Dragonquest (Dragonriders of Pern, Book 2)

ANNE MCCAFFREY

I enjoyed this one much more than the first one. Again, it was a little slow for me, getting into it, but once I did, wow! I felt a little more connected with Brecke and F'nor than I had with Lessa and F'lar in the first book and I think the author let us in on their feelings a little more than she had in the first book. Yes, I know this is a science fiction book, but I still want a love story and an HEA, and the author delivered one here. There were a couple of scenes that were much more emotional to me - I even teared up once.

(I received this book through BookCrossing.)

Austenland

SHANNON HALE

I finished this a couple of days ago, but with Thanksgiving this week I haven't been online much. It was enjoyable for the most part, and I like the author's breezy writing style. I don't know that I would want to vacation at Austenland myself, it seemed like the majority of the time spent there would have been incredibly boring.

Jane Hayes is an American who has had a succession of disappointing relationships. She secretly yearns for a Mr. Darcy, and no man she meets ever lives up to that ideal. When an elderly relative passes away, she leaves Jane a paid vacation at Austenland, an immersion experience where women live out their Austen fantasies. Jane isn't totally thrilled at the idea, but then decides that this may be the perfect opportunity to get her Darcy fixation out of her system and then find a "realistic" man. 

Other guests at Austenland include Miss Charming, who cracked me up, the way she tried to talk like an Englishwoman, with her "what-whats" and such. The gentlemen seemed a little boring, though Mr. Nobley, the most Darcy-like, piques Jane's interest while annoying her at the same time. Then Jane meets Martin the gardener, a breath of fresh air, not to mention exciting as, being a servant, he is not supposed to speak to or interact with the guests. I think if I were Jane I'd have found myself drawn to him as well. 

The ending was a little unexpected to me, and while the scene at the airport was amusing, I would have liked it to end a little differently...this is a little spoilery so stop here if you don't like that...












I would have liked to see Jane get on the plane and go home, leaving both Martin and Mr. Nobley behind, to start the rest of her life fresh with the possibility of meeting a new man who she can better appreciate now that she's gotten enough Austen and Darcy to last her awhile.

(I received this book through BookCrossing.)

Code of Honor (Love Inspired Suspense No. 143; Secret Agent #3)

LENORA WORTH

Selena is a nurse, who works in a clinic for low-income/poor families, and has currently been in Argentina helping to run a clinic there. When the clinic is attacked and many of the staff, along with villagers, are killed, she makes a desperate phone call to her long time friend, Brice, who flies in and whisks her safely back to Georgia.

Brice and Selena met in college, and a romance might have happened, but Brice was eager to join CHAIM, a covert Christian agency that protects and helps Christians in need. Being a part of CHAIM, of which Selena's father is also a part of, means a relationship is off limits. So they have been the best of friends since then.

Now they're thrown together as Selena's father places Brice in charge of protecting her while he's out of town, as it becomes clear that her life is in danger.

I had a few issues with the story that sort of got in the way of my enjoying it. Selena and Brice have been close friends since college, yet she keeps secrets from him that put her life at risk. She has suspicions about the raid in Argentina and what the attackers were after. But she keeps her thoughts to herself and leaves Brice in the dark. Diego, who went to Argentina with her, was killed in the attack, and Brice wonders if Selena were in love with him. We never really learn the nature of her relationship with Diego, we never know if they were just friends or romantically involved.

I knew long before the book ended who the bad guy was, but it took Selena much longer to figure out, though Brice wondered. Although Brice was actually suspicious of everybody.

Part of it may be that missionary/drug cartel/guerrillas plot lines just don't appeal to me, so even without my issues with the characters I may not have loved the book.

I guess basically this was a decent, fairly enjoyable read, but nothing particualrly memorable for me.

(I purchased this book at a library book sale.)

Stakes & Stilettos (Immortality Bites, Book 4)

MICHELLE ROWEN

With this entry in the series, we're back with Sarah Dearly and her master vampire boyfriend, Thierry (and in this one I finally found out how to prounounce his name properly when he enuciated it for someone who said it wrong - note to author, you could have done that in the first book!).

As we know from Sarah's previous book, she has been looking forward to going to her home town to attend her high school reunion. But at the reunion, she is confronted by a former classmate, who she doesn't remember but who she apparently treated badly. The classmate is now a witch, and she curses Sarah to be a nightwalker - an ancient race of vampires who could not go out in the sun without burning up, and who crave blood and kill to get it.

As with the first two books, the story is narrated by Sarah, but there are a few "Interludes", told in third person from Thierry's point of view, which give us some backstory on his life. I kind of wish there had been more of these throughout the book.

This was a very enjoyable read, with several plot twists and turns, and without wrapping up the nightwalker curse plot, which will continue in the fifth and final book. I have really loved this series and definitely reccomend it to fans of this genre.

(Purchased at Half Price Books.)

Night Embrace (Dark-Hunter, Book 2)

SHERRILYN KENYON

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS WHAT SOME MAY CONSIDER SPOILERS, SO PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.


Our hero this time around is Talon, who appeared as a secondary character in the previous book, Night Pleasures. I wasn’t sure what I thought of him at that time, but I really liked him from the beginning of this book. Talon had a horrible childhood, but grew up to marry Nynia, the love of his life. But everyone he loved was murdered, his mother, aunt and uncle, his wife. He was betrayed by his cousin, and then his sister was murdered in front of him, just before he himself was also slain. Artemis then made him a Dark-Hunter. He was also cursed by a god, so that anyone he loves will die. So he has buried all feelings deep inside, and just does his job, has the occasional one night stand with a woman, then goes back to his home in the swamp, alone.

Sunshine is an artist, married and divorced young, who lives above her parents bar, and is not interested in another relationship right now. She’s a little unconventional (her whole family is), a little forgetful, a health food nut, and is friends with Selena, having a booth near hers where she sells her artwork.  Once she and Talon meet, they are irresistibly drawn to each other, even though neither wants a commitment.

I liked Sunshine, but I’m not into reincarnation, and I didn't particularly care for the idea that she was Talon’s wife, Nynia, reincarnated. I can understand how that plot line couldn’t really be removed though, as it would change too much of the story. Once Sunshine recovers her memories of being Nynia, she worries that Talon doesn’t love her as much as he loved Nynia, or that he doesn’t love her for herself because he is still so devastated over having lost Nynia. And then the whole thing with her grandmother, which just totally came out of left field to me and brought home the fact that Talon and Sunshine were fated to be together but also made me feel fate had been manipulated a little…

With Mardi Gras approaching, Acheron has brought in reinforcements as Daimon activity will increase, so we meet Valerius, who has ties to Talon from before they were Dark-Hunters, and the cold-hearted Zarek, who had been banished to Alaska until he was called in to help out here. Zarek was a very interesting case, and I hope that he will have his own book at some point in the series.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book, and am eager for the next one to be in my hands.

(Received through BookCrossing.)

The Prodigal Patriot

DARLENE FRANKLIN

First line: Today was a glorious day to be outside, Sally Reid decided as she went about her morning chores.

Publisher's Synopsis:  Sally Reid's family decides on a dangerous course when the Tories of Maple Notch, Vermont, chase Patriot families from their land. They make  a home in a secluded cave nearby and farm their land by moonlight, working hard and waiting for the day when they can safely return home.

When Josiah Tuttle discovers their secret and offers to help, Sally doesn't know if she can trust him. After all, Josiah's father is one of the Tories who forced her family into hiding.

The Tuttles have already lost one son to the hated Patriot cause. How can Josiah both honor his grieving father and protect the woman he loves? When called upon to take a stand, which side will he choose? How can Sally and Josiah battle through the barriers separating them from love and forgiveness?

It took me a bit to get interested in this story. Sally is a sweet enough heroine, living with her parents, two brothers and a young sister in 1777 Vermont. Josiah and his brother and parents are neighbors and friends, for as long as Sally can remember. But the community is in unrest as loyalties are divided between the king and independence, and Sally's and Josiah's families are on opposite sides.

Then tragedy strikes both families, taking a son from one and a father from the other, as tensions escalate. Sally, her pregnant mother, and her two youngest siblings are forced to abandon their home after being threatened by the Tories. But they are determined not to abandon their land, and make a home in a nearby cave, hiding out by day, working their land in the evenings before the moon is too bright for them to be easily seen.

While the first two-thirds of the story move along slowly, the last third suddenly caught fire and became a page turner. I won't say exactly why as I don't want to be spoilery...but in the end it was a pretty gripping read.

(I purchased this book at a library book sale.)

Dragonflight (The Dragnriders of Pern, Book 1)

ANNE MCCAFFREY

It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did I was pretty engrossed. I can tell I have been reading way too many romance novels lately, however, as I kept expecting more development of feelings and eventual declarations of love between the two main characters! As with much SF, I don't care for some of the names of the characters and palces. Names like N'ton and R'gul, where the pronunciation doesn't just flow off the tongue. Regardless, it was an enjoyable nostalgic read for me as I loved this series when I was in my twenties or so, and I look forward to continuing with it.

(Received through BookCrossing.)

Small-Town Brides

JANET TRONSTAD & DEBRA CLOPTON

This is the second Love Inspired collaboration I've read from these two authors, the first being "Small-Town Moms", and I enjoyed it much more than the first one. The book contains A Dry Creek Wedding, by Tronstad, and A Mule Hollow Match, by Clopton. Typical Love Inspired fare, but during both novellas I actually laughed out loud at times. In Tronstad's story, Rene and a young pregnant girl start making a list of what qualities a husband should have, while tow truck driver Clay listens bemusedly, tossing his two cents in at one point. The whole scene just cracked me up. Then in Clopton's story, Paisley has an amusing exchange with a store cashier who thinks she and Trace are having a lover's spat, and while musing aloud about what a good-looking man Paisley has, then commenting about how most of the lookers are jerks.

I think I'm really starting to get hooked on Love Inspired, which is bad because there are a million of them and I already have too many books to read as it is.  Oh well....

(Purchased at a library book sale.)

Double Take

JENNESS WALKER

I didn't realize Love Inspired had a Suspense line until I picked up this book. I'd never heard of the author. And now I'm disappointed to learn that she only has one other book out, and it's not another romantic suspense. Cuz I really enjoyed this book. A very cleverly plotted mystery that keeps you on edge.

Cole Leighton, on vacation visiting his cousin in Atlanta, boards a bus one day, and opens the mystery novel he is reading. Minutes later, he watches as the events of the book seem to be unfolding before his very eyes.

Kenzie Jacobs' car wouldn't start, so she catches a bus one day, and finds herself taken hostage by armed robbers.

Cole can't bring himself to believe it's just a coincidence, and even though the local police not only don't take his theory seriously - that the kidnappers are acting out the novel - but now consider him a suspect, he is determined to find the missing woman and rescue her.

There are lots of twists and turns along the way. In a lot of suspense stories, the women who are in danger seem to cope very well. Better than I sometimes think I would cope in their place. Kenzie is terrified, drawn to Cole but not sure if she can trust him, and she often gives in to moments of panic. To me she seemed like a very realistic and human, er, person. If that makes sense. She and Cole both have issues in their past that still haunt them, and he is a reluctant hero, who often thinks he should just let the police do their job and go back home to Texas. But he just can't bring himself to abandon Kenzie, even when she makes it clear she doesn't want him around.

All in all, a very gripping and tense story.

(I purchased this book at a library book sale.)

Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunters, Book 1)

SHERRILYN KENYON

OK, this is officially my new favorite series. Even though I've only read the first book so far. But first I read Fantasy Lover, which according to Fantastic Fiction was the inspiration for the series. It looks like there are around 20 books in the series, so I am really looking forward to being in this world!

Night Pleasures is the story of Kyrian of Thrace, a Dark-Hunter, who wakes up one day to find himself handcuffed to a human, Amanda Devereaux. While she comes from a large family who are all involved in the supernatural, she hates that side of her and has repressed her psychic abilities, insisting that she has no powers. She, of course, is horrified to wake up in an unknown place with this strange man next to her. Turns out one of Kyrian's enemies, Desiderious, has mistaken her for her sister Tabitha, who hunts vampires, and he put them together, expecting that Tabitha would kill Kyrian, a vampire.

Kyrian is not an evil vampire – in fact, he's not anything like what we've heard about vampires, as in this world the mythology has been gotten all wrong by us humans. As a Dark-Hunter, he's sworn to protect humans from Daimons, demons who live less than thirty years unless they take humans' souls.

So now the two must find a way to get rid of the mystical handcuffs, protect Amanda's sister, and kill Desiderious, all while fighting their attraction to each other.

It's a very involved and complicated world Ms. Kenyon has created, and I was sucked in very quickly. The characters are very well drawn and fleshed out. Ms. Kenyon obviously has a great sense of humor and her characters often banter back and forth in a delightful manner. But we are also privy to their anguish and soul searching, and become very vested (at least I do!) in their lives.

I've seen this author's name around a lot, and her books around a lot, and I'm now kicking myself for having not read anything by her before now. Her entire back list is now on my wish list!

(I received this book through BookCrossing.)

Lady & The Vamp (Immortality Bites, Book 3)

MICHELLE ROWEN

I did not realize until I sat down to read this book that it was not about Sarah and Thierry, from the first two books! In those books, Quinn was a secondary character, a vampire hunter who tried to kill Sarah. He was later bitten by a vampire, but left to die an agonizing death - vampire venom slowly kills the victim unless the victim is given vampire blood to drink, thus turning him or her into a vampire also. Sarah, who was still a "fledgling" herself, dragged him to Thierry, who reluctantly fed him and saved his life. After that, Quinn was in love with Sarah.

Now, to nurse his broken heart and get away, Quinn has offered to drive werewolf Barkley from Toronto to Arizona to join his former pack. He has an ulterior motive, he's found a letter from an old family friend with instructions on obtaining an artifact called the Eye. The holder of the Eye is granted one wish, and Quinn, hating being a vampire and convinced he is now a monster, intends to wish to be human again.
In the meantime, Janie, another secondary character from the previous book, a merc who works for a mysterious man known only as the Boss, has been given instructions to travel to Arizona, with her partner Lenny, and bring the Eye back to the Boss. She doesn't know what the Eye does, and doesn't care, she is just doing her job. Plus the Boss has informed her he knows where her long lost sister is, and will torture said sister if Janie fails in her mission.

I was kept guessing right up until the end as to whether or not Quinn and Janie would be together, or whether their story would continue on to the next book. I mean, literally until the last three or four pages I was on edge wondering.

I do think I liked the two previous books a tad more than this one, but that was only due to the fact that I loved the characters of Sarah and Thierry, and was disappointed at first to have left them behind. However, I'm really enjoying this series, and Michelle Rowen's writing. It's breezy and funny and amusing and yet serious and touching at the same time. The characters are well written and we get good looks into their psyche and what makes them do the things they do and feel the way they feel.

One minor issue I did have with the book - Quinn is described as having dark blond hair. That guy pictured on the cover definitely does not have blond hair, dark or otherwise. I mentioned this in a tweet, and the author told me if I wanted to see him the way he looked in her head while writing the book, to picture Jensen Ackles. Sweet! (And a reason I love Twitter!)

(I purchased this book from Amazon.)

Late Bloomer

FERN MICHAELS

A couple of weekends ago I went to a book sale at my local library with my mom and sister. We went on bag day, where you pay $5 for a paper sack and cram in as many books as you can. My mom bought three bags, and stuffed a few books into my bags as they wouldn't all quite fit in her bags. Later, while going through my bags, I discovered this book that must have been one of hers. I'm seeing her in a couple of days and will give it back to her then, but this morning I decided to read it first.

I am so incredibly glad I made that decision, because I absolutely loved this emotional roller coaster ride of a book. Here's the synopsis from the back cover:

Twenty years after a childhood accident left a permanent shadow over her life, Cady Jordan has returned to her Pennsylvania hometown. Her beloved grandmother Lola, a retired movie star, needs Cady's care -- but soon after arriving at Lola's lavish estate, it's clear that the colorful actress will be Cady's mentor to living life to the fullest. Cady wants nothing more than to come out of her shell, but to do so means resurrecting her lost memories of the day when a foolish stunt ended with a young bully's death and Cady's serious injury -- a tragedy for which her friends held Cady responsible. They're adults now -- a lawyer, a businessman, a stay-at-home mom. And a police chief: Boomer Ward, whose flaring attraction works on Cady's guarded heart. Now, Cady must determine who can be trusted as she draws closer to Boomer and confronts those who wish she'd never returned. Old wounds may be healed, but can Cady close a door on her heartache and embrace a bright new life?

Cady is a lost soul. Her grandmother and the two companions who live with her are characters. You know those old screwball comedies, where funny incident after funny incident happens one after another? There are many scenes in this book that remind of those. As Cady settles into her grandmother's home and begins making contact with her old friends, bits and pieces of her memory come back, and secrets are revealed. The accident is played out for us in the prologue, but throughout the book we are taken into the minds of  Cady, Boomer, and the other three children who were there, and how it affected each of them as they grew up.

I read this book in one day. I literally did not want to put it down. I don't know how I've not read this author before, but she has a long backlist, so there's about 90 more books to add to my already extensive wish list.