Week-End's Minis XXXII: Riveted by Meljean Brook

It's been a while since my last mini-review, but I finally have one! :) Hopefully, I'll get back in a blogging rhythm soon. Enjoy!


Riveted by Meljean Brook

published by Berkley in September 2012

A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. Fishermen tell tales of giant trolls guarding the land and of seductive witches who steal men’s hearts. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magic—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.

Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on the airship Phatéon, flying from port to port in search of her sister and longing to return home... but that home is threatened when expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard.

Determined to solve the mystery of his own origin, David will stop at nothing to expose Annika’s secrets. But when disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, their very survival depends on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam...

Genre: Steampunk romance
Series: The Iron Seas, Book #3

What do you need to know? All in all, I think the book blurb is accurate and gives a good idea of what the story is about. Annika comes from Hannasvik, a community composed exclusively of women, situated in Iceland. The survival of this community when first established relied on secrecy and has continued to this day.  Five years ago, Annika's inattention could have given away the location of the village. Her sister Kalla took the blame and was exiled. Feeling guilty, Annika vowed to bring Kalla back home... but first, Annika has to find Kalla and therefore, she has been serving as an engineer on the Phatéon, traveling the world.

For years, David Kentewess has been looking for his mother's people in order to realize her last wish: to have her necklace buried with her ancestors. When David comes across Annika, he recognizes her accent and knows she holds the key to the mystery. And luck is on his side as he is a passenger of the Phatéon, so he'll have time to quiz her.

Annika is attracted to David, but she's also wary of him. David is a scientist and has been tasked to do a survey of Iceland to see if it's habitable again. His expedition and findings could threaten Hannasvik's secret...

Why this book? I'm a fan of Ms Brook's writing and had read good reviews for Riveted.

What did I like? The first word that came to my mind to describe Riveted was interesting. I liked that we got to discover another part of the Iron Seas' world, the culture, the sexuality, etc. The most interesting part was Hannasvik: how it came to be, how it evolved, the relationships, even the people's names. And it was interesting to see the Iron Seas' world from Annika's perspective, because given her background, she's sort of naive, but also very open and not prejudiced.

Annika and David's characters were great, especially David. I liked David's determination in finding his mother's people and his ruthlessness when it came to it... but at the core, he was more of a beta hero and that's why he backed down and apologized. It made him a complex character. I also admire how he overcame his past and handicap and set out for adventures. Overall, Annika and David's characters were both sweet and so was their romance and I felt the two simply complemented each other so well.

What did not work for me? I had a few issues with this book. First, it took me more than a week to read Riveted IIRC. Part of it was that I was heading into a reading slump and another part was simply because I didn't get hooked by the story. I liked the characters and the romance was sweet, but the whole intrigue about the Phatéon being attacked, the action part, just didn't grab me. Also, I do think the pacing of the book was a bit uneven. It seems to take a while before things happened... and while there was some action, the focus was more on the characters, on the culture. So it had a quieter feel than the first two installments. The biggest issue though was that I had difficulty visualizing the Iron Seas' world, the steampunk aspect the story. There were plenty of descriptions and yet, I still didn't see it. I get that it's my problem and has nothing to do with the author's writing, but you can imagine how it would dim my enjoyment not "seeing" it.

My Grade? B-. Riveted was an interesting book with good characters and a sweet romance. However, the story didn't grab me and left me lukewarm. I'm sure though if I was able to visualize the steampunk aspect better, I would have enjoyed Riveted more.

Pre-Release Discussion: Guardian Demon by Meljean Brook

Hey everyone! Hope you had a great week-end :)

As some of you may know, Meljean Brook has unveiled the cover and blurb of the last book in The Guardian series a few weeks ago. This sparked a discussion between me and Brie from Romance Around the Corner. Since we're smart bloggers, we decided not to let this discussion go to waste and share it with all of you :) So head over to Breezing Through or click here or here to read our thoughts and take part of the discussion! Also take a look at the fun drawings, courtesy of Brie :P

In this thrilling conclusion to the Guardian series, New York Times bestselling author Meljean Brook delivers another stunning page-turner, in which the fate of humanity depends upon a tortured warrior winning the trust—and heart—of the woman he wounded… After a terrifying encounter in Hell destroys her trust in Michael, the Guardian’s powerful leader, former detective Andromeda Taylor is ready to call it quits as one of the angelic warriors and resume her human life again. But when demonic forces threaten her closest friends and she uncovers a terrifying plot devised by Lucifer, Taylor is thrown straight into Michael’s path again… To defeat Lucifer, Michael needs every Guardian by his side—and he needs Taylor more than any other. The detective is the key to keeping his own demonic side at bay, and Michael will do anything to protect her and keep her close. And when Taylor manifests a deadly power, her Gift might tip the scales in the endless war between Heaven and Hell…or it might destroy them both with a single touch.

Monthly Reads: August 2012

Sorry for the lack of post this week!! I had plans for the blog this week, but the long week-end kind of derailed everything. Also, it seems I'm not completely out of the slump... Oh I do read, but I feel like putting down most books I pick up which is totally not me ^_^; Only way to beat the slump is to read right? :) Also, it seems I'm not the only one having a bit of blogging blues. Where is everyone?! I hope that you're all doing well and reading a storm LOL.

Anyway, I've decided to give my blogging muse a little break this week... and I'm thinking I'll put her to work this week-end LOL. With curling starting next week, I think I'll have to devise a plan so I have posts prepared :P Hopefully, this week-end will be inspiring :) So while my blogging muse is on break, I thought I could list my reads in August. Simple right? Here we go!


1) That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen: C


2) Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews: B-
Upcoming buddy review to come


3) Haven by Kay Hooper: B-


4) The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires by Molly Harper: C


5) A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake: B-


6) Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis: B


7) Almost a Scandal by Elizabeth Essex: B+

8) Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City by Meljean Brook: C-

Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City is a short novella, a kind of epilogue to The Iron Duke, in which readers get to see how Mina and Rhys are adapting to their new life after the HEA ending. A big part of the book is about Rhys and Mina's internal struggles: Rhys and his fear for Mina due to her profession and the risks it entails and Mina trying not to overload their adoptive daughter's, Anne the Tinker, life with her maternal instincts. In addition, there's also an investigation about the death of an aristocratic bounder who has been drumming support for his labor initiative to reward factories that didn't install fully automate machinery, putting manual workers out of a job.

Honestly, Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City was an okay novella. I picked it up because I was curious to read about Mina and Rhys' HEA ending... Unfortunately, I forgot that I didn't care much about Mina and Rhys' characters and thus found the whole internal struggles, Rhys' fear for Mina's life and their adaptation to married life, boring ^_^; I simply wasn't hooked. The mystery was not bad, but it wasn't great either. It would have been more interesting and intriguing if Ms Brook had more pages to work with, if it wasn't so closely connected to Mina's life and if the ending hadn't been so anti-climatic. Like everyone else, I did enjoy Scarsdale's appearance and I'm wondering if he'll have his own book one day...


9) Paradise by Jill S. Alexander: B-
Upcoming Review.

10) Dirty by Megan Hart: B

I'm not going to attempt to summarize Dirty because I don't think I could make it justice. If you want to know what happens, you can always check out Goodreads or read Hilcia or Rosie's reviews.

I've heard a lot of good about Dirty, especially since it was Ms Hart's debut novel IIRC, and almost singularly launched her at the top of the list of best erotica authors in romance blogland. Of course, her subsequent books kept her there :) Nowadays, whenever I hear the name of Megan Hart, I always associate the name with refreshing and deep erotica romance books. I'm not a big reader of erotica romance, but I'll pick up a book once in a while... and after reading Hilcia's review, I was intrigued and therefore decided to revisit the past and give Dirty a go. And now, I understand why Ms Hart became so popular so quickly :)

Dirty was a very solid and good book, one that I stayed up late to finish and let me tell you, those books are rare these days. What makes Dirty stands out so much in my opinion is that nobody expects such a deep story when picking up an erotica romance book. It comes as a total surprise, so at the end, you can't help but be a little wowed. Also, I thought the story, everything that Ella has gone through, felt very real. I really admired Ella and was so happy that despite everything, she built herself a good life. She didn't let the past control her totally. I loved Dan, the hero. I thought he was a great guy and his patience was exactly what Ella needed to heal. The secondary characters were well written and all served a purpose in the story. I liked Ella's younger brother, hated her mother and was happy that Ella was opening up her shell and making friends. I have to say though, having read the reviews and knowing this book was more than it appeared, it was easy to pick up Ms Hart's clues throughout the book and know the reason why Ella was broken. And I guess that lessened the wow factor for me, hence the grade. Still, at the end of the day, Dirty was an excellent book... and it was actually a lot steamier than I expected in comparison to Broken, one of the other books by Ms Hart that I've read :)


11) The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane: C+


12) Wild Texas Rose by Jodi Thomas: C+


13) All Seeing Eye by Rob Thurman: B+


14) The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry: B-


15) Fool for Love by Beth Ciotta: C-

***

Balance 
Books bought: +9
Books read: -15
TBR pile: -6

Genres
Category Romance - 1
Contemporary Romance - 3
Historical Romance - 2
  --> (Regence - 1/Western - 1)
Urban Fantasy - 1
Steampunk Romance - 1
Paranormal Romance - 1
Mystery/Thriller - 3
Cosy Mystery - 1
YA - 1
Erotica Romance - 1

***

Well, well, well. I think August turned out to be a great month after July. Reading double-digits of books always signifies a good month for me :) All the other numbers also look good to me LOL. And I think this was my most diversified month to date when it comes to what I've read. All in all, can't complain... except to say I wished September had been as good!

Quality-wise, well no wowzers - although a few were on the verge of being so - but no real bummers either. Maybe I'm a tough grader, but at the same time, I know what I like... and well, it seems to me that a lot of books have the same problems when it comes to the romance... so perhaps it's not really me :P

What do you think of my month?

TBR Challenge 2012: The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Phew, I made it!! I really wasn't sure whether I would or not ^_^; Once again, I cut it a bit close... But I blame it on all the new releases that I bought earlier. They were all books I was really looking forward... and lately, I've been reading  a bit slower than I'm used to. Ah well, the most important is that I made it :) Yay!

This month's theme for the TBR challenge was "series catch-up." I'm actually up-to-date on most of my series... simply because I look forward to new releases and am very good at reading them as soon as I make their purchases :) Some series I have fallen behind, mostly because I lost interest in them. The only exception that I can think of is the Women of the Otherworld series. I'm two books behind and am waiting for Thirteen, the final book of the series, to be released because the last three books are forming a trilogy. So I put my own twist on this month's theme :) I went for a series that I have yet to start and as a result, picked up The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook.

I can actually remember how excited I was to read The Iron Duke! I love Ms Brook's Guardians series and was really looking forward to more books by her LOL. However, I couldn't find The Iron Duke at the bookstore and that burst my bubble a little... Lucky for me, I was going to the States to visit Hils and found a copy while book-shopping with Christine and Hilcia at Borders. Yep, Borders still existed then LOL. Then, when it came time to read it... I just couldn't ^_^; I picked it up several times, but never got past the first chapters... and more than a year has gone by. I was determined to have it read for this TBR challenge. So let see how it turned out for me :)

PS - Last day to vote for the Week-End's Minis!


The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

published by Berkley in October 2010

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

Genre: Steampunk romance
Series: The Iron Seas, Book #1

The Story: Nine years have passed since England was freed from the Horde control, courtesy of Rhys Trahaearn, a pirate and captain of the Marco's Terror, who destroyed the Horde's Tower. For his action, Rhys was granted the title of Duke of Anglesey, but is commonly called the Iron Duke.

After 200 years of occupation, England is slowly putting things back together and adapting to their new freedom. However, there is still a lot of fear and definitively resentment. It means life is not easy for a woman like Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth whose features are definitively of Mongols descent and therefore, a reminder of the Horde. The daughter of the Earl of Rockingham knows that marriage is not in her future and as a result, devotes herself to her work.

When a body is literally dropped on the Iron Duke's doorstep, it brings Mina in contact with Rhys. Together, they discover the identity of the body: Roger Haynes, the new captain of Marco's Terror. Further investigation indicates Haynes was supposed to gather information about a Horde weapon, which could neutralize everyone infected with nanoagents, being auctioned and report back. Determined to regain his ship, the Iron Duke launches himself in pursuit, aboard Lady Cosair - a mercenary airship, and arranges for Mina to accompany him...

My Opinion: Sometimes, when you read a book that's been in your TBR pile for a while, you want to kick yourself and wonder why you waited it so long. Other times, you feel your instinct was right, there was a reason why the book lingered in the TBR pile. For me, The Iron Duke falls in the second category... I really, really want to love this book - it's Meljean Brook!, but even now, I don't know how I feel about it ^_^; Maybe once I'm done with this review, I'll know...

I previously read Here There Be Monsters, the prequel novella to The Iron Duke, and remembered being very confused with the world. I mean, the genre is steampunk, so it's very different than our reality and it means a lot of information... and I felt like I had a lot of questions at the end of it. Plus, the length didn't help. I'm glad to say the world building in The Iron Duke was much better and that I found it very interesting in the end :) I really liked the historical and geographical aspects of the world as well as the technology. I thought it was quite fascinating and at times, quite hard to wrap my mind around LOL. It's clear that Ms Brook invested a lot of time into creating this world and really thought about every aspect: society, other countries, etc. and it definitively paid off because she really created something unique! I really hope that in future books, there will be a map, that would make it complete :) Also, I think Ms Brook did a great job delivering the information. Indeed, she managed to avoid the dreaded information dump and instead, incorporated it into the storyline and the characters - what they said, what they did. Ms Brook believed in her readers, that we'd be smart enough to gather all the elements and get the greater picture :) It was very well-done on Ms Brook's part :)

My only complaint about this world would be the hatred and resentment and the consequences it had... especially on our heroine. I understand that people hated and resent the Horde, but it made it difficult for me to accept that without a bodyguard, Mina would be brutalized and perhaps even worse. As it is, even with a bodyguard, she was frequently insulted and spat on because of her Mongolian features. And that's what I don't understand... I mean, it should be obvious to everyone what were the circumstances of her conception, that her mother had no control because of the Frenzies...It's not as if Mina was a Horde sympathizer. In fact, she probably hated them even more than everyone else and yet,  yet, the way Mina was treated was mind-boggling and speak very badly of the population. How ignorant they are... And Mina is the daughter of an earl... I can't start to imagine the treatment of normal children with Mongolian features!! Also, what was being said of Mina's parents... Even our hero wondering early after he has met Mina whether her mother has "rutted" with a Horde and her father being know as the cuckold earl. I thought it was appalling since it had happened during a Frenzy and everyone knew what it meant everyone should know better :( Another thing I didn't understand is why they let the people from the New World come back and reclaimed the titles. Yes, they had money... but plainly speaking, their ancestors were deserters. After 200 years, do these people have a right to come back and reclaim their status? I don't think so. They should have made laws to prevent it. And seriously, I can't imagine how frustrating it'd be for English people to have these New World-ers coming, still clinging to ridiculous traditions. Funny how they were from the New World, but while the world around them had changed, they had not. However, I guess that Ms Brook did a great job if I ended up feeling so strongly about these two issues :)

Something else Ms Brook did a great job with was the characters, especially the secondary ones. I love Mina's family... Especially her parents. Despite what happened, they still loved each other, remained united and more importantly, loved Mina. They were such good people and righteous, but not in an annoying way... and also skilled. You can't help but admire them and the family they have created. That everyone would die for each other says what they have created and accomplished :) And I love Scarsdale, Rhys' navigator and friend. He was so funny, but at the same time, dangerous :) I wished he was straight so he'd get his own book. And of course, Lady Corsair, Yasmeen, was as mercenary as I expected and very interesting. In comparison, I felt Mina and Rhys paled a little bit. It's not so much the characters themselves, because I think Mina and Rhys were good characters, had good basis... But it's fleshing out, development and ultimately "likable" factor. I mean, once you get to know Mina, you can't help but admire her. This woman is tough and strong and her devotion to her family is admirable. She also gives off the vibe that she's a good inspector which is good too. But I can't help but wonder how... If she is so despised, how can she investigate properly and efficiently? Are people willing to talk to her, trust her or let her investigate? At one point in the story, if it hadn't been for Rhys' presence, she wouldn't have been able to hire a coach! It think it would have been good if we've seen her more in action without Rhys. As for Rhys, yes he was an alpha and tortured hero, he was also an honorable captain. He was also a survivor and as such, he has a tendency to look out for himself and his interest first. But as a man, who was he really? I don't know as I didn't get a sense of him. Rhys knew money, knew sex... but humans? Humans interaction? Not so much. And there wasn't really a softer side to him... All in all, I found that Rhys and Mina were difficult characters to relate to and just didn't evoke any feelings in me. They were just okay. And unfortunately, I felt the same way about the romance ^_^; I didn't think Rhys and Mina suited each other that much. They were so different and sometimes, it works... because the couple comes to a certain understanding. But I don't think it ever happened with Rhys and Mina. Sure, they were attracted to each other... But even after spending so much time together, they didn't understand one another. If they did, the whole "I'm done with you" wouldn't have happened... and that really showed to me they weren't suited. It didn't feel what they had together was solid and I wished for an epilogue to prove me wrong.

I'm almost done here, stay with me LOL. My last two issues had to do with the storyline and the tone of The Iron Duke. First, I think the storyline was good. It felt like a great adventure and that's what The Iron Duke was all about :) Unfortunately, great adventure is usually accompanied with great action and I felt it wasn't the case here. There was some great build-up, but when it should have been awesome, it became anti-climatic. For example, pursuing Marco's Terror and facing Hunt or when they finally found the weapon. My reaction was, that's it? I just thought it was unfortunate that how it unfolded was kind of a let-down :( Finally, the tone of the story... I found the whole feel of the book was bit crude ^_^; I think it was was the overuse of the word "shag" which sure, it's the accurate word since the story takes place in England... but it was a bit jarring for me. Plus, that's a reason why I didn't get in the romance... All Rhys wanted was to shag Mina, to possess her like a thing :( Then, there were a few other scenes that set the tone... I guess it took me by surprise, because it wasn't what I was expecting for this series. I was expecting something more clinical I guess, with all the technology ^_^;

My Grade: C. Phew, I didn't think the review would be so long LOL. I'm going with a C for The Iron Duke because there were some very good elements and there were others I didn't care much for. At the end of the day, I feel neutral about this book ^_^; Didn't love although I really wished to, but didn't dislike either.

Monthly Reads: October 2011

Finally, I'm done with this post!! Woohoo!! Only two more to go to wrap up 2011 ^_^; The worst is that October was a short month - both because of the number of books read and books reviewed. Sigh, I have a feeling November and December will take forever... But I'll do my best!

I've tried to keep the reviews short, but I was not always successful. Also, I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot... and I'm not sure if what I mean is coming across well. Guess it'll have to do though! Hope you all enjoy the mini-reviews!


1) Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep: B


2) Slow Ride by Erin McCarthy: C-


3) The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan: B++

4) Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: B

Last year, Ms Perkins' debut novel Anna and the French Kiss got quite a buzz which got me to pick up the book. While I liked the book, I didn't seem to enjoy it as much as everyone. So I was a bit hesitant to pick up Lola and the Boy Next Door, but in the end, the blurb convinced me and I got curious about the heroine who liked to dress so outrageously. It somehow reminded me of all the trends in Japan. I'm glad to say I enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door more than Anna and the French Kiss :)

I thought Lola was a very interesting heroine - her personality, the way she dressed, but also her family situation. It was fun to see her interactions with her two over-protective fathers LOL. I also liked her friendship with her best friend and the connection she had with Cricket, the love interest. I also really enjoyed Cricket and I thought that their romance was sweet. To my surprise, I also found myself really liking Anna and Etienne who have cameo appearances a lot more than I did in their own book. Go figure :P Another thing that worked for me was there was less high school drama and the focus was really on Lola and her relationships/interactions with everyone.

While I thought Lola was an interesting character, she wasn't very likable ^_^; Some of her actions were very immature and at times, you really wanted to yell at her to make a choice, be decisive. Another thing that really bothered me was how Ms Perkins turned Max into a shitty boyfriend at the end of the book, to justify Lola choosing Cricket over him. I thought it was unfortunate, why not let him be the good boyfriend? He wasn't the perfect boyfriend, but he was a nice guy, accepting to have brunch with Lola's two over-protective fathers every week-end, and so on. I thought the change in his character was too sudden and unnecessary.

Still, I enjoyed this book and it kept me engaged :) I'll definitively read Ms Perkins again!

5) Angels of Darkness: C

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh:  B
This was my favorite entry in the anthology. I really liked the H/H and how the romance progressed. The story was also quite interesting and I liked that Nimra was different from the other angels we've met so far in the series. The biggest issue that I had with this book is the once again forced darkness atmosphere that the author tried to create. Noel is recovering from a very traumatic incident and yet, I didn't feel it in his characterization. It was mentioned many times and Ms Singh tried, but it just didn't take for me.


Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews: D
Ugh. I love, love, love Ms Andrews' writing and her Kate Daniels series? I can't get enough, seriously. However, I always have the same problem with her: the world building. I found the world building confusing in Alphas: Origins, hard to visualize. The characters are also supposed to be real bad-asses and I supposed they are... but at the same time, I didn't connect with them, didn't find them likable. Perhaps if the story had been longer, more development... but as it is, I have difficulty buying the H/H budding feelings for each other ^_^; All in all,  the whole novella just felt flat for me


Ascension by Meljean Brook: B-
Nice short story. I thought the case the Guardians were working was way more interesting than the H/H. They have been introduced in previous books, but not much was known about them and their development in this novella was obviously limited. Added in a prior relationship that didn't work out and everyone ends up with lots of baggage. But as I say, the story was very interesting and it makes you realize how fine the line is between Guardians and demons and the fact that they cannot hurt humans? Well that just makes things a lot more complicated and dangerous for them :)


6) Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr: C+

7) Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves: B-

Heartstrings and Diamond Rings was a pretty good book, solid... better than Ms Graves' previous release, Black Ties and Lullabies in my opinion. I could actually understand Alison's urge to get married, her worries not finding Mr. Right and not being able to start her family soon. I do think she was a bit too obsessed about it and worried too much, but still, it made sense. It'd really hard to meet people - trust me. As expected in this kind of books, Alison's dates are quite funny LOL.

Thinking back, Brandon's behavior and actions might not have been really ethically acceptable at first... but kudos to him because he really tried his best to matchmake Alison with suitable men. I also liked that he came to care about the business and his clients and I do think he'd be really good at the job because he's quite a good judge of character. Anyway, I liked the characters and the story, but I think it lost a bit of its momentum once Alison started showing interest in Brandon and as a result, I started losing interest. I think the book needed a bit more punch at the end than the usual  "You deceived me" conflict. Still, I enjoyed it :)

8) Snapped by Laura Griffin: C+

I was really looking forward to Snapped after reading Leslie's review, but I wonder now if perhaps I had too much expectations coming into the book. The suspense was definitively the strongest element of this book and was very well done. What didn't work for me were the characters and as a result, the romance. I didn't think Sophie and Jonah had much chemistry together. It felt to me for a long time, Jonah's feelings for Sophie was one-sided. True, Sophie had a lot on her mind, but it didn't look to me like she really reciprocated Jonah's feelings. Sure, she noticed that he was handsome, but nothing more. Also, what annoyed me so much was some of Sophie's actions. Granted, she tried to do what was right and that's a good thing, but she didn't seem to think before acting. And that's what was so frustrating!! When even your friends and colleagues who work in law-enforcing don't believe your words... going to the public might not be a good idea. Especially if you're right because in that case, you just painted a huge target on your back!

If I had liked the characters better, the grade would definitively have been higher.

9) In Total Surrender by Anne Mallory: B

Oh, here is a historical book that I really enjoyed!! I was intrigued by the blurb and picked it up at the bookstore on impulse. Well this impulse paid off! :) I really liked both the H/H. Andreas is the king of the underworld and he has one purpose in life: revenge. The only person he cares about is his brother... but suddenly, this woman is intruding in his life and in his thoughts. Personally, I thought Phoebe was an awesome heroine!! She was oh-so clever and knew how to plan. Loved the way she started wiggling her way into Andreas' household LOL. I also really enjoyed the romance, the way Andreas couldn't get Phoebe out of his mind, no matter how hard her tried :) The storyline was also well thought-out and executed. Andreas' revenge and how Phoebe tried to save her father's company and how these two elements were linked together. I really liked that Phoebe believed in her childhood friends.

The only reason why this book isn't getting a higher grade is because this is the third book in a series and I haven't read the other books and therefore, there were times where I really felt lost, like I was really missing some information. I know it is unfair for the book and the author, because technically, it's the reader's responsibility to read the books in order... but I've read books out of order and you don't always feel this way... and in the end, it really affected how much I enjoyed this book ^_^;

10) Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck: D

I've been burning-out on a lot of genres lately - paranormals, urban fantasy, small-town romances... and so I thought I should start varying my reading a bit more. As a result, I decided to go with mystery, because there are so many series out there! If I like this genre, well seriously, jackpot! LOL.

So I decided to go with Glazed Murder in which the heroine owns a doughnut cafe. Overall, the story was okay.  One of the problems is I never really connected with Suzanne ^_^; I didn't care about her or her situation... and the fact that she's another divorcee... Ugh. Also thought this series was a bit formulaic and the fact it's a first book in a series didn't help. I mean, you have this heroine who has this job and for some reasons, she finds dead bodies and investigate. I haven't read many cozy mysteries, but I've read something similar to this before... and so it's hard to get engaged. Another problem is that I realized I'm not a big fan of amateur sleuth ^_^; Yeah, that's a big problem given that most cozy mysteries have amateur sleuth as protagonist. It can work if the author is talented and clever... but unfortunately, I just think Ms Beck didn't have the elements to pull this one off. There was a definite lack of originality in the setting-up of the book and the execution... Plus, it's hard to believe that people will babbled just because a woman came in with a box of doughnuts ^_^;  So yeah, didn't really cared about this one.

11) A Hoe Lot of Trouble by Heather Webber: C

So instead of continuing Ms Beck's series, I decided to try another cozy mystery... This time though, I went with an author that I knew, Ms Webber who wrote the Lucy Valentine series which I've enjoyed. I have to say this one worked better for me.

What I liked the most about this book is I could feel that Nina, the heroine, had a life :) She's in the midst of a separation because she founds lipstick on her husband's boxer, still living with her teenage stepson who never seems to have accepted her. Her family drives her crazy half the time and she really could do without the noisy neighbors. Okay, so you have another heroine who is a divorcee (soon-to-be-divorcee), but in this case, it works because her circumstances are much more interesting, her background more rich. I thought Nina's relationship with Riley was one of the most interesting element in the book, perhaps because it felt so real. I also thought the mystery was more interesting because there was a lot more to it than a dead body (and at least, it isn't one that Nina stumbled across)... and wow, I sure was surprised at the end by the big twist. Also, I feel like Ms Webber handled the sleuthing better :)

Still the book wasn't perfect. I guess perhaps it's just the genre that doesn't do it for me, but I found myself skimming at times. This book just didn't completely hold my attention.

12) Trouble in Spades by Heather Webber: C+

So after reading A Hoe Lot of Trouble, I picked up Trouble in Spades right away. My thoughts of Trouble in Spades are pretty much the same. I still like Nina, still think her relationship with Riley is the most interesting element of the series. Case is interesting and there's a lot of twists. I think I liked this one better because it was funnier due to Nina's sister. Also, there's a romance looming ahead :)


13) Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins: B

14) A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker: C+

I usually don't read contemporary YA books because I'm not a fan of high school drama... but for some reasons, I found myself picking up A Match Made in High School... Most probably because of the Marriage Education program. LOL, when watching TV programs for kids and teenagers, you often see them being paired and taking care of her fake baby or an egg... well this sounded similar to it :)

Overall, I thought A Match Made in High School was a cute and quick read. I thought the Marriage Education program was well thought out LOL and it was fun to see the students being forced into it. The heroine, Fiona, was a normal teenage girl. She has a crush, is none too happy with her partner and she doesn't let people walk over her. I thought the first half of the book was pretty good, was building up to something... And then everything fell flat when Fiona's crush got a girlfriend. I don't want to spoil the book too much, but at one point, Fiona is accused by her best friend of being selfish and well, isn't that a part of being a teenager? I thought the best friend had as much blame as Fiona... It's just too bad that Fiona started moping around and as a result, not much happened in the storyline. Also, I wished we've seen more interaction between Fiona and her love interest.

15) The Famous Heroine by Mary Balogh: C+

I've been enjoying Ms Balogh's books quite a lot in the past year and decided to pick up this book as it was re-printed. The heroine Cora Downes is a daughter of a rich merchant... after rescuing a duke's nephew, Cora is introduced into Society so she can make an advantageous match. I really liked Cora's personality. I thought she was really fun LOL. I loved Francis as well, the way he dressed up so colorful and the fact that Cora thought he was gay LOL. That was pretty fun. I also liked their interactions together, they had great chemistry. As such, you'd think the grade would be higher... but I'd say the story didn't live up to its potential. With such great characters and all, I thought the story would be a bit more interesting... but instead, it's pretty typical historical where the heroine finds herself in a compromising situation and thus, the H/H have no choice to marry. Plus, the fact that Francis thought himself in love with another woman for so long...

This was in no way a bad book or anything. It was fun to read, especially the situation Cora finds herself in... but I guess I just had really high expectations ^_^;


Books bought: + 21
Books read: -15
TBR pile: +6

Writing these 2 months later is not the best thing to do ^_^; If I remember correctly, October felt like a really meh month to me as shown by the grades. There were some great books such as The Son of Neptune but mostly, the books were in the C-range. I had difficulty picking up books and as a result, I did quite a few re-reads (not listed). I also ended up buying lots of books, but those weren't really the books I wanted to read ^_^; So I ended up increasing my TBR pile.

Okay, I think I've fried my brain, because it's just gone blank LOL. Guess I'm going to sleep now :) Then tomorrow, I'm going to start tackling November...

Review: Demon Marked by Meljean Brook

It's almost the week-end! I can feel it, I can taste it... I just hope this day goes by quickly and without a hitch! Now that I've read Demon Marked, my reading mojo is back :) I just hope my blogging muse doesn't go too far away this week-end since it's going to be very busy. I have the optometrist appointment this evening, a birthday dinner tomorrow and Oyster Fest on Sunday. The name is misleading as there'll be a lot more food served than oysters at the Oyster Fest... this will actually be the first time I go so perhaps afterwards, with pictures and all, it'll be easier to explain, but basically, about a dozen restaurants are gathering in a parking lot with some beverage purveyors and offering some of their signature dishes as tapas :) Sounds good to me!

In the meantime, my blogging muse was kind enough to get me through this review! I think I've rambled here and there, but hopefully, you'll still enjoy the review! :)


Demon Marked by Meljean Brook

published by Berkley in September 2011

Nicholas St. Croix is familiar with the evil of demons. After his father’s death, a demon took over his mother’s body and raised him. Six years ago, his “mother” was responsible for the disappearance of the woman he loved, and Nicholas swore he’d find her—even if he had to go to Hell and back. Except she finds him first—and with one tormented kiss, he knows she too is a demon. Now he is determined to take his revenge…

Ash is a half-demon with no memory of her past or how she got to Hell. All she knows is that Nicholas St. Croix holds the key to her identity. And though he’s clearly drawn to her, Nicholas makes no secret of his distrust of her. Yet one kiss at a time, he breaks down her defenses as they battle an array of demons and Guardians. But is Ash’s greatest enemy the man at her side?

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: The Guardians, Book #7

The Story: After three years spent in stupor after someone left her at Nightingale House, Ash finally awakens. With no inkling of who or what she is, Ash's only clue is her physical appearance: she looks exactly like Rachel Boyle (plus some extra vermilion tattoos) who disappeared six years ago. Yet, Ash is certain she is not Rachel. Hoping to find some answers, Ash digs deeper in Rachel's life... which leads her directly to Nicholas St. Croix.

Nicholas St. Croix has only one purpose in life: find the demon that impersonated his mother Madelyn all these years, who ruined his family and his life, and seek revenge. When he first sees Ash, Nicholas is sure it's Madelyn back to torment him by impersonating Rachel... because even after 6 years, Nicholas still feel guilty over Rachel's disappearance. Back then, Nicholas had come back to England to overtake Madelyn's company and wooed her personal assistant, Rachel. While Nicholas didn't love Rachel, who wouldn't feel guilty when the woman you used jumped in front of you to stop a bullet and then disappeared out of thin air? Then, Nicholas quickly figures out that Ash is not Madelyn or Rachel... but she's still a demon. A demon that he can use for bait, as he is sure Madelyn will be back for Ash. However, it means keeping Ash alive and safe from the Guardians... And the more Nicholas spends time with Ash, the more attracted he is to her... but is this Ash real or is it a front to lull him?

My Opinion: I've really been looking forward to this book, as you've probably figured out by my hunt for it LOL. Well, it's just been a loooong time since the last book, Demon Blood, was released in July 2010. That's more than a year folks! In any case, I'm glad to tell you that Demon Marked delivers and the wait was not for naught :P

Nicholas was introduced to us in Demon Blood and I really liked him in that book. Yes, yes, he was a jerk... but in his defense, he was an interesting jerk :P And seriously, he had reasons for being a jerk :) Once I got to know him better in Demon Marked, I liked him even more. There's still this coldness on the surface and he can still be a major, self-serving jerk and really who can blame him given his background story? But there's also a lot more than meet the eyes. First and foremost, the guy is a survivor. He's also determined and focused... and he definitively feels a lot even though he doesn't show it. Guilt and loyalty - and that was surprising :) He's also smart and I liked how his mind worked and his plans. I liked that he wasn't too stubborn either and once he came to care for Ash, he really did. It took him a while to overlook the demon part, but again, can't blame him. But he overcame it and on its own!! Without anyone having to bang his head :) I think it says a lot, especially given everyone's perception of Nicholas as a cold bastard.

I also loved Ash in this book. I thought she was a great heroine. I love how in the beginning, she was not feeling anything and little by little, it came back to her. Actually, it's funny, but I think Ash is how most Psy from Nalini Singh's Psy-Changelings series should be. LOL. Another great aspect of Ash was her forwardness and it gave for some really good dialogues and LOL moments. She's also highly intelligent which is a good thing in a demon :) Loved the parts where she was trying to figure out Nicholas and was able to understand him by what he gave away and what he did not. I also think Ms Brook did a great job at distinguishing Rachel and Ash. The fact that Ash wasn't into pleasing everyone, that most of the time, she didn't care what others thought... it gave her more confidence, more charisma I think.

With two very interesting characters, you get a very nice couple. I thought that Ash and Nicholas really fit each other well and most importantly, understood each other. Ash and Nicholas definitively had chemistry, the attraction pretty much sizzling :) Especially Ash attempts at seeing Nicholas naked LOL. However, what makes the romance works so good is Ash. The way she understood Nicholas, the fact that she was aware of his motives for keeping her by his sides... Even when she followed the Guardians, yes she was hurt by the truth, but she let it go, focused on what was important - Nicholas current feelings for her, not what was. LOL, I guess it's Ash not being so emotional that made this romance works so well and stands out :)

As usual, the storyline of Demon Marked is complex but it works. I kept wanting to know what would come next :P Ms Brook does a good job at balancing the plot, the romance and the characters development. I like the fact that we knew Ash was a halfling and so we knew more about Ash then the characters themselves and were able to pick up clues here and there :) I was also really looking forward to Ash and Lilith meeting and that scene definitively did not disappoint!! Oh and I loved the role that Lilith had in Demon Marked. Ms Brook does a great job at not giving her past characters too much page-time. They only appear if necessary which, kudos to Ms Brook. In any case, Lilith being an ex-halfling, her appearance in Demon Marked was definitively justified :) And she's still as kick-ass as ever LOL. Okay, enough fangirl-ish moment :) Back to the storyline, the one involving Ash and Nicholas was interesting and there were a few interesting twist at the end. I definitively did not expect that. But the overall story-arc is also progressing well. I even read all the tidbits with Taylor and Michael!

My only disappointment with Demon Marked was that the book was a bit short. Ms Brook has accustomed us to thick books and quite frankly, it was kind of shock when I picked up Demon Marked. Oh, I'm not saying the storyline suffered because of the length, because it did not. However, I can't help but wish Demon Marked has been a bit longer and perhaps some parts could have been expanded a little bit. As it is, I would say the ending of Demon Marked was a bit rushed; however, as I said, it didn't take anything away from the storyline. It was still very exciting to read and very surprising :)

My Grade: B+. Demon Marked was definitively a great addition to the series. I simply devoured the book once I got my hands on it :) Loved Ash and Nicholas, loved seeing Lilith and Hugh again :) I'm a bit sad to see this series ending... and I don't know how I feel about Michael's book - he's not my favorite character. However, I'm still looking forward to it, because I'm sure Ms Brook has a lot of surprises in store for us :)

Review: Demon Blood by Meljean Brook

Are you ready for the week-end? I sure am! Work is getting much better and the week has gone by so quickly. Still, I don't mind not going to work LOL. One of my co-workers have left us to return to school :( Sigh, it's going to be really boring without her from now on...

What are your plans for the week-end? Me, the usual. Reading, blogging and cleaning LOL

Demon Blood by Meljean Brook
published by Berkley in July 2010

Long before she was transformed into a Guardian and trained to fight demons, Rosalia knew darkness all too well. Raised by a demon, Rosalia learned to guard her heart — and her soul — until she found a man worthy of her love. Once, she thought that man would be the powerful vampire, Deacon... until he betrayed the Guardians.

After losing everything to the lies of a demon, Deacon lives only for revenge — and is taken aback when Rosalia offers to help. A vampire who has nothing — who is nothing — isn’t worthy of her attention. But Rosalia wants to do more than just look, and the explosive need between them can’t be held in check. And when Deacon’s vengeful quest creates a dangerous alliance of their enemies, she will be his only hope...

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: The Guardians, Book #10 (counting novellas)

The Story: Rosalia is a Guardian that has spent most of existence based in Europe where she recruited and trained vampires and oversaw vampires politics. The past year however, she has spent in the hands and fangs of the nosterafu as their unlimited food source. When she returns home to Rome, it is to find out that the vampire community has been wiped out by the nephilim. Determined not to let it happen again, Rosalia hatches a plan to destroy all nephilim... but first, she needs to unite the vampire communities and to do so, she needs Deacon.

Deacon was the leader of Prague's community until he was threatened by a demon and had to betray the Guardians. Persona non grata everywhere he goes, Deacon has only one purpose in life left: avenge his people by killing as many of Belial's demon as possible. Deacon has no interest in Rosalia's scheme, except she has intel and resources that he doesn't... and thus, he finds himself playing along.

My Opinion: All right, I should probably start by saying I didn't read Demon Forged, the book that comes before. I did skim it though and so, I didn't feel too lost. In any case, I don't think it mattered really. Demon Blood was just so good and clever, I was so absorbed by it that I needed to know what would happen next and I ended up staying up very late ^_^;

The two main characters, Rosalia and Deacon, were great. Rosalia's character especially because of her complexity and her many layers. She is extremely smart and an amazing strategist. Definitively someone that the Guardians need on their side with their small number. Her plan to destroy the nephilim was simply brilliant. Throughout the book, she had to walk a fine line, but never crossed it to become ruthless in order for her plan to succeed at any cost. She faced many tough choices, but she never shied from it and also, never lost sight of what was important and the goal. In short, her focus was amazing and it's even better that she was able to keep her integrity. What is most admirable though was her loyalty to her brother, even if he didn't deserve it, to her son and everyone she cared about. While her character was great, Rosalia isn't a character that you love. You like her, sympathize with/for her... but I think because of her actions and thinking, it's hard to love her... and that just makes her even more realistic in my opinion. So kudos to Ms Brook for writing such a character. As for Deacon, I liked him. He could be as dangerous as Rosalia, but he just doesn't have the desire for it. He's the kind of hero that is so honorable that he'll take on responsibilities because it needs to be done and not because he wants them. What he went through - losing his people and his lovers, becoming a pariah - and surviving it just shows you how strong he is... and this just reinforces his personality, not destroy it. While he was on his assignments with Rosalia, he didn't want to care, but just couldn't help it. The reluctant type is so often the best to become a leader, because you know he'll be good at it. That is exactly Deacon.

I'm really glad that Deacon and Rosalia found each other and fell for each other... because they are what each other needs. Ms Brook did a good job inserting the romance in the storyline. If you look at the overall picture, I do think the romance was the weakest aspect of Demon Blood; however, it was still very satisfying. There was two issues for me. First, the fact that Deacon seemed to overcome the loss of his two lovers. I don't know really what was the dynamics between the three and this could be because I skipped Demon Forged. Obviously, Deacon cared deeply about them, but was it love? I think it was hard for me to believe that after he's been through such a traumatic event and losing his lovers, he'd be willing to open his heart again. The second issue was the fact that Deacon believed Rosalia loved someone else... while really, she's been pining for Deacon for 80 years. I felt this is a misunderstanding the two could have done without.

The story is very interesting and complex and I really enjoyed it. It's not the twists, but how it was thought out, the planning, that makes it simply brilliant. Also, tactically, it's something that really makes sense to me. I love seeing Rosalia and Deacon visiting community after community, fighting together and getting rid of the enemy. In addition, Ms Brook is taking care of the overall story-arc. It's easy to perceive that Ms Brook knows where she's heading to, there's no necessary scene,but best of all, she doesn't sacrifice anything in order to achieve it.

Oh, those who were expecting to see Lilith and Hugh (like me!) will be a bit disappointed :( I think the only actual recurring characters that we get to see are Irena, Alek and Taylor. In the end, I think this was a great move, moving the whole storyline to Europe. It allowed Ms Brook to really focus on the vampire aspect of this world. So far, most of the books in this series have revolved around the Guardians and it isn't a bad thing... but it wasn't what Demon Blood was about. Demon Blood is predominantly about vampires and so a little distance from San Francisco was good. As for the Taylor/Michael thing... I'm not sure how I feel about it. I've never been very fond of Michael and I've only seen Taylor in Demon Angel. It'll be interesting to see what Ms Brook does with them... how she'll make it more interesting.

My Grade: Demon Blood is a B++ for me. I really enjoyed it. Ms Brook really has it all in Demon Blood and The Guardians series in general. Great world building: check; complex and interesting characters: check; clever and twisted plot: check and of course, amazing writing LOL. Perhaps the romance could have been stronger... Ultimately though, I think the fact that I couldn't love Rosalia is the reason why I can't give this an A though.

Review: Must Love Hellhounds - anthology

Awwww, long week-end is almost over and tomorrow is back to work... which wouldn't be so bad, but it's also my boss' return to work from vacation. That means we're going to get really busy :( I just don't feel ready for it ^_^;

I hope it was a great week-end for everyone. It was for me, it seems I had time to do everything I wanted: caught up on blogging, spent time with my friends, read some books, cleaned my room (just a little, still not done ^_^;) and watched a lot of tennis. The US Open is really interesting this year, especially on the women's side... LOL. I'm definitively rooting for Kim Clijsters, such a great return!! I'll also be rooting for Flavia Pennetta tomorrow. Although I don't really like her, I acknowledged that Serena Williams is a great player... but we need someone else to win the US Open. Come on. On the man side, I hope Andy Murray makes it. Lleyton Hewitt was playing well, just too bad he had to meet Federer so soon :( I hope he's going to rest and come back strong next year.

Anyway, let's get to to the review :) I know many wanted to know what I thought of it...


Must Love Hellhounds by Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews and Meljean Brook
published by Berkley in September 2009

In these hound-eat-hound worlds, anything goes. and everything bites.

Follow paranormal bodyguards Clovache and Batanya into Lucifer's realm, where they encounter his fearsome four-legged pets, in Charlaine Harris's The Britlingens Go to Hell. Seek out a traitor in the midst of a guild of non- lethal vampire trackers, one that intends to eradicate the entire species of bloodsuckers, in Nalini Singh's Angels' Judgment. Find out why the giant three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades has left the underworld for the real world - and whose scent he's following - in Ilona Andrews's Magic Mourns. Embark on a perilous search for the kidnapped niece of a powerful vampire alongside her blind - and damn sexy - companion and a hellhound in Meljean Brook's Blind Spot.

These four novellas by today's hottest paranormal authors will have hellhound lovers everywhere howling.

Genre: paranormal romance/urban fantasy


I don't read Ms Charlaine Harris work, therefore I won't be commenting on her story.


Angel's Judgment by Nalini Singh

Series: Guild Hunter, book #-1(?)

The Story: Angel's Judgment takes place before Angel's Blood and is basically Sara Haziz, Elena best friend, story - how Sara met her husband and how she became the director of the Guild Hunter. Basically, Sara is ideal candidate to be the next director and Simon - the previous director, and the Cadre of Ten (the Archangels) are waiting for her to accept the position.

In the meantime, Sara's next mission is a bit unusual. Instead of retrieving a vampire, she's supposed to investigate on a Hunter who has gone rogue. Joining her is Deacon the Slayer, aka the Guild Hunter's enforcer. However, he has another mission - protect the next director from any test the Cadre of Ten would like to give her...

My Opinion: Surprisingly, I enjoyed Angel's Judgment much more than I did Angel's Blood. I don't know if it was the characters or the storyline... Perhaps I felt that there was less world building, as a result the focus was more on the storyline and it made it simpler. Anyway, I liked it, I thought it was a solid novella. The characters were well developed and the story was interesting.

I really liked Sara and Deacon, they very interesting characters and they had a lot of chemistry together. They also work well together and have good chemistry. I'm glad that Sara didn't take offense at Deacon's presence - protecting her. There wasn't any fight about who is more Alpha or in charge. I also really liked the ending, I think it worked out very well and both took some good decisions. They didn't let obstacles cripple their relationship, made them more than they are.

The storyline was also very good in my opinion. Basically, they had three suspects as the rogue and there was some twists. I really liked it. The only complaint I might have is that the "hellhound" wasn't very present in this one.

My Grade: B+. After this short story, I'm ready to give Ms Singh Guild Hunter series another try.


Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews

Series: Kate Daniels, book #4

The Story: The novella is told from Andrea's POV, which is a nice change. Magic Mourns takes place after the events of Magic Strikes and Kate is still recovering from her injuries. As a result, Andrea is covering for her. She gets a phone call reporting a huuuuge dog chasing after a shapeshifter. Andrea is all happy to have an assignment, till she discovers the shapeshifter is actually Rafael, a werehyena that is courting her, and that the dog... is much more than a dog.

My Opinion: To sum it up, Magic Mourns was great character-wise, but a bit meh story-wise. Basically, I enjoyed reading more about Andrea and Rafael and seeing them take the next step in their relationship. They are both very interesting characters, Andrea being a bit more complex due to her situation. I loved the courting LOL. Especially when Rafael realized that Andrea kept the tree with the thong ornaments LOL. Andrea has a bite to her, an edge... My only complaint would be that Kate and Andrea are very similar to each other... I also liked reading about Rafael. He is definitively more than just a playboy.

So I really enjoyed the characters but they definitively overshadowed the plot. I thought that overall, the plot was okay, but it was missing some punch... and I'm not sure how I feel about the Greek mythology touch. Anyway, it's not that the plot was bad, just not as interesting as the characters. The ending though made me chuckled. Seems like Curran will get an apple pie :)

The definite plus though, is that we got to learn a bit more about the world building... and how they are dealing with the magic waves that make the technology go down. Still no word about "how" magic works though...

My Grade: B.


Blind Spot by Meljean Brook
Series: The Guardians, book #8

The Story: Maggie Wren is an ex-CIA agent now working as a butler for Colin Ames-Beaumont. She is sent by her new employer to New York, along with Sir Pup, in search for Colin's great, great, great-nephew and niece who are in trouble.

My Opinion: Blind Spot was my favorite novella in this anthology. Two reasons: first, Sir Pup played a big role. Seriously, Sir Pup is such a character, given he is a "pet." He's just so fun to read about LOL :) Playful, but at the same time, very protective :) I always like it when he appears with his three heads and his transformation. Lilith is sooo lucky LOL :) Secondly, I love seeing Colin's many facets. In this case, it's his love for his family... I find it rare that a vampire who's live for hundred of years still have contact with his family/descendants. Most of the time, vampires have to hide and look upon them from afar. In Colin's case, he's totally involved with his family, they know him and he protects them. I find that awesome. I mean, they call him "uncle Colin"!! How cute is that?!? Also, Colin calling Maggie "Winters," I thought that was endearing as well. Colin still remembers his past, he hasn't become jaded or lost his humanity. He still feels quite human and I think that distinguishes him from many other vampires.

Okay, so what about the actual story and characters? Basically, a demon has kidnapped Colin's niece, Katherine, and her brother, Geoffrey Blake, is trying to rescue her and Maggie is sent in to help Geoffrey. Because Colin family's blood has been tainted by dragon's blood, it has had its effect in his descendants... i.e. it has given birth to some very unique "gifts." Katherine is able to locate things and Geoffrey is technically blind, but is able to see through other's eyes. I really like Geoffrey's gift. Quite unique and he knows how to use it. LOL, funniest is when he tried to see through Sir Pup's eyes... but the hellhounds have 6 eyes! LOL :) Anyway, just to say that I really liked Geoff's gift. I also liked his character. He was quite interesting, quite confident and assured. His outward image is one of a fool, one that uses his connections to keep his job in the Ramsdell Pharmaceuticals... but in fact, he's the problems solver - kind of the enforcer of the company.

I liked Maggie's character. Very competent and cool. You know the new kind of butler. Given her past as an ex-CIA agent, she's a survivor... and speaking of past, hers is linked to this case.

I think that Ms Brook did a good job balancing the story and the characters. The story and relationship were interesting. There was a definite connection between Maggie and Geoff and I wouldn't mind reading about them again :)

My Grade: A-. I really liked this novella. I think Ms Brook definitively has a knack writing them :)


Overall, I think this was a great anthology if you're fans of these authors. Definitively no regrets getting it :)

Guest author and review!

Hello everyone!!

I want to let you know that tomorrow, I'll be reviewing Marry Christmas by Jane Goodger!! There will be a signed copy of Marry Christmas up for grab as well!! In addition, I will have an interview with Ms Goodger up on Thursday!!

So stay tuned and don't forget to drop by tomorrow and Thursday!






For those looking for more reviews of Demon Bound by Meljean Brook, head to Book Binge to read my take on it :) Holly has a major girl crush on Ms Brook and I have to admit, I'm not far behind :P

Review: Thicker than Blood by Meljean Brook

I am not a huge fan of anthology, but I will buy them when they contain novellas from my favorite authors or from a series I'm hooked on, which is why I bought First Blood. As usual, I only read the novella I was interested in... Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook.


Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook
published in First Blood by Berkley in August 2008

Annie, the only survivor of an attack that wiped out every other vampire in her city, needs help finding an orphaned human girl before a demon does. But help comes from the last man she expected to see again...

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: The Guardians, book #6

The Story: Annie Gallagher was turned into a vampire 6 years ago and was cut off from her family and boyfriend. She became the enforcer in the vampire community of Philadelphia and was hired out to other communities. Coming back to Philadelphia from business, Annie discovered that the whole community - 130 lives - was wiped out by a demon. However, she knows that Cricket, her little human girl friend, is still alive and therefore refuses to leave without her... During one of her feedings, she comes upon Jack Harrington, the FBI agent she loved and thought she'd never see again...

My Opinion: LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!!!! Seriously, this one was a great entry to the series and of course, I wished it was a bit longer... but for the length of this novella, Ms Brook definitively pulled it off :)

I really liked Annie and Jack's characters. How strong they were and their ability to build a new life without each other, but still missing each other. What I liked the most though is once they were reunited, they were honest with each other... no denials, no excuses. For example, Jack getting engaged not long after Annie's "death." If it was in any other books, I would have had difficulty accepting it... However, he didn't make excuses for himself and he was so earnest in his explanation and I understood why... in the end, it was perfect. Also, none of them denied that during the past 6 years, they missed each other and that they still had feelings for each other. Usually, in these kind of reunions, they are a lot of denials about their feelings and a lot of resentment, but not in this case and it made it refreshing and more enjoyable.

I also enjoyed the storyline. Surprisingly, it was very balanced between the storyline and character development, which frankly, doesn't happen much in novellas. The intrigue was well constructed and developed and complex as well. I don't feel like Ms Brook 'simplified' the storyline just because it was a novella. It also gave us a different vampire prospective. In previous books, we had Colin which is 200 years old and special, since he's nosterafu-borned, and Charlie, who was a newly turned vampire, while Annie, although not very old, has settled in a community. So it was interesting.

One of the best part I think is Jack finding out what Annie has become without having her telling him in words. It was fun and clever and well done :) Oh, and I loved seeing Lilith... she didn't steal the show which was cool, but seeing her and a bit of her 'past' while she was a FBI agent just added to the story :)

My only complaint, which is going to sound stupid, is Annie and Jack's names... It was just a bit confusing, given that the H/H in the next Guardian book, Demon Bound, are named Alice and Jake. Even their last names are similar: Annie Gallagher and Jack Harrington vs. Alice Grey and Jake Hawkins LOL!!!

My Grade: A-. Sure, the novella was great and well balanced. Of course, if it had been a full length novel, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!!

Around the web...

Hi everyone :)

So what's new around the web? Well I'm probably the last one to realize that there's an excerpt of Demon Bound, new installment in the very good series The Guardians by Meljean Brook... I did the mistake of reading it and seriously, I want the book NOW! NOW!!! (click here for excerpt)

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Also, Ms Naomi Novak has just put up an excerpt of Victory of Eagles, book #5 in the Temeraire series, on her website. I really enjoyed it and luckily for me, the book is coming out next month, so that's not too far away :P I might just survive the wait LOL (click here for excerpt)

Finally, the muse of blogging has been visiting me this week and I've been very productive writing posts and reviews LOL :) Result? I have reviewed In Twilight's Shadow by Patti O'Shea over at Book Binge :) (click here for review)

Review: Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brooks

Eek! Almost a week since I last updated ^^; This really wasn't my intention... I had a lot of things planned, but I guess it all got delayed ^^; Still haven't started to work on the new layout, I'm waiting for my friend to draw the new banner. She's applying for med school and the dateline for her personal essay is on Jan. 15... so I guess I won't have it before that :( Although I haven't updated, I have done some reading :D

Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brooks: 3/5 (C)
published by Berkley in November 2006

Anthony Ramsdell has known Colin and Emily (twins) and they have been friends since their childhood, despite the difference in status (Anthony being from a decent family and the twins, the children of a duke or marquess). To elevate his status, Anthony has become a doctor, accepting Colin's father offer to pay for his studies. Now, the duke/marquess has decided to collect his favor from Anthony and is sending him to Spain as a war doctor. Just before his departure, Anthony saw Emily whose he's been attracted to since his youth. Angered at her father for some reasons, Emily seduced Anthony. Afterwards, Anthony went to war, promising Emily that he would come back for her.

However, not everything goes according to what we want and Anthony died and became a Guardian. Under normal circumstances, he would have trained for a 100 years in Caelum; however, Colin was bitten by a nosferatu and Anthony, along with his master Hugh, must save him and protect a sword.

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: The Guardians series, book 1

Review: As you know, I bought this anthology because it contained Falling for Anthony, which was the prequel/book 1 of Demon Angel. I enjoyed Demon Angel and I wanted to know more, I mean anything that could give me an insight in the past of Colin, Lilith and Hugh was good :D I didn't read the other stories however. Maybe another day...

Characters - Hum, I liked Anthony quite well, but didn't really enjoyed Emily. Anthony is quite similar to Hugh, but a little less rigid and little more selfish. It is a little bit difficult to comment on them, since it was a short story... As for Emily, well I understand the motives of her behaviour, but it doesn't make me like her. She pretty much used Anthony and after his death, she did feel remorse, but I don't think she loved him. Not until he came back as a Guardian. So that's my take on the main couple. As for Colin, he's his usual self, although pretty much comatose for more than half of the story. Still vain as ever, but I did get to see another side of him... Responsible. I mean, he does care for his little sister and I believe they do have a bond... Also, he was ready to marry to provide a mother for his orphaned nephew. Might not be the good reason to marry, but it was done in those time and he was ready to do it for his nephew. So that speaks out a lot about his character.

Story & Writing - The writing was consistent with Demon Angel, so quite good. As for the story, well, it was short and therefore, lack a bit of development, but that's to be expected. Otherwise, it was okay. in my opinion, it wasn't as captivating as Demon Angel.

The Cover - All right again. I'll have to say that I don't really care about half-naked ppl on my covers ^^; I don't find that "hot" and I wonder if it really increases the sales of a book. I do like the color schemes tho and the texture of it :D

Am I keeping this book: Well yes, since it's part of The Guardians series.

Anything else: Well not really. I read this book, because I wanted to know more about Colin and also, his sister, since she was mentioned in Demon Angel. My expectations weren't as high, because well, it's a short story. Of course, they'll be higher for Demon Moon. As for the grading, it's a 3 not because of the story, but more due to my dislike of the heroine.