Sunday, January 16, 2011

Re-Read: Stealing Shadows by Kay Hooper

Guess what?!? There is no Hauling Sunday post this week, because... I didn't buy books!! Woohoo! Surprised? LOL, I am. This is due partly because it was so busy and hectic as I mentioned in my other post, but also because there was no new releases. However, do not worry, everything will go back to normal this week and there will definitively be a post next week :) Proof? I got 4 books today LOL.

Since I don't have a Hauling Sunday post today, I'd continue catching up on the posts for 2010 that I've been wanting to do. So today, I'm wrapping up the Re-Read Challenge :) I'm concluding this challenge with a book from one of my favorite authors, Kay Hooper.


Stealing Shadows by Kay Hooper
published by Bantam Books in September 2000

What if you can enter a madman's cruel mind as he plans his vicious crimes? What if you can see the terrified face of his prey as he moves in for the kill-but you can't stop his frenzy once he strikes?

Psychic Cassie Neill helps the L.A. police catch killers-until she makes a terrible mistake and an innocent child dies. Cassie flees to a small North Carolina town, hoping that a quiet life will silence the voices that invade her unwilling mind. But Cassie's abilities know few boundaries. And she's become certain-as no one else can be-that a murderer is stalking Ryan's Bluff.

It's his fury that Cassie senses first, then his foul thoughts and perverse excitement. Yet she doesn't know who he is or where he will strike. The sheriff won't even listen to her-until the first body is found exactly where and how she predicted. Now a suspect herself, she races desperately to unmask the killer in the only way she knows: by entering his twisted mind. Her every step is loaded with fear and uncertainty...because if he senses her within him, he'll trap her there, so deep she'll never find her way out.

In Stealing Shadows, Kay Hooper introduces FBI agent Noah Bishop, whose rare gift for seeing what others do not helps him solve the most puzzling cases. Now, Bishop's adventures continue in two new electrifying tales of psychic suspense.

Beware of what you see. It's dawn when the police arrive at the murder scene. The victim is propped against a tree, her eyes still open, her head tilted, her lips parted in a silent cry. Just as Cassie Neill predicted. Just as she saw while she was inside the killer's mind. The killer knew she was there. And next time he won't let her get away.
Genre: Romantic suspense, psychic
Series: FBI SCU series, Book #1

The Story: Cassie Neill is a psychic with the uncanny ability of entering the minds of twisted monsters and seeing through their eyes. As a result, she has spent most of her life helping the police putting those monsters behind bars. However, her gift - or more accurately, her curse - only gives her an edge and is not a certainty. A wrong interpretation can lead to a tragic end; and when a little girl dies, Cassie knows she's reached her limits and can no longer continue. She retreats to Ryan's Bluff where she's inherited a house from her estranged aunt.

The last thing she expects in this small and peaceful town is to connect with the mind of a killer, but that's exactly what happens. With no big surprise, the sheriff refuses to believe her and Cassie cannot remain on the sideline. She decides to reach out for the judge, Ben Ryan, in the hope he can sway the sheriff.

As women are murdered, Ben and the sheriff quickly realize that Cassie might be their only way to stop the killer. However, Cassie is not certain she can go this once again... and Ben finds himself unwilling to let Cassie risks herself. Especially when the case is more complicated than they believed it was and connected to Cassie...

My Opinion: I discovered Ms Hooper FBI SCU series back in 2004 and simply fell in love with it. It was in-between two classes and I was at the bookstore, flipping through some books and I picked up Whisper of Evil. I started reading it and after a couple of chapters, I knew. I knew that I would love Ms Hooper and that these books were for me. So put back Whisper of Evil and set on a mission: go to every UBS in downtown Montreal to find Ms Hooper FBI SCU series books. After that, I came back to the bookstore and bought the ones that were missing :) Like I said, I just knew... and I was right :)

Stealing Shadows is the first book of the series I really enjoyed it, although it wasn't my favorite and I haven't re-read it in a couple of years... which is why I picked it up back in December. I was in a mini-slump and felt like reading a Kay Hooper and thought, why not Stealing Shadows? Sometimes, it's good a few years have passed, because you don't remember everything about the story and can go "Ohhh, right" and that's what happened :)

Overall, I really enjoyed re-reading Stealing Shadows. I pretty much like everything about it - the characters, the romance and the suspense. Cassie is very strong and independent. She might not be someone you get chummy with, but it's definitively someone you admire. It also seemed to me that she was finally living... For too long, she's focused on helping with her gifts and I can't imagine the pressure it was, the horrors she's seen... and thus, seeing her meeting Ben, falling and love and getting her HEA ending, it was great. As for Ben, he was really solid, exactly what Cassie needed. I liked that he was persistent in his pursuing of Cassie, that he did not give up and his protective side of Cassie. I have to say though, I would have liked to know Ben a little bit better, to have him a bit more fleshed out... However, I don't think it detracted too much from the book.

I would categorize Ms Hooper's Shadows trilogy as romantic suspense as opposed to her Fear and Blood trilogies being more mystery/thriller instead. That being said, the romance is on the light side. Still, I was satisfied with it. Cassie and Ben get to know each other, understand each other and build a relationship. Yes, the timeline was a bit fast, but the romance well written :) As for the suspense, I think that's what Ms Hooper does best. It was really suspenseful and complex. I think that the psychic element also allows Ms Hooper to flex the boundaries a little bit. At the same time though, it's not evident. What I mean is that because of the psychic element, not everything is explainable. For example, not everything is A --> B, sometimes, it's A --> C... and you perhaps have to suspend disbelief, so it probably doesn't work for everyone, but it does for me :) All in all, I think Ms Hooper did good balancing everything in this book :)

One of the thing I also like about this book is Noah Bishop's appearance. Noah Bishop is the pivotal character in the FBI SCU series, because he's the one who put together the SCU - Special Crime Unit. What I never caught on my first reading of Stealing Shadows though is that Cassie and Noah are cousins!! I only found that out later, on Ms Hooper's website, and after re-reading the book, I could pick up the clues. I thought that was really cool LOL.

Another thing that I really like about Stealing Shadows is that it might be the first book in this series, but it doesn't throw you in the SCU right away. Instead, it's like a preface book. It shows you a bit why Bishop wants to build the SCU, the motivation behind it and the usefulness of such an unit. I think it was a brilliant way to open the series really. Usually, in the first book, the unit would already be put together and running. You'd be introduced to all those characters and there'd be a lot of explaining about the unit, it's purpose, etc. This way, we get to experience it and I like that :)

Finally, the reason why I like the FBI SCU series and why it stands out the most for me is the way Ms Hooper has incorporated the psychic element into the suspense/mystery. The approach she's taken to explain psychic abilities is scientific and her characters are no-nonsense about it. Also, most importantly is that the characters have come to terms with their abilities and have learned to live with them... and her characters are stronger for it :) Some of them do have a vulnerable side to them, but it's not the fragility that you usually associate with psychics. Put it all together and that is why it matches with the suspense so well. Instead of the psychic abilities being mystic and something elusive, it's scientific, cold and solid and suits the FBI :)

My Grade: B. What's really hard with re-reads of romantic suspense and mystery/thriller books is that knowing who's done it takes out of the intensity... and Stealing Shadows is not an exception. However, I still truly really love this book :) Perhaps it's more sentimental than logical, but isn't that the way with books? :)

Friday, January 14, 2011

Monthly Reads: December 2010

Okay, where did my week go?!? I didn't mean to neglect my blog this week; only it's been real busy and hectic. I haven't had much time to sit and type and so have been pushing back this post a day and another... and before I know it, it's already Friday!! Sigh. Ah well, it's life LOL. But the spirit is definitely here :)

Now, let's try to get my December reads list over with :P December was kind of a rough month for me. It started off really well and then, it just lost momentum. Part of it was the holidays and therefore, work parties and general busy-ness associated to it... but another reason was simply that I needed a vacation. As a result, I kind of fell from my bandwagon and didn't log in my reads and books bought ^_^; So this might be an incomplete list, as my memory lately is quite faulty. In any case, I'm going to try to keep it short LOL. However, you know me...


1) The Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron: C

This new fantasy series features Eli Monpress as the main character, a charming, wizard-y thief. Eli's purpose in life is to make a name for himself and that means getting a bounty of 1,000,000 gold standards. In order to reach this goal, he and his gang - a talented swordsman and a demonseed - are wrecking havoc wherever they go. Eli's latest scheme is the kidnapping of the King of Mellinor. Everything just gets more exciting when Miranda Lyonette, a wizard part of the Spirit court whose job is to apprehend Eli. Of course, everything goes off plan when the king's brother show up to steal the throne...

I picked up The Spirit Thief because I was looking for a new fantasy series and I love, love, love thief characters. There's just something enigmatic about them that I find attractive... and Eli Monpress is all that. He's such a fun character - charming, witty and surprising. Another interesting aspect of Eli is his interactions with his companions, Josef the swordsman and Nico the demonseed. There is definitively friendship between the three, but at the same time, they are all pushed by individual ambitions. So it's really a balance of friendship and selfishness... and while Eli can appear very selfish and whiny at times, there are key moments where his true personality and deepness appear.

Another thing that attracted me to this book was the fact that Eli was a wizard. However, a wizard in this world doesn't wield magic through spells. Instead, wizards are able to communicate and control spirits and everything has a spirit. Wood, trees, grass, moss, water, wind and the list goes on. So you can imagine how that can be handy. Anyway, while the concept is interesting, I think I would have preferred regular magic :P

The plot of The Spirit Thief is not bad either. Actually, it's quite interesting. Then again, I enjoy court intrigue and so perhaps that's why. So I enjoyed Eli's scheme to kidnap the king and demand a ransom and all for the purpose of increasing his bounty. I also liked Miranda Lyonette and what she stood for... and really, Eli and Miranda are engaging in quite a dance :P So a lot of positive in this book. However, where I'm hitting a wall is the writing I think. Either the writing or the voice. There is just something about it that stops me from completely getting into the story. Or perhaps it's the pacing? I just know that I wasn't totally engaged by The Spirit Thief, even though I liked many of its elements :(

By the way, ditto for The Spirit Rebellion and The Spirit Eater. I skimmed through most of both books and I doubt if I'll go back and read it properly ^_^; So I guess your enjoyment of this book will depend on your enjoyment of the author's writing style.

Hmmm, I'm not really keeping this short, right?


2) His Captive Lady by Anne Gracie: B

Harry Morant is the by-blow of an earl who was mistreated by his stepfather as a child, but luckily saved by his great-aunt and later went to war with one of his half-brothers. However, war is now over and Harry decides it's time to settle down. He asks his aunt to find him a wife while he searches for the right property to start his horse business. However, one glance at Lady Nell Freymore and he knows she's the one... Except she refuses to marry him!

Nell Freymore doesn't believe anymore. Her father was always full of promises and hope... and he died in the middle of the road, leaving Nell practically destitute. But one glance at Harry and maybe, maybe he can change her mind. Unfortunately she doesn't have time to find out because Nell is on a mission and needs to return to London to continue her search...

In November, I read The Accidental Wedding by Anne Gracie and really enjoyed it, so looked for her backlist. One of the books I hoped to read was His Captive Lady as Harry and Nell make an appearance in The Accidental Wedding and Harry has quite an interesting past.

Basically, there was a lot I enjoyed in this book. First the characters for their quiet strength and perseverance. I liked their relationship too and their instant attraction for each other. It's not attraction in terms of lust, but more like they fell under the spell of each other. It was all very sweet and even more with Harry's understanding. The whole plot was engaging and I liked that the characters actions were natural, but also understandable. Like there was nothing out of character, just to make the story moves along. Everything flowed well and the intrigue was well incorporated into the the storyline. It was really a pleasant romance; I can't say fluffy, because there was some serious issues, but but it wasn't overbearing and this is kudos to Ms Gracie's writing. Overall, an excellent job. My only complaint is I wanted more interactions between the Renfrew brothers. They share a difficult relationship that stems from their parents and I don't really feel like it was resolved. Plus, Harry and his friends (Luke and Rafe) all went to war together and were known as the Devil Riders - the name of the series. While we do meet Luke and Rafe, I didn't feel their connection. Yes, there is friendship between them, but there is something more that link them, which is why they all went to war together (they didn't meet in war, they enlisted together) and I wanted to see that. I'm not saying that I want a subplot about something that happened to them during war like the Black Cobra Quartet by Stephanie Laurens or the Legend of the Four Soldiers by Elizabeth Hoyt, because I don't. However, I feel there is something in this friendship and it could be expanded.


3) An Indecent Proposition by Emma Wildes: B
Upcoming Review.


4) Alien Tango by Gini Koch: B+
Upcoming Review.


5) The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie: C-

Prudence Merridow is the oldest of five girls who are living under the thumb of their tyrant grandfather. When the man sprained his ankle and is confined to bed for several weeks, Prudence plots their escape to London where they seek the help of their great-uncle. Prudence's hope is for her beautiful sisters to make their debut and potential marry so they could access their inheritance and never return to their grandfather. However, their great-uncle Oswald worry that the girls will overshadow plain Prudence and therefore decides that only Prudence can make her debut and the others will have to wait till Prudence's future is secured. Except, Prudence is already affianced, but has promised to keep the engagement a secret... and thus, she fakes being engaged to the reclusive duke... only to have him and his rake of a cousin show up and foil her plans...

I actually owned this Perfect series a few years ago and tried reading The Perfect Rake and it just didn't work for me. This is why I was so hesitant to buy The Accidental Wedding, but then, I ended up loving it. So I decided to give The Perfect Rake another go... and it turns out my initial impression of this book remains ^_^;

Actually, the book isn't bad at all and there is a lot to enjoy such as the sisters relationship, their love for each other. The plot is quite good and well thought out, although at times it might seem like a lot is going on. Plus, the writing is there. So what's my issue with The Perfect Rake then? The romance. It just didn't work for me, I didn't feel the connection between Prudence and Gideon (the duke's cousin) nor the chemistry. Prudence's engagement just got in the way and it stalled the whole romance. I also thought Gideon's reformation was a bit too quick... and the fact that we kept being reminded that Prudence wasn't as pretty as her sisters was annoying. Finally, the secondary romance involving Charity, the second sister, and Gideon's cousin, was a bit bland ^_^;


6) The Perfect Kiss by Anne Gracie: C

After reading The Perfect Rake, I jumped to the fourth book of the series, The Perfect Kiss, because out of the 5 sisters, I liked Grace the best :) Grace has grown into a lovely woman and has no intention to marry a fortune hunter. Instead, she plans to travel to Egypt and discover the world. Her plans are pushed aside temporarily though when her good friend Melly Pettifer is forced to marry Dominic Wolfe against her will.

Dominic Wolfe hated his father and intended to let the family estate go to ruins. However, once he shows up at the estate, he realizes he cannot let that happen for the sake of the tenants whom his father has neglected. Unfortunately, the only way Dominic is going to inherit is if he marries Melly... unless the Pettifers break the contract. Only Melly's father is dying and is adamant that Melly marry Dominic believing the man will fall in love with his daughter and Melly is too shy to stand for herself - that's where Grace comes in.

I chose to read The Perfect Rake, because I really liked Grace character in The Perfect Rake. She was only 12 years old, but full of spirits. While her sisters worried about balls and men, she was more down to earth, a real skeptic and overall, fun :) In The Perfect Kiss, Grace has grown up and I felt she was a bit more subdued. Oh, her strong personality was still there, but it was a bit overshadowed by her doubts about finding happiness like her sisters. As for Dominic, he was a good hero in the rough around the edge kind. He came across a bit at a hard man and I wouldn't say he was mellow inside, but reasonable and who understood what a hard life was.

Overall, I thought The Perfect Kiss was a good read. I liked how Dominic got attached to his estate and the people. I also thought his past was very interesting and would have liked it to be a bit more developed. Where I have a problem is the romance once again. Not the attraction or interactions between Dominic and Grace, but the conflict. The reason why Dominic and Grace could not be together despite their love was that Dominic would then lose the estate. At first, he didn't care... and then, when he was ready to give it up, Grace wouldn't let him. I understood the dilemma and that there were people dependent on the decision, but I felt the selflessness was out of character. Instead, I expected Dominic and Grace to fight and find a solution to allow them to be together. I thought our H/H gave up a bit too easily and the selflessness just dragged down the romance :( In the end, there was a solution and it was actually quite obvious ^_^;


7) Cold Midnight by Joyce Lamb: C-

At 17 years old, Kylie McKay was a tennis star on the rise; however, a vicious attack damaged her knee permanently, putting an end to her career. After the attack, as a way to cope, Kylie left Kendall Falls, Florida, and ran all over the way to California... leaving behind a broken-hearted Chase Manning.

Ten years later, Kylie finally returns to Kendall Falls intending to build a tennis center in the memory of her father. However, construction is delayed when a baseball bat covered in blood is found... Perhaps the bat that ended Kylie's career. Things get more complicated when Chase, now a police detective, is assigned to the investigation. It soon becomes that neither Kylie or Chase have let go of their feelings for each other...

I was looking for the upcoming new releases when I stumbled across Ms Lamb True Colors. I thought this was Ms Lamb's debut novel, but I was wrong. However, the surprise came when I found out that True Colors was going to be Ms Lamb's third release with Berkley... I like Berkley as a publisher and thus, am usually aware of the authors associated with it and somehow, not one, but two romance books by Ms Lamb with Berkley have slipped through my radar. Okay... So that's why I picked up Cold Midnight... plus, it sounded like a promising RS book.

Overall, I thought the premise was promising and the case, potential. Unfortunately, the romance got into the way ^_^; Or more specifically, Kylie and Chase's relationship. Is there a difference? So Kylie construction crew unearths the baseball bat that might have been used in Kylie's attack and Chase is assigned to the case. Already, there's a problem because Chase is too close to the case, he cannot remain impartial and detached. Then, he is so not over Kylie. While investigating, he's trying to figure out the new Kylie and is pissed all over again that she abandoned him. I don't know, I felt like he was spending too much time on Kylie instead of on the investigation. He also blamed Kylie for abandoning him behind, which she did. However, in a matter of 2 or 3 months after she left, Kylie realized that she made a mistake and planned to come back to Chase, only to find out that he was getting married and was going to be a father soon. In that situation, I don't think you can put all the blame on Kylie. Sure she did a mistake, but really, she couldn't come back to him... and yes, the situation arise because Kylie broke his heart, but seriously, it doesn't excuse drunk sex. However, I think what annoyed me most in the end was the fact that Chase arrested Quinn. Yes, the clues pointed to Quinn and he had motives, but there were no solid evidences! Chase knew Kylie's reaction to Quinn's arrest wouldn't be favorable to their relationship and yet, he still went ahead with the arrest with the reasoning being that he could build a case for trial... and then, he was angry at Kylie for shying from their relationship. Seriously?!?! You just arrested your girlfriend's half-brother whom she loves and believes is innocent for an attack that changed her life without real, solid evidence... and when she feels guilty about your relationship, you are angry that she's choosing her family over you. Wow.

So yeah, this is why the book didn't work for me. I think that instead of focusing so much on this insane relationship, Ms Lamb could have developed the secondary characters better and make use of her premises and settings better. All this would have made this book more thrilling in my opinion. I mean, the case overall was interesting, but it could have been much better by simply shifting the focus a little. Still, I'm going to try more of Ms Lamb because she definitively showed promise to me :)


8) Silver and Spice by Jennifer Greene: E

Anne Blake and Jake Rivard grew up in the same neighborhood, both raised by their grandparents, and friendship became love. However, all Anne wants is a normal and simple life, while Jake is always looking for the next adventure. Of course, this has never stopped Anne for falling into bed with Jake whenever he is back, although she knows there is no future for the two of them as they want different things out of life. Unknown to Anne though, Jake does not agree and this time is different. This time, Jake has come back with the intent of marrying Anne... He's given her ample time to settle down with someone, to make a life for herself and she hasn't and so they will together.

Silver and Spice was originally written by Ms Green as Jeanne Grant and has been picked up by Carina Press to be re-published. While I usually love free-spirit heroine thawing the stuffy hero theme, the reverse is not always true. I find that heroines can be more stubborn than heroes when it comes to adjusting their lifestyle.

Anyway, Silver and Spice was not totally what I expected it to be. First, from the blurb, I had no idea Anne and Jake knew each other. Then, I felt Anne was too unwilling to try, to simply listen to Jake and think about it. Playing hard to get is a ploy that can work sometimes, but in this case, that's not what was happening. Anne truly believed that she had no future with Jake because they were so different, although she loved him. She didn't even consider it and it was just annoying. Jake could be charming at times, but I didn't get him, I didn't understand him and thought he was a bit under-developed. I loved the fact though he came back to Anne. Overall, I just didn't hit it off with this book and ended up skimming through a lot of it :(


9) The Family Way by Jayne Ann Krentz: C

Prudence Kenyon agreed to embark in an affair with Case McCord even though he was very clear from the beginning that he was not interested in marriage because she believed he was the one... and perhaps she could have continued simply living with him as his lover. However, getting pregnant changed the rules. The last thing that Pru wanted was for Case to marry  her out of duty, she wanted him to marry her for love... and thus, gave him an ultimatum. Unfortunately, Case thought she was bluffing and Pru walked out.

This is a pretty classic old-school JAK with a hero who's a bit of a jerk and a heroine that loves him despite everything. I thought the book would focus more on the relationship between Pru and Case, him trying to woo her back. LOL, I don't know what I was thinking since it's so not JAK style ^_^; The romance between Case and Pru was resolved quite rapidly, although Case should have grovelled a lot more for Pru to come back. And instead, the story delved in Case's past and his relationship with his family. Overall, the story was good and interesting... but it would have been better if it didn't remind me so strongly of The Golden Chance. There were a lot of similarities between the two books - hero estranged with family, the pregnancy, heroine's belief that hero would have done what's right because of pregnancy, etc. So much that I believe The Family Way is the precursor of The Golden Chance and that dampened my enjoyment of the book a little bit. Also, in the end, The Family Way could not really compare to The Golden Chance given the difference in length and the way the book wrapped everything up a bit too neatly and abruptly.


10) Call it Destiny by Jayne Ann Krentz: D

As a teenager, Heather Strand just couldn't see eye to eye with her father, probably because the two were so similar. As a result, she left Texas at 18 years old and wounded up in California... where she learned all about the family business - hotels. Now that her father has retired, Heather has come back to Tucson to take over the rein of the family business. To this end, Heather proposes a marriage of convenience to Jake Lavender, the man  who's become her father's right-hand man. However, Jake is not interested in a marriage of convenience. Instead, he wants a real marriage and somewhere to belong.

Okay, a quick disclaimer. I picked this book up at around mid-December, exactly the time when I started growing restless and also knew that my vacation was coming up and this probably influenced the way I feel about this book. Anyway, I'm a sucker for marriage of convenience and thought it was interesting that for once, it's the man that wants more. I thought Call it Destiny started out really well and was very promising. However, it all went south when Heather found out that her father has already sold the business to Jake. I have to agree with Jake on this count that it was very arrogant of Heather to believe she could just come back and take the rein... Not knowing anything about the difficulties the resort has gone through while she was away. Plus, I don't know, spending so much time away, why would you come back for the family business that you didn't follow, pay attention to? Why not just start something of your own? At the same time, it was bad of Jake and Heather's father to keep the truth from her... I think they should have told Heather and then, Jake would have had more success just wooing her afterward. So anyway, Heather makes a mega scene at her wedding... and then proceed to run into her ex-boyfriend, the one she ran away with. That's where I started losing interest in the book. I personally think that Ms Krentz had enough conflict between the characters to focus on instead of bringing in a villain and external events. It just seems very superfluous... And when finally, Heather falls in love with Jake, it seems just too quick to be believable. Overall, Call it Destiny was just okay... but the last scene was cute :)


11) Test of Time by Jayne Ann Krentz: DNF

Okay, I'm cheating. The synopsis is from Goodreads LOL.

He had married for all the best reasons: They liked and respected each other; they had a lot in common and would be great together in business . . . and in bed; and marriage to Katy Randall would help make people forget just how rough Garrett Coltrane's past has been. But she had married for only one reason: love. And that was the one thing Garrett didn't want.

I think that part of the synopsis is wrong though. It's not that Garrett didn't want love, but he didn't consider it the best reason to get married. Garrett and Katy knew each other since Garrett used to be a stable hand in Katy's family. Then, he returned as a self-made man and Garrett and Katy went through a whirlwind courtship. However, after their wedding night, Katy realizes that Garrett doesn't love her and she wants to annul the marriage. Garrett convinces her to stay, see how things go and take a decision after a few months...

I picked this up because I didn't know what to read... but quite frankly, after xxx, I should have picked something else. I think I simply wasn't in the mood for this book and so ended up getting bored and not wanting to finish it ^_^; Sometimes, you need something familiar to get you through a slump... but it was not the case this time. That being said, I might pick up this book again in the future...


12) At the Duke's Pleasure by Tracy Anne Warren: D+

Edward Byron, Duke of Clybourne, and Lady Claire Marsden have been engaged ever since Claire has been a little baby, the marriage arranged by their fathers. Edward has ignored the engagement as long as possible, but it is now time for him to settle down. And why bother looking for a new bride when Claire, the daughter of an earl, has been raised all her life to be his duchess? However, Claire does not want to marry Edward... When she was a young girl of 16, Claire reached out to Edward, believing in their love... only to find him in the arms of another woman. At 21 years old, Claire is no longer deluded about their engagement... Unfortunately for Claire, her father doesn't want to hear about her refusal to marry. The only way she'll get out of this marriage is if Edward breaks the engagement...

At the end of 2010, I was on a historical romances binge. I read what is an unusual high number for me and enjoyed quite a few of them. When I picked up At the Duke's Pleasure, I thought it was going to be a perfect fit for me. I love arranged marriage and was looking forward to Edward and Claire getting to know each other which is what was hinted in the blurb. However, I was in for a few surprises. First, there was the fact that Edward was working as some kind of secret agent. I guess authors find this ploy handy to add some intrigue or mysterious element, but it's seriously being over-used and the problem is, authors are not coming up with any original idea. The secret agent is usually looking for a traitor or someone that did him/her wrong for revenge and being so secretive, it leads to misunderstand and ultimately, at the end, someone - usually, the loved one, is going to be in cross-fire/danger. So as soon as you learn about a secret agent, you know half the story already and it takes away from the book.

Then, I thought At the Duke's Pleasure would be about Edward and Claire getting to know each other. Instead, it's more about Claire getting into mischief, hoping it'll be scandalous enough to embarrass Edward and push him to break off the engagement. Unfortunately for Claire, Edward is used to scandal as his family is known to be "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" and therefore, he has a high threshold of tolerance. Instead of embarrassing him, she actually she intrigues him. The whole was supposed to be amusing, but it fell short for me because Claire seemed too childish. I mean, she is 21 years old and the oldest of three, so I expected a certain level of maturity and the way she handled the issue, it didn't show.

Overall, At the Duke's Pleasure was just an okay read for me, especially in comparison to "similar" storyline such as His Sinful Secret by Emma Wildes or Passions of a Wicked Earl by Lorraine Heath.


13) The Homecoming by JoAnn Ross: C+

Cheating again LOL. From Goodreads...

Former Navy SEAL Sax Douchett returns to his home town and is hailed as a local hero. But starting over is difficult when he unearths a long- buried secret that reunites him with a past he's never forgotten. She's Sheriff Kara Conway, a girl who's always held a special place in his heart. But as he cautiously reconnects with Kara and bonds with her young son, another long-held secret in Shelter Bar threatens their second chance at a life together...

I'm not really up-to-date on Ms Ross books, not having read her last few releases. However, The Homecoming had favorable reviews and a strong voucher, Holly :) This book turned out to be  a surprise for me, mainly because it is not quite what I expected. Ms Ross' latest releases have been mostly romantic suspense featuring SEALs and army men, a little a la Suzanne Brockmann. The Homecoming though was on the light side of RS and more of a small-town romance.

I really liked the pacing of The Homecoming. Perhaps because that's what I needed :P The relationship between Sax and Kara happened at its own pace and was well developed. I liked that they were attracted to each other, but took things slowly. They each had issues and things to figure out and were in no hurry to jump into a relationship. I also liked Sax' friendship with Kara's son, how Sax was considerate of the boy's feelings.

As for the suspense, it was light, but interesting... except the end when they arrested the villain. That was quite anti-climatic. However, I did like how everything was linked together as well as the balance with the romance. I'm not too sure how I feel about the whole case being made easier by Sax' contacts though... but oh well. Few things that didn't work too much for me. First, the side story involving Kara's mother and deputy. Not too interesting in my opinion. Second, Sax' ghosts - totally superfluous. Sax having ghosts is totally understandable considering what he went through, but have them being apparition? Perhaps if they did something... It felt like Ms Ross included them in the story because she had a plan in the beginning and then got side-tracked by something else and so the ghosts end up doing nothing ^_^;

Overall, The Homecoming was a very enjoyable read, especially if you enjoy small-town romances :)


14) A Christmas Waltz by Jane Goodger: D

Tired of waiting for her American fiancé to send for her, Lady Amelia Wellesley decides to surprise him, traveling all the way from England to Texas. Only when she arrives, she discovers that Carson Kitteridge is not the man she thought she knew. Even worst, he has no intention of marrying her and has only proposed in order to get under her skirts!! Unfortunately for Amelia, she cannot return to England unwed, as she would be ruined... luckily for her, Carson's older brother, Boone, is willing to marry her... However, can these two persons coming from such different and contrasting worlds find happiness together?

When I read a book by Ms Goodger, I expect something emotionally poignant. A story that will make my heart ache and my eyes tear. However, it didn't happen with A Christmas Waltz. It was missing that omphf factor, that little something that pull the readers into the story and make them care so much about the characters. Part of the problem is that it was very hard to sympathize with Amelia. Yes, it was unfortunate that she got sweet-talked by Carson and that she fell in love with a man that didn't exist. However, leaving England in pursuit of her fiancé was her decision and therefore, the situation was her own doing ^_^; Also, there was Amelia herself. To me, she came across as immature, spoiled and selfish. It didn't show too much in the beginning of the book, but when she was reunited with her brother and sister-in-law. Not wanting to assume the consequences of her action - the fact that she'd be ruined because of her decisions if she returned to England unmarried. Then, later when she did return to England with Boone, it felt like she didn't think of Boone. Didn't try to understand his discomfort with her obvious wealth or even help him adapt to his new surrounding. Not adjusting to her new situation either - wanting such a grand house, such a big staff, etc. It was a lot of "me, me, me" and that really got on my nerve... Mostly because despite her foolishness, she ended up with a great man. Really unfair. Luckily, what saved the book for me was Boone's character. He's pretty much Amelia's opposite, the strong and silent type, very observant, with a pure heart and so generous. He deserved a lot more than what he got in life. It was very heart-breaking, his childhood and his belief that he was not lovable :( I felt that Boone's character was well-developed and layered and his relationship with Carson was quite interesting.

 The rest was pretty decent. The storyline was okay, I liked the setting and the book did have its moments. One that comes to mind is when Carson comes to Amelia and tells her to take care of Boone, that he deserves to be loved. That was very touching. So really, the H/H is what made and broke A Christmas Waltz and while Boone was a great hero, he unfortunately cannot make up completely for Amelia :(


15) Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rache CohnDavid Levithan: B+
Upcoming Review.


16) The Lady Most Likely... by Julia Quinn, Connie Brockway and Eloisa James: B-
Upcoming Review.

Books bought: +24
Books read: -16
TBR pile: +8

So, still here? LOL. I think I still need to work on keeping things short ^_^; But there you have it, my December reads!! LOL, now I can finally move onto full reviews :) I hope that I'll be able to review all I want, but I wouldn't bet on it ^_^; If there's any books you really want me to review, feel free to let me know and I'll prioritize them :)

A quick look at my numbers. I read quite a few more books than I thought, 16. I'm really surprised at the number, because I remember having a few bad days. Days where I really didn't know what to read, picking up books just to put them right down... and while those bad days don't reflect in the number of books read, I think it shows in my grades. Yes, I did read, but nothing came across as awesome and part of the reason might have been my mood when I read those books. I also bought much more books than I thought ^_^; And I know that 24 is not the exact number. In fact, I should have a few more to that number, as I know there are a few category JAK that I did not include in my Hauling Sunday post... However, what is a few more going to change? LOL.

So this is done :) Hopefully, this week-end, I'll be able to wrap-up all the 2010 posts that I wanted to write :)

Have a nice week-end!!

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Hauling Sunday XXVII

Hey there! How was everyone's week-end? :) Okay, okay, the week-end is not over yet... but almost if you're working tomorrow ^_^; Mine has been okay. Not much reading done, but I did plenty of that during the week, so I don't mind :) I've been having some computer problems again since Christmas and so, I decided this week-end would be spent re-formatting my computer. That's pretty much what I did, fiddle with my computer... Had to back-up everything on external hard drives, re-download and install programs, cleaned up the external hard drives and so on. And now, I'm fretting a little bit - is my computer safe or not? In short, I'm being my self: paranoid ^_^; Seriously, computers are such a source of headache, but then, can't live without them either ^_^;

Book-wise, I'm quite proud of myself :) I was a very good girl this week! Seriously!! Want to know what I got?




Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - During the holidays, I read Dash & Lily's Book of Dares and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read more of their work... and so, I went and got more LOL.

Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg - I wasn't planning to get Prom & Prejudice just yet. My initial intention was to wait till Ames read it and see how much she enjoyed it. However, there was 30% off on hardcover books and I thought why not? :P

Marry Me by Jo Goodman - After seeing all the good reviews for this book, I finally broke down LOL.

There you go, my new books :) And you know what? I've already read 3 of them! Go me LOL.

This week, I'm planning to try to wrap up the year 2010. Hopefully, I'll get up my December reads list soon and will try to complete the Re-Read challenge and write some end of the year posts... Then, I'll finally be able to start reviewing again! Can't wait for it, seriously! Lucky me, my boss is away till the 20th, so that will give me more time to read and blog! :) Woohoo!

Friday, January 07, 2011

RT convention & RWA conference 2011


So registration for RWA 2011 is opening up in a few weeks on January 18, 2011 and I was wondering, who was attending :) I will be for sure this year :)

When I started blogging and learned that there were books/readers/authors conferences/conventions, I told myself that I had to go to one at least once in my life. And this feeling was just reinforced after I met my fellow bloggers. I mean, as a fan, there's nothing quite like meeting authors... and as a reader, being surrounded by people who understand your love for romance books and your quirks, really, what more can you ask for?

Last year, I was able to attend the RT convention in Columbus and I had a blast. I loved getting together with Jill, Kristie, Mollie and many other wonderful ladies. However, meeting authors... that was special. I mean, there's nothing quite like meeting a favorite author and being like: "Wow. I can't believe I'm standing in front of you. Seeing you. Euh. I love your books!!!" LOL. I just makes you feel giddy and good LOL.

This year, the RWA conference is taking place in New York City and I've had my eyes on it for 2 years already LOL. First, I'll be able to get together with Hilcia and Christine once again... but more exciting is that New York City is in driving distance!! That means saving money on traveling, not worrying about shipping or how heavy my suitcases are, etc. It's just perfect :) At the same time, the RT convention is making its way to the West Coast for the first time in a couple of years and has chosen Los Angeles for 2011. Ugh. Los Angeles = California = SoCal bloggers! I have to admit that I was mighty tempted... Those SoCal bloggers are fun to hang out with!! Alas, I don't have the money to attend both conventions - but oh, how I wished! LOL. RWA was just the logical choice since I'm going to save a bundle on traveling. Plus, since I went to RT convention, I want to try out RWA conference :)

Anyway, I have a feeling that a lot of bloggers will be attending a conference/convention this year, considering that RT and RWA are taking place in blogger hotspots or at least, big cities that will attract a lot of people :) So I'm curious :P Anyone attending RT or/and RWA this year? Or perhaps RomCon in Denver?

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Grading System


In my opinion, the grade is the most crucial element of a book review, but also the toughest element to figure out when writing a review. One of the reasons is because the grade is supposed to say it all in a glance. I mean, you can expand, justify and argue as much as you want in the review, truth is, some people will only look at the grade and that's the only thing others will take away. So it needs to encompass all your thoughts, feeling and analysis. Problem is, grading a book is not just an analytical process. Oh nooo, it involves our little pesky feelings, those that sometimes don't make sense out of things LOL. You know what I mean :) For example, a book can have a major flaw, but you'll overlook it for that one scene that you love or because throughout the book, the story made your heart aches or because you shed some tears. Then, to complicate things, these feelings can change as you write up the review. You start listing what you enjoyed, what you didn't and realize that hey, you liked this book much more than you thought... or you can't remember anything about it, so it didn't impact you much and probably doesn't deserve such a high grade.

Like, I said, toughest part of the review, no? :) But then, as if it's not complicated enough, there's the grading system! As some of you know, I've recently joined Goodreads. Yesterday, while grading some books over there, I took a look at their grading system -  really took a look - and what it meant. Here is the breakdown:

*****         = it was amazing
****           = really liked it
***             = liked it
**               = it was okay
*                 = didn't like it

Now, me, I use the alphabetical grading system... in which case, it would mean that:

*****         = it was amazing     ---> A
****           = really liked it        ---> B
***             = liked it                 ---> C
**               = it was okay          ---> D
*                 = didn't like it          ---> E

right? Logical, n'est-ce pas? However, I'm not sure it's that easy an association ^_^; I know some of you think I'm a tough grader... but the truth is, I find myself quite reluctant to give out Cs and lower grades because I feel bad ^_^; Most of the time, I'll fidget in the B zone and avoid the C grade by giving out B- or C+ instead. The + makes it looks more positive LOL. I think this reluctance stems from my years at school. I've always been an excelling student and actually enjoyed competing for good grades, even back in elementary school. Truth be, a C was bad, a real catastrophe for and definitively not something I could let my dad know about... and so I guess I've carried that mentality to my books reviewing. However, reviewing books is completely different from studies obviously. As it turns out, according to Goodreads, a C is not bad at all - it still means I liked the book!


Thing is, we tend to grade books from 1 to 5 or A to E. When I started reviewing books, an okay book would be an average book and therefore, the median: so technically speaking, 3/C. In which case, I would have 2 states of disliking (1-2/E-D), 2 states of liking (4-5/B-A) and a neutral territory (3/C). This would be my grading system breakdown:

*****/A    = loved it
****/B      = liked it
***/C        = it was okay
**/D          = disliked it
*/E             = hated it

That's logical too, right?  But then, when you compare it to Goodreads grading system, was I too lenient? I mean, a book that I thought was okay would be a 3/C while it'd be a 2/D on Goodreads. Or perhaps, it is Goodreads that is too lenient, because  it allows more nuances? I mean, in the end, with Goodreads, there is only one bad grade: 1 star (*). However, realistically speaking, when you see 2/D, it doesn't feel very positive, right? Ugh, all this is so confusing ^_^;

In any case, I want to readjust my grading system so it matches Goodreads'. Having one grading system is confusing enough, I don't want to have two - one for Goodreads and one for my blog! LOL. Since I can't modify Goodreads' grading system,  that means I'm the one who needs to make some changes. Then, it raises the question of what grading system to use. When I started blogging, I used a number grading system, the usual 1 to 5... but then, I switched to letter grading system, A to E. I felt the letter grading system conveyed feelings better, that people related to it better and +/- gave better indication than 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75; however, looking back now, I wonder if it's because of all the years I spent on the school bench LOL. Really, what is the difference between 4.25 and 4.5? Then again, what is the difference between B- and B.... Hmmm. I was trying to figure it out this morning and this is what I came up with:

Eg:

****     ---> B
                     |      ---> B-   = 3.75
                  ***1/2                  
                     |      ---> C+  = 3.25
***       ---> C   

But then, the X.5 becomes the limbo zone. There's nothing I match it with. Am I over-thinking this? I think so, because this post is getting really long LOL. So I'm going to try to wrap-up :P Basically, I decided to stay with the letter system. The problem with the number system in my opinion is that there is too much leeway. It comes to a point where I'm like .25 or .5 or.75? But I don't really know what's the difference. I know I have the same dilemma with +/-, but it seems clearer for some reasons. Ideally, I should switch to the stars system, there's only full stars and 1/2 star, but quite frankly, I'm not crazy about switching to another system... and I've never really liked the stars system much ^_^;

So I'm staying with the letter grading system, because it suits me most :) However, I'm going to try to be more consistent and objective and so, be ready to see more Cs and Ds. I think what I'm going to do from now on after finishing a book is asked myself how I liked the book. Then, from there I got my grade and can play with the +/-.


What do you think?
Do you find it difficult to grade book?
What grading system do you prefer?

Feel free to share your thoughts!

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Monthly Reads: November 2010

Do you ever wonder why it's so hard to catch up once you fall behind? Or why is it so easy to fall behind? LOL. Or more accurately, ugh ^_^; So here I am, trying to wrap up 2010 - reading/blogging-wise... and I'm determined to do it :) Okay, so ideally, I should have done it during my time off... but seems my brain really needed a break. Now that it is rested, I'm back in the game!! Woohoo!!

So here is what I read back in November - seems so far away already ^_^;

1) His Sinful Secret by Emma Wildes: B+


2) Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts: B
Upcoming review.


3) Passions of a Wicked Earl by Lorraine Heath: A


4) Rules of Engagement by Suzanne Enoch: C

Bradshaw Carroway is growing restless on land and can't wait to receive his next assignment. Before he leaves, the Duke of Sommerset asks Bradshaw a favor: to return a token to a friend in Tahiti before a certain date or else, a curse might be invoked. In exchange, the duke will offer a safe haven - the Adventurers' Club - to Bradshaw once he returns. Of course, Bradshaw accepts... Eleven months later, Bradshaw is very close to the deadline; unfortunately, Bradshaw is not in commend of his destination. He is supposed to accompany Sir Joseph Ponsley, a famous botanist, and his daughter, Miss Zephyr Ponsley, in his quest for new botanical and zoological discoveries... and of course, adding to Bradshaw's headache is a bunch of aristocratic tourists aboard his boat...

Lately, Ms Enoch's books have been a bit of a miss for me. I enjoy her writing; however, the stories and characters have failed to grab me... So much that I didn't even realized that she had a new release coming out till Lori mentioned it, and you know how out of character that is for me LOL. However, once I learned about this book, I knew I was getting it because it was loosely connected to England's Perfect Hero.

I was glad to read Bradshaw's book; however, Rules of Engagement was not really what I expected. First and foremost was the fact that the storyline took place out on the sea, in Bradshaw's ship. When I read historicals, I expect them to take place in London or in England... I'm actually not a fan of historicals taking place in other countries or during travels or at least, I like to know it beforehand so I can re-program my brain LOL. Something else that bothered me was the timeline of the story. Rules of Engagement actually takes place one or two years before the other books in this series, The Adventurers' Club... They're not real problems, but stuff that the mind has to re-adjust to in order to enjoy the book in my opinion.

Overall though, I had the same problem with Rules of Engagement that I had with the last two books... The adventure aspect of the story didn't really appeal to me and I wasn't drawn to the characters much. The internal conflicts of Bradshaw and Zephyr had potential, both being tired of all the travels and considering settling down... but it was not developed enough to be interesting ^_^; Plus, the romance took time to develop. It remained lust for too long and the chemistry was really just so-so. In the end, I pretty much just skimmed through Rules of Engagement ^_^; I just wished the story would have taken place in London and would have loved to see Bradshaw interact more with his brothers.


5) Our Little Secret by Starr Ambrose: C

When Lauren Sutherland learns of her twin's marriage to the aging, handsome and playboy Senator Creighton, she rushes to Washington to talk some sense into her sister... Only to be mistaken for Megan by the Senator none-too-happy, very-grown-up's son, Drew, and to discover that her twin and her new husband are missing. However, Drew is not the only one to mistake Lauren for Megan and soon, Lauren and Drew find themselves enlisted to solve a blackmail scheme...

I bought Our Little Secret last year, because I enjoyed Ms Ambrose's debut novel, Lie to Me. Then, I thought it'd be a good thing to read the book before her new release, Thieves Like Us, came out. In that regard, mission accomplished LOL. Also, what I realized after reading Our Little Secret is that I know myself and my reading tastes well and so, should trust my instinct more... What I mean is that I knew this book would probably not work too well for me because I don't like politicians in my romance, but yet I still bought it... just because maybe, I'd be wrong. Unfortunately, I wasn't or not too far off. Oh, Our Little Secret isn't too bad, because neither Lauren or Drew is a politician, but the storyline definitively takes place in the politic ring.

Actually, to be fair, the blackmail scheme was rather interesting... except that it took place in the political circle of Washington, where it is expected. That's the problem with the political scene - corruption, secret, scandal, bribery... You know it's there and you know where it's going to lead. Also, I didn't really get why Senator Creighton and Meg felt the need to disappear. It didn't really make sense to me, since they were the ones to volunteer... and instead of working it out with the agents, they just disappeared. As for the characters, I wished Drew was a bit more developed. I would have wanted to know and understand him better. Lauren on the other hand was a bit too much of a stereotype. The good girl, the one who thinks of her career, do everything right and gets engaged to the guy that seemed perfect but who turns out to be boring and not very open-minded. I think the problem is because she was such a stereotype, her character was not really engaging and as a result, I wasn't really drawn to her. As for the romance, there was tension between Lauren and Drew, but unfortunately, no real chemistry. That could be due to the disastrous first encounter they had or perhaps the fact that theoretically, Lauren is Drew's new step-aunt. Yeah, not really cool ^_^; In the end though, I guess I just wished the book has been funnier and there'd be more banter - the reasons I thought this book would overcome my aversion to politics.


6) Untraceable by Laura Griffin: C

Alex Lowell is a PI which usually consists of investigations for insurance claims and background checks... However, once in a while, she'll also help a client drop off the radar and start a new life. When one such client does not get back to Alex, she starts to worry that something happened... and seek the help of Austin PD detective, Nathan Deveraux. However, no body means no case and Nathan can't do much, even if he's willing to help... and Alex is definitively unwilling to give up. Then, there's Alex and Nathan's relationship... when the two first met, there was definitively a spark between Alex and Nathan... but ever since Alex was attacked in connection to one of Nathan's case, he's been blaming himself... and thus, the spark is hanging between them and their relationship is in limbo...

Okay, I thought the story started out well - it was intriguing, suspenseful and interesting... but it started losing steam when Ms Griffin incorporated the romance for me. Part of the reasons I think is that I haven't read Whisper of Warning in which Nathan and Alex met and obviously, there was something between the two. So I felt like I was thrown into their relationship and it really took a while in my opinion for the author to clarify what's been going on. I think that threw off the romance part for me a little and then, there was the lack of intensity. For most of the book, Nathan and Alex didn't seem to be a couple for me. Instead, they were more like two persons trying to figure out their relationship... which is fine in some books, but not in this one. I didn't feel like they work it out or actually talked about it and yet, they somehow are together at the end? Also, there was this disconnection between the characters and me. I don't know if it's because they were introduced in the previous book and so I was missing something about their personality, but I wasn't engaged by their personality... I didn't even understand them. For example, Alex isn't the settling type and some obscure reason was given, but it was never developed, never really integrated in who Alex was. I guess what I mean is that there was a lot of "empty words." There were facts about the characters, romance and storyline that I read, but never seem to be reflected or impact... it was as if it was fact just to fill the pages ^_^;

Finally, I think what saves this book was the intrigue/suspense aspect. I didn't expect the people involved and really, corruption is always interesting in the police force... interesting and scary ^_^; Also, there was the introduction for the Tracers... which is an expert unit/system that tries to accelerate procedures and analysis and who are not really the law. While I think the subject was expanded on a lot, it did set-up the future books well.


7) Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman by Lorraine Heath: B+


8) Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb: B-
9) Waiting for Nick by Nora Roberts: B

Frederica Kimball has been in love with Nicholas LeBeck ever since Nick's stepbrother married Freddie's aunt and brought Nick into the family's folds some 10 years ago. At 24, Freddie decides it's time for Nick to realize she's grown into a woman. First she moves to New York City and then, convinces him she's the lyricist he needs for his music. However, it'll take some more efforts to convince Nick that she's the perfect person to share his life...

Ugh, I'm really bad with synopsis today ^_^; Anyway, Waiting for Nick is part of la Nora's Stanislaski series and one of her earlier category romances. What I like about picking up a Nora Roberts to read is you know exactly what you'll get :) Great writing and a solid romance. Seriously, I was in the mood for a contemporary romance and nothing would do... but once I picked up this book, it was perfect. It's her writing style, there's just something about it that hits the right spot :)

Okay, more about the book itself. I read this because Monroe convinced Ames to read it and Ames enjoyed it so much. It's a friends to lovers theme and very well done. First, the characters are very likable and easy to relate. Freddie is a fun girl and radiates her joie de vivre. She's confident and that comes from this huge family of hers and knowing that she is loved. At 24, she's flying out of the nest, making her way in life and she knows that she wants Nick. What I like about her is that she's self-assured, but without being cocky about it. She's simply comfortable in her skin :) As for Nick, he was a nice hero. It was fun to see him realized that his Freddie has grown up and to realize his feelings. He's a guy, guy - grumpy when he wakes up, happy when he's fed, frustrated when he's stuck in his work, charming when he's at the bar... and his past give him the depth necessary to be more :) And then, these two characters come together and you get a very satisfying romance. I also loved all the family interactions and seeing the O'Hurleys :P


10) Considering Kate by Nora Roberts: B+

Kate Stanislaski Kimball had a great and satisfying career as a ballerina, but has decided to move on. She's returned home and has purchased the building she's always dreamed about to open a dance school. However, it requires some work before it can be ready and that's where Brody O'Connell comes in. Brody is a single father and has moved back to his hometown so his parents could help him with Jack who is 6... Soon, Brody finds himself attracted to Kate, but reluctant to start a new relationship because his priority is Jack, but also because Kate comes from a wealthy family, like his deceased wife. While he loved his wife, they did have their share of difficulties and he's not sure he can go through them again with Kate. As for Kate, she is known to go after what she wants and in this case, it's Brody and Jack.

To my biggest surprise - and I don't know why - I ended up enjoying Considering Kate even more than Waiting for Nick. Both books share a lot of common elements: the great writing, the perfect narrative tone, lovable characters, engaging romance and fun interactions, especially when Kate's family is in the picture. Still, I was able to narrow what makes this book stand out and it's Jack :) First, Jack was the adorable but realistic 6 years old boy and I simply loved seeing Brody and Kate interact with him. Even more, I liked how he was an integral part of the romance. I also enjoyed the relationship between Brody and Kate; I liked the fact that the relationship was gradual and there was no real conflict between the two. Yes, Brody was hesitant to start something with Kate, but that was it and seriously, it was indicative of how good a father he was. I really enjoyed the glimpse of Kate's old life and the fact that she had no regrets starting a new one. I also admire Kate a lot; she was confident, very determined and who is always looking forward. I liked how she knew what she wanted and went after it... As for Brody, he was just such a sweetheart. Determined in his own way, stubborn and nice :P So yes, Considering Kate was definitively a book I enjoyed a lot :)


11) The Fiercest Heart by Sharon Sala: B+

Haley and Mack were high school sweethearts, despite the feud going on between their families, who had their whole life in front of them. Unfortunately, on Haley's graduation night, Haley and Mack got into a car accident involving Haley's older brother and resulting into his death. Then, due to some misunderstandings, Haley and Mack each went their own way. Ten years later, Haley learns of her father's death and decides to attend his funeral... and meets with Mack again. The spark and chemistry are still there and soon, Haley and Mack are together again... against someone's will...

 I love Ms Sala's writing and really, The Fiercest Heart is a testament to her talent. I mean, this was a very short story, about a 100 pages, but it packed quite a punch, so much that I shed some tears while reading it...and I was at the bookstore!! LOL. Not only was it an emotional read, but it also had a very convoluted story! All I can say is I really enjoyed this story and even if Haley and Mack got back together really quick, I was fine with it because it just seems natural. Haley and Mack had such chemistry and clearly, they were meant to be together... and so it's just heart-warming to see them grab this second chance and make the best of it. Unfortunately, I couldn't help but notice two errors... one that I actually forgot about, so I guess it wasn't so annoying... but the other has to do with blood types. Basically, someone had a particular blood type and given the parents blood types, it was impossible. I also noticed that Ms Sala did a similar error in When You Call My Name - universal donor and universal recipient. Anyway, it's not something major, but since it's kind of in my field, it did pop up bigger than it was and it did bother me ^_^; Otherwise, The Fiercest Heart is one of the best short stories I've read :)


12) Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson: C+

Okay, skipping the synopsis, because I don't think I can do the book justice. Basically, Persephone has to participate in a contest to select the next High Priestess of the Cleveland, Ohio, coven. Persephone is definitively not interested in the position, especially since she has a hand in the previous High Priestess' disappearance... at the same time, she does not think that the strongest candidate, Hunter Hopewell, has the right personality to assume the position. Of course, other stuff are going on... such as the fey targeting Persephone and her beloved - her grandmother and foster daughter... her complicated relationship with Johnny the werewolf and lead singer of a popular band, her bond with vampire Menessos and the fact that she's The Lustrata - something to do with Lady of Justice.

So yeah, this series is not really shaping up like I'd like it to. Basically, I picked up this series because I wanted to read something with witches and sorcery... and in the end, there's just too much stuff going on. My favorite part of the book was Persephone competing for the position of High Priestess and really, I would have loved for this part to be more, to be the only plot of Hallowed Circle. Unfortunately, it wasn't. I didn't mind the growing relationship between Persephone and Johnny - I actually like Johnny. But I feel like it's coming along really slowly and that Persephone is really confused. She doesn't know her mind and is wavering from one side to another and I don't know, I just don't feel like there's real chemistry or connection between the two, although I'm still rooting for Johnny and glad that at the end, she does accept him. One relationship that I'm liking is Persephone and her grandmother, the growing understanding between them. That's nice and rewarding.

What I didn't like is the part involving Menessos. Part of it is I skimmed a bit through Vicious Circle and obviously, missed some stuff... another part is I'm just not interested in it ^_^; I do feel like this is the weakest part of the series so far. Then, there's Persephone being the Lustrata... At this point, I'm still not sure what is the Lustrata and I'm not sure Persephone knows more. So I feel that aspect is dragging a little bit... My last problem would be the writing style. I really have a hard time getting into Ms Robertson's books and I think it's because her writing is just not engaging me. Not the right voice for me :(


13) Water Bound by Christine Feehan: --

Okay, for a synopsis, I'm going to refer you to Holly's review and Kristie's review - they're the ones who convinced me to buy the book :) Once again, this was a book I had a lot of difficulty getting into and quite frankly, at this point, I wasn't really sure if it was the book or my reading mood ^_^; I think part of it was my expectations, especially of Rikki's autism. She certainly had her quirks and they were endearing, but I guess I thought her autism would be more severe... The romance was so-so.

Quite frankly, I really don't know what to say about this book. I read it two months ago and truthfully, skimmed through most of it. I just wasn't engaged and perhaps it was my reading mood as I mentioned earlier or perhaps it's just that I'm not clicking with Ms Feehan's writing, which quite frankly, I'm not surprised ^_^; At this point, I don't remember much of the storyline and as such, I don't feel comfortable grading this book.


14) Our Wicked Mistake by Emma Wildes: B


15) Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey: B

Keri Daniels and Joe Kowalski were high school sweethearts, but life took them in different direction and when Keri left, Joe took it really hard. Years later, Joe has become a bestseller author who really values his privacy while Keri is an editor in LA for a magazine. In order to keep her job, Keri needs to shine a light on Joe's life... and Joe is willing to give Keri the interview she needs, but in exchange, she has to accompany the Kowalski on their annual camping trip.

This was really a cute and fun story. There was a lot going on in addition to the romance between Keri and Joe, such as his twin sister and brother marital problems, but overall it was very well balanced. The Kowalski clan is a big and noisy family who are not afraid to get down and dirty and know how to enjoy themselves. I like the whole family and their interactions, it was a great backdrop for the story to take place. Add in the camping and it was just fun. When I first start Exclusively Yours, I wasn't sure how I would like Keri, because I don't like reporters, but Keri turned out fine. I like how realistic the relationship between Keri and Joe was, when they were high school sweethearts but also in the present. Yes, it's unfortunate that their couple didn't last when they were younger, but it was just a matter of two people wanting different things... and there's nothing wrong about that. If they had compromised, they would not be the person they are now. The obvious attraction between them did bother me a little... I just wished they've gotten to know the new "them" without being distracted by lust. Still, I enjoyed this book a lot and am looking forward to reading more of Ms Stacey's in the future :)


16) The Accidental Wedding by Anne Gracie: B+
Upcoming review.


17) Changes by Jim Butcher: B
Upcoming review.


18) A Christmas Promise by Mary Balogh: B
Upcoming review.


19) The Husband List by Victoria Alexander: B-

Lady Gillian Marley is a widow. While she loved her husband dearly and it devastated her when he passed away, the reality is that he died before inheriting his title; therefore she was left with nothing and has become the "poor" relation of her her family, the Effingtons. Lady Gillian yearns for independence which is within reach when her great-uncle from America makes her the sole heiress of his will. Unfortunately, in order to inherit, Gillian must marry by her next birthday, which leaves her only 2 months. Deciding on a marriage of convenience, Gillian asks her two best friends to write a list of eligible bachelors... but only one name among the list seems suitable: Richard Shelton, Earl of Shelbrooke. The Earl of Shelbrooke is in a financial bind, his art an inconsistent source of income and thus, marriage to Lady Gillian would be the perfect solution to his problem... However, Richard quickly realizes that he wants more than a marriage of convenience with Gillian...

Ms Alexander is a comfort author and I'm slowly reading through her backlist :) The Husband List was not her best work, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. I liked the characters and their maturity. I liked that Gillian thought long and hard before considering a marriage of convenience and that ultimately, the lure of independence was irresistible. It's no secret that it was hard to be a woman in those time and therefore wanting to be independent is totally understandable. As for Richard, I liked how he figured so quickly that he wanted a real marriage with Gillian. I also admire Richard a lot for the way he stepped up after his father's death, dealing with the debts, his four younger sisters... I liked that he thought outside the box and worked, even though anonymously, to come up with income. Something else I enjoyed was Richard's friendship with Gillian's brother and Gillian's friendship with her two childhood friends. It's just fun to see characters interact with their friends :P

I thought the romance was okay. I enjoyed it, but hoped for more. I think it's unfortunate that Ms Alexander had to resort to a "secret identity" to move the romance along. I just wished the characters would have interacted more as themselves and work through their issues. However, like I said, an enjoyable read :)

Books bought: +18
Books read: -19
TBR pile: -1


Wooohooo!!! I'm finally done writing my minis, which now that I'm looking at them, are not really minis ^_^; I know, I know, I just can't seem to keep it short. Never have been able to and I don't think it will ever happen ^_^; See, that's why I was dreading writing this post LOL. Hallelujah that I did wait though, because I did end up reviewing a few of them in December. Phew!! Otherwise, it'd probably take me another day to write this post... as it is, it took me two days... Okay, enough complaining LOL.

Wooohooo!!! There's a negative in my TBR pile! LOL, how rare is that?!? :) I'm cheating a bit though because really, The Fiercest Heart should really count for 0.5, not 1... but shhhh LOL. November was my most productive month of 2010 with 19 books read :) It's really no surprise though when you consider the fact that my boss was gone the whole month :P Overall, I'm really happy with my reads... a lot of Cs, but that's because I'm trying to be tougher LOL. I usually give away a lot of Bs when the books are really Cs for me...

Okay, that's it for this post... time to go to sleep :P

Sunday, January 02, 2011

Hauling Sunday XXVI

Happy New Year!!!
May 2011 bring the best to you :)
And as usual, many and many good books!!


I hope everyone has been having a grand time during the holidays and that you had fun and enjoyed!! Even if it was chaotic and hectic :P I can't believe my vacation is almost over!! Nooooo!! Lucky me though, I am still off tomorrow... one more day and I hope to enjoy it to its fullest :P And then, Tuesday, it's back to normal life. I'm happy though, I did have a good time and I did relax :) Plus, I'm determined to resume my blogging :) My reading mojo came back and I have a feeling my blogging muse is just around the corner :)

I'm really happy my reading mojo's been back :) And to accompany it, well, of course, I've been buying books :) Hey, it needs encouragement and support! LOL.




Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - I read Leslie's review of this book and I was a goner LOL. It came across as a very fun book and that's exactly what I was looking for :) Plus, I was in the mood for something Christmas-y for the holiday :)

Wedding of the Season by Laura Lee Guhrke - I've been a fan of Ms Guhrke for the past couple of years and I've really been looking forward to her next release. It was really a pleasant surprise to find out that she was having back to back releases :P Woohoo!!

The Lady Most Likely... by Julia Quinn, Connie Brockway and Eloisa James - I was hesitant about this book at first, because I thought it was an anthology with three novellas... However, it turned out to be a novel with three parts and each author handled one romance. I thought it'd work better than a regular anthology :P Plus, the blurb sounded really good :)

Rafferty's Wife by Kay Hooper - I've been collecting every books by Ms Hooper that I can get :) She's definitively one of my favorite author, although her old and new stuff are quite different... And I'm lucky that many of her earlier books are being reprinted :)

How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling - As I mentioned in our new releases post over at Breezing Through, this book first came to my attention over at Tracy's Place (review) and it just sounded so cute! :P

Tell you the truth, I've already read 4 of these books... LOL, thinking of it, I probably should have reviewed them now in this post :P Would save me time LOL. Seriously, I've been such a slacker in December... even failing to record my reads and books bought ^_^; Let's not mention reviewing and my monthly reads lists... I still haven't done November, but I'm hoping soon... All I can say is mental exhaustion, I think that what it was... So yes, hoping that the vacation has rejuvenated my brain :P

So to a great reading and blogging year!!