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First off, you do not need to read the previous books to enjoy this really good Christmas werewolf romance. There seem to be couples from previous books in the story, but you don't need to know their story to enjoy this one.
The three MacTire sisters were a little hard to keep separated at times. Being introduced to them in such quick succession made them all sort of roll into one for me and it took awhile before I was able to separate them into their own individuals. They have very similar personalities, maybe they become more distinct in later books? I did love them. I loved their tenacity in trying to find their aunt, and how loyal they were to each other - with just enough bickering to keep it a little interesting.
C.J. was all big bad wolf - in a good way. Willing to anything to prove to Laurel that he's the right wolf for her, he goes out of his way to make her feel at home in Silver Town. Their little adventure/dates were soooo much fun. I wish I could do every single one of them. I could really see their connection. It grew in a very natural way, which can sometimes be hard to find in a romance book. They became friends, then lovers, then more. I loved it.
The mystery surrounding the inn, the sisters, and the ghost hunter wasn't so much fun. At times it was a little hard to follow. There were just enough creepy and scary moments to add that nice element to the story though. I really liked the little twist at the end for the ghost story - it was a really nice finishing touch.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
The three MacTire sisters were a little hard to keep separated at times. Being introduced to them in such quick succession made them all sort of roll into one for me and it took awhile before I was able to separate them into their own individuals. They have very similar personalities, maybe they become more distinct in later books? I did love them. I loved their tenacity in trying to find their aunt, and how loyal they were to each other - with just enough bickering to keep it a little interesting.
C.J. was all big bad wolf - in a good way. Willing to anything to prove to Laurel that he's the right wolf for her, he goes out of his way to make her feel at home in Silver Town. Their little adventure/dates were soooo much fun. I wish I could do every single one of them. I could really see their connection. It grew in a very natural way, which can sometimes be hard to find in a romance book. They became friends, then lovers, then more. I loved it.
The mystery surrounding the inn, the sisters, and the ghost hunter wasn't so much fun. At times it was a little hard to follow. There were just enough creepy and scary moments to add that nice element to the story though. I really liked the little twist at the end for the ghost story - it was a really nice finishing touch.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
This series is really starting to lose steam on me. The lack of appearances from the original group of vampires that I've grew to love - except in cases of emergencies where they swoop in like super heroes - has really hurt these for me. The new batch just isn't as much fun at the old one.
Reaper and his gang are on the hunt for Gregor for a multitude of reasons. In fact, as the story goes on, more and more reasons pop up. Soon it seems like each of the good vamps has their own personal vendetta against the guy. He's bad - like really really bad - but it was a little much.
Crisa was a little over the top and the story really seemed to revolve around her instead of Briar, who is our main female in the romance. Perhaps this one took a little more of an Urban Fantasy feel to it. I love a good urban fantasy, but I went into this knowing I wanted to read a romance. The romance just didn't seem to take center stage like I would have expected it to.
There was a lot of action, but much of it was over the top and seemed to be thrown in there just to be there sometimes. I'm really hoping that future books get back to the feel the series had in earlier titles.
Reaper and his gang are on the hunt for Gregor for a multitude of reasons. In fact, as the story goes on, more and more reasons pop up. Soon it seems like each of the good vamps has their own personal vendetta against the guy. He's bad - like really really bad - but it was a little much.
Crisa was a little over the top and the story really seemed to revolve around her instead of Briar, who is our main female in the romance. Perhaps this one took a little more of an Urban Fantasy feel to it. I love a good urban fantasy, but I went into this knowing I wanted to read a romance. The romance just didn't seem to take center stage like I would have expected it to.
There was a lot of action, but much of it was over the top and seemed to be thrown in there just to be there sometimes. I'm really hoping that future books get back to the feel the series had in earlier titles.
This Christmas romance has a nice dash of suspense that really made it pop. It still has plenty of Christmas charm and some incredibly sweet scenes. Cat is an odd mix of tough and push-over. She's willing to do anything her bratty sister asks - and she asks a lot. Chloe is a total brat and I really disliked her. I almost understood why someone might want to get rid of her! But with Cat watching out for her, she doesn't need anything else.
But then Grayson arrives on the scene. He throws an even bigger wrench in the whole Cat and Chloe relationship. With Chloe convinced he's going to be her new boyfriend, Cat being the prime suspect in his case, and a general craziness of everyone around them, Cat and Grayson aren't sure they were ever meant to be.
There are a good number of laughs mixed in with the very well written suspenseful moments. The only draw back was at times it got just a little too silly and Chloe was just a little too - too much. I flat out didn't like her one bit. And the fact that Chloe didn't step up to her and tell her how it was, made me like Chloe just a bit less as well.
Overall, this has been one of the best Christmas romances so far this year - it just needed to be reigned in a tad.
*The book was received in exchange for an honest review*
But then Grayson arrives on the scene. He throws an even bigger wrench in the whole Cat and Chloe relationship. With Chloe convinced he's going to be her new boyfriend, Cat being the prime suspect in his case, and a general craziness of everyone around them, Cat and Grayson aren't sure they were ever meant to be.
There are a good number of laughs mixed in with the very well written suspenseful moments. The only draw back was at times it got just a little too silly and Chloe was just a little too - too much. I flat out didn't like her one bit. And the fact that Chloe didn't step up to her and tell her how it was, made me like Chloe just a bit less as well.
Overall, this has been one of the best Christmas romances so far this year - it just needed to be reigned in a tad.
*The book was received in exchange for an honest review*
First off, if you read this book you will need a good chunk of knowledge about leveraged buy-outs, hostile take-overs, and how the retail business works at the top levels of management. I had a little, but apparently not enough. I didn't always follow the business side of this corporate drama, and that means I didn't follow a good chunk of the main plot. It was a shame, because it was a very well written story with some larger than life characters.
The characters, well, they may have been larger than life, but there were soooo many. They were hard to keep track of because not everyone called them by the same name. We had first names sometimes, and last names only other times, and occasionally a nickname thrown in. I had a very hard time keeping track of who was involved in what part of the business dealings. I had no problem keeping their personal lives straight though.
And those personal lives are what saved the book for me. While most of them held the illusion of a perfect life, we found that not everything was roses. There was some personal drama and even a bit of crime drama wrapped up nicely all together. There was just a little too much business lingo for me to really get into it. It seemed to be great look into some of the major business issues that plagued the 90's in the US and people who are a tad more business savvy than I will really enjoy this one.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/10/webs-of-power-by-darlene-quinn-review.html#sthash.rMByPIRr.dpuf
The characters, well, they may have been larger than life, but there were soooo many. They were hard to keep track of because not everyone called them by the same name. We had first names sometimes, and last names only other times, and occasionally a nickname thrown in. I had a very hard time keeping track of who was involved in what part of the business dealings. I had no problem keeping their personal lives straight though.
And those personal lives are what saved the book for me. While most of them held the illusion of a perfect life, we found that not everything was roses. There was some personal drama and even a bit of crime drama wrapped up nicely all together. There was just a little too much business lingo for me to really get into it. It seemed to be great look into some of the major business issues that plagued the 90's in the US and people who are a tad more business savvy than I will really enjoy this one.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/10/webs-of-power-by-darlene-quinn-review.html#sthash.rMByPIRr.dpuf
Dark Secrets: A Paranormal Noir Anthology
Megan Hart, Suzanne Johnson, Jeffe Kennedy, Rachel Caine, Cynthia Eden, Mina Khan
This was a really great mix of stories. There is a little bit of everything here, and it all has a bit of a dark twist to it. While not all are technically romances (it doesn't claim that either) they all have an element of a love story and a few do have the HEA we all love.
Marion, Missing:
Old school noir detective story - but with a ghost. This was a good old fashioned PI that was determined to find his bad guy. Did it help that he was just a little in love with the ghost that asked him to take the case? Maybe. A really great story with very subtle paranormal elements. Even non-paranormal readers will really get into this one.
Femme Fatale:
This one was a lot of fun. A vampiress hires a PI to protect her and find out who is giving vampires a bad name by leaving bodies all over the place. This one gets a little complicated as two of the main characters have different stories to tell. You will be left guessing up until the very end to try and figure out who is really the bad guy in this one. Lots of action and intrigue.
Dance With the Devil:
What does selling your soul to the devil really mean? There's a definite twist on the tale in Dance With the Devil that I absolutely loved!!! Kathleen has been doing the devil's bidding for years - afraid that she will lose everything she has if she stops. But things aren't always what we think and be prepared for quite a surprise ending on this one.
The Consort:
While I loved the world concept in this one, the story fell a little short compared to the rest. There were a lot of dynamics that I don't think I was able to pick up on in the short novella form that I would have liked to be there. The story is definitely romantic, with Faulk willing to put his life and people on the line to save Liandra from becoming, well, basically a sex slave to a seriously creepy guy.
Heart's Blood:
This is definitely the darkest of the stories, but it was also one of my favorites. Not only does it deal in love and romance, but it tackles the concept of individual identity and what it really means to honor a vow. I loved every word - even the ones that had me sitting there with my mouth hanging open in shock at how horrible the pretend Princess is. Nix may seem like a wilting flower at first, but she is one of the most powerful female characters I've read - and she gets there in just a short novella!!! I may be buying this entire series very very soon.
The Djinn in the Mirror:
Djinns - you gotta love the tricky creatures. It helps that they seem to fall in love with human women just when she needs them the most. This was the sweetest of the stories, but still had some definite dark moments (the cellar near the ends still makes me shudder). A really great twist on Cinderella. At times I didn't realize I was in the modern world, the characters were kept so away from everything that they almost existed in a time unto themselves. I loved our little glimpse into the Djinn world and a taste of all the intrigue and politics there as well.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Marion, Missing:
Old school noir detective story - but with a ghost. This was a good old fashioned PI that was determined to find his bad guy. Did it help that he was just a little in love with the ghost that asked him to take the case? Maybe. A really great story with very subtle paranormal elements. Even non-paranormal readers will really get into this one.
Femme Fatale:
This one was a lot of fun. A vampiress hires a PI to protect her and find out who is giving vampires a bad name by leaving bodies all over the place. This one gets a little complicated as two of the main characters have different stories to tell. You will be left guessing up until the very end to try and figure out who is really the bad guy in this one. Lots of action and intrigue.
Dance With the Devil:
What does selling your soul to the devil really mean? There's a definite twist on the tale in Dance With the Devil that I absolutely loved!!! Kathleen has been doing the devil's bidding for years - afraid that she will lose everything she has if she stops. But things aren't always what we think and be prepared for quite a surprise ending on this one.
The Consort:
While I loved the world concept in this one, the story fell a little short compared to the rest. There were a lot of dynamics that I don't think I was able to pick up on in the short novella form that I would have liked to be there. The story is definitely romantic, with Faulk willing to put his life and people on the line to save Liandra from becoming, well, basically a sex slave to a seriously creepy guy.
Heart's Blood:
This is definitely the darkest of the stories, but it was also one of my favorites. Not only does it deal in love and romance, but it tackles the concept of individual identity and what it really means to honor a vow. I loved every word - even the ones that had me sitting there with my mouth hanging open in shock at how horrible the pretend Princess is. Nix may seem like a wilting flower at first, but she is one of the most powerful female characters I've read - and she gets there in just a short novella!!! I may be buying this entire series very very soon.
The Djinn in the Mirror:
Djinns - you gotta love the tricky creatures. It helps that they seem to fall in love with human women just when she needs them the most. This was the sweetest of the stories, but still had some definite dark moments (the cellar near the ends still makes me shudder). A really great twist on Cinderella. At times I didn't realize I was in the modern world, the characters were kept so away from everything that they almost existed in a time unto themselves. I loved our little glimpse into the Djinn world and a taste of all the intrigue and politics there as well.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Faith and Connor are friends, they sometimes work near each other, and they both have the hots for each other. But Faith is a little gun shy after having her ex-fiance cheat on her, and Connor just doesn't seem to know what he wants. The setting for this is amazing - I loved the mansion and the little cottage that gets brought in later. They were just so well described and sounded beautiful.
The story gets off to a great start with a bit of suspense in the form of a possible bungled burglary. This paves the way for Connor to come to the rescue and play good guy, watching over Faith until they figure out what is going on. Of course, there was some random hot cop thrown in here that I didn't really understand the purpose of. He just seemed like a reason for Connor to get all possessive - which really didn't appeal.
Unfortunately, the burlary is solved very early and suddenly the couple is in some weird state of limbo. A chunk of the middle section just didn't seem to fit at all, or perhaps it could have been shortened and not so drawn out at least. Now, once we get them stuck in the cabin things get moving again.
A decent story, but that middle part was just too drawn out. I didn't see a reason for it other than to add to the page count.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
The story gets off to a great start with a bit of suspense in the form of a possible bungled burglary. This paves the way for Connor to come to the rescue and play good guy, watching over Faith until they figure out what is going on. Of course, there was some random hot cop thrown in here that I didn't really understand the purpose of. He just seemed like a reason for Connor to get all possessive - which really didn't appeal.
Unfortunately, the burlary is solved very early and suddenly the couple is in some weird state of limbo. A chunk of the middle section just didn't seem to fit at all, or perhaps it could have been shortened and not so drawn out at least. Now, once we get them stuck in the cabin things get moving again.
A decent story, but that middle part was just too drawn out. I didn't see a reason for it other than to add to the page count.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Most of us know the legend of King Author and Guinevere. It's a myth that people love to hear as a bringer of hope and goodness. But whatever happened to them when they died? Well, there are lots of rumors and some think they may have found their remains. But this is a story of why they are so well hidden. Going back to the end of the Tudors and Henry VIII, we watch as the Catholic churches are dismantle one by one, their relics and belongings either looted or taken by the throne for the use of the country.
One church is left standing, and it holds the relic of Author's remains. The build up to the church falling is incredible. You can feel the dread and the despair as time grows short. Conspiracy theories abound in this novel and as Audry Thorndale is tasked with the incredible burden and honor of hiding the remains from the English king.
As she prepares her life for this huge change, she finds out a lot about herself and the people around her. Heroes emerge where they are least expected, but she never really knows who she can trust. There's a bit of romance, a lot of intrigue, and good dose of history and legend. Such a great story. I really want to see what happens next.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/10/entrusted-by-allegra-gray-review.html#sthash.wWz7rZgu.dpuf
One church is left standing, and it holds the relic of Author's remains. The build up to the church falling is incredible. You can feel the dread and the despair as time grows short. Conspiracy theories abound in this novel and as Audry Thorndale is tasked with the incredible burden and honor of hiding the remains from the English king.
As she prepares her life for this huge change, she finds out a lot about herself and the people around her. Heroes emerge where they are least expected, but she never really knows who she can trust. There's a bit of romance, a lot of intrigue, and good dose of history and legend. Such a great story. I really want to see what happens next.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2015/10/entrusted-by-allegra-gray-review.html#sthash.wWz7rZgu.dpuf
As you can see, Eve Langlias' Cyborg series is popular around here. In book one we are intruduced to a futuristic world where Cyborgs have revolted and regained their free will. We met a team of them that rescued Chloe and now they are searching for her "sisters". Solus and his team don't really expect to run into one of them at the abandoned asteroid mine, but now that they have, they will do anything to keep her safe and help her remember who she was.
F814 isn't really interested in all that. After she revolted she decided she was just fine continuing to mine on the asteroid, after all, that is what she was programmed to do. But her recent malfunction has given her strange new dreams and nightmares, and she finds Solus strangely interesting. But the humans won't give up their prize so easily, making for a few great combat scenes as well.
Solus and F814 are both afraid of their emotions - they aren't logical - they don't make sense (does not compute). They both fight them tooth and nail, but the emotions are stronger than their programming, but can either of them admit it when they both think emotions are flaws? This was a fantastic addition to the series and I loved it. It's hard to imagine that two cyborgs could be such dynamic and interesting characters, but Eve pulls it off wonderfully. Eve's snarky humor is present throughout and is perfectly placed to really make a few scenes. If you love Sci-fi, you must read this series.
F814 isn't really interested in all that. After she revolted she decided she was just fine continuing to mine on the asteroid, after all, that is what she was programmed to do. But her recent malfunction has given her strange new dreams and nightmares, and she finds Solus strangely interesting. But the humans won't give up their prize so easily, making for a few great combat scenes as well.
Solus and F814 are both afraid of their emotions - they aren't logical - they don't make sense (does not compute). They both fight them tooth and nail, but the emotions are stronger than their programming, but can either of them admit it when they both think emotions are flaws? This was a fantastic addition to the series and I loved it. It's hard to imagine that two cyborgs could be such dynamic and interesting characters, but Eve pulls it off wonderfully. Eve's snarky humor is present throughout and is perfectly placed to really make a few scenes. If you love Sci-fi, you must read this series.
Ok - so Einstein has to be my favorite Cyborg so far. I know lots of people are raving and excited about Seth coming out recently, but I'd been wondering how Einstein's love was going to come about. He is such a nerdy little guy (ok not so little maybe) and I love his logical approach to everything. When Bonnie throws his circuits out of whack he wants to go get checked for computer bugs. It was great.
Bonnie on the other hand, while very smart herself, has quite the little attitude. She's snarky and just a bit annoying and a whole lot of fun. I love her verbal sparring matches with Aramus (and they made me wonder about what his book is going to be like) and I think I even chuckled out loud at some of her antics a few times.
Their romance is pretty fast and a lot of the book is about getting her back to the Cyborg home safely. There was plenty of space fighting action - and plenty of action between Einstein and Bonnie as well. I love this series more and more every book I finish.
- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/#sthash.PmkQsmSJ.dpuf
Bonnie on the other hand, while very smart herself, has quite the little attitude. She's snarky and just a bit annoying and a whole lot of fun. I love her verbal sparring matches with Aramus (and they made me wonder about what his book is going to be like) and I think I even chuckled out loud at some of her antics a few times.
Their romance is pretty fast and a lot of the book is about getting her back to the Cyborg home safely. There was plenty of space fighting action - and plenty of action between Einstein and Bonnie as well. I love this series more and more every book I finish.
- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/#sthash.PmkQsmSJ.dpuf
Eve Langlais wrote this one with a bit of a different style. We are taken back in time to Seth's creation as a cyborg several times throughout the story. While Eve did a fantastic job with the time transition, it just isn't a big favorite of mine to have it broken up as much as she did. She did an excellent job of making sure I knew if I was in the past or present, and both parts of Seth's story were very very interesting.
Seth is the most human of the cyborgs - programmed as a spy model he needed to be able to blend in with humanity to get the job done. This makes him very unique amongst the cyborg men (and women) we have met so far. He's incredibly obnoxious (on purpose) and likes to push peoples buttons. But when push comes to shove he's amazingly loyal to those he cares about - yes he readily admits he cares and it drives Aramus nuts.
Anastasia is also a spy model - she's acutally Seth's ex-partner. Things blew up in a really bad way and she's hated him ever since. But she needs him for her mission and is willing to put up with his crap and attitude if it will help get the job done. She's more machine-like than Seth is and much more mission-oriented as well. I loved watching the two of the bicker. This is a dialog type that Eve Langlais has mastered. It flows so naturally and makes the characters so much more fun to read.
The two pats of the story are woven together nicely - as I said earlier, it's just not really the style I prefer to read. What Eve reveals about their past has a direct effect on their present relationship. It was brilliant the way it all seemed to weave together to form a really cohesive history and story for these two. This doesn't seem to be the last of Eve's Cyborgs as a new mission is decided on near the end that has a lot of potential for drama and, or course, love.
Seth is the most human of the cyborgs - programmed as a spy model he needed to be able to blend in with humanity to get the job done. This makes him very unique amongst the cyborg men (and women) we have met so far. He's incredibly obnoxious (on purpose) and likes to push peoples buttons. But when push comes to shove he's amazingly loyal to those he cares about - yes he readily admits he cares and it drives Aramus nuts.
Anastasia is also a spy model - she's acutally Seth's ex-partner. Things blew up in a really bad way and she's hated him ever since. But she needs him for her mission and is willing to put up with his crap and attitude if it will help get the job done. She's more machine-like than Seth is and much more mission-oriented as well. I loved watching the two of the bicker. This is a dialog type that Eve Langlais has mastered. It flows so naturally and makes the characters so much more fun to read.
The two pats of the story are woven together nicely - as I said earlier, it's just not really the style I prefer to read. What Eve reveals about their past has a direct effect on their present relationship. It was brilliant the way it all seemed to weave together to form a really cohesive history and story for these two. This doesn't seem to be the last of Eve's Cyborgs as a new mission is decided on near the end that has a lot of potential for drama and, or course, love.