sometimes, T.C., Augie, Alé and their friends act too mature or perhaps the way they talked and acted didn't totally fit teenagers. They were all a bit too accepting... like nobody bat an eye at Augie being gay - not his parents, not his grandparents (who are all Asians). Nobody at school made fun, everyone was soo supportive. This is how ideally life should be, but real life is not. So I thought it was bit too Cinderella-ish at times... still it didn't deem my enjoyment at all.

M. Kluger clearly has a passion for musicals and baseball (especially Red Sox) and a lot of topics are important to him and he doesn't hesitate to include them in his novels - Almost Like Being in Love, My Most Excellent Year and Last Days of Summer... It's quite incredible that he manages for his books to be so distinctive. I mean the subjects in Almost Like Being in Love and My Most Excellent Year are very similar, but I would never mistake one for the other. Of course, I would know they were written by the same author :) He has quite a distinctive style :) What I meant to say is that being passionate is a good thing, but at the same time, adding so much of it can be a bit overwhelming. I mean, my knowledge of musicals - zero. It's basically like Jennifer Crusie quoting movies in her books. It'd be great if he could take it to a lesser degree in his future books.

Still I love My Most Excellent Year... and I said it was better than Almost Like Being in Love because he takes all the strengths and positives of Almost Like Being in Love and scale it down. The story revolved around T.C., Augie and Alé; there are still some side-stories, but they don't detract as much as they did in Almost Like Being in Love. My Most Excellent Year is still written in an epistolary format, but there is a lot more narration from T.C., Augie and Alé, as we follow their diary entries. As a result, My Most Excellent Year flows better and is easier to read. Again, the book is fun, clever and heart-warming. You can't stop smiling while reading it... and because the story focuses more on Augie and T.C., you really feel the friendship between the two which takes it a step further.

My Grade: A. I simply love it... and I'll be reading everything by Steve Kluger I can put my hand on :) I hope he writes another book soon!

Belated TBR Day: Duchess by Night by Eloisa James

Ugh, I didn't make it in time for the TBR challenge :( But I refuse to miss it twice in a row!! So I'm still going to review the book and put it under TBR challenge LOL :)

So the book is Duchess by Night by Eloisa James. It is not very old and hasn't been in my TBR pile for long, but it's okay, right? :) I'm not a die-hard fan of Ms James... I bought a couple of books of hers because other bloggers enjoy her. Then, she had this new series, the Desperate Duchesses, and I bought the first book... and the second... without reading any of them. Then, I wasn't sure whether I would buy the rest or not, but I found myself through different circumstances buying them LOL. So I own Duchess by Night thanks to Ames who loved it :D


Duchess by Night by Eloisa James
published by Avon in July 2008

A Mischievous Charade...

Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, is tired of her title and the responsibilities that come along with it. Enough with proper tea parties and elegant balls; what Harriet really wants is to attend an outrageous soiree where she can unleash her wildest whims and desires. But to attend such an event—especially if the event in question is Lord Justinian Strange's rollicking fete, filled with noble rogues and rotters, risqué ladies and illicit lovers—would be certain scandal. That's why she must disguise herself...

Looking forward to a night of uninhibited pleasure, Lord Strange is shocked to discover that beneath the clothes of a no-good rake is the most beautiful woman in the room. Why is a woman like her risking her reputation at his notorious affair? And can he possibly entice her to stay... forever?

Genre: historical romance
Series: Desperate Duchesses, book #3

The Story: Harriet is the Duchess of of Berrow and also a widow, her husband having committed suicide after losing a game of chess. She is still the Duchess though because the heir, her husband's nephew, is still too young to assume the responsibilities. The problem is that Harriet is bored and finds herself boring. She's tired of people avoiding her, pitying her because of her husband's suicide... At the same time, Isidore, the Duchess of Cosway, is tired of waiting for her Duke to return from wherever he is and planned to force his hand: attend to one of the most scandalous house party hosted by Lord Justinian Strange, aka Jem. Harriet jumps on the occasion to accompany Isidore as her chaperon, disguised as a man to experience some adventures...

My Opinion: LOL, there's just something about cross-dressing stories LOL :) I've read many in kung fu novels and manga and enjoyed them a lot... I understand that in reality, it's much harder to do - especially in contemporary novels, but it was done quite well in Duchess by Night and I really loved it :)

I really liked Harriet's character. She's a simple woman and all she wants is to love and be loved. Her marriage was never passionate, she's tired of being pitied and ignored by the ton. What she wants is an adventure and she jumps on the first opportunity that presents to herself, i.e. attending Lord Stranger's party. She's a smart woman and I liked that she enjoyed herself, the freedom and anonymity that the men's clothes provided.

I also loved Jem's character. I liked his love for his daughter. Sure, he's not raising her in a conventional way, but at least, he's paying attention to her, spending time with her and he loves her, which is the most important. I think it made him stand out a lot for me. He's an eccentric and did not care about what people thought of him. He doesn't care about titles and aristocrats and the ton... He has money, but does not seek power. I felt that he assumed the responsibilities that money brought to him, in his own way. Definitively an interesting character. Like Ames, what I loved the most is that he even acknowledged his feelings when he thought that Harriet was Harry :)

I thought the first half of Duchess by Night was great. I loved the chase between Harriet and Jem, their interactions, the attraction between them... In With Seduction in Mind, I complained that there was no chemistry between the H/H... Well it definitively was not the case in Duchess by Night. It was even better when Jem and Harriet became lovers. You could see the tenderness between them and the playfulness. They seem so carefree and in love.

Villiers, Harriet and Isidore's dynamics were also very interesting, especially between Villiers and Harriet. The friendship between them is unlikely after the death of Harriet's husband, but it does occur and it was touching to see.

Oh and the whole thing was just sooo funny. I mean, can you imagine the situations that can happen when a woman dressed as a man? LOL, especially when other women hit on her. I think the funniest was when Kitty was seducing Harriet and she admitted: "I'm not a man" and Kitty thought Harriet meant she was an eunuch. LMAO.

I have to say, it's unfortunate that the second half lost momentum. I thought the storyline in the second half of the book was a bit forced, first with Jem's daughter's sickness and then the conflict. I understand the use of the child's sickness, bring all the characters closer and emphasized the love between Jem and his daughter... but at the same time, I felt it didn't fit the mood of this story. It was drawn out and too passive. As for the conflict, I also felt it was forced. Jem doesn't care about titles and nobles, so why would he cares that Harriet was a duchess? Did he really value the Games? I find it hard to understand why Jem rejected her exactly. Also, when he finally realized that Harriet was more important and came to apologize, I don't know, he could have grovel a bit more. I thought the whole situation - discovering she's a duchess and finding a way to be together, could have been more poignant. It takes two to fall in love, so why can't it take two to work to get their HEA ending?

So I definitively liked the first half of the book, the idea was great and interesting. I loved the characters, especially Harriet and Jem. They were a great couple and I had many laughs. Unfortunately, I thought the second half of the book was weak. It definitively could have been more and better, it had potential.

My Grade: B+.

Review: Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Just to let you know that Lori and I have buddy reviewed Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas over at Breezing Through :)

Hope you enjoy :)

Review: Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

I might have been on the last bandwagon for the Mercy Thompson series, but I'm determined to be on the first for Cry Wolf... I just love Anna and Charles LOL :)

As a new fan of the series, I was very happy to find out I wouldn't have to wait too long for my next Patricia Briggs werewolf world fix, as Cry Wolf was coming at the end of July. I've been checking the online store indicator for the past week, 3 times a day, and I rushed to the bookstore when it finally appeared that they had received their copies. Luckily for me, it was already shelved too!!

There's already been a lot of good reviews for the book and here is mine :)


Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
published by Berkley in July 2008

Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member and as his mate.

Genre: urban fantasy, werewolf
Series: Alpha and Omega, book #2 (book#1 is the novella by the same name as the series in the anthology On the Prowl) - also connected to the Mercy Thompson series.

The Story: Anna's background was given in the back blurb, so I'll just add some facts. She was part of the Chicago pack and her alpha had her brutalized in order to keep his mate 'sane.' Because of the alpha's bad decisions for his pack, Charles Cornick, the Marrock's son and enforcer, was sent to deal with him. After taking care of business, an injured Charles is returning to Montana with Anna.

From the first moment, Anna and Charles were attracted to each other and their wolves have chosen each other as mate. She has followed Charles in order for her to learn how to be a werewolf as well as to work out their relationship. Not to help matter, Charles is sent to hunt down a rogue werewolf...

My Opinion: This book was great and I hope it'll turn into a series :) I simply love Anna and Charles, they are such a cute couple with awesome chemistry between them. I really enjoyed their interaction with each other and how Charles was so protective and their possessiveness towards each other. I have to admit however that a little bit of communication between each other would have helped, but then at the same time, that's Charles and Anna... Two quiet personality, but unbelievably strong.

I lift my hat to Ms Briggs that she was able to write Anna's character with such balance. What I especially like is how you cannot mistake Anna and Mercy. Both women are so different, obviously not from the same mold or template. I find myself loving Anna more than Mercy. Mercy is all strong, tough and independent while Anna's strength is more subtle, more admirable. I also loved Charles and personally can't wait to find more about it. I like how the appearance of Anna in his life has changed things, changed him a little. I hope that Anna will be able to bring out a bit more of joy...

I think the storyline was great and I definitively enjoyed the mystery. It was very interested and definitively not I was expecting. I like how the synopsis and first few chapters makes you believe that the werewolves have it all figured out and then, there's a huge twist. Ms Briggs was very clever with her writing. Another interesting aspect of Cry Wolf is that it definitively focuses more on the werewolves, the dynamic of the pack, the rules and the way they live. In the Mercy Thompson series, we had other paranormal races introduced and so, Ms Briggs had to build those races, eg. the vampires or fae. In Cry Wolf, as I said, it's very focused on the werewolves and it's different to see it from the werewolves point of view. Mercy might have been raised with werewolves, but after all, she's a coyote. Also, there are a lot more background information on the Marrock, Sam and Charles which make it very interesting and kind of fill some holes.

Finally, I have to applaud Ms Briggs writing. Cry Wolf takes place, time-wise, after Moon Called but before Blood Bound. Ms Briggs was able to go back in time, set Cry Wolf in that time frame seamlessly. Also, what I like the most is that Cry Wolf was written at the third person, so you get everyone's point of view and it gives a distinct feel to the book, different from the Mercy Thompson series. Yes, the books are connected and occured in the same world, but if Ms Briggs decide to start a series with Charles and Anna, then there will be no mistaken the two. By changing the point of view, Ms Briggs was able to give a sense of uniqueness to Charles and Anna.

My Grade: B+ . A great book with more romance than I expected. The only reason it's not getting an A is because I thought it was a bit rushed and I'd have like for Charles and Anna to have more time to get to know each other, spend more time without any threat or pressure.

Review: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Hi people :D

How was your week-end? My week-end was very lazy and uneventful. Read a bit, ate and slept a LOT ^_^;

I sent an e-mail this morning to the professor for the job. I'm waiting for his reply and confirmation. I'm quite nervous because I had to give my 2 weeks notice as well... Hopefully, the professor won't be changing his mind. Sigh. So that was it for me today... waiting for a reply... (can't he hurry up?!?!)

All right, onto the review. I reviewed Moon Called and Blood Bound last week for my TBR Day challenge. Many of you were interested in my thoughts on Iron Kissed, so here it is...

***

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
published by Ace Fantasy in January 2008

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weight thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

Genre: urban fantasy, werewolf, fae
Series: Mercy Thompson, book #3

The Story: To me, the back blurb pretty much covers it all... so I won't go over it.

My Opinion: Okay, confession time. Iron Kissed was my least favorite in the series so far. Not necessarily because of what happened to Mercy at the end, although of course, it wasn't my favorite moment. I just have this mental blockage against the fae.

I don't know what it is between me and fae, but I haven't had a book yet where I enjoyed them... and Iron Kissed was no exception. I had no interest from the beginning and the intrigue didn't pull me in. So yeah, book didn't work for me... Wasn't because of the plot, writing or characters, I simply wasn't interested.

I did enjoy any scene with Warren and Kyle :P Still love them :) What's cool also is that we get to see another face of Ben. I can't wait till Ms Briggs reveals more about his past, because there's a story there. Finally, I really appreciate that Ms Briggs hasn't dragged the love triangle between Sam and Adam. Was it necessary to have people tell Mercy to make a choice now? I don't think so... As I said in my previous review, I don't think there's a real love triangle... it's pretty obvious who Mercy loves more... but it's nice that the love triangle is now over. We can focus on something else in the next book :)

My Grade: I did give this book a B- when writing up my monthly reads... but now, writing the review, it feels more of a C range... but then, I don't think it's fair to grade it. So yeah, no grade :P

Review: Grimpspace from Ann Aguirre

Lots of buzz about this book, which is why I got it... I had a feeling though about that book and turns out I was right. Sometimes, I should just trust my feeling ^_^; There's also been a lot of mixed reviews, so here I am, adding my two cents :)


Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
published by Berkley in March 2008

By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…

As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.

Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom—for a price. March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel—and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing—grimspace—and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…

Genre: romantic sci-fi
Series: The Jax Series, book #1

The Story: The book blurb is a good summary.

My Opinion: This book didn't work for me. I had two problems with it: the heroine and the world building.

Let's start with the lesser problem. The world building. I found that the readers were just propelled in the world and given information as we read; however, it wasn't enough. The world in this book is very complex... it's not just the spaceship/planets, but also lots of different races and the politics... and I felt lost. I was trying to figure it out, imagine it and I just couldn't. Same thing about background information. For example, the hero, March... what is he? Is there more like him? What's all his motives? I find we were given just the strict minimum. Perhaps it's because this story is a series and those issues will be addressed later...

Biggest problem for me? The heroine, Sirantha Jax. Sorry, but I didn't like her. My favorite kind of characters are the ones that are selfless, that will sacrifice themselves for others. It wasn't the case with Jax. I'm not saying that she's selfish... but she's not selfless either. Some thought it made her more human and real, but it just didn't work for me. I didn't like how she was sleeping with her pilots when she's still married. Okay, she's not in love with her husband anymore and it's been years she hasn't seen him. How hard is it then to just ask for a divorce or something? I didn't like that there was little camaraderie and loyalty between her and the rest of the crew. I understand why... it's not like they wanted her on board, but still... little efforts were made. I didn't like how she thought of abandoning March. Least you can do is check whether he really is dead or not. I know that she has her own demons and she just lost her pilot and etc. Still, the way she acted, I wouldn't want to have her own my team.

Aside from that, *sigh* the romance didn't work too well for me. I can't see when they'd feel attracted or could fall in love with each other. As for the story, it was okay... except for the last part. I thought the bounty hunter was unnecessary and the hostage situation, ridiculous. Especially the way it ended. I'm wondering whether or not there'll be repercussions on March. I sure hope so, because otherwise, it doesn't make any sense.

Any positive? Lots of action. The 1st POV didn't bother me, neither did the present tense. Writing style is okay. The whole storyline, it was okay, but a bit cliche...

My Grade: D. I originally graded it as a C+, but now that I'm writing the review... I see little that I liked ^_^; so I'm down-grading it.