Hauling Sunday LXXIII

How is everyone doing? Hope everything is good and you're not too tired from the "spring forward" LOL. I wen to the sugar shack yesterday with some friends :) It was pretty nice considering the nice weather we had :) Seems like spring is coming fast. Yay!

Best part of sugar shack is of course, the desserts! :)

 LOL. Now, onto books :)  The "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion was still on... which means I once again had a really good week book-buying wise LOL. Best of all, they finally found the books I wanted. Why would people put new releases in the over-stock?!?

The Temporary Wife/A Promise of Spring by Mary Balogh - I was a bit hesitant about this book, but I've been reading very good review for The Temporary Wife, so I decided to go ahead and buy it :)

Oracle's Moon by Thea Harrison - I haven't been a big fan of this series... but reviews have been really good for Oracle's Moon. In addition, the blurb has drawn my attention. I think I'll enjoy this one :)

Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash - This book has received a mixed bag of reviews. Some really enjoyed it while others found it shallow. I hope to be part of the ones who enjoyed it LOL.

The Tattooed Duke by Maya Rodale - Hmmm, another one I was hesitant about... but the price was real appealing with the promotion :) Plus, I did enjoy the writing in the two previous books... I'm just not sure about this particular storyline.

The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne by Madeline Hunter - Ms Hunter is a great writer and I thought this premise was refreshing :) Looking forward to reading it :)

Eon by Allison Goodman - I've heard a lot of good about this book and it really seems like something I would enjoy. However, the one time I got it from the library, I didn't feel like reading it ^_^; I think part of my reservation is due to the Asian influence this book seems to have. Recently though, this book has resurfaced on my Goodreads and blogs thanks to Christine and Mariana. So I thought I'd check it out again :)


I went to the bookstore again today, just to be sure I had everything I wanted LOL. Got some mangas and this book:

Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel - I actually wanted I Want Candi by Susan Donovan, but they couldn't find it, so I got Not Wicked Enough. Ms Jewel is an author I've read before, but never her historicals which I've been meaning to. And Ames enjoyed this one :)


And there we go :) This was my week. I think that's pretty much going to be it for the rest of the month :) Should keep me up till the new releases in April. What do you think? :) All right, I'm off to go watch the Briers finale!! Go Ontario! (Men's curling LOL)

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

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

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

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


To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries

published by Simon & Schuster in November 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Grade? B-.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh

Ouf, between work, reading and curling, my blogging is taking a hit ^_^; Work has been so busy as we're planning a rather important experiment next week. I have to prepare the samples and that's what failed earlier this week. Now, it's finally working! I don't know what was wrong with it, but my guess would be one of the reagents. Unfortunately, I changed too many of them to know which one was the faulty one. My reading has finally picked up! Yay!!! :) All I needed was new precious LOL. I went to the bookstore again today to take advantage of the "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion. Hopefully, it'll last me till the beginning of April when a lot of interesting new releases come out :) And curling... Sigh. I don't know. Perhaps I hyped it too much in my mind? Well it doesn't help the team I was rooting for is basically out :( Also, while there are a lot of close games, it seems to me a lot of teams are struggling and it's based rather on mistakes than on good shots :( Like the really important shots are missed rather than made. Still, it occupies me so that's a good thing :)

Since I don't usually have any reviews prepared, I'm taking a shortcut once again by reviewing Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh, LOL. Enjoy!


Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh
published by Berkley in February 2012

In Angel's Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

In Angels' Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all...

Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT

In Angels' Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless...

And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Angels' Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Guild Hunter series, Books #0.5, #1.5, #4.5 and #4.75

Angel's Flight is a compilation of 4 novellas in the Guild Hunter series by Ms Singh. I have already read and reviewed Angel's Judgement and Angel's Wolf. Follow the links for the reviews :)

However, it was my first time reading Angel's Pawn, the prequel e-novella that Ms Singh had published to introduce the series :)

The Story: In Angel's Pawn, a newly-made vampire from an old vampire family has been kidnapped by  a kiss - a group of vampires banding together for a common purpose. The regional angel, Nazarach, could easily intercede and put an end to the feud; however, he has decided to teach his people a lesson and has therefore retain the service of the Guild. Thus, the task falls onto Ashwini. Knowing the situation is much more delicate than it seems, Ashwini reaches out to Janvier, a 200+ years old vampire that she's hunted twice before. Having been part of Nazarach's court, he is aware of the regional politics and could be a great ally to have on her side...

My Opinion: I've read all the Guild Hunter books and have been curious about Ashwini and Janvier's relationship and therefore was looking forward to finally read Angel's Pawn. The title really fit the story very well, as Ashwini was essentially a pawn in Nazarach's game. Overall, I really enjoyed this novella. My favorite part was the characters. Ashwini and Janvier were both interesting and rather unique. Of course, what stood out was their flirty relationship, their chemistry and the sexual tension :) Still, you could gleam their competence through their actions. These two know what they're doing... and it makes them even more interesting. I would have liked to know more about Ash's powers, but I guess it's something we'll find out in their book. I'm looking forward to it and hope we won't have to wait too long :P

For such a short story, I think Ms Singh had a good storyline. It was a bit simple, but still interesting and more importantly, well paced with some nice twists thrown into it :) I especially enjoyed the politics :) Everyone is after power and is playing games to obtain it. It also really fit the series. However, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much have I read it as the prequel it is supposed to be. I think have I read it without any knowledge of the Guild Hunter series, I would have been disappointed with the world building and lack of information.

All in all, a very nice and solid short story. Unfortunately, I had one issue with Angel's Pawn and it's actually one of my biggest pet peeve... the French!! I know most people who are reading this won't be picking up the errors. But if it's going to be in print, might as well be sure it's correct! And seriously, I'm sure if Ms Singh or anyone at Berkley asked someone to check it out, that person would be flattered and embarrassing situations could be avoided! Let's start with the easy one... the 'cher.' Janvier is talking to Ashwini and calling her 'cher.' Well there's only a little problem: Ashwini is obviously a woman. So it's not cher, but chère. And notice the accent on first e!! I can't tell you how many time I've seen both these mistakes! It's easy, cher for men and chère for women.

Now, the second mistake and more embarrassing one ^_^;

"[...] along with a proposal that I should consider marrying his daughter Jean." Pronounced in the French way, the name sounded sensual and electric.

One of the reasons French is such a difficult language is because words have genders - feminine and masculine and you have to consider what they refer to. Hence the cher and chère. Well, some first names have feminine and masculine versions too... And unfortunately, in this case, Jean is the masculine version ^_^; Basically, it's John... and pronounced the French way, when referring to a woman, it does not sound sensual nor electric ^_^; It should have been spelled Jeanne and pronounced the French way, it actually sounds a lot like Jane... perhaps just a little softer. Luckily, those mistakes happened early in the story and so, didn't impact my reading too much.

My Grade: B+. Despite the French mistakes, I still enjoyed Angel's Pawn very much :)


And the new novella written by Ms Singh for Angel's Flight was Angel's Dance.

The Story:  Angel's Dance takes place 400 years before Angel's Blood and features Galen - one of Raphael's Seven, Jessamy and their romance. Back then, Raphael had just become an archangel and Galen had decided to postulate for the position of weapon-master. There was no room for Galen in Titus' court, in which he grew. Had he stayed on, he would eventually had to fight his mentor. However, it seems that Galen would have to prove himself much sooner than he expected, as the archangel Alexander seems unhappy with Raphael's quick ascent into the Cadre and ready to declare war. As Galen prepares himself, he must know the politics that might inform tactics and is thus referred to Jessamy, the Teacher, but also historian. Jessamy is  a very old angel, but she's also different. Born with a birth defect in one of her wing, Jessamy cannot fly and therefore has been bound to Earth... until a barbarian angel came and freed her.

My Opinion: I'm really happy that Angel's Dance was Galen and Jessamy's story as I was curious about them :) I thought the story was very sweet, but draggy at times.

My favorite element in Angel's Dance was the characterization. I thought Ms Singh did a great job :) I love how different Galen and Jessamy's personalities were. Galen is a warrior - big and physical, but also smart. He's definitively more than brawn :) I love the part where it was revealed he had a temper LOL. As for Jessamy, I thought Ms Singh nailed it. Her characterization was very real. Jessamy is more than 2,500 years old... so very, very old. Because she could not fly,  Jessamy isolated herself when she was younger... and thus, growing up, she seemed to be out of reach. Add in the fact that she's the Teacher, the angel who's been teaching all the babes... and it was almost as if she was asexual. In their mind, she wasn't a woman... She was the Teacher, an angel that commanded respect, an angel that they loved... but always above, always untouchable. Raphael and Illium saw her that way, even Dmitri... So it took an angel from outside like Galen to see the woman that was there. I also liked that Galen hadn't been her student, because it lessened the icky factor. LOL. Or the part where Jessamy has never left the Refuge. Raphael had never realized that it was because Jessamy couldn't, not didn't want to. So I think Ms Singh really did a great job with the characterizations and I liked both our H/H.

I also realized why I enjoyed Archangel's Kiss so much. I knew it was because it took place in the Refuge, but I couldn't pinpoint it... but reading Angel's Dance, I realized why. It's because when they are at the Refuge, the angels behave more normally. They are among themselves, so they don't need to act or put up a front... They are themselves and most of the time, it means they appear less psycho LOL. Oh and I loved seeing the baby angels!! They were just so cute and so innocent! I guess immortality will warp your mind ^_^;

As for the romance and the story, I think they were okay. I thought the romance between Galen and Jessamy was sweet. For someone to finally see the woman in Jessamy... However, it definitively dragged :( Especially after Jessamy was taken to New York. I don't understand why Galen let let her go. It was just plain stupid to me. As for the overall storyline, I enjoyed seeing some of the characters' background and how Raphael's troop came together. However, the whole war with the archangel Alexander, that was weak. Especially the reason Jessamy was attacked? Just a bit far-fetched to me. The whole storyline just wasn't as solid as what I'm used to with Ms Singh's writing.

My Grade: B-. Really glad I read it, that we found out more about Galen and Jessamy. However, it wasn't stellar and not one of Ms Singh's best novella.

Review: Blackout by Rob Thurman

Ugh, I had a really bad day at work yesterday :( I was doing a repeat experiment and it didn't work. Again. I really don't know what is going wrong. Whether it's me or the samples or the reagents. As a result, I wasn't in the mood to blog... and decide to post this buddy review over at Breezing Through early :) Yay, for once I had something ready early!! Well, not that early if you consider it took me almost a year to put it together ^_^; So I'd really like to thank Leslie for buddy reviewing Blackout with me!! Thank you Les!! LOL, you can read our discussion of Blackout here :) Enjoy!



Blackout by Rob Thurman
published by ROC in March 2011

I was alone, and I was lost. I didn't know where I was; I didn't know who I was. it doesn't get more lost than that. Knowing what I knew and not knowing anything else at all, why would I want to be in the darkness where monsters hide?

Because killers hide there too...

Half-human Cal Leandros has always walked a bloody line between keeping his mortal soul free and clear (sort of) and unleashing the horror of his otherworldly heritage. The one thing that's always saved him is the memory of his brother, Niko, his friends, and those he loves. Until now.

Cal wakes up on a beach littered with the recently slaughtered remains of a variety of hideous creatures that were obviously looking for trouble. The fact that he is the one who did the slaughtering doesn't bother him. The fact that he feels like a natural-born killer doesn't either. What bothers Cal is that he doesn't remember Cal anymore... and he's not sure he cares.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, Book #6

Hauling Sunday LXXII

Yay!! So I finally got a really, really good week! You won't hear me complaining for, hmmm, a week maybe LOL.  Are you ready?

Back in November, I pre-ordered some books. I think it was a 5$ off of a purchase of 30 or 35$... I usually use these coupons to buy trade paperbacks and hardcovers, because the books online are already discounted. However, pre-ordering is tricky because if I want free shipping, then I have to select the "ship the whole order" together... unless the books are from different warehouses. But really, I have no way to find that out. So I usually have to group releases together. So it's always a lot of juggling to get the best price, but also the delivery time. Am I over-thinking this? LOL. Anyway, initially, Fair Game was supposed to come out in February, so it worked out well. However, since it was pushed back, it delayed the shipment of  Third Grave Dead Ahead. But it's all good now! The wait is over :)

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder - Thanks to Netgalley, I read and reviewed this book already. Actually, my decision to request Touch of Power was based on how I planned this order :) Yes, I might be over-thinking everything. Nonetheless, Ms Snyder is a great author and I love her Study trilogy. I keep hoping she'll come up with another a great fantasy romance. Touch of Power wasn't it, but it sets up a great world and the next book could be :)

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones - I'm really enjoying this series. Charley is very funny, Reyes is absolutely yummy and the mystery aspect of this book is great! :)

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs - FINALLY!! FINALLY!! Anna and Charles are back!! I love the world Ms Briggs has created. I was so bummed out to hear she would be alternating between a Mercy Thompson and an Alpha & Omega book instead of releasing one of each every year. The wait has been long, but I'm sure it'll be worth it. Plus, don't you think the cover is great? Although I have to say, once I got the book in hand, I wished it'd be a bit thicker :P

So above were books I got through the mail. Here are books I got at the bookstore :) Chapters/Indigo is having a "Buy 3, Get the 4th free" sale till March 11. I was really happy to hear about it, especially since this time around, I have books to buy!! However, the problem with new releases is when and where will they come out! My life would be so much easier if one bookstore - to which I have easy access - would receive all the books I want  ^_^; But of course, it's not the case. Instead, the new releases are spread among three bookstores and the books I really want turn up in the one that has difficulty putting the books out on the shelves in a timely manner ^_^; Seriously, that bookstore, try to ask an employee to go into the backroom! They won't. It's like the Bermuda Triangle... they go and won't come out LOL. So that means more juggling from me, with my little notebook writing lists and figuring out options and combinations LOL. I have to say though, at the end of the day, to get the books you really want in hand, it's really rewarding. I complain about it, but I'm not sure I'd want it any other way LOL. And this time around, I totally scored!!

Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh - Love the cover of this book!! While I prefer the Psy-Changelings series better, the Guild Hunter series is still by Ms Singh and that means good writing, good stories... and that I'll be picking it up :) I'm looking forward to it because I have not read Angel's Pawn yet... And I'm really looking forward to Galen and Jessamy's story! By the way, I like these anthologies where novellas from a series are compiled into. However, I feel this came out too soon after Angel's Wolf was released in Angels of Darkness. Have I bought Angels of Darkness, I think I would feel ripped off at the moment ^_^;

Nice Girls Don't Bite their Neighbor by Molly Harper - I didn't think there'll be another book in this series, but I'll take it! Can't wait to see what Jane is up to :) I'm hoping for a very fun read :)

By a Thread by Jennifer Estep - I've been enjoying this series a lot :) I like the idea of an assassin as the heroine. While the last few books haven't wowed me because of how predictable they were, reviews have been great so far for By a Thread, so I'm really looking forward to reading it! :)

Doubletake by Rob Thurman - This is another one of my favorite urban fantasy series! Cal is a nice change from all the kick-ass heroines out there LOL. Also, if you want some bromance, this is the series to read :)

Finally, here are some ebooks I bought :)

Through a Crimson Veil by Patti O'Shea - This is one of my all-time favorite paranormal romance. It's been recently released as an e-book and I decided to support Ms O'Shea by buying an electronic copy. Plus, that means I have a back-up :)

Dark Awening by Patti O'Shea - This is a novella connected to Through a Crimson Veil. It's currently available for free at Amazon, All About Romance, Smashwords and Sony :) If you've never read Ms O'Shea, give it a try! :)


Now, this  is what I call a haul!! :) I feel so much better LOL.

WEM IV: Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit by Kelly Hunter and Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

The past week has been pretty quiet. I've been busy at work with another grant application deadline. Ugh. Luckily, I cheered myself with some books! I can't wait to show you all my haul! :)

There was only 5 votes for this week's poll ^_^; So I decided to review both books that had gotten votes LOL. I also thought it'd be a good time to ask you what do you think about the poll itself? Is it annoying to vote each week? Would it better to have polls from time to time only? Let me know what you think :)

In the meantime, enjoy!


Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit by Kelly Hunter
published by Harlequin Presents in March 2012

Restoring a dilapidated hotel doesn't come cheap, but Mia Fletcher doesn't want to accept financial help from Ethan Hamilton. This dangerously sexy businessman isn't someone who takes no for an answer, however, and soon their flirting turns into something more...

Mia knows Ethan isn't a forever kind of guy, but she cannot resist taking what he has to offer by getting him out of his immaculate suit and into bed! Surely their explosive affair will burn itself out—unless Mia can tame his untouchable heart...

Genre: Category romance, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit was originally released in the UK and Australia first in June 2007 under the title of Sleeping Partner. The story is about Mia Fletcher who debarks to Penang, Malaysia, after inheriting a dilapidated hotel from a mother whom she thought had died 24 years ago. Obviously, she's emotionally conflicted... but is still trying to understand the woman her mother was. One thing she's determined to do though is to stay clear from Nathaniel Hamilton, the widower her mother chose over Mia's father, and his son, Ethan. However, Ethan is determined to offer his help and act as the big brother... However, the attraction between each other is nothing like brotherly/sisterly feelings.

Why this book? I enjoy Ms Hunter's category romance books. Her style really suits the genre and her stories are quite original and refreshing. Plus, I enjoy the exotic settings :)

So my thoughts? I usually enjoy Ms Hunter's category romance books and Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit was no exception. I thought the H/H were both likable characters. It was nice to see Mia discovering herself and literally blooming. As for Ethan, he was nearly the perfect man: attractive, attentive, nice and helpful. I thought Ethan and Mia handled the start of their relationship very well given the awkwardness of the situation... The only thing that mar the romance for me is that Ethan was yet another hero who could not open himself to love and commitment because of his past marriage. Otherwise, I enjoyed this couple and their banter.

One thing I really enjoyed in Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit was the exotic setting. Ms Hunter definitively has a knack for writing them and making the culture come through vividly :) I also liked how complex the relationship between Mia's parents and Ethan's father was. How deeply they had loved and how deeply loss have affected them. It made it real and more poignant in my opinion. However, I wished Mia would have found more answers about her mother and her choices. It's clear she loved both men, but at the end, what made her choose Ethan's father and therefore, forfeiting Mia? And I really liked how Mia's father came around. He was portrayed as a very stoic and strict man at first and it seemed he was emotionless... but instead, it was a man who felt too much and got hurt, and therefore shielded himself... Even if it pushed his daughter away a little. Like I said, complex :)

My Grade? B-.


Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

published by New American Library in January 2012

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs. When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford. But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess. If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Veiled Seduction series, Book #1

What do you need to know? After her cottage has been ransacked, Liliana finds some secret correspondence  which belonged to her father. From these letters, Liliana figures that there was some sort of foul play in her father's death. If her father has been murdered, Liliana is determined to find out the culprit and the answers seem to be at Somerton Park, the Earl of Straftord's country home.

Why this book? I had my eye on this book ever since I came across it while making my list of new releases. Then Ames read it and enjoyed it, so it sealed the deal for me :)

So my thoughts? Okay, I'm going to start by saying that I wasn't in the greatest reading mood when I read Sweet Enemy, so it might really have affected my enjoyment of it ^_^;  Basically, Sweet Enemy never managed to hold my attention :( I just wasn't into it. While Liliana's idea to go to Somerton Park to investigate was not bad, I was annoyed that she didn't seem to differentiate the man from the earl. I mean, her only evidence is the letters came from the Earl of Stratford... but since the correspondence with her father, there's been two other Earls of Stratford. So it bothered me a tad that she was so suspicious of Geoffrey... Also, I didn't feel like Geoffrey and Liliana had good chemistry. One minute, Geoffrey was attracted and the other, he was angry with her. It just didn't work for me. One minute Liliana didn't want Geoffrey's attentions and the other, she wanted it. It was continuously up and down with them.

I think what annoyed me the most was Geoffrey's reaction to Liliana when he found out her real motives for being at Somerton Park. I understand she was there under false pretenses... but he really acted like an ass :( Another issue was Liliana's scientific background. I had no problem with her being a chemist. I thought that was really well done actually. However, the fact that she was also a "healer" at the same time. The circumstances were explained in the book, but it was still a sore spot for me at the end. I'm not saying she couldn't be both... However, it's clear that Liliana saw herself more as a chemist. Chemistry and medicine are two completely different things. Yes, they are both sciences, but even today, if you ask a doctor about a chemistry question, and a chemist about a medicine question, they will most likely not be able to answer. With a scientific background, I do believe that Liliana is more knowledgeable than most simpering ladies... but it doesn't make her all-knowing. I feel that a lot of historical romance authors do this mistake. They want their heroines to be different, more knowledgeable... but they tend to confuse the disciplines. And another thing, I'd wish Geoffrey would have confront his mother.

There were some good points to the book. I liked Liliana and Geoffrey's characters, but just not as a couple. I liked that Liliana was independent. I liked that Geoffrey was trying to pass some reforms for helping soldiers who came back from war. I liked that while Geoffrey was injured during the war, the injury wasn't a big issue for him. I also thought the intrigue was interesting and liked the way it was unfolded.

My Grade? C-. I definitively had a hard time with Sweet Enemy, hence the grade. However, I feel it was more my mood than the book. As a debut novel, Sweet Enemy wasn't a bad effort at all and I wouldn't hesitate to give Ms Snow's writing another try in the future.

Review: Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb

It's Friday! Yay! I ended up being a lot more busy than I thought I'd be this week ^_^; First, there was the grant application deadline yesterday. I ended up proof-reading for my boss - I don't know how the people in the publishing industry does! The most difficult was the lay abstract! Thanks for everyone who helped me, it was really appreciated! Then, my reading has finally picked up!! Doubly yay!! So instead of blogging, I've been reading. Now, I need to find the right balance :) Still, I managed to write this review which I'm really happy about because I really wanted it to go up this week. Earlier in the week, but I'll take it LOL. So enjoy!! And oh, Ames, Monroe and I have our New Releases post for March up at Breezing Through :) Go take a look and let me know if I forgot something!


Celibrity in Death by J.D. Robb

published by Putnam in February 2012

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is no party girl, but she’s managing to have a reasonably good time at the celebrity-packed bash celebrating The Icove Agenda, a film based on one of her famous cases. It’s a little spooky seeing the actress playing her, who looks almost like her long-lost twin. Not as unsettling, though, as seeing the actress who plays Peabody—drowned in the lap pool on the roof of the director’s luxury building.

Talented but rude, and widely disliked, K. T. Harris had made an embarrassing scene during dinner. Now she’s at the center of a crime scene—and Eve is more than ready to get out of her high heels and strap on her holster, to step into the role she was born to play: cop.

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Futuristic, Mystery
Series: In Death series, Book #34

The Story: One of Lieutenant Eve Dallas' biggest cases in career was the Icove case (Origin in Death). It had garnered a lot of attention, especially after Nadine Furst has written a book about it. And now, it's being adapted in a movie and Eve really wants no part in it. However, there's no where else to run and Eve has no choice then to go on set and meet the cast. Nothing weirder than seeing someone looking like you, saying what you said and doing what you did. Factor in the set that looks like her offices at home and at work... Weird! Then later that evening, Eve and Roarke attend the production party as guests of honor along with some of their friends. Surprisingly, Eve is enjoying herself... until they find K.T. Harris, the actress who portrays Peabody, dead in the pool. From then on, it's business as usual for Eve, Peabody and the gang. From her brief encounter with the victim earlier, Eve knew the actress was a bitch... but as she digs deeper, it's clear it was a lot more than just rude attitude... and it's a wonder it didn't happen earlier.

My Opinion: In the previous book, New York to Dallas, I was excited because the story took place outside of New York and therefore, Eve and Roarke were away from the gang. I thought these changes would shake things up... but, I was wrong ^_^; Turns out I ended up missing the merry gang LOL. So I was pretty happy things were back to normal in Celebrity in Death :) While this was not one of the best installments, it was still a nice read.

What I enjoyed the most in Celebrity in Death was the pacing of the story; it was actually slower than usually. This one didn't feel like Eve and Peabody were racing against the clock and so, it wasn't as suspenseful. Usually, this wouldn't be a good thing in romantic suspense... but in the case of Celebrity in Death, it allowed us to see a slice in their everyday life that we don't usually get to witness. In the previous books, Eve and the team have always been so focused on the case or there have been very specific events that influenced the storylines... Here, the atmosphere was actually pretty relaxed for once and I really liked it. Plus, I felt Ms Robb did a great job at adding some details to make it feel like "everyday." For exam Eve asking her people how their case was going, her spending time with Roarke because that's what husband and wife do, etc. :)

Something else I enjoyed was the story in general and the situation Eve and the rest found themselves in :) It's not every day you see someone portraying yourself and you all know how easily Eve can be weirded out LOL. Actually, almost everyone was having an actor/actress portraying themselves and at time, it gave rise to some funny dialogues :) Here's a snippet between Eve and Peabody, with Eve speaking first.

"I was having the surreal experience of having myself show myself around my office and bullpen."
"Oh! My desk. I could've sat at my desk. I could've sat at your desk."
"No.:
"It's a vid set."
"Even then, no."
"Mean. The other you is nice. I can call her Marlo. The other me is kind of a bitch."
"There you go. Typecasting."

LOL. Another thing I found interesting is the fact that the victim wasn't a very nice person - I'm not saying 'evil' like murderer, but definitively not likable and who really pushed the boundaries. Obviously, for Eve, it doesn't matter because she still does the job, but it makes the case more complex and Eve has to be a bit more careful. When you're seeking justice for someone who was innocent, it's easier to barge in and make compliant to the investigation... When the victim has hurt a lot of people by her behavior and action, it's not as easy to force your way in and make everyone participate to the investigation... I think this is exactly the kind of case Celebrity in Death needed to make it work with the premises :)

Oh and if you wondered, yes, Roarke is still as yummy as ever :) I like that Ms Robb isn't shaking the boat too much. A lot of people like it when there's conflict between Eve and Roarke and it's understandable. At the same time, it wouldn't be realistic to me. Roarke and Eve have a solid relationship. They love each other, work at their marriage, compromise and communicate well. I wouldn't like for them to always be at odds or bicker ^_^; In that case, you'd wonder why they got married! Plus, given both of their pasts, it feels like Eve and Roarke have already gone through so much... How much more can you add in their paths. And if it's just to make their relationship more rocky, well no thank you for me. All in all, I just enjoy seeing them together :) In Celebrity in Death, Roarke is a bit worried about Eve because of the events in New York to Dallas. How she's dealing with it and the fact that she's having dreams... But nothing too big to take away the spotlight from the case. And that was fine with me :)

Of course, the book had a few flaws. I thought it was pretty obvious who the culprit was ^_^; I mean, by process of elimination, there weren't many suspects... and then, I'm not sure I liked how the whole thing turned out about the murderer's past. It seemed too convenient for me. Also, I would really had like to know what information K.T. held that warranted death. I don't think it was ever mentioned. I also thought the ending was quite abrupt. This is something I've noticed in Ms Robb/Ms Roberts is doing more and more. She doesn't add any epilogue or scene to wrap things up. Most In Death books end right after Eve has gotten a confession and then, Roarke is waiting for me. I felt in Celebrity in Death, it didn't work simply because there was so much questions about the movie and the people in it. I'd really have liked a few paragraphs or even pages to wrap things up a bit. For example, a red carpet scene wouldn't have been bad. Finally, the writing. Ms Robb has a style that I adore and I always find her writing to be very consistent and solid, no matter the storyline. However, this time around, I thought a few sentences were weird. I had to re-read them a couple of time to figure out what it meant, what it was referring to. Of course, it could be just me. Maybe I was tired on the day I read the book and it made me slow LOL. Another thing that really annoyed me in Celebrity in Death was the use of acronyms and abbreviations. Again, this is something Ms Robb/Ms Roberts does often. Most of the time, I don't mind much if it's something obvious such as TMI (too much information) or related to the investigation like DB (dead body) or MO. However, to use "re" in a sentence instead of fully writing out "regarding"?!? Do people say that? I mean, this is a book after all, so I expect it to be more formal. Perhaps I'm nitpicking, but it really rubbed me the wrong way this time around.

My Grade: B-. Celebrity in Death was not the best installment and had flaws, but most of them were minor and could be overlooked. It ended up being a nice read and one that I enjoyed most in the last few installments.