A Simple Love of Reading

On My Wishlist (89)

2012-02-11T10:50:00.004-05:00

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - a linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

Next of Kin by Sharon Sala:
Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she's placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can't do, her kinfolk will.

The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky welcome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming—even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker—is made bittersweet by the fight she's brought to the clan's doorstep. Hidden in a remote cabin with the man she's always wanted, Beth begins to dream of a new life: her old one. But after so long, with such dangers stalking her…impossible.

But love can distill life down to its essence: an elixir of pure hope, nerve—and the will to survive.

Envy by Gregg Olsen:
Murder is such a dirty word…New York Times bestselling adult true crime author Gregg Olsen makes his YA debut with EMPTY COFFIN, a gripping new fiction series for teens based on ripped-from-the-headlines stories…with a paranormal touch.Crime lives–and dies–in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen–and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town’s victims and culprits. Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins’ old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out–and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined. Based on the shocking true crime about cyber-bullying, Envy will take you to the edge–and push you right over.

Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate:
What makes your heart race a little faster? Just in time for Valentine's Day, it's FALLEN IN LOVE, four wholly original new stories collected in a new novel set in the Middle Ages by Lauren Kate. FALLEN IN LOVE gives fans the much-talked about but never-revealed stories of FALLEN characters as they intertwine with the epic love story of Luce and Daniel. The stories include: Love Where You Least Expect It: The Valentine of Shelby and Miles , Love Lessons: The Valentine of Roland; Burning Love: The Valentine of Arriane; and Endless Love: The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda.

Whisper No Lies by Cindy Gerard

2012-02-10T14:20:00.002-05:00

Whisper No Lies:
AN INDECENT PROPOSAL...

When a high roller at the Vegas casino where Crystal Debrowski manages security makes a scandalous proposition, she flat-out refuses, especially given rumors of his shady overseas connections. But then counterfeit bills mysteriously flood the gaming tables, and her reputation — and her life — are on the line.

REVEALS A SIMMERING DESIRE...

Despite his big, flirty grin, Texas heartbreaker Johnny Duane Reed can't get sassy Crystal off his mind. When she is abducted by an international crime lord with a threatening obsession, Reed enlists his Black Ops, Inc. team to pursue a dangerous mission to rescue her.

...WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.

Between Crystal and Johnny burns a scorching flame, but as they battle her relentless abductor, they uncover a malicious arms trafficking and white slavery ring. Together, they must destroy the tyrant's wicked enterprises or face his reign of terror themselves....

Cindy Gerard's BOIs (Black Ops Inc.) are irresistible alpha males. Tough and primal when facing a threat, compassionate and possessive with their women. Cindy has a talent for creating suspenseful, action-packed stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. Crystal and Johnny simply 'clicked' for me, they set of sparks and those sparks never dulled throughout the book. While the romance is sweet and realistic, the heat between the characters builds with each turn of the page. Johnny and Crystal fight to overcome their commitment phobias to be with one another, even when Johnny believes he is not the right man for Crystal. But when Crystal is in danger Johnny will stop at nothing to save her, even if that involves going head-to-head with Yao Long, an Asian mafia lord. Deeper than she would have liked, Crystal is pulled into the world of white slavery, and she fights to free not only herself but the other young girls caught in the human trafficking ring. Using whatever resources available, Johnny, Crystal and the BOIs won't stop until they put an end to Yao forever.

Love That Line (27)

2012-02-10T12:06:00.001-05:00

Love That Line is hosted by Jessica Rabbit's Corner, it's a little thing where we post a favorite quote or two from a book we have enjoyed.

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

"The more important question is, who did we exchange him for, and can Scotland keep them?"

"The way every fortunate endeavor begins." She unfurled her hand to gesture behind us. "With tea."

"I'll have you know, my head is a perfectly average size." He spread his fingers. "My hands, though, are enormous, and you know what they say--"

Theme Thursday (48)

2012-02-09T09:42:00.003-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event hosted by Reading Between Pages that will be open from one Thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

A theme will be posted each week (on Thursdays)
Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week's theme is - HEAR (Listen, anything else you can come up with the ear’s actions, etc)

If you hear anything odd happening, give me a call.

Dangerous Games by Keri Arthur

My Book Boyfriend (54)

2012-02-08T23:05:00.002-05:00

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie of The Unread Reader, in which we swoon over boys in books!
(I--as in me, Amy--don't like to use commercial photos, I like to use the authors' descriptions and my imagination.)

Tye
Book: Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst
Series: N/A

He's a were-tiger and a guardian that protects both humans and supernaturals. His hair is striped orange and black, his eyes are tawny, a brown so light that they are nearly golden, flecked with gold and bronze specks. His voice is soft and smooth and he easily manages the quintessential bad-boy smile. He smells like a rainforest, but it's not any kind of aftershave, simply his own scent.

Quotes:

"So are you," Lily said. She pulled her hand away from his. "You lied to me. You said you were my guard."
"Yeah," he said. He didn't sound the least bit sorry. "But 'Hi, I'm Tye, I'm a were-tiger' would have been the worst pickup line ever."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "You like cryptic comments, don't you?"
"It's the cat in me."

"You came for me," she said.
The tiger's fur rippled, and the air smudged around him like summer heat. The orange and black tiger fur melted away, and Tye in jeans and a black T-shirt crouched in front of her. "Always," he said, rising to his feet.

Future Favorites (68)

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature over at Electrifying Reviews. I post about a book that is yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!

Nevermore by James Patterson
Release Date: August 6, 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

One last chance...
for Max, Fang, and Dylan...
before it all ends.

Are you ready for the final chapter? Are you ready for the ultimate flight? Because THIS IS IT. One last incredible, explosive adventure with an astonishing ending that no one could have seen coming.

New Header!

2012-02-06T19:05:00.002-05:00

Hey, Everyone!

As you can see I got a new and vastly improved header for the blog! My friend Sarah did it for me, and if you're interested in updating your own blog, her rates are very, VERY reasonable!

Let me know what you all think!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (87)

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

Books I read last week:
Love Story by Jennifer Echols
Lucky Penny by Catherine Anderson

The book I’m reading now:
Whisper No Lies:
AN INDECENT PROPOSAL...

When a high roller at the Vegas casino where Crystal Debrowski manages security makes a scandalous proposition, she flat-out refuses, especially given rumors of his shady overseas connections. But then counterfeit bills mysteriously flood the gaming tables, and her reputation — and her life — are on the line.

REVEALS A SIMMERING DESIRE...

Despite his big, flirty grin, Texas heartbreaker Johnny Duane Reed can't get sassy Crystal off his mind. When she is abducted by an international crime lord with a threatening obsession, Reed enlists his Black Ops, Inc. team to pursue a dangerous mission to rescue her.

...WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.

Between Crystal and Johnny burns a scorching flame, but as they battle her relentless abductor, they uncover a malicious arms trafficking and white slavery ring. Together, they must destroy the tyrant's wicked enterprises or face his reign of terror themselves....

Books that spark my interest this week:
Memories of Murder by Lara Nance
Stolen Away by Alexandra Harvey
Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

In My Mailbox (92)

2012-02-05T18:50:00.005-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Last Man Standing by Cindy Gerard

Tempest Winner!

2012-02-04T11:20:00.006-05:00

Kathy M.

Congratulations!! You have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to pick a new winner.

On My Wishlist (88)

2012-02-04T11:11:00.005-05:00

Torn by Amanda Hocking:
Torn - the second book in the Trylle Trilogy...

Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her.

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is going to lead.

Ascend by Amanda Hocking:
Ascend... The final chapter in the Trylle Trilogy.

With a war looming on the horizon, Wendy’s fate seems sealed. But everything she sacrificed might be in vain if she can’t save the ones she loves. Her whole life has been leading up to this, and it’s all coming to an end.

Demons at Deadnight by A&E Kirk:
For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.

DEMONIC DESTINY
Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.

CHARISMATIC KILLERS
The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.

LETHAL ALLIES
The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

2012-02-03T20:55:00.003-05:00

Love Story:
She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

I love Jennifer Echols' writing, but unfortunately this one didn't manage to make my 'favorites' list. I enjoyed the story between Erin and Hunter, but wasn't a big fan of the back and forth within their short stories. That sounds terrible, doesn't it? I really don't mean for it to sound that way, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it didn't flow nicely for me. There is a lot of history between Hunter and Erin, what kept me interested was the way Jennifer revealed a little bit more, and just a little bit more throughout the entire book. Neither seems to be able to be truly honest with the other and as they warily circle their feelings for one another the tension builds wonderfully, keeping you hoping for that happy ending you know is coming. I was a little disappointed with the abrupt ending and I still have a few questions that were left unanswered. But all-in-all I did enjoy this book, and if you are a fan of Jennifer's work, you'll like it too.

Friday 56...Angel (70)

2012-02-03T16:50:00.002-05:00

Go to page 56 of the book CLOSEST to you (not the coolest, the closest) and find the fifth sentence.

Angel by James Patterson

Ordinarily, I do a running landing.

Lucky Penny by Catherine Anderson

2012-02-02T10:23:00.004-05:00

Lucky Penny:
To support her orphaned niece, impoverished Brianna O'Keefe accepts work with a Colorado rancher. To guard herself from unwanted attention, she resorts to a harmless little lie: that she's married to a Denver gold miner named David Paxton. When her boss forces her to write to her "husband," hoping he'll take Brianna off his hands, she can only pray that there is no real David Paxton who can expose her.

When Colorado marshal David Paxton gets a letter from a stranger claiming to be his wife and pleading with him to come for her and his daughter, he dutifully sets out to find this woman and the child he may have sired. What stuns Brianna is that Davis is convinced the young girl is, in fact, his. As David and Brianna's wary attraction blossoms into deeper desire, David warms to the idea of a ready-made family. But can his dream survive Brianna's lingering distrust--and his own secrets.

I'm quickly coming to love any of Catherine Anderson's stories; she writes honest characters and realistic romances. This book was set in Colorado in the late 1800's, I love western romance and David was the perfect gunslinger turned marshal, he's duty bound and almost honest to a fault. Brianna is a tough, stubborn hard working woman willing to do anything to support her niece. They were the perfect match and the sparks they ignited throughout the book kept me turning pages. The slow building of trust between Brianna and David was charming and filled with adventure. Catherine made it easy to visualize the world she created in Lucky Penny, and although this book could be considered part of a series, it completely stands alone.

Theme Thursday (47)

2012-02-02T09:57:00.002-05:00

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event hosted by Reading Between Pages that will be open from one Thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

A theme will be posted each week (on Thursdays)
Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week's theme is - SEE (WINK, VISION, ROLL etc)

Gabe passed the test. He didn't raise an eyebrow, just sat with his chair pushed back from the table, gazing at Hunter, giving him the floor.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

My Book Boyfriend (53)

2012-02-01T23:43:00.004-05:00

Kieren Morales
Book: Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Series: Tantalize

A hybrid-werewolf; well-muscled arms, not such a big guy, but a huge Wolf. He favors T-shirts, faded jeans and cowboy boots. Hair so brown it's almost black: thick and curly, long black eyelashes and full lips. He doesn't always express himself with words, but when he cares for someone he shows his affection through gentle touches, or comforting embraces. He's stronger than an average human, but not as strong as a 100 percent Wolf, so he relies on his brains rather than his brawn.

Quotes:

We sank to the warm ground, and he held me, sobbing, folded against his bloodstained T-shirt, his thundering heart. He buried his nose in my hair, rubbing my back, whispering my name.

Okay. "I love you, you know," I said, by way of apology. A day like this, I could tell him, and it was less risky. More about us as friends.
His answer was to wrap his arms around me, bring my head to his shoulder, my side to his chest. Touching. He was touching me again. I could feel his breath, hear in it something that might've been a whisper, a "Yes."

"He's evil. And you're, you're slipping away. Listen to me, please. I'm begging you. I'll get down on my hands and knees if that's what it takes."

Month In Review: January

2012-02-01T22:10:00.005-05:00

January is over?...Where did January go? HAHA! I'm working full-time now and that has taken up quite a bit of my reading time which makes for a very sad Amy. But that's ok, I'll still read every spare moment that I have! Since I failed so epically with my Reading Challenges last year, I'm not going to participate in any this year. I felt it put too much pressure on me. Do you ever feel like that? Anyway, I like to just pick out a book by whatever my mood strikes me, and challenged made me feel forced, which is why I think I failed so badly. Lesson learned!

Books I read and their "Dragon Hearts of Love" rating:
(For reviews, please go to "Books Read in 2012")

1. Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler 4
This was the most emotionally powerful book of the series so far. I really enjoyed Missy's character and the journey to self discovery.

2. Broods of Fenrir by Coral Moore 4
This was a very violent, action-packed story. The shifter world was well developed and the sexual tension was hot!

3. Destiny and Deception (ARC) by Shannon Delany 4
The jumping point-of-views are becoming a little tiresome. The story arc is unfolding nicely, even if at times I feel it is a little slow. This book has some interesting character developments and I can't wait to see what happens.

4. Blood and Bullets by James R. Tuck 5
Incredible. I can't even be subjective about this book because I loved the story and the characters so much!

5. Heather's Song by Diana Palmer 3
A nice story to give my brain a break from more complicated plots.

6. Loss (ARC) by Jackie Morse Kessler 3
Unfortunately this book fell flat for me, I didn't connect with the characters and there was no emotional connection to the story for me.

7. Within the Flames by Marjorie M Liu 5
Emotionally engaging and suspenseful, Marjorie knows how to pull a reader directly into her stories, and this was no different.

8. Switched by Amanda Hocking 4
I loved the characters in this book, the storyline wasn't all that original, but I still enjoyed every moment of this book.

9. Somnium by Keri Lake 3
An intriguing story, but unfortunately the characters were shallow and a little predictable.

10. Time Mends by Tammy Blackwell 5
WOW! Tammy has created such wonderful characters and has pulled me deep into her shifter world, I'm gonna go crazy waiting for the final book!

Author Interview:
Lesley Livingston

Guest Blogger:
Natasha

Time Mends by Tammy Blackwell

2012-01-31T20:16:00.002-05:00

Time Mends:
After a tragic accident leaves her battered, heartbroken, and alone, Scout Donovan would rather hide in dreams than face reality. But things are changing quickly in Scout's life. Soon she's pulled back into the world of Shifters and Seers, with her best friend's fate depending on Scout's ability to protect her. Can Scout pull it together in time to save Talley, or is the past too much to overcome?

This was an incredible, action-packed and emotional sequel to the first in the Timber Wolves Trilogy: Destiny Binds. Tammy Blackwell introduced us to some interesting and well-developed characters, and in this book we learn more about the Shifter lore as Scout is pushed deeper into their world. Time Mends picks up directly where Destiny Binds left off, and there was a lot that happened at the end of that book! This book is filled with new intriguing problems for Scout and her friends; new relationships are formed and betrayal comes from an unlikely source. A lot of this book focuses on forgiveness, I felt it was handled wonderfully by the characters, and it was something each of them had to work for; Tammy did not make it easy for anyone. Scout has changed in more ways than are imaginable since the accident, and her whole world has been turned completely upside down. Pulse-racing danger surrounds Scout and her loved ones, twists and turns keep you constantly guessing and the ending...the ending will leave you howling for more! What a cliff-hanger!

Future Favorites (67)

2012-01-31T07:21:00.002-05:00

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature over at Electrifying Reviews. I post about a book that is yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!

The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
Release Date: August 16, 2012 by Dial Books

The trees swallowed her brother whole. And Jenny was there to see it. Years later, when she returns to the woods where Tom was taken to say good-bye at last, she finds herself lured into a world where stunning beauty masks the most treacherous of evils, and strange and dangerous creatures await—creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with allegiances that shift as much as his moods. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack’s help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where nothing is what it seems, no one is who they say, and she’s faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice—and not just her own.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (86)

2012-01-30T16:50:00.002-05:00

This is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

Books I read last week:
Somnium by Keri Lake
Time Mends by Tammy Blackwell

The book I’m reading now:
Lucky Penny:
To support her orphaned niece, impoverished Brianna O'Keefe accepts work with a Colorado rancher. To guard herself from unwanted attention, she resorts to a harmless little lie: that she's married to a Denver gold miner named David Paxton. When her boss forces her to write to her "husband," hoping he'll take Brianna off his hands, she can only pray that there is no real David Paxton who can expose her.

When Colorado marshal David Paxton gets a letter from a stranger claiming to be his wife and pleading with him to come for her and his daughter, he dutifully sets out to find this woman and the child he may have sired. What stuns Brianna is that Davis is convinced the young girl is, in fact, his. As David and Brianna's wary attraction blossoms into deeper desire, David warms to the idea of a ready-made family. But can his dream survive Brianna's lingering distrust--and his own secrets.

Books that spark my interest this week:
Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
If You Hear Her by Shiloh Walker
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Guest Post: Natasha of Wicked Little Pixie

2012-01-30T00:00:00.001-05:00

Put down your bags, pull up a chair and tell me a story!

So I had this whole guest post written for Amy when I realized, it sucked. It was boring, there was no snark, and it wasn’t ME. Then I went to refill my cup of coffee and tried to think of what else I could possibly talk to you all about. I’m actually sick of hearing myself talk. I talk on my website, I talk on my work website and I talk ALL DAY on my works FB page. So what’s a little bite more about me?

I went to college to become a police officer. Surprised? Prior to that and for the next eight or so years, I worked in the court system. I held a variety of jobs in two different court houses, from preparing cases for court, to actually being the court clerk/monitor aka the speaker of the court. I took the later job because I had always had public speaking issues to the point of massive panic attacks. I no longer have panic attacks about public speaking. You’re too busy to panic in that position.

For two years I trained to become a cop, I studied theory of policing, forensics and every single horrible Monday morning at 8:00 am, I had police fitness class. Yes, 8:00am on a Monday after a weekend of partying in my first year. 8:00 am Monday’s my second year, after working Friday-Sunday, 9:00pm to 2:00am at night clubs as security. Did I mention I am 5’4?

After all that drama, I quit my jobs and decided police and law was not my bag. I ended up working for a huge entertainment company directly for the managers of the Food & Beverage department. I did all the celebrity tour riders (one wanted a $1500.00 bottle of alcohol that she didn’t drink but took with her anyway) I made the interview calls, scheduled the staff and prepped the green rooms. I loved my job and my bosses, this is also around the time I started reading again. Two years into that job, the economy crashed and I was let go.

That gave me time to start up my blog and you know how that turned out. In 2010, I received a weird email asking if I wanted to working remotely from home for a publishing company. Honestly, I thought it was a spam email but replied anyways. Turns out, the two bosses had found me via Twitter and offered me a job. Who knew? If you’ve seen me on Twitter, you should know I don’t hold back, so imagine my surprise that someone wanted me to work for them because of my Tweets and blog?!

You never know when an opportunity is going to come from something you love.

My love for books has made me some of my best friends, people I wouldn’t have met on my own. Some of them are just like family. It’s introduced me to amazing books that I probably wouldn’t have picked out and the ability to discuss it with people worldwide. But most of all, it has given me one of the best jobs I have ever held.

Now excuse me, I have a TBR pile that is screaming for attention.

Thank you for stopping by today, Nat!

In My Mailbox (91)

2012-01-29T19:07:00.002-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Lucky Penny by Catherine Anderson
Spirit Bound by Christine Feehan
All Unquiet things by Anna Jarzab
Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith
My Beating Teenage Heart by C. K. Kelly Martin

Somnium by Keri Lake

2012-01-28T10:04:00.004-05:00

HALOS
Somnium:
A work assignment in Kittery, Maine should be routine for Allie Lynch; nothing more than to prove herself as a brilliant engineer. Instead she finds herself torn between two men: a gorgeous military guard, Colton Briggs, and her devilishly handsome colleague, Drew Costa. To resist temptation, Allie does the only thing she can: she throws herself into her work.

But fate has other plans for Allie. Women are going missing all around her, Allie is struck with a series of life-threatening mishaps, and she becomes the obsession of a local deranged psychopath.

Thrust into a dark world that she can hardly fathom, Allie must fight for her very survival, open her mind to new realities – and open her heart to the possibility of love. Because both of these men are trouble – but one is a greater danger than she could ever imagine …

Keri Lake wrote an intriguing story that kept my interest, but unfortunately it was a very slow paced book. The main character, Allie, fell really flat for me and I felt she was really superficial. Almost every time she meets a male character she judges him by his looks rather than his personality. And without more than a few smouldering looks on her part, directed at Colton, she is suddenly in love with him. There was little information given about just who and what Colton is, he's not human--that's about all I know. There were times of intense danger but it was rushed, and most often than not the solution came much to easily. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, in the sense that we still have to find out what's going to happen next, and although Somnium was a story that kept me reading, at this time I'm not entirely sure that I want to continue with this series.

I've Been Quoted!

2012-01-28T09:01:00.010-05:00

This has never happened to me before, I'm incredibly grateful and completely blown away to see my "name" on not only one but TWO different books!

The first is from my review of Destiny Binds by Tammy Blackwell:

And the second is from my early review of Half Moon by Jordan Deen:

On My Wishlist (87)

2012-01-28T00:00:00.001-05:00

Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter:
One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

Possess by Gretchen McNeil:
Rule #1: Do not show fear.
Rule #2: Do not show pity.
Rule #3: Do not engage.
Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.
Rule #5: They lie.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols:
Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken.

Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend?