A good dream...

Oh isn't this true, or what?
If I had my own house this would be a reality!
Here.

Gena Showalter - Burning Dawn

A tormented past has left Thane with an insatiable need for violence, making him the most dangerous assassin in the skies.
He lives by a single code: no mercy. And as he unleashes his fury on his most recent captor, he learns no battle could have prepared him for the slave he rescues from his enemy's clutches—a beauty who stokes the fires of his darkest desires.
Elin Vale has her own deep-rooted scars, and her attraction to the exquisite warrior who freed her challenges her every boundary.
But Thane's unwavering determination to protect her means she must face her greatest fears—and enter a world in which passion is power, and victory means breathtaking surrender.

Comment: This is the author's latest installment in her spin off series with the angels. I've had this book to be read for a couple of months now and there's another book in the main series to be released late this year, so I started this one to keep the reading of her books spaced out well.

This story is about Thane, one of the angels of dark, the second on command after Zacharel, and how he finds himself a slave to a phoenix in their camp. He has the help of a human also bounded there and as a reward she wants him to free her too. Thane takes her to the clouds to work as barmaid. Elin only wants to reach her dreams but as time goes by and as their attraction gets harder to avoid, Elin starts to reconsider her goals and Thane realizes what he feared he couldn't have might be easier to catch than what he ever thought...

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. 
As any reader knows, each book is perceived differently by everyone. Some things are considered bad, others good and often, if not always, what some think is well done, others don't. I've seen some opinions, nothing deep or explained, just random words here and there about this book. Some say it wasn't bad, but not great, others said it was weak as her latest stories and others liked it. It can't be a hate or love book otherwise such different opinions wouldn't surface. But as every reader is different, also is every single book. The two combined create the perfect environment to produce a book that has an average feel, not too bad, not too great. I think this happens with this book, probably auto fans of the author or the story liked it a lot, others not so much but all this serves to say what works for some, might not for others. While reading, despite enjoying it, I could also see the parts where some people might not feel as happy with it. Although some things could have been better - don't we say this about almost every book we read? - I still think it wasn't so bad, for me. So, the story seemed good enough and I saw the elements that worked out for me to enjoy them together. Is this a bad book, I don't think so, but in a way, I can understand why some would be disappointed.

Thane is a warrior with many things to worry about. I liked his character and how he took care of those he considered family. I liked his interactions with the characters around him and how he started to understand the lesson he needed, that the right friends, the right people to be around can be not only helpful but solid to make his life matter too. I loved his dedication to his friends and how he wanted to protect them. We could discuss his maniac mind about sex and violence but this is PNR and both are more than expected in this world. He doesn't seem as easy to read or accept at first but his changing heart was believable enough.

Elin was a cute character, loved all the scenes she was in. She had dreams but those were more related to guilt than real hope and with time she came to terms about what her true feelings were. Especially funny were the baking scenes, as she is a terrible baker but wanted to succeed so bad. She helped Thane and she changed the way some people behaved because of her personality and take on life. I liked her.

I also liked the character's interactions, even with people from th main series with the Lords and hints about what is happening. I liked the little clues about who might come next and how everything was shaped in a way to make the reader interested in reading more.
The sex is too much in my opinion, or should I say, it's so random at times it lacks a bit of its purpose, which should be to bring the main couple closer and more intimate. Oh well.
The plot continues, some new steps are being taken to reach some sort of end, which I think must be the angel's redemption and realization that happiness and love are the best tools to fight evil and to have friends and a family. But it sure takes long and all the fighting, when not related to something pertaining like the expectation of some character's power or something, isn't that amazing as that.

All in all, not the very best ever by the author but for it worked well and despite some things here and there not as polished as I wanted to see, but still, for me and for what I think the series is aiming for, I don't think it was a bad effort at all.
Grade: 7/10

Juliet Mariller - Heir to Sevenwaters

The chieftains of Sevenwaters have long been custodians of a vast and mysterious forest, and a new heir has been born. But the family's joy turns to despair when the baby is taken, and something unnatural is left in his place. To reclaim her newborn brother, Clodagh must enter the shadowy Otherworld and confront the powerful prince who rules there...

Comment: After having read he previous trilogy by the author about Sevenwaters, which was the original, I knew there were three more books to please all the devoted readers out there. In previous months I've been purchasing them and this month I started reading. The Heir to Sevenwaters keeps the story going years after the happenings in the third book in the original trilogy.

This story is narrated by Clodagh, one of Lord Sean's daughters. The book starts with the marriage of Clodagh's twin sister, Deirdre. There is worry too because their mother is about to give birth and she very much wants a boy, but her health isn't as good as it could, plus her age and her worrying don't help. When a boy is successfully delivered, apparently things should improve, but something terrible happens and Clodagh is the only one who can help the family. She travels to the world of the Fair Folk and with the aid of one of her cousin Johnny's warriors she must do her mission and bring back her little bother before her mother despairs. But Clodagh also learns things aren't as obvious as that and maybe it's not about her at all...

The best thing about the books of Juliet Marillier's, I've come to understand, is how magical everything is, and I don't mean the magic in the stories. The author has a special talent of turning every little thing special and almost magical, which is alluring and so captivating, the reader feels part of the story. I don't now how many times I felt like crying when Clodagh was telling things that moved me or made me put myself in her shoes and imagine what would be like. We often say this about several author's writing, but in this case, I think this author is the queen of making the reader feel that way.

The story follows Clodagh's thoughts, actions and feelings. She's the narrator and we know everything from her eyes. There are many things she believes to be true or a certain way, but then she learns best and her mind changes and she isn't afraid of saying so, she isn't as proud as to be superior to others. I liked this side of her and how she was fair to those around her.
Being Clodagh a good character to see in the main position, we can more easily understand what is happening without her thoughts distorting what we see.

The action takes its time and is full of puzzles and little clues everywhere about what is happening. In a way, this is what slows the reading a bit, because most things have another purpose, a certain goal and the reader has to pay attention to all the details and that doesn't allow a super fast reading. On the other hand, it's better to savor and taste all the gifts such writing provides. I think it took me a while, as it happened with the previous books by her, to get into the mood and tone and s«pace of the story, but after being used to it, things progressed better.

There's a mystery in the story, one we slowly start to consider the more clues we get. At some point it becomes obvious and the main thing is how will that play into the HEA and how will be the path towards that. It's not easy and Clodagh and her helper have a lot to understand and solve before their final battle and success. Apart from the expected folklore about fae and myths from the old Ireland of the Celts, there are many details about the way of life in those times, it can be seen how much research the author has put into this, and her talent to write and to create an involving world.

There's a romance too, very cute, very encompassing. True love really conquers all and there's such beauty in these romances...
We also learn things about other characters that made me happy, namely about Johnny.

The reason I don0t give a better grade to this is the loss feeling. A couple of bad things happen, the moving forward of the books tell the reader what has been lost in the meantime, and I can't help but feeling sad over some things. There are deaths here that make us think and feel bad and it seems part of the author's trademark, that life has its share of bad things. I get it but it still leaves a bittersweet taste in my reading so...
But all in all, another great story and I can't wait for the next one.
Grade: 8/10

Lisa Kleypas - Then Came You

Reckless and wild, beautiful Lily Lawson delights in shocking proper London society and in breaking any rule to flaunt her independence. Now she′s determined to rescue her sister from an undesirable marriage to the ruthless Alex Raiford, the arrogant Earl of Wolverton. She succeeds in rescuing her sister, but in the meantime Alex decides that Lily must be his. He has resolved to make her pay dearly for her interference—with her body, her soul... and her heart.

Comment: I've had this book in the pile for more than 3 years. I always thought it would be a good one so I let it "marinate" until I thought it was a good time to read it. This year I was determined to go through my Lisa Kleypas' collection and this month this one was up.

This is the story of Lily Lawson, a young woman with secrets hidden behind a facade of wildness and reckless behavior. When she knows her younger sister is going to marry the earl of Wolverton and it's not a love match, she is set to make things right and allow her sister to be with the man she really has feelings for. What she didn't count was falling into Alex's web and in time everything about her comes out, even her heart.

I liked this story so much! I think it was well thought and well done. The author did a good job with the characterization of the characters and the pace by which they start falling in love, meaning, it wasn't either too fast or too boring. The story itself could have been slightly different in one thing or another to better suit my personal tastes, but overall, I had such a great time reading and being involved in the plot, I really can't say there were bad things to change.

The characters were all well thought and used to place the pieces together. From Lily's parents' behavior and attitudes that somehow shaped her growing up to the aunt that helped her to Lily herself and how she is when she meets Alex and who she becomes by falling in love. I think the author did a good job and creating all the different types of people in the book, how every aspect of themselves was done to better oppose what was expected of the other characters when they were interacting, for example, Zach's sweet and innocent disposition suiting Lily's sister but being a contrast to herself.

Lily was the key character, of course. We learn about her past little by little and that's a good tactic to keep the reader willing to know more. We know more than the other characters but information isn't given all at the same time, thus ruining the experience of seeing her change and evolve. I believe Lily's character to be strong and very incisive, because she was reckless, she thought she knew better but she learned her lesson. The only thing she could have done different was to confess to Alex about her secret. I think the author could have used that a different way, a good way at that, without losing the drama effect it looked for. Another interesting tidbit that was really well done was how Alex himself reacted to the secret. I can't praise enough the author by not making him go to a rage or into a superiority behavior towards her, but instead he listened and helped her. Really exceptional.

I think the romance was balanced. I liked who they were together. I liked how we got the sense of slow pace and time going by while they grew up in their love and in their affection. It was both sweet and more believable. I liked how Alex realized Lily was special and he could be special for her too, even if not using these words. They suited each other very well and we have several scenes where we can see this. It's another good tactic by the author to insert scenes like that so the reader can be assured of the feelings in cause.

The book has many elements useful in an historical, the society rules, the society types of people, the expectations...I think the plot itself was good enough, it provided enough mystery to give a certain atmosphere to the book, but not too much to make it unbalanced.
I think the plot worked and was aided quite well by the pace of the story.
I was very intrigued by the romance and the way it influenced the other's behavior and how that, in turn, provoked changes in the plot's development. All in all, a wonderfully successful effort.

I was really impressed with this one and since I've heard marvelous things about the follow up, which I'll read next month, my expectations are high. I hope to be as amazed as I was with this one. A great read, many wonderfully done things.
Grade: 9/10

Tara Lain - The Pack or the Panther

Cole Harker, son of an alpha werewolf, is bigger and more powerful than most wolves, tongue-tied in groups, and gay. For twenty-four years, he’s lived to please his family and pack—even letting them promise him in marriage to female werewolf Analiese to secure a pack alliance and help save them from a powerful gangster who wants their land. Then Cole meets Analiese’s half-brother, panther shifter Paris Marketo, and for the first time, Cole wants something for himself.
When Analiese runs off to marry a human, Cole finally has a chance with Paris, but the solitary cat rejects him, the pack, and everything it represents. Then Cole discovers the gangster wants Paris too and won’t rest until he has him. What started as a land dispute turns into World War Wolf! But the bigger fight is the battle between cats and dogs.

Comment: I've had my eye on this story for some months but always postponed buying it, I don't know why. The blurb seemed intriguing and I just told myself, here goes nothing, so I got it and read it this month. Sadly, it was certainly not what I expected.

This is the story of Cole and Paris, they meet when Paris' sister comes to marry Cole because their packs are going to be allies and a marriage will set things even more. Analiese, however, is already in love and runs away before the wedding. Cole, who fell for Paris at first sight, wants a chance but Paris is very independent and isn't easy to convince. Will they find grounds to be together?

I think one of the biggest strengths of a shape shifter story is how well explained and structured the world is and how we can see some of the expected rules of such environments within the story and throughout the plot development. Also important is to see characters that show some sort of behavior according to the myths we've known about these kinds of stories, like the special mate, the scents, the hierarchy and structure... things that together help building up a world or a society where we see individual traits among the needed and expected common details. Usually, if an author uses tools from these aspects the best way, then the result is positive. I've read books where these things were successfully presented.

Unfortunately, all the above weren't in this story. I never felt there was something special about the world created, there wasn't anything well done enough to sustain the plot.
Although we see glimpses of the pack structure here and there, it's never really presented as vital for the group. The world building was very weakly done I think. The characters didn't seem to care about the world they were on, there wasn't any real interaction between who they were and what it meant. I felt the story crumble the more I read. There wasn't anything special that seduced me about this. I wanted a more thoughtful world, a more structured something! I understand the needs for speed when there's a page limit, but I don't think this was a successful project and it was very annoying to keep reading.

The characters might have rescued the book but it wasn't so. Cole was a wimp in my opinion and his best efforts never seemed good enough. I just think his characterization felt weak and not captivating enough to sustain the plot either. Paris was selfish and very independent and  never had the feeling he learned what he needed. The end was obviously a way to finish things happily but it didn't convince me. Besides the sex - that wasn't even well treated because it was sudden and without any special details we like to see in shape shifters relationships - there wasn't much linking them together and their interactions felt forced and faked.
I wasn't even mildly impressed with the story.

In the end, I felt bad because I've created some expectations about the type of story I might get but I think not only was it badly structured and written, it didn't have any good enough element to change my mind as long as I read. What a shame, but this didn't work for me, at all.
Grade: 3/10

Song # 18

In the beginning of the month, it was aired the European Song Contest of 2014. This show happens every year and the show of the following year takes place in the winner's country.
The Eurovision Song Contest has an history since the 1956, th first year it happened. Most countries in Europe have, at least once, but nowadays, the show is a huge starting point for many contestants.
Here's the site, if you're interested.

My country didn't go to the finals this year, as it happens most times. It's unfortunate, but some countries seem to have a bigger...power presence, let's call it, than others...

Anyway,this year's winner was Austria and the contestant that represented the country was one of the most controversial ones due to her looks. She's a men dressed as woman and her song was indeed the best. I think it was a well given prize!
The runner up was Netherlands.
I hope you like the song, I thought it was such a good choice!
Enjoy!

Virna dePaul - Chosen by Fate

Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O'Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith-a ghost with no memory of her human existence, who cannot experience touch without pain. No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so her time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity, and experience one night with Caleb...

Comment: This is the second installment in the Para Ops trilogy by the author and as I'm determined to finish it, I started this one and there's the last one to be read in June.

The book continues the adventures of the Para Ops team we've met and saw in the previous book but this time Knox and Felicia aren't on stage as much because they're newlyweds. The focus turns to Caleb and Wraith and how they keep playing the cat and mouse game throughout the story. There's a mission but its resolution isn't on the same level of the inconsistencies I've read until then...

I haven't felt this book was as interesting as the previous one, although I said at the time the other one had its flaws. The thing is, this story felt badly constructed, like the things to be worked within the plot were there but I had the sensation they weren't glued together the right way. Too many random things happening but the conducting line wasn't easily understood.
There's the main romance, the vampire scenes, the secondary plot line with Dex, the mission, the goddess parts... I can't say if it was a case of too much happening or author's lack of control over her elements, or an edition that seemed good...for me this didn't work very well. 

I'm glad that things worked out for the characters, that eventually we could see where things were going, but the lacking of connection with all the things happening ruined the story a bit for me and I wasn't always interested. In the end, we've seen everything explained, especially the action parts but it looked like the path towards that wasn't the right one. I keep thinking something was missing and the overall feeling the story gave wasn't solid, wasn't captivating. There wasn't really much interest for me in following things and I confess I've read some parts rather fast, without paying real attention just to move forward.

The romance was OK, apart from the fact they weren't really sure of what they wanted. They played games with their intentions and their words and I didn't feel the connection between them that much. Despite the romance being the weakest part in the book before this one, I still consider this weaker, which says a lot. They worked better before we saw them individually. Of course, I was happy they got a HEA, that Wraith accepted her past and her present, but I wasn't feeling very motivated to want them working things out.

The mission they take on in this book is interesting and amazingly has a deeper explanation we, as readers, wouldn't expect. This kind of saved the story for me in a way, because after all the boredom and misunderstandings and walking around the issue between other even more uninteresting things, in the end, the main reason behind what was happening as quite interesting and provided an interesting element to all this.

There's also the preparation to the final book, whose couple we know and which might prove to be very interesting..I hope it's done well.

In the end, this installment was weak, not as well worked as I imagined and expected, and it was hard to find interest to go on. The final explanations and my own personal will to finish a book kind of saved it, but it was close...
Grade: 5/10

Abigail Roux - Ball & Chain

Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed—even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn’t all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce’s future father-in-law.
Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they’re there to assuage Deuce’s paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they’d ever planned to.
With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.

Comment: As a fan of this series, I couldn't not read this book as well. It's a series that brings together two elements key to my love for a book, romance and good characters. Since the first book I've been hooked and eagerly await each new book until it arrives.

In this installment, Ty and Zane are invited to the wedding of Ty's brother, in Scotland. Apparently the bride's family has been receiving some threats and Deuce, Ty's brother, asks him to bring extra security, so Ty invites Nick who, in turn, brings a partner too, in order to help with the security of the island where the wedding is taking place.
But things can't be this normal and soon is clear something is happening, and when the first body is discovered, a race against time starts because no one knows who the killer might be...

This story features heavily on the murder investigation and looking for a killer, something we saw in the fist book but which I never paid much attention in the other installments where the investigations were happening because I always looked more to the romance part o things and was much more invested in Ty and Zane's relationship and everything else was secondary for me.
That doesn't happen in the story, the focus is quite big in the action behind the romance and even this is almost secondary to Ty's friendship with Nick and what it meant throughout the years.
So, three things happening here: There's the romance between Zane and Ty, which is always my favorite part, then the murder investigation concerning the plot, and finally the relationship between Ty and Nick hits a rocky moment but they talk and everything is sort of solved. I say solved because in the end we have clues on how things might be addressed more, specially in the spin off of the series, Nick and Kelly's Sidewinder stories, to be released soon.

Of the three things, Ty and Zane are in a place in their romance where things have been talked, and there's this amazing love declaration in the end...it was amazing, I love how they worked hard to have a balanced and solid relationship and those scenes with them are pretty much perfect. Of course, the negative part is how they don't seem to be the focus in this book, but personally I feel it was subtle enough. In the end we get the murder's reasons and it's a surprise alright.

The murder investigation, in fact, is quite lengthy and shadier than we might think at first. I wasn't very pleased with so many people dying and all the twists, all the negative feelings in the middle of things, the selfishness of some motives...I get the plot reasons, but it brought a darker tone to the story that I thought was too obvious and intentional to feel right, but in the end, despite thinking it was over the top, I still managed to overlook some of it to pay more attention to the romance.

As for Nick and Ty's fight and the conversation that follows...I think it was more to serve the purpose of Nick's spin off later than to the character's growing, but this can be only my perspective playing. I think, from the emotional POV, it was well done because talking can explain a lot of things but if they were such good friends, this felt a bit like creating problems where they didn't exist for plot purposes and not real need.

In the end, I liked this anyway, I feel faithful to these beloved characters and despite this book not having the focus or the perfect, deep emotional link to the main couple I wanted to see, I enjoyed their parts, the place where they are at and the loving details in their relationship. It's not enough for the book, but I still liked it, so...a good grade nonetheless.
Plus, I love these guys, it's wonderful to read a story with characters you know you'll love reading about.
Grade: 7/10

TBR Challenge: Patricia Gaffney - Forever and Ever

Connor Pendarvis has a bitter past and a driving ambition—exposing the harsh working conditions in Miss Sophie Deene's copper mine is only the beginning.
Sophie Deene is her father's daughter—proud, fiercely independent...and bound by convention. She might hire a handsome, insolent Cornishman to work in the mine, but she wouldn't fall in love with him. Impossible, unthinkable. What would people say?
But she swallows her pride for love, defying everyone, never thinking Connor could betray her. And he risks everything he thought he wanted for a love that will last...

Comment: This month, the theme for the challenge is more than one book by this author, meaning, a book by an author whose books pile up here and there in your house. Math done, I must have around 10 more books by this author to read. The biggest problem of collecting, as you all surely know yourselves. Anyway, I've decided to read the author's most known trilogy and this is the third book. I think it also fits the theme, so here is was.

This is the story of Sophie Deene, a character that briefly appeared in the other books (or just the previous one, I can't remember properly) ans she is a lady, focused on her work and her responsibilities. She wants what's best for those who work in her mine and also for herself, as a person in whom others trust and admire.
Connor Pendarvis works for a group wanting to reform the working class system, in particular the conditions in the mines and how that affects workers. He meets Sophie not knowing she is the person he came to investigate but even after that he can't seem to forget her and neither can she. But when the truth comes off, what will happen?

The previous two books in this trilogy were good enough. Not as amazing as I imagined considering the hype they have in the romancelandia, namely the second one. I wasn't expecting this to be super amazing either and my expectations were met. This was very good, but not past the expected.

The story focuses on the two man characters and what they want out of life and are they behaving like others expect them to? This is a thought that follows many of us, so it wasn't something that unbelievable to imagine. Sophie has a position in the society scale and she likes to be respected although her attitude isn't vain or superior. I thought her character to be realistic and positive and I must admit I felt much empathy towards her and her deepest hopes. She is a very likable person and from her confident start, to her troubles and her winnings I felt she was a strong and solid character.

Connor was a more complex character, I felt. He seemed to be realistic too and indeed, his biggest fault was pride, but all things considered, I can't fault him for his worst words or attitudes in the novel. One can say better communication between them would have solved many things before the conflict arose but I thin it's quite humane to let things go, to let them build up to the point where is very hard to bridge and to talk again. We do this in our daily lives, so I thought that, as with all the major communication issues in the story, this wasn't badly done, quite the opposite. Of course, it's frustrating because we want everything well right away, but it's just the plot device at work.

Sophie and Connor don't have the best start and it was hard to seem at odds in the beginning, because we knew what their backgrounds were and why they acted like that, but for the purposes of plot development, it was important for them to take their time, to be antagonists so when their relationship changed tunes, it would be like a crescendo before reaching the point where we just new things couldn't work out right then. Still, it was good to see them deal with both their hopes for what was happening between them, to act a united front when needed..I loved the moments where they took the step to work things out. I don't think the conflicts were that difficult, but considering the time of action, the period, the society rules of the time and the natural flow of the story, it wasn't that bad and at times it also made me emotional, especially if thinking about being in their shoes.

I loved the scenes where we could see the main characters from the previous books happy. It was that special touch to prove to the reader the suffering was worthy the HEA and it also gave hope to this story, although I would have liked a more confirmed idea instead of the possibility that it's left in the air. Things end up well, yes, but this is a romantic story, I wanted a bit more romance.

Overall, I was glad with this one. There are many parts I'd have liked to see different, but I can't say they didn't worked out. Still, there's this feeling that there could have existed a better expression of feelings between them besides the obvious, some things did feel a bit forced to make other things work, but in the end, it was a good story for me and I didn't want to put it down. Comparing to the previous ones, I have to say I liked it better, if not because for most of the time, it looked like the main couple was ore balanced in their individual positions which meant a stronger relationship in the end. At least, it looks like it at the moment.
A solid read, for sure.
Grade: 8/10

Eresse - Heartstrings

Scions of the most powerful House in Ylandre, Ashrian Mithani and Eiren Sarvan were more than just cousins. Lovers of long standing, theirs was a bond that would have been the envy of all were it not for one glaring flaw—Ashrian’s inability to commit himself wholeheartedly to Eiren. Despite the dismay of some and the derision of others, Eiren bore his inconstancy, displaying a loyalty Ashrian seemed incapable of returning. That is, until Ashrian crossed a line and the transgression proved one Eiren could not forgive.
In the wake of grief and remorse, Ashrian seeks to make amends and win Eiren back. But something stands in his way. Or rather someone. And the irony of it all is that Ashrian can neither hate nor help befriending the Deir who is his rival for the heart of Ylandre’s most beloved physician.

Comment: This is another installment in the Chronicles of Ylandre series. This is a world where there are only men and the species has evolved, and all men are hermaphrodites. The stories focus a lot in the romances between the main couple as well as some minor society dealings.

This is the story of Ash and Eiren, they've been together forever although Ash hasn't been faithful all that time. After one argument, Ash leaves Eiren angry and betrays him again, but this time his choice of a partner is someone Eiren can't forgive him for. They separate, Eiren goes abroad to work and when he returns, he's married.
Ash regrets his actions terribly but he can't hate Eiren's new husband. In fact they become friends. Then he finds out something he didn't foresee but Eiren is there to help and to be the person he always wanted to have...

I liked this story. Despite the not as appealing theme of cheating, I kind of liked how Ash turned his ways and admitted he did wrong and that Eiren didn't deserved what he did to him.
This story is more focused on the main character's lives than on the society or other plot lines. In a way, it's good, because it provides a bigger look into each one of the guys and what they are feeling and thinking, but it also feels the story is as a specific zoom on them and everything else is just setting, which I don't like as much. But I can't say it's a bad thing, just a different focus.

Eiren and Ash have been in love for a long time, but they never said it with words and their roles were pretty much decided from the beginning. Eiren is a healer, he's special and very dedicated. His fault is maybe he doesn't realize what Ash was really feeling, but one can say Ash didn't came forward with what was on his mind and heart, so how could Eiren guess? Their relationship was based on assumptions and attraction but it changed. What the guys didn't see was how their feelings evolved too..but in a way the feelings and the minds didn't went at the same pace.
Ash was always led back, assuming his life would follow a certain path and he didn't accepted to himself why he felt so dissatisfied and why he cheated. When he finally does, he's too late and Eiren has gone to another stage of his life.

The biggest part of this story is the time and the things needed for the guys to deal with their feelings, with the disappointments from the past and the hope for what might be in their path. Several things change, mostly in terms of expectations for the future, the meaning of each other's roles in their relationship and in life...but it was good to see them admitting what was real then and how they could work things out to have a future together and also shared.
This book is an interesting study of emotions, of expectations and changes of heart, of forgiveness and love and it offers good lessons in how to care for what others think, feel and deserve.
I liked it even despite the slightly less good things here and there.
Grade: 7/10

Sandy Williams - The Sharpest Blade

McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her—and …those she loves—in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined?
After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular—albeit boring—job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm.
With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart—or save it.

Comment: This book was released last year, in December, and I had it pre ordered but only now I picked it up to read. I think one of the worst things of long time between releases is how you loose a bit of that drive when you are reading an installment and you like it. Time passed and this one was set for next month and then the next and so on until five months were gone. After that time I just grabbed and went with it.

The Sharpest Blade starts with Mackenzie living the life she wanted, at peace and without fae rushing her to places or putting her in danger. But she can't stop thinking about Aren or everyone she cares about in the Realm, so her life is divided between what she thinks she wants and the feelings telling what she is leaving behind and what she could be doing to help. Then she makes a decision one day and her fate is sealed from that on.

This is the third and last installment in the shadow reader trilogy by Sandy Williams. After a heartbreaking finale in the previous book, with something so unexpected, I was very curious to see how the author would lead the characters towards a HEA.
In a way, things ended well, because there is a HEA happening in the end, but honestly, I don't know if it was the author intention from the start or just needs due to conclude the trilogy and that was it, because it was really annoying how the death numbers pilled all the time. Too many people died here (and in all the trilogy) for this to be a world I feel like going back to. Yes, it's UF, and we should be glad there's even a HEA, but personally I think the violence results were over the top.

Mackenzie faces quite the dilemma but in the end, of course she follows her heart. This isn't a surprise. I felt invested in some characters and was thinking how will the author turn things around in a way that everyone could find happiness, or at least a satisfying ending...well, whether by killing them or just leaving them alone, things ended in quite the grey area... I'll try not to tell spoilers, but the most difficult problem, the one thing readers certainly wanted to see solved the most...well, that was left the way it was, and the characters have to life and deal with it, because, hey, life is unfair at times.
Then the whole royalty issue about the fae throne, well that was achieved more happily, in my opinion, but not before an epic battle and of course, the death of some innocent people and possible important characters to the future.

I think part of the fun of the end of a book is how the reader can be left alone to imagine future scenes, possibilities, it's a world of thoughts about what was read, about what could or should happen, it's dreaming about the after. In this case, I found that hard, or should I say, I found it hard to picture any happy things because I'd remember who died and how things wouldn't help someone and how unfair to the other and so on...tricky and not what I thought we'd get in the final story. I think closure is what's missing here.

The first book didn't seduced as much but I kept going. The second was better despite the end. And now I expected solutions, tricks to change what was in need of changing, but it didn't happen. Oh well...

In a way I'm glad this is over but at the same time I feel a bit bad it wasn't the kind of story we should have gotten. Maybe it's me that feels this way and other loved it, for sure. But I wanted things to be done more decisively and in a way that spoke of ore certainty to readers. I feel like I should be happier with this, but I'm afraid the story just didn't work for me as well as I wanted it to.
Grade: 5/10

Jodi Thomas - The Texan's Wager

Thrown off a wagon train with two other women and trying to avoid jail for a murder they committed, Bailee Moore agrees to enter a "wife lottery"--a ploy concocted by the Cedar Point sheriff to secure wives for the men in the small Texas town.
For the sensible Bailee, however, marrying Carter McKoy is like exchanging one life sentence for another--especially since her new husband hasn't even seen fit to utter a single word in her presence. But still, she can't help thinking that something about this strong, silent farmer could be the key to leaving her troubled past behind...and making a worthy wager with her heart.

Comment: This book was a gift I won in Christine's blog. I got it last year but, as usual, it's hard to read books right the moment they arrive, with some exceptions, of course. Anyway, this one has been in the pile until now but I'm very glad to have chosen it because it was a good read.

This is the story of Bailee and two friends she met on a train before they got expelled because one of them was sick and another was accused of being a witch. After a random meeting with a man who tried to rob them of the only transportation they were left with, the girls defend themselves and the man doesn't move and the girls think they killed him. After confessing to the sheriff in the nearest town, the girls accept to be part of a wife lottery where their future husbands pay their fine from jail and take responsibility for them. Bailee is the last woman to pick a name from the hat where all the possible husband's put a paper in and Carter McKoy is hers. Then Bailee marries Carter and they go to his ranch where their life begins...

I was very pleased with this story. I think it developed well and provided many enjoyable moments. I thin there were things that could have been better, namely the passion between the main couple could have been more obvious and in the final part, where Carter goes after someone, that was a bit boring and despite being quick in terms of plot, I still would dismiss it somehow.

The plot was interesting, full of unlikely possibilities, but based on history enough to be credible at times. I was fond of the girls right away and wanted them to be happy. I thought the whole lottery idea was funny and the start for interesting relationships to develop further. Bailee and Carter were strangers but their communication was slow to start, mostly because of Carter's behavior. But I was immediately captivated by them and their interactions and what they thought of each other. It was both cute and wrenching to see but I was glad everything worked out in the end and that they found someone, purely by chance, that understood and saw what was in their minds and hearts. Their relationship was well done, for the most part. Like I said, it wouldn't be bad to have more scenes where we could see how they felt about each other.

Bailee and Carter both had pasts that shaped their actions in the present. Bailee was accused of something and not only did she live with that notion over her head, but she also saw how someone she cared for forgot all about her making her feel unworthy in a way.
Carter saw his family die and from that moment on his whole existence was dedicated to silence, quietness and to create a safe heaven, in more ways than we can't think of, in order to make him feel protected.
Neither thought much of the lottery, Bailee saw it as a duty, Carter as well and he was about to quit, but after things were set in motion, they started dealing with their new arrangement and their relationship developed step by step. In the meantime they dealt with other people, expectations, things out of their control, but always acting in a way that showed the other how their hearts were and how worthy they were of the other.

I think the author took this story in a good direction, it showed the strong points of two characters who didn't feel life had much to give them unless duty and time, but after all the best things come from where we least expect them.
I was engrossed in this since the beginning and now I feel very curious over the next three stories in the series. Can't wait to read more. So far, the author, new to me, seems to be a good bet.
Grade: 8/10

Sharon Lynn Fisher - Ghost Planet

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world - a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these “ghosts.” She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet.
Reincarnated as a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy - creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone - oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love - Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence.
But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet…a struggle that could separate her forever from the man she loves.

Comment: I've decided I wanted to read this book when I saw this review at Phyl's blog. I really liked what she said about it and added it to my lists. I bought it and this month I just had to read it. I have to say, it was as thrilling and imaginative as I expected!

This sci fi story presents a world where Earth went so much toxic that when a new planet was found out and mimicked almost to perfection the conditions necessary for human life, colonists arrived and started living and studying the planet's resources and functioning. One thing they didn't realize, the aliens inhabiting the planet. Even more confusing was how the aliens tethered themselves to a human colonist and they took the appearance of a loved one, a loved dead one. Although intriguing, it was also psychologically troublesome to deal with so there's this program, Ghost Protocol that forbids interaction between ghosts and humans. Apparently everything was smooth, until Elizabeth's arrival at the planet.

Elizabeth Cole is a psychologist who accepted an invitation to work in the planet and when she arrives she finds it so odd how the ghosts have to follow their hosts everywhere and even more how weak and depressed they all seem. Even more shocking is how Elizabeth herself learns she's died in the transportation to the planet and she is now a ghost too.

I really liked this story! I couldn't put it down and I was amazed by all the details that shaped the world the author imagined. There are many rules and particularities that turn this world into something both appealing and troublesome. It was very interesting to see how the ghost were linked to the plant itself and how they came to exist. I still think there are many things to know about the planet and even a short story with an epilogue would do, in case the author doesn't plan to write follow ups. But an epilogue would be fun, because I'm curious about what happens to many of the characters.

Of course the society interactions is the huge and most interesting point in this world. Ghosts and humans are forbidden to interact, but Elizabeth's death didn't stop her new ghost status to keep her thoughts, her emotions and memories. This is fascinating, because it isn't Elizabeth anymore, but everything that made her who she is was there...quite the dilemma and it was well explored in the book, I think. I specially liked how we saw what she was thinking and feeling as the story moved along. Nothing was as simple as we might think.

The romance is cute and I rooted for them all the time. I think that, in spite of the circumstances, it wasn't rushed. I thought it believable and romantic. Their relationship went through many stages and it was discoveries after discoveries.

There's something bigger in all that behind the ghost's existence and the protocols and how things work in the planet. I was very happy to see the author didn't turn this into a war and managed to keep peace and possibilities, good ones, to provide hope and imagination to the readers' minds. I've finished the book imagining all kinds of things about the planet and the character's futures..quite the investment.
It was also interesting to see how so many human emotions and fears were set in the new planet. The ghost's attitudes reflected those of the people they took the identity of, but there's tricks to change that, it was refreshing to see how the ghost's were made out to be.

I was really impressed by this story and still read some passages here and there. I'm recommending this to all sci fi romance readers I have as friends. It is really special. Thanks to Phyl for the idea.
I'll try the author's other book someday too.
Grade: 9/10

Robyn Carr - Sunrise Point

Former Marine Tom Cavanaugh’s come home to Virgin River, ready to take over his family’s apple orchard and settle down. He knows just what the perfect woman will be like: sweet, decent, maybe a little naive. The marrying kind.
Nothing like Nora Crane. So why can’t he keep his eyes off the striking single mother?
Nora may not have a formal education, but she graduated with honors from the school of hard knocks. She’s been through tough times and she’ll do whatever it takes to support her family, including helping with harvest time at the Cavanaugh’s orchard. She’s always kept a single-minded focus on staying afloat...but suddenly her thoughts keep drifting back to rugged, opinionated Tom Cavanaugh.
Both Nora and Tom have their own ideas of what family means. But they’re about to prove each other completely wrong...

Comment: This is one of the last installments of the Virgin River series. There's only one  left after this one. This series has been with me since January of last year, when I decided to embark in the journey to this small town. As it happens with most series, I have my favorites and my least enjoyable installments. I'm glad this one belongs to the first category.

This is the story of Nora Crane, we've met her in previous books and she's a struggling young single mother of two, she's had disappointments in her life but now she's trying to build a new life and be respected by her actions and protection of her children. She wants to work by picking apples in the Cavanaugh orchards but Tom Cavanaugh doesn't seem to think she would be up to the task, because it is a hard job. The two seem to clash at first but with time comes understanding, respect and something more...but will they listen to what they're both thinking?

I had high expectations for this one. I can't say it's the most wonderful book in the series but it wasn't bad either. Still, I hoped for a more passionate story, not as politically correct, I wanted the protagonists to be overwhelmed by their feelings but everything was dealt with time and polite comebacks. I had the feeling, when the book was finished, that they didn't show passion in that entrancing way I wanted. It was more polite than super amazing, as I wanted. So, it wasn't bad, but not amazing either.

The story focuses on the protagonists quite a lot. We learn how Nora's life was, her relationship with her mother and how she thought her father left..it's good to see Nora crossing the bridge when she finds out her father looked for her. Of course, much of Nora's scenes are about her dedication to the work, to her children, to her developing friendships, Tom's among that, and she is a good young woman. I think that despite her past experiences, she was too polished in the story, I wanted some hard edges to balance her more friendly manner. She had reasons to be unhappy with some aspects of her life and it would have been more believable if she were to talk or act more angry, at least in the beginning or something. She was too polished, again, the word in my head about her.

As for Tom, his scenes are very much around his grandmother, who is a lovely character, and Darla, a widow of one of his buddies from the war. When he returned from the war, he dedicated himself to the orchard but he kept contact with Darla because her husband talked about her and Tom wanted to check if she was alright. They start to date, sort of..but while Tom wants to deepen his feelings for her Nora is always in the back of his mind. Throughout the book we learn how Darla really is and why they don't match. Ok, I didn't have much empathy towards Darla but she was more like a tool to compare to Nora and turn obvious Tom's choice in the end.

In the end, the story was fulfilling but I think it lacked those special things to make it memorable. Still, it was much better than some of the other installments.
Grade: 7/10

Susanna Kearsley - Season of Storms

In the early 1900s, in the elegant, isolated villa Il Piacere, the playwright Galeazzo D'Ascanio lived for Celia Sands. She was his muse and his mistress and the inspiration for his most stunning and original play. But the night before she was to take the stage in the leading role, Celia disappeared.
Now, decades later, in a theatre on the grounds of Il Piacere, Alessandro D'Ascanio is preparing to stage the first performance of his grandfather's masterpiece. A promising young actress--who shares Celia Sands' name, but not her blood--has agreed to star. She is instantly drawn to the mysteries surrounding the play--and to her compelling, compassionate employer.
And even though she knows she should let the past go, in the dark--in her dreams--it comes back.

Comment: This was the last book by this author I had to read. I know she has a couple more stories from the beginning of her career but those aren't as easily found as the most recent ones..maybe one day. Anyway, this was the last book and I'm glad I waited because it's truly beautiful and has all the plot elements in the correct doses to be remarkable.

This is the story of Celia Sands, she is a young actress, doing minor roles here and there, trying to make ends meet. She just lost her roommate, she doesn't know how to pay the rent in the future and her only consolation are her two dads, because her mother never cared for her unless it was a good part to play, so Celia was educated and raised by the gay couple that took care of her. One of her dads wants to retire and somehow Celia is told to accept an invitation to be in a play written decades ago by an Italian author who made the play to his mistress, actually named Celia Sands as well. This is part of the reason why Celia was invited but she proves her talent once there.
In the meantime, many characters are introduced, other actors and the grandson of the play writer, someone reserved but that draws Celia's eye from the start. But Celia is in to discover many things, not only about the play and the disappearance of the first Celia, but mainly about her own life.

Like I said, I was really happy with this novel. I think it was one of the author most successful ones, at least to the way I see things. I thought it had all the right amounts of elements to make this a good story. It has the intrigue, the mystery, the main story line, the drama, the incredible news and the romance. Whereas in some of her other books the romance was too short or too subtle that it didn't even seem important, in this case it's more along the lines of my favorite book of hers, where e do see a bit more romance developing. I loved this and I thought Celia's relationship with Alex was wonderful, still innocent and based on looks at first, but quite real in the end, and most certainly powerful in the epilogue.

The plot focuses around the play, many say it wasn't the same author who wrote this and other darker works, but throughout the book we see pieces of history saying it was indeed by D'Ascanio. The story starts from the arrival of the actors in Italy until the play is finished. There's some mystery in the middle, concerning the disappearance of Celia the first and what could have been her fate and also about the dealings of the D'Ascanio grandson and his selling of the palazzo where they are. I think there are many intrigue scenes and settings to fulfill the plot lovers. Of course, some personal questions are targeted here as well, and we learn a lot about the characters.
There are sad moments, beautiful moments and many things to be found out. I really loved every moment, except a little thing.

I'm really happy with this one, I think it's one of the author's best works, somehow, everything fit in place for me and the story worked pretty well. It's one of those books you can open any time and there are countless scenes to be marveled at.
Overall, an amazing book, I only hope future stories by this author will be as great!
Grade: 9/10

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Note: Now that I've read all her published (and available) books, here is the list by order of my preferences:
The Shadowy Horses - not commented here
Season of Storms
Mariana
Splendour Falls
Every Secret Thing
The Rose Garden
Named of the Dragon
The Firebird
Sophia's Secret