Waiting on Wednesday: Nameless by Lili. St. Crow

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Nameless by Lili. St. Crow (Tales of Beauty and Madness #1)

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven-the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico. Now Cami is turning sixteen. She's no longer mute, and keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform only opening up to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But her past is now coming back to haunt her.

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (24th June 2013)

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books We Read Last Week:

Desire's Edge by Eve Berlin (Pleasure Dome #2)

Books Reviewed Last Week:

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #7)

Books We're Currently Reading:

Wicked Games by Kelly Lawrence

Books Up Next:

The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (O'Hare and Fox #1)

Stacking the Shelves (15th June 2013)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

For Review:

An Irresistible Bachelor By J.R. Ward (An Unforgettable Lady #2)

For struggling art conservationist Callie Burke, the chance to restore a world-famous painting is the opportunity of a lifetime - one that no one in her right mind would turn down. Call her crazy, but Callie has serious reservations about working with the painting's owner. Warm and sexy, Jack Walker makes no attempt to hide the strong attraction he feels for Callie - even as she tries to keep their relationship professional. Now, cocooned in his studio, she will either have to learn to ignore the man and concentrate on the masterpiece... or give in to the kind of passion that can never be captured on canvas.

Jack Walker is a practical man who runs his life, his empire and his fortune effortlessly. Yet from the moment he met Callie Burke, he wanted her with all the intensity of a first crush. As he gets to know her, the desire blossoms into something more - and Jack finds that for the first time in his life he is leading with his heart instead of his head.

The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Highmore (House of Trent #1)

Simon Hawkins, Duke of Trent, is no stranger to scandal. Rumours and innuendo have darkened the House of Trent for decades, and it has fallen to Simon to restore his tattered family name. He lives by a strict code of honour, but when he is called home to investigate his mother's disappearance, the distinguished duke will tangle with temptation. For there waits the only woman he has ever loved - and the last woman he should desire...

Sarah Osborne has spent her life dreaming of Simon's touch. But dukes do not long for ladies' maids - or so Sarah believes, until a stolen kiss sparks a passion that could be her ultimate undoing. As the couple begin a forbidden romance, a cunning enemy plots to destroy the duke and everything he loves. Now, caught in a blackmailer's web, Simon faces an agonising choice: sacrifice his family's future or break Sarah's heart.

Waiting on Wednesday: Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery (Fool's Gold #13)
Felicia Swift never dreamed she'd hear a deep, sexy voice from her past in tiny Fool's Gold, California. The last time Gideon Boylan whispered in her ear was half a world away...on the morning after the hottest night of her life. Her freaky smarts have limited her close friendships, and romance, but she came to Fool's Gold looking for ordinary. Gorgeous, brooding Gideon is anything but that. Black Ops taught Gideon that love could be deadly. Now he pretends to fit in while keeping everyone at arm's length. Felicia wants more than he can give - a home, family, love - but she has a lot to learn about men...and Gideon needs to be the man to teach her.  As these two misfits discover that passion isn't the only thing they have in common, they just might figure out that two of a kind should never be split apart.

Review: Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #7)

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 5th March 2013
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Now that she's the mate of Alpha werewolf Adam, Mercy Thompson's life finally seems to be calming down - but not for long. After a traffic accident, Mercy suddenly can't reach Adam or the rest of the pack. All she knows is that Adam's angry and in pain.

If Adam's disappearance has anything to do with the werewolves' fight for public acceptance, it means the entire pack is in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy will have to seek help from an unlikely ally - no matter how grave the consequences.

My Thoughts - For those of you who've read my reviews of the previous books in this series, you'll know that it is probably my favourite series...ever! With possibly the exception of River Marked (book 6) which I didn't enjoy quite so much, so much so that I seem to have forgotten to review it completely, these books have been amazing. And I'm glad to say that with this instalment, the author seems to have got over her little funk that she experienced with the previous book and it was well on par with the earlier books in the series.

Mercy is her usual kick-ass self, and when the rest of the pack is taken and she is the only person who can rescue them, she quickly gets into action and does what she has to do. This is one of my favourite qualities in Mercy... she knows what has to be done and she's not afraid to get her hands a little dirty in the process. She loves Adam and will do anything to get him back, as well as the rest of the pack, even if that does mean teaming up with an unlikely ally.

I love how there is always a mystery involved with each of these books for Mercy and the gang to solve. Once again, the mystery element perfectly compliments the more paranormal elements, and had me turning the pages to find out who was behind the kidnapping (or wolf-napping) and what the reason behind it was. And it was not obvious at all, well not to me at least, who was involved.

Summary - A perfect addition to a kick-ass urban fantasy series. Fans of this genre will love it and people who aren't fans of the genre should still read these books.

Other books in the series:
1. Moon Called
2. Blood Bound
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne
6. River Marked
7. Frost Burned

It's Monday! What are you reading? (17th June 2013)

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books We Read Last Week:

Leopard's Prey by Christine Feehan (Leopard People #6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books Reviewed Last Week:

The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke (The Immortal Empire #2)

The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones #2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books We're Currently Reading:

Desire's Edge by Eve Berlin (Pleasure Dome #2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books Up Next:

The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (O'Hare and Fox #1)

Stacking the Shelves (15th June 2013)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

For Review:

The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (O'Hare and Fox #1)

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

Temptation's Edge by Eve Berlin (Pleasure Dome #3)

Mischa Kennon isn’t one to take it lying down, at least not until she meets sexy Connor Galloway, a green-eyed Irishman with an air of authority she finds hard to resist. While performing duties as maid of honor to her best friend, Mischa indulges in a casual relationship with Connor. She’s surprised by the thrill of his dominance, and lusts for more feisty battles before surrender.

It’s all fun and games in the BDSM Pleasure Dome Club, until Mischa realizes Connor could master her heart. If she gives in to desire, will it be too much to handle, or will it open her to a kind of love she never thought possible?  

A Private View by Crystalle Valentino

As a model, Jemma is used to being the centre of attention. And when Dominic Vane, the world-famous photographer, asks her to pose for him, she knows it's not just her pictures he's interested in.

But in a world where pleasure is pursed above all else, will falling for Dominic's masterful touch come at too high a cost?

Wicked Games by Kelly Lawrence

This is no novel, but the memoir of an intense, exciting and at times unsettling relationship. Alex, for all his charms, is no billionaire playboy, and Kelly is no blushing virgin; rather your typical, overworked teacher who has no time for games, certainly not the wicked games he leads her into. Games that she ends up craving like a drug.

Seven Scarlet Tales by Justine Elyot

A brand new sizzling collection of linked short stories by the highly acclaimed author of the ebook sensation, On Demand.

They include the actress/director of a new production of Kiss Me Kate discovering the fun of a real life 'taming', a sizzling BDSM menage, an innocent's first day at a private fetish club and a very kinky encounter with a famous screen star.

Review: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones #2)

Publisher - Picador
Publication Date - 15th June 2000
Paperback - 432 pages
Genre - Contemporary Romance/Chick-Lit

Source - Library

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Reviewed by - Amy

Book Info -The Wilderness Years are over! But not for long. At the end of Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget hiccuped off into the sunset with man-of-her-dreams Mark Darcy. Now, in The Edge of Reason, she discovers what it is like when you have the man of your dreams actually in your flat and he hasn't done the washing-up, not just the whole of this week, but ever.

Lurching through a morass of self-help-book theories and mad advice from Jude and Shazzer, struggling with a boyfriend-stealing ex-friend with thighs like a baby giraffe, an 8ft hole in the living-room wall, a mother obsessed with boiled-egg peelers, and a builder obsessed with large reservoir fish, Bridget embarks on a spiritual epiphany, which takes her from the cappuccino queues of Notting Hill to the palm- and magic-mushroom-kissed shores of ...

Bridget is back. V.g.

My Thoughts - "Self-help books scheduled for dustbin: 47"

Unlikely events included to help plot stretch out over book: 47 (probably)

OK, that seemed harsh but part of this book that can't be ignored is Bridge's ability to be in situations that are humorous because they are unprecedented! She surely wasn’t, to me, as loveable before- it would've been better if I felt I didn't need to read this to get character development.

There must be another reason I downloaded this to my kindle and read it with haste… I needed that funny, very British book. The culture may seem stereotypical but it's pulled off (not that she drinks tea everyday, but her breath would stink- cigarettes), that makes me love her more. She may be older than me, but she's the age of some of my cousins so it is like she could be my cousin! This book was perfection for a Brit-fic addict like me, well... It's only THREE STAR but not for lack of British attitude (either on holidays or thinking that good circumstances will come).

Simple, commendable easy reading (yes teens, you may be divided by over a decade, and calorie consumption frankly, but ambitions are for everyone). You'll love the wedding speech; I swear Bridget's commentary there was the only thing to make me LOL!

Bridget honestly showed at some points independence- and not just the singleton kind. I think this is why she started to be more interesting! It was good that a 30-year old was able to find her own feet, well... at points she thought it was her who must've sorted out X, Y or Z dilemma... Wait, she’s 30? Yes, I did know but at some points I forgot. I was thinking, “Aww- she counts her calories & has about triple what so&so considers a lot...” That’s why it’s easy reading, it’s supposed to be comic & Bridget is far from a serious character.

You all know this, don’t you? Good. Then pick up Bridget Jones: Edge Of Reason. She goes through trials & tribulations... Do you think she’ll become a stronger, better woman because of it?

Summary - In the synopsis it says “Bridget Jones is back. V.g.”

In conclusion, it is. There isn’t much more to say about this book... You want a book with deep meaning? This isn’t for you. It’s slightly deeper than the first in my opinion, there are conflicts & “other women” (by which we don’t mean Bridge’s girlfriends, sincerely wish we did) but overall the book is just about a woman making her way in the world (and realizing that rapists probably wouldn’t think she’s worth it but certain Thai people may). Asking why does Bridget have to travel to have a massive self-discovering or epiphany is like asking about what typical brits are like on holiday... Isn’t it obvious?

You need to read this, ha!

Other books in the series:
1. Bridget Jones's Diary
2. The Edge of Reason
3. Mad About the Boy (October 2013)

Guest Review: The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke (The Immortal Empire #2)

Today, I'm pleased to welcome back Sarah from Feeling Fictional, who has written a guest review for The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke. Thank you Sarah!

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 5th February 2013
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review


Book Info - Xandra Vardan is the newly crowned Goblin Queen of England, But her complicated life is by no means over.

There are the political factions vying for her favour, and she's under the all-too-close scrutiny of Queen Victoria, who for some reason wants her head. Not to mention her werewolf boyfriend with demands of his own, and a mother hell-bent on destroying the monarchy. Now she's the suspect in a murder investigation - and Xandra barely knows which way is up.

What she does know is that nothing lasts forever - and immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Sarah's Review - God Save the Queen was a fantastic start to Kate Locke's alternate history urban fantasy series so I've been looking forward to getting my hands on The Queen is Dead ever since I first read it. If the stunning covers for this series aren't enough to convince you to read them then the mash up of genres should be, throw in a hint of steampunk, vampires, werewolves and a heroine who has just found out she is the goblin queen and you're definitely onto a winner! Everything I loved about the first book was back again in this 2nd instalment and it's left me desperate to read Long Live the Queen when it publishes in November.

Xandra had quite a shock at the end of the last book when she discovered that she is in fact a goblin rather than the halvie that she always thought she was. The goblins are the most ferocious of the supernatural races and the ones who are most feared by the rest of the population. She has always thought of them as monsters so her world view has taken quite a battering thanks to her newly acquired status as their queen. Not only is she questioning herself and worrying over her new abilities but she also finds that she has become a political pawn that each of the different factions all want to win into their corner, she is going to have to pick her allies wisely though or she'll just end up in an even bigger mess. After everything that Xandra went through in the first book to protect her siblings I have to say I was a bit disappointed in them for abandoning her when she needed their support in return, it's just a good job she had Vex to lean on. Of course the fact that they have been ignoring her for the last few months doesn't stop Xandra diving straight into the investigation when she discovers that her brother Val is missing no matter how much trouble it might get her into. She is the kind of girl who will protect her loved ones at any cost and I can't fault her for that.

I love the way things have developed between Xandra and Vex and I think she sums up my feelings for him perfectly when she says "One of the things I adored about him was he didn't go all chest-thumping on me and treat me like a delicate flower. I knew he'd rip apart anyone who tried to hurt me, but he'd give me first crack at it." I love the fact that although he is an alpha he doesn't try to take charge of every situation. He is supportive and protective of her without being smothering and I like the way he is so calm and centred while Xandra is struggling to come to terms with the revelations of her heritage. Vex obviously loves Xandra for who she is and he is the only one who has always been there for her when she needed him.

Another thing I really enjoyed was getting to learn more about the goblins, we get to see a different side to them as Xandra reluctantly spends more time with the plague and I've come to really like the goblin prince. There have also been a few interesting developments with Vex's werewolf pack and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in the next book. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series and I'm sure anyone who enjoyed the first book is going to love this instalment just as much. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Other books in this series:
1. God Save the Queen
2. The Queen is Dead

Stacking the Shelves (8th June 2013)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

For Review:

The String Diaries by Stephen Lloyd Jones

A jumble of entries, written in different hands, different languages, and different times. They tell of a rumour. A shadow. A stalking death.

The only interest that Oxford Professor Charles Meredith has in the diaries is as a record of Hungarian folklore... until he comes face to face with a myth.

For Hannah Wilde, the diaries are a survival guide that taught her the three rules she lives by: verify everyone, trust no one, and if in any doubt, run.

But Hannah knows that if her nine-year-old daughter is ever going to be safe, she will have to stop running and face the terror that has haunted her family for five generations.

And nothing in the diaries can prepare her for that.

Review: Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #4)

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 8th December 2001
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - When the walls between Man and Fae come crashing down, freeing the insatiable, immortal Unseelie from their icy prison, MacKayla Lane is caught in a deadly trap. Captured by the Fae Lord Master, she is left with no memory of who or what she is. Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle-filled streets of Dublin to the treacherous politics of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves, where nothing is as it seems - and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering truth.

My Thoughts - For those of you who've read my reviews of the previous books in this series, you'll know that I have had mixed feelings about it. I loved the first book and felt it was a very promising start to the series, whereas books two and three felt more like fillers. At the start of Dreamfever, I could feel my excitement for the series start to build again. Finally, Mac seemed to be back on her quest for the Sinsar Dubh, whilst battling against all kinds of fae and forming alliances with the people around her in the lead up to what promises to be an amazing showdown. However about three quarters of the way through, the author seemed to lose her way again and I had trouble understanding why the last quarter of the book was even there. Again, it felt purely like something to fill the pages, drawing out the inevitable into more books than this series really needed to be. But, at least most of the book did push the storyline along towards its conclusion, which is an improvement on books two and three.

Again, there are a huge array of supporting characters and I love how none of them seem to be purely good or purely bad. They all have their own agenda and Mac has to really work hard to find out who is on her side and who is working against her. Of course, my favourite out of all the characters is Barrons. The reader still doesn't know much at all about him and this just increases his appeal for me. The hope that I might find out just a little something about him is what has kept me reading this series despite my reservations about it. V'lane, another of my favourite characters, isn't in this book quite so much so I found that slightly disappointing, but I'm sure he'll be back in full force in the final installment in the series.

One of the issues I had with previous books in the series was the author using Mac to constantly make reference to things that happen in the future. I'm sure it was to provide a feeling of suspense, but to me it just made the narrative jerky and kept on distracting me from the things that were happening. But luckily, that doesn't seem to happen all that much in Dreamfever. I'm guessing that's because as we get nearer the end of the series there's not quite so much to talk about.

The one thing that I am liking more and more as the series progresses is Mac, the main character. She starts off in book one as being shallow and selfish and I am enjoying watching her grow as a character. Now she is strong, feisty, always putting the safety of others before her own, and is about to embark on a major showdown between good and evil and, although she's not exactly overjoyed at her role in it all, she knows it is her destiny to fight this battle and she's not going to back down. I love the new edgy and kick-ass Mac.

Summary - Although I do have some reservations about this fourth installment in the Fever series, I did enjoy it a lot more than the previous two books. And I know that after the cliffhanger at the end of Dreamfever I will most definitely be picking up Shadowfever very soon. I am very much looking forward to finding out how this series will end.

Other books in this series:
1. Darkfever
2. Bloodfever
3. Faefever
4. Dreamfever
5. Shadowfever

Review: One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean (Rules of Scoundrels #2)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 29th January 2013
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Historical Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4.5 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant daughter of a marquess cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. About to become engaged to Lord Castleton, before she marries she wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of the Fallen Angel. London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.

Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion - the experience of ruination without the repercussions. Who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? And when this unusual female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting... and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts - and giving the lady precisely what she wants.

My Thoughts - This is the second book that I have read by Sarah MacLean. A while ago I read Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, the first book in her other series, and I absolutely loved it. But I think that I may actually have loved this one even more. I will certainly be getting my hands on more of MacLean's work some time in the very near future.

I loved reading about Cross and pretty much fell in love with him from page one. He has an interesting back story that kept me turning the pages as I wanted to find out so much more about him and, despite the fact that he runs a gaming hell and thinks of himself as a scoundrel, he's got a protective streak a mile wide and will do anything to protect the honour of the women around him. The only thing I found slightly frustrating about him was how he always believed he knew what was best for the women closest to him (his sister and Pippa) despite not discussing with them what they wanted or needed from the situation. But then, hey, he is a man :P

Pippa is possibly one of my favourite female characters ever! She is incredibly smart and always says exactly what she is thinking, leading to some embarrassing moments where I couldn't help but laugh out loud no matter where I was or who else was around. Some of the things she comes out with were shocking for a woman living in her time, yet she says them with an innocence that just makes her so endearing. Although, for me, Pippa doesn't start to really come into her own until she starts falling in love with Cross. Before this, Pippa lacks emotion as she sees everything as a scientist. But once she realises that things that can't be scientifically proven (eg. emotions) do exist, she becomes a much more loveable and three-dimensional character.

The romance between Cross and Pippa is sweet, hot and completely believable. Despite all the obstacles that stand in their way it is instantly obvious to the reader that these two belong together. He loves her for exactly who she is, for all of her oddities and lack of social graces. And she is the woman who allows him to feel again after everything that he has been through in the last six years. And the chemistry between them just sizzles off the page. I honestly could not put this book down as I just had to find out how everything would work out for these two characters.

Summary - A perfect historical romance, with loveable characters, sizzling chemistry and a great plot. I can't wait to get my hands on more books by this author... she is fast becoming one of my favourites.

Other books in this series:
1. A Rogue by Any Other Name
2. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover
3. No Good Duke Goes Unpunished (released November 2013)

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (3rd June 2013)

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Oh dear, another bad week for me this week with no books finished again. But then I have had the kids at home for the week because of school holidays. And I've had a bad cold so by the time I've got the kids into bed all I've had the energy to do is collapse in a heap on the sofa. But the kids are back at school today (yay!) and I'm starting to feel a bit more human now so hopefully this will be a better week.

Books We Read Last Week:

None

Books Reviewed Last Week:

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke (The Immortal Empire #1)

Books We're Currently Reading:

Immortal Eclipse by Sherry Soule

Leopard's Prey by Christine Feehan (Leopard People #6)

Books Up Next:

Things We Never Say by Sheila O'Flanagan