Elizabeth Peters - Crocodile on the Sandbank

In Victorian England, A Woman Wasn't Supposed To Be An Archaeologist Or A Detective.
Amelia Peabody Was Both.
Thirty-one-year-old Victorian gentlewoman, Amelia Peabody has inherited her father's strong will as well as his considerable fortune. On her way to Cairo to indulge her passion for Egyptology, she picks up Evelyn Barton-Forbes as a traveling companion. Evelyn has a tarnished past, but both she and Amelia believe that it won't come back to haunt her. That belief is shattered when Evelyn is attacked by a walking, homicidal mummy.
Amelia enlists the aid of Radcliff Emerson, a prominent Egyptologist, to help unravel the plot against her friend and decipher the clues left by the mummy. Between grave digging and academic sparring, she manages to save his life. But with the threat of an ancient curse closing in, Amelia must resort to outrageous methods to prevent the mummy from making corpses of them all.

Comment: I had this book in my TBR list for a long time I'm not even sure why I guess it was because the protagonist is a spinster (I usually like stories with this topic) but well, it's been there for ages and now that I decided to so a challenge it fit perfectly in one of the themes and finally it was its turn.
Amelia is a very determined person. She wants to travel to Egypt because it fascinates her and because she has the means to do so. On the way she finds and helps Evelyn and the Emerson brothers..and a mummy. All the characters find a way to have some importance in what happens during the story and the mystery gets more complicated in every page.
Well, Amelia's practical and she knows always what to do. Although I wanted to see a bit more of her vulnerabilities and we could see them here and there, still I think it wasn't enough to make me feel connected to her, to feel more empathy than the one needed. I mean, she was everything I think a woman should be but i wanted to see her admitting vulnerabilities and work on them and see some effort and somehow it didn't happen like that and I feel that, in the end she wasn't that appealing to me because of that. She was too focus to be a more agreeable character.
The rest of the characters was interesting but then the story...I know it was set in Victorian times so some rules had to apply and on that level I found the story enjoyable but the whole feel of the writing didn't seduce me. I actually thought some parts were rather boring. The mystery was interesting but, to me, not enough to make me eager to see it solved, I wasn't that interested in seeing who the villain was because I knew who was it and although I didn't see how, knowing the who and the why made me uninterested in knowing the rest.
The romances in the story were funny, but Amelia's not really...I expected more emotion, ok, it's historical, but still, it all felt so....aloof, too practical.
In the end I can't say I really liked the story, some parts were good but others not really and I don't think I will read more. I don't mean to say it's a bad book, it's just not something I enjoyed that much, I've read better both in historicals and in mysteries. But I recommend it for those who enjoy Egyptian stuff and light mysteries.

Amanda Young - Pyromancer

One desperate night, a rent boy hot enough to scorch the motel sheets, meets a man doomed to burn for love.

Christian Ryder is a lonely man because of his strange abilities; pyromancy, a curse that causes the temperature to dangerously rise whenever Christian grows excited. He has accidentally hurt lovers in the past and has sworn off personal attachments.

Tanner O’Bannon is broke and desperate. The recent loss of his father has thrown Tanner into a tailspin of debt he can’t afford to pay. Working as a rent boy allows him to pay the mortgage and his college tuition, but it’s burning away his soul in the process.

Through the machinations of an escort agency these men are thrown together. Smoldering embers of desire fan the flames of love, but will it be enough to make Christian overcome his fear of love, or to save Tanner from the fire?

Comment: The second m/m book I've read this month was Pyromancer. It's the story of Christian, a man with powers and abilities with fire and because of that he fears he might hurt the person he's with so he stays away from relationships. Tanner's a young man working to pay off his deceased father's debts. One might they meet each other because Christina asks for a male escort and Tanner shows up and each one makes an impression on the other that won't be easily forgettable. Then there's the fact Christian knew Tanner's father...

First of all, this is a easy story to read and with this I mean it's not emotionally heavy. I like emotional stories but sometimes it's just so sad and considering Tanner's work I thought this would be the case, but is was surprisingly lighter than what I imagined because Tanner wasn't that deep into things he couldn't see past that.

Both characters have to deal with some inner issue before admitting they might want to be in a relationship: for Tanner is the need to be someone different, someone who can different from what he imagined he had to be because of all the problems in his life. For Christian is the knowledge he can be with someone without hurting them and to trust his secrets to someone he loves.

In terms of feelings and sentiments the story is quite interesting and I was eager to see them falling in love. The plot, however, isn't perfect in my opinion. Christian has to struggle with the pyromaniac abilities and what they mean to him but to be honest I don't think it was such a bid deal and it wasn't that important in the story except for one strategic moment. I imagined it would be a huge issue for Christian to get over and Tanner would prove to be the help he needed but the whole concept wasn't explored as I pictured.

Then there's the villain.I get there had to be some kind of antagonism - besides their own reluctance to admit things - but the way the villain showed up and played out wasn't very tidy, it felt like it was there just to something else happen, or to make things go along but I didn't feel the necessity to play things like that. I actually think, in a different story path the villain could actually not exist.

Anyway, apart from this, the story was interesting enough, emotionally speaking, to make me want to know how it ended and I was happy to see it.

Small rant blog related

Can I just say I hate the new blogger "backstage" layout? I'm content to do things in a way that works for me and I don't deal very well with chnges...I know this was planned I saw the warnings but honestely, I don't like it, it takes me forever to find stuff, there's a new way to post pictures I don't like either and sometimes I forget to include labels and there I go having to edit posts only because of that.
I know it's a matter of getting used to it, but...I HATE IT right now.
I really liked the way things were...
*going away sulking*

C.E. Murphy - Thunderbird Falls

For all the bodies she's encountering, you'd think beat cop Joanne Walker works in Homicide. But no, Joanne's a reluctant shaman who last saved mankind three months ago -- surely she deserves more of a break! Yet, incredibly, "Armageddon, Take Two" is mere days away.
There's not a minute to waste.
Yet when her spirit guide inexplicably disappears, Joanne needs help from other sources. Especially after she accidentally unleashes Lower World demons on Seattle. Damn. With the mother of all showdowns gathering force, it's the worst possible moment for Joanne to realize she should have learned more about controlling her powers.

Comment: This is the second book in the walker papers series. I've read the 1st book last month and liked it enough to keep reading. I have to admit it, this one is much better than the first one.

In this story, Joanne, the main character has to help more people with her shaman powers but she's been avoiding them because she isn't yet sure she wants to believe in all that has happened so she doesn't control her powers. Then her spirit guide disappears after an unfortunate encounter with a strange thing in her astral plane and from then on Joanne seems to be on her own but apparently she's not...

In this book we see Joanne still struggling to accept and learn about her shaman powers. In the first book we've learned some things about her, so we know why it's difficult to her to trust her abilities to help others.She does some things she's not very aware of because she hasn't learned to control her powers and part of why this happens is due to her fear of failure, of doing something she's not ready for. But she did a sort of commitment in the previous book and now it's expected of her to go on.

I think it's important to say although books can be read out of order it's much better to not do it, because many things can get lost in the way. Besides, Joanne kind of evolved from one book to another...as well as the writing itself. In the fist one everything is confusing, new world and all that, but with just one more book the difference is obvious and this book, from the writing point of view is much more approachable.

Joanne also does some inner healing. She learns it's ok to take time to find more about what she can do, but of course this happens after she makes the mistakes...but with mistakes we learn.

Like I said the writing is much better, all difficulties of understanding what she's doing,t he transitions between the real world and Joanne's astral plane were hard to understand in the previous book but in this one it's like they slide easily.

I'm very curious to see if there's even more development in the next book and I'll be reading it next month.

Elizabeth Chadwick - The Running Vixen

In 1126, the Welsh Marches are a land darkened by strife, where nothing is safe; not even a young woman's heart ....
Adam de Lacey has returned home to Ravenstow after a royal mission, and the newly widowed Heulwen finds that her passion still burns for the king's warrior. But, betrayed by her first husband, Heulwen now plans a marriage ofexpedience to Warrin de Mortimer, Adam's lifelong foe and rival. Adam conquers Heulwen's senses in a single blazing night, and the flame-haired beauty's fate is sealed. But a treacherous conspiracy and the Welsh border wars plunge them headlong into a fight that will determine the future of their passion.

Comment: This is the sequel to the previous book I've read by the author, The Wild Hunt.

In this story we see Adam and Heulwen already adults and with lives of their own. Adam is a recognized fighter ad messenger and he saw the love of his life marrying someone else. But now she's a widow and he starts to think he should not let her get away again.

Heulwen married because she thought it would be forever but her husband wasn't the most faithful of men and she didn't mourn his death as much as one might think. Now she set her eyes on someone else, only because her father is still an important men and marriage to her would be key to secure a connection to the king. But she never stopped thinking about Adam and only thoughts of growing up with him stop her to make a move.

However, something puts them together and when they finally take the step to be intimate, they're caught and it changes things.

I think the biggest strength of this author's writing is the obvious deep research she's done to make her books as realistic as possible. Although the story itself is fiction, she surrounded it with real historical figures, places and costumes. I have to confess I don't usually like these kind of books, I prefer my fiction completely fictional, instead of based on real facts. But the author does such a great work it's impossible not to enjoy the developing of the story even when the story isn't our favorite. 

Comparing this one to the one I've read before, I preferred th other one because of the type of plot. In there the romance was more fun to watch and this one was more predictable. I understand why and it's realistic enough to respect the costumes, but it wasn't as vivid as the other one.

The book ended up well, although a certain plot twist was a bit too much, or should I say, it wasn't done in a way I expected to it didn't suit the feel of the story...even though it ended up alright.

This is an author I'll keep reading, the political intrigues don't usually fascinate me but by this author I can't help but be curious and for this fact alone the author convinced me.

Oscar Wilde - The Canterville Ghost and Other Tales

An American family moves into Canterville Chase, rumored to be a haunted house. But the skeptical Americans do not believe in ghosts--not, that is, until their daughter Virginia disappears after a series of uncanny incidents.

Comment: In one of my book clubs we've decided to read the tale 'The Canterville Ghost' (1)by Oscar Wilde. I've read it in Portuguese and in that edition there were another 4 tales besides the one of the ghost: 'The Fisherman and his Soul'(2), 'The Birthday of the Infanta'(3), 'The Sphinx Without a Secret'(4) and 'Lord Arthur Seville's Crime'(5). Of them all, my favorite was the third one, it was both perturbing and beautiful.

Each story focuses on some moral ideal or the lack of it and how people are led by their wants and needs not always paying attention to what it would mean to others. 

The writing of course is witty and  ironic at times. But it also makes you think and that's the best part. We can see the strength of the author's aim with this stories in every tale and the way the characters behave.

The first story is about the ghost. He's very old and has always done the same thing, but when a different family comes to live in "his" house, no one fears him and the children even mock him and find ways to humiliate him. While his resentment grows and his attempts to frighten them fail again and again, he finally understands it's time to move on. Many say this is a study on old rules and traditions vs new ways of doing things but to me it was simply a funny story of moving on. The ghost was trapped in his own actions and with the help of one of the family members he realizes he way he's been acting for so long is no longer needed. He has to move on, and he does. I liked it.

The second story is about a fisherman who falls in love with a mermaid. Then he gets rid of his soul in order to be with the mermaid in the bottom of the ocean. The soul travels a lot during a year to try to look for something stronger than the love the fisherman has for the mermaid. In the end the soul tricks the fisherman and when he returns to the mermaid he dies with her. This story proves that nothing is stronger than love, even a soul's most desired thing. It's a sad story but interesting.

The third story is my favorite. It's about a spoiled Infanta, who plays whenever she wants and wants to be entertained. One day a dwarf shows up and the Infanta and the other children with her find him amusing and play with him and laugh and laugh and the dwarf, as simple but good hearted person, laughs too. He thinks he loves the Infanta because she wants to play with him and to see him dance. After all the play he goes into the house looking for the Infanta to tel her he loves her because she is a good friend and sees a monster in a room, the monster is small, deformed, small and twisted legs, awfully big eyes in a ugly face. The he understands the truth, it's him. The others weren't laughing with him, they were laughing at him and mocking him while he danced. His heart breaks and he suddenly can't breathe. The Infanta returns and tells a servant to see what's happening to the dwarf. He tells her he's dead because his heart broke. The Infanta laughs and says he needs to find her people who have no heart at all. Can you see how disturbing and sad this story is? I was absolutely touched by this, it still lingers in my head. It's obviously a story about friendship and love is in eye of the beholder and it saddens me so much to think some people might feel this way and others make fun of them in such a way.

The fourth story is about an intriguing woman, she's mysterious and this guy who seems to be falling in love with her wants to find out her secrets. He tries everything to know more about her and when he finds out she goes to a certain house the same day at the same hour and stays there the same amount of time he thinks she's having an affair and confronts her and she asks him to trust her but he leaves her alone. He travels somewhere and is told about her death.Apparently the owner of the house says that she would just sit there by a window during all the time.She never met anyone or did anything, just sit there. Apparently when we want to be more mysterious than we actually are, it can backfire...

The fifth story is about Lord Saville, in a party a psychic tells him he will commit a crime and he can't rest until he does, so he can be free of that fate. He attempts to murder an aunt and when he finds out bout her death he breathes deep but her death was an accident after all. Then he tries to kill someone else but his plan goes wrong again. So one day he trows the psychic over a bridge. the he marries the girl he loves and goes on his life happy because he just got fate out of the way. It's interesting to know the thing we might fear the most is closer than he think.

I liked all the stories and will try to read more by the author in the future.

Jessica Andersen - Magic Unchained

Cara Liu is determined to unite the forces under her leadership but when Nightkeeper Sven enters the scene, Cara has trouble separating her duty to her people from her desire for her ex-lover. Their secret affair will not only jeopardize a tenuous alliance among the Nightkeepers, but it also distracts them from a danger within their own ranks planning a vicious betrayal...

Comment: This is the 7th installment int he Nightkeepers series by the author. After this one, there's only the last book, so I had high hopes for this one.
Cara Liu was one of the characters we meet in the first book to be a winikin, a kind of servant of a nightkeeper, in this case, Sven. but their relationship hasn't been very good in the past years so he sends her home and she goes because she doesn't really want to be a winikin, she believed she would be a nightkeeper and to know she's only a servant is hard on her. Plus there's Sven, her feelings for him changed and she thinks he could break her heart again, so she leaves. Sven was raised by Cara's parents but has had a very living-on-limits life and now that he's being a responsible nightkeeper, with a familiar like his bloodline would mean him to, he's not prepared to see cara return as leader of the winikin. With her came many more winikin rebels - it's the possible end of the world, after all - and this means there's some tension everywhere: they're rebels because they also didn't want to be winikins. In the beginning of the book everyone is still adapting to all this and I thought this book would be huge in terms of happenings, is the book before the last, so...
I was wrong. They only battle and two novelties happen, ok three if we're to be that technical, but to me it wasn't enough. I feel there's too many things to solve in the last one and with so many pages to waste so many in things that could be dealt in just 20 or 30...ehhh..
Then there's the romance. After years of denying their feelings I expected things to happen a bit slow, yes. They had too much to work out between them. Well, they did talk..a lot. But did they convince me they meant it? No. I think after all the talking and dealing with the fact they knew each other and lived together and had a certain relationship before (did I mention I hate the lovers reunited theme even when they weren't lovers?), they talked about it, imagined things about it, we had to see that...ahh how boring. And still they were doubtful, which rationally I understand, but I didn't feel they were actually committed to change, or to try. Their feelings were always about indecision, about yes now and no right after. I just think there wasn't dedication enough on their part to make things definite, to settle their relationship once and for all. So, the romance....ehhh.
There's two ehhs, so I can't say i loved this book. It's readable. But considering what I, personally, didn't really like in the story, plus the fact it's almost the last one...well, I still have a certain high expectation for the final one, Rabbit's. I hope it's better.

Joanne Harris - The Evil Seed

When Alice Farrell is drawn to a Grantchester churchyard and reads a strange inscription on Rosemary Virginia Ashley's gravestone, she feels oddly disturbed. And when her former boyfriend Joe returns to Cambridge with his new girlfriend Ginny, Alice is repelled by the ethereal, lavender-eyed beauty - and certain of her evil. Then Alice finds an old diary in Ginny's room and reads the story of Daniel Holmes, who lived in Cambridge forty years earlier, and fell under the fatal spell of Rosemary Ashley. As the two stories intertwine, Alice's suspicions about Ginny increase - until past meets present in a terrifying climax...

Comment: This author has a certain writing style I appreciate a lot. Her stories tend to have this exotic feel, like her characters somehow seem more deep than that appear to be. I'm not sure how to explain, it's like everything is some dark secret that we're only allowed to know little by little and then it makes the whole book look more secretive than what it really is. In this story this feeling is even more obvious because this isn't a romance like the author used us to. Actually this isn't a romantic romance at all, in my opinion. This is suspense, a very suggestive one. Just to explain it better, this was the author's first book, now re-edited. The author herself said in a note how she start writing this book and how her writing evolved from this book on.
Anyway, this story is told in two voices, one in the present in another in the past. Alternatively, we see things happening in one and in another time and what it means to the central characters.
The story is a bit of a mystery about two strange young women, Rosemary in the past and Ginny in the present and how they seem to influence the men around them in a way that we can't help but want to know about and at the same time we start to hope it won't happen. I'm not ruining the story saying what they both do but let's just say there are some harsh scenes, more because of suggestion than actual description.
I have to repeat the idea, this isn't a romance. Don't expect HEA's or beautiful love wishes. The end is...well, it certainly didn't end the way I thought it would, but to the feel of the story I think it's rather appropriate. We also have two characters, Alice and Daniel, one in each time, that want to end up all the trouble Rosemary and Ginny cause and to see their fight is like watching a doomed game. I think there's always a certain sense of hope, one that doesn't go away, but still... I guess it's really a matter of reading and judge for oneself.
I liked it. It's not something I read often, genre speaking, but by this author I usually try anything, because the things I liked by her I really do, so I always try to give her a chance. Like I said I don't want to ruin anyone's reading in case you want to try the book someday so I'm sorry if what I've been saying doesn't seem to make much sense, but let's just say the author does honor the gothic novels she must have read... I recommend the book, for sure.

Katie Fforde - Wedding Season

Sarah Stratford is a wedding planner hiding a rather inconvenient truth -- she doesn’t believe in love. But as the confetti flutters away on the June breeze of yet another successful wedding season she finds herself agreeing to organize two more events, on the same day, and only two months away. And while her celebrity bride is all sweetness and light, the other bride, Sarah’s own sister, quickly starts driving her crazy with her high expectations and very limited budget. Luckily, Sarah is aided in her seemingly impossible task by two best friends, Elsa, an accomplished dress designer, and Bron, a multitalented hairdresser. All three are very good at their jobs, but romance doesn’t feature very prominently in any of their lives. As the big day draws near, every moment is spent preparing for the weddings, and they certainly haven’t got any time to even think about love; or have they?

Comment: I have no idea how I came to get this book. I'm not sure why exactly I decided to get it, there must have been something about it somewhere that made me do it. It's one of those books we're never sure how ended up in our TBR list.
Well, after a long time like it happens with most my books, I decided to read it.
The story follows Sarah, Bron and Elsa, three British friends who work in the wedding business, each one with a different task. Sarah and Elsa are single and Bron lives with her boyfriend but their relationship isn't wat it used to be. We start the book in a client's wedding and how each girl helped and because of it, all of them kind of meet someone that will have a key role in their personal life. After the wedding, Sarah, as wedding planner learns that her younger sister is pregnant and will marry in two months, she has to before showing. However, at the same time an american actress wants Sarah to organize her wedding because she wants something classy. This means Sarah has to prepare two weddings and still finds time to start falling in love with Hugo, a photographer.
First of all, I just have to mention how strange it felt to read this story. This is a british author writing about british people in a british setting with british words. After so much American English in books, to read one where there are no "americanisms", if I can call them that, is very weird. I know it helps us to get into the story and the whole environment but it still sounds strange. Then, the thing that kind of bothered me a bit, it's a cultural thing I'm sure, and it shows but it's very annoying. Every single time any character would meet with another person whether to talk or discuss something, whether in a friendly or professional way, there wasn't a single time, not once, they didn't drink wine or champagne or some kind of alcoholic drink! How annoying to have to read what they were drinking, how many glasses of it all the time! I guess it must e true because in all the movies in contemporary England I've watched they did this same thing but after the first two or three meetings it starts to get so annoying, can't they see each other without some wine to go with them?? Very annoying indeed.
Apart from this, the story felt a little bit too medium. The characters had reasons to act the way they did, I understand it, but it was all a bit too distanced, too automatic. I'd guess also a cultural thing, but it made the whole thing seem to controlled. I liked seeing the characters fall in love but I wasn't convinced of their love, not in the same way I am when reading a american novel in the same style. The writing wasn't that bad, but there's nothing in it that makes me eager to want to read more. If I were to grade it, I'd say a 3 out of 5 because it delivers but it's not wow, even putting aside the annoying things.
I have another book by the author, but I'm not reading so soon...Oh and another word for the cover. It's sweet as are all the author's covers...just proves that not everything that's sweet is perfect.

J R Ward - Lover Reborn

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy. When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed.... Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Comment: Finally, Tohr's book. Tohrment has been one of the most beloved characters in the series and it was finally his turn.
I think I've said before this series was the one that got me addicted to paranormal romance because it was suddenly a whole new level of HEA, with so many ways to bend the usual rules of time and possibilities...I loved it. So, this is still my first and best love, because no matter what, I still love the books, the characters, the world. I think some of the issues I've had with the previous two books were, mainly, because of speculation. Fans speculate and it's confusing to separate our feelings from what's going to happen and what we fear might happen. Real fan's speculation can do this, can influence us in a certain way...of course, we can choose not to pay attention to them, but it's like all knowledge..you can forget it but not the fact you know it. So, from the moment you listen to something you can choose to ignore it but it's not that easy to fantasize the knowing isn't there anymore. This happened to me and influenced the way I first read the story even though I managed to make my own mind while reading. Still, part of me regrets the speculation before because it was an influence nevertheless.

So, this book...I liked it because we can see several characters, many things happening, it's a non static world, like the main couple lives alone...no! It's vivid, alive.
The romance was sad in some parts but that's to be expected because Tohr comes from a very dark place and his new beloved didn't have a good life either. I think she really learned how to live again, how to take the things that happened to her and she could "built" a new personality, a new acceptance to her existence. I liked seeing them both healing together. In the end I was very glad for them.
The plots that have been around all had some sort of next step and it will fun to see what happens. New key players have been put in motion and like in a chess board, I can't wait to see the moved they make.
Next book is Q and Blay's! Yay..I was so happy to know this and to see Q trying to finally, hallelujah, seeing time is precious and now I can't wait for his book! Just a year...
I think, to me, this book rocked. I know many people didn't enjoy it and I know some who aren't even going to read it, it's a choice. But I still love this and will keep my faith in the stories to come.

Madeleine Urban/Abigail Roux - Sticks and Stones

Six months after nearly losing their lives to a serial killer in New York City, FBI Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett are suffering through something almost as frightening: the monotony of desk duty. When they're ordered to take a vacation for the good of everyone's sanity, Ty bites the bullet and takes Zane home with him to West Virginia, hoping the peace and quiet of the mountains will give them the chance to explore the explosive attraction they’ve so far been unable to reconcile with their professional partnership. Ty and Zane, along with Ty’s father and brother, head up into the Appalachian mountains for a nice, relaxing hike deep into the woods... where no one will hear them scream. They find themselves facing danger from all directions: unpredictable weather, the unrelenting mountains, wild animals, fellow hikers with nothing to lose, and the most terrifying challenge of all. Each other.

Comment: Since I enjoyed the first book in the series, Cut and Run, so much, I've decided to follow the rest of the series and to seize the time to read the last one to come out, something that will happen soon, and at that point I want to start it having read the 4 already out.
So, this books starts with the guys being told they need to have vacation time because Zane is failing his evaluations and if the keeps it up he will be put in desk duty again or simply will be let go, so the director tells Ty to go to his family and he decides to invite Zane so they can go to the mountains and do some trailing. Zane agrees because he feels Ty is more distanced and wants to take a chance in being close so they can work it out, maybe. In the mountains the guys meet Ty's parents, grandfather and brother and Zane is surprised on how Ty is with his family and sees a different part of hi partner. Still, both of them seem to find the time to deal more with the attraction they feel and help solve a crime at the same time because the mountains are more dangerous than what they imagined. Well, I was really hoping they would just say what they felt for each other in this story but that didn't happen with words, still there were several moments between them where it's plain to see. I just hope that it does happen sometime in the future because there's just so much tension I really wish to see some acceptance of all that's happening to them.
The plot is rather interesting because they go to have some time for healing and resting and in the end they witness a crime and some decisions have to be made, some of them much harder than they seemed because the beauty of this books is how well balanced the discussion of feelings and thoughts is at the same time the plot develops. One f the things I like about the stories is exactly this. Well done, authors.
The story also focus on Ty's family and the relationship between them. Zane is like an observer and it's fun to watch the others through his eyes. Even more interesting is Ty's brother, Deuce, in all this...he's a psychologist and his purposes are bigger than we might think.
This was a chance to see the guys interact with family around and it was fun...now I hope the next book puts them finally admitting, with those three little words, to each other, what they feel. I know this isn't exactly romance but come on, I'm a romantic, I want them happy.

Kerreyn Sparks - Sexiest Vampire Alive

The secret is out ... Vampires do exist!
When a video reveals to the world that vampires live among us, it's up to "young" vamp Gregori Holstein, VP of Marketing, to persuade the U.S. government to declare the video a hoax. But first the president wants a favor, one that requires Gregori to spend forty-eight hours in very close contact with the First Daughter.
Abby Tucker would rather spend her nights in a lab than attend her father's state dinners. She's dedicated her life to finding a cure that will save her dying mother and needs only two more ingredients. To find them, she'll have to venture into the most dangerous region of the world -- with a vampire. Her Armani-clad escort may be Undead, but he still makes her heart race. And the greatest danger won't be the predatory hordes lying in wait for them; it will be her undying desire for the Sexiest Vampire Alive.

Comment: Another installment in this series.
This time it's Gregori's story, a newbie vampire we've known since book #1 and that has fed from synthetic blood since then, never feeding of humans. This is why he is chosen to be a representative of vampires in a meeting with the president of the US. Since the vampires were revealed to the world, our heroes decide it's time to have an alliance in order to protect many good vampires from vampire hunts.
Then there's Abigail, the president's older daughter, a biochemist who wants to help her mother winning a decease but she needs some plants that exist only in China and vampires being able to show up anywhere kind of would help, so the president eventually allows her to go with Gregori and some other vamps there to retrieve the plants to her experiences.
Of course things aren't that simple and the evil new vampires (and a demon too) make an appearance again and this side of the plot line gets a bit more complicated because they're real bad vampires.
In terms of plot, things do get heavier, I mean, there's things happening, this isn't just another book about vampires finding love, it gets interesting and more deep the more it evolves...and I'm glad it still has some humor, something I've loved since the beginning.
The romance happened a bit fast. Ok, ok, it's paranormal, but still..too fast in my opinion. This means my idea of their relationship isn't exactly balanced but I guess they won't miss time to sort it out better. Some things about their personalities did make sense to justify some of their actions so in that area I was relatively happy with the way we were told about their motivations and decisions.
I think, comparing to other books I preferred in the series, this was a bit of a disappointment, not totally, just close, but it's hard to do the same thing over and over and not have some things better than others, but I hope the latest book, which I'll read next month, is one of the best sort.

Susan Donovan - He Loves Lucy

WHEN A JUNK FOOD ADDICT WITH A HEART OF GOLD... Marketing exec Lucy Cunningham is thrilled when her firm lands The Palm Club account. The campaign concept for Miami's hottest fitness club was Lucy's idea: take one fitness-challenged woman, put her in front of TV cameras, and into the hands of the club's top personal trainer, Theo Redmond. And there's a big cash reward for each pound shed. It seems like a brilliant idea-until Lucy gets picked to be the guinea pig. It's obvious she needs to drop the pounds, but the idea of letting it all hang out in front of some Malibu Ken jock has her choking on her Milk Duds before she even begins! MEET A FITNESS BUFF WITH BUNS OF STEEL... After one meeting, Theo knows Lucy will be his toughest client and one of the most unforgettable women he'll ever meet. Smart-mouthed and stubborn, it's clear she isn't fond of marching to anyone's drumbeat but her own. But she shocks Theo by rising to the challenge like a pro. And he finds his heart in jeopardy long before Lucy starts to slim down and turn heads. THEY FIND THE PERFECT RECIPE TO FALL IN LOVE! As Lucy sweats her way into a whole new life, things start to heat up between her and Theo. But trust doesn't come easy for either of them. They've both been burned by romance in the past. Now Lucy and Theo are about to discover that appearances can be deceiving-and in the end, true love lies somewhere between pizza and Pilates...

Comment: I decided to read this book because the heroine was said to be overweight and a bit shy but in the end she would get her HEA.
As always, these kind of themes are a must read for me. Lucy works in a marketing agency and wants t start her own but before that she needs more money and in trying to loose weight for a tv show she might get it. Theo is a personal trainer who wants to get back to medical school..the money he'll get if Lucy looses weight will be a great help, so he'll try his best to help her.
What these two didn't imagine was to fall for the other and to work out some of their issues with relationships in the process.
I'm not usually a fan of contemporary romance because it tends to be very centered in the woman and her issues and not as much in the story, but in this case I think there was a healthy balance between it, plus the romance was fun to watch. Some of secondary ideas, like the antagonist who didn't Lucy to succeed in her loosing weight, were predictable and not that interesting in my opinion because it just seemed story dragging, but others, like Lucy's friendship with a supermodel were rather amusing.
The relationship between Theo and Lucy was believable because it didn't happen right away, it was as gradual as their getting to know each other. It also made possible to accept the fact he liked her sooner than her being skinner. Lucy's issues with weight and why she gained so much were also believable...especially because each individual has their own reasons do act in a certain way, so it wasn't difficult to understand Lucy's reasons and giving up on herself for so long. It's very nice to think everyone is happy and the path to negativity happens because of major happenings but sometimes what's over the top for some isn't for others, and I liked knowing Lucy and her reasons while she also struggled to overcome them.
Generally speaking I enjoyed this story. I heard some comments by other people about how some of the books by this author didn't convince..I'm going to do some research and I might try another one, but so far, this one was a good experience.

Louise Cooper - The Initiate

The seven gods of Order had ruled unchallenged for centuries, served by the adepts of the Circle in their bleak northern castle on the Star Peninsula. But for Tarod—the most enigmatic and formidable sorcerer in the Circle’s ranks—a darker affinity had begun to call. Threatening his beliefs, even his sanity, it rose unbidden from beyond time; an ancient and deadly adversary that could plunge the world into madness and chaos—and whose power might rival that of the gods themselves. And though Tarod’s mind and heart were pledged to Order, his soul was another matter...

Comment: Another book I've read because of a friend's suggestion. I like fantasy but I prefer it if it has romance so when I read this series had some romance I decided to try it. Of course this was last november, but with me most books are in a waiting list for a looong time. Anyway, so I've read this one. This is the story of Tarod a young boy who accidentally kills his cousin because he can't control a power he discovered in that same instant.
Tarod only has his mother and their position in society is low because in this fantasy world status is everything as is money. Also his mother wanted him when he was born but with time and all the setbacks her decision meant, she grew to hate and dismiss her son and so their relationship isn't the best. After Tarod kills his richer cousin, many people want to kill him because they fear him, but somehow he attracts a nature storm of a certain kind and escapes to the north. In there he rescues a group of women who live near the Star Peninsula, a place where the initiates in magic are learning about their powers.
Tarod goes to live there and grows up with his friend, Keredil, the son of the high Initiate. All this happens in 3 chapters and from chapter 4 on, we see a grown up Tarod, he's 22 if I recall correctly, and his powers are getting darker although he still controls them. However, he's restless and having dreams and he fears something is wrong...
What I disliked about this story was the apparent straightness of things..yes, shocking but everything seems so focused on taking things from point A to point B that the feel of the story feels lacking somehow...
What I liked the most were the characters and the promise of things to come. Of course some things happen in terms of plot that left me surprised not because they happened but how it happened and I confess I was sad over some of them, Tarod is accused of being deceptive and his intentions mean nothing so I felt for him. I also felt sorry for Cyllan, a female character because she seems realistic and good and I hope I see her again. I was actually moved over some things two or three characters did and can't wait to see what happens next.
All in all, an interesting fantasy world, I already bought the next two books because I'm very ager to see how Tarod will proceed!

Sarah Addison Allen - The Girl Who Chased the Moon

In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestelling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world...no matter how out of place they feel. Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother's life. For instance, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? Why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew--a reclusive, real-life gentle giant--she realizes that mysteries aren't solved in Mullaby, they're a way of life. Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes. Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson's cakes. She offers them to satisfy the town's sweet tooth and in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she's lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother's past. But why is everyone trying to discourage Emily's growing relationship with the handsome and mysterious son of Mullaby's most prominent family? Emily came to Mullaby to get answers, but all she's found so far are more questions. Is there really a ghost dancing in her backyard? Can a cake really bring back a lost love? In this town of lovable misfits, maybe the right answer is the one that just feels...different.

Comment: This author writes things with a little bit of magic. Her stories are contemporary but have a little extra int here that is special and magical. This story is her third work, and I have to confess, after having read the three, I still prefer the first one, Garden Spells. I still have another to read, The Peach Keeper and will this year.
Well, this story starts when Emily returns to her mother's hometown to live with her grandfather. Her mother died and she feels she's looking for something and in the town she finds out many people have a different opinion of her mother from what she knew of her, so everything starts to look too mysterious for her and she wants to know the truth. At the same time, we have Julia, she's a baker and wants to pay the rest of her father's debts so she can leave for good, but one slip of the mouth and everything changes for her too.
What I like about this author's writing is the simplicity of it. She doesn't say 100 words for something that can be said in 30, you know. That's why the book isn't that big either. But even with a more direct writing, she manages to convey feelings and emotions and makes the reader to feel empathy towards her characters.
In this book we follow two stories. In one Emily has to accept a version of her mother she wasn't aware existed and in the other Julia has to forgive and move forward, but in a way that won't ruin her happiness. It's interesting how easily some things can be solved with a conversation, with communication, but people don't do it, they prefer to postpone and avoid and that will make the issues remain unsolved. In this book we see people talk and try and that's the best we can do.
In the end of the book there's a feeling of hope. Hope for both the main characters and promises of things to come, just a taste of possibility. Although I'd have, personally, preferred to see some more, to read about what might happen instead of just imagine it, I ended up enjoying the story. It's something beautiful and has a happy ending, which is always good.