I really loved both of these characters - they had real life issues that rang true, and they were just good people that you enjoyed cheering for. But some of the aspects of their relationship just didn't ring as true as the characters themselves did. And I never quite understand the accidental pregnancy story these days. People - use a condom - have the conversation - it just makes it that more believable.

Kate is gun shy with ALL men. After a horrible experience in college where she was humiliated, she has sworn off dating completely. While I get that a little bit, you would think eventually she would find someone she couldn't resist - and maybe that time has come in the form of Aleksei and just not sooner. I loved her honesty with herself. She didn't always like what she thought, but she acknowledged it and tried to deal with it. She was a fun spirit that liked to take reasonable risks and have a good time without going crazy.

Aleksei is a nut you just want to crack. He's got this super tough business persona, but we see a softer side with his family and with Kate. You just know there's something going on and when you finally find out, you'll just love him even more. His family is amazing, and I loved how we got to get to know them a bit so they weren't just names on a page.

This was a fun romance, with some great characters, just the beginning concept threw me off a bit.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Picking up just a short time after the very exciting ending of Ward Against Death, Ward and Celia are running for their lives. The book jumps you right into the action as their enemies catch up to them. But what they think is deliverance turns out to be even more danger than when they first began.

The mansion they discover seems like a safe sanctuary to begin with, but once Ward realizes who (and what) lives there, he is totally freaked out. But he has a moral obligation to take care of some things before they can run for their lives. This was were the story got a little fuzzy for me. There were sooo many characters that sort of had a connection to either Ward or Celia, but not really, that they all got a little confused at first. Eventually their very unique personalities pull the apart into their correct places, but the odd connections still felt a little off. Maybe they have some more importance in the next book that I don't know of yet.

Tons of excitement again. Ward is learning new things with his magic - but they are things that he's not completely sure he wants to know. They are dangerous things that almost get him killed on several occasions. Celia doesn't do much better, but at least her skills give her the ability to handle some of it.

I really enjoyed the history of necromancy and learning more about how it worked. It definitely helped to add a very good layer to the world building. Still a great series, but there were some things that just didn't seem to fit in this one.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/09/ward-against-darkness-by-melanie-card.html#sthash.iBMYqKrr.dpuf

This one has me very intrigued. While we do jump in with both feet into a world without a lot of backstory, you pick most of it up as you go along. There are several creatures involved that I couldn't really picture at first, but once we meet one, well - you'll know what they are.

We are introduced to a strange and mysterious passenger that is more than what he seems. So much more. And he is our viewpoint into this strange and very interesting lore as well. There's a bit of adventure in high seas sort of fashion.

I'll be very interested to see where this goes.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-shattered-islands-part-one-rakam-by.html#sthash.nNnvMAvZ.dpuf

Sabrina is a bit of a jaded woman. She has seen how her father's infidelity hurt her mother - but only because her mother loved him. So she has sworn off love and is looking for a man she can tolerate long enough to make an heir and a spare and then live their separate lives. But that is becoming more difficult than she originally thought. Instead of finding the one perfect suitor, she ends up with four imperfect ones - including Henry.

When Henry is re-introduced to Sabrina he finds himself incredibly attracted to her. But even though everyone is certain they will make a terrific match, she shuns him again and again. He watches her accumulate several other suitors but knows she will never really be happy with any of them. Then he realizes that one of them is a horrible person that does not have anything near her best interests at heart.

Each of Sabrina's suitors was such a different personality. As characters, they played well off of each other and really showed quite a span of male personalities. Watching her interact with them was very amusing at times, and at times very scary (especially once we figure out who and why the bad guy is). It's impossible not to root for Henry every step of the way.

This was a great historical romance. It had every element I look for in it, and I loved that it was missing the lying and hiding that tends to be a common theme between main couples lately. There was just enough intrigue and excitement and you really got to see just how fickle the ton could be. I loved every second of it.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Holy cow!! It just got really real for Mac in this one. I don't think I saw a single thing coming. Mac is still trying to figure out who is good and who is only in the game for their own selfish interests, but the waters are just getting muddier. V'Lane is as weird as ever, and Barons continues to be an enigma. We learn a lot more about each of them, but it only seems to make the more confusing! I can't wait to finally figure them out.

Throw in a few crazy sidhe-seers to just make things fun - oh, and don't forget the druids - and we have ourselves quite a tale. It may seem like there is far too much going on here, but Moning has introduced the players in a way that we've really come to know them all quite well - or at least as well as we're going to right now.

The war is on hand. Unseelie are still flooding the city, and the Dark Zones are expanding. Mac feels like it's her against the world. A world that we learn a lot more about - finally!! It was so good to learn a little more about the Fae history and why the book is so important. It really hits home why everyone is after it.

An incredible addition to the series - the ending will just totally blow your mind. I'm glad the next book is already out. If I had to wait too long to read it, I'd probably go insane.

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/09/faefever-by-karen-marie-moning-review.html#sthash.QUNZDGTX.dpuf

This was a very cute (but very short) novella. Jared is not looking for love or romance we he sets eyes on Elise at an auction. Elise isn't expected to find someone like her - ever. She thinks she's the only werewolf - I found this to be slightly far fetched, but set up the story in a way that really let Jared and Elise bond quickly. This is an important thing in a short novella.

Short - maybe too short. Things moved super fast and while both characters were cute, I really didn't have a chance to fall in love with them. I liked them, they had depth, and they both grew and developed - I just wanted to feel more from them.

The ending was very sweet and I hope we get a chance to see the couple in the next book. I'd love to get to know them a little better - they sound like they would be a ton of fun.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

This was a really cute prequel to the Partholon series. We get to see a bit more about how the Fomorians began their invasion and how they initially sunk their claws into the land. It also lays the groundwork for the vase and antique show - which actually does clear up a handful of questions that I just gave up on from book one.

The romance is very quick. It's a down and dirty novella so there isn't a lot of time for courting here. But it is still a very sweet one that is quite unexpected. The devotion in the relationship is great and I really enjoyed seeing how the whole realm jumping began.

DNF - dialog was too much for me.

One of the most fun Christmas romances I've read. With a case of mistaken identity, fun brothers that behave only as boys will, and some serious business competition. All together it makes for quite a fun romp in the snow (and yes they really do that).

Cassie is a work-a-holic that mistakes her biggest rival for her hired date for the evening. Needless to say, this leads to a slew of misunderstandings. While I did feel a little miffed that James didn't clear the air and tell her who he really was a little sooner - she also doesn't really give him much of a chance to.

As they get to know each other better, it gets harder and harder for him to find the right way to tell her who he really is. When she figures it out there's some major fireworks - both good and bad. Then her brothers get involved and hilarity insues (because they really like the guy). A very sweet romance that doesn't lose the heat element a bit. It kept me on the edge of my seat hoping they would get together, but wondering how it would ever work out.

But you will have a beautiful HEA (or two - maybe), along with some nice hot scenes (not all from sex either). You definitely don't want to miss this one this Christmas.

Avion has been in the story line for the past two or three books now. Injured and near death, the cyborgs return to Earth to try and find the origin of their tech to see if they can jump-start his system with some new nanos. But they run into a lot of bumps along the way - including a strage woman who calls herself One.

One is a very intriguing character, and as I found out more about her, she grew on me even more. She has a strange dual personality that she's contantly wondering which is really her. She brings up tons of interesting dynamics that really throw the Cyborgs for a loop. If what she says is even partially true, then the Cyborg world will be changing drastically.

One and Avion make an odd pair at first, but they are connected in a way that seems to defy logic. Their's isn't a traditional romance, but they aren't very traditional characters either. From the very beginning they just seemed to fit together and it was so much fun watching them teach each other exciting new things.

While many of the earlier books in the series can be read as stand-alone romances, in order to truly enjoy this one, you will want to read the previous books. Otherwise there will be parts you just won't understand.