anasmith7186896

Taken In Death (In Death, #37.5)

2:00 am 18 February 2014

3.5 stars

As much as I love this series, I just can't seem to get a grip on the short stories. The mystical element that seems to be present in a lot of them just doesn't sit right with me (I just can't see Eve accept things like that). This one is no exception. I can't get into too much detail (on account of spoilers), but there were some freaky things.

I liked how all of Eve's team came together to work on finding the missing children, and the way they managed to find is nothing short of a miracle. I do love it when these stories have happy endings. :-)

In conclusion, I did like it - it's impossible (for me) not to like a story with Eve&Roarke, but it lacks the shine of the full length novels.

Thankless in Death

2:00 am 18 February 2014

4.5 stars

A slightly different approach to an Eve Dallas mystery - we know the identity of the killer from the start (and so does Eve), but they can't seem to catch him. And the killer is one sick self-entitled puppy. But, as always, it is a great read.

Of course, while the mystery is at the center, the relationship between Eve and Roarke still manages to shine. And not just them, but the friends, family, coworkers who became both throughout the series - they're all amazing. Especially Roarke's family. :-) And I just adored the big Thanksgiving dinner at the end.

All in all, a great addition to the series.

My Lady Coward: An Episodic Regency Romance

2:00 am 14 February 2014

4 stars

My Lady Coward is the story of Lady Maria, a wealthy Cit's daughter, and her new husband Richard, a handsome, but destitute duke.

As the story opens, Maria and Richard have been married but a few weeks. However, things are not rosy in their marriage. You see, Richard has had a mistress for years, and everybody knows that he still visits her. That's really tough on poor Maria who is already an outcast in society because of her low birth. But, she loves her husband and is willing to fight for him.

A lovely and romantic story! I truly liked both Maria and Richard, which doesn't happen to me all that often (liking both main characters, that is). True, there were moments when they jumped to conclusions, or failed to communicate properly, but it was completely believable (not a moment of "Really? You're going to believe/do/say that?!"). And I admire Maria for doing her best to adjust to her new life, it was far from easy, but she didn't give up or lower herself to the level of some of the "ladies" she was surrounded with.

What I did have issues with, and I was well warned, is the episodic nature of the story. The jump from episode to episode was a bit abrupt. I know, I know, it says so in the title, and in the beginning of the story - never said I was a logical creature. :-)

But even with that, I did like the story and I warmly recommended it to anyone looking for a short and sweet regency romance.

Oh yes, if anybody's interested, this is free for kindle (and probably somewhere else, but I got it from amazon).

Marked

2:00 am 9 February 2014

3.3333333 stars
(The rating for the entire anthology, individual ratings can be found bellow.)

I'm usually not a big fan of anthologies, for the simple reason that I rarely like all the stories, so the rating of the entire anthology rarely reflects the one story I actually wanted to read. But I really wanted to read the Beyond story, so I figured it's worth a shot. Anyway, on to the review. :-)

Beyond Temptation (Beyond, #3.5)
by Kit Rocha

And we're back in Sector Four. Yum.

This is the story of Noah, the mysterious hacker from [b:Beyond Pain|16049679|Beyond Pain (Beyond, #3)|Kit Rocha|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389284969s/16049679.jpg|21831334] (I think he first showed up there, but I'm not completely sure) and Emma, his best friend's sister and the one woman he really shouldn't get involved in. After his friend's death, he's been taking care of Emma, and as a matter of fact he paid for her to go to the mountains with the man she loves. Imagine his surprise when he realized that that was a lie, and that she is in fact, an O'Kane. He really does need to check up on her, and somehow not get entangled with the O'Kanes. The best laid plans and all that. :-)

All in all, it was a good story and I loved the glimpses of other members of the gang, but I simply didn't care much about Emma and Noah. There was a lot of history between them which explains the shortened getting to know you period, but I still didn't get a good feel for their relationship. They are actually quite good characters, but paled in comparison to the other main characters. I do tend to judge the books by the previous ones - maybe not the fairest thing, but I can't shake it off.

It's actually my favorite story from this anthology.

4 stars

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Rocky Ride (Thompson & Sons, #1)
by Vivian Arend

Anna Coleman is a good girl who always follows the rules. But there is one time when she simply lets her hair down and enjoys herself: on her secret assignation with Mitch Thompson, deliciously hunky, tattooed biker. And that's enough for her. Too bad that it's not enough for Mitch, who wants to keep her. And he will do everything in his power to show her that he is a safe bet.

You know, when I started this story, I have only read one other of Vivian Arend's stories (according to Goodreads, cause I have problems recalling it, and the rating says I didn't enjoy it all that much), but I do love that whole good girl/bad boy stories, so I was optimistic. And the story didn't let me down. On the whole, I like Anna and Mitch, and I love them together.

Anna's behavior at the start didn't endear her to me, but she managed to make it up for me. Then there's Mitch whom I liked from the first, but managed to mess up slightly at the end. There's nothing really wrong with the story, but it didn't really wow me. Same goes for the characters.

And I just have to say, I loved Mitch's brothers, and I'm actually looking forward to reading their stories. :-)

3.5 stars

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All That Remains (Metamorphosis, #1)
by Lauren Dane

The moment Charlie sees Summer, he is captivated by her. She is everything he and his partner Hatch could ever want in their third. As it turns out, Hatch and Summer have a history, one that ended when Hatch hot wanderlust and left her. Lots of groveling would be needed before they work out the kinks from their relationship, but the two men are determined to show her that what they have is strong enough to last a lifetime.

This is actually a post-plague world. Well, actually, there was a virus that killed 90% of people. The story is set 3 centuries or so after the virus. The problem is that I didn't really get the impression of that new world. True, they are more turned towards nature, and there is a mention of caravans travelling between settlements, but there is standard machinery, trains, ERs, stuff like that. u

And of course, something that seems natural with these worlds - there are far more men that women, making menage relationship standard, and voyeurism and public sex are not unusual. Now, I was far interested in the other ways the world changed, not just how it was more sexually liberated.

The relationship itself is mostly sexual, with the added bonus of Summer and Hatch's history which conveniently has them already head over heals for each other (I'm not a big fan of the whole reunited story line in general), and then Hatch and Charlie have been together for 3 years, so they are an established couple. As for Charlie and Summer, I just don't see anything other than sex between them. As a menage, not sure how well they will work.

This is my least favorite of the stories. I am somewhat curious about Summer's sister story, but I'm not sure whether or not I will actually read it once it comes out.

2.5 stars

----------------

All in all, the anthology is OK, especially the first two stories, but it just goes to prove the point of my little intro. Some stories are good, some not so much. In this case, it is well worth reading.

ARC received from the authors in exchange for an honest review

The Fall of a Saint (Harlequin HistoricalThe Sinner and the Saint)

2:00 am 24 January 2014

1 star

Michael Poole, Duke of St. Aldric made a mistake. After all, he was very drunk and trying to prove himself. Everyone makes mistakes. It's just that his was pretty spectacular. Instead of going to the room of a willing barmaid, he stumbled into Madeline Cranston's room and slept with her. And then got caught.

The problem, of course, is that Madeline is a gentlewoman, a governess. But, even scandals like that can be taken care of. A generous settlement tends to do the trick. Until it turns out that Madeline is carrying a child. Then, there are no other options for St.Aldric save marriage.

The "Saint" and his reluctant wife will have to learn to live with each other and, maybe even find happiness in that life.

When I requested this title on NetGalley, I did so based on the blurb. I do love it when a duke falls for the governess (always was a fan of Cinderella type stories), and it looked like this book fit the bill.

Unfortunately, after the first chapter or so, I had really hard time finding anything likable about it.

Everything I'm about to talk about is revealed in the first couple of chapters so it's not a spoiler, and I really think it's important to mention.

You see, the duke had mumps several months before the story started, and the general conclusion was he is infertile. So, he started drinking and tumbling every loose woman that crossed his path hoping he will impregnate one (the mindset alone of making an innocent child a bastard just to prove that his mighty ducal line won't die out sits wrong with me - a lot). And then he made the mistake and went into the wrong room. For all he knows he raped her. It turns out she thought he was her lover who died in the war. It is still wrong. Just wrong.

And then there's Madeline. I didn't like her either. If she accepted his marriage proposal, she should have at least tried to get along with him - they were going to have a child, and she was doing her best to make his life as miserable as possible.

All in all, the book sounded really promising, and I did find the duke's half-brother to be an interesting character, but I simply couldn't get past that beginning.

ARC received from Harlequin via NetGalley.

The Newcomer (Thunder Point)

2:00 am 1 January 2014

Broken Blade

2:00 am 30 December 2013

4.5 stars

After the heartbreaking ending of Night Blade, I was very anxious to read the next book, to find out how Kit will deal with the nightmare that she survived. And naturally, there were some serious expectations - I'm very pleased to say that they were actually exceeded.

The next part of my review will contain serious spoilers for the first two books in the series, so reader beware.

And while we're on the topic, I would recommend everyone to read the first two books before starting this one.

I should probably explain what the book is about: Kit Colbana is an Aneira warrior (think Amazons, the whole female warriors bit at least), well half Aneira, the half bit being the reason she doesn't really get along with her brethren. She left that world and is making her way as a PI. And she was content. And then came in Damon - a cat shifter, an alpha and her lover. Things were bright and shiny for a while, and then everything went horribly wrong. Kit was captured by a crazy vampire and tortured. Now, she is trying to deal with the nightmares, and the broken trust.

The only thing she really wants to do is to be left alone to lick her wounds - the world, unfortunately, isn't cooperating. She was hired to find an old relic (trust me, saying no was not an option), and she will have to do everything in her power to stay alive (and of course, save the world as well).

As I already mentioned, the book was great. Kit is an amazing heroine, who manages to claw her way back to sanity with a well of inner strength. Love her.

The world itself is very well done, the action thrilling, but what really gets to me are the characters. Kit, T.J., Goliath, Doyle (*sigh*) and of course Damon.

Now, unlike the first two books, the focus is much less on romance. And that is perfectly natural - Kit went through hell, and Damon, well he made a really bad mistake so I wouldn't buy her just jumping back into his arms (no matter how much I wanted it). But they are slowly getting there.

All in all, a great read and I can't wait for the next book in the series! :-)

ARC received from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kinked

2:00 am 5 November 2013

From the GoodReads Q&A:

Thea wrote:"I’ve just finished writing Aryal’s story, which is book six, and I’ve plotted stories through book nine."

More can be found here.

*******

I'm actually looking forward to her book, she's such an awesome character.

Can't wait!!! :D

Rules Of Prey

2:00 am 17 October 2013

5 stars

I really love reading pure suspense books (not romantic suspense), it was my favorite genre before I got sucked in by romance books. So, I decided to try this series, as a change of pace. Good decision.

Right now, I'm up to book seven, and I liked (a lot) every single one of those books.

Lucas Davenport is an incredible hero. A cop and a game designer, he is also wickedly smart, rich (drives a Ferrari around). While his attitude towards relationships is not something I find all that great, somehow he still managed to completely draw me in. Don't get me wrong, he loves smart, strong women and honestly respects them, but has slight issues with commitment (nothing new there). And I love how he evolves throughout the series.

The suspense plot in books is well developed, I was on the edge of my seat every single time. Some of them focus more on the thriller and some on the mystery part, but it works.

All in all, a series every suspense reader should try out.

The Chocolate Thief

2:00 am 29 July 2013

5 delicious stars

I'm feeling a bit lazy, so I'll be short, but I liked the book so much that I just had to share my love. :-)

Anyway, this book combines two to things that I simply adore:

1. Paris - the city of light

I love Paris, and seeing it through the eyes of the main characters was a true pleasure - Cade, an American, a stranger to the city, and Sylvain, a Frenchman, the way I imagine a true Parisian would be like - arrogant, snobby, but charming. Reading about all the places imagining I was there, walking through the streets of Paris.

2. Chocolate

Who doesn't like chocolate? And I can assure you, after reading this book you will feel a deep craving for them. Especially if they come from a guy like Sylvain. I mean, that guy...

---

And I truly, truly adore both Cade and Sylvain, and their relationship. The flirting, the seduction (by chocolate) - all of it. Amazing. :-)

Any Duchess Will Do

2:00 am 6 July 2013

4 stars

Griffin York, the Duke of Halford is highly exasperated by his mother and her incessant matchmaking. But she truly went too far when she brought him to "Spinster" Cove, to that poor excuse for a tavern and told him too pick a girl to be his duchess. So, to spite her, he chose the most unlikely duchess he could imagine: the mud-splattered, sugar-covered serving girl.

The said serving girl, Pauline Simms isn't having a good day. It started out bad, and now to top it all there's this arrogant duke mocking her. But she'll show him. And then he'll leave and she will never be forced to see him again.

But, they decide to strike a bargain - a thousand pounds for a failure. After all, how hard can it be to fail in being a lady? Surely not that hard for a country lass.

A charming story, with some echoes of the Cinderella story. I liked both Pauline and Griff. True, Griff did have some not so good moments, but he is an unhappy man with strong walls built around his heart, and when Pauline threatened those walls, he lashed out. He makes for a good hero, nevertheless. He could be so charming and true, and sometimes just perfect.

As for Pauline, I truly admire her. She was pulled away from everything she's known and throw into the shark-infested water that is called the Ton, and she thrived. And I'm not only talking about her clothes, speech or manners, she actually shown them what it means to be a lady. True, she did have some moments when things got out of hand, but at her heart she is the noblest of them all.

Then there's their relationship, which is truly amazing, right until the very end. There's something I noticed about the latest of Ms. Dare's novels. At the end, there's usually some really dramatic twist, that honestly putts me off. Maybe I'm just a person who cringes when she even thinks about public Grand Gestures. I don't know. But what I do know, is that it spoils my enjoyment of the book.

What else? Hmm...

Oh yeah, then there's the duchess. The current duchess, that is. Griff's mother. I adore her. :-) I have no idea how old she is, but I kind of wish she could get her story. :-)

One more thing, there are moments in the story which were hard to believe. But, I do prefer to look at the novel as I would look on a fairy-tale. Anything can happen, from a village like Spindle Cove, to a duke wandering in it, picking the perfect bride for himself, to a duke marrying a serving girl. Not historically accurate, but a true pleasure to read.

In the end, I just want to say that I do love Ms. Dare's work and that I will definitely be reading [b:Romancing the Duke|18052985|Romancing the Duke (Castles Ever After, #1)|Tessa Dare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373079443s/18052985.jpg|25337669], which appears to be her next book and the beginning of a new series.

The Mistress

2:00 am 22 June 2013

3.5 stars

Before I begin, a warning: there will be spoilers for people who haven't read the previous books in the series. Anything spoilerish about this one will be under the spoiler tag, but the first three are fair play.

I've been avoiding writing this review for a while now. I can't even explain just how much I was looking forward to this book (checking every few minutes whether I was approved for the ARC is a fine example). So, when I finally saw that precious email, I was over the moon - and started the book immediately. And stayed up really late (or early if you prefer) to finish it. It was truly addicting. Now, back the first sentence of this review - even days after finishing the book, I still can't completely settle my feelings about it. But, I will do my best.

The Mistress continues where the Prince left off. Namely, after the kidnapping of Nora by a mysterious villain - who turned up to be King's sister Marie-Laure. Now, that was a surprise let me tell you. Anyway, we have Nora captured, the rest of the gang frantically trying to figure out where she is, and Marie-Laure gloating. Just a powder keg waiting to blow.

The events themselves aren't the focus of the story (at least IMO), but the feelings and memories accompanying are. As the official summary says, Nora is buying time by being Scheherazade, but the other characters do think back as well, so we get glimpses of the past. Unfortunately, even though I did enjoy reading them, they simply didn't interest me enough in the light of everything that was happening in the present.

The best thing about the book were, as always, the characters. Soren, my beautiful Soren, King, Nora, and a few others including Soren's niece, Grace (Zach's wife for those unaware), Wes (I think it's fairly obvious to everyone I'm not a big fan of Wes). My favorite, of course, is Soren. In this book, we see him shaken, but still as strong and domineering as well. I did enjoy the way we get to see him trough Grace's eyes - even with all the stories she heard about him, she could have never expected him to be all that he is. I LOVE SOREN! :-)

Then there's King - the events in the book hit him hard, his sister is actually alive (and completely bonkers), Nora is in danger, Soren in pain, all of it is not something that can be easily brushed aside. But he managed to prevail. I am looking forward to learning more about Juliette.

What I didn't like is the fact that there is not much of Soren&King together. I know that everybody is under stress and all, but I was spoiled after The Prince, and I expected to see at least a little of them. :-(

And then there's Nora. She is the way she always is, true a bit more scared, but still quintessentially Nora. She really should learn to keep her sharp tongue in check. We do get to see some of her past (I can't wait for the Priest).

One of the things that didn't exactly make sense to me, is actually a huge spoiler, so think before clicking on the tag. GRACE! I simply don't get the entire subplot. OK, she was a comfort to him and all, but did he really sleep with her (and what about his vow, and sleeping only with Nora and King)? It simply doesn't fit. And the ending? Really, that really had to happen? A BABY!?!

What I did love was the resolution to all of the relationships! :-) I was deliriously happy about it. :-)

There was a little detail that made me go all "Did that actually happen?", and spoiled the euphoria for me.

Oh, yeah, the ending really made me anxious to read a sequel, one that comes chronologically after this book. It doesn't really have to be an entire book, a novella will do, I can even work with a short story. I really want to see a bit more of that HEA. Big one: And to find out what happened to the baby, more reactions to it, as well as King's son Nicolas.

Before I wrap up this review, I just got to say just how much I love these characters and the way that Ms Reisz writes. I gobbled up everything she wrote, and liked it all.

I am looking forward to [b:The Priest: A Romance|16117368|The Priest A Romance (The Original Sinners, #5)|Tiffany Reisz|/assets/nocover/60x80.png|23748241]. Seeing how Soren deals with a young, rebellious Nora will be a treat!

ARC received from Harlequin via NetGalley

Heart of Obsidian

2:00 am 5 June 2013

5 AMAZING stars

Since I'm not sure I could actually write a review without spoilers - saying hero/heroine, being vague are really not my thing. Although, by now, I'm pretty sure that most people already know, but if there's somebody out there who hasn't heard it yet, beware. :-)

Anyway, before going to the details, I've just got to say this - Ms. Singh has outdone herself with this book. It is truly amazing (and yes,I'm going to use that word a lot), heartbreaking, full of action, but the quiet emotional moments as well. Truly, truly amazing.

Now for the spoilerish part (I won't go into too much detail, but I will name names):

Our hero is Councilor Kaleb Krychek, icy, ruthless, incredibly beautiful and at first glance completely Silent. The truth is not so much different - he shut down his emotions long ago in order to survive, but there is one crack in his otherwise perfect Silence - Sahara. He has lived through hell, growing up with Councilor Santano Enrique who was a psychopath who delighted in torture. The one bright spot was Sahara. So when she was taken away from him, he swore vengeance and spent years plotting and trying to find her. And now, the time has finally come.

Sahara is nearly broken. Years of torture have left their mark and she is so close to completely breaking down. So when the coldly dangerous man rescues her, she doesn't understand why everything in her urges her to trust him. If she was smart, she would try to find a way to escape him (not that it would be successful), but she can't (won't) leave him.

And to top it all, the events of the last few years are coming to an explosive climax, and if they're not careful their world will be destroyed.

Did I mention how amazing this book was? No, really I'm still riding the high of reading it. I mean, I really love the entire series, but this is just so, so good. And one of the main reasons why - Kaleb.

Kaleb is incredible. He is just as ruthless as ever, but we see a softer side, one that has never given up on finding Sahara, even if he never allowed himself to imagine the consequences of it. His life has been brutal, but he prevailed, plotted and found his HEA.

Sahara is a worthy match for him. Loyal, loving and able to penetrate the thick walls he erected around his heart. She is also strong and brave, she has to be in order to survive.

There were lots of other characters from previous books, and I liked the glimpses of their lives, but when compared to Kaleb, they simply pale.

The ones that stood out are Vasic and Aden - I can't wait for those two to finally get their HEAs. Although, I did read somewhere that Ms. Singh is not sure whether or not Vasic will survive, I decided to trust her to get him his well deserved happiness.

What will never cease to amaze me is the world itself. I can't wait for the next book in the series to see what will happen with the Psy and how the other races will acclimate to the changes this book has brought.

Beyond Control

2:00 am 18 March 2013

4.5 stars

Ever since I read [b:Beyond Shame|15830843|Beyond Shame (Beyond, #1)|Kit Rocha|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347036314s/15830843.jpg|21565716], I was enthralled by the world the authors created. It was dark, gritty, and yet there were people in it who still manage to shine. So, I was thrilled when I finally got my hands on this book. All I can say - I was not disappointed. :D

Our hero, Dallas - is incredible. In a world fraught with danger, he created a safe haven for the members of his gang. He's strong, cunning, brave and handsome. And madly in love with Lex, although you probably won't make him admit it. He is willing to do anything to make sure that the people under his command thrive, so he doesn't really have time for games. But, when Lex is in question all bets are off.

For her part, Lex is immensely attracted to Dallas. But she knows nothing good could come from it. Both of them are too dominant and unwilling to bend. The only thing that will come out from their relationship is heartbreak. And yet, for all her strength born from the painful past, she can't resist him. Maybe they can make it work...

An amazing book! Dallas and Lex make a great (and powerful) couple. They are strong, but they show each other the softer parts. They are simply perfect for each other.

But they are not perfect - which in a way makes them even more perfect. They are shaped by their past. Dallas is power-hungry at times, which almost led to him being miserably alone. And there comes the slightly annoying part: he messed up, and then gave up, moping around being mostly pathetic - and I don't like it. If you managed to get into a situation like that, then do whatever it takes in order to get her back - moping doesn't really help.

The Wanderer

2:00 am 17 March 2013

4.5 stars

When I first saw that Robyn Carr has a new book I was thrilled - another Virgin River book - YAY! But then I noticed that it was another series. I have to admit I was disappointed. Although I really like how Ms. Carr writes, I still prefer the VR series. But, I shook of the disappointment, and started this book. And I LOVED it.

Ms. Carr managed to create another town that will burrow its way into readers' hearts. Thunder Point and it's residents are no less enchanting than those of Virgin River.

Our story begins with Hank Cooper. Cooper has come to Thunder Point to find out what happened with an old friend of his, who died a while ago and left him his entire estate. He likes the feeling of the little Oregon coast town, but he has a heart of a wanderer, and he doesn't want to settle down. But slowly, he is caught in a spell that the town weaves.

That's when Sarah Dupre steps on the scene. Sarah is a helicopter pilot who is raising her brother on her own. Her job is the kind that doesn't really allow her to settle down, but she started to hope that Thunder Point could become her home. In any case, the last thing she needs is to become involved with a man. And yet, there is something about Cooper that is proving hard to resist. Maybe there is a chance for them. They just have to fight to find it.

Besides Cooper and Sarah (who are both incredible characters), there are a plethora of other interesting characters - the sheriff and his kids (and his love interest, I do hope they end up together), single mom Gina, most of the other residents of Thunder Point - but my favorite side character is Landon.

Landon is soooo amazing. He is still young, but mature as well, and just so awesome. I adore his and Cooper's relationship. Hope to see more of him. :D

Highlander Most Wanted

2:00 am 14 February 2013

3.5 stars

Genevieve McInnes has lived the past year in hell. Ever since Ian McHugh kidnapped her, every dream she had is in ashes. But there is a light in darkness: Ian is dead, and his father has fled. She finally has a chance to live her life the way she wants. True, her dreams are different now, a quiet life in a abbey is all she needs now, not even close to her girlish dreams of a home and family. Unfortunately, it seems like she can't get even that. The new laird, Bowen Montgomery, won't let her go.

Bowen isn't sure what to think of Genevieve. He can't imagine the lively lass living the rest of her life as an abbess. He will let her go, as soon as he figures out her role in the McHugh keep, and the reason why everyone at said keep hates her.

While they were busy trying to discern each other secrets, love snuck up on them. *sigh*

I rather like Ms. Banks' highlander romances. So, I was delighted to receive an ARC of this book. Unfortunately, something about it simply didn't sit right with me.

While both Bowen and Genevieve are generally good characters, they both had flaws that irritated me. Bowen, with his jumping to conclusions, Genevieve with her secrets, pride, and being constantly morose.

Don't get me wrong, I did like it, but it was not nearly as good as the other book in this series.

A great thing, are the Montgomerys and Armstrongs. All of the men are so yummy.

All in all, a book that had a lot of promise, but didn't completely deliver. Nevertheless, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series Highland Ever After.

ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.