Review: Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

Hey everyone! How are you doing? There's nothing going on with me lately :( It's just the usual: work. I've been going out with some friends, but nothing out of the ordinary. Oh, the change of time though seems to give me an extra hour in the morning :) I'm not complaining LOL.

I'm working really hard on getting reviews for some books that I've read a while ago ^_^; These are books that I really wanted to review, so I'm doing my best so that they don't fall between the cracks! I seem to have find a balance between my reading and reviewing - it's been a while! Hope that it keeps on! :)

Today's review is Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. Hmmm, somehow, it's more of a gushing than a review ^_^; but hope you enjoy it nonetheless!


***Warning: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk***

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
published by ROC (New American Library) in July 2011

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Dresden Files, Book #13

The Story: Six months have gone by since the cliffhanger ending of Changes and Harry is given the chance by the higher powers to go back as a ghost and solve his own murder. Otherwise, three of the people he loves will come to great harm. With his friends' lives at stake, Harry does not hesitate one second.

However, once Harry arrives in Chicago, he is in for a surprise. First, it's May and there is still snow. Second, his beloved city has been invaded by dark beings. Indeed, with Harry - the biggest badass in the area- gone, many beings are no longer afraid of coming out and are vying for power, for territory. In order to counter these attacks and protect people, Murphy and Marcone have allied and formed a militia in which most of Harry's friends have engaged in. Then, there is his apprentice who has gone rogue and whom everyone seems to fear... Oh and let's not forget that as a ghost, Harry has some communication problems... and no magic.

Nonetheless, Harry is determined to help his friends, face old foes and find his murderer... Dresden's style :)

My Opinion: I realize that I've fallen behind in my reviewing of the Dresden Files books or of the Codex Alera books for that matter ^_^; I think one of the reasons is they're just so complex and most of the time, I'd sounded like a rabid fangirl LOL. However, I always look forward to a new release by Mr Butcher and try to get my hands on it ASAP. Ghost Story is his latest and I really wanted to review it because it was sooo good!

So the previous book in the series, Changes, was really titled appropriately because it was the catalyst of the series so far and brought a lot of changes to what the readers were familiar with. It also ended on a really big cliffhanger and I was really looking forward to Ghost Story to see what Mr Butcher would do! What would happen to Harry?!? And all I can say is that Mr Butcher really pulled it off :)

I love Harry. Even as a ghost, he's still himself :) He's a genius and a clown at once LOL. I liked that he's so oblivious to the notoriety he has built on over the year. I think that's a real sign of selflessness. In all his adventures, it wasn't about him, it was really about the people he helped and the circumstances. Also, it's nice to re-visit the whole gang. I thought that Bob now being in Butter's possession was quite clever. LOL, the bond between them just makes me laugh. It's also very nice to see Butters being more confident :) Molly's transformation is quite interesting as well. To me, it really makes sense. I kind of feel bad though that she has to live up to her mentor's and to some extent, her father's reputations. The poor girl is not a fighter, but she has to become one. The fact that she's not running away and instead is enduring Lea's tutelage is really brave and really shows her strength. By the way, Lea and Molly's combo is quite interesting and not one that I'd have predicted but once again, one that makes sense :) The only person I'm a bit wary is Murphy. She's never been weak, but now, with everything that's happened, she really toughened up, hardened up... and I found it unfortunate and sad :( I feel like she lost something and perhaps, it's part of her heart when Harry disappeared.

As usual, there's a lot going on in Ghost Story. It's full of action, pretty much non-stop, and fast-paced... and I simply loved it :) Mr Butcher brings back an old foe and it really fit the story. I really liked that part of the story. I enjoyed Fitz' introduction and I'm hoping he's going to become a recurring character. Finally, regarding Harry's death... Once again, it's really clever. I didn't figure it out, but once I read it, it simply made sense and it's so in character with Harry. I think Mr Butcher did a great job at foreshadowing it. Also, regarding the big revelation... I really liked that it didn't come out of no where either, that Bob and Harry were able to figure it out.

Okay, I guess that's why I don't often review Mr Butcher's books... because, in the end, it's not much of a review ^_^; It's quite simple though. First, if you've never read the Dresden Files books, don't start here! Then, if you're a fan of this series, I believe you're going to be happy with Ghost Story. It has all the elements that has made the Dresden Files series a success. It's thrilling and funny, you just want to keep reading and it's great to re-visit the characters. Yes, the storyline concerning the White Council has stalled, but it's not a bad thing. Considering what happened in Changes, Mr Butcher really had to address those issues and storylines first. I'm sure we'll be back on track very soon :) My only disappointment in Ghost Story is that we have no seen more of Mouse, Thomas and Ebenezar ^_^;

My Grade: A-. I really liked this book and am looking forward to the next one as always :)

Review: Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

published by St. Martin's Press in August 2011

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

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

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

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

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

Yep, never a dull moment.

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

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

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

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

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

Hauling Sunday LXII

And another week has gone by. Not much we can do about it, right? LOL. At least, this week was good :) My boss was out sick - very unfortunate for him, but that meant I had a light workload. Didn't have the chance to play hooky though :P Instead, I worked on catching up on things like the samples inventory and thawing the freezer. Not very fun things, but things I can never get around to when my boss is around.

Then, I went ahead and had fun with books :) First, there was a 31% off at Harlequin for Halloween. Li has been on a Kelly Hunter binge. I read a couple of her books a while ago and really enjoyed it... but somehow, she slipped off my radar. When Ames told me about the special at Harlequin, I was determined to put her back on the radar :)

Her Singapore Fling by Kelly Hunter - This is the last book of the Bennetts series and the one the blurb attracted me most, so that's why I got it :)

The Man She Loves to Hate by Kelly Hunter - I was looking at the reviews on Goodreads and Jane for Dear Author mentioned how the setting of this book is quite similar to After the Night by Linda Howard which is a book I really, really, really enjoyed :) So it was a no-brainer that if I was going to re-discover Ms Hunter, I was getting this book :)

Playboy Boss; Live-In Mistress by Kelly Hunter - I liked the blurb of this book. Seemed like my kind of book :)

Always the Bridesmaid by Nina Harrington - There was a review not long ago on Dear Author that caught my attention. I've been keeping this book in mind ever since and this was the perfect occasion to get it :)

Then, I received a book that I've pre-ordered a while ago...

The Next Always by Nora Roberts - Quite a no-brainer for me. I love Ms Roberts' writing and even though the reviews have been so-so, I was happy to get my copy and proceeded to read it :) I have to say , the cover is pretty, but I think it's even better when you're holding it :)

Finally, I went to the bookstore. The 20% off coupon was still valid and so, I went to get the books released on November 1st :)

The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas - I'm loving Ms Thomas' Harmony series and was really glad to get my hand on the newest one! I probably sound like a broken record, but there is something special about Ms Thomas' writing. I also like the fact that Ms Thomas' characters are really different than what I'm used to :)

Heart of Darkness by Lauren Dane - By now, you all know my weakness for witches and wizards, right? :) So that's one reason I picked up this book. Another is I've been wanting to give her a serious try. I have some of her Brown Siblings books... unfortunately, they don't really appeal to me ^_^; This one does though.

His Mistress by Christmas by Victoria Alexander - Ms Alexander is my comfort author when it comes to historical romance. There's just something about her writing, characters and books that work for me :) Plus with the 20% off coupon, I didn't hesitate anymore because this was a trade-size book :)

Baby It's Cold Outside by Addision Fox - This book just caught my eyes. I love the cover and on the back, there's an adorable husky puppy!! Of course, the blurb was interesting as well!

The Spy Who Left Me by Gina Robinson - I've never read Ms Robinson, but this book sounded a little absurd and a lot funny :) And lately, I've been in the mood for funny, so this one should be right up my alley :)

And there it is, my haul for this week :) A really nice haul!! Now, technically, this should be it till the end of the month because there's nothing that I want coming out till November 22 at least. However, it turns out that next week-end is Chapters/Indigo Family and Friends week-end, so that means 15% off on everything (plus my 10% iRewards membership). Sigh, why now? Why not at the end of the month or early December?!? Ah well, we'll see how things go ^_^;

What about you? What are your new precious?

Review: Changing the Game by Jaci Burton

How are you doing everyone? Hope you had a nice week-end and that your Halloween was very spooky! LOL. It's a new month, so head over to Breezing Through to look at the new releases we're looking forward to :)

I've been in a bit of a reading slump. I have no problem re-reading books, but new ones? I just don't know what I feel like reading ^_^; Ah well, if I can't read, why don't I review? :) It's funny how some books are easier to review than others... I was going to  cover Changing the Game in my Monthly Read post of August, but it just begged for a post of its own :) So here it is! Enjoy!


Changing the Game by Jaci Burton
published by Berkley in August 2011

Most people play by the rules. Gavin and Liz aren't most people...

Win at any cost. That's always been the mantra of sports agent Liz Darnell. When she carries things too far and risks losing her number-one client, baseball pro Gavin Riley, Liz realizes that she'll have to work extra innings to win him back. It might not be too much of a stretch. She's had a thing for this player's moves since she first laid eyes on him, and by the looks of it, he wants her just as bad.

Gavin's more than ready—especially when Liz is offering herself as part of the bargain. And as much of her as Gavin wants. For added thrills, he decides to throw a little curve ball Liz's way to see just how far she's truly willing to go to keep him as a client. But when love unexpectedly enters the playing field, neither Liz nor Gavin are ready for the biggest game-changer of them all.

Genre: Sport romance
Series: Play by Play trilogy, Book #2

The Story: Liz has had a crush on Gavin Riley for a long time, but never acted on it because he was her client. After losing Mick, Liz believes that Gavin will side with Mick and fire her as well, so she gives in her long-time crush and kisses him at the end of Perfect Play. It's been months now since the kiss and Liz has been avoiding Gavin. When they find themselves at the same sport banquet, it is time for Liz to face the music. However, instead of being fired as she expected, Liz ends up having very hot sex with Gavin.

Gavin has no intention of firing Liz as she's done a good job with his career. He's always kept his relationship with Liz professional, but with the kiss and Liz' belief that she'll be fired, things have changed. He's seen a different side of Liz, one that he wouldn't mind exploring. Soon, Gavin and Liz find themselves embarking in a fling - one that they both enjoy.

However, is it good to mix pleasure and business? Especially when not everyone in Gavin's entourage is welcoming Liz?

My Opinion: Like many readers, I had my doubts when I started Changing the Game because I didn't really like Liz' character in Perfect Play. However, Liz turned out to be a pleasant surprise and instead, Gavin is the one who didn't measure up.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. It was all about Gavin and Liz and they were fun to read about :) I liked seeing them together, enjoying each other's company and getting to know each other better. While Gavin and Liz have known each other for years, it's always been more on a professional level. Sure, over the years, Liz has become a family friend, but I suspect she always kept more distance between herself and Gavin than she did with Mick and as a result, there was a lot about him that she didn't know. Inversely, Gavin learned more about Liz - her life, family and her motivation for her job. All in all, I think they made a great couple and I enjoyed them together with the baseball setting as a backdrop :)

As I mentioned earlier, I ended up liking Liz' character a lot more than I expected. Mainly because she was nicer, but also more real and more sincere. In Perfect Play, she was portrayed as the villain, a bit one-dimensional, but in truth, her character has a lot of depth and Ms Burton did a great job at fleshing it out. I really liked the fact that she had to deal with the fall-out of her action and that she learned a valuable lesson. Though she did make a mistake meddling in Mick's love life; ultimately, it wasn't with bad intent and that made her more sympathetic to me. I liked that her complex character was paired up with someone "simpler" like Gavin. By simpler, I mean that Gavin is just a regular guy who plays professional baseball. Sure, he has enjoyed the high life and the perks of his job - who wouldn't? But he wasn't too much of a jock, didn't have a big, dark secret in his closet or a sob story as his past. That contributed to make the couple more fun and easier to enjoy. And oh, let's not forget the sizzling chemistry that Gavin and Liz shared :)

Other things that I enjoyed from this book was the Riley family - well, Gavin's parents and his sister, Jenna :) The parents are really good people, genuinely nice and they kept their sons grounded to earth :) Jenna is spunky and doesn't let people walk over her which is good considering how popular her brothers are. I really liked that they didn't hold a grudge against Liz for her actions in Perfectly Play and welcome her back. I also think that Ms Burton did a great job at giving this contemporary romance its "sporty" atmosphere. It was just the right amount of baseball and jocks for this to really feel like a sport romance and I liked that she stayed away from the clichés :)

Unfortunately, I had some issues with this book. I enjoyed the first half, but I think the book started losing some steam about half-way. Why? Well because, there was no real storyline going on ^_^; The first half was pretty much about Liz and Gavin fooling around and getting to know each other better. Lots of sex going on - a bit too much in my opinion - and not much else. So when the conflict appeared, it seemed a bit out of no where... I don't want to give too much away, but I just don't understand how Gavin could say that to Liz. He spent half the book taking Liz' side and then suddenly, does a 180 and is suspicious of her?!? It didn't make sense to me and it was really hurtful for Liz. The worst is that I don't think he really believed what he was saying... it was more as if he wanted to hurt her with his words! I'm really glad Liz didn't let him treat the way he did and she walked out. However, I have to say it ruined his character a little bit for me. Also, I don't really  get Gavin's attitude or reaction towards his father's heart attack. I understand being concerned and I think that him taking time off to care for his father was very filial. But not going back to play... when you want to play? Especially when his father was recovering well and urging him to go back? It seemed out of character for me.

One more thing that really bothered me throughout Changing the Game was Mick. Oh gosh, he was a jerk and soooo annoying!!! I understand that he was mad at Liz for what she did... but Liz has apologized and even paid for it and Tara has forgiven her. So what else did he want? He kept harping on it like a broken record and in the process, poisoned Gavin and Liz' relationship a little... and at the end of it all, he asks Liz to be his agent again?!?! Are you kidding me? Have I been Liz, I would have turned him down.

Overall, I think that Changing the Game started off well. I enjoyed the chemistry between Liz and Gavin, the interactions between Liz and the Rileys... However, I feel there was a lack of direction in the book which was reflected in the lack of goal/purpose for the H/H. Good chemistry and hot sex can only carry a book so far. That being said, I'm curious about Jenna's book. She's very different from Tara and Liz and from what we've seen, she seems to have enough personality to carry the book on her own :)


My Grade: C+.

Review: Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

Disclaimer: I've received Until There Was You as an eARC from Netgalley


Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

published by HQN Books (Harlequin) in October 2011

Posey Osterhagen can't complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she's surrounded by her loveable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something's missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking...something like Liam Murphy.

When Posey was sixteen, the bad boy of Bellsford, New Hampshire, broke her heart. But now he's back, sending Posey's traitorous schoolgirl heart into overdrive once again. She should be giving him a wide berth, but it seems fate has other ideas...

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: While the blurb is accurate, it left out some important details. So hopefully, my summary will fill in some blanks :)

Posey Osterhagen's first love was Bellsford's bad boy Liam Murphy; unfortunately, he had eyes only for nice girl Emma Tate. Unbeknownst to him though, Liam broke Posey's heart during prom when he made a very hurtful comment.

Years have gone by and Posey has put it all behind her. At least, that's what she thinks until Liam, who is now a widower, is moving back to Bellsford so his teenage daughter, Nicole, can be closer to her maternal grandparents. For some reasons, the two of them keep running into each other... and soon, Posey finds herself falling for him once again. However, things are complicated as a potential client is dangling an important salvaging contract at Posey and Posey's very demanding cousin, who always made Posey feel inadequate, is coming to town for an extended visit. In all this chaos, Posey must deal with her feelings for Liam, try not to get hurt as last time and not forget that Liam's priority is his daughter.

My Opinion: Before reading Until There Was You, I was a bit wary of the book. First, I was afraid that I was a bit burn-out on Ms Higgins' books because she has a very unique style and when you read many of her books, her heroines and the storylines start to blend together ^_^; Second there was the switch from first to third POV and finally, the so-so reviews that have been popping up on blogland. Perhaps it's because I came in with low expectations, but I ended up enjoying Until There Was You quite a bit :)

Until There Was You is a pretty typical Kristan Higgins book in the sense that readers get a fun and successful heroine with a quirky family, quirky friends and a big dog who is looking for love. While it sounds familiar, Ms Higgins keeps it fresh by varying the details and does a really good job :) The best part of Until There Was You though was the characterization of Posey and Liam. Ms Higgins did a great job at developing and fleshing the H/H so we had complex and flawed characters :) Posey was very likable. I loved that she was happy with her life: loved her job, had great relationships with her family and was surrounded by good friends. I think there's a bit too many down-on-their-luck heroines, heroines that must do something big in order to save their job, heroines that want to prove themselves at the cost of love and/or heroines that are desperate for marriage and children. It is nice to have happy heroines and there definitively should be more of them in romance. While Posey is happy, it does not mean she's not vulnerable. I thought the issues Posey had were different and refreshing - her weight, the evil cousin, etc. It showed different sides of Posey, made her more sympathetic and real. In contrast, Liam was not as likable as Posey, but he was as well developed. I liked that he really loved Emma, but he wasn't blind to the problems in their marriage. I liked that he did not idealize or revile his wife. He was very realistic about it and I thought that was refreshing. I also liked that he was honest - that's always a great quality in an hero. He was also a great father, perhaps a bit over-protective, but it made sense given the circumstances.

The romance was an interesting one. I thought it was a bit uneven as in the beginning, Posey seems to have the impression that Liam does not like her and Liam seems to be a bit freaked out by Posey's stalker-ish manners when they were younger... And Ms Higgins never goes back to these feelings, to work them out or explain them. Instead, she moves forward. I liked that the relationship took time to establish between the two of them as they are different persons. I never had the feeling that Posey fell in love with the "young" Liam or her idealized version of Liam. Also, I loved that Liam realized that he was happy with Posey and what a mistake he did and that nobody around him really nudged him. I wouldn't say the romance in Until There Was You is very romantic, not a lot of "ahhhh" and "ohhhh" - although there is a grand gesture at the end - but everything was resolved in a satisfying manners and I liked it :)

Other things that I enjoyed in this book was Posey's interactions with her family and friends. I loved seeing her hanging out with her best friends (one of them her brother-in-law, Jon). I do wish that we've seen more of her relationship with her brother, Henry. Also, Henry and Jon were a great couple and every time they appear, the mood of the book lightened up :)  I enjoyed the light-hearted scenes: the baseball matches, the prom, the cooking for singles LOL. Ms Higgins really has a talent for blending funny situations with more serious matters and she proves it once again in Until There Was You. There was a lot going on in this book, but in the end, Ms Higgins juggled with everything and Until There Was You turned out to be a well-balanced book.

One of the thing I was most happy about was getting Liam's POV. This book would have never worked otherwise. I think Ms Higgins did a great job at handling the switch from first to third POV. I always felt in the past that her books were more chick-lit because of the first POV and have wished several time that she'd do the switch so it'd be more contemporary romance... and it was :) I hope she will continue in that direction with her future books!

My Grade: B.

Hauling Sunday LXI

It's Sunday again!! Why do week-ends go by so fast, but not weekdays? It's definitively unfair in my opinion. I was planning to do a bit more of blogging, but this week turned out to be quite busy. Part of it was work as usual, but another part was that I went to see The Three Musketeers on Wednesday evening. Yes, going to the movies has disrupted my routine... Doesn't take much LOL. That and my sister hijacking my computer.

I've had a bit of the blues this week. I just don't know what to read ^_^; The usual dilemma LOL. To cheer me up and spur my reading, I went to the bookstore on Friday evening. I've been planning it out the whole week ^_^; 1) I had an additional 20% off if my purchase was over 35$ and 2) I wanted that blanket that is 30$ if I spend more than 50$... Tell me, why do the books I want never come to the same bookstore?!? Most of the releases was available at bookstore #1 and one or two, at bookstore #2 ^_^; At the end, I was lucky a friend  came with me and bought a travel book as one of the new releases I wanted was on strict release date. Plus, the sale person just couldn't find it ^_^; Okay, enough babbling. Here is what I got :)

Until There was You by Kristan Higgins - I'm a big fan of Ms Higgins. I've read some so-so reviews on this book and I've actually read the Netgally e-ARC. Well in the end, I enjoyed it enough to get my own copy :)

Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims - Found this one out thanks to blogland :) It's been getting some good reviews. It sounds very funny which is what I've been in the mood for :)

The Famous Heroine and The Plumed Bonnet by Mary Balogh - These are re-prints. I've fallen in love with Ms Balogh's this year and so am collecting her backlist :)

The Fall of Lucas Kendrick by Kay Hooper - Another re-print. Unconditional fan of Ms Hooper here. I've read the first two books in this series and enjoyed it. I have to say though, I'm really looking forward to her next FBI SCU book... When is it coming out?!?

The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams - This was a calculated risk. It has faeries in it... but KMont seems to have enjoyed it a lot. She's a big reader of UF as well and if she enjoyed it so much, I think it's worth a shot.

There is my week :) I'm hoping to get some more this coming week, hopefully my 20% off coupon will still be usable :) What about you? What did you get this week?

Review: Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr

Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr

published by Mira (Harlequin) in October 2011

This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly high-school relationship and moved on.

So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Virgin River, Book #14

The Story: Becca Timm finds herself free during the Thanksgiving holidays and decide to join her twin brother's men-only hunting weekend in Virgin River. Obviously, Becca has no interest in hunting and the real goal of this trip is to see Denny Cutler again. Three years ago, Denny broke up with her before heading for Afghanistan and Becca was devastated. Time has passed and she is now dating a law student, Doug, who is about to propose to her. Unfortunately, as things are right now, Becca wouldn't be able to accept Doug's proposal in good conscience as she's still not over Denny. So Becca is determined to see Denny, get some closure and move on. However, things don't go as planned when Becca breaks her ankle and therefore is stuck in Virgin River for two weeks, in close proximity to Denny, and her boyfriend turns out to be an egoistical jerk...

At first, it's a shock for Denny to see Becca in Virgin River. Although Denny is the one who broke up with Becca, he always loved her... Now that he has a second chance, Denny is not about let it slipped... and he'll make this relationship work no matter what.

My Opinion: Wow, I can't believe Bring Me Home for Christmas is the 14th book in this series... I remember when I picked up Virgin River :) Back then, I didn't know what to expect, but it turned out to be formidable read! Good times really :) Now, I know exactly what to expect from these books... and that's why I continue reading. Comfort :)

Bring Me Home for Christmas is Denny's book. I have to admit when I read the blurb in the bookstore, it took me a few minutes to realize who Denny was ^_^; I hadn't paid much attention to the blurb before that, because this book had slipped under my radar. So I was a bit surprised that it was Denny's book and felt like it came out of nowhere LOL. I guess I expected more buzz - from the author and the bloggers - since Denny is such a great guy :) I was also surprised that Denny got his book so soon because it seems to me his character has not been fleshed enough in the previous installments. Yes, he's been through a lot - his mother's death, the war, a romance that didn't work out and the disappointment that Jake was not his biological father... but most of it happened off the pages, before he came to Virgin River. In the books, the Denny we've seen is a bit uni-dimensional in my opinion: the nice guy who helps around. He's nice, smart, not afraid of hard work, responsible and satisfied with a simple life. I mean, those are great qualities that make him such a likable character. At the same time, I can't help but feel it makes him way too mature for his 25 years old. You'll argue with me that it's because of what he's been through... Yet, it's so at odd with the man who was so enthusiastic learning about farming, seeing the fruits of his labor grow or the one who "ran away" when he learned Jake wasn't his father. Despite how likable and responsible Denny is, I wish we've seen him grow a bit more, find himself a bit before he got his own book... That way not only would I understand him better, but would have also connected more with him. Or if not before his book, than in his book... Unfortunately, Bring Me Home for Christmas was more Becca's book than Denny's book.

Sigh, looks like I got carried away a little LOL. So let me start from the beginning :) I enjoyed Bring Me Home for Christmas and thought it was a nice addition to the series. Becca and Denny were obviously not over each other and they were lucky to get a second chance and it was a nice story for Christmas. Of course, there were some flaws to the book. As a whole, I thought Becca was a nice girl. Young, vibrant and confident, but what I admire most about her was her honesty. Not committing to marriage with her new boyfriend because she might still be hung up on the previous - not many heroines would question themselves as Becca did and take the steps for closure. Not only it was honest with herself, but it was also a mature decision. However, there were definite times when Becca got on my nerves. What bothered me the most is that she didn't really compromise in the romance, in the relationship. Granted, she didn't have to because Denny was pretty quick sacrificing himself and decreeing he was going to follow her anywhere she went and then, she ended up getting a job... But what if she had to? Would she have compromised to make this relationship work? I'm not sure. At the end of it all, I guess I felt Becca was a bit self-centered.

This brings me to the romance. It's always nice to see two lovers get back together especially given it was more circumstantial in the case of Becca and Denny than them growing apart or fighting like crazy. Unfortunately, in Bring Me Home for Christmas, I thought there was not enough focus on the romance. Everything happened really fast. I know that Becca and Denny are familiar with each other, but the readers aren't. I would have liked to see Becca and Denny really work out their relationship, take more time before jumping in. Instead, everything was really rushed and worked out too easily, especially with Denny deciding to go back to San Diego. As you can see, that part really bothered me. I understand that he loved her, but at the same time, he was willing to give up everything - his new friends, his new promising job... and because the romance was not fleshed enough and me, not engaged in enough, I'm not sure that Becca was worth it ^_^; I seriously think the romance would have worked better also if there had been more of Denny's POV. See what he was thinking and feeling. Instead, Bring Me Home for Christmas is 3/4 Becca's POV. That's why earlier, I said that this was more Becca's book than Denny's. That was another disappointment, seeing at how great Denny has been as a character. I was expecting more of him and from this book. At the end, it made me wish that Denny has met a new woman instead of getting back together with Becca ^_^;

My last issue with this book was the whole holiday spirit element. I don't mind theme books at all and I think that what they do in Virgin River is great actually: the Christmas tree, the decorating and the Thanksgiving and Christmas boxes. That's the holidays spirit and how a community should be :) However, I thought Ms Carr went a bit heavy-handed this time around and it impeded on the romance. It felt to me the author wrapped up the romance really fast and then focused on these holidays things to convince the heroine to stay, show her how great Virgin River was and yes, you really want to live here ^_^; If there'd been more balance between the romance and this, it would have been a better book.

Okay, it sounds like I had a lot of issues with this book and perhaps I did, LOL. However, it was also nice to be back in Virgin River and to see everyone. Having Jack and Preacher taking Denny under their wings, I knew we would see them and their family... but this time around, I think Ms Carr did a great job at keeping their appearances as cameos :) Nobody took over the spotlight, it was definitively focused on Becca and Denny :) Overall, Denny and Becca were nice and likable characters with flaws and the story was sweet. Exactly what you expect from a book in this series :)

My Grade: C+.