Review: The Runaway Princess by Hester Browne

Yes, be impressed, two reviews in two days!! LOL. Only thing though is if you want to read the review, you'll have to head over to Breezing Through because it's a buddy review with Ames... which when I think about it, it's been a while too ^_^; Ames and I have a plan though for Breezing Through and hopefully, we'll follow it through :)

Anyway, you can click here to get to the review :)

Happy week-end!

The Runaway Princess by Hester Browne
published by Simon & Schuster (Pocket) in October 2012

If Amy Wilde’s new boyfriend, Leo, treats her like a queen, that’s because he’s secretly a prince himself: Leopold William Victor Wolfsburg of Nirona, the ninth most eligible royal bachelor in the world. Amy soon discovers that dating an heir to a throne has many charms—intimate alfresco dinners, glittering galas, and, for a girl who lives in jeans and wellies, a dazzling new wardrobe with tiaras to match. But there are also drawbacks: imagine the anxiety of meeting your boyfriend’s parents multiplied by a factor of “riding in a private jet,” “staying in a castle,” and “discussing the line of succession over lunch.” Not to mention the sudden press interest in your very un-royal family. When an unexpected turn of events pushes Leo closer to the throne, the Wolfsburgs decide to step up Amy’s transformation from down-to-earth gardener to perfectly polished princess-in-waiting. Amy would do anything for Leo, but is finding her Prince Charming worth the price of losing herself?

Genre: Chick-lit
Series: None

Week-End's Minis XXIV: Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

It's the week-end! It's the week-end! And I'm awake at an insanely early hour because I'm so excited about the New Bride with White Hair tv series. Sigh. Ironically, when episodes 3 and 4 are going to be broadcast in China, I won't even be home. Instead, I'll be on my way to a book signing. Yep, the Smart Chicks Kick It! tour is making a stop in Montreal. Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Rachel Caine, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Melissa de la Cruz, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl should be present at the book signing. I've only really read Kelley Armstrong and I've already seen met her twice already... But what can I say, it's so rare that authors that I'm interested in stop by Montreal, cannot skip this occasion. I'll definitively have pictures tomorrow. Ugh, perhaps not tomorrow actually because I'm having issues with Picasa... seems like I'm over the storage limit, sigh. Will have to figure that out. But anyway, as soon as possible! LOL. That is if the New Bride with With Hair doesn't distract me :)

Anyway, today I had plans to review another book, but I figure this one would come more easily :) So enjoy!!


Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

published by Simon & Schuster in December 2010 (trade)/August 2012 (paperback)

Can two strangers who meet (and tweet) by chance find a love strong enough to last a lifetime? That’s the question former literary sensation Abby Donovan is forced to explore when she meets Mark Baynard on Twitter. Mark, an English professor traveling the world, shatters Abby’s writer’s block one witty tweet at a time. Just as she begins to write and live again, she discovers Mark is hiding a secret that could change both of their lives forever. In the tradition of Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, two lonely people discover it doesn’t take 140 characters to find your soul mate, just three little words.

Genre: Contemporary romance/chick-lit
Series: None

What do you need to know? Abby Donovan is an author whose debut novel about a girl growing up with a bipolar mother (based on her own experience) won Oprah's approval and almost a Pulitzer prize. However, the fame has its downside and that is when you're on top, there's only one way to go: down. As a result, Abby is having a major writer's block and has been stuck on chapter 5 of her second book for a couple of years... Her deadline is past due and fans are starting to forget who she is... That's not good at all! In an effort to maintain Abby's visibility, her agent creates for her a Twitter account.

On her first day on Twitter, Abby is taken under the wing of Mark Baynard, an English Lit professor at Ole Miss who is on sabbatical and traveling the world. He offers Abby to teach her how to navigate the Twitter world. Their discussions quickly take a flirtatious direction and soon, Mark and Abby are going on "tweet dates." But can a relation be born of these exchanges? And have both parties truly been honest with each other?

Why this book? I've read some of Ms Medeiros' books in the past and enjoyed them, although they were historical. I remember wanting to read Goodnight Tweetheart when it first came out, but didn't because it was trade. So when I saw it at Walmart, I picked it up :)

What did I like? I didn't really know what to expect of Goodnight Tweetheart, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, the Twitter format is like email or instant messaging in epistolary format book, so it was very readable. I admit to counting some of the tweets to see if it was really 140 characters LOL. Surprisingly, you can write a lot with 140 characters :)

So yes, Goodnight Tweetheart was very readable and I enjoyed Abby and Mark's budding relationship. They really had chemistry between each other and with this anonymous cover, they shared personal information and secrets more easily. Abby's fear and writing block, Mark's issues with his ex-wife, etc. It felt really real and I love that they got to know each other and had no chance to fall in bed LOL. Also, being a blogger, I know really well you can form strong relationships over the net. And as I said, Mark and Abby had really good chemistry together, so it was believable. I also liked the pattern in their conversations - how they greeted each other and said goodbye, it was really cute.

Something else that I really enjoyed was the twist about Mark. I knew from the blurb Mark had a secret, but I did not expect what it was. And it fit the situation so well and made so much sense. So bravo to Ms Medeiros for that :)

What didn't work? A few things didn't work for me. First, there was a lot of pop culture references in Goodnight Tweetheart and as a result, it was hard for me to follow at times. However, it gave them a rhythm and really proved they were suited for each other, so in the end, that was okay.

My second issue is pretty much Abby's character. I thought she was hard to like and root for. I can understand her fear of failure, but I thought it went a bit too far. Because of it, she became almost agoraphobic and also, the denial? You're due past your deadline a couple of years and when your editor asks to meet you and your agent, you think it's good? Come on, be realistic. The thing is, Abby was clearly in a rut, but she did nothing to get out of it and that annoyed me. Quite whining and do something. Can't write chapter 5, then why don't you write the ending? Also, she was afraid to run out of money because she could not hand in her book... Perhaps moving out of her posh apartment with a view on Central Park for something more affordable would have been a good thing to do? I just wanted her to be more pro-active.

Another thing that bothered me was Abby's reaction when Mark told her the truth about her situation. She got angry and hissy about it and hurt. Those are all good reactions, but instead of work things out, she just disappeared. I felt Abby was a bit naïve about it all. I mean, it's the internet... people are going to lie, they're going to keep secrets. Mark came clean... and really, it doesn't change who he was. I also felt she did not consider his side of the story. It really, really made sense.

One final thing, as much as I believe it's possible for two strangers to meet on Twitter and develop a romance, as much chemistry Abby and Mark had, I still felt Goodnight Tweetheart lacked some depth. Something to make Goodnight Tweetheart truly memorable...

My Grade? C.

Review: Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts :( I was away for the long week-end and had prepared posts for it which I was happy I was able to accomplish LOL. But coming back, well there was lack of sleep and lack of time. Seriously, this whole week, I feel like I've been running after something. I don't really know what though ^_^; I have no plans for this week-end and hopefully, it stays that way so I can catch up on my blog and a few other things :)

In the meantime, enjoy my buddy review with Ames over at Breezing Through. Today, we're discussing Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis :)

Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis
published by Berkley in July 2012

As the executive culinary assistant to celebrity Chicago chef Patrick Conlon, Alana Ostermann works behind the scenes—and that’s just the way she likes it. But with developing recipes for Patrick’s cookbooks, training his sous chefs, picking out the perfect birthday gifts for his ex-mother-in-law, and dealing with the fallout from his romantic escapades, she barely has a personal life, much less time to spend with her combo platter of a mutt, Dumpling.

Then a fluke online connection brings her RJ, a transplant from Tennessee, who adds some Southern spice to her life. Suddenly Alana’s priorities shift, and Patrick—and Dumpling—find themselves facing a rival for her time and affection. With RJ in the mix, and some serious decisions to make about her personal and professional future, Alana must discover the perfect balance of work and play, money and meaning, to bring it all to the table—one delicious dish at a time...

Genre: Chick-lit, Women's Fiction, contemporary
Series: None

WEM VI: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella and Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood

Time for the Week-End's Minis!! :) So, this week's winner was I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella :) I also decided to review Frostbound because this is the second time the book has come in 2nd place in the polls. Guess there are some people who really wants to know what I thought of the book, so I'm more than happy to oblige :)

It also turns out that I'm pretty much caught up on my reviews for my February reads. Probably a first, LOL. I'm really happy as it seems the WEM feature is really working out :) Plus, as I mentioned in yesterday's review, most of the books I've been reading lately are books I want to write full reviews for. So this week's poll is for books I've read a while back... and I decided to choose books from the same genre: YA. So let me know which one you'd like me to review!! :)

Also, this is the 6th edition of the Week-End's Minis... A lot of you told me you enjoyed the mini-reviews format when I started. Now that it's been running for a while, I'd like to get more feedback :) Do you still feel the same way? Are you enjoying the mini-reviews? Am I starting to be too lengthy?

Onto the reviews now! :)


I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

published by Random House Publishing in February 2012

I've lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Genre: Chick-lit
Series: None

What do you need to know? The blurb is pretty accurate. Poppy and Magnus met 6 months ago and are about to marry. He and his parents as well as brothers all have academic careers and this leads to very intellectual conversations which often leaves Poppy out and feeling inferior. She believes that his parents don't approve of her and therefore, the last thing she wants is to let them know she's lost her engagement ring, which is a family heirloom.

So in the book, Poppy's cell phone is stolen... and then, finds another one in the trash. It's like faith! Except the cell phone she found used to belong to Sam Roxton's previous PA who just left him hanging. Not only he needs the cell phone back, but also a new PA. Since Poppy has given the number out for her cell phone, she's reluctant to give it back. She promises Sam that she will forward all his messages... and of course, she can't help herself and read them. Seeing how terse and strict Sam is, Poppy starts trying to help out...

Why this book? I didn't know what to read and was started a reading slump... so I asked for suggestions and Tabitha recommended this book. I thought I'd give it a try since I don't read many chick-lit.

My thoughts? I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed I've Got Your Number. It was a very cute read that made me smiled from one end to another :) I was also surprised at how much I liked Poppy's character :) Most of the time, when reading chick-lit books, I find either the characters or the situations they find themselves are superficial... but it wasn't the case in I've Got Your Number. Poppy's character actually felt quite real to me and one I could relate to. I think part of it is Ms Kinsella found the perfect job for Poppy - a physiotherapist. As a physiotherapist, Poppy has to know what she's doing. She was also self-sufficient and put together, it diminished the "airhead" factor to me... actually, it made her smart and normal in my book :) I also liked that she was like a white knight, standing up for her friends. And of course, she wouldn't have been any fun if she wasn't a bit noisy :) However, at times, I definitively thought she needed better friends ^_^;

Overall, I enjoyed her interactions with Sam :) I liked how she tried to help him out, but at times, it backfired LOL. I thought the two of them had good chemistry. Her confiding in Sam was easy because he was a stranger... and her, making Sam realizes that there is more than work was sweet. Although as a whole, I thought Sam being so dedicated to his work wasn't a bad thing :) Also, I thought Sam was quite yummy as a hero once you make him realize there's more to work. And oh, his grand gesture at the end? So sweet!

While I enjoyed the book, there were a few hiccups for me. I didn't like that the storyline took place so close to the wedding date ^_^; In the beginning of the book, you can feel that Poppy loves Magnus a lot and how it was "love at first sight" for them... And then, everything starts to unravel. Yes, finding out more about Magnus did precipitate things... but I guess I just didn't like the fact that Poppy fell out of love with Magnus so easily or quickly ^_^; Also, I think that at one point, the book lost some steam and started being a bit draggy. Not enough to get on your nerves, but enough to be noticed... Finally, I was a bit taken aback with how the whole "mystery" was resolved. I mean, would someone keep calling the wrong number for three weeks? Wouldn't that person realize at some point it was the wrong number? That to me seemed a bit far-fetched.

My Grade? B. Despite the few hiccups, I've Got Your Number was a very fun book :) I definitively recommend it if you're in the mood for chick-lit or something different.


Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood
published by New American Library (Signet) in June 2011

Every dog might have his day, but the hellhound guards the night...

As a snowstorm locks down the city, more than the roads are getting iced. Someone's beheaded the wrong girl, and vampire-on-the-lam Talia Rostova thinks it was meant to be her. Now she's the prime suspect in her own botched murder—and the prisoner of her smoking-hot neighbor.

Lore is a hellhound, bred to serve and protect, so he's not freeing Talia until he's sure that she's the prey and not the hunter. You'd think a beautiful woman in his bedroom would be a good thing, but trouble-prone Talia has run afoul of someone more sinister than your average lunatic killer. An ancient Undead is wreaking vengeance on the city—and on her—and Lore will have to go far beyond a stake to put him back in his grave...

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: The Dark Forgotten, Book #4

What do you need to know? Lore is the Alpha of the hellhounds and they have just escaped from the Castle (either a part of Hell or another dimension). So the hellhounds are slowly adapting to the world we know and as such, are kind of starting at the bottom of the ladder. Lore is focused on making the transition easier and building a better life for all of them... and finding his mate is not part of his concerns at the moment.

Talia Rostova grew up a part of the Hunters, a clan whose members are all skilled enough to take down supernatural beings. It's because she was a Hunter that Talia was changed into a vampire against her will. At the first opportunity, Talia stole a large sum of money and escaped from her sire, becoming a rogue.

When Talia's cousin/roommate who bears an uncanny resemblance to Talia is found beheaded, Talia knows it was meant to be her. She tries to run away, but is captured by Lore who is replacing the town's sheriff. And he won't release Talia until he finds the culprit... because he can feel that something really bad is coming.

Why this book? I read the first book in this series, Ravenous. Thought it was okay, but not a series I particularly want to continue. Then, at RWA last year, I got a copy of Frostbound and Ms Ashwood actually won a RITA for Unchained... So picking up this series was on my list of things to do. When I saw that Samantha has read and enjoyed Frostbound, it was the kick I needed to give this series another chance :)

My thoughts? Not having read Books #2 and #3 of this series, it wasn't the best idea to simply just pick up Frostbound. It's not that I had a hard time following the storyline, but there were obviously stuff that I missed... like Lore and hellhounds escape from Castle. Plus, the whole politics scene at Fairview with a vampire presenting himself as a candidate - this seems to be an ongoing story. Then again, I'm not sure I want to go back and read the books I missed ^_^;

Overall, I really liked the paranormal aspect of the book. How all the supernatural beings co-exist, the rules and so on. I thought the world building was well done and interesting. As well as the intrigue and the whole "who did it." The two elements really caught my attention and had me keep reading. I do admit I'm a bit tired of "humans" being so afraid that it leads to group like the Hunters whose sole purpose is to kill "monsters." I know it's understandable for humans to fear, because they are considered "weak." At the same time, it speaks of such bigotry ^_^; And perhaps, it's just a bit too real to my comfort :(

Anyway, back to Frostbound. Another strength of the book was Talia as a character and also, her storyline. I liked that Talia was able to take care of herself. From the blurb, I got a feeling she was weak... but it definitively wasn't the case :) LOL, the part where she called Lore "Bad dog" was simply priceless. She definitively had guts, but at the same time, wasn't too kick-ass :) Ms Ashwood did a great job creating a balanced heroine. I also liked the fact Talia was on the run. It shows she was smart... and had integrity (not spending the money she stole). Also, her torn emotions between humans and monsters because of the way she was raise and what she had become was well done.

What else did I enjoy? The quatuor: Lore, Joe, Errata and Perry and I wished they'd been more of us :)  I simply liked the sense of camaraderie and all.

Unfortunately, I thought the let down of Frostbound was the romance ^_^; I didn't feel that connection between Lore and Talia. The whole thing happened quite fast... One moment, Lore was suspicious of Talia and the next, he was all caring towards her. Sure, he was attracted to her before the book started. Plus, she really impressed him with her guts... but it still felt a bit too quick. It seemed their romance stemmed more of the situations they found themselves in instead of their attraction to each other. Plus, the whole resolution for the mate thing was too easy. I think it would have helped if there had been more of Lore in the book. It's not as if his character was neglected, but I didn't really get a sense of who Lore was. Instead, it was more about the hellhounds and his duty to them. Sure, it's a part of him, but I don't think it's all there is to him. Perhaps that's what I missed by not reading Book #2 and #3 of the series.

My Grade? C+. I'm glad I read Frostbound... but as I said, I don't feel the urge of going back and read Book #2 and #3, hence the grade despite some very good intrigue and world building.

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: Too Good to be True and Kiss of a Demon King

Sigh. Seems like I'm a bit into a funk lately :( Not feeling like blogging or reading much. Part of it is due to Tim Horton's Brier - the man national curling championship... another part is the job... and well, my mood I guess. I'll try to get out of it, but don't be surprised if I'm a bit silent in the next few days - well at least, in my blog.

So let see if I can do this... two-fer review :) These two books don't have much in common except that they've both slipped away from me when it was time to review them. I got both of them before their release date, devoured them and just never got around to review them although I wanted to.

Since my reviews will only add to the praises everyone is lavishing on these two books, it will be somewhat shorter (or at least, that's the intention LOL).


Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN Books in February 2009

When Grace Emerson's ex-fiance starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she's seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone...exactly "unlike" her renegade neighbor Callahan O'Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.

Whoa. No. Callahan O'Shea is not her perfect man Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so...right?

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: Grace Emerson was going to marry Andrew in three weeks... till she caught the glint in his eyes that told her he wasn't completely in love with her... and perhaps, his great love could be another woman... her younger sister, Natalie.

One year later, Grace has given her blessings to Natalie and Andrew to be together. However, she has become the pitiful girl in the family and everyone is trying to encourage her, but it just further annoys her. After her cousin's third wedding, Grace decides it's time to make up a boyfriend so everyone would just stop... and it's not as if she never made up boyfriends - she has experience. However, when Natalie and Andrew announce their engagement...

My Opinion: So I didn't mention Cal in my summary, because this is really Grace's story. Like I said in my previous reviews of her books, I think that Ms Higgins' style is more chick-lit than contemporary romance. Good chick-lit, but chick-lit nonetheless.

As usual, I really like Grace as an heroine. Ms Higgins really has a knack at writing the heroines. There's this confidence in themselves that sets them apart in my opinion. Actually, they're just comfortable in their body and settle in their careers. In addition, since there's no mystery, everything allows Ms Higgins to focus on the relationships, dynamics and interactions and it results in good books.

Okay, I digress. So what I really want to say is I enjoyed Grace's character :) She was fun, brave and strong. Some think that perhaps, she was too nice - giving her blessing to her sister and Andrew. In my opinion, it was well explained and it fit her personality. To Grace, Natalie is very special... and when you love someone, you want them to be happy, even at the price of your own happiness. I liked Grace's interactions with her best friend, her family and Cal :) and LOL, imagining boyfriends isn't so bad :P In Dear Author's review, the reviewer pointed out that all of Ms Higgins heroines are similar and have the same voice. I agree; however, it works well and these heroines are really refreshing :)

There were tons of funny situations in this book :) Starting with Grace's best friend signing them up to a course to find happiness. LOL, when the motivation speaker was speaking to them about the techniques to get people's attention and when he wasn't so sure it would work on a gay man LOL :) Or when Julian had to fake to be Grace's boyfriend and he was stuck in the bathroom's stall. All of Grace's mother's women parts scultures that they had to bring out from the cellar when the mom came up unannounced. Finally, I really love the last quarter of the book, from the moment Grace finally gets together with Cal.

My main complaint about this book was Grace and Cal's relationship. Again, as it is usually the case with Ms Higgins' books, I wanted more of the H/H together. Especially once they became a couple. They were adorable together!! However, I was a bit uncomfortable about Grace's reluctance to get involved with Cal. I'm not totally sure of her reasons... Part of it was prejudices because Cal was a convict... which I thought was unfortunate really. I mean, I understand her position and I guess that I would react the same in real life... but in fiction... I still prefer to believe that Grace thought he wasn't going to be THE guy. Anyway, it doesn't matter much since they do get together at the end and like I said, adorable :)

I really liked how Ms Higgins wrapped things up between Grace and Cal and the three sisters relationships at the end. I'm actually curious to know what happened to Cal's grandfather ^_^; I know, I know... very small details LOL.

My Grade: B. Overall, this was a very good and solid book... However, I do think that Just One of the Guys and Fools Rush In were better :) Also, I'd like for Ms Higgins to try her hand at contemporary... a bit more between the H/H would be greatly appreciated :D



Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
published by Simon & Schuster in January 2009

His Obsession...

Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.

Her Downfall...

Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.

They were never supposed to want each other this much...

With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: Immortals of Dark, Book #7

The Story: Rydstrom Woede is the king of some demon kingdom, but lost his throne to an immortal sorcerer. He along with his younger brother, Cadeon, have been trying to get the kingdom back, but it's not easy to kill someone who can't die. However, his chance has come... Rydstrom is on his way to meet Cadeon whose mission was to exchange the Vassel for a sword that can actually kill the sorcerer... when he is kidnapped by Sabine, the Queen of Illusions, sister of his mortal (immortal) enemy. Sabine has her own agenda though, which would be getting her and her younger sister out from under their brother's thumb... and although Sabine knows that she is supposed to borne Rydstrom's child according to a prophecy... she just wasn't prepared for this mutual passion.
My Opinion: Okay, so the timeline of Kiss of a Demon King actually overlaps with the events in Dark Desires After Dusk and I'm not really a fan of overlapping books, but it actually worked real well for this book. I've been a fan of Rydstrom ever since he appeared in the series, but from the glimpses I caught of Sabine in Dark Desires After Dusk and her effects on Rydstrom, I wasn't sure I would liked her.

Oh boy, was I wrong. I ended up really liking Sabine. She was a very fun character and that, from the beginning of the book :) Sabine really wasn't what I expected. I mean, first she's a sorceress and then, she's Rydstrom's enemy's sister ^_^; I was imagining a wicked, evil heroine and didn't know how she would match Rydstrom. Anyway, long story short, she was a fun character and I liked her :) I'd like if she has shared more with Rydstrom... I liked her loyalty to her younger sister as well :) As for Rydstrom, well he WAS everything I was expecting. I was still uncomfortable about the two brothers' relationship - Rydstrom blaming Cadeon for the loss of the kingdom and Cadeon feeling guilt. Sure, it's adding angst, but in the end, I'm not really satisfied with the resolution of their issue. I guess I would have liked more closing.

What else I didn't like? Hmmm, the first part of the book when Rydstrom was Sabine's prisoner. I thought it was boring, Sabine trying to have sex with Rydstrom to get pregnant. Wasn't really involved in that part. Luckily, it all picked up when the roles were reversed :) That part, me likey. I thought that Sabine showed more of her true face to Rydstrom and they had more interactions. Rydstrom started to learn more about her, he opened more as well.

I felt that this book was a bit more stand-alone in the series and I liked that. It didn't have too much connections to the earlier books. It wasn't sequel baiting either, so that was a plus. I've always felt that Ms Cole's books had a primitive feel to them, but the two last books were a bit smoother and suited more the storylines :) What I don't like though is that there are a lot of paranormal creatures in this series and it's starting to get confusing. The structure of the world building doesn't seem solid... I feel it's very flexible and when you have so many creatures and storylines going on, it'd be better if it was a bit more ground in my opinion.

My Grade: B+. Very fun book. So far, all the books with non-vampires H/H have been more enjoyable to me :) Also , great for Ms Cole to keep this series open so no anticipation and expections for the next H/H.

Review: 20 Times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak

Hi everyone!!

it's a long week-end this week-end!! Yay! Seriously, if you're going to start a job, you should plan it around a long week-end. Nothing better to help relax :) Anyway, everything is going well at work. I'm adjusting to a new schedule. At my old job, I was doing a 6.30am to 3pm day... now, it's more like 9.30am to 5.30pm... It's different and kind of fun to be able to sleep more in the morning. Sure, once I get home, I have less time to do stuff... not that I did anyway, LOL :) Once I get settled in a schedule and school starts, I might try to do an earlier schedule though... because then, I'll be giving rides to my sister.

The professor had an extra pass, so that's fun :) I'll be able to come and leave on my own. So far, parking hasn't been too bad. Although I had to park it in the hospital parking (17$ ouch) today because I came earlier, I figured it'd be only a day. Better than get a ticket and I can leave it in the parking the whole day instead of moving it around (that's really no fun).

My reading mojo has come back and I should be able to salvage a bit of the month :) So today, I'll review 20 times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak :)


20 Times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak
published by Harper Collins in June 2006 (tradesize paperback)

How many men does it take to find true love?

Delilah Darling's magic number was supposed to be twenty. She always thought she'd find the perfect guy by the time she'd slept with twenty of them. But when she wakes up naked in her disgusting boss's bed after a drunken night out, she's filled with regret -- and realizes she's hit her self-imposed limit. Unwilling to up her number but unable to imagine a life of celibacy, Delilah does what any girl in her situation would do: she tracks down every man she's ever slept with in a last-ditch effort to make it work with one of them.A hilarious romp through Delilah's past loves, 20 Times a Lady proves that in the end, numbers don't matter. True love will come when you're open and ready to accept it.

Genre: contemporary, chick-lit
Series: none

The Story: After reading an article which states that a woman has on average 10.5 different sexual partner, Delilah Darling kind of freaks out. She's at 19 and that makes her feel easy. As a result, she decides to give herself a self-imposed cap: 20. Yep, she only have one more opportunity to find Mr. Right. However, all goes wrong when she wakes up naked in her boss' bed after getting fired and drunk. Having reached her self-imposed cap, Delilah can only think of one solution... Re-visit her exes and see if any of them could be it, Mr. Right... thus, Delilah hires the services of her neighbor and struggling actor, Colin, to find out the whereabouts of some of them and embarks in a very long and weird roadtrip :)

My Opinion: I bought this book after having Ames glommed about it and after reading her review. All I have to say is: Thanks Ames, 20 Times a Lady was a great, funny read!!

First, I was so glad that 20 Times a Lady didn't read too much like a typical chick-lit. Instead, I thought that Delilah was smart, witty and realist. All right, re-visiting all her exes might not have been her brightest idea, but really, she was realist about the possible relationships. She didn't delude herself like so many other chick-lit heroines and she wasn't as klutzy. I think that made a huge difference and it made this book stands out.

So yes, this book was a great read and it was just fun and entertaining to follow Delilah on her roadtrip :) There's a lot of LOL moments and I think that Ms Bosnak had a great voice. I really liked Delilah. I also enjoyed her relationships with her family...

I do think however that by the end, once her roadtrip was over, the storyline started to drag a little. I also wished that she would have spent more time with Colin and I'd have liked the storyline to focus on them a little bit more. Otherwise, this book was fun and perfect to get me back on track with my reading mojo.

My Grade: B+. You should all try it out :)

Review: The Boys series by Meg Cabot

Finally!! I have something to blog about LOL :) Unfortunately, probably everyone's off due to Thanksgiving... well except for us Canadians. Seriously, I can't wait till the week-end... and I have only what... hmmm, 7.5 hours of work left? My plans for the week-end? Cleaning my room and reshelving my books... Sounds familiar right? LOL :)

We had our first snow fall this year... which turned into freezing rain/ice. Ewwww. however, traffic wasn't too bad... at least for me :P I hope it all melts, but apparently, more freezing rain on Sunday :( The tree at the neighbor's house succombed under the weight :( Some big branches broke off and it kind of "split." so sad...

Anyway, onto my review now! November hasn't been a great reading month... every book turned out to be a meh reading, until I started reading the Boys series by Meg Cabot. I picked up the 3 books (The Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl and Every Boy's Got One) a few week ago at the McGill Bookfair... now, I remember buying Every Boy's Got One at the McGill Bookfair a few years back and not getting into it... However, the girls at Book Binge, especially Rowena, seem to have enjoyed Meg Cabot, so I decided to give her another chance... and I bought another copy of Every Boy's Got One because I didn't know what I did with the previous one.


The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot
published by Avon in October 2002

Who is... The Boy Next Door? (Melissa Fuller desperately needs to know!) Is he really Max Friedlander, notoriously wild, famously self-centered fashion photographer-nephew of poor old comatose Mrs. Friedlander? (But he seems so nice!)

Has he come to relieve Mel of the burden of having to walk (or be walked by) Mrs. F's monster Great Dane, Paco -- so maybe she can start getting to work on time and maybe keep her job at the "New York Journal"?

He's not really trying to find out who assaulted his "aunt" in her own home and why, is he? All by himself? Isn't that a bit dangerous?

And how can one man be this gorgeous, funny, charming, fearless, sexy and mysterious? (And why the heck does he want Mel to call him "John"?)

Anyone with information, please e-mail melissa.fuller@thenyjournal.com -- and hurry... because she's headed for BIG trouble!

Although this book took me a few days to read, I really enjoyed it... which was a surprise :P See, the whole book is written in e-mail format, i.e. various ppl e-mailing each other. I didn't think I'd enjoy the format, but I did... a lot. It was such a riot to read all those e-mails. So basically, Mel's old neighbor is attacked in her appartment. Mel is a kind-hearted girl and decided to walk the Great Dane dog named Paco... but because of it, she's been getting in trouble (arriving late to work, missing outings with her best friend)... so Mel e-mails Mrs. F's nephew, notorious bad boy photographer Max to see if he'd dog-sit for his aunt. Max is not interested, but his aunt turns out to be a millionaire... so he doesn't want Mel to tell his aunt if she ever wakes up from her coma that her only relative wouldn't come rushing... so he sends in John Trent, his roomate in college who owns him a favor. John is instantly attracted to Mel and even moves in in Mrs. F's appartment... John and Mel fall in lust and in love, but there's just one problem... Mel thinks John is Max...

It was a very fun book, seriously. There's tons of secondary characters that meddles in our H/H's lives... best friends, co-workers, family and you don't just get to read e-mails from the H/H or to H/H... you have co-workers discussing whether Mel should have sex with John (that was hilarious), family wondering what the hell is John thinking/doing and etc. I really liked John, he's really a nice guy, the kind that cares. As for Mel, she was just soo cute. I think if you've never read Meg Cabot, this is a good starting point.

Grade: A-


Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

published by Avon in 2004

Meet Kate Mackenzie. She:
- works for the T.O.D. (short for TyrannicalOffice Despot, also known as Amy Jenkins,Director of the Human Resources Divisionat the New York Journal)
- is sleeping on the couch because herboyfriend of ten years refuses to commit
- can’t find an affordable studio apartmentanywhere in New York City
- thinks things can’t get any worse.
They can. Because:
- the T.O.D. is making her fire the most popularemployee in the paper’s senior staff dining room
- that employee is now suing Kate for wrongfultermination, and
- now Kate has to give a deposition in front of Mitch Hertzog, the scion of one of Manhattan’s wealthiest law families,who embraces everything Kate most despises ... but also happens to have a nice smile and a killer bod.
The last thing anybody -- least of all Kate Mackenzie -- expects to findin a legal arbitration is love. But that’s the kind of thing that can happen when ... Boy Meets Girl.

This book was published about 2 years after The Boy Next Door and takes place in the same environment, the New York Journal, but in a different department, the HR department... I think that what happened is Ms. Cabot realized she had found a good recipe with The Boy Next Door and decided to re-use it... so again, the book is written in e-mail format with the addition of Kate's journal which gives more insight to the readers. Also, Kate and Mitchell remind me a lot of Mel and John. Kate is nice, kind and a bit klutzy while Mitchell is a bit of the black sheep in the family, he's also smart and rich. Although Boy Meets Girl is similar to The Boy Next Door, Ms. Cabot is able to make it different enough so the readers don't really mind. The storyline is also different enough for the readers to enjoy, what with Mitchell's dysfunctional family and Kate's ex who tries to win her back. Many characters from the previous book also make a come back which is always fun :) All in all, I also enjoyed this book very much... my only complaint about the book is that in the middle of it, there's a problem that arise btw Kate and Mitchell... and Kate was very stubborn about it. Seriously, are you going to let love passes by because he did a stupid mistake that he didn't even mean it? NO!!

Grade: B+


Every Boy's Got One by Meg Cabot
published by Avon in 2005

To: Jane Harris
Fr: Claire Harris
Re: You

Hi, honey! It's me, Mom. I know it's a big secret that your friend Holly and her boyfriend Mark are eloping in Italy, and that you and Mark's friend Cal Langdon (the handsome New York Journal reporter with the big book deal) are going, too, as their witnesses. But I just saw Holly's mother at the Kroger Sav-On, and I thought I'd warn you: She doesn't seem to like Mark very much at all. Just wanted to let you know.

PS I don't understand why you don't like that nice Cal Langdon! He seemed so smart when I saw him being interviewed on Charlie Rose. And so handsome!
PPS Don't forget to wear a sweater!

Cartoonist Jane Harris is delighted by the prospect of her first-ever trip to Europe. But it's hate at first sight for Jane and Cal Langdon, and neither is too happy at the prospect of sharing a villa with one another for a week—not even in the beautiful and picturesque Marches countryside. But when Holly and Mark's wedding plans hit a major snag that only Jane and Cal can repair, the two find themselves having to put aside their mutual dislike for one another in order to get their best friends on the road to wedded bliss—and end up on a road themselves ... one neither of them ever expected.

Usually, third time's the charm, but in this case... This is the book I bought a few years back at the McGill bookfair and the one that I wasn't able to finish... which is why I thought i wouldn't enjoy a e-mail format book. Although I finish it this time around, it just wasn't as good as the previous two installment. First of all, this book did contain e-mails, but there were also Cal's PDA notes and Jane's journal... I don't know, it just wasn't as fun to read their journals as it could have been, reading their emails... I thought there were too much of it too (the journals) and their emails were shorter and less funny :( Also, transporting the whole book in another country might not have been such a good idea, I think the storyline would have been better if they decided to elope in Vegas or something. I didn't really like Jane too much either, I thought she was a bit too idealist and also, self-centered. There's a lot of stuff that I thought was a bit over the top, but it still could have been okay... but the whole "Cal doesn't believe in love and marriage and thinks that Mark shouldn't marry Holly" became old very quickly and when Cal realized that he was in love with Jane and that suddenly, he was okay being in love and marriage was good for certain ppl... yeah, that, I didn't believe. It was too rushed... All in all, I didn't really like the H/H relationship (I mean, they spent their time arguing and there was no sweet moments btw the two really before the ending, so I can't figure how suddenly they are in love) and that really ruined the book for me.

Grade: C-

Although I didn't really enjoy the last book, I thought the first two were great. Light, entertaining and funny, they're just perfect to get you out of a slump. Also, although they are connected, they do stand alone very well :) So any other Meg Cabot I should try?