Reading by the Fireside

Life is Happening to Me

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:56:00 +0000

Just a little note to say that I have been away because life is happening to me, and unfortunately not in a good way :/

I hope to be back soon :)

Cheers,
LJ

ARC Review: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed by Anna Campbell

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Anna Campbell

Title: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed

Series: Sons of Sin #1

Source: Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley

About the Book: Will a week of seduction...

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

...Spark a lifetime of passionate surrender?

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?

My Thoughts:

When I saw that Anna Campbell had a new historical romance out I absolutely knew I had to request it. I was not wrong, not in the least. The book is written very much in the Tradition of Claiming the Courtesan and Untouched. In fact, as soon as I figured that out, I could pretty much tell where the story was going and just about how it was going to unfold. I was also right about all that. Even so, what kept me tethered to the story were the same things that kept me very invested in those two other stories: the writing. Ms. Campbell does some beautiful writing. How can the following passage not draw a smile:

"You're just playing with me."
"Most definitely, tesoro. But your dilemma is your own fault. You're so irresistible."
"Command your willpower, Mr. Merrick. Defeat this weakness."
"I try, dear lady, I try."
"I'll bite you," she said savagely
"I'll bite you too before I am done."

From beautiful descriptions to heartbreaking tenderness, Ms. Campbell does it very well, and this book has it in spades. I loved the dialogue, when I was not smiling at some funny exchange - or the occasionally cheesy Romancelandia line - I was all caught up in the descriptions, or catching my throat at the haunting tenderness of it all - and mind you, I knew exactly what was going to happen. But I am not complaining about her formula, bot just because it works for me, but also because each set of characters to creates to play out the drama are wonderful.

I loved Sidonie and Jonas. Loved them. I loved that as much as possible, Sidonie tried to remain true to herself - and she never once tried to lie to herself. She wouldn't give herself to him when she did not want to or feel like she could afford to; but the moment she decided she wanted him, that was it. No prevaricating, no waiting for him to make another move, etc.

Another thing I loved about her was her perceptiveness. She could see through Jonas to the quick. Smart and beautiful and true. I started a bit when she referred to Jonas as a wanton in her private thoughts, and then decided I loved it very much! I never hear guys described as wanton in HRs, although the girls are always the virgins and they are the ones with oodles and oodles of debauching experience.

I also enjoyed Jonas' character very much. The vulnerability about him, and the fact that like Sidonie, he did not try to lie to himself. I'd wax more poetic, but my hands are getting tired of typing. :/

Finally, I also very much liked how true love did not make everything run smooth. Even after the admission of love, there were Sidonie's hopes and dreams and plans to consider, and Jonas' hang-ups to stand obstacle. I loved that they did not just vanish, and that the couple had to attempt to work through them.

I wasn't sure what rating to go with after I was done, but in the end, I settled on five, I had a roaring good time reading it, and will definitely revisit it. What more can you want? This makes me 3 for 3 with Ms. Campbell!

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

Review: Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Pamela Clare

Title: Unlawful Contact

Series: I-Team #3

About the Book: When a young woman disappears, journalist Sophie Alton investigates and is led to the woman's brother, a convicted killer who is running from the law. Together, they follow a dangerous path toward the truth-and unforgettable passion.

My Thoughts:

Definitely the best of the I-Team series so far. I really don't know why I put off reading it for so long, despite all the assurances from my friends that I would love it. Go figure.

Shy, bookish, orphaned Sophie Alton lost her virginity to her high school secret crush one starry night at a school party(?) the first time he deigned to speak to her. The next day he was off to military school. They lost touch until twelve years later. By this time, Sophie is an investigative journalist who's covering/interested in the story of a drug addicted young mother who suddenly vanished with her baby during a supervision. she gets an anonymous to that leads her to question a prison inmate, who happens to be Hunt, the high school secret crush/cherry picker and also the brother of the young lady who pulled the vanishing act. He uses her to orchestrate his jailbreak, and what follows is a race against time to find the sister before the bad guys can get to her, and also avoid the cops, to keep Hunt from being sent back to jail.

I loved Sophie!! I didn't like Tessa from book 2, but really liked Kara from book 1. Well Sophie has none of the annoying traits of Tessa and had all the good bits of Kara magnified. She was a good balance of all girly (hot pink vibrators), slightly silly (not wearing boots in winter because they didn't look good), sensible, and smart. Marc Hunter was....awesome. Move over Reece, I think I just found a new favorite I-Team guy! I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed myself with this one.

As stories go, this one was a teensy bit syrupy, with none of the over-the-top cheese from the previous books. Ms. Clare erred on the side of cute with this one. Me likey.

Hmm... I wonder if we're ever going to have an I-Team Peep's Children Grew Up and Are Having the Hots for Each Other series, what with all the kids these people are popping about. I for one am gunning for Kara's son with Julian's daughter and Kara's daughter playing older woman to Hunt's son, LOL!!!

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Extreme Exposure - 4/5
2. Hard Evidence - 3/5

Review: Dragon on Top by G.A. Aiken

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

**Only the novella by G.A. Aiken is being reviewed. Couldn't find a separate cover.**

Author: G.A. Aiken

Title: Dragon on Top

Series: Dragon Kin #4.5

About the Book: Escorting the highborn Bram through deadly Sand Dragon territory will try Ghleanna’s patience… and her resolve. For Bram is determined to enhance the journey with a seduction no female could resist…

My Thoughts:

Throughout the Dragon Kin series, a recurring thread has been how much Ghleanna hated her father's past as 'Ailean the Whore.' His reputation fared well for their sons, she always said. People ascribed prowess to them, while expecting that his daughters must be whores.

Well, in Dragon on Top, Ghleanna, who had always thought she'd be alone as a result of these assumptions, gets to find her soul mate. And surprise, surprise, he's been staring her in the face all this while. Bram the Peacemaker, as he's known, is the truce maker for Rhiannon's court. He's nothing like the fierce warrior Ghleanna is. He's quite beta, actually, and has been in love with her for ages. I think everyone knew but her.

I loved it! Loved the contrast of these two! So far, this is the only pairing I've read in this series where the two partners weren't both 'dominant,' 'alpha' characters. I love the sense of calm and purpose that surrounded Bram; I loved the calm and rationality he brought into the mix of this crazy family.

I loved seeing Ghleanna realize her chance for love stood right in front of her, albeit in a different package than she expected. I loved seeing Ghleanna herself in action, maneuvering her way around Helena's court with a stratagem worthy of any politician.

And best of all, I loved the tenderness that underpinned the whole novella. From the obvious love Ghleanna's family have for her and each other, Bram's gentle love, the younger brothers' appearances, and Ghleanna's realization that her father was so much more than his past.

Perfect little novella!

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Dragon Actually
2. About a Dragon
3. What a Dragon Should Know - 4/5
4. Last Dragon Standing

Review: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Neil Gaiman

Title: Preludes and Nocturnes

Series: Sandman Vol. 1

About the Book: In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his seventy-year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman. This book also includes the story "The Sound of Her Wings," which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

Collecting issues #1-8, this new edition of PRELUDES & NOCTURNES features the improved production values and coloring from the Absolute Edition

My Thoughts:

I don't think I've read a comic (graphic novel?) quite like this one before. It was dark and twisted as only Neil Gaiman can do. It was also brilliant.

As I understand it, The Sandman is a series of novels chronicling the morbid adventures of Morpheus, the god of dreams, which all began after he was mistakenly imprisoned by a bunch of fanatics who were gunning for his sister Death instead. Preludes and Nocturnes is the first volume, detailing Morpheus' capture, imprisonment, escape, and quest to return himself to full strength.

I didn't understand a couple of episodes, but could still appreciate their brilliance. The ones I did understand I thought were perfect. The illustrator also did a very good job with the volume. The pictures were more crude than refined, but communicated he darkness and rawness in the tone very well. The final episode, where we get to see Morpheus' sister - originally intended captive - Death in action posed a lot of interesting existential questions.

As soon as I can get my hands on Volume II, you can be sure I will be reading it.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

Quickie Review: The Costarella Conquest by Emma Darcy

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Emma Darcy

Title: The Costarella Conquest

About the Book: Jake Freedman is biding his time before exacting vengeance on the man who destroyed his family. And if a blind date with Costarella's daughter will keep his bitterest enemy sweet, Jake will don his bespoke Italian suit and mask his cynicism with a killer smile.…

Jake's practiced touch hooks the innocent Laura Costarella into a dangerous affair. But the treacherously tempting Laura is the only conquest Jake's ever desired more than the ruination of the Costarellas.

It seems that, in this case, revenge is a dish best served red-hot!

My Thoughts:

Add this to the list of books which would never have been finished did I not desperately need it for a challenge. As it is, I skimmed a good minority of it.

Ridiculous and ridiculously boring. Dull and flat, the story made no sense. The behavior of all the characters was off for the beginning: who badmouths their family and discusses their family's dirty linen in front of a dinner guest you are trying to impress? Then the plot segues into some sort of friends with benefits arrangement that was just....boring. None of the characters interested me. Like I said, but for the challenge this one would have been DNF.

Review: What a Dragon Should Know by G.A. Aiken

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: G.A. Aiken

Title: What a Dragon Should Know

Series: Dragon Kin #3

About the Book:Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, 'Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us - the most loved of all dragons?' No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer. So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying...woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman - one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor? And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?

My Thoughts:

The first book in this series was very enjoyable for me, but the second one was not too good, and frankly I didn't expect to like the third book, this one, because of the lead character, Gwenvael. In the previous books, he was portrayed as a bumbler, and a rabid man-whore who slept with anything that moved...eh.

But I was surprised to find that he had much more depth than the his character in the previous books would suggest. Additionally, the focus on smex was very little (compared to the other books), which allowed Ms. Aiken to focus a lot more on character development and the various relationships in the book. I thought that was wonderful.

But what made the book for me was Annwyl's story. She has been the most compelling character for me since I started the series, and I am delighted to get to follow her and Fearghus as hey get on with their lives. Seriously. They are the reason I continue with the series - Annwyl and Fearghus along with Bercelak and Rhiannon - so I can see what shenanigans they're up to. My favorite scenes in this book had to do with the birth of Annwyl's twins: so moving how much they all love her.

I definitely enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, and I have a lot more respect for Gwenvael after reading his story.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Dragon Actually
2. About a Dragon

Quickie Review: Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Editor: Charlaine Harris, P.N. Elrod

Title: Wolfsbane and Mistletoe

My Thoughts:

This is one of the better anthologies out there. I can truly say that no matter my feelings about any one of them, every single story is well-written and mostly entertaining.

My favorite stories were
The Haire of the Beast, by Donna Andrews,
Fresh Meat, by Alan Gordon, and
The Perfect Gift, by Dana Stabenow.

They are all new-to-me authors (well, I've read a mystery from Dan Stabenow before, but still) and their stories were simple, interesting, and fresh perspectives of werewolf/shifter mythologies. Ms. Stabenow's was a bit cluttered and I was confused for a while, but it all clears up into an enjoyable story.

Patricia Briggs' story was also enjoyable, as was Karen Chance's.

My least favorite stories were Rob Thurman's entry - it was quite twisted and my only reaction was wth? and Keri Arthur's entry: I just didn't care about it.

Recommended! A very good anthology, with every single story in it being worth the money.

Review: Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Chloe Neill

Title: Twice Bitten

Series: Chicagoland Vampires #3

About the Book: Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.

My Thoughts:

A few impressions:

Merit is one of the more well-rounded heroines I've come across in UF, meaning that she has very obvious faults as well as strengths. I want to smack her for her faults sometimes, but I also want to cheer her on for her strong points. For a all that she can act the idiot and has bad choices in friends, she is fiercely loyal to her causes, accepts the consequences of her choices, and has a lot of backbone in her character. I had new/more respect for her after I was done reading.

Why oh why did that Mallory girl have to come back into the picture? I immensely enjoyed her absence and thought Lindsey was a much better friend and sidekick. Pity she couldn't stay away forever.

Ethan is also a more balanced character than most UF leads I've come across, for the simple fact that he is fallible and has flaws that are actually flaws instead of "good traits taken to the extreme." for that reason alone I like him and empathized with him and his conflicted self, even though he was way outta line for what he did to Merit. Of all the men in this series he's the one I like best. Morgan is an immature jerk, and I don't like what I've seen of Jonah much.

What is it with ALL the men I. This series being extremely handsome? It seems only beautiful people exist in or venture into Chicagoland.

I hate to say it but the shifter mythology in this series is kinda lame; even so, it is a pretty bangin' vampire series.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Some Girls Bite - 4/5
2. Friday Night Bites

Quickie Review: The Next Always by Nora Roberts

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Nora Roberts

Title: The Next Always

Series: Inn Boonsboro Trilogy #1

My Thoughts:

It took me four months to finish reading this book, smh. I do think an excellent rating is a bit more than the book deserves, but it did a u-turn on me, so the rating stands.

It took a loooooong time to finally start to enjoy the book, and even after that, there were quite a few facepalm-ing moments, but I was too well-ensnared by Ms. Roberts' magic to not enjoy it.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

Dying to Get in August....Male Authors all Around!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

*At the beginning of the month I post covers of new releases I am just dying to get my hands on and why I am so excited. Inspired by Waiting on Wednesday *

This month's Dying to Get includes a release from last month! Ben Aaronovitch's book released on July 31st, so it's practically an August release anyway. More importantly, I didn't even know about just how awesome a writer Mr. Aaronovitch is until July, when I started the first book in the Peter Grant series. So without further ado, I present you the two books I am dying to get my hands on this month (well, I've already gotten my hands on one, but still, ). Hah! I just noticed it's all male authors this month!

July 31st: Whispers Under Ground.

Book 3 in the Peter Grant series. Without a doubt this is one of the most unique and best UF series I have ever read. I love, love, love this series. I adore Peter as a character, I love London as a setting, and the beauty that is the narrative cannot be overstated. I also love just how ordinary Peter is. Also, I really like how well this male author can write women without making them seem cliche or caricatured. I can't say how glad I am that I stumbled upon this series! I don't know what made me put off picking up book 1 for so long!!!

August 14th: The Demigod Diaries

Book 2.5. It's an anthology about Percy Jackson and some of the demigods in mini-adventures after the battle with the Titans in The Last Olympian. I have SUCH tremendous appreciation and respect for the teen? man? boy? demigod? person? Percy has become, from his bewildered beginnings in The Lightning Thief. Percy is so many things, all of them good. He also manages to be all those things without in the least seeming like a Gary Stu or like he's too perfect. Can't wait! Plus I hear tell there's a story of a date with Annabeth in there. Mebbe we'll get some kissing. Squeee!!! But at $9.87 for the kindle price, I am not sure I will be getting this after all :(

{July} Month in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

July was reading heaven, even if I do say so myself. I also went a little bit crazy with buying books :D. I discovered a new author whom I utterly ADORE - Ben Aaronovitch - and reread an entire series that I love - Percy Jackson. Ooh, and Gunmetal Magic releases today! As well as Book 3 in the Peter Grant series!! Perfect end to the month.

Stats:

I read 19 books this month, 5 of which were 5-star rereads, all from the Percy Jackson series. I love, love, love Percy, and fell in love with him all over again. The rest were all wonderful. There were only 3 books I didn't enjoy very much: Chloe Neill's, The Lost Hero, and Must Love Hellhounds.

The favorites

So many good books this month. Where to start, where to start?

I started the Heroes of Olympus series just so I could see my Percy again. Book 1 was meh, but that was cos Percy wasn't in it. He brought it in book 2!
And I discovered a gem among gems: The Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovitch. Pure, unadulterated goodness!
The YA Trilogy by Sharon Shinn wasn't bad at all.
I read and loved an ARC of an Anna Campbell book (review to be posted all the way in September!)

The least favorites

The Lost Hero was very middling, with a wooden lost hero and a Mary sue girl heading our cast.
The two anthologies I finished this month weren't too good as a whole :(
Drink Deep is the worst Chloe Neill book I have read. Ugh!!

Reflections

Awesome month!

Looking Forward

I can already tell it's going to be a good new month! Ilona Andrews and Ben Aaronovitch have just released new books, and there's Percy and Annabeth going on a date to tide me over the rest of the month when The Demigod Diaries releases. Here's to good reading!

TGIF @ GReads #8: Christmas in July

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

TGIF is a meme hosted over on Ginger's blog that asks fun book-related questions.

And today's question:

Christmas in July: If Santa were to come down your chimney in the middle of summer, which books would you want him to leave for you under the tree?

Well now, that's a dangerous question, lol! But if I had to pick two, I know which books I'd ask for. And surprise surprise, they are YA books, even though I tend to dislike the genre quite a bit. I was going to pick three, but I have been trying for the past few hours to get my pictures to line up horizontally or in a table without having to host them somewhere first. No dice, so we get two books. The third choice was going to be Maria Snyder's Scent of Magic.

Cinda Chima's marks the final book of the Seven Realms Saga
Rick Riordan's is the third of 5 books in the Heroes of Olympus Series

Can anyone smell a Waiting-on-Wednesday post? Lol!!

Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Kevin Hearne

Title: Hounded

Series: Iron Druid Chronicles #1

About the Book: The first novel in the original, six-book Iron Druid Chronicles--introducing a cool, new, funny urban fantasy hero

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil

My Thoughts:

This would have been an excellent read but for a couple of things that dampened my enjoyment drastically.

Before I start on those, hands down the best thing about this book was Oberon, the dog. Mad props to Mr. Hearne for creating such a wonderful animal with his own unique personality.

The first thing that bothered me greatly was the women, every single one of them. The moment they opened their mouths, it wasn't right. I was very hard pressed to believe any goddesses worth their salt spoke as insipidly as the ones in this book did, or any women really. They were not believable at all for me. Two: our druid is flawless. Eh.

But the biggest thing, I think, was all the potshots Mr. Hearne takes at Christianity in the book. Now to be fair, it was a line or two here and there, nothing blatant or whatever, but for some reason, they really, really, really rubbed me wrong. It was annoying and mostly untrue (stereotypes of any group are not cool). Not cool, not funny. Because of this, I am not too sure I will continue with the series.

But I do think it's worth reading.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

Quickie Review: The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Jennifer Ashley

Title: The Duke's Perfect Wife

Series: Highland Pleasures #4

My Thoughts:

Hart Mackenzie's heroine did him justice. They were two wonderful people, and theirs was a beautiful, tender love story. Eleanor is a very well-drawn character, and a someone I'd like to be friends with if she were real. I enjoyed it very much - so much more than Ian Mackenzie's book. My favorite Mackenzie, my favorite heroine, and my favorite story of this series.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
2. Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage
3. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron

Not for Me #2: A Series Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Some books are not good reading experiences for me. Sometimes these are books everyone loves that I just don't enjoy. There are books I steer clear off because I know I won't like them. So here's my diary page for the books and series that are just not up my alley.

The Elder Races Series by Thea Harrison

My experience with this series has been really weird

Where they stand so far:

The Awesome	The Busts

Coming Soon: Potentially Awesome?

Praise for the first book in series, Dragon Bound, reverberated though the book-o-sphere late last year. I bought the book on the strength of that praise alone. And once you got past the first half, the effusive praise was right. The book was fresh and excellent. Well, then, bring on book 2.

And what a fall from grace that was. The hero of that book should have received a few slaps of sense to set him straight, and the heroine was a complete ninny. In book three, you had a hero who had been strong and wonderful in the previous books, but was a letdown in his own book. In book 4...nothing happens. And while there was more praise for this one than the intervening two books, the characters did zilch for me.

So truly, only the first book, which is absolutely delightful, is really worth writing home about in my opinion. I have all but given up on this series. The only reason I will be acquiring book 5 is because it features the couple from Book 1, Dragos and Pia, and there's the hope that with them Ms. Harrison can recreate the magic. The only other exception I'll make for this series is if there is a future book about Graydon, a supporting character I adore.

For me, this series has been one massive bust after an electrifying start. It seems Dragon Bound was a flash in the pan. Major letdown. This is one series that is (mostly) not for me.

Reviews:
1. Dragon Bound - 5/5
2. Storm's Heart - 2.5/5
3. Serpent's Kiss - 3/5
4. Oracle's Moon - 3/5

Review: Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Nalini Singh

Title: Blaze of Memory

Series: Psy/Changeling #7

About the Book: Dev Santos finds a woman with amnesia-and all she can remember is that she's dangerous. Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor and programmed to kill, Katya's only hope is Dev. But he could very well be her next target.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one for a book that didn't have any changeling protagonists and didn't have any wolves in it (no Hawke for me, sniff, sniff). I enjoyed Dev and Katya very much. I also enjoyed seeing Sascha and Lucas.

Things got a bit cheesy and rather improbable at the end, but what-the-heck, it's fantasy, after all :D.

If I didn't know better, judging from the conclusions jumped to on every single occasion by a certain person, in just about every book, I'd think the primary jobs of empaths are to prophesy as much doom-and-gloom and see impossible odds for people while going on and on about their own bliss as possible.

And oooh! I am beginning to appreciate the awesomeness of Judd Lauren, and beginning to be more interested in Kaleb Kyrcheck, Aden, Vasic and the other arrows.

Fun times.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

1. Slave to Sensation
2. Visions of Heat
3. Caressed by Ice
4. Mine to Possess - 2.5/5
5. Hostage to Pleasure
6. Branded by Fire

Review: Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Chloe Neill

Title: Some Girls Bite

Series: Chicagoland Vampires #1

About the Book: Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker-and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she's traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude- and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan's attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone's still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood.

My Thoughts:

What I liked

1. Merit. It came as a surprise to me, because I wasn't even sure i liked her in the beginning.
2. The story. Another surprise. I am not a fan of vampires, as a rule, and I wasn't sure I was enjoying the story for a good chunk of it. But by the end, I really liked the world and the plot Ms.. Neill created.
3. Some of the side characters. Jeff was not too bad. Catcher was interesting at first, and the grandaddy was cool.

What I didn't like

1. A lot of the side characters. That Mallory character grated on my nerves. Catcher was interesting until he became involved with her.
2. The story. By that, I mean the series. I have heard about the stunt the author pulled in book 4, and I don't think I am up to dealing with that tomfoolery. It's her series, and she can do whatever she wants with it, but I don't like getting invested in books and relationships and then have the author pull a such a stunt on me on me, no thank you, ma'am. So erm...jury's out on the series. Might wait till it's completely over, read the last book, and see if I want to go back and read the series properly.
*I've been assured that the change is not as drastic as all that, and so I will be pressing on with the books much sooner than I had anticipated.*

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

#2: Thinking on...Submissive Heroines in UF and PNR

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

*Just my random ramblings about bookish stuff going on in my head*

My friend Jas I met in college, and Sela I call my big sis. They are two of the gentlest, sweetest people you will ever meet, the type of people UF semi-disdainfully look down upon: "submissive", "fragile flower." These two rouse people's protective instincts just by being. Two incidents come directly to mind.

In junior year, Jas had an acrimonious disagreement with her flatmate. And everyone's ire was aroused on Jas' behalf, it was actually quite scary how unanimous the backlash was against the roomie, because we were so protective of Jas, but also because she was the instigator and the one who was clearly in the wrong.

Sela was working with a doctor a year above her when his colleagues made a few distasteful remarks "jokingly," and a similar backlash occurred among the small medical student community in the hospital on Sela's behalf.

So at first glance, they look like women who need protecting. But make no mistake, they are not weak or fragile. On the contrary, they are two of the strongest women I've come across. They have wills and backs of steel for all that their patience is endless, and their demeanors soft and gentle. They are fully capable of solving their own problems and everyone else's around them too. Even with all our indignation, it was Jas who sorted herself out with the college authorities, and Sela can stand her ground like no one else I know.

You'll never call them to mind at the mention of "kickass", but really, they kick major butt in their own way. You won't see them yelling or 'in your face', but they'll win their arguments all the same. If they were UF characters, none of them would hold swords but without them, wars wouldn't be won: they strategize, they heal, they reassemble, they rally the troops. If I was a warlord (warlady?) I wouldn't step on the battlefield without their counsel, without their support.

Making "kickass" and "dominant" the only descriptions of strong women shortchanges and forces I our ideas of who strong women are into a box. All these heroines begin to resemble each other - cardboard cut-outs of the same mold, with a few variations here and there. And it's not even always well-done. How many heroines have you read who are supposedly kickass, but come across as brash, rude, not-too-intelligent, lack common sense, and are altogether empty barrels making lots of noise?

The only book I know of featuring a submissive heroine - Kitty Norville - painted her as weak, whiny, cowering, unsympathetic, only in the end to try to redeem her by making her into some sort of suppressed dominant....because kickass=good and submissive=weak=bad.

The thing is, people like Sela and Jas are NOT dominant. But they are also strong women. They cut just as strong a figure as a Kate Daniels or a Mercedes Thompson or a Merit; their wills are just as indomitable, event though they can't snark or fight like these ones can. They aren't flashy, and their strengths lie in the places no one venerates.

I just wish UF thought these women's stories were worth telling too.

Dying to Get in July: Andrea's Story

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

*At the beginning of the month I post covers of new releases I am just dying to get my hands on and why I am so excited. Inspired by Waiting on Wednesday *

The only book I absolutely must have this month releases on the last day of the month, so it's practically an August release :(

July 31st: Gunmetal Magic.

When Ilona Andrews first announced that the next book book in the Kate Daniels series would be Andrea's story instead of a new adventure with Kate and Curran, I was not very amused. I needed my Kate and Curran fix, dammit! But as the days went by, the idea began to grow on me, and I am fully intrigued now. After reading the first chapter, I am fully invested - I want this book now! I can't wait to explore Andrea's backstory. It is going to be epic. On an aside, it's never gonna happen, but it would be totally awesome if she dumped Raphael and went off into the sunset with Roman!!

{June} Month in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I did a little better this month than last month re: getting into a reading rhythm. It is not perfect, but I am hoping to tweak it a little better each month, so I can have time for reading, going to the movies, working, sleeping, and real life.

Stats

I read 14 books this month, including a book I had been putting off for quite a while - Fair Game (Alpha and Omega #3), and a graphic novel - the Sandman Vol 1, by Neil Gaiman. I have a un-reviewish review of Fair Game and it will be up on the blog sometime this coming month, as well as a quickie review of the Sandman, which will also be up sometime in the month.

The favorites

So many good books this month. Where to start, where to start?

I reread Dragon Actually in its entirety. I should probably scrounge up a review for it. It's the first book in G.A. Aiken's Dragon Kin series, and I love it to bits. I have been powering through the entire series and just had this urge to reread Annwyl and Fearghus's story (the first book is actually two novellas in one: Annwyl and Fearghus's story and then the story of Fearghus's parents, Bercelak and Rhiannon). I really love Annwyl and follow the series mainly for her.
My favorite read this month is the novella Dragon on Top, book 4.5 in the Dragon Kin series. I loved everything about it. Review coming later in the month too.
I read book 3 in the I-Team series by Pamela Clare, Unlawful Contact. Don't know what took me so long. LOVED IT! My favorite so far. Quickie review also coming.
Preludes and Nocturnes. Graphic novel. Neil Gaiman. Awesome Sauce.

At this rate I should stop now, or I'd mention all the 14 books I read. It was a very good month book-wise.

The least favorites

I didn't enjoy The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin as much as I could have. Too many elements ruined the story for me.
I hated The Costarella Conquest. Quickie review coming.

Honorable Mentions

I started Before I Wake the day it came out. My feelings haven't changed for most of the supporting cast, but I am very, very, impressed with the person Kaylee has become. Tod I always knew was fantastic, but I didn't know just how awesome he could be. I knew I pegged him right from the beginning! The rest of them can go to heck for all I care :D
I finally got around to reading Fair Game, as I said upthread.
I am powering through the Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill, which is very unusual for me (I don't like vampires, as a rule). I am on book 6. Should be done reading that by the time book 7 comes out next month.

Reflections

Definitely a quality month. But I find that I am becoming more a more critical reader, especially when I love the author's body of work. And I am noticing and acknowledging criticism that I wouldn't always have accepted in the past. I think it's me growing as a reader instead of me being grumpy, but that remains to be seen.

Looking Forward

Here's to a new and even better month than June has been. An Ilona Andrews books is releasing in only 30 days!!!!

#1: Spotlight on....Gabriel

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:14:00 +0000

*The place where I continue to gush about authors, books, and characters, because the overflow won't fit into a review :D*

Anyone who knows me knows that I like to go on and on and on ad nauseum about the angel Gabriel.

For starters, who is Gabriel? Gabriel is the male lead in one of my most favorite books of all time, Archangel, written by Sharon Shinn. And he is definitely in my top three all-time favorite heroes. The best character analysis for Gabriel comes from the book itself, when his stepmother, Hannah, was describing Gabriel to Rachel, his bride-to-be, also chosen for him by the god Jovah.

"... he takes most things seriously. He can be difficult. He can be very sure of himself, so other people's opinions do not always matter to him. He thinks it's a very easy matter to separate right from wrong, good from bad, so subtleties often elude him. He is not patient. But he is - he is never less than committed to making things right. Everything he does is with the goal of bringing goodness to the world. I can't explain what I mean. There is no evil in him. That is a rare thing to say about anyone, even an angel."

What a wonderful description of a person! It struck me when I first read it, and it strikes me each time I see it.

Gabriel is not a badass - on the contrary, he can be quite uptight and all sanctimonious. But his heart is always, always, in the right place. He will do the right thing every time, even if it is unpopular, simply because it is the right thing to do.

When you read the Samaria series, you notice that there are more 'fun' characters around, and certainly more well-liked by most people (in the series): Nathan. Obadiah. And sure, once or twice they - Obadiah especially - would express outrage at the injustices going on. But that was just in passing. It is Gabriel who speaks out openly against slavery; it is he who is viscerally disturbed at the injustices in Samarian society. Not any of those 'fun' people. For that alone, I'd take the stoic Gabriel over them a thousand times any day.

His seriousness is a big part of his character, but so is his love, his strength, his leadership, his dependability, his dominance, his wisdom. And he can be funny and witty when he wants. Another thing I noticed while reading the series was that even the ones who hated him could vouch for his character. Literally the only insults you could come up with for him are about his being uptight and sanctimonious and a bit autocratic at times. That was it. Everyone acknowledged (even if grudgingly) that he was an amazing leader, a good man, a fair man, a wise man.

Also, everyone who was close to him knew all of his faults - hell all of Samaria knew the dude's many faults- but they loved, respected and admired him. This happened without fail. Hannah did; Ariel did; Obadiah did; Nathan did; Josiah did... and finally Rachel did.

I love, love, love Gabriel. What is there not to adore about a man who does everything with the goal of goodness in mind, a man in whom there is no malice? If you disagree with me, you are just wrong! (hehe. But I am serious, lol). Gabriel is deeply flawed - and none of those noble and fake flaws you have in PNR/UF either: no possessiveness or feeling overly responsible blah, blah blah, but proper weaknesses. Yet he also has amazing strengths that outshine his weaknesses. He is not 'cool', but he has strength of character that is etched immutably in stone. Again, I'd take that over 'cool' any day! If he were real, I do think I'd marry him if only I could get past Rachel!

ARC Review: The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:32:00 +0000

*This title is on promotion, and can by purchased for $0.99 until June 29th

* Andy Gavin is also having an awesome giveaway to celebrate the promotion. You can join the giveaway here. *

Author: Andy Gavin

Title: The Darkening Dream

Source: Author

About the Book: Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.
With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

My Thoughts:

Too much of a good thing....

Rounded down to two stars. This book felt like a potentially delicious meal that was spoiled by having to many spices in it. It could have been very good, but there was simply too much going on for me to enjoy it very much.

Sarah Engelmann, daughter to a Jewish rabbi, is having an afternoon picnic with her Christian friends along with Greek newcomer Alex, when she sees a corpse who was tortured before he was murdered. The next day, when she sees selfsame corpse walking through the village fair, she knows something is up, because it is weird, to say the least, to have a dead body walking about in broad daylight. The book details the adventure Sarah, Alex, Sam, and Anne have in getting to the bottom of this dead-man-walking issue.

The time, effort, and research that Mr. Gavin put into his book is very evident, and so I am sorry to say that it did not work for me, but there you have it.

The characters were sensible, but they behaved completely wrongly for their setting. I could not believe these were teens from 1913, and that threw me out of the flow of the story several times. They acted like 21st-century kids, and not ones I'd expect from 1913. At all.

The writing was good, but again, there was too much going on, too many characters in the midst. Sarah's POV, Alex's POV, Emily's POV, Pastor Parris' POV, al-Nasir's POV..... too many narrators.

Additionally, the mythology didn't work very well for me. I loved the vampiric mythology, but the mix of religions just did my head in. One moment Christian thought and philosophy, the other moment, Jewish, the next, Islamic, all along with I believe, Greek mythology and ancient Egyptian religion. I think there was a succubus in there as well (at least that is what I understood Betty to be). It was just too much, and I reiterate that it did not work for me. Just one or two of the elements mentioned would have led to a much tighter story, I believe, instead of the melange we got. Getting towards the end, I did find myself skimming some parts, because I couldn't be bothered anymore. The ending threw me for a loop. The twist was brilliant, but I was not impressed with Sarah's decision because it seemed very out-of-character.

An overabundance of good elements, brought this book down.

Too many spices messed this broth up for me big time. It could have been really awesome though. :(
I would like to know more about what happened to Sarah, but if ever there is a sequel, and if it does read like this, I might opt not to read it.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

Review: Play Dirty by Sandra Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Author: Sandra Brown

Title: Play Dirty

Series: N/A

About the Book: The seven deadly sins help propel this provocative, sex-fueled thriller from bestseller Brown (Ricochet). Foster Speakman, an eccentric Texas paraplegic millionaire, offers $500,000 to Griff Burkett, a disgraced former NFL quarterback fresh out of prison after serving a five-year sentence for racketeering, to impregnate Foster's wife, Laura. Foster insists the child be conceived naturally (The way God intended). Broke with no prospects, Griff takes the job. Meanwhile, Stanley Rodarte, the crooked detective behind Griff's arrest, is bent on pinning an unsolved murder on him and takes to terrorizing Griff and those close to him in the hopes of nailing him when he self-destructs. After Griff's stint as stud takes a bad turn, the ex-footballer must track down the one man who can secure his freedom. The tension builds as lust, greed, pride, wrath and envy threaten to undo everyone in this tightly told tale of modern temptation.

My Thoughts:

*This book came as a bonus gift in a Goodreads giveaway that I won, so much thanks to Sandra Brown and Goodreads for that.*

I most definitely enjoyed the book. I picked it up this morning and didn't stop until I was done. I thought the main character was drawn especially well. Griff is a former pro-NFLer who cheated, by intentionally throwing a SuperBowl game. His team lost, he got found out, he went to jail, and earned the undying hatred of NFL fans everywhere, but especially in his home state of Texas. Griff is released from jail with nothing to his name and is trying to make his way. Then he gets an offer he can't refuse from the very wealthy Foster Speakman. A hundred thousand dollars to impregnate his wife, five hundred thousand once a baby was conceived, and a million dollars a year for the rest of his life if he'd keep the whole deal secret.

The blurb on the back of the book says something about a "web of deceit and lies....", but really, there was not much suspense or intrigue or web of anything. It just didn't read like that to me. What caught me was the main character himself. Watching Griff try to pick himself up after such a spectacular fall from grace was quite gut-wrenching. Several times I think I wanted to cry. Just the sheer magnitude of what he'd lost - everything - and the vitriol people harbored towards him, how his "friends" behaved....all of that was not easy to watch, and Ms. Brown did a fantastic job showcasing that. I was wholly in Griff's corner, and that is what made this book for me.

I also quite liked the romantic aspects of the novel - it's another one of the things Ms. Brown does well. It's only a small part of the whole entire story, but she manages to make it integral.

So although this book is classified under suspense, it was not so for me. It read more like a character study with a nice romantic element and some drama. The revelation at the end COMPLETELY blindsided me! Completely, and I thought it was brilliant.

Well anyway, I really enjoyed myself and would most definitely recommend this one. Just be ready for not-suspense :D

On the Fence #1: The Black Dagger Brotherhood

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Jaye) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 05:00:00 +0000

My diary page is for books and series I am wary of starting.

I am a werewolf/shifter kind of gal, and I don't like vampires, especially the traditional undead incarnations of them anyway. I didn't know of this series until two things occurred in 2011: I joined GoodReads, and my discovered my flatmate loves paranormal romance as much as I do. That was how I initially heard of the BDB. At first I was wary of starting because of the thought of reading about vampires. And then I was hesitant to start because of all the drama surrounding recent books. I know this series is much-loved, as well as much-hated, but its many detractors do put forth salient points. I am not sure my heart can take all the drama.