WEM V: To Wed a Wild Lord and A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries

Yay, I made it! :) LOL, I usually write the Week-End's Minis post on Saturday  morning... but today I'm a bit short on time because I'm going to the sugar shack with my friends and I'm the driver :) But it's now moot because I did it! :)

I've read a lot this past week, but it's mostly books I want to write a full review for. So instead, I went back to books I've been planning to review and hadn't gotten to it... and came up with the two last books of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series by Sabrina Jeffries :) Enjoy!!

Oh and the poll is back on :) I haven't gotten much feedback about it, so I don't know if you guys like it or not, but the one comment I got was for it... so back it goes :) So don't forget to vote!!


To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries

published by Simon & Schuster in November 2011

Drowning in guilt over his best friend's death seven years ago, Lord Gabriel Sharpe, the Angel of Death, knows his only hope at redemption is a race against a shocking opponent.

Shrouded in darkness for the past seven years, the infamous racer Lord Gabriel Sharpe is known to accept every challenge to race thrown at him. When his next challenge comes in the form of his late best friend's sister, Virginia Waverly, Gabe is shocked. Yet she presents just the opportunity Gabe needs--marriage to fulfill his grandmother's ultimatum and ensure his inheritance. What he didn't count on was needing her love.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Hellions of Halstead Hall series, Book #4

What do you need to know? I find the blurb a bit misleading. Among the 5 Sharpes children, Gabriel and his younger sister, Celia, are the ones still unmarried. Gabriel knows that if he remains single, Celia will keep holding out as well in the hopes that their grandmother rescind the ultimatum... and Gabriel doesn't want to be the reason why Celia doesn't marry. As a result, he has decided to take a bride... and has chosen Virginia Waverly, figuring that he owns her because of his part in her brother's death seven years ago. However, she won't hear of the courtship as she is too focused on avenging her brother's honor... Thus, Gabriel agrees to a wager. They will race and if Virginia wins, they will race at Turnham Green, the course that has killed her brother. On the other hand, if Gabriel wins, she'll let him court her.

Why this book? I like Ms Jeffries' writing and have been enjoying this series :) So logic dictated that I pick up To Wed a Wild Lord.

So my thoughts? Overall, I enjoyed To Wed a Wild Lord. I thought the storyline was interesting and engaging. Gabriel definitively had a challenge on his hands, trying to convince Virginia to let him court her and eventually, marry him. The race part was a nice touch to settle things and it fit with the characters :) I also really liked the twist about Virginia's older brother, Roger, death and Gabriel role in it. No wonder he's been so tortured about it and has taken so many risks. Oh and the overall storyarc about the Sharpes' parents murders progressed well.

Unfortunately, I never really warmed up to Virginia in To Wed a Wild Lord and by extension, the romance. I  understand that she idolized her older brother and that her grandfather's hatred for Gabriel only added fuel to it... but one part of me thought she was too hung up on it and the other part of me thought she forgot about it a bit too fast when she fell in love with Gabriel. I know, very contradictory of me ^_^; But it seemed such an obsession... and once she fell for Gabriel, she was determined to find out who had instigated the race, so she could be with Gabriel without guild. I felt it was such a conditional love. Could she be with him, would she have married Gabriel if the answer hadn't been the one she hoped for?

I thought the fact that Virginia was Roger's sister was too much baggage for the book. That's the only things I would have changed in To Wed a Wild Lord.

My Grade? B-.


A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries
published by Simon & Schuster in January 2012

When the youngest Sharpe sister hatches a plan to gain marriage offers, the straight-laced Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter knows he'll do whatever it takes to ruin her scheme...

With two months left to find a husband to fulfill her grandmother’s ultimatum, Lady Celia Sharpe sets her sights on three eligible bachelors. Becoming betrothed to one of these wealthy, high-ranking men will surely prove her capable of getting married, so hopefully the wedding itself won’t be necessary for Celia and her siblings to receive their inheritance. Step two of her audacious plan is hiring the dangerously compelling Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate the three men she’s chosen. But with Lady Celia bedeviling Jackson’s days and nights, the last thing he wants is to help her find a husband. And when she recalls shadowed memories that lead his investigation into her parents’ mysterious deaths in a new direction—putting her in danger—Jackson realizes the only man he wants Celia to marry is himself!

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Hellions in Halstead Hall series, Book #5

What do you need to know? Now, Lady Celia is the only one left unmarried and she wants to remain so, for now. Therefore she has hatched a plan: she only needs to get one of three eligible bachelors - a duke, an earl and a baron - she has set her caps to propose. Once her grandmother see Celia is able to secure a husband if she desires to, she will change her mind about the ultimatum.

Thus, she asks Pinter to investigate her marriage prospects. Pinter and Celia are attracted to each other, but neither will admit it. Plus they believe they have profound disdain for each other, so it doesn't help matter. All Pinter wants is to elucidate the previous marquess and machioness' murders. If he does so, Lord Stoneville will support him in his dream of becoming magistrate... and to become a magistrate, he cannot be associate to any scandal.

Why this book? This is the final book of the series :)

So my thoughts? Unfortunately, I never got into A Lady Never Surrenders, but I think it was more a case of me and my mood than the book itself. Still, I think A Lady Never Surrenders was definitively not the best book in the series and was a bit weak considering it was the final installment. One of the reasons is because I felt the book was too predictable. Ms Jeffries has been building up Pinter and Celia's romance since the first book, The Truth about Lord Stoneville. So when the story finally focused on them, some of the excitement was gone and there wasn't that much sparks for me. Plus, Celia never had been one of my favorite characters... she's been rubbing me the wrong way from the start and it didn't get better in A Lady Never Surrenders.

Also, Grandmother Hettie's schemes really got on my nerves in this book :( Her first ultimatum was one thing, but in this book, she didn't do what was best for her granddaughter. She thought she did, but she never really considered what Celia wanted. The worst is that she's done the same mistake with her own daughter... You'd think a woman as smart as Hettie would have figured it out :(

While I didn't like Celia much, I enjoyed getting to know Jackson Pinter more. I guess because he was the new element in the book and Ms Jeffries did a good job as his characterization... Except for his fear of scandal. Sigh, what is it with characters that cannot attach themselves to scandal? Luckily, Pinter wasn't maniac about it. Another aspect of the book I enjoyed was finally finding out the culprit of the murder. Although I have to say, once again, this followed a pattern. In every book, the featured Sharpe sibling would "remember" something from that dreadful party. See what I meant by predictable? In the end though, I thought it was well resolved.

My Grade? After careful consideration and factoring in my mood, A Lady Never Surrenders was a C read for me.

Review: Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep

Yes, I finally able to stop watching Startling Early Steps and focus on my review LOL. It freaking took me 3 days to write it, so I hope I did a good job... although I don't know. It doesn't feel complete to me ^_^;

I'm really having difficulty lately to write review. The worst is that I want to review!! But when it comes to choosing which books and to put my feelings into words... Ugh. So frustrating. I guess I'm having the reviewing blues ^_^;

In any case, I hope it was the right decision to choose Spider's Revenge and that you will enjoy the review!


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

Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep
published by Simon & Schuster

Old habits die hard for assassins.
And I plan on murdering someone before the night is through.

Killing used to be my regular gig, after all. Gin Blanco, aka the Spider, assassin-for-hire. And I was very, very good at it. Now, I’m ready to make the one hit that truly matters: Mab Monroe, the dangerous Fire elemental who murdered my family when I was thirteen. Oh, I don’t think the mission will be easy, but turns out it’s a bit more problematic than expected. The bitch knows I’m coming for her. So now I’m up against the army of lethal bounty hunters Mab hired to track me down. She also put a price on my baby sister’s head. Keeping Bria safe is my first priority. Taking Mab out is a close second. Good thing I’ve got my powerful Ice and Stone magic—and my irresistible lover, Owen Grayson—to watch my back. This battle has been years in the making, and there’s a good chance I won’t survive. But if I’m going down, then Mab’s coming with me . . . no matter what I have to do to make that happen.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin series, Book #5

The Story: Gin Blanco, aka the Spider, is anxious. She has declared war against Ashland's strongest elemental and mob queen Mab Monroe, who turned out to be an old family enemy. Now, she just wants it to be all over - which means killing Mab - so her family and friends can be safe. However, Gin is not the only one growing anxious... Mab is too. She wants things to be over just as much as Gin - with a different ending, of course. To speed it all up, she has called in reinforcements: bounty hunters... and some of them are actually competent! The stakes get higher when Gin finds out that Mab has not only placed a bounty on the Spider - which is expected, but also on her baby sister, Detective Bria Coolridge. It's high time to end things... but can Gin really take on Mab in a face-off? And whom will Lady Luck favor?

My Opinion: So, Spider's Revenge. LOL, well the title says it all, right? Very appropriate :) It was a satisfying ending for the story arc and overall, I enjoyed it :)

As usual, Spider's Revenge has a very short timeline and is action-packed... and as usual, Ms Estep makes it work :) I think the storyline of Spider's Revenge was very solid. While we all knew how this book was going to end - with the death of Mab, Ms Estep was able to make the storyline interesting with a few twists :) The addition of the bounty hunters was a good idea to mix things up. I really liked Ruth Gentry and Sidney. Not because Sidney reminded Gin of herself at that age; instead, it was the fact that they were competent foes for Gin. Also, there's the fact that they're not "bad" like the other people that work for Mab and Gin has gone against in previous books. That meant Gin's dealing with them was different. Oh I'm sure that if they had really pose a danger, Gin wouldn't hesitate to get rid of them... but since it wasn't the case, she had to be a bit more wily :)

Another aspect of the book that I really liked was the relationships. Finn and Bria finally pair up - not surprising, but good to see :) You also have Owen and Gin declaring their love for each other :) I'm glad that Gin is finally overcoming Donovan Caine. I mean seriously, Owen is a prize and she should never let go. Also, the image of Owen fighting with hammer... I'd like to see that :) What I liked best though was the part where Jojo revealed to Gin how she met Fletcher and how her alliance with Fletcher and later Gin started. When you depend so much on a person to put you back together injuries after injuries, it's nice to know where their loyalty stems from... So you know that your own loyalty is not misplaced. After all, Gin is from a very dark world.

What dimmed my enjoyment of Spider's Revenge a little was the lack of excitement... and this lack of excitement stems from the predictability of the series. Yes, Ms Estep was able to make things interesting with the twists, but ultimately, I knew that Gin and Mab would face off and Mab would die. Or for example, Finn and Bria hooking up. It was great to see happening, but as I mentioned it wasn't a surprise. I just think that all along the series, Ms Estep has been too obvious in her next moves and her agenda. Her foreshadowing was big neon signs in the dark ^_^; Which is actually why I'm so glad this storyarc is ending. It means that with the next book, By A Thread, we're going into unknown territories. Ms Estep can start a whole new storyarc and we, the readers, are totally in the dark :)

My Grade: B. Spider's Revenge had the potential to be great in my opinion... if only it had been accompanied by a breathless feeling, the urge to turn the pages as fast as you can to know what will happen next. It is nonetheless a very solid and enjoyable read :) And as corny as it may sound, Spider's Revenge is not the end of things, but a new beginning for the readers :) And guess what? When I was at RWA, Ms Estep told me that Donovan Caine would be back in By A Thread... I think things are going to get exciting!

Review: Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett

Okay, I really don't know where time went this week. Can someone tell me?!? Seriously. It was okay at work, I had time to write some reviews and to read... and I ended up playing Spider Solitaire. I know, pathetic ^_^; Also, my health woes continue. It's just one thing after another that bothers me... oh they go away, but in the meantime, I'm left stressing. Right now, it's my left eye. It's been bothering me... I don't know how to explain it. I mean, I see well and clear, yet it's a feeling... and yeah, I've been freaking out, because hello, it's my eye, my vision. I bought some fake tears and went to bed really early yesterday and it feels better this morning. So perhaps it's just fatigue and dryness. Crossing my fingers. I did make an appointment with an optometrist - jeez, are they busy!! I think it has to do with back to school... but really, the earliest I could get was next Friday and I called plenty of place. The thing is I did an eye check-up just before RWA and everything was fine. So yeah, probably freaking out for nothing and by the appointment, the bothering feeling will be gone. Sigh.

On a most cheerful note, Chapters and Indigo is having the "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion. So yes, I've been buying books. Yay!! You'll see my haul tomorrow... I'm back at hunting new releases :) But let me tell you, I've been spoiled in the past year with James... because hunting in stores that have a "backlog" of new releases... well it's not as fun ^_^;

Anyway, let's get unto the review :)


Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett

published by Simon & Schuster in May 2011

Meet Arcadia Bell: bartender, renegade magician, fugitive from the law...

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.

But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life... and no amount of running will save her this time.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Arcadia Bell series, Book #1

The Story: Arcadia Bell is a magician/mage who was conceived during a sex ritual and is supposed to be hot stuff. Seven years ago, when she was 18, her parents were accused of murdering people, so all three of them went into hiding - Arcadia stayed in the States while her parents headed for Europe so it was easier to stay hidden. Time has gone, Arcadia has settled in California, is part-owner of a Tiki bar and everything is going on well... and suddenly, her parents re-appear in the States and they get picked up by security cameras. However, authorities are the least of their problems as the other magick organization, the Luxe Order, wants the parents to be given to them as compensation for the attempted murder on their leader seven years ago... or Arcadia. So Cady basically has 2 weeks to prove her parents' innocence.

She comes up with the idea of summoning the Æthyric demon who actually did the killing... However, she has very little clues on which demon it is which leads her to Lon Butler, a forty-ish years old single father, recluse photographer and also a demon, who's an expert on demonology and boasts an impressive collection of rare books.

Together, Arcadia and Lon race against time to track down the demon. It becomes even more pressing when the leader of the Ekklesia Eleusia disappears and assassins against Arcadia are dispatched... Not to forget Arcadia's powers that seem to change and evolve...

My Opinion: I picked up Kindling the Moon because I have this weakness for mage, wizards, witches, etc. characters and thought Kindling the Moon fit the bill nicely and it did, to a certain extent. I think though my problem is I'm starting to burn out a little on Urban Fantasy, sigh ^_^;

So you have Arcadia who is supposed to be a hot shot, given the circumstances of her birth. However, after almost 25 years, still nothing. Actually, it's even worst as for the past seven years, Arcadia has been self-thought. The only thing special about Arcadia is that she has the ability to see people's halo which indicate what they are. And I think that was strike one for the book... The whole special heroine who is not that special, but will become special. It's been done and pretty much overdone. To me, Arcadia didn't stand out. It feels to me in order to be a successful mage, wizards, magic-wielding being - you need knowledge and contacts... and Arcadia didn't have any. Also, her magic tricks are very coarse. She just didn't impress me much.

Lon was Arcadia's love interest and the feeling I got from him was a bit meh. He doesn't stand out much either, is not ultra alpha or protective. For most of the book, I thought he felt mellow ^_^; I love beta male heroes, but I don't think Lon even fits in that category ^_^; I did like his teenage son Jupiter though. I felt Jupiter was the only character who brought a bit of liveliness to the storyline.

Overall, I think that was the problem: the feeling of the book was a bit heavy, a bit too morose. Arcadia is trying to prove her parents' innocence and all she can really do is go through books looking for the right demon. The storyline was lacking a sense of urgency that would have grabbed the readers. I thought the pacing of Kindling the Moon was a bit off and the action was a bit too late. In the book defense though, the storyline did really pick up in the last quarter of the book and there was a very big and interesting twist at the end and that part saved the book for me :)

My Grade: C+. Kindling the Moon was not the greatest first book in a series that I've read and I do think it suffered a bit of the first book syndrome, i.e. world building. Still the writing was pleasant and Arcadia was a nice narrator. I think the future of this series will really depend on storylines - the good thing is Ms Bennett hasn't restricted herself for the future... it's pretty wide-open and so, all she needs to do is to come up with a really interesting, exciting storyline - yes, I know, easier said than done :) And spicing up our H/H a bit which shouldn't be that difficult given how Kindling the Moon ended :) Right now, I'm not going to jump on the next book, Summoning the Night; however, it is on my radar :)

Review: Dark Descendant by Jenna Black

First, I want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes! It was great and really precious :)

The week has been pretty busy so far. I've gotten together with my friends on Monday evening; also, it was election day in Canada. On Tuesday, I ate with my family and invited over a friend as well, so I spent the evening watching TV: Masterchef Australia - the third season just started (woohoo!!) and The Voice. And yesterday, I went to the gym with my sister... So all this has been playing havoc with my reading, blogging and blog-hopping!! Especially since it's been raining the whole time and I swear, rain makes traffic horrible!!! Hopefully though, I settle back into my routine soon enough :)

As it is, I've had very really time to work on my monthly reads post and as I've read a lot last month, it's really going to take me forever ^_^; So instead, I'm going to focus on more reviews :) Enjoy!


Dark Descedant by Jenna Black

published by Simon & Schuster

From the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books comes the gripping first novel in a new series about a private eye who discovers, to her surprise, that she’s an immortal huntress.

Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die... Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy. But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Dark Descendant series, Book #1

The Story: Dark Descendant takes place in a world where gods - from all pantheons - not only exist, but used to walk around, having kids with mortals. Then, when they left, they gave each of their children a seed from the Tree of Life that made them immortal. These immortals were called Liberi and what they did not know till too late is that anyone with divine blood - their children and descendants - could steal away their immortality by killing them.

Nikki Glass is a private investigator who was abandoned when she was four years old and later adopted by the Glasses. As such, she had no idea she was a descendant of Artemis till she accidentally kills a Liberi - descendant of Hades. Now immortal, Nikki also has to deal with some new powers as she's suddenly become a crack-shot. However, it's Nikki's ability to track down people and find objects that has two rivaling factions vying for her. Circumstances the way they are, Nikki must choose side and quick: on one hand, there is the Olympians whose goals are to run the world and kill all the descendants as they can steal their immortality and on the other hand, a group under the leadership of a guy named Anderson who can offer protection to Nikki's adoptive family. The choice should be simple, except that some members of Anderson's group are suspicious of Nikki since she killed one of theirs... and what are Anderson's true goals?

My Opinion: I picked up Dark Descendant because of its great cover, interesting blurb and also because I've been wanting to try Ms Black's writing, but felt her Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist series didn't suit me. So I was happy she had a new series coming out and I knew right away that the Dark Descendant series would better suit to me :)

Dark Descendant turned out to be a really quick and enjoyable read :) What I liked the most was the writing style as it was simple and breezy. Ms Black has an engaging voice and it helped the readers getting immersed into the storyline, but also process all the information more easily. For some reasons, I thought the world building in this series would be complicated, but it wasn't. Oh, it does have its complexity, but it's subtle and surprisingly straightforward and so readers don't have to go through pages and pages of world building information and decipher was is important and what is not. I think that all this combined allowed Ms Black to focus a little bit more on the heroine and the storyline :)

Nikki was a nice heroine. I liked how she was able to remain calm and think about what her next steps were to be, analyze the situation. She was also one smart cookie as she didn't fall into denial and ignore all the danger, but also didn't take everything she was told at face value. Instead, she was cautious and thought of consequences. A level-headed heroine who doesn't put up a kick-ass, tough chick front, but who instead acknowledges and deals with her vulnerabilities. I also like the fact that if she has secrets or is somehow special, she doesn't know it herself.

The storyline was also interesting. It was fast-paced and had some action, but at the same time, it allowed readers to learn about Nikki, the secondary characters and the world building. There were also some surprises and those are always interesting :) Ms Black did take some direction that surprised me, but that's all good since it means it doesn't fall into the predictable route.

For those who are wondering, there was no romance in Dark Descendant; however, I didn't miss it. There was some hints for the future and if really Ms Black takes that direction, it'll be really interesting - talk about an unlikely pair! All in all, Dark Descendant felt like a setting up book. It introduces us to the players, to the conflict and is setting up for the rest of the series; however, not only it does its job efficiently, but also enjoyably :) I'm definitively going to pick up the next installment in the series as I'm curious to see how it will all turn out :)

My Grade: B+. A solid, enjoyable first book in a series that reminds me a little of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, but the grown-ups version LOL.

Review: Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

So, guess what? I signed up for the gym again this year and today was the first day I went to work out. I still don't like it at all, but I really need to move and do something as I've gained even more weight :( At least, this time, my sister signed-up with me... so hopefully, we'll be able to motivate each other.

Aside from that, nothing much is going on in my life. I was hoping to get this review up earlier, but now is not too late :) I hope you enjoy!!

By the way, who plans to wake up to watch the royal wedding? LOL, I know I won't, but apparently, my sister and mother are going to try :P


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

Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

published by Simon & Schuster

I’d rather face a dozen lethal assassins any night than deal with something as tricky, convoluted, and fragile as my feelings.

But here I am. Gin Blanco, the semi-retired assassin known as the Spider. Hovering outside sexy businessman Owen Grayson’s front door like a nervous teenage girl. One thing I like about Owen: he doesn’t shy away from my past—or my present. And right now I have a bull’s-eye on my forehead.

Cold-blooded Fire elemental Mab Monroe has hired one of the smartest assassins in the business to trap me. Elektra LaFleur is skilled and efficient, with deadly electrical elemental magic as potent as my own Ice and Stone powers. Which means there’s a fifty-fifty chance one of us won’t survive this battle. I intend to kill LaFleur—or die trying—because Mab wants the assassin to take out my baby sister, Detective Bria Coolidge, too.

The only problem is, Bria has no idea I’m her long-lost sibling... or that I’m the murderer she’s been chasing through Ashland for weeks. And what Bria doesn’t know just might get us both dead...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin series, Book #4

The Story: Tangled Threads takes place only a few weeks after the events of Venom in which the Spider, i.e. Gin, has declared war to Mab Monroe. As Ashland's underground lord, Mab is not about to let herself being threatened and has taken the necessary measures against Spider - hiring an assassin of her own, Elektra LaFleur. LaFleur fits right in Mab's crowd as not only is she good at killing people, but also enjoys it. However, the Spider is not the only name on LaFleur's list and when it comes to Bria, Gin's long-lost sister, all bets are off. Also, Gin continues to struggle whether to let Bria know of her identity, as both Genevieve and the Spider. As if she has not enough things on her plate to deal with, there is also this new relationship with Owen Grayson... the man who seems to accept who and what she is and is content...

My Opinion: Overall, as a fan of this series, I was satisfied after reading Tangled Threads. I think that Ms Estep did a good job and delivered a solid installment. However, as a reader, the more I thought about this book, the more I had issues with it ^_^; I'm not going to go too much into the details of the storylines or the characters because I've gone through it in the previous reviews :)

As a fan, I was satisfied because I enjoyed the story that was told; it was interesting, fast-paced, action-packed and a nice continuation from the previous events. I enjoyed the characters and their dilemmas, especially Gin. There's a lot going on in her life and she also has to worry about Bria and her new relationship with Owen. All in all, I liked how everything was handled and resolved. I liked seeing the familiar faces - Gin is having quite the entourage for an assassin :) I also liked that some light was shed on some issues - that's always nice. Also, I thought that Bria's reaction to Gin's identity was quite realistic and obviously, she'll need time to come to terms with it which I guess is what we'll see in the next book.

My favorite part of the book was without doubts the growing relationship between Gin and Owen. It bothers me a little that Gin is still so uncertain of Owen - especially since the man has been such a rock, but then it's only been a few weeks they've been together. I really like Owen and he's really what Gin needs. He doesn't condemn her and understand the path she's taken. I'm actually surprised though, I thought Owen was a bit darker and grimmer than he really is. In any case, it's a joy to see their relationship deepens.

All in all, I think that if you've enjoyed the series so far, you'll like Tangled Threads :) Ms Estep takes what has worked in the first three books and continues with it in Tangled Threads which explains why this is a good installment... At the same time, it's essentially where my first issue lies. There's nothing new to Tangled Threads. In the beginning, I felt that the writing style and the character were refreshing and original; however, after three books, they've become familiar. This is not a bad thing, familiar is good, but it also means that you have to compensate somewhere else and this is usually done through details or storylines. Unfortunately, there hasn't been many twists and surprises in the Elemental Assassin series. It seems to me, when Ms Estep sat down and thought of this series, she wrote down an outline of the main events that would happen and she's been sticking to that outline a bit too closely and too much to the point. And because of this, the series has become a tad too predictable. I mean, at the end of Web of Lies, when the new detective is mentioned, I knew right away it would be Bria. From the events in Venom, I knew that Bria would learn of Gin's identities in Tangled Threads... In the next book, I know that there will be a big show-down with Gin whose magic has grown so much and Mab. What I'm saying is that there's not enough subtlety in Ms Esptep's writing. If it's in the story, then there's a reason to it and from there, you can extrapolate and there's not a thousand possibilities ^_^; While it doesn't stop me from enjoying this series and Tangled Threads, I think it is holding back the storyline from being an absolute wowzer.

The other issue I had with Tangled Threads and this one with a lesser impact was the amount of recaps the book had. Gosh. I understand the need to remind the readers and inform the newcomers what has happened, but in this case, it was too much and simply bogged down the storyline and probably made the book thicker by 1/3 ^_^; Usually, main lines are fine but in Tangled Threads' case? It was every single event of importance from Spider's Bite to Venom: Fletcher's death, Gin's past, all the secondary characters, Donovan Caine, the previous books storylines, Gin's magic and so on. Really too much! Obviously, Tangled Threads cannot be read as a stand-alone and I'm sorry but for those who have short memory, well too bad for you!

My Grade: At first, after reading Tangled Threads, I was going to give it a B+. However, upon reflection and to be fair, it's really a B. I enjoyed Tangled Threads, there's no question about it; it was definitively a solid installment. Unfortunately, there are issues that cannot be overlooked and need to be rectified if the 5th and final book is going to be a wowzer.

Review: And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper

Hey everyone!! It's the week-end, woohoo!! Gosh, I'm so tired today and I don't even know why :( Luckily, I have no plans this week-end :) I'm just going to take it easy, read The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong, work on some reviews, eat sushi, watch curling and perhaps re-shelve some books :) Unfortunately, I have to get some things done for work, but I won't bother about till Sunday, 9pm, LOL. What about you, any plans?

Okay, so I have a buddy review up at Breezing Through. Ames and I have reviewed And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper. Seriously guys, you have to thank Ames for the review!! LOL, I read And One Last Thing... last September I think and I meant to review it, but it fell through the cracks ^_^; Then, when Ames told me she was reading it, I was so glad, cos not only I was going to review it, but it would be for Breezing Through! I think And One Last Thing... is one of those book that is hard to review, but great to discuss :) Anyway, click here to find out what we thought of it! By the way, you know how I keep telling everyone to read the Jane Jameson series lately? Well if you're a fan of contemporary romance or a fan of Kristan Higgins, And One Last Thing... is a must. Just saying :)


And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper

published by Simon & Schuster in July 2010

"If Singletree’s only florist didn’t deliver her posies half-drunk, I might still be married to that floor-licking, scum-sucking, receptionist-nailing hack-accountant, Mike Terwilliger."

Lacey Terwilliger’s shock and humiliation over her husband’s philandering prompt her to add some bonus material to Mike’s company newsletter: stunning Technicolor descriptions of the special brand of "administrative support" his receptionist gives him. The detailed mass e-mail to Mike’s family, friends, and clients blows up in her face, and before one can say "instant urban legend," Lacey has become the pariah of her small Kentucky town, a media punch line, and the defendant in Mike’s defamation lawsuit.

Her seemingly perfect life up in flames, Lacey retreats to her family’s lakeside cabin, only to encounter an aggravating neighbor named Monroe. A hunky crime novelist with a low tolerance for drama, Monroe is not thrilled about a newly divorced woman moving in next door. But with time, beer, and a screen door to the nose, a cautious friendship develops into something infinitely more satisfying.

Lacey has to make a decision about her long-term living arrangements, though. Should she take a job writing caustic divorce newsletters for paying clients, or move on with her own life, pursuing more literary aspirations? Can she find happiness with a man who tells her what he thinks and not what she wants to hear? And will she ever be able to resist saying one... last... thing?

Review: How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

How is everyone doing? I hope well :) I'm feeling much better, finally! The vertigo is not completely gone, but at least is not constant. However, what makes me feel so happy is that my parents are home!! They've been gone for 2.5 months, on a trip to Vietnam :) Seems like they had lot of fun and I think it did them a world of good :) It's really nice to have them back and a full house now :P

Today, I've decided to review How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf... Thought it'd be nice, since I've been waiting for the sequel :) Enjoy the review!


How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

published by Simon & Schuster in February 2011

Northern Exposure

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it's unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham-who has been openly critical of Mo's ability to adapt to life in Alaska-has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it's love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he's worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he's not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated...

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Naked Werewolf, Book #1

The Story: After the end of her engagement with a man who was exactly the opposite of what her parents want, Mo figures it's time that she puts some distance between her and her hippy parents... and thus, move as far as possible while staying in the US: Grundy, Alaska.

Getting accustomed to Alaska's weather and being one of the only eligible woman in town takes time... but it's nothing compared to discovering that werewolves do exist for real and that your neighbor is one... and that you're kind of falling for him. However, being with Cooper Graham is complicated. First, there have been sighting of wolves and a few attacks... and Cooper can't rule out it was him. Then, there's his estranged relationship with his family that has been a weight on his shoulder and is not getting any lighter with the attacks. Can this work out?

My Opinion: So I picked How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf because I read Ms Harper's Jane Jameson vampire series last year (already?!?) and really enjoyed it. Ms Harper has a breezy writing style and a wicked sense of humor and I was hoping to enjoy them in her new series :) It's just unfortunate for me that I ran into some little issues as well ^_^;

What I liked about the book was the heroine, Mo :) I liked that Mo was finally taking charge of her life. Mo and her parents - mother in particular - have a difficult relationship. Her parents could be considered as extremist hippies - against meat, against capitalism, against processed sugar, etc. and have never really forgotten Mo for breaking from the mold. That means her mother regularly breaks into her place to throw out all the unhealthy junk she eats and Mo often does things just to be contrary. However, when Mo realizes she was going to marry a guy - not out of love, but because his type was all what her parents despise, it's like a reality check of Mo. Time to live her life for herself and thus the move. I thought it showed Mo's strength, but also her courage. Also, I really like her personality and manner, she was fun and reminded me a lot of Jane, but a bit more level-headed. I guess discovering that the paranormal is real is easier to deal with than turning into a vampire :P

I thought Ms Harper handled Mo's move to Grundy, Alaska pretty well. We got some nice introductions to the little town, some of the important players and to the cold LOL. I think whenever there's a book set in Alaska, the cold is always factored in and it makes it more realistic, because it's really an important element. I liked the little town and the sense of community there was - it felt a bit like back in a western, the pioneer feeling. And I think the pacing contributed to the feeling. Ms Harper took her time getting Mo settled and I enjoyed that part of the story :) Sometimes, authors seem to rush things along to get to "the" story, but not Ms Harper and I appreciated that.

So what were the issues? Well, the hero, Cooper Graham. I never really warmed up to him and as a result, I never warmed up to the romance either. I just didn't find him interesting ^_^; And that was quite the surprise, because after all, he's the werewolf and I was looking forward to get to know their world. We've glimpsed a little of werewolves in the Jane Jameson series and I was hoping there'd be a bit more links between the two series... Anyway, Cooper being the werewolf, I thought he'd be more interesting, more appealing... but he wasn't. Part of it was the character/man himself. He's  the quiet, silent type that seems very broody and surly. Also, he had quite a lot of baggage that he didn't seem able to handle. I don't know, but to me, it took a little bit away from his manliness. Women look for safety and security with man, or at least, I do, but I never felt like Cooper could provided it to Mo. It seems when things became overwhelming, he ran :( Another reason I might not have warmed to him is because the narration is from Mo's POV, so it skews things a little. It worked in the Jane Jameson series because Jane was turned in a vampire, but in this case, Mo is still human - so the werewolf aspect is not complete. In any case, I had difficulty understanding why Mo would fall for him, besides the fact that sex was hot ^_^;

Aside from the romance, there was a little intrigue with the wolves attacks that was used to introduced Cooper's past. Overall, it was okay - no real surprise there.

My Grade: C-. It might seem pretty tough as a grade, but I guess it's because I had high expectations ^_^; How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf shares a lot of similarity with the Jane Jameson series - great, quirky heroine with a dysfunctional family who discovers that the paranormal exists... And while the Jane Jameson series didn't have a great hero either, it got away because of Jane's tribulations as a vampire, a solid cast of secondary characters and Jane's overall growth throughout the series. As a result, Ms Harper's writing style which borders chick-lit works well. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf just doesn't seem to have the same edge to it... and therefore, combined with a not so lovable hero and lukewarm romance, suffers :( Hoping however that The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf will be better... and LOL, I can't help but think that the woman on the cover really fits my image of Maggie ^_^;

Review: Venom by Jennifer Estep

How was everyone's week-end? Mine was very relaxed :) Exactly what I needed LOL. We're really getting fall weather this year and the temperature has dropped down a lot... all I really want to do is snuggle in my blanket and read :P

I'm so excited for this week, because there's so many new releases :P Good thing because I don't know what to read ^_^; I know, I know, it's ridiculous! I probably should bring back up my boxes of books from the basement. I think that will help.

Trying to write more reviews. I'm really behind, there's just so many books I want to review!! Today is going to be Venom by Jennifer Estep. It's hard to review the third book in a series without spoilers, so I tried to keep them at a minimum, but I didn't avoid them completely. And LOL, I thought I'd have nothing to say in my review... but I turned out to be quite chatty :P Hope you enjoy it :P


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

Venom by Jennifer Estep
published by Simon & Schuster in September 2010

What kind of assassin works pro bono?

It’s hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most. To the public, I’m Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland’s best barbecue joint. To my friends, I’m the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker — Mab’s right - hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists. At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I’ll take my chances. Then there’s Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland’s finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I’m a cold-blooded killer... who is about to save her life.

Genre: Urban fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin, Book #3

The Story: Venom picks up not too long after the events of Web of Lies. In Web of Lies, Gin infiltrated Mab's party and killed two persons. Now, Mab is out for blood and trying to identify the killer. Under these circumstances, Gin should simply lie low... except her venture has brought Roslyn Phillips under the spotlight. Roslyn is a vampire, a madam and the owner of Northern Aggression, Ashland's most renowned nightclub. She is the one who helped Gin infiltrated Mab's party and has now become the fixation of Elliot Slater, a twisted giant and one of Mab's top goons. It is just a matter of time before Roslyn is raped and probably disposed. Feeling responsible, Gin decides to take matter into her own hands.

Of course, things get more complicated when Gin's long lost sister Bria shows up in Ashland as the new detective in charge. Before Gin can decide whether she'd want to reconnect with her sister, Bria is attacked by Mab's goons... Luckily, Gin is there to save the day, but also finds out that her little sister's real purpose for returning to Ashland is to bring their family's murderer to justice.

As if Gin's plate wasn't full enough, there's also Owen Grayson. It seems that Gin and Owen's paths keep crossing; however, Gin is uncertain. After her debacle with Detective Donovan Caine, she's hesitant to start a new relationship.

My Opinion: It's really no secret that I've been enjoying this series a lot - Spider's Bite and Web of Lies - and once again, Ms Estep has delivered another fast, action-packed and enjoyable installment :P

I really enjoyed Venom :P As previously, the book is fast-paced with lots of action... I won't go into Gin's character much, because, well, she's still the same Gin - smart, practical, loyal and a foodie :P What impresses me with Gin and it shows even more in Venom is that she chooses her battles. She knows when to act and when not to, like the opening scene when she's being beaten up by Mab's goons. She has her pride as an assassin, but she doesn't let it blind her. She thinks and acts carefully and I guess that is the key to her success :)

So what did I like about Venom? The overall storyline was interesting. We know that Gin is not a cold-blood assassin, we've seen it throughout the series and again in Venom. She feels responsible for getting Roslyn into the mess she is in and therefore is going to help her out of it. In fact, I feel she's quite honorable. I thought that Ms Estep did a good job with the balance of the two storylines: saving Roslyn and Bria's appearance. So far, I like Bria and she seems to be a good cop. I can't wait to see her character more developed. I did like the fact that Gin did not "reunite" with Bria right away, that she has doubts and hesitations. Obviously, it's not as if they can pick up where they left of ^_^; and there's Gin and Bria's professions to consider. An assassin and a cop. So far, my feel is that Bria is more open-minded and flexible than Donovan. Given the circumstances, I feel that she would understand Gin's choices. I think that Gin's hesitation is realistic, especially since Bria has really just shown up. The idea that perhaps the two of them could simply be friends is interesting and would be feasible, if they weren't both investigating the deaths of their older sister and mother. Although ultimately, it might be a bit unfair towards Bria.

My favorite part of the book was the budding relationship between Gin and Owen. I think Owen is so much better than Donovan :P I've liked him since he was introduced and again, liked finding more about him. He's all kind of shades of grey and gets Gin. There's no question that he suits her better and I'm glad that Gin is giving him a chance. I think that with time and trust, he'll become an asset for Gin :P I do think that Gin helping him out when they were both kids was a bit of an overkill... but it does explain why he took to Gin so rapidly.

While I really enjoyed Venom, I think there were a few hiccups. My biggest complaint is at the end, the way some information was imparted to the readers. Slater got his hands on Finn and instead of finishing him up, the two start talking and Finn asks why the Snow family was killed... and then, Slater spills it all. I was happy to find out more about Gin's family and the reasons behind their murders and what happened... but it really wasn't subtle ^_^; Just a bit too, "There are the answers." Aside from that, I think that the series is a little bit too predictable and that's something I mentioned in my review of Web of Lies. So far, there hasn't been any big surprises or twists. Either Ms Estep is too good at foreshadowing or the story is going through the motion. The problem though is I don't know what Ms Estep could do differently ^_^;

Overall, I think that the events of Venom really up the stakes and changed the game for Gin. By the end, she really had to make a decision - whether she would go after Mab or not. I think that Gin always had the notion that she would, but she didn't have any precise plans. Perhaps it wouldn't take place in a near future. I mean, she is the Spider and prides herself as being patient, so she could bide her time and wait for a better time... However, like I said, by the end of Venom, she really had to make her stand and she chose declaring war on Mab :) I think there were two reasons that made her reached that decision: 1) she'd be protecting Bria and 2) she had her friends behind her. It's definitively great to see that even as an assassin, Gin has a close-knit family and they are there, no matter what her decisions and choices are, to support her. It's really heart-warming ;)

Speaking of her close-knit family, I really like that we're getting to know them better. I love the relationship between Gin and Finn, it's really one of a sister and brother... and they definitively are there for each other. I also wonder why Jo-Jo is so willing to help Gin. Oh she seems very nice and all, but as a powerful Air elemental, it seems that she's been hiding her true potential to the world... and there must be something to make her take such risk... and I have a feeling it must have to do with her younger sister, Sophia. LOL, it was cool to find out how Sophia was disposing of all the bodies! In any case, I'm hoping that we'll find out more about the two dwarf sisters :P I also liked that we're getting a clearer picture of Gin's family and perhaps why someone would want them dead. It's clear that Gin is very powerful and from what we've seen, Bria is not bad either. It seems that there are a lot of things that as a teenager, Gin might not be aware about her family...

To me, what makes this series stands out so much is that Ms Estep has a clear idea where she is going with the storylines and the characters. Often, when it comes to series, especially with the same protagonist, it seems to me that authors are fumbling around a little bit, searching for their niches and what they want the series to be about in the beginning. Especially when they don't know how many books they'll be able to write, In the case of the Elemental Assassin series, the books - while having their own sequences of events - really read like one continuous book. Gin's story arc is 5 books and thus, Ms Estep knows exactly what she wants to happen in each book and what and when the end is going to be. I think this has help the pacing of the story tremendously and the building of momentum :) Also as a reader, I appreciate it. It seems like I'm able to connect with Gin a bit more. Also, I like knowing that I won't be blind-sided, that the author will be able to wrap up everything to her liking... not suddenly get the news that her contract is now renewed ^_^;

My Grade: A-. Venom is my favorite book so far in the series :P I really enjoyed it for the relationships and interactions between the characters and of course, finding out more answers. I think the series itself is gaining momentum and I just can't wait for the two final books :P

Re-Read: The Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz

Last day of the month of September! It's hard to tell whether the month has gone by quickly or slowly LOL. It seems just a few days since it was Labor Day week-end. At the same time, the weeks without new releases have gone by oh-so slowly! Anyway, it's useless to complain about it, LOL. All I can say with certainty is that fall is here... and seriously, it shows - at least, over here. Temperatures have dropped a lot and we've been getting lots of rain. The only nice touch is that the leaves have started changing colors as well - was it earlier than the previous year?

Good news, bad news for this month's re-read challenge. The good news is I did re-read a book. The bad news? Not the one that I planned... but does it really matter? LOL. I guess not. I was planning to read Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, but I just never got around to it. I've been kind of in a slump at some point this month... nothing was appealing to read ^_^; Then, I had a friend who was purging her books. She was getting rid of many Jayne Ann Krentz and while going through my own stash of JAK books to see which ones I've read and which ones I haven't, I came across The Golden Chance... and just felt like re-reading it :) So The Golden Chance it is this month :)

The Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz
published by Simon & Schuster in December 1997

When she gains control of his family fortune, it's love at first fight.

Stunning, stubborn, and independent, Philadelphia Fox lost her best friend because of the fabulously rich and powerful Lightfoot family of Washington state. Now she's got her friend's controlling shares in Lightfoot Industries - an inheritance that brings Nick, the family's prodigal and supremely attractive son, knocking at her door.

An unexpected and irrepressible spark between them blazes into extraordinary passion, and Phila - historically unlucky in love - finds the deepest satisfaction she has ever known. But behind Nick's gray eyes lurks a disturbing enigma? and Phila must make the choice of her life. Trusting Nick may come with quite a price - but giving in to his strong, sensual seduction is a golden chance that may never come again.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

You can read my previous review of The Golden Chance here. Since there's already a review, I'm not going to summarize the plot again :P

My Opinion: I cannot believe it's been already more than a year since I went on my Jayne Ann Krentz binge! Seems like yesterday, really.

Okay, so I read this book till 3am in the morning, that must tell you something about my enjoyment, right? :P This is pretty much a classic JAK book - hero is a businessman with a hidden agenda and heroine is someone a bit eccentric, a lot unique :) They meet, they are attracted and they try to navigate all the obstacles - usually involved family and business. It might be classic and in some way, predictable; however, it's well written and I liked it :)

I like Phila's determination and loyalty and the fact that she tries to understand the situation and the people she has to deal with. She's not ruthless, but at the same time, she doesn't let people run over her. She stands by her own beliefs and values and that's what make her such an admirable character... and I can totally see why Nick finds her so attractive. As for Nick, I think he's a great match for her. Not as direct as her, but I do think he believes in the same thing as her... Simply, it comes off differently because they were raised in different environments. LOL, is it me or reading this time, it seems that Nick is a bit nerd-ish. Totally missed that :P In any case, I think he complements Phila well and I like that he wants to take care of her. Not simply because he wants her, but because that's who he is. Also, he's not above being sneaky or harsh to get what he wants... in this case, I think that's manly or typically male. As in, it's too much bother explaining his motives and reasoning, I'll just do it and you can think whatever you want. LOL, typically male ^_^;

One aspect of this book that I enjoyed is the whole family. Everyone fighting to protect or advance their own interest. It's a bit saga-ish and I like that style of story. I also think it's a good kind of plot when you want to focus on relationship, but have something else. I mean, you can make it as complex or uncomplicated as you want, so it will match with other elements of your storyline... and Ms Krentz knows how to take advantage of this kind of plotline.

I cannot really pinpoint what makes me enjoy this book so much. Could be the relationship between Nick and Phila, could be the story, the writing. I simply do LOL. I know, not very helpful as a review, but The Golden Chance has become somehow a comfort read.

My Grade: B+

TBR Day: Homeplace by JoAnn Ross

It seems I'm back to a period of my life where I cannot accomplish anything on time ^_^; Sigh, that is really not a good sign. Time to put a bit of order in my life again I guess it means. However, I'm not giving up! LOL.

So yesterday was TBR Day. Although I had a book read, I just didn't realize it was TBR Day until I read Wendy's review. Also, I realized lately that I cannot do like before: blog-hop and blog in the same day... it's either one or the other ^_^; Sad no? Never thought I'd age that fast! LOL.

Okay, hopefully, I'll be able to complete this review and it will all make sense.


Homeplace by JoAnn Ross

published by Simon & Schuster in March 1999

Fighting legal battles eighty hours a week has left Raine Cantrell burned out and empty. Although she once dreamed that success might make the father who walked away without a backward glance take notice, the high-powered big-city lawyer now finds herself feeling very alone. Then she gets an urgent call from three kids in trouble in her Washington state hometown, and suddenly Raine is returning to face unresolved feelings, unhealed wounds -- and an unexpected desire.

Sheriff Jack O'Halloran, a man with a tragedy in his past and a six-year-old daughter to raise alone, has three teens barricaded inside a house and the media clamoring for a story. He isn't ready for Raine to invade his territory -- or his thoughts. And Raine isn't ready for anyone to touch her heart.

Unable to deny their attraction to each other, their solution is adult, reasonable -- and totally foolish. They decide to have a simple affair. But they are about to discover that love is rarely simple -- and that lives can change forever in a single heartbeat.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Coldwater Cove, Book #1

The Story: Raine Cantrell is a successful lawyer in New York City. She's work hard, has recently closed a very high profile case and is about to make partner. Then, she gets a phone call from a young girl informing Raine that her grandmother has been admitted to the hospital... Worst is her grandmother's three foster protegees have barricaded themselves in the house, calling attention of Sheriff O'Halloran and the surrounding counties sheriffs and deputies. Raine has no choice then coming back home to take care of the trouble, as they cannot count on Raine's free-spirited mother.

Returning home, Raine has mixed feelings. Her relationship with her mother has never been good and all these years, she's been working hard, trying to gain her father's approval. However, seeing the situation of the three troublesome young ladies her grandmother has taken in, Raine realized that she was lucky because she always had at least someone there when she needed. As time goes by, Raine re-acquaints herself with Coldwater Cove and she starts to wonder if she's really happy. Least but not all, there is Sheriff Jack O'Halloran and his adorable little daughter...

My Opinion: Recently, I've been having a lot of difficutly knowing what to read. I thought of buying Ms Ross' new release, The Homecoming as Holly and Lori have enjoyed it a lot... However, I wasn't totally convinced. Then I remembered I had Homeplace at home and settled on this book instead :)

Ms Ross is an author that I read on and off :) I think my enjoyment of her books really depend on my mood ^_^; And this time, it was a miss. Part of the reason was the book itself, but the main reason I think is because I've been reading a lot of books with the successful heroine coming back to small hometown storyline - Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery and Burning Up by Susan Andersen - and this one was just okay in comparison...

I have to admit, Raine was part of my problem with this book. Basically, she just annoyed me. In many instances, she jumped to conclusions and I don't know if it's because she's a lawyer or something, but she was always thinking the worst of things. I don't like this kind of characters. I wonder if it's because it's opposite to my personality ^_^; Also, there was the fact she loved her grandmother and realized that she was aging and growing frail, but whenever her grandmother asked her for a favor, Raine would find excuses. Oh, they were good excuses and made sense, but at the same time, Raine didn't find ways to help out. As a result, it felt like her words and feelings were empty. As a whole though, Raine's character wasn't bad. She just didn't stand out for me.

Jack O'Halloran was a more interesting character. He's a jock and bad boy turned into an authority figure. He married the love of his life and adopted a daughter, but unfortunately, his wife passed away from cancer. Now, he tries his best to raise his daughter. Jack was a good guy, level-headed. Willing to help and thoughtful. I liked seeing the bonds between him and his daughter, Amy. You can see that he's trying very hard. My favorite part was him taking care of Amy's electronic toy - kind of like a Tamaguchi. You know those little toys you had to feed, play and take care of for it to grow :)

The relationship was okay. Basically, Jack and Raine are attracted with each other and once everything is over with Raine's grandmother and the three young girls, there's no real obstacle for Jack and Raine to be together. No problem either from Amy as she's longing for her a mother. The only trouble in paradise for both of them is that Raine lives in New York, but that's taken care of easily.

What stood out for me in Homeplace was the reasons why Raine left. She didn't have any troubles with the town and people treated her nicely. Instead, it stems from her childhood and issues with her mother. Raine's mother is a free-spirit and a flake. She would often abandon her daughters to their grandmother and I guess Raine has abandonment issues... as a result, she's seeking her father - her lawyer shark in Hollywood - for approval. I thought that was nice that the problems were more internal than the small minds of a town. I'm also glad that she was able to work things out with her mother.

There was actually a lot going on in this book. There was a secondary story with Raine's mother and her first love. The three young girls that her grandmother took in. I think it was a bit too much. Ms Ross took many familiar storylines/plot devices and put them together to create Homeplace... However, nothing really had enough development and was a bit too typical.

All in all, my only real quibble with Homeplace was Raine's personality and that was pretty minor. As for the rest, well everything went as expected, but nothing exceeded the expectations ^_^;

My Grade: C.

Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

A few aside before I start the review :)

1 - For those who thought that I was sick because I didn't buy any books last week. Rest assured, I'm fine :) Proof? I bought three today :P

2 - I'm trying to kick my Bejeweled Blitz addiction. Again. Sigh, it wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't so competitive LOL. Although, I'm merely replacing my addiction by something else. The new game I found: Flood-It. I think it's fun LOL. The best though is that you don't need a very good computer, so it's perfect at work ^_^;

3 - I don't know if I ever mentioned Top Gear on my blog. It's a BBC show about cars hosted by three guys. Seriously, sounds boring, but it's hilarious! You really don't need to love or even be interested in cars to enjoy this show. What's so entertaining in Top Gear are the challenges given to the hosts and the hosts themselves LOL. In any case, if you have the chances, you should take a look at this week's challenge about motor homes (Top Gear Season 15, episode 4). My sis and I couldn't stop laughing :P


Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
published by Simon & Schuster in May 2010

When you're on a road trip, life is all about the detours...

Amy Curry is having a terrible year. Her mother has decided to move across the country and needs Amy to get their car from California to Connecticut. There's just one small problem: Since her dad died this past spring, Amy hasn't' been able to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger, the nineteen-year-old son of an old family friend, who turns out to be unexpectedly cute... and dealing with some baggage of his own.

Meeting new people and coming to terms with her father's death were not what Amy had planned on this trip. And traveling the Loneliest Road in America, seeing the Colorado mountains, crossing the Kansas plains, and visiting diners, dingy motels, and Graceland were definitively not on the itinerary. But as they drive, Amy finds that the people you least expected are the ones you may need the most - and that sometimes you have to get lost in order to find your way home.

Genre: Young Adult, contemporary
Series: none

The Story: Amy Curry's life was perfectly normal, until it was turned upside down. Three months ago, her father died in a car accident, her twin brother was put into rehab and her mother decided to move from California to Connecticut for a new start. Now that school is out, Amy's mother wants her to bring their car to Connecticut; only, Amy does not drive. Thus, Amy's mother has enlisted the help of Roger, the 19 years old son of a friend, to drive and has provided them an itinerary... Except the stop places are the dullest ones on the road. Not ready to start her new life, Amy jumps at Roger's proposition of turning this drive into a real road trip. And so starts the adventure :)

My Opinion: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Ames for recommending this book! Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was a wonderful read and I own you a big one :)

I usually stay away from contemporary young adults novels, for a few reasons: 1) I find it hard to connect with the characters, 2) the whole high school "does he love me or not" and "you're my friend or not" tropes do not appeal and 3) it's hard to believe in the HEA ending. However, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is not your regular contemporary YA. I think it has a lot to do with the premise of the book: Amy has just lost her father in a car accident. This is something big and incredibly painful, no matter how old you are and it takes a level of maturity to deal with it. Plus the fact that it's not in a high school context, but a road trip and you have something different, something other.

Okay, this review turns out to be more difficult to write than I expected. I really hurt for Amy and what she was going through. Losing someone is never easy, but the circumstances of the car accident and the fact that she was daddy's girl made it more difficult for Amy to deal with her father's death. Then having your life changes so much without being in control of it, sigh. It's really no wonder Amy was starting to break down both physically and emotionally. The hardest though was the fact that she had no one to talk to, at first because she was not ready and then later, because everyone was gone - her brother in rehab and her mother across the country. I think this just shows you how strong Amy was, but the best part I think is that she was simply a normal girl going through some very tough time. She was mature at times, emotional at others and through it all, rediscovering herself. As for Roger, he was dumped by his girlfriend and he's trying to figure out why... and therefore agrees to embark on this road trip in order to go see her and ask. I think this says a lot as well about his character... and seriously, he turned out to be an amazing guy. The kind that you wish to meet and fall in love with: caring, understanding, nice and gentle :) It might sound like he was a little too perfect and perhaps he was, but I liked him :)

I definitively loved the interactions between Amy and Roger throughout the book, it was so genuine and real. The awkwardness at first, then embarrassment at certain situations and the developing friendship... It was really refreshing to see these two persons meet and get to know each other instead of a secret crush or infatuation. We often talk about chemistry between characters while Amy and Roger did have some, they have something even better. A bond created by the time they spent together during this road trip, during a memorable time period of their life. I mean, they might not live together happily ever after, but they will always remember each other, because they'll be linked by this road trip :)

As for the road trip itself, I thought it was fun. It really balanced the more serious threads of the book :) It was fun to travel with Amy and Roger, to read about the places they stopped at and the people they met. What makes the book even better is the fact that pictures, drawings, notes, receipts are included... like a travel diary or a scrapbook. It really makes the whole road trip more real to the readers, include them.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was a wonderful book and a poignant read. My only complaint would be that I wanted more :P It ended well, but I wish I could know for certain they lasted as a couple ^_^;

My Grade: A-. I hope Ms Matson will write more books in the future, because I'm definitively a fan now :)

Review: Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Still trying to balance out my blogging and blog-hopping ^_^; Unfortunately, it's not going as well as I wish... but hey, I've been reading! I think that's the trade-off most of the time. Reading more = less blogging :( Perfect world would be that I'm not working and so would have time to do a lot of both LOL. In any case, I've been missing you all!!


Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep
published by Simon & Schuster in May 2010

Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I'm Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I'm retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren't aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I'm a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn't made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man... dead or alive.

Genre: Urban fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin, Book #2

The Story: I thought the blurb did a good job summarizing the book, but I'm going to add my two cents :)

After the events of Spider's Bite, Gin has retired as an assassin... but let just say she finds retired life a tad boring ^_^; Then, Gin learns how fast things can change. First, one of Ashland most influential man's son and his side-kick decides to rob Gin's BBQ restaurant, the Pork Pit. While Gin was able to stop the robbery easily, she sure isn't about to back down because of the father's threats and is determined to press charges. Then, someone takes a couple of shots at a customer, Violet Fox, again at the Pork Pit. Turns out Violet was there to ask help from the Tin Man - Gin's deceased mentor. Violet's grandfather was the Tin Man's best friend in their youth and is in trouble. Their property is coveted by Tobias Dawson, a coalmining tycoon and Mab Monroe's - Ashland most powerful Elemental - minion and he's done being civil to Violet and the old man. Gin comes up with a simple solution: get rid of the man... unfortunately, Detective Donovan Caine does not agree, only he's outnumbered. Unfortunately for Gin, the only opportunity to off Tobias will be at Mab Monroe's business party at her manor... Who said retirement was boring again?

My Opinion: I read Spider's Bite earlier this year and really enjoyed it. I was really happy to learn that I'd only have to wait a few months for the sequel, Web of Lies :) I got my hand on it as soon as I could, but didn't read it immediately... expectations, anticipation, you know. However, I'm glad to say Web of Lies does not disappoint!

Web of Lies packs quite a punch with conflict and action and I thought that Ms Estep did a marvelous job balancing the two, given the short timeline. Everything flowed well and even though Web of Lies clocks at 400 pages, the book was a quick read, but the reader was never rushed or overwhelmed by the events and the action. To me, this is proof that Ms Estep found the perfect pacing. The key seemed to have been Gin's narration. There was a lot of internal monologues in Web of Lies since that it's written with first POV and sometimes, it can make a book very heavy and drag, but it was not the case with Web of Lies. Partly, because Gin is such an interesting character due to the morals question of her job, but also because the monologues were not all about her emotions. They were really used to tell the story as well as show how Gin thought and reacted.

Needless to say, I really love Gin's character. She's definitively the heart of this series and as such, she needs to be strong and interesting and she is. There is so much layers to her and the most interesting is that they've all been revealed. There is no peeling layers one by one as the series goes on. Instead, her character has been totally exposed. There's her strength which was necessary to survive and become what she has become, there's her loyalty which has won her her entourage, there's fierceness and determination... but there's also this vulnerability that stems from her past and loving too much. In short, Gin is everything but a cold-blood assassin. Yes, her morals and principles are out of the ordinary, but it works, especially in the world Ms Estep has created :)

Speaking of world, the one that the readers are introduced to in this series is quite colorful :) There are humans, vampires, dwarves, giants... some of them are lucky to have an Elemental power - ice, stone, fire or air, others just are what they are. Truthfully, I feel that we are only given the basic information on all the species and I do have some questions, I don't feel this is a well-rounded world building. However, ultimately, the world works because the focus is not about what the characters are, but in what kind of world they live in - one that is corrupted where the strongest, no matter how rotten they are, rule. It does have a superhero caricature feel to it and would definitively want to find out more about it, but so far, I don't feel like it's been an issue really.

Okay, enough about the series, let's focus a bit more on the book itself :) I really enjoyed the plot and liked how the storylines came together. It was like two ends of a rope being tied together and forming a full circle :) As I said, there was action, but also plenty of conflicts - Gin dealing with her feeling of betrayal at Fletcher, her deceased mentor, her relationship with Donovan Caine and the revelation that her baby sister was still alive. What I found refreshing is that Gin didn't rush out to find out her sister, that she had reservation about it. It made it feel real. Yes, she's happy that Brianna is alive, but they've both built a life of their own and after all, Gin has been an assassin. Not something easy to slip into a discussion. I also like the fact that Gin is unapologetic about being an assassin, she doesn't regret it... She's always been many shades of grey and retiring hasn't made her lily white. The biggest issue between Gin and Donovan is the fact that she hasn't changed, deep down, she'll always have the reflexes of an assassin and she'll react like one. What Donovan doesn't understand though is that if you take that away, then Gin is no longer Gin. I really enjoyed Gin in assassin mode LOL and one of the best parts of Web of Lies was Mab's party - very intense. I also liked how the overall story-arc is going forward as well and the continuity between the books. Ms Estep never forgets the overall picture and merge everything together very well. I'm looking forward to see what Mab is going to do with the new revelation in Web of Lies.

My only issue with the plot though was the showdown at the end between Tobias and Gin. I understand that Ms Estep doesn't want to portray Gin as the invincible heroine, but I thought it'd be better if she found another way for Gin to come on top. I thought it was stupid of Tobias to not simply kill Gin when he had the opportunity and instead, toyed with her. I know what Ms Estep wanted to unfold with this event, but it just wasn't intense enough to hit it well with the readers in my opinion.

Now, onto the interesting stuff :) I'm so happy Ms Estep brought in a new love interest for Gin! Owen Grayson. *swoon* LOL, to me, he sounds perfect for Gin. He's a powerful businessman, the ruthless kind LOL. The kind that is many shades of grey as well. I'm really looking forward for him to play a bigger role. At first, I was curious to see how it would work out between Donovan and Gin... but at the end of Web of Lies, it's clear that it would not have work out. A relationship is doomed if the guy cannot accept his feelings for the girl. It's that simple... and I don't want Gin to change to fit in the relationship. Plus, Owen is much more interesting and mysterious. Wouldn't be surprised if he used to be an assassin as well :P I really, really hope that Donovan is out of the picture and there won't be a love triangle in the future - I hate those.

When I reviewed Spider's Bite, I said this had potential to become one of the best urban fantasy series this year and I still maintain that opinion. However, I think Ms Estep has to ante it up. While the characters are engaging, the plot interesting and the writing solid, there is a spark missing. I wouldn't say that the series is predictable, but at the same time, it's not out of the ordinary. So far, there hasn't been any twists or events that have knock me off my chair. Perhaps it has been too easy to connect the dots or perhaps Ms Estep is doing a too good job at leading the readers to where she wants. The point is, she needs to keep some cards closer to herself.

My Grade: I'm going with B+. Web of Lies is a definite solid read, but had it been a bit more exhilarating, the grade would have been higher :)

Review: Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

I can't believe it's already Wednesday!! Sigh, work has really been kicking my butt. I had an extremely crappy day on Monday and I've been working long hours... Probably won't be out of work tonight before 8pm either :( Ugh. I hope it gets better starting from tomorrow, because seriously... Work can really suck, I mean beyond words at time :( Also, the weather has really be crap. I mean, I know we were going to pay for the past 2 weeks wonderful weather... but snow, freezing rain and hail? We didn't get much of everything, but enough that it's not very comfortable to be outside...

I've been working on this review for the past few days, but work keeps getting in a way. So hopefully, I can post it up today! :D

Cindy, this is for you :P


Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole
published by Simon & Schuster in February 2010

A dangerous beauty...

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her — and those she loves.

An uncontrollable need...

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

Thad lead to a pleasure so wicked...

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness — her wanton desire for him.

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Immortals After Dark, Book #12 (counting novellas)

The Story: Long, long ago, Lucia made the mistake to trust the wrong man and she is still paying the price for it. To survive, Lucia become the follower of Skathi - a goddess that has reluctantly gifted Lucia with great hunting skills, but on the condition that Lucia remains chaste. In addition, every time Lucia would miss her target, she would suffer unmeasurable pain... However, Lucia is in no position to complain as she needs those hunting skills during each Accession  to confront and jail the man that has deceived her. Thus, when Lucia meets Garreth and realizes she is his mate, she panics and flees. Unfortunately, she did not factor Garreth's tenacity. Having finally met his mate, Garreth is not about to let her escape. After a year of chasing Lucia, Garreth finally catches up to her... to find out they're both heading in the Amazonian jungle so Lucia can find an artifact and hopefully changes her life around.

My Opinion: Readers have been introduced to Garreth and Lucia since the very first book of the series, A Hunger Like No Other, and finally, Pleasures of a Dark Prince is their book :D Yay!! Cindy reviewed it when it first came out and it was a keeper for her, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately for me though, I didn't end up liking it as much as Cindy.

What I liked about this book was Garreth. It was fun to discover him, because although we've all been waiting for his book, we've only got a glimpse of him in the past. Really not enough to know his personality, how he would act, what makes him... so this was fun. Garreth was the first carefree hero we've got in this series and he was a great hero. I mean, seriously, he's probably the best well-adjusted man in the whole series: charming, loyal, caring, tenacious and patient. Nobody can really blame him for his attitude when he catches up to Lucia... One lethal year of chasing - anyone's patience would be at an end. In my opinion, Garreth really made the book.

Lucia however was another story. She was too wishy-washy to my tastes and I didn't like the fact that she only showed her vulnerable side to Regin only and put up the strong/brave front. I felt too many of her actions were dictated by the fact that she was a Valkyrie instead of her being herself. It seemed to me that she had a definition of what a Valkyrie was and she tried to impersonate it. It doesn't help that I'm not in love with the Valkyries in Ms Cole's series... I feel they are too high-strung and full of themselves, but that's probably just me. Anyway, I wished she had been herself and would have stood up for herself instead of crumbling under the pressure. For example, when the Valkyries trapped Garreth as an exchange chip, she didn't want to, but she did because of the other Valkyries. Even when they called Garreth filthy names, she went along because Valkyries aren't supposed to like Lykae, even if she doesn't share the opinion. This got better once Lucia and Garreth were alone, but even then, she didn't open up very much to him. I liked the fact that she considered telling Garreth the whole truth, but in the end, she didn't... and it almost cost him his life.

My biggest issue with this book however wasn't Lucia, but the sense of deja-vu I had. In my opinion, the premises of Pleasure of a Dark Prince quite resemble the ones of Untouchable, Murdoch/Dani's story published as a novella in Deep Kiss in Winter. Both heroes meet their mates, but are unable to have physical relationship because of the mates' particularities. Both stories back-track to the beginning of the series... I think had I not read Untouchable, I would have enjoyed Pleasure of a Dark Prince a lot more. As a result, I wasn't able to totally engage in the storyline :(

My Grade: C+. I really liked Garreth, but the rest of the story didn't wow me. Also, the similarities with Untouchable really didn't play out in favor for Pleasure of a Dark Prince :( A lot of things are happening, but I don't feel like the series has been advancing. When is the freaking Accession going to happen? We've been on the verge of it for a couple of books already it seems. The ending of Pleasure of a Dark Prince was an interesting cliff-hanger though and will probably incite readers to continue this series.

Hmmm, it's funny how I tend to down-grade the books once I review them in comparison to my monthly list ^_^;