Book Binge

I have been a horrible host for the Last Hero Standing contest this month and I really don't have any excuse other than I've been lazy, pure and simple. I don't think that not being familiar with any of the heroes is an excuse so that's really not it, I was just in a posting funk but you fellow Susan Andersen fans were faithful in your votes and we really appreciate you taking the time to get your vote on with us over the course of the month.

The voting this month was pretty neck and neck between the two remaining heroes, in the last round they were tied but one of the heroes pulled ahead at the very last minute to win this month's Last Hero Standing contest and that winner is:

Lucy Lang isn't looking for fireworks...

She's looking for a nice, decent man. Someone who'll mow the lawn, flip chicken on the barbeque, teach their future children to play soccer. But most important... someone who won't inspire the slightest stirring in her heart...or anywhere else. A young widow, Lucy can't risk that kind of loss again. But sharing her life with a cat named Fat Mikey and the Black Widows at the family bakery isn't enough either. So it's goodbye to Ethan, her hot but entirely inappropriate "friend with privileges" and hello to a man she can marry.

Too bad Ethan Mirabelli isn't going anywhere. As far as he's concerned, what she needs might be right under her nose. But can he convince her that the next best thing can really be forever?

Sounds good, don't you think? She's a baker so you can bet the farm that I'm anxious for this one. I've enjoyed all of the books (for the most part) by Kristan Higgins and I'm definitely going to get this one and read it just as soon as it comes out.

It comes out in February of 2010 so that's just in a few months. Mark your calendars, I'm sure Kristan Higgins won't disappoint with this one so who's with me?

This book is available from HQN. You can pre-order it here.

Rowena's review of Crash Into Me by Jill Sorenson.

Hero: Ben Fortune
Heroine: Sonny Vasquez

In this heart-stopping novel, Jill Sorenson delivers a romantic thriller featuring one too-tough female agent, one too-hot male suspect, and a head-on erotic collision.…

Though he’d gone into virtual seclusion, Ben Fortune was still the world’s most famous surfer, known as much for his good looks as for his skill. He’s also a suspect in a series of brutal murders that may have begun with his late wife. Now FBI Special Agent Sonora “Sonny” Vasquez has been sent undercover to the elite beach community of La Jolla to make friends with Fortune. With her fierce beauty and take-no-prisoners attitude, she’s more than equipped for the job, and soon she and Ben have collided in an affair that is both intense and irresistible. But for the first—and worst—time in Sonny’s career, her emotions are threatening to get the better of her. Could this sensual, wounded man, who is genuinely anguished over his troubled daughter, really be a killer? And could falling in love blind Sonny to the greatest danger of all?

The main draw for me with this book was the setting. It was set in La Jolla, California which reminded me of my days of living in Oceanside, California. I had a friend that lived near La Jolla and every Tuesday we had dinner at her house and this story made me think about those days and miss those days. I picked this book up at the Used Bookstore because I remembered different reviews of the book and was curious enough to want to read it.

I'm glad that I did because of the three books that I was reading, I think this is the book that sucked me right out of my reading slump. This is the book that I kept wanting to go back to and this is the book that took me the least amount of time to read. It was very easy to drop into Ben and Sonny's (Summer, whatever) world. Jill Sorenson did a great job of making me feel like I was apart of their world, their story. It was a very three dimensional story for me and I enjoyed getting to know each character.

We first meet Sonny when she's proving her mettle in the boxing ring against another agent who made me roll my eyes down the hall. She dropped him like a bad habit and immediately we find out that she's got a history of abuse.

I love looking at surfers. Whether, they're out in the water surfing their little tales off or they're relaxing on the beach or in a bar, I love to watch them because to me, they're so smexy. I work with a surfer boy and he is really easy on the eyes and it was actually him in my head while I was reading about Ben. Weird, huh? Oh well, Surfer Boy here in the office would make a totally hot Ben. As far as Ben's character went, I loved him. Almost from the beginning because you can see him struggling to do right by his teenage daughter while trying to just get by. I adored him.

To say that I enjoyed this book would be putting it mildly because I enjoyed the heck out of this story. I enjoyed the connections between Ben and Sonny but mostly I was drawn to the teenage love story between Carly and James. As much as I adored Ben, I think I loved James more because he was that tortured hero that fought against evil to continue to be good. He came from bad stock and yet he was such a good kid. I thought Carly was spoiled and rude but when James came into the picture, I enjoyed the influence he had over Carly because he fought so hard to be an honorable person. I loved him! I loved James and Carly together. I loved that their love wasn't easy and it wasn't good all the time because it made it all the more strong because it wasn't a walk in the park. They were just so good for each other. I even liked James brother, Stephen. I totally admired him for all of his bad habits that he kicked so that he could be there for his brother.

This book was a good one, it was a very satisfying story that I completely adored and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is in the mood for a contemporary romance with a mystery thrown in as well. The characters were rich, the beach setting was fantastic and the story flowed extremely well. I can't say enough good things about this book except that you should definitely read this book if you haven't already.

Grade: 4.75 out of 5

This book is available from Bantam. You can buy it here or here.

This is the second book in the Black Cobra Quartet by Stephanie Laurens. I'm pretty anxious to see what Laurens has up her sleeve for Gareth's story. I'm really anxious to see who has the original package and I'm really wanting to see more Rafe. Gareth's heroine is the girl that we met in the first book, the one that James was escorting, Emily so really, it should be an interesting read. I can't wait!

Check out the blurb:

When Emily Ensworth receives a packet containing vital information from a dying soldier, she finds that her own life is in grave danger from the mysterious Black Cobra and his men. Together with Gareth Hamilton, a man to whom she finds herself irresistibly drawn, Emily is determined to bring the Black Cobra to justice while delivering the letter to safe hands. But with threats lurking around every corner, Emily and Gareth must work harder than ever to make sure their newfound love can survive.

Yay! This book comes out on January 26, 2010 so mark your calendars, you won't want to miss out on this one!

This book is available from Avon. You can pre-order it here.

Casee's review of Go Fetch (Magnus Pack, Book 2) by Shelly Laurenston.

How much trouble can one small female be to a modern-day shapeshifting Viking? Well.it really depends on local gun laws. Conall Vga-Feilan, direct descendent of Viking shifters, never thought he'd meet a female strong enough to be his mate. He especially didn't think a short, viper-tongued human would ever fit the bill. But Miki Kendrick isn't some average human. With an IQ off the charts and a special skill with weapons of all kinds, Miki brings the big blond pooch to his knees-and keeps him there. Miki's way too smart to ever believe in love and she knows a guy like Conall could only want one thing from her. But with the Pack's enemies on her tail and a few days stuck alone with the one man who makes her absolutely wild, Miki is about to discover how persistent one Viking wolf can be.

Miki is one of Sara's best friends from Pack Challenge. Technically, Miki and Conall's story started then.

Conall works very hard to exude a teddy bear impression. Being a descendant of Viking shifters, violence is in his blood. The last thing he wants to be is like his family of shifters. He left his pack to join Zach's b/c he didn't want to become one of them. He never thought he would want to take a mate, so his feelings for Miki are a surprise. What's even more surprising is her complete lack of response to him.

Miki knows what Conall wants from her. Right after he gets it, he'll leave. Miki isn't going to be one of those women that are used and discarded. Plus, she sees right through Conall's facade and knows that he's not the teddy bear that he pretends to be. Unfortunately for her, Conall has to stick close by her side when a Pack enemy threatens Miki. Conall soon learns that it's not so easy to stick like glue to Miki.

I really enjoyed Miki's character in Pack Challenge. Her intelligence and her general outlook on life just made her a force to be reckoned with. She is independent to her core and isn't going to let any man take care of her. She thinks that she can ignore her attraction to Conall, but he's not so easy to ignore.

There was a bunch of over-the-top stuff that happened in this book (including Miki making some kind of special explosive device). It wouldn't have worked if I didn't get a handle on Miki's personality in Pack Challenge. Her constant bitchiness did get annoying at times, but I was able to look it over for the most part.

I liked how Conall handled Miki. He accepted her for who she was and didn't expect or want her to change a thing about herself.

4 out of 5.

This book is available from Samhain Publishing. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

As the curator of the costume collection at the Fashion Institute of Chicago, Athena Smith lives and breathes couture dresses. They're her entire life. And while she's in a vast underground bunker where the Institute houses their private collection of vintage couture clothing, examining the dresses, she falls desperately ill and is rushed to the hospital. Word around town is that Athena has been poisoned. Dr. Drew Montgomery, a physician at Northwestern Hospital, knows all about Athena's gal-about-town reputation. He's seen her picture in the society rags and he can barely contain his disdain. But he's perplexed by her illness. As they together unravel the secrets behind her illness to figure out who might have poisoned her and why, an attraction blooms between this society gal and this no-nonsense doctor. But is love enough to keep them together?

I haven't read anything by this author before but the cover of this book caught my eye and the blurb for the book has me curious to try her out. Has anyone read her before and have any thoughts or opinions to share with me on her writing ability? I'd appreciate anything. I'm mighty curious about this one.

This book comes out on January 4, 2010 so mark your calendars ladies!

This book is available from Forever. You can pre-order it here.

We hope you have an excellent day.

XOXOXOXO

Holly, Casee and Rowena

Casee's review of Soul Magic (Wing Slayer Hunters, book 2) by Jennifer Lyon.

When an ancient pact is broken, powerful witches who once used their magic to help humanity become the twisted playthings of demons, and the mortal men who once protected the sorceresses become witch hunters, cursed with the longing to spill the witches’ blood: an irresistible craving that will cost witches their lives and witch hunters their souls.

The Wing Slayer Hunters fight this curse, guarding innocent witches until the urge to harm them grows too strong–then they must kill their own. Wing Slayer Sutton West has always honored that vow. His own father killed himself rather than go rogue. But now Sutton is tempted as never before by Carla Fisk, a brilliant psychologist and dynamic witch whose twin sister, Keri, was murdered by rogues.

Bound by blood and passion, Carla and Sutton dare not succumb to their deadly attraction. Yet when a mysterious rogue named Styx joins forces with the demon Asmodeus, witch and hunter have no choice but to work together. For Keri’s immortal soul is at stake–and with it, balanced on a knife-edge, is the fate of humanity itself.

This series is my favorite new series of the year. I loved the idea of witch hunters, witches (good and bad), and curses. It's just intriguing. Like I've said in the past, coming onto the paranormal scene these days is hard b/c there is so much out there. This series is fresh and original. Soul Magic takes us deeper into the world that Lyon has created.

Both Sutton and Carla were fairly prominent in Blood Magic. Sutton is a Wing Slayer and Carla is a witch. After a mortal woman attacks Sutton, they take her to Carla when it's clear that she's been under some kind of mind control. Carla is able to go to the astral plane to help the soul go back to the physical body. When she attempts to bring the woman back, she finds her twin sister Keri's soul. Keri died two years before and it is very obvious that Keri didn't go onto Summerland. Keri stopped this particular knife from killing Carla which is how her soul got trapped in it.

Sutton and Carla are forced to work together, something neither of them want. Sutton is afraid that he's finally going to give into the bloodlust that turns witch hunters into rogues. Like his father before him, he will die before he lets that happen. Not only does he not want to become the very thing that he's hunting, he doesn't want to hurt Carla.

When it appears that Sutton and Carla are soul melds, Carla isn't so sure. Keri has a bond with Sutton that doesn't seem to include Carla. Sutton denies it, telling Carla that it's her he's always been attracted to. He is sure that Carla is his soul meld.

That aspect of the book was the most interesting. It doesn't become apparent until the end who Sutton's soul meld really is. I don't want to spoil it, but it doesn't end as easily as you expect. In fact, it was probably the most emotional part of the book. I really like what Lyon did with the Sutton/Carla/Keri triangle (not that it was a triangle.

4.25 out of 5.

This book is available from Ballantine. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Other books in the series:

Rowena's review of The Wildest Heart by Rosemary Rogers.

Hero: Lucas Cord
Heroine: Rowena Dangerfield

Passionate, Headstrong Lady Rowena Dangerfield and dark, dangerous outlaw, Lucas Cord....two destinies intertwined under the blazing New Mexico sun. Lady Rowena Dangerfield travels from the exotic palaces of India to the splendor of the Royal Court of London to the savage New Mexico frontier to lay claim to her inheritance and live freely as only she would dare. In the violent, untamed American Southwest, she finally meets a man as strong as she is: Lucas Cord, a dark, dangerously handsome, half-Apache outlaw. Fighting scandal, treachery and murder, Luke is determined to have Rowena for his own, and as their all-consuming passion mounts, no one is going to stop him...

When I first started this book, I didn't quite know what to expect. The ARC that we received from Sourcebooks was pretty thick and I knew it wasn't going to be an easy read but that was mainly because of the thickness of the book. I wasn't fully prepared for what I found instead. Instead of the book being a trial to read because it was so lengthy, it wasn't the length of the book that was the trial. It was the story itself.

There was so much going on throughout the story and it was sometimes very hard to get through. Ugly things happened in this story and though it's not my usual cup of tea, I couldn't stop reading this book. It reminded me of one of those train crashes that you see off the side of the freeway, it's a very ugly sight and yet you can't stop looking. It was exactly like that.

This story follows Lady Rowena Dangerfield as she goes from her life in India after her grandfather dies to live with her mother in England and then off to America where she claims her inheritance from her father which was half of the SD Ranch. In order to claim her inheritance, she had to meet all of these demands set forth by her father. While I understood a lot of Rowena's frustration at having half answers from just about everyone, I still couldn't bring myself to really care for her because she was so judgmental. Of everyone. Lucas Cord (the hero) summarized my feelings for Rowena splendidly when he said,

"...Ever since the first time we met, you've been judging me, judging everyone else. It's time you did some figuring out for yourself, Ro. An' while you're doing that, better take a good look at yourself too. There aint a human being in this world who's perfect, an' at least I never asked that or expected it from you. But you set yourself above everybody else, make your own conclusions...what gives you that right?"

Far too many times in this book, I kept saying this about Rowena. What gives her the right to jump to the conclusions she did? Because she was always pissed off at Lucas for something or other and she was always pissed off at him for something that someone else told her. Mark and Todd tells her that he's bad news so it must be true, Todd hates his guts so he must be this terrible person and yet, her FATHER believed in him. Her father didn't think he was a bad person and yet she breezed over that bit of news and hated Lucas all the same. I guess in some ways, it was understandable considering what she went through but out of all the guys who did her dirty, Lucas was the only person that didn't and she hated him. It bugged me.

This book was quite exhausting emotionally because there was so much ugly in it. So many things happen to Rowena and seriously, all of this forced seduction just wasn't my cup of tea. Did Rowena really need to go through all of that to get to her happy ending? I don't think so, she was put through the wringer and this book could have been chopped in half (Outlander, anyone?) and I still think the story could have been told to completion.

As far as Lucas goes, when we first meet him, we're told that he's a rapist and a really terrible person. It was all heresay so I didn't put too much stock in it but then I read that he was sleeping with his mother and I'm appalled. But like a train wreck on the side of the road, I couldn't stop from looking again. I had to keep reading to find out what that whole deal was about and even though it ended up not being as gross as I thought it was (even though it was still pretty gross), I didn't hate Lucas. He was such an ass and he did things that should have made me hate him but I didn't. I can't really explain why I didn't hate him, I just ...didn't.

The back and forth between Lucas and Rowena at times was frustrating because I wanted them to quit it already. They took biting each others heads off every single time they saw each other to a whole new level of SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY and there were times in the book that it drove me up the effing wall. And then to top things off, at the end of the book, Rowena and Lucas are finally together and they have a baby together and they named the baby boy, Guy Ramon. Guy for Rowena's father and Lucas' mentor and Ramon...for Lucas' brother? I was really pissed off that they named the baby after Ramon after what he did to Rowena. I just couldn't fathom it and it bugged me.

This book isn't a book that I would recommend to all romance readers because of all of the stuff that's in it. There's rape, there's men hitting women, there's just a whole lot of ugly (I know this is like the third time I said that but it's true) and though I couldn't stop reading it, I still wouldn't think it's an enjoyable read. After finishing it, my thoughts were along the lines of, "I'm so glad that's over" and that pretty much sums up my thoughts on the entire book.

Grade: 2.5 out of 5

This book is available from Sourcebooks. You can buy it here or here.

One of the main reasons I stopped reading Romantic Suspense (or the reason I read so little of it) is the lack of believability. I talked about this once before (Sex Sells, But I Ain't Buying It), but I don't buy for one second that in the middle of a shootout, or knife fight, or flight for your life in a jungle that the only thing on your mind is sex.

Lately I've been having another issue with believability. This time it's the time frame in which so many couples seem to fall in love and find their happily ever after. Admittedly I've been reading a lot of category romances lately and more often than not the relationships in those aren't given a lot of time to develop. Even so, a lot of straight contemporary romances and romantic suspense novels seem to take place over the course of days and/or weeks.

I don't believe a relationship - generally speaking of course - can be determined in a matter of days or even weeks. Really, how well do you actually know a person in the first few weeks you're together? That's the time when we put on our best face, because we want to keep the person. It isn't until later that you stop picking your towels up off the bathroom floor, or start leaving your dirty underwear hanging over the side of the basket, or splashing water and/or other gunk on the bathroom mirror. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Many times I don't even think about the timeline when I'm reading the book. It isn't until I've finished it that I think about the amount of time that actually passed. Other times I notice right away and it really pulls me out of the story. I can't help but think, "Really? You're in love and getting married and ready to have babies together but you've only known each other two weeks?? Seriously?".

There are exceptions of course. Many authors use the friends/acquaintances-to-lovers or rekindled flame theme to get around the time issue. Others just write the stories in a completely believable way. But more often than not I'm left shaking my head and not at all convinced the relationship can withstand the test of time. Not after a few short weeks.

Do you have problems with believability? Ever finish a book and think to yourself, "No effing way that happened in 2 weeks"? Do you have other believability issues?

Casee's review of Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter.

Untraceable by Kresley Cole

Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden — the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Soon desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together, can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

After Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series, Kresley Cole's IAD series is second on my list of favorite paranormal series.

Murdoch Wroth has been a vampire for three hundred years. Finding his Bride is the last thing he wants to do. Seeing his brother with his Bride is enough to convince him that he never wants to find his. That all changes when he spies Daniela in the French Quarter.

Daniela is the rightful Queen of Icere, the home she left after her mother was slain. She promised her mother that she would never go back there and she hasn't. She is half Valkyrie, half Icere. Danii not only wants the cold, she needs it. Touching anyone other than the Icere is something that she can't do without being badly burned. Living in New Orleans is hard for her, but she has adapted so she can stay with her coven. She is intrigued when she realizes she is Murdoch Wroth's mate, but knows that it's impossible.

Murdoch watched his brother suffer for five years before he finally found his runaway Bride. He is dismayed that his mate is Valkyrie, even if it's only half. Frustration doesn't begin to cover what he feels knowing that he can't touch Danii, nor can he feel her touch.

This definitely made for an interesting story. One thing that made it good was their lack of physical contact made them talk. They really got to know each other. Theirs wasn't an easy road, that's for sure. In addition to their "relationship" problems, assassins are determined to kill Danii to protect a throne that she doesn't even want.

The whole cold thing was kind of revolting. I can't think of another word to describe it. It seemed worse when Murdoch was with Danii b/c he wasn't like her and the things he withstood just showed how much he loved her.

I liked both Danii and Murdoch, but this was probably my least favorite of the series.

3.75 out of 5.

Tempt Me Eternally by Gena Showalter

Aleaha Love can be anyone — literally. With only skin-to-skin contact, she can change her appearance, assume any identity. Her newest identity switch has made her an AIR (alien investigation and removal) agent and sends her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. Only she becomes the captured. Breean, a golden-skinned commander known for his iron will who is at once dangerous and soul-shatteringly seductive, threatens her new life. Because for the first time, Aleaha only wants to be herself....

I was surprised that I enjoyed the Gena Showalter installment more than Kresley Cole's. Not b/c I don't like Gena Showalter; I do. I haven't read anything in her Alien Huntress series. I don't like reading series out of order, but I found it surprisingly easy to start with this book.

Aleaha Love has a secret. She can turn into anyone she touches. She doesn't retain the person's memories, but she does look exactly like them. That's what got her into her current situation. When Aleaha finds Macy Briggs dead, she takes her identity so she can be a part of the Alien Investigative and Removal team.

While on a mission to stop aliens that bring a deadly virus with them the soon-to-be captors turn into the captives. Aleaha is taken by the commander of the group, Breean. She has to fight her attraction to the man that has taken her and her team captive. It gets harder with each day as she finds that Breean is one of the few people that accepts her as she is.

Breean brought his people to Earth in hopes of living peacefully. After the virus that AIR is so afraid of coming to Earth kills almost all his people, Breean has no choice but to try to find a place for his remaining people to survive. Aleaha is someone that he doesn't expect and doesn't want to let go. But her allegiance to her team may ruin any chance they have together.

4 out of 5.

This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Probably my favorite Susan Andersen hero ever is Elvis Donnelly from Exposure. There's something so...wounded about him. He's the sheriff of a small town, but he's scarred - both physically and emotionally - by things that happened in his past.

One of the things that sets him apart from other heroes is that he's missing a hand. Instead he has a hook. Now, I don't know about you, but I think hook and the first image that pops into my head is Captain Hook. And that is so not hot. But Elvis? Elvis is totally hot. Even with a name like Elvis and a hook for a hand, I wanted to gobble him right up.

He must have been six feet, six inches tall and probably weighted somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred thirty pounds, all of it solid, khaki- and levi's-covered muscle. But it wasn't simply his size that caused her to stare. It was the sternness of his expression. It was the fact that his left arm ended in an artificial limb with a metal clip-style hook where his hand should have been, and that a wicked raised scar zigzagged across his left cheek like an inch-and-a-half-long lightning bolt, pointing to his full lower lip where it ended at the outside corner.

With his scars and missing hand, Elvis is definitely an unconventional hero. But he works. He works because once you look past the scar and his hook, you see he's an amazing man.

Have you ever read a book with an unconventional hero? Did you love it despite your initial misgivings going in?

Casee's review of Untraceable (Tracers Series, book 1) by Laura Griffin.

Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive cop husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst, and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on -- including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy Austin PD detective -- Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth.

As far as homicide cop Nathan Deveraux is concerned, no body means no case. But as much as he wants to believe that Alex's hunch about Melanie's murder is wrong, his instincts -- and their visceral attraction -- won't let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, Nathan realizes this investigation runs deeper than they could ever have guessed. And each step nearer the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear....

Laura Griffin is a new-to-me author. As a big fan of romantic suspense, I'm really surprised that I haven't discovered her before now. When I started this book, I could tell that there was a back story I was missing. Nathan and Alex have a past, so I was somewhat lost at the beginning.

Alex is a private investigator that helps people disappear. After helping Melanie Bess disappear, Alex doesn't expect to hear from her again. She is surprised and dismayed when she learns that Melanie has returned to Austin and into the reach of her abusive husband. When Melanie disappears for real, Alex is certain that her husband found her. She turns to Nathan Deveraux for help, but soon regrets it.

Nathan isn't even certain a crime has occurred, let alone that a decorated officer is responsible. Alex is a person that doesn't give up easily and soon has Nathan believing that more is going on than meets the eye. When Nathan starts asking questions, it doesn't go over well with some of his fellow officers.

Nathan has already put Alex into danger once, something that he doesn't want to do again. But as he already knows, Alex isn't someone that stays on the sidelines. Once she gets an idea, she doesn't let go of it easily. She's convinced that there is corruption in the Austin PD and doesn't know if Nathan would be willing to help her b/c of that.

At first the plot was somewhat convoluted, but it cleared up and the book got really good. The suspense was suspenseful and the romance was pretty raw. Alex is someone that doesn't give up control easily, which Nathan sees right away. He knows that there is no possibility of working anything out between the two of them if Alex doesn't give up some measure of control.

The book was good enough that I went and picked up the two books that are loosely related to this book (reviews to come).

4 out of 5.

This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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Breaking Dawn [The Twilight Saga Book 4]
by Stephenie Meyer
[Dark Fantasy/Romance]

Twilight tempted the imagination. New Moon made readers thirsty for more. Eclipse turned the saga into a worldwide phenomenon. And now, the book that everyone has been waiting for.... Breaking Dawn, the final book in the #1 bestselling Twilight Saga, will take your breath away. Details

Eclipse [Twilight Series Book 3]
by Stephenie Meyer
[Dark Fantasy/Romance]

Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob--knowing that her decision has ... Details

Prey [Werecats Series Book 4]
by Rachel Vincent
[Fantasy]

Sometimes playing cat and mouse is no game... Play? Right. My Pride is under fire from all sides, my father's authority is in question and my lover is in exile. Which means I haven't laid eyes on Marc's gorgeous face in months. And with a new mother and an I-know-everything teenager under my protection, I don't exactly have time to fantasize about ever seeing him again. Then our long-awaited reunion is ruined by a vicious ... Details

The Mist
by Carla Neggers
[Romance]

When Lizzie Rush uncovers evidence that thrill-seeking billionaire Norman Estabrook may be at the center of an international criminal network, she finds herself playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Raised in the elite world of her hotelier family, educated in reality by her spy father, Lizzie is the perfect choice to slowly amass information that will take down Estabrook. But no good deed goes unpunished. Despite Norman's arrest, Lizzie knows she's not safe. ... Details

Hot on Her Heels
by Susan Mallery
[Romance]

Dana Birch vowed never to put herself at the mercy of a powerful man. She became a deputy so that she could take care of herself and protect those she loves. Especially her best friends, the Titan sisters. Twenty years ago, Garth Duncan swore revenge on Jed Titan for abandoning Garth and his mother. Now he's back to fulfill that promise, even if Jed's daughters get caught in the crosshairs. All that stands between him ... Details

Shadows of Myth [Ilduin Series Book 1]
by Rachel Lee
[Fantasy]

No memory, no future, and only a white rose to identify her... The Ilduin Bane are myth and legend: assassin mages whose blades drip poison and whose minds share a common purpose--one of death or control. All who have gone against them lost, unable to penetrate their powerful protections. So Archer Blackcloak gathers a small band to destroy the Bane. From Archer comes strength of purpose and an indomitable will. Ratha and Giri give the ... Details

The Darkest Whisper
by Gena Showalter
[Romance]

Bound by the demon of Doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers. So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern... until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more. Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she'd fall for a kind human who wouldn't rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling ... Details

Unhallowed Ground
by Heather Graham
[Romance/Mainstream]

When Sarah McKinley is finally able to buy and restore the historic Florida mansion she always loved, she dismisses the horror stories of past residents vanishing and a dead housekeeper who practiced black magic. Then she makes a grim discovery. Hidden within the walls of Sarah's dream house are the remains of dozens of bodies--some dating back over a century. The door to the past is blown wide open when Caleb Anderson, a private eye, ... Details

Black Friday
by Alex Kava
[Suspense/Thriller]

On the year's busiest shopping day, idealistic college students believe they're about to carry out a media stunt at America's largest mall. They think the jamming devices they carry will disrupt stores' computers, causing delays and chaos. They don't realize their backpacks are stuffed with explosives, turning them into suicide bombers. Caught in a political nightmare, battling a new director and mourning her boss, FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell must put her troubles aside to figure ... Details

92 Pacific Boulevard
by Debbie Macomber
[Romance/Mainstream]

92 Pacific Boulevard Cedar Cove, Washington Dear Reader, I'm not much of a letter writer. As the sheriff here, I'm used to writing incident reports, not chatty letters. But my daughter, Megan--who'll be making me a grandfather soon--told me I had to do this. So here goes. I'll tell you straight out that I'd hoped to marry Faith Beckwith (my high school girlfriend) but she ended the relationship last month, even though we're both widowed ... Details

Happy eReading,

The eBookwise Team

Holly's review of Heart Dance (Celta's HeartMates, Book 6) by Robin D. Owens

Dufleur thyme knows that emotion has no place in scientific experiments, and she cannot abide distractions in her own surreptitious quest to redeem her father's time reversal studies.

For Saille T'Willow, time is running out--the premiere matchmaker of Celta, he himself has yet to HeartBond and form the family he yearns for Knowing that Dufleur is his HeartMate, he has sent his HeartGift out to circulate, hoping it will find its way to her and enable him to make his claim.

Instead, Dufleur keeps tossing it out--she wants nothing to do with a Willow, the family that destroyed her father's good name. But Saille is determined, and the attraction between them is undeniable. When one of her experiments imperils Saille's position, Dufleur must make a choice--she can retreat to the solitude of her lab, or stand with the descendant of her enemy as his HeartMate...

Heart Dance is book 6 in Owens' HeartMates series. I liked this book, but not as well as some of her others. You can see my reviews for the rest of the books here.

I loved Saille. I thought he was a strong, honorable man. He really stepped up and tried to fix all the problems left by his predecessor. I think I just liked him as a person. He was kind and loving, but also strong enough to stand up for himself and those he loved.

While I understood Dufleur's reasons for pushing Saille away, I found it became tedious after awhile. It was obvious, even to her, that he loved her, yet she refused to trust him. That became very frustrating. I liked her on her own, I just didn't care for her with Saille. I did like watching her grow as the story progressed though.

I liked both Myx, Saille's Fam, and Fairyfoot, Dufleur's Fam. I especially liked that Fairyfoot had to be taught some manners. She was far too smug for my tastes in the beginning.

3.5 out of 5


The series:



This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Casee's review of Skin Game (Skin Series, book 1) by Ava Gray.

A beautiful fugitive—wanted dead or alive.

Kyra is a con woman and a particular kind of thief. She steals with a touch, but she only takes one thing: her target’s strongest skill. Which means she can be a fighter, an athlete, a musician, an artist—anything she wants… for a limited time. Heartbroken, she turns her gift toward avenging her father’s murder; with deadly patience, Kyra works her way into casino owner Gerard Serrano’s inner circle. After pulling off the ultimate con, she flees with his money and his pride.

A hit man who never misses the mark.

Reyes has nothing but his work. Pity for Kyra, he’s the best and mercy never sways him once he takes a job. He’s been hired to find out where Kyra hid the cash—and bring her back to face Serrano’s “justice.” Dead will do, if he can’t locate the loot. He’s never failed to complete a contract, but Kyra tempts him with her fierce heat and her outlaw heart. So Reyes has a hell of a choice: forsake his word or kill the woman he might love.

Considering my lack of reviews lately, it shouldn't come as a surprise when I say that I haven't been at the top of my reading game. It's not that I've been in a slump, I just can't be bothered to read. I picked this book up four times (started it twice) before I got through it. I have to admit that part of it was all the ZOMG!!!! reviews that made me hesitate at the end. Eventually, the blurb was too good and I had to read it.

Kyra and Reyes are not your typical h/h romance fare. These two characters are raw and gritty. They are liars, cheaters, and thieves. They don't apologize for any of it. I think that may have been what held me up in the beginning. I had a hard time with Kyra's lack of remorse when she used her gift against people. See, when Kyra touches someone, she retains that person's most prominent talent (i.e. fighting, gambling, etc.) for a short time.

Kyra is on the run from the man that was responsible for killing her father. After pulling a con on him that will ruin his public image, Kyra takes off with millions of his dollars. Meeting Reyes is something that is unexpected and unwanted. After a hot fling one night, Kyra takes off thinking she's never going to see him again. When he shows up in the same town she is a few weeks later, he has good reason for being there so Kyra doesn't really question it.

In fact, Reyes is tailing Kyra. He's been contracted to kill her, something that he still plans on doing even after the hottest night of sex he's ever had. As he starts traveling with her, he starts doubting that Kyra is guilty of doing anything wrong.

One of the reasons that this book is so good is b/c Reyes is such an anti-hero. He's not a good guy by any stretch of the imagination, but even an assassin has morals. Kyra doesn't trust easily, so trusting Reyes is taking a huge step for her. When she finds out who Reyes really is and why he tracked her down, it doesn't go over well at all.

This is a very unconventional book, but that's what makes it so good.

4.25 out of 5.

This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Rowena's review of Evermore (Book 1 of the Immortal Series) by Alyson Noel.

Grade: 2.75 out of 5

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school--but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste. Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head-0wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is --or what he is. The only she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

I've read lots of good reviews on this book around the YA blogosphere and was really interested in reading this book so when I started a book club with one of my close friends, I thought that since the both of us wanted to read it, it would make a great first book.

I finished the book and I don't think it's the worst book in the entire world but I didn't exactly fall in love with it the way that I thought I was going to. There were too many hot damn things that got on my nerves and too many instances where I wanted to kick the ever living shit out of both Ever and Damen. I understand that they're teenagers, well Ever is and I understand that Damen was trying to what? I don't know, protect Ever or ease her into the truth but goodness that boy for as old as he was, he sure was a little shit.

Usually, watching two people growing closer together or falling in love with each other is a journey that I happily enjoy. Drama and all but it was different in this book. In this book, I kept going back and forth. Do I really want them together? What the hell is Damen's problem? Does he like Ever or not? What's with all of this bullshit flower crap that he keeps pulling on both Ever and then the girl that makes Ever's life shitty? Stacia? I mean seriously? I know he knows what the hell is going on, I know he knows the kind of bitchy person Stacia is so if he liked Ever so much, why did he do shitty things like that? He doesn't have the excuse that he didn't know, he could read her damn mind for shit's sake! Why would he think that it was okay to treat Ever like that? Have these intense moments and then the very next day, dash all of Ever's hopes by cuddling up to Stacia of all frickin' people. It was hard for me to like him after that because he kept fucking up.

He knows about Ever's psychic abilities but he doesn't tell her, oh no, he waits until the shit hits the fan and then he takes her memory away and then confronts her at school about it as soon as she remembers everything and is so flippin' pissed at him. She doesn't know what he is and instead of easing her into it, he just jumps right in and is doing all of these damn tricks that would freak any normal person out. I was pissed!

But he wasn't the only person I was pissed off at, I was pissed at Ever too. She knows that something is different about Damen. She knows that he has the magical ability to walk faster than a moving freight train, he's richer than Donald Trump and Bill Gates but he's emancipated and jobless. How is that possible? How did you not ask questions, Ever? Seriously! Nothing added up with him but you just kept brushing them aside until it was too late and the truth was staring you in the face and you were shitting in your pants.

I was telling Holly while I was reading this book that I'm weird because even though this book got on my nerves, I still want to read the next book, Blue Moon. This book had all of the makings of those angsty teen books, female lead character is in a new school, dubbed a freak by everyone around and falls in love with the dark, gorgeous immortal. It had its good moments and a fair share of its bad moments but overall, I didn't hate it. I'll read New Moon and find out if I'll continue the series or not. I'm curious but not OMGOSH I must read the next book or I'm gonna die or anything like that.

This book is available from St. Martin's Griffin. You can buy it here or here.

Excuse my aging self, these are the winners for our October Monthly Reads, we haven't done our November ones yet...*sigh* Sorry. I've edited the title.

We've got some winners to announce today but first we'd like to thank everyone who participated in this month's Monthly Reads giveaway. It's always a good time to hear what everyone is reading and what their favorites and least favorites are.

The winners for this month's giveaways are:



Mairee



Chelsea B.



Kris



Michelle

Congrats to the winners and you guys know the drill, right? Shoot us a quick email with your snail mail addy and we'll send your books out soon! You can send those emails to contests[at]the book binge . com (no spaces).

Thanks and happy reading!

-Rowena, Casee & Holly

Holly's review of Take Me For A Ride (ARTemis Agency, Book 3) by Karen Kendall

A stolen necklace, a hidden family treasure and the Russian mob collide in a sizzling-hot romance from the “witty, irresistible” imagination of Karen Kendall . . .

Art restorer Natalie Rosen is a true romantic, inspired by the world’s great art and literature. But nothing stirs her emotions like the legendary St. George necklace, which once belonged to Catherine the Great. The priceless heirloom was seized by the Nazis from Nat’s family in Old Russia, never to be seen again. When against all odds, the necklace turns up in her office for repairs before auction, it vanishes, along with the impulsive Natalie.

Hard-living recovery agent Eric McDougal is no gentleman, but then he’s never advertised himself as one. McDougal thrives on chasing women — and stolen art. Now he gets a dream assignment to do both, and thinks it’ll be a cinch. But he doesn’t count on his high-octane attraction to Natalie, or that she’ll unwittingly lead them both into a dangerous underworld where falling in love — and staying alive — are part of the game.

Based on the cover and blurb, I expected a darker romantic suspense. That isn't what I got. Despite this being lighter than I expected, it started out fairly well. Unfortunately it quickly went downhill.

Most of my issues stemmed from the fact that Natalie is completely too stupid to live. She had absolutely no common sense. Right from the beginning I was scratching my head at her antics. The way she refused to go to the police and blindly trusted a stranger she met in a bar was just the beginning of a whole book full of stupid moves on her part.

Natalie's grandmother constantly talked about a necklace that was stolen from her family when she was a girl, which turns up at the auction house where she works quite unexpectedly. She isn't sure if it's the actual necklace and wants to show it to her grandmother to be sure. Unfortunately grandma is legally blind and can't travel, which means Natalie has to bring the necklace to her. This makes no sense to me because the woman can't see, but what do I know?

Once she does, grandma refuses to give it back. She hides the necklace, then locks Natalie out of the house, refusing to let her back in until she's bought plane tickets for them both to Russia. Her mother told her if she brought the necklace to a certain cathedral in Moscow, it would prove their identity and allow them access to treasures the family has hidden there.

Unsure what to do, Natalie decides to drown her sorrows with whiskey in a pub. Which is where she meets Eric McDougal. She thinks he's just some stranger in a bar, but the truth is, Natalie's boss has hired him to find the necklace - and Eric thinks Natalie is his most likely suspect. He plies her with liquor and she shares the whole sordid tale with him..and this is about the point the plot goes downhill.

Natalie tries to take Eric home, but he does the honorable thing and doesn't take advantage of her. I understood that part, because she was drunk. But the next morning she's still feeling all hearts and roses toward him - even though she doesn't even know his last name. Then she finds her boss beaten up and tells him her grandma has the necklace. Turns out the dude who brought the necklace in for repairs is with the Russia Mafyia, and his boss isn't happy that her boss lost the necklace. Natalie rushes to grandma's house only to find she's not home. She's in complete panic mode when Eric calls her and she agrees to wait for him there so he can come save the day. The stranger she just met the night before. Riiight.

From there things just go from silly to downright strange. The characters start acting oddly, the plot takes strange leaps and twists that really have nothing to do with anything - at one point a Siberian Tiger appears..and gets fed Mongolian BBQ - and Natalie goes from stupid to just plain too stupid to live. She continues to put all of her trust in Eric. She relies on him to keep her safe, allows him to buy her a plane ticket and accompany her to Russia to chase after her grandmother, and pushes all concerns she has about his character aside. Then, at the end, gets pissed when she realizes what his true nature is. Uh, hello dumbass, you knew he wasn't on the up-and-up. Why get pissed now? Plus, I can't count the number of times she did something stupid that put her in danger.

After she almost gets kidnapped right off the street in Moscow she refuses to go to the hotel. She tells Eric she isn't going to sit around and miss seeing the sites or looking for her grandma. It isn't on her agenda. Eric begs her not to leave the hotel room just because she's angry with him and she storms out anyway, knowing the Russians are right outside. If I was Eric I would have iced her just to save myself the misery of her company. Seriously.

I liked Eric a bit better, but it annoyed me how he claimed to be such a lady chaser and yet we saw no evidence of it. He was portrayed as a strong, chivalrous man right from the beginning. If the author hadn't continually beat me over the head with his thoughts of how out of character it was for him to be so sweet I would never have known he was supposed to be an asshole.

The plot was just this side of ridiculous. There were so many plot holes and inconsistencies it resembled Swiss cheese. And just when I didn't think it could get worse, something would come completely out of left field and prove me wrong...like the Siberian Tiger who was fed Mongolian BBQ.

Even the secondary characters, with the exception of some random Russian strangers - the ones responsible for the Mongolian BBQ, as a matter of fact - were annoying. There was a secondary storyline running parallel to this one that featured the couple from the first book. Based on their actions in this book, I have no desire whatsoever to read that one. They're engaged, but she doesn't trust him in the least. Honestly, I don't think she even likes him much. She was supposed to come off as being tough and street savvy, I think, but instead she just seemed like a bitch. And not the good kind of bitch either. The kind who acts all hard-nosed but is really just a big ball of annoying.

I wish I could find something to recommend this, but of the romance, characters and plot there isn't one thing I can think of that worked. There might be an audience for this book, but I'm not it. I thought it sucked big donkey balls.

1 out of 5

The series:



This book is available from Signet Eclipse. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Holly's review of Double Play (The Heat, Book 1) by Jill Shalvis

Getting to first base is a cinch...But getting home will take a grand slam...

Pace Martin is the ace pitcher for the Pacific Heat. He's got the arm, the experience, and the wins. He's also got the pain, the pressure, and the possible end of his career looming over him. The last thing he needs now is a distraction, even if it comes in the form of a tough, beautiful, tell-it-like-it-is writer who sees past his defenses.

Holly Hutchins knows a good story when she sees one, and the tall, dark, and slightly attitude-challenged Pace Martin fits the bill. But when she realizes there's more at stake than just a win, she starts to see the handsome, broad-shouldered jock in a different light.

Pace and Holly begin a seductive game, but in the face of unexpected betrayal and challenges, they'll have to find the courage to swing for the fences...

I don't know why, but I couldn't seem to read this book when it first came out. I kept picking it up, but I'd set it back down again before I read even the first page. I think I just wasn't in the mood. Looking back that seems very silly because Shalvis is always a win for me.

I didn't expect to like Holly because she's a reporter, one who plans to ferret out all the team's secrets. Things like that tend to drive me absolutely crazy. Shalvis really made it work for me here because she was upfront and honest about her intentions right from the beginning. What normally drives me insane - the need to share the truth no matter the personal cost to the people involved - wasn't done in a bloodthirsty way. Holly wanted to expose the truth - felt she had an obligation to do so - but she wasn't slimy about it.

Holly was fun and witty. Though she held herself back from forming strong attachments she wasn't completely closed off. She was still open and honest. I really liked her personality.

Pace wasn't your typical alpha-athlete. Though he was the star of the team, it bothered him that people thought of him so. Instead of coming off as a martyr, I found him to be somewhat refreshing for an arrogant athlete. Because he's injured, he isn't sure what's going to happen to his career. Since he's only in year three of a 5 year contract, that especially freaks him out. There were times I thought he might take his whining to the extreme, but it never happened.

The issue of trust between the two of them was the main source of contention. I think this worked because both were upfront about not trusting the other, and because the reasons each presented were believable.

Parts of it did bother me, like Pace's relationship with Red. Although it was mentioned the relationship being similar to that of a father and son, it seemed like Red's only interest in Pace was what he could bring to the mound. I understand that Red was all about the game, but I saw very little real affection for Pace in him. Shouldn't he, as a father, been more concerned about Pace as a person and less about him as a baseball player?

I really liked the baseball setting and the secondary characters. The way the team was portrayed as being so close and tight-knit really worked. They really seemed more like a family than anything. The kids Pace mentored were adorable and I liked their parts in the story.

As an aside, I was really struck by the similarities between this book and See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson. I kept having a sense of deja vu while reading, because the stories are so close in plot.

Overall I enjoyed the book and I'm anxious for the next one.

4 out of 5

The series:



This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.