Review: She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath

It's Friday!! Woohooo! I can't wait for the week-end :) We had a big experiment yesterday and for a moment, I panicked a little... We had to use a scanner and had to stick to a schedule... and the scanner ate my slide!! We had to turn off the scanner and waited till it warmed up to eject the slide and try again... However, the warm-up always takes like 30 minutes! Then, the supervisor of the lab came and she said it'd be preferable in this case to reboot the computer as well... but if you reboot the computer, you have to turn off and on the scanner again! In the end, it turned out well but seriously. Then, it was also a grant application deadline. For once, my boss was all done with the paperwork... but there was panic again because apparently, the documents had to be in their office by 5pm! It said in the guidelines that the documents needed to be courier stamped on that day, but seems like they were confusion. So there was a rush to deliver the documents, and guess who had to do that?

Anyway, I'm just happy it's Friday! Week-end! :) My sister is hosting a Tupperware night today LOL. It'll be interesting to see how it'll turn out. Also, Canada women nationals for curling is starting this week-end! It's going to be on for a week!! I'm so glad, because I enjoy the sport and it gives me something to watch :) It's three matches of about 3 hours per day!! Yay! It'll help because I've been a bit in a reading funk lately, so I'll have something to do. Have barely read this week :( I'm hoping to get my copy of Celebrity in Death, I think that'll get me going again :)

However, most important today is this review!! It took me days to write a review for She Tempts the Duke! :) I really enjoyed the book, but for some reasons, the words would just not come. After two attempts, I finally got inspired and it flowed this morning! Enjoy!! And look forward for the Week-End's Minis tomorrow :)


She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publisher) in January 2012

Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.

Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title. Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once rescued him and his brothers from certain death.

Lady Mary Wynne-Jones paid dearly for helping the imprisoned young Lords of Pembrook, and she remembers well the promise she made to Sebastian all those years ago: to meet him once more in the abbey ruins where they shared a bold, forbidden kiss. While Mary is betrothed now to another, a friendship forged with dark secrets cannot be ignored. Unexpected passion soon burns dangerously between them, tempting Sebastian to abandon his quest for retribution to fight for a love that could once again set him free.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Lost Lords Pembrook trilogy, Book #1

The Story: She Tempts the Duke is the first book in a trilogy about the three Lords of Pembrook who, after their father's funeral, had to run away to escape the "mortal accident" their uncle had planned. Sebastian Easton, the 8th Duke of Keswick, went into the army while his twin brother, Tristan, became a cabin boy and went at sea, and their younger brother, Rafe, was left behind at a workhouse.

Twelve years later, Lord David is finally petitioning to have his nephews declared dead. To his surprise, it's also the time the three brothers chose to reunite, boot him out of residence and reclaim their status. Unfortunately, the Lords of Pembrook have been away from Society for too long and are not quick to be accepted given the circumstances... Especially Sebastian, the rightful Duke of Keswick, as he was disfigured during the war.

However, there is one person that will stand by them and that's their childhood friend and neighbor, Lady Mary Wynne-Jones, who has grown into a beautiful woman. On that faithful night, Mary was the one who helped them escape... and as a result, was sent to the convent by her father. It is only recently that her father has relented and let her come back to Society as well. Mary has never forgotten her friends and is extremely happy that they are still alive. She is determined to do her part to help the Easton brothers re-integrate Society... even if it displease her fiancé.

My Opinion: Well, I'm glad that after a rather weak end to her London's Greatest Lovers trilogy, Ms Heath has come back strong with She Tempts the Duke. I have to say, Ms Heath definitively has a knack for coming up with interesting premises for her series :) Three young boys, among which a new duke, run for their lives, go their separate ways and then, reappear twelve years later to reclaim their due? How can you not be enticed by this exciting premise? Add in the childhood friend who helped them escape... Oh yeah, this book got me as soon as I read the blurb :) And I'm really glad that the book measured up to my expectations!

I think what I enjoyed most in She Tempts the Duke was the characters dynamics. I loved how complex the three brothers' relationship was. On one hand, they are bonded by blood, but their brotherhood goes deeper than that. It is sealed by that faithful night and the hardships they went through resulting from it. On the other hand, they have spent twelve years apart and therefore, they don't know the men they have become and are not close to each other. There's also the resentment and tension to consider... Sebastian and Tristan are twins and older, so there's always been a chemistry, a complicity between them which left out the four years younger Rafe. When they were boys, Rafe was excluded and was also considered spoiled and whiny, which is usually the mantle that younger siblings have to wear... Then, when they went separate ways, Rafe was left at the workhouse, while the twins rode off... They later separated as well, but in Rafe's mind, he was still being excluded. Over the years, these feelings have not disappeared and they still cast a shadow on their relationship. Yet, they stood together to face their uncle and Society and they believed in the men their brothers have become. My favorite scene of the book is when the three brothers barged in the ball room, Sebastian standing in the middle, flanked by his two brothers with pistols drawn! Then, proceeded to boot their uncle out of residence :)  It was totally kick-ass! LOL. Another part I liked is when Tristan was frustrated on Sebastian's behalf because people wasn't giving him his dues as a duke. I thought these scenes showed their unity and their loyalty to each other :)

Aside from the three brothers' relationship, I also liked Mary's friendship with them :) I loved that she stood up for them at the ball, backing them up - even though she doesn't have much influence in the ton. It was definitively brave, especially since she did it again and again throughout the book and even if it displeased her father and fiancé. And she did it because these men were her friends, even if she hadn't seen them in twelve years. She was loyal to them and seemed baffled that her father and fiancé did not understand the concept. And I was also happy to see her so outraged at Sebastian's treatment because he was disfigured. For her, his injury did not change anything, he was still her friend, the boy she gallivant with in her childhood. While she was closest to Sebastian, her friendship included Tristan and Rafe and I liked how the men were considerate of her and cared about her :)

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters. I liked that Sebastian was flawed both physically and emotionally. He was raised to be a duke, but he spent twelve years in the army, fighting wars and ended wounded. Any man who comes back from war disfigured always have a complex about it... but for Sebastian, it was even worst... Because I think he considered a reminder that he failed. He failed to protect his brothers, he failed his duties as a duke, he failed Pembrook... and that's what drove him. I also really liked Mary. I think she was a great heroine. No simpering miss here, no spoiled lady... spending ten years in a convent took care of that. I think it also made her appreciated life better :) I liked that she didn't over-resent her father or blame the Easton brothers. But really, what made Mary was her personality. She's just a nice woman, loyal... and she spoke out her mind. She and Sebastian married not under the best circumstances, but she wanted their marriage to work... and whenever Sebastian dropped the ball, she'd point it out. Not in a harpy manner, but just so Sebastian is aware of it... and that's what you need in a marriage. Communication.  I enjoyed the romance, because Sebastian and Mary were childhood friends. Their bond was strong and not even distance or time had weakened it... And I really believe that have the boys not escaped, the result would be the same: Sebastian would have married Mary :)

She Tempts the Duke seemed to me to be all about the characters and setting up the trilogy. As such, the suspense was a bit weak - for example, their uncle's motive for wanting to kill the three of them. Although I did buy the explanations. Given the characters and the premises, I didn't mind the weakness :) However, there are a few things I wondered while reading the book. The three boys escaping made for something exciting... but I wondered if nobody could have helped them out. I mean, their father was a duke. He must have had a friend, a confident or perhaps a relative on their mother's side that they could have run to, no? Even if their uncle was their guardian, they were boys and Sebastian was the duke. They had more power on their side than have they been girls. Would nobody really believe them? Also, I wondered about Mary's situation. Her father was worried about her future, because he knew her cousin - his heir - would not take care of her once he died... and so he gave Mary a big dowry and pushed her to make a match. Couldn't he have made provisions for her in his will? If I'm not wrong, money is usually not entailed... Of course, she would probably have been booted out of her home by her cousin... but she had an aunt who was married to a peer. At least, if Mary had money, she wouldn't be without resource. So those are the two issues that niggled me a little while reading. Not big enough to dim my enjoyment, but still there.

My Grade: B+. She Tempts the Duke did not wow me as much as Passions of a Wicked Earl, but it was nonetheless a very good read and a very solid start to this new trilogy :) I'm really looking forward to reading Tristan and Rafe's books and finding out what happened and what the future holds for them :)

TBR Challenge 2012: Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke

Wooohooo, I made it! Not only I've read the book, but I've also reviewed it! No mad dash to have this review up before midnight LOL. In fact, I even have something special... a buddy review with Leslie! It turns out that we both read Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke, so we figured why not? :) You can head over to Breezing Through or click here for the review.

Wait, wait, wait!!! Before you head over to the review, please take a look at the poll on the sidebar, under the search box!! The poll is to decide which book(s) I'll be writing a mini-review for this week-end and it ends today!! So if you haven't voted, please do!! So far, My One and Only by Kristan Higgins is leading, but I'd like to break the tie for the 2nd place book :)

Enjoy!!


Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke

published by Harper Torch in April 1996

A courageous woman

In the aftermath of the Civil War, beautiful and stubborn Olivia Maitland was determined to save her family and their new-bankrupt Louisiana plantation no matter what - even if it meant taking in cynical ex-boxer Conor Branigan in exchange for help. It wasn't long before she discovered the secret pain hidden beneath his rugged ways. And his ache touched something in her, lighting a fire in her heart.

A hard-fighting man

Conor Branigan had seen his family and his hopes destroyed in Ireland and had sworn never to care for anyone again. But now he dared hope for a love greater than any he'd ever dreamt of, with Olivia and her three adopted children - and a future that he would fight to keep forever.

Hauling Sunday LXIX

So where's everyone? It's been very quiet on blogland and I hope everyone's okay. I'm thinking perhaps it's the time of the year or something. I've been feeling pretty lethargic myself... and it seems the dreaded reading slump is upon me. I've been really having difficulty at picking up books to read. I look at my TBR pile and there's not much that appeals to me ^_^; I know, I know, I've been feeling that way for a while now, but it seems worst. Luckily for me, I have a strong urge to re-read... so if I ever get to slumpville, I won't go cold turkey. I'm wondering if the feeling is linked to the fact there hasn't been many new releases lately. It would be so me ^_^;

While there wasn't many new releases, I still managed to buy some books. Yay! There's a "Buy 2, Get the 3rd Free" promotion at the moment at Chapters/Indigo ending today. That's a really awesome sale because it's usually "Buy 3, Get the 4th Free." But boy, did I have difficulty finding three books ^_^;  See I'm telling you, lack of release!! Really no fun :( I did some juggling around and came up with these :)

Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow - I had my eyes on this one, but I was a bit hesitant... Ames took care of my hesitation :) It isn't the highest grade, but taking into consideration it's a debut novel, it sounds promising.

The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley - I've actually already read this one, but didn't own a copy. Now I do :) I really liked it and hopefully, I'll be reviewing it soon.

My Wicked Little Lies by Victoria Alexander - You saw this book in my last Hauling Sunday (LXVIII) post... That was the e-book. Since I really enjoyed this book and technically, it was free, I decided to get a print copy as well :) Review should be coming shortly :)

A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries - The conclusion to the popular Hellions of Halstead Hall series. I'm looking forward to see Lady Celia fall in love and find out the truth behind the parents' tragic death.

Next of Kin by Sharon Sala - Ms Sala is a favorite author of mine. Unfortunately, I find her last couple of books have been so-so, just because it's basically the same story over and over again ^_^; There's a definite pattern to her storylines :( I knew I was going to continue to support Ms Sala, but didn't know in which format... In the end, there was this sale and so, I went for the print :) Reviews have been a bit mixed, but I hope I'll get into this one.

Black Wings by Christina Henry - I was wondering which books to buy... And the thing with these kind of sale is to try to buy there books that are approximately the same price to maximize your saving, right? So I went with Black Wings because it's been on my radar for a while now and I think reviews have been favorable. Hopefully, this is a new series I'm going to follow :)

So there you go, my new books :) It's too bad the sale isn't at the end of the month with all the new releases. That would have been a lot of fun. Still, I might go to another bookstore today and see if I can take advantage of this sale again... and maybe I'll hit the UBS... Stay tuned to my next Hauling Sunday post to find out :)

Week-End's Minis: Whispers in the Dark by Maya Banks

It's finally the week-end!! Yay! Hope it'll be a good one for everyone! The week has gone by so quickly (although the days have not), but if there was a way to make the week-end stretched, it'd be awesome LOL. Especially when we're having nice weather. A girl can dream right? :P

So I'd like to introduce the newest feature on my blog: Week-End's Minis. Earlier this week, I mentioned in the Monthly Reads post that I was toying with the idea of having weekly recaps, simply because my Monthly Reads posts were becoming overwhelming to write. However, the idea just lost its appeal the more I thought about it. My reasoning is I have difficulty being on time with a monthly recap which is, technically, once a month. Now, I'm going to have 4 posts at fixed dates? Sure, they'll be shorter... but I think it'll be more pressure as well ^_^; Plus my reading week vary a lot from one another and a weekly recap is just not me LOL. Instead, I tried to come up with something in-between and I think I did: the Week-End's Minis :)

Basically, the Week-End's Minis will be a weekly post with one to two mini-reviews :) It won't be a weekly recap and it won't be necessarily books that I've read during the week. It'll just be mini-reviews of books I've read and wasn't planning to write a full review for. If I can stick to having a weekly mini-reviews post, then when it'll come to the Monthly Reads post, many of the books will already be reviewed and therefore, the post itself will be shorter and less daunting to write :) And to make things a bit more fun for everyone, I thought I'd let you decide what should be reviewed! :) The plan is that I'll put a poll up on the sidebar of books that I'm considering writing mini-reviews for and you let me know which mini-review you want to read :) The poll will run from Saturday to Wednesday and on the next Saturday, the post will go up. What do you think?

Oh by the way, mini-reviews. You've seen my Monthly Reads posts and you've seen that my "mini" reviews aren't that "mini" LOL. Well it's something I want to work on. The goal of these mini-reviews is really to let you know what worked and what didn't. I have a tendency in my full reviews to go through the characters, the settings, the romance, the storyline, etc. Hopefully, here, it'll all be more concise and focused... but I'm not sure yet how I'm going to do that LOL. So please be patient with me :) And if you have any suggestion, please feel free!!

This week, I didn't have time to make a poll and I really wanted to get started LOL, so I chose the mini-review. But you can start voting for next week! :) Hopefully, this new feature will be an enjoyable one for everyone :)


Whispers in the Dark by Maya Banks

published by Berkley in January 2012

She came to him when he needed her the most

She came to him at his lowest point. The voice of an angel, a whisper in the dark. She's the only thing that gets Nathan Kelly through his captivity, the endless days of torture and the fear that he'll never return to his family. With her help, he's able to escape. But he isn't truly free, because now she's disappeared and he's left with an all-consuming emptiness as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his life. Did he imagine his angel? Or is she out there, needing his help as he'd once needed hers?

Now he rushes to save her before it's too late

Shea has been on the run from people who will stop at nothing to exploit her unique abilities. She never wanted to drag Nathan, who'd already suffered so much, into danger, but she doesn't have a choice so she reaches out to him for help. Finally face-to-face after having already formed a soul-deep bond in hell, their emotional connection is even more powerful than their telepathic one. Nathan refuses to consider ever letting her go again, but she worries they can never have a life free of the dangers that dog her every step. He'll protect her with his every breath, but can he convince her that they are meant to face these threats together?

Genre: Romantic suspense, psychics
Series: KGI, Book #4

What do you need to know about the storyline? The blurb is pretty spot on, the only thing they didn't mention - and wow, they did a great job at writing an accurate blurb and leaving this big detail out - is that the heroine is psychic. From what I've heard, this is the first book in this series that has paranormal elements in it. All the previous books have been straight romantic suspense.

Why this book? This is the first book in the series I've read and it just called to me. It sounded like something I would enjoy :)

So, my thoughts? I'll start with the most obvious for me. I don't mind psychic characters. Actually, I love them when it's well-done... Unfortunately, it wasn't in Whispers in the Dark. Perhaps it's because I've been spoiled with the FBI SCU series by Kay Hooper, but the psychic aspect here just didn't work for me. First, I don't like the idea of manufacturing psychics for military purposes. There is so much we don't know about psychics, the abilities and where it comes from... How can you "breed" psychics? Then, the psychic element was just too unbelievable ^_^; Yes, I know ^_^; When it comes to psychics, I think readers always have to suspend their disbelief a little to enjoy the story and I've done it with no problems in the past. But the thing is, you still want the psychic element to be realistic and it simply wasn't in Whispers in the Dark. I mean, a trans-Atlantic connection? If Shea and Nathan's connection was established prior, then perhaps I've had bought it... but Shea just happened to grasp on Nathan's mind while she was in the US and Nathan, in Afghanistan? In that case, what stops her from hearing any voices in the whole big world? Also, healing someone without touching? That's already stretching it, but healing someone through someone's else connection without any physical anchor? Yeah, no. You just lost me there.

Aside from the psychic element, there was also the romance that went too fast for me. Okay, yes, Shea and Nathan have a connection, but they don't really know each other. Shea calls Nathan for help, he runs to save her and hours after they've met face-to-face for the first time, they're all over each other and having sex. I can buy having feelings for each other, I can buy being protective and possessive... but the sex was pushing it for me. We're not talking one-night stand here, but real, committed sex... and I just felt it was too fast.

So basically, Ms Banks lost me pretty early in the book because of the psychic element... and I ended up skimming through most of the book. Nothing in this book - the story, the romance, the characters or the suspense - was able to grab me and while reading, I just wanted Whispers in the Dark to be done and over. That's not usually a good feeling when you're reading a book. Someone on Goodreads mentioned that the book was boring and too corny and I have to agree wholeheartedly. The only scenes I really enjoyed were the Kelly brothers ribbing each other and even then, I thought it was sometime not with a good timing.

My Grade? E.


All right, it still winded up a bit long LOL. But hey, it's my first attempt! :) What do you think? Does this format work?

Review: It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake

Ugh, I've been meaning to write this review for days... and things just come up. I want to write, but my sister has hijacked my computer. I have the computer, but I feel like reading. At work, I've been running like a chicken without a head ^_^; But the worst reason? I've addicted myself again to Minesweeper. Pathetic, yes I know. That what happens when you have an addictive personality :( But I finally stopped long enough to write this review :) And hopefully, I'll be able to wean myself off... Wish me luck LOL.


It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake
published by New American Library in January 2012

Darcy Merriweather and her sister, Harper, hail from a long line of witches who have the power to grant wishes using spells. They're come to Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, to join the family business, but they soon find themselves knee-deep in murder...

Until three weeks ago, Darcy and Harper were working dead-end jobs and trying to put their troubles behind them. Then their aunt Velma delivered a bombshell: They're actually Wishcrafters - witches with the power to grant wishes with a mere spell. Wanting a fresh start, they head to their aunt's magic-themed tourist town to master their newfound skills.

But their magic fails them when a wannabe witch turns up dead - strangled with Aunt Ve's scarf - and Ve's sweetheart, Sylar, is found looming over the body. Ve is standing by her man, but Darcy overheard Sylar wish that the victim would disappear - forever. With Harper distracted by her handsome new crush, Darcy is determined to sleuth her way to the truth. But it'll take more than a wish to unravel this mystery...

Genre: Mystery
Series: A Wishcraft Mystery, Book #1

The Story: After their father's death, Darcy and Harper Merriweather learn from their maternal aunt Velma that magic really exists in this world. Not only that, Darcy and Harper are both Wishcrafters! This means that under the right circumstances, they can grant people's wishes with a spell. For Darcy, this revelation comes at a perfect time. With her father dead and his dental clinic closed, Darcy is without a job, she still hasn't moved on from her divorce two years ago and with Harper's latest arrest, she's at a wit's end. Thus, she jumps at the opportunity to move to the Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, for a fresh start.

As Darcy is learning the ropes of both Aunt Ve's business, As You Wish, and wishcrafting, she and Harper are slowly settling down in the Enchanted Village and learning the rules of their new world. Darcy is happy with her new life... but unfortunately for her, it is about to get complicated when Alexandra Shively, a woman who claimed to be a Crafter, is found dead and the main suspect is Velma's current beau. And then, there's Nick Sawyer, a widower with a daughter and also the first man since her divorce whose sight makes her heart beats faster... and also a Mortal.

My Opinion:  I was really looking forward to It Takes a Witch for two reasons. First, as you must all know by now, I'm a fan of witches and wizards characters. I can't express in words my attraction to them. Perhaps it's the possibility of magic or the fact that among the supernatural beings, they're the closest to normal but with a few quirks :P Anyway, I like witches and wizards :) Second and most important, the author is Heather Blake aka Heather Webber who writes the Lucy Valentine series, a series that I've really been enjoying :) I've been looking forward to her next release and therefore, It Takes a Witch :)

I have to admit that at first, I was a bit anxious about It Takes a Witch. While I love witches and wizards characters, finding good books featuring them is hard ^_^; Guess I'm really picky when it comes to world building and the use of their powers. Also, I've been reading more cozy mysteries lately and discovered that I'm not a fan of characters sleuthing... which is 95% of the cozy mystery genre ^_^; However, it turns out my worries were for naught and in the end, I really enjoyed It Takes a Witch :)  Once again, Ms Heather (dunno if I should go with Blake or Webber, so Ms Heather it is) has come up with fun characters and a cute series.

What I liked most about It Takes a Witch was the setting and atmosphere. The Enchanted Village reminds me of a town square with a lot of touristic attractions, shops and where everyone knows each other. It seems serene and cute, but at the same time, quirky and it's the feel I got from reading the book :) I also think Ms Heather did a great job with the world building when it came to the Crafters. In the acknowledgments, Ms Heather thank a friend for the hours spent fleshing out the rules and I believe it was hours well-spent! :) It's clear that Ms Heather knows where she is going and that the world is fleshed out in her mind. I like that there are rules, structure to this world. Another reason I think why the world building worked so well for me is the fact that Darcy is new to this world. As a result, she has limited knowledge and nothing is a given, taken for granted or considered 'normal.' And instead of the dreaded info dump, readers get to discover the world alongside Darcy :)

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed a lot was the characters. Ms Heather has created a fun and likable cast and I find they really contributed to the feel of It Takes a Witch :) They're just fun and good-natured and of course, curious :) Oh and I liked Ms Heather's inclusion of the familiars!! :) Of course, I should mention Darcy as she's the heroine. I have to say, I really liked Darcy :) It seems like Darcy was stuck in a rut before discovering she was a Crafter. However, once she moved to the Enchanted Village, it looks like she has finally awaken. I like that she's taking advantage of this fresh start and is embracing her new life. She's making new friends and becoming part of the community. It was really nice to see. The only thing that bothered me about Darcy was the fact that she was a bit too suspicious of everyone and everything. I guess it's because I trust too easily in real life... But to see her question everyone's motives and intentions, it just felt  a bit sad and very tiring to me :(

Of course, the fact that Darcy was suspicious served well to storyline :) Otherwise, I doubt she'd have sleuthed around to resolve the mystery. Speaking of the mystery, I enjoyed it too. It was interesting and suspenseful enough to keep me engaged. And I liked that the culprit wasn't obvious. There were some nice twists and surprises and that's always nice when reading cozy mysteries. I also appreciated the touch of romance or should I say the promise of romance in the future :) I liked Nick and I think he and Darcy have a great chemistry together. I thought the pacing of their relationship fit with the circumstances and the fact that they've both been burned before. I'm definitively looking forward to more.

My only complaint about It Takes a Witch aside from Darcy being over-suspicious is the fact that this series has a lot of similarities with the Lucy Valentines series. Darcy is a witch and Lucy, a psychic. Both work in a family businesses that take advantage of their abilities. And while this new series isn't as fluffy as the Lucy Valentine's, the feel is very similar. I don't think it's a bad thing that Ms Heather took elements that worked in the Lucy Valentine series and used them here... but it definitively gives a sense of déjà-vu a times. That being said, it won't stop me from reading both series and enjoying them LOL.

My Grade: B. I really liked It Takes a Witch and thought it was a solid first installment to the series. I'm looking forward to the next book, A Witch Before Dying, coming out in August :)

Review: Hidden by Kelley Armstrong

Hidden by Kelley Armstrong

published by Subterranean Press in December 2011

Hiking through the snow, holiday baking and playing board games by the fire – what’s not to love about an old-fashioned family Christmas?

Werewolves Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers want to give their four-year-old twins, Kate and Logan, something their parents never had: a nice, normal holiday. No Pack responsibilities, no homicidal half-demons or power-hungry sorcerers to deal with – just the four of them, alone, at a chalet outside Ontario’s Algonquin Park.

Then a strange werewolf shows up at their door…while the town is buzzing about a young man, back from college, found half-eaten in the woods. And there’s the missing little girl…

With all the signs pointing to a rogue mutt with a taste for human flesh, Elena and Clay have no choice but to investigate. But are they the hunters – or the hunted?

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Women of the Otherworld, Book #10.4

The Story: It is pretty much as the synopsis describes. In Hidden, Elena and Clayton have planned to celebrate Christmas with their twins, Logan and Kate, at a cabin in Ontario. Unfortunately, plans are disrupted when it appears there is a mutt in the neighborhood and they must assess the threat.

However, what worries Elena the most is a personal problem. As the twins are growing up, it's becoming increasingly hard to hide their werewolves nature from the twins and Elena is faced with the dilemma of revealing the truth or continuing the charade.

My Opinion: The Women of the Otherworld series holds a special place in my heart :) It's one of the first urban fantasy series I've read and also one of my favorites! I love the world and the characters Ms Armstrong has created. Although, I admit that in the past couple of years, I've dropped the ball a little bit ^_^; Basically, it's because Ms Armstrong is wrapping up the series with a trilogy featuring Savannah... Savannah has never been my favorite character and I figure I'd stack up the deck by reading the whole trilogy in one go instead of waiting a year in between book :) However, when I heard that Ms Armstrong was coming out with a novella featuring Elena, Clay and the twins? There was no doubt that I'd move heaven and earth to get my hands on it!

Not surprisingly, I really enjoyed Hidden :) Where to start? LOL. I looooved seeing Elena and Clay as parents and their interactions with the twins! It was just so sweet! We've witnessed Elena and Clay's relationship evolved throughout the series, from Elena and Clay's reconciliation to Elena's concerns about them becoming parents and up to this point. I have to say, I'm really glad Ms Armstrong took this step with this relationship and the way she developed it. Yes, it was the natural and logical next move in their relationship, but I don't think it was an easy one to execute and therefore Ms Armstrong was very brave. And execute she definitively did :) As I mentioned, I loved seeing Elena and Clay as parents. It's hard to be good parents, but it's even harder when you're werewolves! It's especially hard for Elena as she became an orphan at a young age, was moved from one foster home to another and therefore, didn't have a great childhood. I find her insecurity very realistic, but she doesn't let it show when she interacts with her children and with the support of Jeremy, both she and Clay are formidable parents in my opinion :) I also love that parenthood has strengthened their love as well :) I think it was great to see them wanting each other as much as they did in the beginning, perhaps even more. All in all, I think Elena and Clay have achieved the ultimate HEA ending and I'm glad for them!

We've seen glimpses of Kate and Logan in the past, but Hidden was really a treat :)  Obviously, the twins are a bit precocious, but I think, overall, it worked LOL. They do remind me a lot of Clay! I also liked that Kate and Logan each had their own personality. I thought once again Ms Armstrong did a great job with the characterization, but for me, it was really the bond between the twins. The ribbing between siblings, the subtle rivalry, the chemistry and connection :) You can see that even as such a young age, their bond is unbreakable :)

I was really surprised to find out that Elena and Clay had not told the twins about being werewolves. It was definitively interesting to see Elena's feelings and approach to the dilemma and as it was explained, it was totally understandable. I assumed that Logan and Kate would both turn into werewolves... but it's true that Clay and Elena were both bitten and Elena is the only female werewolf, so nothing is guaranteed. As such, I can understand why she's so cautious and worried. I think this was definitively the most interesting storyline of the book. As for the mystery, it was okay. It wasn't particularly suspenseful or as strong as what we're used to with Ms Armstrong, but then again, Hidden was quite short. Plus, it really wasn't meant to be the focus of this book. Another element that I enjoyed in Hidden was the Pack. We got to see the new dynamics of the Pack with the inclusion of the twins and the two new members, Reese and Noah. Reese and Noah are two young werewolves and I feel that's exactly what the Pack needed. And it was great to see Nick in the role of a big brother :) By the way, still love the connection between Elena-Clay-Nick.

My only complaint about this book would be the publication itself. Hidden was published by Subterranean Press and as such, is not cheap. I didn't mind the price so much, because I'm really a hardcore fan and I think that's the audience the author and publisher had in mind. Also, I think this is a good length novella and the binding of the hardcover is good quality... but, I was expecting more illustrations. Ms Armstrong's website indicates 6 illustrations and there were 4. I wonder if it's because I got the hardcover copy as opposed to the leather-bound one. Also, if the publisher has gone to such length, it would have been cool that the illustrations coordinate with the text.

My Grade: A-. I really, really enjoyed Hidden. I think it was a great book and I simply loved re-visiting Elena and Clay and the Pack. Throughout the story, I picked up little references to the past and it really made me want to go back and re-read the series, especially Savage. Clay will never, never, never live down the guinea pig!! LOL! I also loved reading more about the twins and discovering the new dynamics :) This book was definitively meant to be for the fans and please them... and it pleased me enormously. It was a real joy to read Elena and Clay's HEA ending and it really tied up some loose ends... for now :) I definitively hope that Ms Armstrong will be re-visiting this series in the future. For now, if you are a fan of Clay and Elena, do not miss Hidden :)

Monthly Reads: December 2011

Yes, I finally did it!! I have completed my Monthly Reads post for December 2011!!!! Finally, I can say that I am done with 2011!!!! Hip pip pip, hooray!!! LOL, okay, so we're in February, but still. I'm so happy, you guys cannot imagine. If you've been wondering why I've been so quiet, well it's because I've been working on this post since the week-end ^_^;

It is quite long and for that I'm sorry. I did consider splitting it into 2 parts, but that would have just delayed me and I just wanted to be done LOL. As usual, I couldn't be short and concise. I had to ramble and I wonder at times, if it makes sense... If it doesn't, well the only reason I can come up with is that I ran out of steam LOL.

So here we go!

1) Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews: C+

After the events of Bayou Moon, Kaldar Mar wants revenge against The Hand for the family members he lost and therefore became an agent of the Mirror. His latest mission is to retrieve a stolen item. His investigation leads him to Audrey Callahan. Audrey is from a family of grifters/cons and has a particular ability involving locks, but all she wants is to lead a normal life and be left alone by her family. Audrey has no intention to help Kaldar... but it quickly becomes evident she doesn't have a choice.

While I love and adore the Kate Daniels series, I can't say the same about the Edge series. Still, I had hopes and that's why I picked up Fate's Edge. I remember when I first started the Kate Daniels series, I wasn't won over by the first two books... it took Magic Strikes to ignite my love... and I was hoping the same would happen with Fate's Edge. Unfortunately, I'm still left undecided.

In my opinion, the strength of Fate's Edge were the characters. I really liked Kaldar :) He was the ultimate con artist in my opinion. Think Neil Caffey from White Collar, but rough and gritty instead of the sophistication :) His persona was also quite fascinating. He was humorous on the surface, but when you scratched the outside layers, you found someone very intense and loyal. The fact that he placed his family above all... In that aspect, Audrey is the complete opposite. She wanted to break away from her family and it was interesting to see that Kaldar didn't understand that. While I didn't like Audrey as much as Kaldar, mostly because she was a wary character and therefore her personality didn't engage me, she was well developed and layered. It's too bad that with two interesting characters, the romance was weak. I just didn't get the sparks between them. Although I have to admit it was funny when Kaldar proved to be a better con artist than Audrey. She clearly didn't expect it LOL.

Aside from Kaldar and Audrey, it was a joy to see the familiar faces of Georges, Jack and Gaston. I loved the interactions between the boys and Kaldar. Poor Kaldar, suddenly being saddled with them LOL. Luckily, he had experience with kids. I liked seeing Georges and his determination... but I found it sad that Jack hasn't matured after 4 years. I know he's a shapeshifter, but I don't think that excuses it. There's just something about his character...

Finally, the storyline was okay. There was plenty of action, but it didn't have me turning the pages as fast as I could. I think one reason for me is that the world building is still confusing, if not weak. There's just so much: the Broken, the Weird, the Edge, the Hand, the Mirror and so on... and all of it is still not well defined for me. The fact that we keep going back and forth between books doesn't help either :(

In the end, I still don't know where I stand with this series. I really don't have the urge to read more, but at the same time, there are some characters I'd be interested to read about such as Richard, Kaldar's older brother... But from what I understand, whether there is more books in this series is a really big if.

2) A Note in the Margin by Isabelle Rowan: C-

John McCann is an ambitious man who has worked hard and is about to achieve his professional dreams. Unfortunately, he'll have to wait due to health issues. His doctor has advised him to change his lifestyle, go for something less stressful... and that's how John ends up the proud owner of Margins, an independent bookstore. While the bookstore is just a temporary situation, John intends to turn it around and that means implementing some changes... The first one would be not to let people linger the whole day, reading in the used books section - especially a homeless man. However, the homeless man, David, is a regular and also John's employee's friend. And as time goes by, a bond between John and David is forged... but David has a lot of baggage that might not fit well in John's plans.

I want to start by saying that A Note in the Margin was a poignant story, but unfortunately, not my type of books. It was just a bit too deep for me ^_^; It focused on the relationship between John and David and while I liked that part, I kept wondering why. Why would John change his life around for David. Okay, I know, he loves David... but why was he attracted to David in the first place? Also, why did David leave his family? Was he suffering from depression? Was he tired of living a life that wasn't his? I know that it happens, that some people just up and leave and sometimes, for no reasons... but I like to understand things and it didn't really happen here. Nonetheless, I liked the relationship between John and David, how they both really wanted and put the efforts into it, even though it wasn't easy. However, it wouldn't be a book I'd read again.


3) The Lady's Secret by Joanna Chambers: B
Upcoming Review.


4) Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep: C+
Upcoming Review.


5) Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder: B-


6) Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski: B
Upcoming Review.

7) The One that I Want by Jennifer Echols: D

I usually enjoy Ms Echols books, but this one really didn't work for me. The story is about Gemma who is trying out to be a majorette because she's being pressured by her "best friend" Addison. Gemma has always been good twirling her batons, but the issue is that she is chubby. So through the whole summer, she's been losing weight in preparation... and she makes it! So during camp, she meets Max' who is the star kicker for the opposite team and has a crush on him. Unfortunately, Max chooses to go out with Addison and Gemma is stuck with Max' best friend... or so she thinks.

Ugh, so The One that I Want was all about high school drama. I really disliked the fact that Gemma let Addison push her around. She knows that Addison is not a good friend and despite everything, remains friend with the girl. That simply baffled me. Sometimes, being alone is better than being with a back-stabber friend. Just saying. So in my opinion, Gemma should had ditched Addison a long time ago, especially since she couldn't be trusted. Then, knowing Addision, Gemma should have known that something was up with the pairing.

As for the rest, it felt like there were issues just to be issues. There was not much that I liked... Gemma was an okay heroine. At least she knew about Addison and was wary, which makes her smart in my book. Plus, I like her sense of individualism and independence. But some of her action really made me wonder. Like her making out with Max' best friend when she's not attracted to him? Why? As for Max, I liked the fact that he was Asian and playing football LOL... but otherwise, he didn't make a better impression than Gemma.

8) Only Us by Susan Mallery: C

Carina Fiore is a pet groomer who works in Dr. Cameron McKenzie's vet clinic. She also takes care of his daughter and their arrangement seems to suit them both. Except that Carina has been in love with Cameron for a while and she needs to either confess or let go. However, Cameron has been burned before and he's not sure it's a good idea to get involved with the woman who takes care of his daughter, even though she's great and attractive. Cameron wants everything to remain the same, but can they?

Okay, let's clear out one thing... It seems to me that once love is confessed, things can never go back to normal. Ideally, it should, but reality is different. There's always a bit of discomfort and embarrassment and I think in that case, distance and time are two good things... but do not let the ball drop. Anyway, I'm saying this because I feel that in the end, Cameron's reasons to turn down Carina was stupid. He doesn't want things to change, doesn't want to lose Carina. After her confession, you really think that she'll stay, watching you going out with other women?!? That's why he should have gone for her instead. In the end, it feels like he only accepted her because she threatened to leave. It puts a doubt on the sincerity of his feelings :(

Anyway. I did enjoy Carina and Cameron's daughter, Kaitlyn, relationship :) And as a whole, everyone was really good people.

9) Winning the Wallflower by Eloisa James: B-

Lady Lucy Towerton is engaged to Mr. Cyrus Ptolemy Ravensthorpe, a rich and dashing businessman. When Lucy suddenly inherited a fortune and becomes an heiress, she is urged by her mother to ditch Cyrus and set her cap for a title... but, Lucy is in love with Cyrus. However, after a frank discussion with Cyrus, she discovers that Cyrus only needed a wife with a good background, that he didn't really have feelings for her, and she therefore calls it off.

Cyrus is an ambitious man with plans. He wants to gain back his mother's status, the daughter of an aristocrat who caused a scandal by marrying the family solicitor. Already, he has attained great wealth and has acquired a country estate... The next step is a wife. He has chosen Lady Lucy because she was a wallflower and therefore had not much prospect, but also because she was easy on the eye. After Lucy calls it off, Cyrus realizes the treasure he had under his nose... and he intends to win it back.

Winning the Wallflower was a really cute and charming story :) I liked both the H/H, their personalities but also what drove them. I thought it was honorable from Cyrus to wants to regain his mother's status :) Although he did go to the extreme and perhaps was a bit too focused LOL. Also, I really liked how methodical and organized he was with the Plan! In the end, I think that Cyrus needed a wake-up call and got it when Lucy broke off the engagement. I did like that he went after her, not because of his bruised ego - although there was a bit of that - but because he realized she was a good woman :) As for Lucy, she was really the type of heroine you want to read about. I loved how she finally took control of her life and didn't settle for a pair of pretty eyes. She deserved more and she was not about to settle, even if it meant perhaps not getting married.

The romance was very sweet and enjoyable. Obviously, I wished the story had been a bit longer - isn't that always the case with good novellas? :) Although I do think the novella ended at an awkward moment...  and I'm a bit disappointed though that we never saw Lucy confront her mother.

10) It Happened One Christmas by Kaitlin O'Riley: C-

Ms O'Riley is an author I've had on my radar for a while. Finally I thought I should give her a try by picking up It Happened One Christmas as I was in the mood for a Christmas-themed book. It Happened One Christmas is the third book in the Hamilton series and is Lisette's story. Lisette has been waiting for Henry to be settled enough to propose... and he finally does - just when she meets another interesting man, Quinton Roxbory, a younger son of an earl and a rising architect. Unfortunately, Quinton is also an engaged man... and both wonder if they are engaged to the wrong person.

So It Happened One Christmas was a well-written book, but... it was also a tad boring ^_^; Nothing exciting happened, the tone was a bit monotonous. There wasn't really anything that stood out enough for me to be engaged. Actually, there was - I liked the street urchin's storyline, but in the end, I thought it was superfluous. It was like two parallel storylines that intersect near the end, but with no real connection. I think the problem was that the storyline was a bit too obvious. Yes, I know, this is a romance... but here we are, with our H/H who are each engaged to different person. They meet and there is a connection between them, a chemistry... and fate has it that they keep crossing path. Then you learn that Lisette's fiancée is a stable staid man and Quinton's fiancée, the spoiled daughter of a duke. Right away, you know there's no passionate love between the H/H and their respective betrothed and therefore, no real conflict to stop them from being together. Anything they come up with are simply excuses ^_^;

Another thing that bothered me - and this is me nick-picking - is the fact that people called Quinton Mr instead of Lord. Aren't younger sons and daughters of earl still called Lord? I know it's not something really important, but it seemed wrong. Of course, I might be wrong - in which case, please let me know!

All in all, I'd read more of Ms O'Riley, but perhaps not this series.

11) Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson: C+

Okay, I'm going to skip the synopsis for this one, because I don't really know what to say. Basically, Autumn and Sam met in Las Vegas years ago and a passionate week-end led them to a quickie marriage, a quickie divorce and a son, Connor. Autumn is now an event planner and Sam is a hockey star, playing for the Chinooks of Seattle. A wedding throws them back together and somehow, they start spending more time together and sparks are re-ignited. Only problem is Autumn doesn't know if she can trust Sam again. Guess in the end, I knew what to say LOL.

I've enjoyed Ms Gibson's books in the past, but I have to admit, The Chinooks Hockey team series is not working for me. I can't really pinpoint what is not working, but it goes beyond my dislike of hockey... because I usually enjoy sport romances. Perhaps it's because all of the heroes are pretty  much the same - jocks with inflated ego. Also, the sport aspect has been pretty weak in my opinion. Yet I still bought Any Man of Mine because it was a contemporary sport romances and they are rare these days. And then, it took me a couple of months before reading it, because the reviews have been so-so only.

Perhaps it was due to the low expectations, but I thought Any Man of Mine wasn't that bad. I liked that Sam actually had a relationship with Connor prior to the book. Sure, Sam wasn't going to win any Father of the Year award and wasn't 100% available, but he at least had contact with Connor which is so much more than some fathers. Then, once he realized how much he's hurt Connor by breaking their arrangements, he was genuinely sorry and he tried to do better. Not a perfect father, but a willing one at least and I think that counted for something.

The rest of the book was about Sam and Autumn reconnecting and I thought that was the weak part of the book.  I like second chances story, but I don't really get why Sam suddenly fell in love with Autumn again. Why he wanted to be with Autumn and be a family again. Also, I found it annoying that Autumn would jump back into bed with Sam, but not sure about the rest. I understand Autumn's reservation - she has to think of Connor and also, how Sam treated her the first time around... but in that case, don't start sleeping with him!! I think overall, Any Man of Mine lacked some depth. Had Ms Gibson expands on a few points and this book definitively would have been better.

12) Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare: B-

This is a novella part of Ms Dare's new series. Violet Winterbottom has been hiding in Spindle Cove after her heart has been broken. However, she's about to return to London and have another Season per her family's demands. There is a dance before the night she leaves and Violet attends... but the dance is interrupted when a man, wet and injured, barged in the ballroom and literally falls at Violet's feet. The man is not English and because Violet is the only one who seems to understand him, she is tasked to find out more about him while the militia prepares for an attack.

Okay, so my impression of Once Upon a Winter's Eve is it was better than the first book in the Spindle Cove series, A Night to Surrender. The storyline was more appealing and more exciting in my opinion - although a bit more far-fetched ^_^; I liked Violet, her story and her relationship with the hero.  As for the hero, what he did to Violet was unforgivable really, no matter the pain and grief he felt... but I guess he redeemed himself by risking his mission and reaching out for Violet. Overall, a nice novella.

13) A Rare Gift by Jaci Burton: B-

This was a freebie I got from Harlequin for Christmas. Wyatt Kent is still reeling from his divorce with his ex and it's been already two years. Then, he suddenly finds himself working in close proximity of his ex-sister-in-law Calliope... and Wyatt is attracted! However, no matter how different Calliope is, he's not ready to embark in another relationship... But Calliope intends to make him see reason!

I think having H/H who were ex-in-laws falling in love with each other is always a bit iffy and so authors have to thread carefully to make it work. In the case of A Rare Gift, Ms Burton was successful. I bought the attraction between Calliope and Wyatt and didn't mind that they were ex-in-laws. I do think that Callliope was a bit pushy at times. I agree with her that he needed a push when it came to starting the relationship... but once they did, I thought she could have backed off a little. Yes, it was time for Wyatt to move on, but at the same time to push him to meet with his ex... Was that really for his benefit or for your own? I did like that in the end, Calliope's sister wasn't such a bitch. She did come across as selfish, but I guess they just drifted away. Anyway, a nice novella, but not sure I'd re-read it.

14) The First Love Cookie Club by Lori Wilde: C

There is a legend that "On Christmas Eve, if you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your one true love, he will be your destiny." And so that's why pudgy teenager Sarah Collier ran down the church aisle on Christmas Day in a jingle bell sweater and reindeer antlers, trying to stop Travis Walker from marrying someone else. Humiliating? Yes. That's why Sarah has not set foot back in Twilight ever since. Fast-forward to 8-9 years, Sarah is now a best-seller author for children known as Sadie Cool. She gets a letter asking her to return to Twilight for the sake of a little sick fangirl who turns out to be Travis' daughter. Unbesknownt to Sarah, the cookie club is trying to do a lot more than realize Jazzy's dream... they want to make the legend come true.

I got this book at RWA and figured it'd be a nice read for Christmas. However, I think by the time I read The First Love Cookie Club, I've already saturated on Christmas-themed book. All in all, The First Love Cookie Club was a nice book, but not really memorable. I think it felt a bit too forced, the fact that all those ladies were pushing Travis and Sarah into each other's arm. And when they finally decided to succumb, to throw in the mother? Especially because Raylene had called her back? I think that whole aspect bothered me most, although it did make sense to some extent. It's just, who are you to play with other people's life? I also have to say I didn't care much about Sarah. I just found her a bit too young and self-absorbed. So you've embarrassed yourself years ago. Just move on and live your life. Instead, it seems to me she's been hiding for years. And when it came time for her to be selfish, she wasn't!! Ugh. As for Travis, I just felt like he was a puppet that anyone could pull the strings. His priority was Jazzy, his focus was Jazzy, his life was Jazzy. The rest, people could do whatever he wanted. I think it'd really have been nice if Travis had a male friend, it would have balanced everything out a little bit. Anyway, the best part of this book was the devotion Travis had for his daughter - it was just heart-warming and in the spirit of Christmas.

15) Unlocked by Courtney Milan: B

Unlocked is a novella, therefore short, but it packs quite a punch! The story is about Lady Elaine Warren who after ten seasons has resigned herself to spinsterhood. All she wants is for the ton to stop making fun of her and her mother. However, her hopes are dashed when Evan Carlton, the Earl of Westfeld, returns... or so she thinks. Evan cannot believe that the nickname he's given to Lady Elaine - Lady Equine - because of her laugh is still whispered around after all this time. Now that he's back from his self-imposed exile, it is time for him to step up to the plate and right the wrong he's done.

I really liked this novella, because I felt Ms Milan has captured the human nature. The thoughtlessness of a young man and his cowardice... and the maturity and redemption of the grown man. The wariness of a woman, her strength, her courage and also her forgiveness. Ms Milan's characters were flawed and very real and it made this novella in my opinion. I loved that Evan had the courage to stand up and reveal the truth - I think that was one of the best declarations I've read in a romance. I loved that not all was forgotten when Evan declared himself just so Elaine would marry. That after all the hurt she's endured, she didn't do a complete 180 and fallen in love with him right away. Okay, it didn't take that much time, but hey this was a novella :) In any case, Ms Milan totally won me over with the characters, the depth and the writing. My only question is, where was Elaine's father? All these years, where was he? I'd think that after 3 or 4 seasons, he'd start to try finding out why his pretty daughter didn't have a suitor and arrange something. Luckily for me, it didn't detract too much from the story :)

16) A Taste of Nightlife by Sarah Zettel: C

Charlotte Caine is a chef and half-owner of Nightlife, a Greenwich Village restaurant that caters to humans and paranormals, especially vampires. Her evening starts well, especially when she gets news that the notorious food critic for the vampire community is among the customers. Charlotte intends to impress him with the food. Everything quickly goes downhill when a drunk mage stumbles in Nightlife, makes a scene which causes the fire sprinklers to go off, and is later found dead, drained of blood, in the dining room. When the police starts suspecting her vampire brother, Chet, Charlotte is determined to prove his innocence and finds herself noising around alongside with Anatole Severin, the vampire food critic and also elder in the community, and Brendan Maddox, the dead mage's cousin.

I picked this up because I came across the cover of Let Them Eat Stake and thought the book sounded very interesting. Since it was only coming out this April and it was the second book in the series, I decided to check out the first book, A Taste of Nightlife. What caught my attention was the idea of a human chef, Charlotte, trying to cater to a vampiric clientele - it sounded fun :)

While A Taste of Nightlife is a cozy mystery, it had one of the best paranormal world building I've come across in a while. It was simple, interesting and there was no information dump, instead it was well woven into the storyline. I really, really liked the world Ms Zettel has created, especially when you add in the heroine who is a chef and the restaurant atmosphere. I think I've mentioned it before, but I really like characters who are cooks/chefs because they have so much passion, but also personality :) I think just for the building alone, I would come back to this series! That's how much I liked it.

So the beginning was very strong, with the setting up, introduction of the characters and so on. Unfortunately, when it came to the mystery, it was very convoluted and there wasn't really any explanation... and that's where this book started losing me ^_^; It just started getting confusing as the mystery was a bit all over the place with too much going on. And finally, there was the dreaded love triangle ^_^; That just annoyed me, not only because I wanted it to focus on the mystery for once... but if you're going to introduce romantic elements, it doesn't have to be a love triangle!! Especially when you don't make it clear why these two awesome, charming and powerful men are interested in the girl! Don't get me wrong, I liked Charlotte... but I don't understand why two "pioneers" of their community are attracted to her at the same time. If you really need to do love triangles, then please try to be at least a little original.

In the end, I'm still looking for the perfect cozy mystery series for me and I'm left unsure whether I should pick up Let Them Eat Stake... I guess only time will tell.

17) When a Duke Says I Do by Jane Goodger: B

This book took me by surprise, because I didn't know that Ms Goodger had a release coming out in 2011 :) As soon as I found out, I decided to give this book a go, because it sounded really interesting :)

The story is about Miss Elsie Stanhope who's been betrothed to the future Duke of Kingston since she was a young girl. Her betrothed doesn't seem to be in a hurry to get married and that suits Elsie just fine as she's not ready to leave her father's household and her younger sister Mary behind. Also, the current Duke of Kingston is not an easy man to live with and she wants as little contact with the man as possible. For her next birthday ball, Elsie wants a mural painting in the ballroom and hired the most famous painter to perform the task. Said painter has brought with him his mute young assistant, Andre, and Elsie finds herself intrigued by the man. As Elsie has trouble sleeping in her bed, she has the habit of wandering in the house late at night and ends up keeping Andre company while he paints. One thing leads to another and very quickly, Elsie and Andre are in love with each other. Then, suddenly, the Duke of Kingston is pushing his son to honor the betrothal... There is only one way for Elsie and Andre to have a happy ending and it is for pathologically shy Andre whose real name is Alexander to step up and reveal his true identity.

This book started out strong for me. I really liked Andre/Alexander's character. He definitively was the strong and quiet type, emphasis on quiet... and his past, I can't imagine what he went through. Then again, I think if he had stayed with his family, his father would have broken him. It was better for him to be away and he was lucky that the doctor at the asylum really cared about his patients and noticed the truth about Alexander. I also thought it was admirable that for Elsie, he would renounced to anonymity. That he'd step up and reclaim his birthright. You can see how hard it was for him and yet... he did it. And therefore, it's a bit hard to resent him for his attitude towards Elsie after he stopped her wedding. I definitively think she should have more faith in Alexander, even when her father was pressuring her. Also, the whole thing was pretty ironic as a situation ^_^;

I also liked the story as I thought it was different, original. My problem with When a Duke Says I Do stemmed from Elsie. I actually liked her at first. Her background story was interesting and sad at the same time and it explained really well why she wouldn't sleep in her bed. However, as the story went on, I started caring less and less about her. It seemed to me Elsie should have known better than to spend that much time with Alexander. Sure, Alexander didn't turn her away, but she could have wandered anywhere in the house... Why go back to Alexander night after night? Especially when she knew she was falling in love with him and it couldn't happen. Also, Elsie was portrayed as a very sunny and happy person. She's been sheltered and therefore, a bit naïve in the way life really is... and that really bothered me to a certain degree, because in her mind, Alexander reclaiming his status was going to be easy. A walk in the park. And then when Alexander finally finds the courage to brave his demons, she doesn't have enough faith in him to wait :( Yes, there were evidences, but she threw in the towel too easily for me.

Lastly, I would have liked a little follow-up with the other characters at the end. For example, Elsie jilted fiancé, Oscar. I really would have liked to see his reaction. I would also have liked to have seen more of Alexander's mentor and his mother. In any case, these are small complaints. Overall, When a Duke Says I Do was a strong historical, but more importantly, refreshing :)


18) Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke
Upcoming Review.


19) Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Upcoming Review for Netgalley


20) Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
Upcoming Review.

21) If I Stay by Gayle Forman: B

When Mia got in the car with her parents and younger brother for a fun, impromptu family outing, she never expected her life to change forever. In a blink of an eye, Mia went from dozing off to waking up, out of her body. After surgery, Mia's body slips into a coma... Surrounded by her family and friends, Mia has to decide if she can survive her parent's death, if she can stay.

This book first came to my attention when Mollie reviewed it. It sounded like a very deep, touching book... So when it was released in paperback, I picked it up :) However, because I've been expecting to bawl my eyes off, I have been putting it off ^_^; I was finally in the mood in December and I'm glad I've finally read it!

As expected, If I Stay was a very good read. It is a little bit unusual, because not much is happening. The book is a reflection on Mia's life. As she debates whether to stay or not, we get flashbacks of her important moments. How she got into music, how she met her boyfriend Adam, etc. In a way, it's very passive, but it works because of the characters and the writing. There is no doubt that If I Stay is well-written, the style very refreshing. The hospital scenes and the flashbacks really flow seamlessly. Also the author has done a great job selecting the flashbacks. But really, what stands out in this book is the characters. Mia is a great heroine, very well-adjusted in her life. You can feel her love for her parents and younger brother, her passion for the cello and classical music, her chemistry with Adam. Adam was a great boyfriend as well. I loved that the two were different, but that they shared a passion for music :) I loved the moments of selfishness they each had. It just felt so real. And oh, Mia's parents? They were so cool. Quirky and non-conventional, but the best parents I've seen in a YA novel as they did communicate with Mia and Teddy, did bond and have a relationship with them :) In a way, I think it's because they didn't put pressure on themselves or the kids and just lived the kind of life they want :) They did everything on their own terms and that made them great parents :)

There were definitively some good moments in If I Stay such as the scene where Mia's grandfather tells her it's okay if she doesn't stay. That scene was so touching, even thinking about it now makes the tears come T_T And as I said, the characters totally made the book. At the same time, it was a bit uneventful as a story. There was no big secret to uncover, no wrong to right... it was definitively character-centric, but at the same time, it's not as if the relationship could really move forward or develop. Also, in my case, when I read the book, well I was already aware of the ending since there's a sequel Where She Went. So it was a bit anti-climatic and I think it lessened the impact for me, because it didn't turn out to be as emotional as I expected it'd be... And that's why at the end, I'm giving it a B.

22) The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance: C

Bethany and her best friend, Moni, are geek girls. When Moni decides to participate to the cheerleaders try-out to prove that cheerleaders aren't special and even geek girls can become one, Bethany joins her for support. She never expected they would succeed! Now Bethany's life is busier than ever and she's stuck between two worlds. However, it might be worth it all when Jack, the basketball star and Bethany's long-time crush, finally makes a move.

I'll admit, this is not my type of book. However, I've really been interested and wanting to read this book because of the whole geek girl aspect :) I consider myself a bit of a geek and with shows like The Big Bang Theory and Chuck, I think geeks are on the rise! :) So I was looking forward to this book... Unfortunately, there was nothing really special in The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading to make it really stand out :(

Overall, I think Ms Tahmaseb and Ms Vance did a good job with the geek aspect. It wasn't too stereotypical and overwhelming. Most of it was quite subtle, like Moni's cap: QTπ (Cutie Pie)! I actually think there was room to be even more geeky :) I also liked that becoming a cheerleader didn't change Bethany's life. Sure there were some changes, but the things that really mattered? No.

The rest of the book was just regular high school drama... and the falling-out between Moni and Bethany was too predictable :( I did like Bethany's attitude throughout the book though. She was quite mature, level-headed and realistic. I also liked that Jack was genuinely attracted to Bethany. And that she didn't catch his eye only because she had become a cheerleader. However, I think that something was missing in this relationship. The romance wasn't very engaging and I loath bets! Even if the bet wasn't what Bethany thought it was, it's just a bad idea :( All in all, The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading was a bit of a mixed bag for me. There was definitively some good stuff, but not enough to wow me.

23) Addition by Toni Jordan: D+

The story is about Grace who went through an emotional trauma when she was 8 years old and as a result, her world is now ruled with numbers. One day while grocery shopping, she realizes that she only has 9 bananas in her basket and she absolutely needs 10. Instead of going back to get her 10th banana, she notices that the guy behind her has one lone one in his basket... Who buys only 1 banana? Surely, he won't miss it right? And that's how she meets Sheamus.

I heard of Addition a couple of years ago already. The heroine has a certain type of OCD and I thought it'd be interesting to read about. Different. Unfortunately, I thought this book was so-so only. Perhaps it's my romance reader roots, but still.

The start was very promising. The grocery store scene was really funny and I liked the coffee shop scene as well. Grace's character was also very well-written. She has OCD, but you get the feeling that even though she didn't, she'd still be quirky. What didn't work for me was the Grace and Sheamus relationship. They were cute together, but everything went too fast. There basically was no courting, no trying to understand each other. I think that with someone like Grace who obviously has some baggage, the key is really communication and understanding. I get that Sheamus wanted to help Grace out, that his intentions were honorable. Still, you don't barge into someone's life and start changing things up. Also, it was bad from Grace to go along and never tell Sheamus the truth. So starting from that point, the book went downhill for me. Plus, Grace's fixation on her hero, some inventor that also had OCD, got old real fast. She would go off and off and that dragged the book :( I have to say though, I'm happy at the ending :)


Books bought: + 7
Books read: -23
TBR pile: -16

So I did finish the year 2011 with a bang. 23 books! I think that's the most I've read in a month in a long long time. It was partly due to the number of novellas I've read, but also because I wanted to reach 200 books and I did :) I also didn't realize how little books I've bought! I've been such a good girl! LOL. Now, I really feel like I'm due for a book shopping spree :)

Now that I'm done with 2011, I want to focus on catching up on full reviews :) Not just from 2011, but this past month as well. Then, I'll have to start working on my Monthly Reads post for January. I'm thinking though that I need to change something... I'm toying with the idea of doing Weekly Reads post like Ames instead... because recapping at the end of the month is really becoming a challenge. What do you think? Any suggestion?