Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - "Lothaire" By: Kresley Cole


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 
Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine
Want to participate? 
Grab the logo on her page, post your own Waiting on Wednesday entry on your blog, 
and leave your link on her blog!



Here's one I've been waiting for...well it seems like forever...
"Lothaire" by Kresley Cole

Releases: January 10, 2012

From the humblest of beginnings a millennia ago, Lothaire the Enemy of Old rose to power, becoming the most feared and evil vampire in the immortal world. Driven by his past, he will not rest until he captures the vampire Horde’s crown for himself. The discovery of his Bride, the female meant only for him, threatens to derail his plot.
Elizabeth Peirce is a mere mortal, a glaring vulnerability for a male with so many blood foes bent on annihilating anything he desires. Yet soon he discovers his Bride’s secret. A magnificent power dwells inside the fragile human, one that will aid his quest. But to possess that power, he will have to destroy her. Will Lothaire succumb to the torments of his past, or seize a future with her?

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

"Jane in Bloom" By: Deborah Lytton Review



Today I'm going to talk about,    "Jane in Bloom"
By: Deborah Lytton

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:

Jane's big sister, Lizzie, has always been the center of attention. No one ever pays attention to boring, plain Jane. But when Jane's twelfth birthday marks the beginning of Lizzie's final descent into a fatal eating disorder, Jane discovers that the only thing harder than living in her big sister's shadow is living without her.

In the wake of tragedy, Jane learns to look through her camera lens and frame life differently, embracing her broken family and understanding that every girl has her season to blossom. Spare and vulnerable prose marks this beautiful debut that is at once heartbreaking and uplifting.

My thoughts:
     Time for a little honesty...I would never have picked this up in a million years but the local Middle School Librarian highly recommended this book and I thought, if she loves it I better try it. So I picked it up over the weekend and started reading it on Sunday night. It's a quick read, about 2 hours, and boy did I enjoy it. It's sad and more than once I teared up, but I am glad I read it.
     Jane has always lived in the shadow of her sister, Lizzie. Lizzie was always the smart one, the one with the friends, the one who was outgoing and seemed to be the golden child. However, Jane knew of Lizzie's terrible secret...even if her parent's pretended not to know. Lizzie is an extreme anorexic, going so far as to cut one grape into four pieces and that's all she had for breakfast. When I started this book, I thought this book would be entirely about Lizzie's eating disorder. But it wasn't. I have to give credit, the author did an excellent job of showing the disorder's problems as related to Jane.
     About 1/3 of the way through the book, Lizzie passes away. From then on, the story revolves around Jane's feelings about her sister's death and how her family reacts. I'm not going to ruin it, but the story is beautifully written. You can feel the emotion in the writing, you can feel the hurt Jane feels. You can understand the utter devastation Jane's mother feels and you know the father is utterly lost in how to deal with his family fracturing. Well written and deeply emotional, Jane becomes more than just a shadow of her sister. She "blooms" into herself.
     I'm going to leave you with my favorite quote, repeated several times throughout the story. The following takes place on page 61, "Breathe in love, breathe out sadness. Breathe in Lizzie, breathe out pain. If I had known I wasn't going to get to talk to her again, I would have said so much more. I would have told her all the things I love about her. All the things I would never forget about her. Now all I can do is stare at this empty body where Lizzie used to be."  Doesn't that just break your heart? Gorgeous story and simply gorgeous writing.
     This book was a Truman Award Winner in Missouri and is recommended for grades 6-8. For more information on the Truman Readers Award, check out the Missouri Association of School Librarians website

Sunday, November 27, 2011

It's Monday! - What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! - What Are You Reading? is hosted weekly on Mondays 
by Sheila from "One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.

Books I Read This Week:

"Unlikely Friendships"
By: Jennifer Holland
Written by National Geographic magazine writer Jennifer Holland, Unlikely Friendships documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways.

Ms. Holland narrates the details and arc of each story, and also offers insights into why—how the young leopard, probably motherless, sought maternal comfort with the calf, and how a baby oryx inspired the same mothering instinct in the lionness. Or, in the story of Kizzy, a nervous retired Greyhound, and Murphy, a red tabby, how cats and dogs actually understand each other’s body language.

"Chasin' Eight" By: Lorelei James
Bull rider Chase McKay has finally landed in a pile too big to charm his way out of. Caught with his pants down, he finds himself bucked right off the PBR tour until he can get his act together.
Hollywood actress Ava Cooper became the tabloids’ favorite target when her longtime boyfriend was outed as gay. Now she wants a place to lay low and a chance to prove to herself that she can satisfy a red-blooded man between the sheets. The sexy, rugged cowboy she finds holed up in her Wyoming hideaway seems like the answer to her every fantasy.
But Chase has sworn off women. Forever. Or at least a month. Whichever comes first.
When they take to the road to get Chase more hands-on bull riding experience, they have every intention of keeping their hands off each other. But the two headstrong stars quickly end up riding a hot and heady rodeo circuit all their own—until the press gets wind of their affair. When the dust clears and the lights of the paparazzi fade, are they ready to give up chasing the dream for a chance of finding forever?





 "In Bed with a Highlander" 
By: Maya Banks
Ewan McCabe, the eldest, is a warrior determined to vanquish his enemy. Now, with the time ripe for battle, his men are ready and Ewan is poised to take back what is his—until a blue-eyed, raven-haired temptress is thrust upon him. Mairin may be the salvation of Ewan’s clan, but for a man who dreams only of revenge, matters of the heart are strange territory to conquer.

The illegitimate daughter of the king, Mairin possesses prized property that has made her a pawn—and wary of love. Her worst fears are realized when she is rescued from peril only to be forced into marriage by her charismatic and commanding savior, Ewan McCabe. But her attraction to her ruggedly powerful new husband makes her crave his surprisingly tender touch; her body comes alive under his sensual mastery. And as war draws near, Mairin’s strength, spirit, and passion challenge Ewan to conquer his demons—and embrace a love that means more than revenge and land.
 
Books I'm Currently Reading:

"Pears on a Willow Tree" 
By: Leslie Pietrzyk
Pears on a Willow Tree is a multigenerational roadmap of love and hate, distance and closeness, and the lure of roots that both bind and sustain us all.

The Marchewka women are inseparable. They relish the joys of family gatherings; from preparing traditional holiday meals to organizing a wedding in which each of them is given a specific task -- whether it's sewing the bridal gown or preserving pickles as a gift to the newlyweds. Bound together by recipes, reminiscences and tangled relationships, these women are the foundation of a dignified, compassionate family--one that has learned to survive the hardships of emigration and assimilation in twentieth-century America.


But as the century evolves, so does each succeeding generation. As the older women keep a tight hold on the family traditions passed from mother to daughter, the younger women are dealing with more modern problems, wounds not easily healed by the advice of a local priest or a kind word from mother.

Amy is separated by four generations from her great-grandmother Rose, who emigrated from Poland. Rose's daughter Helen adjusted to the family's new home in a way her mother never could, while at the same time accepting the importance of Old Country ways. But Helen's daughter Ginger finds herself suffocating within the close-knit family, the first Marchewka woman to leave Detroit for the adventure of life beyond the reach of her mother and grandmother.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

"Abandon" By: Meg Cabot Review

Today's review is of a Young Adult book 
I had heard tons of good things about...but hadn't read it.
"Abandon" By: Meg Cabot


Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. 
Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. 
Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

My Thoughts:
     I know a lot of reviewers didn't like this book, but I enjoyed it. Not one of my favorites, but I am definitely going to be reading the sequel to see what happens. I can see what other people didn't like (mainly the ending) but I understood goign in this was going to be a multiple book series.
    I'm not going to rehash the story, since the synopsis is basically what happens.  Pierce is an interesting character. She is whiny while at the same time, as the reader I wanted to see what else was going to happen. HATED her family, they didn't seem to care about Pierce at all.
     I like John, even thought I hated his name. If I want a broody hero, I want a more interesting name. I liked him as a hero though. He never was completely drawn out, but I hope in the future books he becomes a well rounded character. 
     The ending...oye, the ending. Completely left open, nothing is finished. There are probably 3 or 4 plotlines kept completely open...and there was no closure. I didn't like that at all. 
     It was an interesting take on the Persephone myth and I'm looking forward to the next story...but I probably wouldn't promote this book to my friends as a great read. 3 Stars out of 5!

Product Information
Book Publication Date: April 2011
ISBN: 978-0545284103

Friday, November 25, 2011

"Her Christmas Pleasure" By: Karen Erickson Review



Today's review is of 

"Her Christmas Pleasure" By: Karen Erickson


Her Christmas Pleasure by Karen EricksonSynopsis from Netgalley:

     Damien Morton is madly in love. Unfortunately, it's with his best friend's widow, Lady Danver. Damien is not worthy of Celia. Or so he thinks. Desperate to escape his feelings for her, he plans to leave the country at the first of the year. Celia treats him as a family friend and nothing more-until they share a heated kiss beneath the mistletoe...
     Celia is shocked by the passions that surge within her at her dear friend's kiss. One touch and one taste aren't enough to satisfy her cravings, and she is startled into action. Damien has stirred something inside her that she never expected to experience again, and she must have more. Full of shameless desire and emotions newly discovered, she decides to pursue Damien and won't be deterred. Will she be able to convince him to stay-both in her heart and life-forever?

My Thoughts:
     This is my first Netgalley review! I was able to read this book on my brand new Nook (Courtesy of Paranormal Romantics). I was in the mood for a Christmas story so I tried "Her Christmas Pleasure." 
    The story starts out at a Christmas party. Damien and Celia have a history together - Celia used to be married to Damien's best friend. While nothing has happened, they both have less than "friendly" feelings, if you know what I mean. Lots of sexual tension.
    She doesn't think he likes her...he doesn't think she'll ever accept him. It's not a unique story that we haven't read before...but its sweet. You can feel the characters underlying feelings for one another clearly. The author also spends some time on dealing with Celia's feelings for her late husband's family. It was nice to acknowledge that the family may have some uncomfortable feelings in dealing with a new man in Celia's life.
     The story is an extremely short story, a little under 70 pages. It would have been nice for it to be a little longer, but all in all its a very sweet story. The characters are pretty well fleshed out for such a short story...and I really enjoyed Damien. All in all, a solid 3 star. I wish it was longer and am definitely am going to be checking out other things by this author.


I received this book from Netgalley with no other compensation. "Her Christmas Pleasure" will be available for purchase on November 28, 2011. Check it out! :)

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Follow Friday





Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop put together by two hosts:  Parajunkee and Alison Can Read as a way to help bloggers become aware of other blogs and bloggers. 

It's a great way to make new blogger friends.





Q: It's Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. so we want to know what you are Thankful for - Blogging related of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?


I know it may be cliche, but I am utterly thankful for my Mother and my dog. They are my family, there for me when I need 'em in good times and bad. I have been pretty insecure about my blog since I just started in October and they both have supported me. My mom has popped by and read my reviews...and some of them she totally didn't agree with, let me tell you! And as far as the weenie dog named Daisy Jane, she is on her back next to me snoring in a turkey coma...which always makes me smile.


As far as books I am thankful for, I am utterly thankful for the Kresley Cole series. Every book is wonderful, they aren't even beginning to get stale or old. If you haven't tried them before, please do. Wonderful romances filled with adventures and vampires. 

"Room" By: Emma Donoghue Review


Today's review is of
"Room
By: Emma Donoghue

Synopsis from Barnes & Noble:
     To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.
     Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

 My thoughts:
     This book was so weird…but so different…and I gotta tell you, I really liked it. This is one of my December Book Club picks, so I was pretty skeptical on whether I would like it or not. I had heard it was good, but to be honest, if I was just picking up books, I would have NEVER picked this book up. I would have missed a great story but this is not usually my kind of book. I’m so glad I picked it up though!
     The entire story of “Room” is told from the point of view of Jack, a five year old. Jack has only lived in this one “Room” his entire life and he has no idea of an outside life. He has only been around his Mom and a guy who visits at night named “Old Nick.” (His mom never lets him around Old Nick, but you can understand why.)
     The story starts out as Jack talks about his routine with his Mother. They rely on the food and toiletries Nick brings them. Everything is blacked out so there are no windows. The walls are heavy and the door has all kinds of locks and special gadgets so they can’t get out. But…all of this is normal to Jack. His Mom reads him the same old stories, feeds him the same old food, and they play the same games day in, day out. Until the day Jack’s Mom decides she wants to escape.
     As the reader, you understand that Old Nick has kidnapped Jack’s Mom and Jack is Nick’s child. Jack has no idea though and he is scared of the outside world. When his Mom approaches him about an idea of how to escape, this small child has no idea of what to expect and is frightened. So his Mom has to talk to him about the world, about what he hasn’t seen, and she prepares him as much as she is able to do.
     I’m not going to ruin the story, but let’s just say, Jack and his Mom are released finally…but that isn’t nearly the end of the story. “Room” is a fast paced rollercoaster, where one chapter you think you have it figured out…and the next you have no idea where the story is going. Try it; I know you’ll like it!

Product Details -
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co
ISBN: 978-0316098335
Date of Publication: September 2010

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 
Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Underworld JKT
I'm really excited to read Meg Cabot's new book, "Underworld"
NOT OUT until May 8, 2012!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

"The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer" By: Michelle Hodkin Review



I can't wait to talk about 
"The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer" 
By: Michelle Hodkin

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.
My Thoughts:
     I loved this book! LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! It was easily one of my favorite books of the year...and when I was done, I just craved more! If you have a chance to read this book...run, jump, skip, ride your bike...do anything to get to it!
     Mara is your typical teenager...until a Ouija board predicts that she will cause the death of her two friends. Suddenly Mara is being pulled from the rubble of an abandoned building as her friends bodies are being recovered. The story slowly reveals what actually happened that night - and that's part of the magic of the story.
     There is romance, there is loss, there is mystery. I don't want to give too much away, but lets just say this book is amazing. Wonderfully written, excellent character development...and ends wide open for a sequel.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

It's Monday! - What Are You Reading?



It's Monday! - What Are You Reading? is hosted weekly on Mondays 
by Sheila from "One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.



Books I Read This Week:
"Anna Dressed in Blood" By: Kendare Blake
     Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
     So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
     When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
     But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.



"Pack Challenge" By: Shelly Laurenston

What's an Alpha Male to do when he meets the Alpha Female of his dreams? Step one, hide all sharp objects. All Zach Sheridan ever wanted was to become Alpha Male of his Pack and be left alone. What he definitely didn't need in his life was some needy female demanding his attention. What he never saw coming was the vicious, scarred female who not only demanded his attention but knew exactly how to get it. Sara Morrighan knew this was the best she could expect from her life. Good friends. A nice place to live. And a safe job. But when Zach rode into her small Texas town with his motorcycle club, Sara knew she wanted more. She knew she wanted him. But after one sexy encounter with her dream biker, everything is starting to change. Her body. Her strength. That new thing she's doing with the snarling. Even her best friends are starting to wonder what's going on with her. But this is only the beginning. Sara's about to find out her life was meant for so much more. And Zach's about to find true love with the one woman who makes him absolutely insane. 



"Go Fetch" By: Shelly Laurenston

How much trouble can one small female be to a modern-day shapeshifting Viking? Well.it really depends on local gun laws. Conall Vga-Feilan, direct descendent of Viking shifters, never thought he'd meet a female strong enough to be his mate. He especially didn't think a short, viper-tongued human would ever fit the bill. But Miki Kendrick isn't some average human. With an IQ off the charts and a special skill with weapons of all kinds, Miki brings the big blond pooch to his knees-and keeps him there. Miki's way too smart to ever believe in love and she knows a guy like Conall could only want one thing from her. But with the Pack's enemies on her tail and a few days stuck alone with the one man who makes her absolutely wild, Miki is about to discover how persistent one Viking wolf can be. This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release. 

Books I'm Currently Reading:
"The Chosen One" By: Carol Lynch Williams
Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters, with two more on the way. That is, without questioning them much---if you don’t count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her.
But when the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle---who already has six wives---Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.

In My Mailbox




"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at 
The Story Siren
It's a great way to showcase the books you've gotten over the week...
whether they are bought, borrowed or free.


Won
I won "Jane Austen Made Me Do It" from Historical Fiction.com

I won "In the Laird's Bed" By: Joanne Rock from The Blaze Authors Blog
*On a person note, I received the Joanne Rock book yesterday in the mail. My mom knew this book was coming, and when she came over yesterday actually opened the package and has already read it!*

Thank you so very much!

"When Beauty Tamed the Beast" By: Eloisa James Review

Today's review is of
"When Beauty Tamed the Beast"
By: Eloisa James

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty . . . Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast.
Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.
Linnet is not just any woman. She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love—in just two weeks.
Yet Linnet has no idea of the danger posed to her own heart by a man who may never love her in return.


My Thoughts: 
     I'm a fan of romance...what can I say? Eloisa James has given us all a little gift in "When Beauty Tamed the Beast." Not surprisingly, its a take on the old fairy tale...but its so much more than that. It is a heartwarming romance about two people who are written so realistically its unreal. 
    Linnet is compromised in the age old plot device used by romance writers, so she must find herself a husband. Her father intervenes and finds a husband that wouldn't mind a compromised bride. Linnet finds herself in the wilds of England in the presence of her fiance, Piers. 
     Piers is a wonderful, wonderful hero! I loved him! He is almost a carbon copy of Dr. House from the TV show, House. He is grumpy, irritated but caring and the reader just loves him.
     You know where it goes from here. They fight, they kiss, they fight some more, and then boom, there is love. The story is sweet, will make you smile, and is a great feel good book for a weekend. I read this story in about 2 and a 1/2 hours on a Sunday morning. Definitely a 4 Star story. Sweet, loving, and another winner from Eloisa James.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

"Pack Challenge" By: Shelly Laurenston Review


"Pack Challenge" 
By: Shelly Laurenston

Synopsis from
What's an Alpha Male to do when he meets the Alpha Female of his dreams? Step one, hide all sharp objects. All Zach Sheridan ever wanted was to become Alpha Male of his Pack and be left alone. What he definitely didn't need in his life was some needy female demanding his attention. What he never saw coming was the vicious, scarred female who not only demanded his attention but knew exactly how to get it. Sara Morrighan knew this was the best she could expect from her life. Good friends. A nice place to live. And a safe job. But when Zach rode into her small Texas town with his motorcycle club, Sara knew she wanted more. She knew she wanted him. But after one sexy encounter with her dream biker, everything is starting to change. Her body. Her strength. That new thing she's doing with the snarling. Even her best friends are starting to wonder what's going on with her. But this is only the beginning. Sara's about to find out her life was meant for so much more. And Zach's about to find true love with the one woman who makes him absolutely insane. 
   

My Thoughts:
     "Pack Challenge" is the first installment in a three part series called "The Magnus Pack" This is a reread for me on my brand new Nook! It's a quick story that's fun, entertaining, featuring shape shifters, a little bit of naughtiness, and a sweet romance between Zach and Sara.
     Zach and Sara are both wolves...although Sara doesn't know she's a wolf. The story seems to revolve around Sara finding out what she is and culminates in the domination of the people that hurt her mother (the reason she doesn't know who or what she is). The story also lays the groundwork for the next two books in the series featuring Sara's friends, Miki and Angelina.
     It's a sweet story with typical Laurenston humor and sex scenes. If you've never read one of her shapeshifter stories, and are a fan of Lora Leigh, I think Shelly Laurenston would be good fit. She has several series with a wide range of characters that I've enjoyed. A fun read for a Saturday morning!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Follow Friday


Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop put together by two hosts:  Parajunkee and Alison Can Read as a way to help bloggers become aware of other blogs and bloggers. 

It's a great way to make new blogger friends.


Q: Letter to Santa: Tell Santa what books you want for Christmas!

Without a doubt, the book I most want for Christmas is "Lothaire" By: Kresley Cole.
I won't get it :( but I am counting down the days until it comes out in early 2012!

"Scarlet Thread" By: Francine Rivers Review

Today's review is of 
"The Scarlet Thread" By: Francine Rivers
Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
A woman of the nineties. A young pioneer on the Oregon Trail. Though lifetimes apart, they share a remarkable journey. When Sierra discovers her ancestor's handcrafted quilt and reads her journal, she finds that their lives are amazingly similar. By following her ancestor's example, she learns to surrender to God's sovereignty and unconditional love.

My Thoughts:
     We had decided to read this book for one of my reading groups. I have a confession to make...and I'm only going to tell you, not my book group! Here goes...I didn't finish this because it was just horrible!
     I hated this book. I got to about page 200 out of close to 400 and couldn't take it anymore. Everything about this book is flawed. I gave it a chance, but I just couldn't do it.
     The characters are terrible. Sierra is the main character...but you dont' care about her because she is so whiny. She has a terrible husband, who is mean and doesn't care for her at all. Sure the author talks about their grand love, but you sure couldn't see it. She can't make friends and when she does, she is incredibly insecure.
     The story is boring too. I understand this is a character driven story, but the pacing of the novel is slow.  Time has little meaning and it seemed to skip all over the place.
     Only pick this book up if you are on a desert island, with no other reading material, and you need paper for your fire. This is a very poorly written story that I didn't enjoy at all. First book in a long time that I Did Not Finish!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

"Wrangled and Tangled" By: Lorelei James Review

Today's review is of 
"Wrangled and Tangled" By: Lorelei James

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
New in the Blacktop Cowboy series.
Janie Fitzhugh and Abe Lawson have long been divorced and living apart. Now she's back in town, a changed woman-making cattleman Abe want to wrangle an invitation to her bed...
To get his dream ranch, Renner Jackson has partnered with spoiled daddy's girl Tierney Pratt. She thinks she can handle this cowboy, but Renner won't make it easy. Little do they know they will be entangled in ways neither dreamed possible.
My thoughts:
     This book is a solid 3 star read for me. I have read other books by Lorelei James and really liked them...but this was kind of disappointed with the newest title in her Blacktop Cowboy series. I liked it, but it fell kind of flat in the character development area for me.
     This is the story of two couples (yay!), Janie and Abe, a divorced couple who have come back together after years apart and Renner and Tierney, who work together. Every couple of chapters the story would change between the couples..which kind of became annoying because you would get into one's story and then be thrust back into the other. 
     I'm not going to rehash the story because its pretty much spelled out in the synopsis. Each couple fought, became closer...fought, got a little naughty...and in the end there was a happily ever after. I thought the story could have been a little more involved but it was an enjoyable read for a Sunday afternoon. I will definitely be reading any sequel but wouldn't recommend this story if you haven't read the rest of the series. 





Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - "Nautier and Wilder" By: Lora Leigh and Jaci Burton


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 
Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine
Want to participate? 
Grab the logo on her page, post your own Waiting on Wednesday entry on your blog, 
and leave your link on her blog!


Nautier and Wilder
I can't wait for this one!
 You can tell it's gonna be good just from the cover!!
"Nautier and Wilder" by Lora Leigh and Jaci Burton
Series: Nauti Series
Release Date: December 6, 2011

Two hot talents. Two new novellas. One big sexy package.
From the authors of Nauti and Wild come two all new novellas. Lora Leigh returns to the sexy world of her New York Times bestsellign Nauti series, while Jaci Burton revisits the scorching setting of her Riding series.

GIRLS ARE NAUTI TOO
In NAUTI WISHES
Gabriel Royce, the new detective assigned to Somerset’s police department, a former Marine that once fought with the Mackay cousins, has finally found a home to call his own. A wanderer and a man that’s never known stability, until the mountains of Kentucky surrounded him and one woman began to work her way into his heart.

A woman with secrets, and a family determined to keep those secrets hidden. But someone else knows the truth, just as they know the connection she has to the Mackays. A connection that’s now endangering her life.