Week-End's Minis XXXI: Paradise by Jill S. Alexander

Paradise by Jill S. Alexander
published by Macmillan (Feiwel & Friends) in July 2011

Paisley Tillery is the drummer for a country rock band. If they can make it to the stage at the Texapalooza music fest, then Paisley will be closer to her dream of a career in music and a ticket out of her small Texas town.

Drumming and music are what Paisley has always wanted. Until the band gets a new lead singer, the boy from Paradise, Texas. With Paradise in her life, what Paisley wants, and what she needs, complicate her dreams coming true.

Genre: YA, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? Paisley Tillery's mom is pushy and often looks down on people. Paisley's father could have made it to the professional baseball league; however, he got injured and as a result, they had to settle for what they had. Paisley's mom wants better for her two daughters and therefore has been pushing Paisley's older sister, Lacey, to pursue a singing career, disregarding Lacey's lack of talent and ambition. She also does not approve of Paisley being a drummer. As such, Paisley has to keep her passion a secret. She, along with some friends, have formed a country rock band and plan to participate to the Texapalooza music fest, figuring that'd be her ticket to her dream and also, would convince her mother. Unfortunately, the group is missing a lead singer... and then enters the new boy in town, Gabriela Cordova Granados and his accordion.

Why this book? Ames read Paradise when it first came out and really enjoyed it. It's been on my radar ever since, but I was too cheap to get the hardcover... So I picked it up when the trade-size was finally release earlier this summer.

What did I like? Overall, I thought Paradise was a nice read. The reason the book is titled Paradise is because Gabe comes from Paradise, Texas and therefore, Paisley calls him Paradise. I liked Paisley, she was portrayed quite realistically. Her desire and determination to be a drummer, to make it work even if that meant going around her mother's back. The family dynamics also felt very realistic to me. I enjoyed the complicity between the two sisters and with their dad. He's the buffer zone between the daughters and their mother's autocratic ways. While the mother had to be a certain way for the book to work, I have to say, I did not like her at all ^_^; She was looking down on people and I didn't really get why. I mean, seriously, you are not better than them... and she was so focused on climbing to the next class level that she was blind to her daughters' wishes. It's a balance thing really. Still, that's a part of Paisley's family and Ms Alexander didn't shy away from it, didn't try to make it better or as if it didn't matter.

I think what's most commendable about Paradise is how real it felt and also, how it wasn't all pink and rosy. The ending is not tied up all nice and neat, the relationship between Paisley and Gabe was not perfect... The rock band members were friends, but not BFFs...

What didn't work for me? I think I went into Paradise with expectations that were a bit too high. All in all, Paisley and Gabe's characters were nice, but they did not stand out for me. I also expected a lot more from the ending. I was hoping for it to be more poignant... Perhaps because I knew the ending already, so it ruined it for me ^_^; One thing about Paisley and Gabe's relationship... I liked that Gabe understood the meaning of "no." Paisley wears a purity ring and part of it, is to please her mother... but she's not ready to have sex. So Gabe would stop whenever she'd tell him. However, every time, it felt like the making out was initiated by Gabe. I feel if he really understood and respected Paisley, he wouldn't...

Another thing that bothers me a bit about the whole book is that all the events felt like a dream. Because the timeline was so fast, I didn't feel the depth of their relationship. Also, throughout the book,Paisley called Gabe Paradise. The whole thing makes it feels transient, no permanence, like a dream. Perhaps it was done on purpose...

My Grade? B-. I don't regret reading Paradise and the realness of it was really nice, but I have to say I was expecting more.

Week-End's Minis XV: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in January 2011

basis, n.

There has to be a moment at the beginning when you wonder whether you’re in love with the person or in love with the feeling of love itself.

If the moment doesn’t pass, that’s it—you’re done. And if the moment does pass, it never goes that far. It stands in the distance, ready for whenever you want it back. Sometimes it’s even there when you thought you were searching for something else, like an escape route, or your lover’s face.

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary has constructed the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being within a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time.

Genre: Fiction, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? As the blurb indicates, The Lover's Dictionary is written like a dictionary. Each word the narrator has decided to examine is defined by a moment, a feeling, an event that stem from the narrator's relationship with his lover. You have the perfect example in the blurb with basis :) Each page is dedicated to a word and like a real dictionary, it's in alphabetical order - therefore, the story is not told in chronological order and readers have to piece the story together from the bits they get from each definition. In addition, the narrator is anonymous and the gender of his lover is also unknown.

Why this book? Well, I think it's Ames who first brought this book to my attention. And then, it started to pop up on many other blogs (Christine, Hils, Mariana and Kailana). I thought the concept was very original and wanted to discover this book for myself :)

What I liked? The Lover's Dictionary was a quick, enjoyable read. The concept is very original, interesting and refreshing and that's obviously what made the book stands out. However, it had to be combined with the story Mr. Levithan wanted to tell and his writing for it to be as good :) Now, looking back, The Lover's Dictionary seems like a risky bet, but one that Mr. Levithan undeniably won.

When I started reading The Lover's Dictionary, I have to say I had my doubts. I'm the kind of reader who doesn't pay much attention to words themselves. You have probably noticed that in my reviews, I rarely quote from books and if I do, it's never a sentence and more a passage. So I have a tendency to take it away as a whole - feeling, story, etc. However, in the kind of books like The Lover's Dictionary, words seem to be so important and I was afraid I was going to miss something... but I don't think I did :)

The Lover's Dictionary is also a book where you have to glean for every piece and bits of information on everything: the relationships, the narrator, the lover, their personalities, etc. And once you have these information, you have to put it together to make a whole picture, kind of like a puzzle. I have to say I enjoyed that part more than I thought I would :) I also really enjoyed the ambiguity concerning the gender of the lover. To me, all these are proofs of how ingenious Mr. Levithan is with his writing :)

Any issues? It's not an issue per se, but obviously, at the end of the day, what the readers will remember most about The Lover's Dictionary is the concept of the book. The way The Lover's Dictionary is written and how the story unfolds, I think it's difficult to really connect with the characters. I mean, in the beginning, you're trying to figure out things and how everything connects, you're more focused on the definitions and less on the characters. Also, the fact that the narrator and the lover are anonymous creates a barrier in my opinion. I did feel for the narrator and I enjoyed reading his different feelings for every step of their relationship. His incertitude and doubts were heart-felt... but he's still a nameless face for me. As a result, it's really hard to get attached to him and get attached to the book on an emotional level and I think that will always be the flaw of this book.

My Grade? B. I did enjoy the book a lot and felt it was really refreshing, but as I said, there's a lack of emotional connection between me and the story and the characters, hence the grade. Still, The Lover's Dictionary is definitively worth a read; if not for the concept, then for Mr. Levithan's clever writing :)

Week-End's Minis X: Cheri on Top and I Want Candy by Susan Donovan

Last week, I didn't put a poll on the sidebar for the Week-End's Minis for two reasons: 1) I knew what I wanted to review and 2) I haven't been reading as fast lately, so didn't have enough options for a poll ^_^; I thought my reading had picked up last week-end, but I only managed to read one book this week! Ugh. At least, I'm blogging, so small blessing :)

So this week-end, I'm reviewing Cheri on Top and I Want Candy by Susan Donovan. I read I Want Candy last week and knew it'd be a mini-review... Although I might have rambled quite a bit and the review might not fit "mini-review" anymore LOL. Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to also review Cheri on Top since it's the first book in the series which I have read when it was released and had slipped  though the cracks.

Enjoy and have a nice  week-end!


Cheri on Top by Susan Donovan

published by St. Martin's Press in August 2011

Sun-drenched beaches, designer-label clothes, drop-dead-gorgeous boy-toys... all paid for with a series of high-risk real estate deals. That’s the lifestyle Cherise Newberry and her BFF Candy enjoy after leaving rural North Carolina for Tampa—until the market tanks and they lose everything. Cheri is surviving on Ramen Noodles and temp jobs when she gets a call from home to come back and run the family’s small-town newspaper. Just one catch: She’ll become the boss of her high school crush—and former brother-in-law—who might have the power to crush her all over again...

But Cheri is surprised to see how “bad boy” J.J. DeCourcy has grown into the hard-working and principled managing editor of The Bigler Bugle. Still, according to Cheri’s bitter sister, he’s not to be trusted. If Cheri’s going to co-exist at the with this sexier-than-ever man from her past, she needs to stay professional—and keep her distance —even though he sets her on fire. When they’re handed the biggest news story in the town’s history, Cheri must trust J.J., even it means putting her life in danger... and her heart on the line.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Book #1

What do you need to know? I think the paragraph of the synopsis is pretty accurate. However, what's misleading is that J.J. was a lot more than Cheri's high school crush. They were in fact a couple back in high school. The two of them along with Candy and Turner - now the town's sheriff - were like the 4 musketeers. However, Cheri and Candy were determined to leave Bigler and spread their wings... And when J.J. went after Cheri, she was on top of the world. That is until her sister, Tanyalee, called J.J. informing him she was pregnant and he was the father. The next thing Cheri knew, J.J. was marrying Tanyalee. Cheri and her sister never had a good relationship and let just say this just made it worst.

Now, coming back to Bigler and the family business is a big blow to Cheri's pride... and living with her great-aunt Viv is a trial. It doesn't take long for Cheri to take refuge at the family lake's house, her childhood home. Another trial is working with J.J. who's a reporter for the Bugle and on the trails of a very hot story when a car and a corpse, both decades old, are dragged out of the lake. Murders, embezzlement and mayhem ensued.

Why this book? Now that I think about it, I have a weird relationship with Ms Donovan. Whenever Ms Donovan has a new release out, I'll be on the look-out for it... Yet, a lot of her books are hit and miss and I'm starting to wonder why she is an auto-buy author for me ^_^; Why am I not more selective about her books like I am for other readers? Reputation? Peer influence? Hmmmmm.

Anyway, I picked Cheri on Top because it sounded fun :)

My thoughts? Well, I thought that Cheri on Top was not the best book I've read, but not the worst either. I think one of the reasons I felt that way was the characters. At best, I could say my feelings towards them were neutral. I think one of difficulty is the situation both found themselves in. On one hand, you have Cheri who appears to be very materialistic, proud and to a certain extent, selfish. I understand that Cheri has attained such high and to drop so low, well you don't want everyone to know... and that's understandable. However, I got annoyed with the front she put, the whole "Oh, my grandfather begged me to come back" and so on. I also don't understand why she didn't confide in her grandfather - he's the kind who cares and is concerned for her well-being. Another thing that bugged me is the lack of family sense... Tanyalee and Cheri have a bad relationship and given the circumstances, that's okay. Her great-aunt Viv is not the easiest person to live with and that's fine too... But still, her great-aunt Viv and her grandfather are getting older... Isn't Cheri concerned for them? Then, on the other hand, you have J.J. Everyone makes mistake, but J.J.' s was big and a bit hard to overlook. Confessing your love to Cheri and being interrupted by a phone call from her sister announcing she's pregnant and you're the father? Ouch. The whole fact that 1) he slept with someone else and 2) Cheri's sister... Even if Tanyalee instigated it and all, still ouch. I do admit though that mistake aside, J.J. turned out to be a good guy. However, sometimes, first impressions are hard to overcome ^_^;

The romance between the two is as you'd expect. Basically, Cheri and J.J. still have feelings for each other and once in close proximity, despite their past, they have difficulty keeping each other at arm's length. Actually, they have difficulty keeping their hands off each other LOL. So there was plenty of sexual tension and the chemistry was there. I liked that they worked things out, especially concerning their past. That was the big obstacle to their relationship... although I kind if wished they'd also talk more about the present. What they wanted now.

I'd have to say, if it was for the characters and the romance only, this book wouldn't have scored high points with  me... but surprisingly, the mystery was pretty interesting :) Ms Donovan did a good job with it as well as integrating it to the romance. Plus, there was some very funny parts - pregnant squirrel comes to mind :) And that made me enjoy the book more.

My Grade? C+. In the end, I found Cheri on Top was a quirky read and had a good time.

I Want Candy by Susan Donovan
published by St. Martin's Press in February 2012

Candace Carmichael was just getting used to the lavish life when everything went sour. Now the down-on-her-luck real estate agent is back in Bigler, North Carolina, jobless and illegally rooming with her her mother in a swank retirement community. All this makes her wonder why she ever considered her BFF Cheri’s invitation to move back home. Life in this small mountain town may not be as glamorous as the one she had in Tampa, but she knows a girl can’t be too choosy in this market. Besides, everyone’s happy to welcome Candy back—especially one handsome widower named Turner...

Turner has grown up to be one fine-looking piece of man candy—and looks even tastier in his sheriff’s uniform. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t resist kissing him when he pulled her over for a traffic violation. Even if a relationship was part of Candy’s business plan, Turner would be off limits—he still wears his wedding ring, four years after his wife died. If falling in love too fast is a crime, Candy is soon guilty as charged and ready to be fingerprinted. But is she ready to lock away her dreams and hand Turner the keys to her heart?

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Book #2

What do you need to know? Well eventually, Candy followed Cheri home to Bigler, but she's still totally broke. Candy's plan is to find a job, make a bit of money and as soon as she can, she'll leave the town and start over. Eventually, she gets a cashier job at the diner... and while she's trying to scrape money together to rent an apartment, she is rooming with her mother at the retirement community - not something she ever expected, especially given their relationship. Then, the night clerk starts developing an unhealthy crush on her and Candy finds herself unknowingly tangled in a joint task force investigation for a drug bust.

Ever since their high school days, Turner had a crush on Candy... However, it was clear they had no future together since her father would never approve of Turner because of his skin color. But now, the planets seem to have aligned themselves: her father's death, Turner is a widower and Candy seems to have finally realized what a hunk Turner is...

Why this book? Same reason as to why I bought Cheri on Top,  although I have to say, I was curious about Candy's story :)

My thoughts? Hmmmmm, it's hard to describe how I feel about I Want Candy. On one hand, there was a lot going on at the same time with some inconsistencies and questions... but at the same time, I don't know, it works LOL. I found myself continuing reading and that's something given my current reading mood. So kudos to Ms Donovan LOL.

Overall, I liked both Candy and Turner's characters. Turner was just a good buy all around and while he was a widower, he wasn't too hung up on his dead wife. Yes, he wanted to find out the truth behind her death for closure and J.J. and his brother thought he was a bit obsessed with it, that he should resign himself. However, his behavior didn't come across as obsessive, mainly because he had healthy fantasies about Candy, LOL, but also because there was so much going on that Ms Donovan did not focus too much attention on that aspect ^_^; As for Candy, I like that knew she was materialistic. She has difficulty giving up her previous life, but she was still a pretty good girl... and she was brave to want to pick up the broken pieces and want to start over. What bothered me though with her character is that Candy kept saying she couldn't stay in Bigler. It was okay for Cheri, but for her, being Candace Carmichael, it was not an option to stay... and that part, I didn't really get. The way Candy talked, it was as if she really had a bad past or her family had a bad reputation in Bigler and everyone would be out throwing stones at her... But it really wasn't the case. Also, there were parts where it seemed Candy was traumatized in her past, but when it came to light, in the scheme of all things, it didn't feel that bad. I know this is subjective and it varies from person to person... but I guess reading so much fiction and listening to news, there are so many horror stories out there that it made me immune and insensitive...? I just found that there were characters I've read who had worst and seemed to cope better than Candy ^_^;

Once again, the romance between Candy and Turner was pretty hot and heavy. I like the chemistry between the two and I think it helps that they had an history. I liked that Turner didn't want to make Candy obliged to stay, that he wanted her to stay in Bigler not just because of him, but for herself as well. Once again though, I wished there was a bit more development... a push as to why the two of them would jump each other now besides attraction and lust. Also, Ms Donovan touched lightly on the racial aspect... I don't know how I feel about that. I'm sad that it is still a current problem in our society and good for Ms Donovan for addressing it. At the same time, I kind of have a problem with the way she did it... Because there was so much going on, Ms Donovan didn't dwell on it very long and as a result, it felt superficial and superfluous ^_^; It seems to me, if Ms Donovan really wanted to tackle this issue, she should have devoted more of the book to it. Otherwise, she should simply not have brought it up. As it is, the in-between does not do much.

Also, I thought the mystery in Cheri on Top was well done... but not so much in I Want Candy. I think it again comes back to too much going on. The whole drug investigation was a good idea as another storyline, but it was muggled with the whole night clerk's - who's a part of the drug lab organization - delusion that Candy was his girlfriend. The way this story thread was resolved was a bit unrealistic and anti-climatic.

One last inconsistency that bothered me was about Candy's mother, Jacinda. She did such a 180 degrees in behavior that it was hard to believe. I mean, in the beginning of the book, when Candy visits her mother to let her know what happened to the money she lent her, the reaction you get was that Jacinda didn't expect to see the money back because she knew Candy would fail... Then at the end, you find out everything that Jacinda has done for Candy. Don't mistake me, I'm glad that her mother turned out to be a better woman and Candy will probably have a better relationship with her... but it seems like a bit of bad characterization, because it's hard to believe ^_^;

So it seemed like I had a lot of issues with I Want Candy and I guess I did... but as I said earlier, there was just something about this book that was compelling and made me continue reading it and at the end, I had a good time :)

My Grade? C+ as well. Once again, not the best nor the worst book, but an enjoyable one :) I have no idea if Ms Donovan plans any other books in Bigler, but I wouldn't be against it :)

Review: Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

Hi everyone!

So how was the long week-end? Hope you enjoyed it! I had a really nice time reading, blogging and watching TV. Really my kind of week-end :) I did go out on Monday to buy a wedge pillow. I've been having vertigo again since last Thursday and I figured it was time for me to invest in such a pillow. See, previously, the doctor has told me I shouldn't sleep flat anymore. As a result, I've been trying to achieve 45 degrees sleeping by piling up my pillows, but it was really uncomfortable for my neck, shoulders and back. I'd wake up several times a night to re-situate myself... and I developed the habit of sleeping on my stomach. So instead of 45 degree, it was more like 90 degrees ^_^; I figured there was something out there that should be able to help me and ended up with a wedge pillow. So far so good, had two great nights of sleep and when I wake up, I feel okay :) I think it will really help with the vertigo... just hope this spell doesn't last too long.

Okay, enough about me and my pillow :) Instead, let's talk books! I finally got into a reading rhythm over the week-end. Lately, I've been reading steadily... but also very slowly ^_^; Dunno why. I've been averaging 2 books a week? Maybe it was because of TV and curling, hmmmm. In any case, I read 4 books in the past 4 days, yay! Now, I just need to keep the rhythm and still do everything else LOL. So to start things off, a review :)

Last week, I reviewed Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas. I told you I wanted to have my review up because Ames and I wanted to buddy review Rainshadow Road. Well guess what? Yep, it's up over at Breezing Through! You can read it here and find out how much we enjoyed the book :)

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
published by St. Martin's Press in February 2012

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington, with a boyfriend, Kevin, who she believes is her soul mate. She has always had a magical side - a gift that finds its way into the breathtaking glasswork she creates - and she struggles to keep it contained. But when Lucy is blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal, she questions many of her choices. Her boyfriend leaves her and his new lover is none other than Lucy's own sister. Lucy's bitterness over this devastation is multiplied buy the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life.

Meanwhile, facing the severe disapproval of Lucy's family, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on the San Juan Island, to "romance" Lucy so that she can more easily move on. But when Sam and Lucy begin to feel real sparks between them, Lucy must ask herself if she can easily risk her heart again.

As Lucy questions her beliefs about love, loyalty, and old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings, she explores the possibility that some things in life - even after are being broken - can be re-made into something beautiful. And that is the only by discovering who you really are that you can find the one who truly deserves you.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Friday Harbor series, Book #2

Review: Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

How's everyone? Seems to me the week and blogland have been quiet. Is everyone getting ready for the long week-end? I'm one of those who gets both Friday and Monday off, so this will be an extra long week-end :) I'm planning to relax and rest. I started having vertigo again yesterday... Hopefully, it'll pass soon. By the way, guess what I'm doing tomorrow with friends? Going to watch The Hunger Games! Crossing my fingers that I'll enjoy it :)

Ames recently reviewed Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor and urged me to read the Friday Harbor series. And because it was Ames, I did :) We're now planning a buddy review of Rainshadow Road for next week over at Breezing Through. As a result, I really wanted to review Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor beforehand... and yay, I did it! Enjoy :)


Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
published by St. Martin's Press in December 2010

One little girl needs a family
One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word.

One single man needs a wife
The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.

Sometimes it takes a little magic...
Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.

...to make dreams come true
Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home...

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Friday Harbor series, Book #1

The Story: The blurb is pretty accurate. Basically, Holly's mother died and Mark, the oldest Nolan brother, was named as guardian. He never anticipated this situation, never expected to have his own family and has no knowledge of children. Actually, given their experience, he doesn't believe that any Nolan should marry... However, there's no way he'll let Holly end up in foster care and so Mark is determined to do his best. His first move is to move in with his brother Sam, so he'll have support. To their surprise, Mark and Sam fall in love with Holly and she gains their instant devotion. As such, they are concerned that she hasn't spoken a word in six months since her mother's death... That is until she steps into Maggie Conroy's toy store in Friday Harbor.

When Mark finds out Holly's Christmas wish is to have a new mother, he intends to make her wish come true by taking the next step with his girlfriend, Shelby... but despite his best intentions, he finds himself attracted to Maggie. And while Maggie is also attracted to Mark, she has no intention to embark into another relationship. A widow of two years, Maggie lost her husband to cancer... and she never wants to love and feel as much again.

My Opinion: Hmmm, I was quite hesitant to read Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. One reason is I didn't know what to expect and another was the length of the novel; it is quite short. However, after reading Ames' review, I decided to give it a try... and I'm really glad I did.

Basically, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor was a very cute and touching contemporary romance with nice characters. I simply loved Holly! She was such a great kid. Once she started talking again, she was very sweet and happy... and I loved how Mark and Sam fell under her charm and how she brought them together. I have the feeling that this 6 years old girl made them better persons :) Their interactions were very cute, warmed my heart and left me smiling. Especially the scene where Holly says her first word in 6 months to Sam! (p34)

Leaning down, Mark murmured to Holly, "Go ask him what's for dinner."
The child obeyed, going to Sam's side and putting her mouth close to his ear. She whispered something and retreated a few steps.
Mark saw Sam go very still.
"You're talking," Sam said, turning slowly to look at the little girl. A questioning note had tipped his husky voice.
Holly shook her head, looking grave.
"Yes, you are, you just said something."
"No I didn't." A titter escaped her as she saw Sam's expression.
"You did it again, by God! Say my name. Say it."
"Uncle Herbert."
Sam let out a breathless laugh and grabbed her, pulling her against his chest. "Herbert? Oh now it's going t to be chicken lips and lizard feet for dinner."

Isn't it sweet? And what I loved best was that Holly teased Sam! I think it shows how well she has adapted, how comfortable she was with her uncles... to be able to tease them, even when it's the first time she talks to him. And Mark and Sam were doing an awesome job :)

Overall, I thought all the characters were quite nice and likable. I wished we'd have a bit more background information on the Nolan brothers, especially Mark. He kept saying stuff about how bad a father and husband he'd be, how they didn't know how to be a family, etc. It obviously alluded to their childhood/experience and their parents, but no details were given and therefore, it was hard to understand his fears and worries, to believe his certitude. I also liked Maggie. She was a very nice and caring woman.Although her behavior and decisions were understandable given the circumstances, I still found her wishy-washy attitude tiresome at times and I thought it was a bit cowardly of her to use Shelby as a shield, a reason why she couldn't be with Mark ^_^; I wished she'd have been more honest to herself. Lucky for her, Mark didn't take no for an answer. Plus, given all her reticence, I thought the timeline of their courtship at the end was very fast! Although with the pacing of the story, it didn't feel that fast...

Finally, I'm going to say that I'm really glad I got Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor as an e-book for 2.99$. The reality is that Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is a novella, not a full-length novel. Had I paid full-price for this book when it came out in hardcover, I would be fuming at the mouth ^_^; And it would definitively have ruined my enjoyment of this book. As it is, I was surprised when the book ended, because I was expecting more and it turned out to be the excerpt ^_^;

My Grade: B-. Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor was not a perfect novella, but it left me feeling good and smiling :)

Review: Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

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

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

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


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

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

published by St. Martin's Press in January 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke

Ugh, the past two days have been brutal. It's really gotten cold and I've been having headaches and feeling nauseous. I'm knocking on wood it's not a BPPV relapse. Instead, I'm blaming the cold... In any case, I cannot afford getting sick as I'm going to the conference this week-end. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, it could be the conference is stressing me up. I mean, we're leaving Sunday and I have just booked the bus tickets today. It's soo annoying because my boss is indecisive about everything and so it doubles the planning time ^_^; Also, my labmate is really starting to panic as he and our boss each has a poster presentation... but we have not started on the posters yet!! Yeah... guess what I've been drafted to help with?

On the review front, I'm trying to catch up on books from this summer ^_^; I'm so behind, it's not funny. To try to avoid this situation in two months, I've been mixing it up, old and new... If there are any books that I was supposed to review and I haven't yet and you'd like me to, please let me know! LOL. In the meantime, enjoy this one!


Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke
published by St. Martin's Press in June 2011

When the Ministry of Marriage arranges a match, all that matters is power, wealth and prestige. In the business of marriage, there is no room for love. But even the most prudent plans can go awry...

Jane, Lady Roxdale, has endured one marriage of convenience decreed by the Ministry of Marriage. While she deeply regrets her late husband’s death, she is relieved to be free at last. But when a dissolute rake threatens everything Jane holds dear, she must contemplate marrying a second time...

Disgraced libertine Constantine Black inherits his cousin Roxdale’s land and title—while Roxdale’s prim widow is left all the wealth. Constantine is not a marrying man, but wedding Jane is the only way to save the estate from ruin. Jane resists the smoldering heat between them, desperate not to fall in love with an unrepentant rake. But for the first time ever, Constantine wants more than seduction. He wants all of her—body, heart, and soul...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Ministry of Marriage series, Book #1

The Story: Through ironic circumstances, the Duke of Montford, a confirmed bachelor, found himself the guardian of 5 children - 3 girls, all heiresses, and 2 boys, titled and landed. He did his best raising them and ensuring their futures which means making sure their fortunes grew and in the case of the ladies, that they'd also marry well. As a member of the Ministry of Marriage, Montford had his pick for the best matches...

Jane, Lady Roxdale, was one of Montford's ward and was married off to Frederick Black, Baron Roxdale, at the age of 17. While she had liked him during their courtship, marriage did not turn out as she expected... and as a result, Jane is content to be free again. All she wants is to live peacefully and to take care of her 6 years old nephew and Frederick's ward, Luke Black. She knows that soon, Montford will plot to get her married again, but this time, she intends to remain independent. Unfortunately, Frederick's will have taken away that option...

Constantine Black is the defunct Lord Roxdale's cousin and heir. Years ago, Constantine refused to marry a young lady that he had compromised and as a result, he's been estranged with his family and has become persona non grata to the ton. And of course, he's gotten a reputation that he hasn't earned. Now that he's inherited the title though, Constantine wants to forget the past, start anew and prove to everyone they were wrong about him... However, it won't be as easy as he thinks...

Indeed, in his iron-clad will, Frederick Black stipulated that all his funds would go to his widow and Luke's guardianship was transferred to Constantine. Each has what the other wants as Constantine now has no funds to maintain the estate... and therefore, there is really only one solution: a marriage of convenience between the two!

My Opinion: This book caught my attention earlier this summer when I was going through the list of authors attending RWA. Back then, I was binging on historical romance and this definitively seemed to be right up my alley :) I was determined to get a copy at RWA... and I'm glad I did!! :)

The premise of Heiress in Love is not really original - it's a marriage of convenience after all. Constantine needs the funds to maintain his estate and Jane wants to remain close to Luke. However, Ms Brooke did a great job with it and it's all due to her interesting characters :) I have to say, I really liked the hero of this book. Despite his reputation, Constantine was really an honorable man. I liked that he accepted the consequences of his decision and they were quite dire. He didn't blame anyone, didn't whine and wasn't  angry at the whole world. He stood by his principles and wouldn't be coerced into a marriage and it took guts. With Jane, while he didn't have many options, to marry her was still his choice. I also liked that he bonded with Luke - I love men getting along with kids in books :) It shows a different side of them. I also liked that he was hard-working and cared for his tenants. As I said, a great hero and he totally stole the spotlight in this book. I'm not saying that Jane was a bad heroine. She was likable, but paled a little bit in comparison to Constantine. She wasn't as self-assured as Constantine and was a bit the ice maiden. She did feel, but it felt to me she didn't know how to communicate her feelings. The only persons she let close to her were her childhood friends and Luke. Still, at the end, you have to admire her love for Luke.

The romance in the book was okay. I think the fact that bothered the most to me was the fact that Jane didn't enjoy the conjugal act with her late husband and therefore she finally finds passion with Constantine. It's just so common whenever you have widow heroines ^_^; Although I guess it's all a question of chemistry. In any case, I'm happy the two of them didn't jump right in the marriage and in bed together. Actually, both had reservation about it and were trying to find other options. I thought that was realistic. It also gave them time to get to know each other better and develop their feelings. In that aspect, the romance worked for me :) All in all, the romance was there and it was nice, but it lacked a bit of omphf to it making it only okay.

The overall storyline of Heiress in Love was interesting :) Surprisingly, there was a lot going on and Ms Brooke did a great job balancing everything. The most interesting part for me was Constantine's past :) The weakest part for me was the Ministry of Marriage. It seems to be consisted of three persons: Montford, Lady Arden and Lord DeVere and together, they seemed to be related to everyone in Society LOL. As it is the basis of this series, I wished there'd have been more explanations about the Ministry of Marriage. Why did they form, who has given them the power, what is their purpose. Obviously, it is to make match... but there must be more to it, right? So I hope Ms Brooke clarifies that in the future. I also wish for more interactions between Montford and Jane, just so she understands that Montford really did care for them all.

In the end, I was really pleasantly surprised by Heiress in Love. I think Ms Brooke has a nice writing style that flows well and is easy to read.  Heiress in Love was definitively a solid debut, its flaws minor, and I am looking forward to Mad About the Earl, the next book in this series :)

My Grade: B-.

Review: Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

published by St. Martin's Press in August 2011

When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out of the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously? Cookie explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. But Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. Mimi’s husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven... well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?

Genre: Mystery with paranormal elements,
Series: Charley Davidson series, Book #2

The Story: There's never a dull moment in Charley's life. Everything starts when Charley is rudely awakened by her neighbor/secretary/best friend Cookie. Cookie's friend, Mimi, who has disappeared 5 days earlier, has just contacted Cookie to meet at a coffee shop. However, when Charley and Cookie arrive at the coffee shop, there is no sign of Mimi... Instead, there's only a name. Charley agrees to help Cookie out and investigate on Mimi's disappearance. She quickly realizes that Mimi is in trouble when she discovers that Mimi's high school entourage has been dropping dead one after another. The fake FBI agents who paid a visit to Charley were also a pretty obvious clue.

Meanwhile, Charley is heading an investigation of her own. She's looking for Reyes Alexander Farrow's body. Reyes is the entity that has been haunting her and looking over her. Reyes is also her sort-of-boyfriend and Satan's son and his physical shell is being tortured by demons who want to know her whereabouts. Soon, he won't be able to take it anymore so he's decided to let his body die... To say that Charley is not thrilled with this idea is an understatement and thus, she's determined to find him. Unfortunately, there's the slight problem that Reyes is a fugitive and therefore, Charley can not openly ask for Uncle Bob's help... And as if all this was not enough, Charley's father is acting weird. Should she worry about it?

Yep, never a dull moment.

My Opinion: Well, Second Grave on the Left was another winner for me :) I'm really liking this series so far and am happy that 1) there is little wait between the books and 2) there is going to be more than three books in this series.

Basically, everything that I enjoyed in First Grave on the Right, I found in Second Grave on the Left :) Charley is still a fun heroine, but more importantly, she's interesting and intriguing. I like that there's a lot more to Charley than meets the eyes. As I mentioned in First Grave on the Right, my first impressions of Charley was that she reminded me of Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich. Mainly because she is quite a klutz and finds herself in preposterous situations :) However, as it turns out, Charley does know what she's doing. Actually, I find Charley to be smart, savvy and competent... but she hides herself behind a veil of absurdity that makes her hilarious. Mostly, I think it's her way of protecting herself. She's different and therefore, often misunderstood and feared. She's definitively been hurt in the past - by her own stepmother and sister, but also friends... and so she maintains a distance. So that's Charley as a human... but Charley is also the grim reaper. I liked the fact that when we met Charley, she already had a handle on her abilities and her functions as the grim reaper and that she's been learning as she grew up. I like that the powers weren't just foisted on her one day. Instead, she's had a lifetime to learn and adapt. Then again, I also like the fact that Charley has a lot more power than she thought and she is slowly uncovering it. To me, it makes sense that as she learns more about the world, she learns more about her abilities and her true nature :)

Along with Charley, we have a yummy hero, Reyes :) Reyes is another interesting character and he's still quite a mystery. I find Reyes' character to be refreshing. I like how dark and ruthless and how kind he can be. He's a very ambiguous character. Good or bad? Does it really matter? What matters is that he's willing to sacrifice himself to protect Charley and that Charley loves him. I do admit I'm anxious about the romance. Is there really a way for Charley and Reyes to be together at the end? I sure hope so!! I definitively don't want a love triangle somewhere in the future... However, I have to say Charley and Reyes are quite devoted to each other so perhaps we'll be spared. It feels to me that their romance is transcending, it's been thousand of years in the making... at the same time, it is so fragile, because when it comes down to it, Charley doesn't know Reyes. She is getting to know him though and she is dealing with what she learns... LOL, as you can see, Ms Jones has me invested in this romance! Don't need to tell you this is a good thing, right? LOL.

Finally, I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book. The case about Mimi was interesting and quite suspenseful. I also liked that Charley is delving more into Reyes' past, finding out more about him and meeting his best friends. Most interesting is Ms Jones's good use of Charley's informants and aides which of course, are from the ghostly nature :) It gives her some leeway when it comes to the mystery because Charley gets information that usually wouldn't be available to her. At the same time, Charley actually does some investigating of her own, gets information the old fashion way. For me it works, because the ghosts are involved in both Charley's professions - PI and grim reaper - and let's face it, they make for great secondary characters :) With everything going on, Second Grave on the Left is full of action and very fast-paced; I couldn't turn the pages fast enough :) I do admit that at time, there was perhaps a bit too much going on and I was confused a little... but overall, I think Ms Jones did a great job at balancing everything and keeping the readers at the edge of their seats :)

My Grade: A-. I really enjoyed and loved Second Grave on the Left. It was a great book and my issue with it was pretty minor and will probably clear up once I re-read it at a slower pace. All in all, I'm really happy I gave this series a go and it's probably my "find" of the year so far :)

Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Yay, a review!! LOL, I'm most likely going to be late for work this morning... but who cares? I have  a review up!! and hopefully, I'll be able to pump out a few today :) In the meantime, how is everyone doing? Pretty quiet lately on blogland. I'm still feeling kind of so-so. I had a blood test done yesterday and going to see the results today. Hopefully, that gives me a little peace of mind.

My sister cooked yesterday - she made vegetarian lasagna... which meant I ate much later than usual LOL. Yeah, I shouldn't be complaining since I didn't have to cook... and it was yummy :) We watched the newest episode of Rizzoli & Isles and also started a new tv show, Suits. So far, it's okay. Lots of blablabla though. Now, today, I need to start making my grocery list for our annual BBQ this Saturday :) Fun times ahead! Hopefully, for everyone else as well! In the meantime, enjoy my review! :)


First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
published by St. Martin's Press in February 2011

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

Genre: Mystery with paranormal elements
Series: Charley Davidson series, Book #1

The Story: Hmmmm, how to describe the story? Charley is not an ordinary woman. She has powers that allows her to see ghosts. However, she's not a simple medium... instead, she's a grim reaper. Actually, she's THE grim reaper and her job is to guide them towards the light. In addition to being able to see ghosts, she has some quirky abilities such as understanding every languages that have driven a wedge between her and some members of her family.

By day, Charley is a private investigator - yes, seeing ghosts and having their help definitively give her an edge :) She also helps her uncle, a detective, with useful tips. In First Gave on the Right, Charley is embroiled in an investigation about the murders of three lawyers who had gotten new evidence to get their client acquitted from murder. At the same time, she is being "haunted" in her sleep by a being... and she has no idea what's going on. Then, when she discovers that the being might be the guy of her dreams - a bad boy she's met as a teenager - she's determined to find out who, why and how he is haunting her. Especially  if he's the really "bad thing" that has protected her throughout her life.

My Opinion:  All right, LOL. Not the best synopsis, but let just say there is a lot going on in First Gave on the Right and it's not easy to explain... but as a very good author, Ms Jones makes it all work - proof of her talent, imagination and writing skills :)

So I really, really enjoyed First Grave on the Right. I first picked it up, because of the gorgeous cover, but also because despite the subject - grim reaper, seeing ghosts - the book sounded very funny... and it was :) Charley is a great heroine. A very complex character, she can come off a bit as a klutz, getting in all those kind of scrapes; however, at the same time, she's very competent as a grim reaper and that's what I liked about her. I liked that she knew herself and her powers and were comfortable with them, not afraid to use it. I liked that she actually knew what she was doing instead of muddling it through. She also has an humorous side which makes it fun to follow her in her adventures :)

As for the situation with Reyes, that was very interesting. Of course, I have a weakness for "love at first sight" and the kind of "romance" Reyes and Charley are having LOL. It's the kind where both parties involved know they are meant for each other and are trying to find their ways back to each other. Although with Reyes and Charley, it might be more complicated than most. I'm really looking forward to see how it will turn out. At the same time, I am concerned... with Reyes' identity. I mean, it's obvious that Reyes and Charley have very strong feelings for each other, even though they don't really know each other. However, with Reyes being Reyes... the romance might be near-impossible. So I just hope that Ms Jones doesn't add a third party to it ^_^; Someone more approachable, more possible. I know, I know, I'm worrying ahead... but hey, we've all seen it right? So I'm crossing my fingers it won't in this series.

The overall mystery in First Grave on the Right was well-done and well-written. I have to admit though, I was a bit confused at times, because there was so much going on. Still, for a debut novel, it's really good and enjoyable, and as a result, can be forgiven :)

In any case, let me repeat once more that I've really enjoyed this book. The series shows a lot of potential and Ms Jones has indicated that the series will go beyond 3 books, so that's great news for her and us, readers :) I'm interesting to see how the Reyes situation will turn out, but also see if something will be done with the family situation. However, in the end, the most important will be simply reading more of Charley, because she's a great heroine :)

My Grade: B+. I don't know if the following is good or bad, but anyway, that's how I felt LOL. After reading First Grave on the Right, the vibe I got about Charley was a bit of Stephanie Plum - klutzy and funny. So if you enjoy the Stephanie Plum series and paranormal elements, you want to give the Charley Davidson series a try :)

Review: Absolutely, Positively by Heather Webber

Woohoo, it's Friday!! The week has gone by so quickly! Usually this is a good thing, cos that means the week-end comes faster too... But in this case, because there's something for the job that I have to do on Fridays that I don't like it... well  it just seems too quick :( And today was such a long and crappy day... actually, the whole week was, sigh. Let's hope the week-end doesn't go by too quickly ^_^;

However, the good news is I finally got my review for Absolutely, Positively up! Woohoo!! I'm really glad, because I know many of you have recently read a Lucy Valentine book and that was a good source of motivation :) I wanted everyone to know how much I enjoyed this third installment :P So take a look and find out :)


Absolutely, Positively by Heather Webber
published by St. Martin's Press in February 2011

“Exposed” by a Boston Herald reporter, Lucy is suddenly the talk of the town. Long back-story short: Even though the rest of her Valentine ancestors were blessed by Cupid with psychic abilities, Lucy’s only special power lies in her ability to find things. This skill has proven quite a blessing for those who come to her matchmaking agency in search of finding their long-lost loves. Now that Lucy’s secret is out, she has more new clients than she knows what to do with. But soon a certain man of mystery steals Lucy’s spotlight…

No, it’s not Sean Donahue, the sexy fireman-turned-private-eye who’s stolen Lucy’s heart. It’s a masked man in a cowboy hat, dubbed “The Lone Ranger,” who’s been throwing handfuls of cash across the Common. Now all of Beantown’s abuzz. Can Lucy unmask the mysterious money man, track down all her clients’ old flames, and turn up the heat on her love life? Absolutely, positively...

Genre: Contemporary romance, mystery
Series: Lucy Valentine, Book #3

The Story: A lot is happening in Absolutely, Positively. First, there's the Lone Ranger, a masked man who literally throws money in the streets and who has Preston hot on his heels for a scoop. Then there's work as Lucy and Sean investigate for the Lost Loves, a division of Valentines Inc. One is an official case where a young woman is looking for someone she knew while in the foster system, but what is Lucy to do when she discover the young man is not walking the straight line? There's also an elderly man from Lucy's neighborhood who has disappeared and everyone is wondering what happened. If indeed he is dead, then was it fair play? Finally, there is also the personal front... Lucy is debating whether to take a step further in her relationship with Sean and ask him to move in with her; however, she worries because of the Cupid curse. Adds in her parents' new relationship and a brother who doesn't want to take up the succession of a family business and you have Lucy's head spinning in all directions :)

My Opinion: Seriously, I overlooked this series in my Best and Worst of 2010 posts, but it is really a gem of a series. What makes it so awesome is a combination of good writing, interesting storylines, great characters, but most importantly I think, freshness. I don't think there is anything out there close to Ms Webber's style and it just adds more to her books :)

I was quite looking forward to Absolutely, Positively and overall, it pretty much met my expectations :) I enjoyed this book a great deal, although it was less fluffy than the others... I think it had to do with the cases - although in previous books, the cases were quite serious as well, so perhaps it's how busy the book is, which as shown in my recap, very :P Still, it was well-balanced, not confusing and kept me hooked as I just want to find out more about everything LOL. Also, I was quite surprised how everything tied in together and I think Ms Webber did a good job :P

While the cases were interesting, varied and kind of suspenseful, the real strength of the Lucy Valentine series is the characters and that holds true in Absolutely, Positively. Lucy is a great heroine and really make this book :) I think it's because readers enjoy being in her head, seeing things from her POV and her thinking process :) She's very genuine, caring and level-headed. Just a balanced character, especially now that she knows where she's going in life. You can throw a lot at her, which her family often does, and she can deal with it. Then, there is this whole cast of quirky characters surrounding her that just makes this book fun :) Everyone of them is unique and adds a different flavor to Lucy's life.While they are funny, they also have this touch of wisdom and with it, they have Lucy's back. I really enjoyed Lucy's parents in this book LOL. The situation is really interesting and I'm looking forward to see how it'll work out in the future :P Sure to give Lucy a few more eye twitches LOL... and the couch scene! LOL. And then, there are Lucy's best friends Marisol and Emma. I like how they are part of Lucy's family, it really feels like they've been childhood friends :) I also like how everyone is supportive of Emma :) With her relationship with Aiden finally taking off, I'm hoping that the focus will switch a little to Marisol in the next few books :)

Another thing that I'm enjoying in this series is the timing of things :) I like that Lucy and Sean's relationship is not rushed, that they're taking their time to get to know each other and build the trust. I like that Sean is patient with Lucy and also understanding and is willing to wait till Lucy is no longer afraid :) That not everything is happening to Lucy at once and she's overwhelmed. So I feel it's good that Lucy has found her footing in life, being able to use her gift but also be part of the family business. At the same time, she's slowly building her confidence and coming into the life that she's always dreamed :) In many series, I'm pretty sure the heroine would have gotten there too fast and panic or not get there yet and be frustrated - all to create issues, conflicts... and sometimes, you don't need them and Ms Webber understands that :)

With all this being said, Absolutely, Positively was not a perfect read and I had a couple of issues with it. While the romance between Lucy and Sean is progressing very nicely, Sean is still somewhat of an unknown entity. There's no doubts about his feelings, but what about Sean himself? We know the current him, but we have very little about his past and what made the man who he is today. Learning that Sam and Sean are "foster" brothers was a great surprise and not just to the readers... So I really hope that the next book will focus on Sean. Another issue I had was with Lucy and the foster kids case. When Lucy learns that the man is a criminal, she decides to "protect" her client by keeping information from both parties... I know this was a dilemma for Lucy, that she had good intentions and was doing it in her client's best interest... but the choice really bothered me, because ultimately, it wasn't  her choice to make. It's good to care, but at the same time, I felt Lucy was too quick to judge. Okay, Tristan didn't help matters at all ^_^; Still, I wished she was a bit more open-minded. Finally, I was a bit disappointed that there was no more interaction between Lucy and Cutter. I was really looking forward for it and Cutter was just taken out of the equation with business trip... Of course, this won't go happen in every book as the succession issue has to be resolved... so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next book :)

My Grade: B+. Another great installment to the series and I'm really looking forward to the next book!!

Review: Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber

Nothing really to say. Life is quiet and work is busy. I thought the week-end was too short LOL. I mean, I really like doing nothing :P And I definitively cannot believe the end of the month is so soon! Where has time gone really? Hopefully, I'm going to be able to blog all I want to blog about in a timely fashion :P

Oh, guess what? I'm not done cleaning my room - that is always a WIP ^_^; However, I was able to find my copy of Deeply, Desperately! :P


Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber
published by St. Martin's Press in August 2010

Lucy wants to breathe new life into her family's Boston-based matchmaking company. But how? Even though she comes from a long line of ancestors blessed by Cupid with psychic abilities, a freak accident left Lucy with only one special skill: finding things. Car keys, socks in the dryer, needles in haystacks...and now, in a stroke of professional genius, lost loves!

It's not long before Lucy's on a winning streak, helping old flames reunite and create new sparks. Business is booming. But when Lucy finds herself involved in a possible case of murder, she realizes she's in too deep. Enter Sean Donahue. Lucy's handsome fire-fighter turned private-eye neighbor, Sean is just the man she needs to help her on the job. Could he also be the man she's been looking for all along? When it comes to Valentine, Inc., falling in love is always serious business.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Lucy Valentine, Book #2

The Story: With Christmas fast approaching, it's normal that Lucy is busy... however, a lot more is going on than just the holidays. First, Lucy has a case with Lost Loves, Valentine, Inc.'s new branch, where a widower is looking for his first love. While Lucy loves her new job and is very interested in the case, she's less than happy about reporter Preston Baily shadowing her, looking for her meal ticket to bigger newspapers. There's also Preston's questioning about siblings and family that are weirding Lucy out. Then, there's Lucy's best friend, Marisol, who is planning an intervention to stop Emma, the third musketeer, from marrying a jerk. As if all that is not enough, Sean's ex-girlfriend is back in the picture and needs his help and support. Seriously, all this is enough to drive a woman crazy :P

My Opinion: I really enjoyed Truly, Madly, the first book in the series. I thought it was cute and fluffy and Deeply, Desperately pretty much continues in the same vein. A lot is happening in Deeply, Desperately and you'd think it'd be overwhelming, but it wasn't. Everything - the relationships, the romance and the mystery - blended and balanced out each other well, providing us, the readers, with a fun and enjoyable book :)

I think the success of this series so far is its heroine, Lucy Valentine. The best word that could describe her is normal :P Really, she might be a psychic with the ability to find objects and persons, but what she wants makes her a regular person. She wants a relationship with Sean, she wants to succeed at her job, she wants her friends to be happy and her family to live in peace and harmony. All of this makes her extremely easy to relate to and thus, likable. Same goes with Sean. He's a very nice guy, caring, responsible and trustworthy. And because Ms Webber has two solid main characters, she can go crazy with the secondary characters :) I mean, Lucy's family members are definitively a hoot, especially together LOL and while she loves them, she's not blind to their flaws. And her friends? Makes me envious to see such strong friendships :) All in all, I have to say I truly enjoyed Lucy's interaction with everyone.

The romance between Lucy and Sean is progressing well. While Lucy still worries about the Cupid curse, she tries hard to make her relationship with Sean work. Actually, it was heart-warming to see Lucy and Sean together, because you have two persons that are not afraid of commitments and really want this to work out. Ms Webber throws in some conflict by bringing back Sean's ex-girlfriend. For once, I thought it worked out well, I really liked seeing Lucy fight for Sean :)

Once again, I think Ms Webber did a good job with the mystery thread in this book. The series so far has been pretty light and fluffy, but the cases are well thought out, developed and satisfying. I mean, this after all is contemporary romance, not romantic suspense, so don't go out expecting a gory murder case or for them to be the focus of the story. Still, they are worked into the storyline well and add to the book's entertainment value :)

My Grade: B+. To me, Deeply, Desperately is another winner. There was nothing that bothered me. I read it in one sitting with a huge smile on my face. It simply was fun and fluffy and I'm really looking forward to the third book, Absolutely, Positively :)

Review: Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas

Sigh, it seems to me I've been playing catch up on my blogging the whole week. I need to blog during the day, not at night ^_^; I find that when I post at night, it counts for two days LOL. Know what I mean? Ah well, I have no plans this week-end, so I might try to work on a few posts :P

By the way, what are you all reading? I've been looking at my TBR pile and nothing calls to me.

In any case, I'm done reviewing my books in June!! Yes, Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas was the last of my June reads that I wanted to review :) You can find it here, over at Breezing Through. It's another buddy review with Ames :P See how hard-working we are? :P And soon, very soon,  I'll be current in my reviews! Well I hope :P

In the meantime, everyone, enjoy August's last week-end!! Hopefully, that means everyone will come back to their routine and action will pick up in blogland :P


Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas

published by St. Martin's Press in June 2010

As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted.and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man-just to avoid spinsterhood?

Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul-and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep.and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love-and a passion that can't be denied.

Review: Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas

Okay, I gotta ask... Where is everyone?!?! I know, I know... I keep saying that blogland is quiet, but you have to admit it, it is! It's not just me, right? I hope everyone is enjoying the end of the summer :)

This week is going by slowly, but at least, it's almost the end. I have no plans this week-end and all my family is going to be busy... so I guess I'll just chill.

Anyway, nothing interesting going on with me LOL. So let's get on with the review :) It's over at Breezing Through and it's a buddy review of Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas with Ames. Find out what I thought of it here. Stay tuned because next week, it's going to be Love in the Afternoon :D

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas
published by St. Martin's Press in May 2010

For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters-a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges' older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response-and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.

Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine's respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever-unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires.

Review: The Wish List by Gabi Stevens

Okay, I've decided to get back my blogging mojo :) The rush at work is about to slow down :) We're going back to my project and that means a lot more of incubation times. Woohoo! Hopefully, my will will be enough LOL.

First review to go!


The Wish List by Gabi Stevens
published by Tor in April 2010

Kristin Montgomery is more than a little shocked when her aunts inform her they're fairy godmothers. Worse, after dropping that bombshell they hand her a wand and head off on a world cruise. Now Kristin's uncomplicated life as a CPA in San Diego has disappeared like magic and she not only has to deal with her burgeoning magical powers, but also a reluctant-and distractingly sexy-magical arbiter.

Tennyson Ritter is a historian. A scholar by choice, he is yanked from his studies to act as arbiter for the newly chosen fairy godmother. He doesn't want to waste his time with a woman who doesn't know anything about magic or the magical world, but soon the beguiling Kristin draws him away from his books and into her life.

But before Kristin can hone her skills and pass the tests necessary to fully claim her powers, she and Tennyson must work together to defend the world - both magical and human - against those that would claim her powers for their own.

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: Time of Transition trilogy, Book #1

The Story: Kristin Montgomery has just turned 27 and is informed by her three aunts that she's a fairy godmother coming into her powers. It is the Time of Transition which means things are changing in the magical world such as fairy godmothers retiring and new ones taking up the job.

Kristin is a Rare One - someone with magical powers coming from two normal humans - and is literally trusted into the magical world. Her aunts leave on vacation, leaving her in the hand of her arbiter, Tennyson Ritter. Tennyson is a historian wizard and has been put in charge of her training and will ultimately decide whether she is qualified for the position. This is a lot to take in for a CPA. Add in a mysterious Frenchman, the death of one of the most respected wizards and a revenge conspiracy... Kristin and Tennyson are in way over their heads.

My Opinion: Lately, I've been in the mood for paranormals with characters other than vampires and shapeshifters. The Wish List fit the bill and it looked fun and fluffy, plus it was published by Tor :) So I decided to give it a try.

I have to say, I really liked the premises of this book. I thought the idea of fairy godmothers was refreshing and fun. Unfortunately, I don't think Ms Stevens carried it out to its full potential and a lot of it had to do with the story/pacing.

The characters were okay. Kristin is a CPA who is suddenly dropped in a world she had no idea existed. Of course, there is some denial at first, but then she tries to adjust and adapt. Kristin pretty much has the typical reaction of other characters in the same situation. What was nice is that the action picked up quickly and Kristin was open-minded enough, so the mourning of her old life was kept to a minimum. Truth is though, I actually liked Tennyson a bit more. He's the grumpy hero type and is definitively not charming LOL. A bit too direct and honest, but still a nice guy :)

The story was okay; in fact, it was actually pretty interesting. Basically, several decades ago, a bad fairy godmother was imprisoned because she wanted to take over the mortal world. While imprisoned, she manipulated one of the guards and it resulted in a son being born. Time of transition comes around every 70 years (I think) and is the time period where the magic world is the most susceptible to change... Thus, the bad guy plans his attack and ultimately wants to release his mother so they can overtake the world. Muahaha :P In order to do so, he needs to corrupt the new fairy godmothers and thus, sets out to woo Kristin. Actually sounds like there's potential right? The problem though is that it was not executed to its full potential. I think the biggest reason why is that Ms Stevens did a poor job at blending everything together: the world building, the action and the romance. There was a lot of world building information to convey and she did so throughout the book, but not smoothly enough. The biggest thorn though was the romance. Sparks fly between Tennyson and Kristin, but it was more a cat and dog interaction. You know, the kind where the H/H don't like each other, but can't help being attracted to each other? That wasn't bad in itself, but my issue is that Kristin and Tennyson fell in bed together very quickly and early in the book... It pretty much felt like Ms Stevens got them together as quickly as possible so she could focus on the revenge conspiracy and the action. You know, getting it out of the way. Sure, there were some quibbles between Kristin and Tennyson during the rest of the story that passed as a relationship, but in the end, it just wasn't romantic enough and fulfilling. I did like the slight twist at the end though regarding home which is foreshadowing a very happy ending... but for now, it seems like we'll see more of Kristin and Tennyson in the future books.

Overall, I thought the book was a bit bland. The wow factor just wasn't there. It's really unfortunate, because the premises and ideas were good, but the writing simply didn't measure up :( The voice was engaging, but I guess what I'm saying is The Wish List wasn't smooth enough... still had too many rough edges to it.

My Grade: After reading it, I gave it a B-. Upon writing this review though, I feel it's more of a C. So I'm going to average it out to C+.  There are obvious flaws to The Wish List; however, it was interesting enough to keep me reading and to want to try the next book in trilogy coming out next year.