Waiting On Wednesday: Teardrop by Lauren Kate

"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:

Teardrop by Lauren Kate (Teardrop #1)

Never, ever cry...

Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.

 

But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance - a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea - and something about the story is uncannily familiar.

 

Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth... and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined.

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

Publisher - Headline Review
Publication Date - 18th June 2013
Hardback - 320 pages
Genre - Mystery

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - 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.

My Thoughts - When this book arrived through my door I was really excited. I'm a big fan of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and was hoping this would be more of the same... full of laugh-out loud humour and quirky characters. However, I should have taken into account that this was the start of a new series, written with a new co-author no less, so I really shouldn't have picked up this book with those expectations. And it's not that I was disappointed as such, it was just different from what I was expecting so it took a little bit longer than normal to get into the book than I would have liked.

The quirky characters that are a classic hallmark of Evanovich's work are most definitely present in this novel. There's Kate O'Hare, an ex-Navy SEAL turned FBI agent who is more comfortable handling a rocket-propelled grenade launcher than she is going shopping for clothes. She is a tough cookie who doesn't stop kicking and punching until she gets what she wants... and in this case it's Nick Fox. He is a con artist who has managed to evade the FBI for years. Only once she catches him, she is then made to work alongside him to catch an even bigger criminal... what was once a game of cat and mouse has turned into a nightmare work situation for Kate. I have to say that I loved Nick. Although he is a criminal with some very questionable ethics, I just couldn't stop myself from loving him. He is funny, charming and incredibly intelligent... enough to have evaded the law enforcement for years in heist after heist. And what makes it even better is the chemistry between Kate and Nick. They try to fight it... if they were school kids then Nick would be pulling on her pigtails by now... but it is most definitely there and I can't wait to see what is going to happen between them in future instalments in this series.

However, the humour that I have come to love so much from Evanovich was sadly lacking. That's not to say that there weren't some amusing parts that made me chuckle a little. But it didn't make me do that embarrassing laughing out loud to the point of tears in public thing that her books normally bring out in me. But saying that, there is something in this book that is normally missing from her Stephanie Plum novels, and I can only guess that this must come from her new co-author Lee Goldberg, and that is an interesting plot line that will keep the reader hooked. I absolutely loved reading about the different cons in this book. The authors managed to work it perfectly so that as each con is played out, the reader doesn't know too many details and is in pretty much the same position as the victim watching the scene play out in front of them, and then the smaller details are revealed afterwards. It reminded me quite a lot of the movie Ocean's 11 and it's sequels in that respect. But it was these cons and the amount of detail that was put into them that kept the pages turning for me.

My one main complaint about this novel was that there is a cast of secondary characters that have the potential to be amazing, but I didn't really feel that the readers got to know them well enough. They each get a chapter to themselves as they are introduced to the reader... and to Kate... and then recruited onto the heist, but then after that they fade into the background a little too much for my liking. I know that they are background characters but I feel that the authors could have used them a little better to enhance the story line.

Summary - A very smart, sassy and promising start to a new series and I am very much looking forward to finding out exactly how much more trouble Nick and Kate can get themselves into in future books in the series.

Stacking the Shelves (27th July 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:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Ten-year-old August Pullman wants to be ordinary. He does ordinary things. He eats ice-cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But Auggie is far from ordinary. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, he has been home-schooled by his parents his entire life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, Auggie's parents are sending him to a real school. Can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?

Series Spotlight: Transplanted Tales by Kate Serine

Series Spotlight is a new weekly feature here on Once Upon a Series, where I will be highlighting a series that I would either like to read if I get a chance to, or would like to finish reading at some point. Hopefully it will give you all some ideas for other series to read... or if you've read something similar that you think other fans of the series featured would like, then please do mention it in the comments.

Last week, while visiting the Between Dreams and Reality blog, I came across a review for The Better to See You, which is the second book of the Transplanted Tales series. And as soon as I read the synopsis and review I knew this was a series I really wanted to get my hands on.

1. Red
Once upon a time, a spell went awry, stranding Make Believe characters in the ordinary world. Since then, Tess “Red” Little—a/k/a Little Red Riding Hood—has worked as an Enforcer for the Chicago branch of the Fairytale Management Authority. But, consider yourself warned—she’s not just some waif with a basket of goodies. All grown up and with nothing to lose, a gun and combat boots is more her style. And Red’s new assignment threatens to be short on happily ever afters…

Someone is murdering transplanted Tales in gruesome fashion. The list of fictional characters capable of such grisly acts is short and includes more than one of Red’s old flames. And if that wasn’t bad enough, there’s another complication, in the form of sexy, enigmatic Nate Grimm, the FMA’s lead detective and part-time Reaper. Used to following her own rules and living life on the edge, Red has managed to avoid taking on a partner until now. But Nate’s dark side makes him perfect for a case like this. That is, if she can trust him. Because if there’s one thing Red knows for sure, it’s that believing in the wrong person can have big, bad consequences…

2. The Better to See You
Once upon a time, a spell went awry and Make Believe characters were cast into the ordinary world. And the results aren’t always happily ever after…

Everyone thinks fairy godmothers can do no wrong. But if not for a certain spell mis-cast by Lavender Seelie, Cinderella’s former fairy godmother, the Tales would not be stuck in the Here and Now. Fortunately for Lavender, she’s about to get a second chance at a happy ending…

The Refuge, a sanctuary for wayward Tales, seems like the perfect place for Lavender to start a new life—especially when she discovers an unexpected ally in Seth, the brooding werewolf who’s been typecast as a villain ever since his run in with Little Red Riding Hood. But when humans from nearby towns start turning up dead, their bodies mutilated with archaic Tale symbols, Lavender wonders if Seth’s deep sensuality has blinded her to the truth. And that distraction could put innocent lives in danger. Including her own…

3. Along Came a Spider
When Trish Muffet is attacked at a grisly crime scene, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Nicky “Little Boy” Blue. But since walking away from everything two years before, Nicky’s been doling out vigilante justice as “The Spider,” taking on the vicious predators of the night in hopes it’ll lead him to his ultimate target – Vlad Dracula. And he needs Trish’s help.

Although Nicky’s renegade style goes against everything Trish stands for, she’ll do what she must to bring Dracula down. With danger stalking her, Trish knows the only person she can count on is the one man who has the power to leave her breathless. There’s no way she’s letting this spider frighten her away

Review: French Kiss by Sarra Manning (Diary of a Crush #1)

Publisher - Atom
Publication Date - 30th May 2013
Paperback - 240 pages
Genre - Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Reviewed by - Amy

Book Info - New town, new college, new people, Edie's feeling overwhelmed. What if nobody wants to be her friend? But then something happens that turns her life upside down: Edie spots Dylan. Messy-haired, pouty, frustratingly elusive Dylan...

Fast forward to the college trip to Paris and things are really heating up. In between the shopping, the clubbing, the kissing and the making up, something happens between Edie and Dylan that changes both their lives for ever.

But do boys like Dylan ever play for keeps?

My Thoughts - I didn’t particularly enjoy Diary Of A Crush, it was definitely not the best romance. It was acceptable but the main characters don’t seem to even know each other that well yet seem to find themselves attracted to each other (when they aren’t in complete and utter moods). Dylan was mainly a jerk, well... he was most of the time! He’d have a moment when he’d take Edie’s coat or defend her but most of the time he really wasn’t boyfriend material.

I didn’t like how at one point Edie refers to her ‘kick-ass facilities’. She wasn’t particularly kick-ass... She wasn’t lame but she was endearing and it’s really hard to imagine her actually be venomous, she’s got a bit off an evil-glare but if I’m honest that seems to come pretty naturally at puberty... She was definitely a hilarious character, as she said: ‘fluffy little baby bunny rabbits are more intimidating than me’. That was just so funny... in fact, it might describe the whole book. (see summary) Just read the first page, I mean it’s got that little fact file that’s all like ‘name, age, lives, height, weight, hair, eyes, favourites...’ I totally rolled my eyes- I remember when I used to read books that were in diary format & had that! The protagonists weren’t 16 though... But Edie’s sweet sixteen & (seldom) kissed... Once again though we find a girl who just doesn’t seem to be deserving of being part a love triangle- there was not a lot that made her stand out. She’s just moody, a catastrophe of embarrassment and seriously inconsiderate. The thing I like is she didn’t change for other people... I appreciated the beautiful quote: “I was ‘up myself’ and ‘weird’. Better than being a bunch of cookie-cutter deadheads”... It’s pretty self-explanatory really, isn’t it?

I probably wouldn’t be her friend, she feeds off Drama and has a muddled personality... It’s hard not to pity her though and get some giggles from her...

Summary - It’s a bit fluffy, rather cute, not intimidating... If you’re looking for an easy read this might be it!

Other books in the series:
1. French Kiss
2. Kiss and Make Up
3. Sealed With a Kiss

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (22nd July 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:

Chrissie - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1)

Amy - French Kiss by Sarra Manning (Diary of a Crush #1)

Books Reviewed Last Week:

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

Books We're Currently Reading:

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

Books Up Next:

No idea!

Series Spotlight: Love by Numbers by Sarah MacLean

Series Spotlight is a new weekly feature here on Once Upon a Series, where I will be highlighting a series that I would either like to read if I get a chance to, or would like to finish reading at some point. Hopefully it will give you all some ideas for other series to read... or if you've read something similar that you think other fans of the series featured would like, then please do mention it in the comments.

The series I will be featuring today is the Love by Numbers series by Sarah Maclean. I have read and reviewed the first book, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, which is an amazingly fun historical romance! Now I want to try and get the rest of the series finished up.

1. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried — and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she’s vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she’s been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss — to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston — charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all — the one that says that pleasure seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love...

2. Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord
Since being named on of London’s “Lords to Land” by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St. John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps—only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met!

The daughter of a titled wastrel, Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.

But the lady must be wary and not do anything reckless…like falling madly, passionately in love.

3. Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart
She lives for passion.

Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips . . . and precisely the kind of woman The Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.

He swears by reputation.
Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening—risking everything he holds dear—he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.

Waiting on Wednesday: Omens by Kelley Armstrong

"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:

Omens by Kelley Armstrong (Cainsville #1)

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home, and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

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

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 14th March 2013
Paperback - 320 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Kara Crawford doesn't expect to find anyone who can fulfil her dark fantasies until she experiences one of the most incredible nights of her life with a man she's always admired from afar.

Dante De Matteo may be a master of control now, but his troubled past means he won't let anyone ever get too close...

My Thoughts - I read the first book in this series, Pleasure's Edge, a while ago and absolutely loved it. So I picked up this book with some very high expectations for it to live up to... and I'm pleased to say that it met them with no real trouble at all.

As I have now come to expect from this author, the chemistry between the two main characters was off the charts! This is made more believable by the fact that Kara and Dante have known each other since school so it isn't some kind of insta-lust situation. What heats up the pages even more is the fact that they work together so there is a whole "forbidden" element to their relationship too.

The plot line was fairly basic and, with it being a romance, the ending was pretty predictable. I didn't really feel as though the events from their past that were given as reasons for their fear of commitment really warranted the amount of drama that they were treated with. But this was just a minor peeve of mine about the book and didn't really spoil my enjoyment of it at all.

Summary - A very enjoyable second instalment to the Pleasure Dome series... one full of passion, amazing sex and a great pair of main characters. I can't wait to get started on the third book of the series - Temptation's Edge.

Other books in the series:
1. Pleasure's Edge
2. Desire's Edge
3. Temptation's Edge

Stacking the Shelves (13th July 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:

Exotica by Eden Bradley

Lilli DeForrest is hoping for a week of pampering and relaxation, but when the beautiful Rajan steps into her suite, the attraction is immediate. Rajan is her ideal lover: tender, commanding and intensely erotic. But, as Lilli is about to discover, his masterful touch is just the beginning...

The Beating Of His Wings by Paul Hoffman (Left Hand of God #3)

Thomas Cale has been running from the truth. Since discovering that his brutal military training has been for one purpose - to destroy God's greatest mistake, mankind itself - Cale has been hunted by the very man who made him into the Angel of Death: Pope Redeemer Bosco.

Cale is a paradox: arrogant and innocent, generous and pitiless. Feared and revered by those who created him, he has already used his breathtaking talent for violence and destruction to bring down the most powerful civilization in the world.

But Thomas Cale is weak. His soul is dying. As his body is wracked with convulsions, he knows that the final judgement will not wait for a sick boy. As the day of reckoning draws close, Cale's sense of vengeance leads him back to the heart of darkness - the Sanctuary - and to confront the person he hates most in the world.

Finally Cale must recognize that he is the incarnation of God's rage and decide if he will stand against the Sanctuary of the Redeemers and use his unique skill of laying waste to all things.

The fate of mankind rests on Cale's decision.

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (8th July 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:

Wicked Games by Kelly Lawrence

Books Reviewed Last Week:

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

Fifty Sheds of Grey by C.T. Grey

Books We're Currently Reading:

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

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1)
Shhh, don't tell anyone but... I've never read the Harry Potter books before so I'm very excited to be starting them now!

Books Up Next:

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

Stacking the Shelves (6th July 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:

Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #22)

Some zombies are raised. Others must be put down. Just ask me, Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter.

Before now, I figured I could handle them. Before now, I had never heard of any of them causing human beings to perish in such agony. But that's all changed.

Micah's estranged father lies dying, rotting away inside from some strange ailment that has his doctors whispering about 'zombie disease'.

I make my living from zombies - but these aren't the kind I know so well. These creatures hunt in daylight, and are as fast and strong as vampires. If they bite you, you become just like them. And round and round it goes...

Where will it stop? Even I don't know.

Deep Blue Sea by Tasmina Perry

Diana and Julian Denver have the world at their feet. With a blissful marriage, a darling son and beautiful homes in London and the country, Diana's life, to the outside world, is perfect. But nothing is as it seems...

When Julian dies suddenly and tragically, Diana is convinced there is more to it than meets the eye. She calls on the one person she had never wanted to see again - her sister, Rachel.

A former tabloid reporter, Rachel appears to be living the dream as a diving instructor on a Thai island. The truth is she's in exile, estranged from her family and driven from her career by Fleet Street's phone-hacking scandal.

For Rachel, Diana's request opens old wounds. But she is determined to make amends for the past, and embarks on a treacherous journey to uncover the truth - wherever it may lead...

Review: Fifty Sheds of Grey by C.T. Grey

Publisher - Boxtree
Publication Date - 27th September 2012
Hardback - 144 pages
Genre - Parody/Erotica

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Colin Grey’s life was happy and simple, until the day everything changed—the day his wife read that book. Suddenly, he was thrust headfirst into a dark, illicit world of pleasure and pain. This is what happens when a tide of tempestuous, erotic desire invades man’s last place of privacy: his backyard shed.

WARNING: Fifty Sheds of Grey contains fifty graphic shed-based images. Please do not look if you are easily offended.

Follow the phenomenon @50ShedsofGrey

My Thoughts - This is only going to be a very short review as it is, in fact, a very short book. It probably only took me twenty minutes to read from cover to cover. There is some storyline to it but it is mostly a series of witty one-liners based around sheds and BDSM, pulled together by the occasional page of writing. But, those witty one-liners are just hilarious and some of them had me crying with laughter. Although I should probably note that some of it is aimed very much towards British humour so people from overseas may not cry with laughter the way I did. I couldn't write this review though without including a couple of the gems contained within these pages...

'Yes, mistress,' I replied. I didn't dare argue as I bent over the workbench - I could see she had a strop on. At least, I think that's what they're called.

'Make me feel pain like I've never felt before,' she pleaded, blindfolded and naked.
'Alright,' I said, placing the Lego bricks on the shed floor...

'Are you sure you can take the pain?' she demanded, brandishing her stilettos.
'I think so,' I gulped.
'Here we go, then,' she said, and showed me the receipt.

Let's face it, this book isn't likely to win any literary awards, but it is incredibly funny and well worth spending the time on. I even phoned up friends and family, reading pages of the book to them as we sat there laughing hysterically together. My only complaint about this book would have to be the price. I actually bought this as a gift for my dad on Father's Day but ended up reading the whole thing before I gave it to him (sorry dad!) and as it's a hardback it cost me somewhere around the £7.50 mark. Which, although it is a fair price for most hardbacks, I found it to be a little expensive for a book with so little actual content. But, if you can get your hands on a copy of this book to borrow from a library/friend etc then go for it as it really is a lot of fun.

Summary - A light-hearted, witty book that is well worth a read... so long as you can borrow a copy from somewhere.

Waiting on Wednesday: Three Little Words 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:

Three Little Words by Susan Mallery (Fool's Gold #13)

Isabel Beebe thinks she's cursed in the romance department. Her teenage crush, Ford Hendrix, ignored all her letters. Her husband left her for another...man. So Isabel has come home to dust off her passion for fashion and run the family bridal shop until her parents are ready to sell it. Then she'll pursue her real dreams. At least, that's the plan, until sexy, charming Ford returns and leaves her feeling fourteen all over again..... Seeing Isabel all grown-up hits bodyguard trainer Ford like a sucker punch. Back when heartbreak made him join the military, her sweet letters kept him sane. Now he can't take his eyes-or his lips-off her. The man who gave up on love has a reason to stay in Fool's Gold forever-if three little words can convince Isabel to do the same.

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

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 28th May 2013
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - From a tough stint in the armed forces to stalking the unknown as a bayou cop, leopard shifter Remy Boudreux has been served well by his uncanny gifts. And right now, New Orleans could use a homicide detective like Remy.

A serial killer is loose, snatching victims from the French Quarter with pitiless rage and unnatural efficiency. But something else is drawing Remy into the twilight - a beautiful jazz singer bathed, night after night, in a flood of blood-red neon.

Sultry, mysterious and as seductive as her songs, she's luring Remy deeper into the shadows than he ever imagined possible. And as their passions swell, his keen instinct for survival will be challenged like never before. By a killer - and by a woman.

My Thoughts - I have read a few books by this author and found them to be pretty hit and miss if I'm honest... a couple that I've read have been really good, while a couple of others have been just okay. And one of them I couldn't even finish, which is very rare for me. So I picked up this book with some trepidation, but luckily, this was one that I did enjoy... very much so in fact. And even though this is the sixth book in the series, I was easily able to read this one without any confusion at all even though I haven't read any of the previous books.

I really liked both of the main characters, Remy and Bijou. They are both strong and loyal, and I really felt for Bijou as I learnt more about her backstory. Remy has a few faults, such as his stubborn nature and the fact that he didn't always manage to do the right thing for Bijou despite his best intentions, but nothing that really made me dislike him. They just made his character more realistic. What did irritate me slightly was the fact that he always blames all of his bad points on his leopard! Every single time! I almost wanted to tell him to step up and take responsibility for his actions rather than falling back on his leopard as an excuse. And I believe that Bijou and his sister told him exactly that at one point in the book, which did make me laugh.

The chemistry between these two is just off the charts and when they do finally come together there are serious fireworks. If you're not a fan of things getting a little bit rough between the sheets then this may not be the book for you... but fortunately, things like that don't bother me at all. I felt that the balance between the romance and mystery elements of the story worked very well, but there was just one major problem that I had with this book. To me, it was immediately apparent who was behind the murders as soon as the character was introduced to the reader. I kept on reading in the hopes that the author would throw in some kind of twist and that maybe I was wrong... but no, that didn't happen.

Summary - A great plotline, with characters that are easy to fall in love with as well as some unbelievably hot sexy times. It was just let down by the mystery being so easy to solve. But even so, I still really enjoyed this one and will be looking for more books from this series.

Other books in this series:
1. The Awakening
2. Wild Rain
3. Burning Wild
4. Wild Fire
5. Savage Nature
6. Leopard's Prey