Review: Seven Souls a Leaping by Lisa Pietsch, K.F Zuzulo, & Heather Long

Writing a novel is not an easy accomplishment. Developing a world in your mind and giving it form and function that leads readers to feel as if they can step in the pages and live life along side characters that are a figment of your imagination can be trying on anyone. Sometimes it takes the effort of more than one imagination to bring that world to life. I have noticed a trend in the literary world of authors teaming up to create the fictional universe the characters in their minds live in. I was informed of a book that was developed by three friends who happen to all write for the same publisher and was intrigued. Lisa Pietsch, K.F. Zuzulo and Heather Long did not stop at collaborating on a story together. They created the world and circumstances the characters lived in, but wrote stories about characters who were connected by family ties. Each story is separate but flows together using time line and a dreadful situation. These ladies came together to create a unique anthology but ended up developing a novel without compromising their personal creativity.


Book One - Frozen Hell by Lisa Pietsch

Dani Roy is a private investigator. Well, she was until the recession and people stopped paying her to spy on cheating spouses and help someone find the parents that gave them up for adoption. Times are tough but she can always go to an old family friend who happens to be a bail bondsman. Nothing helps pay for the bills like a quick bounty hunter gig. That is what Dani thought before she took the job to find Jeffery Wiles, a repeat criminal who jumped bail.

She is partnered with Duncan MacDougall, who seems to be your typical uptight Brit. It doesn't take long for her to realize that not only is he easy on the eyes but he seems to know how to handle a gun. It doesn't take her long to realize that the bail jumper they are looking for is dealing in things out of the normal realm she is use too. Duncan opens her eyes to the paranormal world around her and his true profession as a sensitive for the family business, New England New Age Investigations.

Frozen Hell is a story that tells us not to let our first impressions make us think we know a person. Duncan and Dani wrote each other at first but realized a special connection was developing between them. It's amazing what a shower can do for someone after a really bad day. This story gets hot and steamy once the main characters actually notice the person who is standing next to them.

My favorite part of this story was the opening. Normally you would jump into the main character's life directly before the plot starts to develop but Pietsch took a drastically different approach. The story opens in the point of view of who we find out is the villain through the entire book. We walk in the shoe of who seems to be a normal man until his thoughts turn to sneaking up into a kitchen and up a flight of stairs. It only took a few paragraphs to have me hooked on the story and in turn the book as a whole. I can easily say Frozen Hell had the best opening of the three stories.

I had a few issues with certain sections of Frozen Hell. Duncan is said to have the power of "sensitivity" to the paranormal. I don't feel this power was explained to the reader as it should be. I was left with a feeling of wanting knowledge about what Duncan felt when his power was activated. It was a small thing but still left me wanting more when the story was drawn to a close. Another issue I ran into was a feeling of choppiness during a section of high pace scene changes. It could of been writing in this way on purpose to make the reader experience the chaotic feeling of the situation but it just left me asking myself what just happened and needing to re-read the scene changes. The last thing I had a problem with in the story was something that was mentioned at the very end. We meet the main female of book two, Sam, as she arrives to help her brother Duncan. A comment made towards the end about Sam's ability failing her when she meets Dani but it is never fully explained. I have a feeling the answer is given in the second story but it doesn't seem to be a strong one to me.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Frozen Hell by Lisa Pietsch. It was a wonderful romance that drew you into the minds of the main characters. The action was wonderfully written and the dialogue between the main characters always left a smile on my face. I would give Frozen Hell four out of Five stars if it were a standalone piece.

Book Two - Star Light, Blood Bright by K.F. Zuzulo

Star Light, Blood Bright starts where Frozen Hell left off. The reader is now following Samantha MacDougall, the sister of the hero we met in the first story. Sam developed the ability to read the auras when she was a young girl. Her Aunt helped her develop the skill to the point that she is able to tell if the person she is looking at strives to save someone, nurture them, or has no other drive then cause pain to those who are around them. She has used this skill to help her brother and cousin run the family investigation business. During, what she thought was a routine closing interview with a local police officer about her involvement with the situation from Frozen Hell, Sam meets Ike Starr, a detective who makes her feel things she has never felt before.

Star Light, Blood Bright uses emotions and psychology to get into the mind of the reader. The use of innocent people including a young teenager and the sweet elderly neighbor as the pawns of the villain helps the reader feel the terror and emotional pain Sam feels in the situations she finds herself in. At one point, Sam finds herself in the situation where she is about to be raped by someone she cares about but they are not in control of their actions. The thought of what that would do on a person terrified me as I was reading. This is probably one of the first times I was happy I was reading a work of fiction.

My favorite part of the story would be the invasiveness of the villain throughout the story. Sam and Ike could not let their guards down at any point because the bad guy could literally be right behind you one minute and gone the next. The choices of victims throughout the story were perfect to give you the creepy factor all the way to the end.

Overall, Star Light, Blood Bright was one of the creepiest stories I have read in a while. I am not sure if Zuzulo meant to write it that way but I am happy that I did not go straight to bed after I finished reading it. The romance was written very well but was lost in the feeling of terror I felt throughout the rest of the story. I would give this story four and a half out of five stars if it had been written as a standalone.

Book Three - 13th Night by Heather Long

The third and final story of the anthology focuses on Tara Conroy, cousin of the brother/sister duo we met in the previous stories. Tara's ability has always been more of a curse then a gift. She has been a source of communication for ghostly beings since she was a child. They channel a message through her using ghost writing. Until the age of twelve, Tara and her father had to battle off pushy ghosts who wanted to use her abilities constantly. She wasn't able to live what she considered a normal life until a spirit she knew as Darren started protecting her from the invading spirits. Thanks to his help, she was able to attend High School and College without worry about zoning out in the middle of class because a ghost wanted to say something. Darren became her security blanket when having to emerge into society and a comforting presence when she was alone. Everything seemed normal until a spirit Darren couldn't over power wanted all of Tara's attention and more.

Tara and Darren's story was unique. They are two characters who rely on each other for everything but Tara has never seen him and Darren has never spoke to her. Darren was cursed to roam earth as a spirit without the ability to vocally communicate after his death in 1929. After he found Tara as a child, the only communication he was able to deliver was through her and her special talent. Through the years together, a fondness for each other developed and love bloomed. The big issue is that they are on separate plans. In the story the characters go through the emotions of being in love with someone they cannot physically be with while dealing with an outside threat they can't get a handle on.

13th Night is a great mixture of action and emotions. The fight scenes bring you into the story wanting to swing your fists and save these characters that you become very attached too. The emotional struggles you feel them going through pull at your heart strings all the way to the end. All you want is for these two confidants to be able to be together but that seems to be impossible. The story flows in a way that keeps you clued to the pages. I was sneaking out for a break during work so I could read a few extra pages throughout the day. It is easy to say that this story was the most addictive of the three. I would give 13th Night four and a half out of five stars if it were a standalone story.

Book as a whole

I am incredibly impressed that three authors were able to write three separate stories in a way that flowed together as well as they did. The only reason I use the word "anthology" through this review is because that is what the publisher called this book. The feel that radiates from these pieces of work is not one of three stories that are bound together but of a continuous plot told from different points of view. I tip my hat to the ladies who created this wonderful piece of literature. I give Seven Souls a Leaping four and a half out of five stars.

     Unless you have been living under a rock the past few years, a trend of Paranormal Romance has developed in the literary world. We have hit the mark when everybody and their mom has started writing about vampires and were-creatures. It is also the point where the genre starts to incorporate new characteristics to make the books seem fresh and new. From this evolution, the reader normally discovers a new subgenre developing from the parental unit. I have discovered a great book that has the essence of a Paranormal/Urban Fantasy book but weaves the page turning effects of a suspense novel within its cover.


     Nature has been at the core of literature since writing fictional stories to paper began. Prime Evil by Heather Long, is a story about a hedge witch named Chance Monroe who is given power from mother earth to keep the many aspects of the environment in order, including those pesky imps and fairies who always find the perfect home in an area already occupied by humans. Chance has developed a carrier relocating the imposing creatures to an area that would better suit them and the homeowners of their current location. She learned the trade from her Grandmother, a well respected hedge witch in the greater Virginian area. Chance loves her work even if she gets looks from friends she has known for years.

     Chance has a violent past that haunts her present . While attending college with her best friend, Jack Parker she was attacked and left for dead by the serial killer Randall Oakes. Now, a decade later, the nightmare she thought she left behind her has taken center stage in her life. Prime Evil is a suspense filled adventure following Chance and Jack trying to figure out how a person thought to have died years before, could be murdering young college aged woman again. The murders feel the same but something just doesn't seem right to Chance.

     Prime Evil is a well written suspense novel with a paranormal twist unique to the genre. There are no vampires that pop up out of nowhere which give the book a fresh feel. The lack of the usual paranormal elements does not leave us wanting, but instead brings the avid PNR reader access to a new world to explore. The connection to modern day America leads the reader to believe that this story really could happen in a rural town down the road.

     Once the reader gets past the development chapters, the book is filled with twist and turns of who-done-it and how can that be. The character development leads you to truly feel for the characters you meet along the way. There is no black and white within this book. All the characters have flaws that at the end make you care for them even more. The real world is lived within shades of grey and so does the world within Prime Evil.

     One of the things I like most about the book is the story development. Knowing this will be a series, I was very happy that nothing was rushed. For those who read mostly PNR, I am sorry to say that the main characters do not jump in the sack after eighty pages. The relationship is given time to develop in our eyes. Through the book, you can sense what the characters truly mean to each other. I know there will be romance in the future, but I was very happy with how the relationship is grows and hits road bumps through the story. You get the sense that the story being told could happen between two people instead of the ever popular, "you are my soul mate... let's make babies!" that you see over and over again.

     Reading Prime Evil left me wanting to spy more into the lives of Chance and Jack. It is an excellent first book in the series I know is to continue. I am happy to give Prime Evil five out of five stars. I can't wait to read what Heather Long has for us next.

Randomness: How far should you go for a Convention Costume?

I am going to try something different tonight. I normally only post reviews but a question has popped into my mind that I would truly like an answer too. When you are going to a "insert nerdy passion" convention, there is normally a time and place to dress up. I was just in this situation last weekend but I chickened out and stayed in my T-shirt. Main reason for this is because I feel like an idiot dressing up, but seeing so many people dressed as favorite book characters made me want to join in the fun. The dire question is... What is the fun part of playing dress up?
We have all seen the pictures from Comic-Con of dozens of Darth Vaders and Klingons running around. I just don't know if that is going too far. Klingon makeup has to be expensive! But the people who fly from around the world to show off the time and skill it took to look exactly like the characters they cherish inspire me. To have that kind of passion and not let the cat calls of nerd or geek bother them shows how much pride they have in their personal interests. But who really wants to walk around all day wearing 20 lbs of pour clogging goop!
My idea for a costume would be, I hope, a little more practical and a lot less stress on my pours. It involves a Victorian dress and what will most likely be a painfully tight corset and bustle. Without give too much away, it will also include a horribly ugly hat! The idea seems simple enough until you start looking into the price of purchasing these pieces of clothing. Oh my gosh! It is amazing how much someone will try to charge for pieces of cloth! It reminds me of going to one of the chain Halloween stores to purchase your costume and getting a few scraps of cotton held together by Velcro for $80. I am praying that the Victorian dress sellers have higher quality products but I have my doubts. Being a cheap skate makes me realize that creating the costume is suppose to be the fun part of the whole extravaganza. Where is the excitement in buying a ready made costume off a store shelf? I may not be an expert embroider but mom could give me a few pointers from her High School Home Ec class and maybe even find the sewing machine that is buried in the shed!
I spoke to people who had created their costume last weekend and they seemed so excited to show off what they had done even if it wasn't the fanciest at the party. The pride in their work seemed to glow from their expressions. Their joy is what made me want to join in the fun. Those who purchased their costumes seemed to be having a good time too. The costume ball turned into an outlet for all those who wanted to show their favorite authors who the books changed the reader's lives. And yes, silly vampire books can change someones life even if it is fantasy.
I am not sure if I will buy my costume out of laziness or if I will make it myself just to see if I can! It will most likely be a little bit of both, but one thing is for sure. I will be dressed up at the next gathering that gives me an opportunity to show off my new digs and I will most likely be embarrassed. That is just the way I am!

Book Review: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

A trend in today's book loving world is the genre of YA or young adult. Many known adult authors have started writing for this genre so they would have something their children could read. We have seen many new names as well who seem to popped out of nowhere within this genre. The secret of YA books is that they are not only read by the younger generation around us. There are hoards of adult readers of all ages who rush out to the local bookstore on Tuesdays to pick up the latest YA release. I admit that I am one of them.

The latest book I have chosen to relive the angst of my teenage years through is Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. This book is the second of The Wolves of Mercy Falls Series, and the second series from Ms. Stiefvater. I was excited for the release of Linger due to how much I enjoyed the first installment of the series, Shiver. I had read a review for Shiver that described it as "if Jacob had won" and was immediately intrigued since we all know I have a thing for shifters. Linger continued the love story of Grace and Sam from where we left off.

Grace is your normal seventeen year old from a small town. Well, almost. When our your heroine was a small child, she was bitten and taken by a pack of wolves who lived in the woods that line her backyard. She survived the attack but felt a pull to the woods ever since her rescue. The drawl to the unknown was intensified by a single wolf with yellow eyes who stopped at the property line and watched her through the years.

We now know that the wolf of her childhood was Sam, the love of her life. They have had a blissful few months together since he discovered a cure to the issue of shifting into a wolf when the weather turned cold. Their happy ever after has been compromised by the actions of Sam's adoptive father, Beck and Grace's parents discovering they don't really like the boy who has been hanging around their daughter. To add to the issues, Grace starts to feel ill and Sam is afraid to admit that he knows what is ailing her. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles in their way or will the consequences of other's actions tear them apart for ever?

Linger is a well written book about the emotions and issues of being a teenager with a few added conflicts added in for fun. The story is told from four different character's points of view so the reader knows what emotions are being felt from all sides of the story. Stiefvater portrays the issues of young love and conflict so well that you feel as if you were in their shoes. Many issues are dealt with including untimely death, drug addiction, unrespected love, and teenage sexual pressure. By showing the multiple points of view, answers are given for attitude and choices that would seem idiotic to the average person. You really feel for the characters, especially the ones that you would write off as crazy or just plan mean.

Overall, I thought Linger was a well written story about teenagers trying to survive in an adults world without any help from those they have grown to trust while growing up. There are many issues touched that sensitive topics and I feel they were handled in a graceful way. I feel this book helps enlighten adults into the teenage mind and lets teenagers know that they are not the only ones dealing with the issues they face. Even if those issues don't include an ex-werewolf boyfriend. I give Linger by Maggie Stiefvater Four out of Five Stars.

Book Review: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

The girl who played with fire by Stieg Larsson is installment number two in the Millennium Series. Anyone who has read The girl with a dragon tattoo knows to expect twist and turns like you find on a mountainous back country road but Larsson out did him self with this story. The same characters are present and it seems Lisbeth has found herself in a pickle and is the the number one suspect for three murders on one night. It seems that she has been a busy girl! Mikael takes position to be her knight in shining armor by trying to prove that she did not kill victims and figuring out who the true culprit is. One thing has stayed the same and the main characters soon find themselves in deep water and mortal peril.

I may have jumped on the Larsson bandwagon a little late but it is easy to tell how these books became international best sellers and are going to be a future Hollywood goldmine. The story is intense, keeping you up way to late because you want to read just one more chapter. The violence is raw but the revenge issued leaves a justified sweet taste for your senses. Lisbeth is odd compared to the majority of the population but you grow to love her for her quirks and the moral standing she does not falter from. Mikael is the typical guy next door trying in every way to do the right thing and sometimes messing up the situations with his good intentions. The relationship between the two main characters has grown disconnected due to fear of emotional attachment which I believe every reader can comprehend. Watching one character run and the other slowly pull them back in makes me feel that these characters could live down the road or in this case, across the ocean in Sweden. When things seem to be too outrageous to believe a local reason is always given.

The phenomenal story of how Larsson planned and wrote this amazing series and then suddenly died before seeing his master plan brought into reality is devastating. I wish he could of had more time to finish what I believe would have been a masterpiece series with ten installments but we have been given three wonderful books to peak our imagination. I am some what worried how book three will be closed off and what cliff hangers will remain unanswered but that will not stop me from continuing this intense thriller to the end as we will know it. I give The girl who played with Fire four and a half out of Five stars.

Book Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent

First, I must wipe a tear from my eye. The book I am about to talk about is the end of a great series. It is one of about three series that I suggest to everyone, no matter if they want to hear about it or not. I have even given my cherished copy of the first book to my co-worker hoping that if she ever finds time to read it she will be hooked. I am of course talking about the Shifter Series by Rachel Vincent. I am almost to full stalker status for this poor young lady and I have a feeling that is why she never seems to visit Dallas. I was caught up in her whirl wind of a writing style when I bought Stray off of a suggestion I received on Goodreads and I have been hooked ever since. The Sixth and final book of the series is Alpha, and once again I have been left breathless.

A little background on the series with as few spoilers as possible. Faythe Sanders is your typical Texas girl. She loves her family, especially her father, but she struggles with how how much they control her. She goes away to college instead of marrying her High School sweetheart and starting life on the ranch owned by her family. The one difference between her and any other twenty something across the country is the fact that Faythe is a Shifter. A werecat to be precise. In her tightly controlled society the only thing she is expected to do is marry a strong werecat and make babies. Female werecats are so rare, for the sake of her species, it is her duty in the mind of some to keep trying until she has the much sought after baby girl. Faythe decides to be more then a baby maker and revolts and in the process makes many powerful enemies within her world.

Poor Faythe has had a hard nine months (the length of the series). Not only does it seem that everyone is trying to either imprison or kill her but she has lost those that she loves in the process of fighting back. Not only are her enemies trying to subdue or kill her but it seems they are content with bring down her family in the process. On top of all that, Faythe has made some really stupid decisions throughout the entire ordeal which has turned her life even more upside down then it already was. On the brink of war with her own kind, will Faythe have the control and knowledge needed to save everything she considers special in her life? No matter what you know this fiery feline will not go down without throwing her claws around.

Rachel Vincent has created a world of powerful characters. With every turn of a page, you feel the emotions they are going through. I will not lie and say I did not shed a tear or two while reading Alpha. I cried a bloody river! The sadness, pain, and fear of what is going on around these characters is so well expressed that you would have to be an android not to feel it as you read. You want the good guys to win and you want the bad guys to feel more pain then they have ever had to deal with in their pathetic lives. This is not a fairy tale where the immature main character makes a few mistakes and then lives happily ever after. This story is full of sorrow that changes the characters down to their little fictional souls. At no point in the book does the reader get the feeling that the good guys are going to win. You are just wishing and praying they will get out of the mess in one piece.

The relationships that are developed between certain characters is another amazing feet. There isn't just one knight in shining armor and the stain between the triangle that has been developing over many books as reached a boiling point. There is Mark, her first love and the foundation of her strength. He would go to the moon and back for her, and pretty much has since she left him at the alter before disappearing to college hours away. Then there is Jace. The guy who has always been in the family as her brother's best friend but she has only recently realized that she had more then brotherly feelings towards him. Both characters make you want her to choose them but there is a strong possibility that the boys will kill each other before she ever makes up her mind.

I know I haven't hidden the fact that I am a huge fan of Vincent's writing, but there is a reason for this. When I open one of her books, I am transported into the world she has created and feel as if her characters are real, flaws and all. I am sad that she has closed this chapter in her literary worlds but the way she finalized everything was perfect. Not everyone had the happy ending you may think they deserve but all loose ends were tied up and overall the endings of each part of the story just fit. Sure I wish some characters did not have to go through what they did but these books are developed on realistic human reactions and emotions and had realistic endings even if the characters are based in a Paranormal world. I am more then happy to give Alpha five out of five stars. This series has easily found a place on my re-read shelf.

Book Review: Blameless by Gail Carriger

Normally I wouldn't follow a book review with a review of the next book in the series since variety is the spice of life but the The Parasol Protectorate Series is an exception to this blunder. I have been waiting on baited breath to read the third installment, Blameless, to the point that I would stop at every bookstore I passed to see if they had the book for sale when I heard a rumor from Gail herself that the book was available early in Texas. I finally found it at a Barnes & Noble, which was the last place I expected since when I had heard the same rumor about Changeless, they told me that in no way would they place a book on the self before the publisher's release date. Funny how that works out for me sometimes. So I have the book in my possession and what happens? I get so slammed between work and school that it takes me close to 3 weeks to read it. Not my style or to my liking. I finally finished it last night and all I can say is wow!

As previously stated in the Changeless review, Gail Carriger has created a world set in Victorian England which includes Vampires, Werewolves, and Ghosts, oh my! In this installment, Lady Alexia Maccon finds herself in a delicate condition while it is widely known that her husband, a werewolf of considerable age, could not possibly father children. The whole idea is absurd according to all desirable social circles. Poor Alexia is rejected by her husband and the pack, asked to leave not so nicely from her mother's home, and discovers the one person she thought she could always count on, the vampire rogue Lord Akeldama, has up and disappeared. What is a somewhat well bred lady to do? Go to Italy, the land of coffee and pesto, of course!

Blameless continues Carriger's tradition of the perfect amount of action, controversy, and good ole British humor. The characters each handle the disastrous scandal of unknown paternity in the exact way you would imagine. Alexia decides to travel, Lord Maccon gets drunk even though that should be impossible, and Floote decides it would be an excellent time to carry two petite single shot handguns. All the characters you have grown to love or tolerate, the case may be, make cameos through out the story including Ivy and the wicked half-sisters. The story is well written and slightly complex just like the previous novels in the series. There is also excellent character development while you watch Alexia wrap her head around a pregnancy that should never have come to be. By far, my favorite aspect of the book is the use of language. A wonderful aspect of historical novels is the opportunity to hear a familiar language used in a way that seems foreign. Carriger does the magnificently. At some points I had to stop, re-read the section in question, and laugh hysterically at the ingenious phrasing. Most enjoyable is the name Infant-Inconvenience for the baby who has stirred up a whole lot of trouble in London.

I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys British humor wrapped in a fun, intellectual story. The saddest thing I can think of right now is the fact that I have to wait until July 2011 to read more on the antics of Lord and Lady Maccon and their friends. Excellent work Ms. Carriger! I give Blameless and the series as a whole 5 out of 5 Stars.

Missing under paperwork

I want to apologize for the my long absence from posting reviews. I have been overloaded at work and with school starting, I am surprised I am able to sleep. I am hoping this will change in the near future since help has been recently been hired. Maybe I will actually be able to finish a book in the future. I hope to have my review of Blameless by Gail Carriger up some time next week. Until then, everyone enjoy the thrilling world of football (I do live in Texas after all) and books seen through my eyes will return shortly!

Book Review: Changeless by Gail Carriger

Somewhere in between being a tour guide to family visiting from out of state I was able to finish a book. Changeless by Gail Carriger is a fun steampunk / PNR sequel in the The Parasol Protectorate series. I enjoyed the first book in the series Soulless so much that I ran out for the sequel to the local bookstore on the first day of release. I am ashamed to admit that I have only now made time to read it. That is only one of the issues of having a book addiction like mine. So many books, so little time.

Changeless by Gail Carriger starts off approximately three months after the end of Soulless. It seems our main character has everything she wanted out of life. A loving, but irritable husband, a position of standing in society, and the ear of the queen. The governmental position given to her due to the rare soulless condition she inherited from her Italian father has started to cause issues with her social status of Lady Woolsey. Alexi must figure investigate the mystery of why London's supernatural are suddenly turning mortal, while following social protocol. After all, a lady must never be seen traveling without the appropriate chaperon!

This addition to the series is filled with all the social quirks and British humor that readers fell in love with in Soulless. We still have a best friend with an obsession with ugly hats, a flamboyant vampire, and a cranky husband who happens to be the Alpha of local werewolf pack. New additions to the intriguing cast of characters includes a French business woman who happens to also be an inventor and like to wear men's fashions, including the top hat. The dialogue between characters is priceless and at times will have you laughing out loud. The ending will leave the reader satisfied on most fronts including a twist that was not easy to guess through the story. Some of the minor plot twists are left unsolved to be revisited in the next installment, Blameless, to be released in September of 2010.

Overall, I loved this book. I have been engrossed in the world Carriger created from the beginning. She has taken the popularity of Paranormal novels and given them a new spin. Some of the banter between characters can get tiresome but this is going to happen when a lady of society has to keep up appearances at the same time as investigating the Paranormal. Especially when you have a family like hers. I gave Changeless by Gail Carriger 4 out of 5 stars and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Book Review: Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

Where can I begin when it comes to the Black Dagger Brotherhood? I am having an on going love affair with the Brothers that is not so secret. I have been known to look at pimped out Escalades and wonder why V and Butch are out during the day. Anyone with a mohawk are instantly compared to Rhev and I refer to John Matthew, Quinn and Blay as our boys and comment on how they grow up so fast. I admit that I am an addict and the WARDen is my dealer. With that being said, I will do my best to give a non bias review on the latest chapter in the BDB saga, Lover Mine.

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward is the 8th installment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. For those who are not familiar with the series, the Black Dagger Brotherhood is a group of warriors whose one mission is to protect the vampire society who have been living in the shadows for centuries. Vampires have been villianized in human culture as murders when in reality they are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who only want to live their lives in peace. The Brothers, bred through the centuries for their one purpose, protect the civilians and the King, live their long lives removing the threats to society while keeping their existence a secret from the humans.

In this installment we look further into the mind of John Mathew. The story picks up approximately four weeks after the events of Lover Avenged. The war with the Lesser Society is growing more difficult now that the Son of the Omega has been found and it just happens that Johnny boy has a personal grudge against the son of evil. 

As with the previous books in the series, Lover Mine is filled with action, drama, and pieces of the overall puzzle that creates who the Brothers were and who they will become. We are given many of the puzzles pieces within this story that helps the readers understand why each brother is the way they are. I think one of the most important pieces given helps explain the bond between Tohr and John and why John has always been drawn to Xhex. The mood of the story is depressing with breadcrumbs of hope thrown in at places. The world of the Brothers is filled with death and war but it is seen that if they support each other, happiness can be found for the warriors.

I largest complaint I have heard about this series is the writing. J.R. Ward does not write in a classic literary style. That is obvious in the first page of any of her novels. I feel that her style is best described as Modern Urban. Her words reflect how the characters think. These are men who have been to hell and back to protect what they feel is sacred. They speak and think in an urban tone and the books would not work if she had written them in proper English. It does take a bit to get use to the writing style but once you do, it feels as if you are one with the characters which is the mission of an author in the first place.

Overall, I loved John Matthew's addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. He has been one of my favorite characters since Bella brought him into our world. It pains me to see all the pain he has dealt with in his life but it makes me overjoyed that he found the brothers and can live the life he was meant to have. Each character has been given a personal pain that they must deal with. Together, they cope and move on from their past to live a life with happiness. Some of the characters are still in the process of coping but just like in the real world, progress takes time and will not happen overnight, or in this case within one book. A reader is drawn in to care about the characters of this world which is main reason I feel the WARDen has so many faithful followers. I give Lover Mine by J.R. Ward 4 out of 5 Stars.

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I will admit I bought this book for two reasons. One, the bright cover kept grabbing my attention and two, it seemed like everyone was reading it. I thought to myself "well it has to be popular for a reason." I should have known better since that is how I became addicted to Harry Potter and Twilight, but another addict no where in my thought process I started reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

This is another book I picked up with even knowing what genre it was. I found out quickly. The main character, Mikael Blomkvist is a financial report with an independent magazine and he has just been dealt a career king verdict of guilty for liable. Instead of taking his co-workers and friends down with him, he decides to take a job offer from a prominent industrialist to write the family biography. The family history includes not only business prowlness, but Nazis, family squabbles and the disappearance of a loved family member. A simple fluff job ends up being a mystery Mikael and his companions will never forget.

I haven't read a mystery novel in many years and I am happy I started back up with this one. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo had me sitting on the edge of my seat, or bed depending on the time I was reading, with every chapter. The events that unfolded through out the novel had me saying out loud, "Your kidding right?" The characters were strong at some points and fragile in others. They were well rounded and the words portrayed their emotions expertly. At no point did I feel a character was just plain unrealistic and with some of the situations they came across I think this is the greatest achievement of the novel.

I will warn you that there are a few sensitive subjects of the sexual nature in the book. I can not go any deeper into this without giving away plot points but if you have a sensitive stomach towards forceful sex or rape, this is not the book for you.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first in the Millennium Trilogy and it is safe to say I will be reading the next. Even though this piece was wrapped up very well, especially with how many side plots were floating around, I have a yearning to find out what happens next for the characters, especially the female lead. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: The Girl who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

Reading this book was chosen for me by the wonderful ladies of http://girlsinthestacks.com/. I have joined their book club in the effort to socialize outside of the computer world. The Girl who Chased the Moon was the first book we were to read as a group. I didn't know much about the book when I opened the cover other then it had a very pretty and inviting cover. I will say that the cover was just the start to joy this book holds.

The Girl who Chased the Moon is a book about a teenager named Emily. Her world has been turned upside down by the death of single parent mother. Emily has been shipped off to live with her grandfather for whom she has never met before. The small southern town where her mother had grown up, was about to reveal secrets Emily could of never imagined.

The book was a charming read. You were dragged into the surroundings of Mullaby, North Carolina and could almost smell the barbecue described as you are reading. The characters were well developed and balance. You cared what was going to happen to them on up and coming pages.

There are two romantic story lines flowing at the same time. The main, about Emily and her relationship with the mayor's son Winn. The second is between Emily's neighbor Julia and a lost love Sawyer. The split in romance time reminds the reader of the difference between Adult and Teenage love and the issues that can arise from both. The lessons of acceptance and forgiveness are also mingled in.

Even though romance was present in the book I would not call it a romance novel. It held a charisma that made the book almost magical. There is a hint or two towards oddities or unexplainable occurrences but did not have the feel of a fantasy or paranormal story. The book was nicely balanced with all of these attributes and makes the reader crave the story for what it is.

Overall I was gleefully shocked at how much I enjoyed The Girl who Chased the Moon. Even though the ending was wrapped up very nicely and could be a stand alone novel with success, I am hoping for a little bit more. I don't want to leave the characters or the environment. It held that southern charm that makes people want to move to small towns, like Mullaby, after you have only been visiting for a few hours. It is a perfect summer read next to the pool or at the beach. I gave The Girl who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen 5 out of 5 Stars!

On a side note, the author was very gracious and sent our book club a number of gifts including two of the recipes mentioned in the book and nameplates personally signed by her. Between her excellent writing and her generosity, I will be picking up her next book without hesitation.

Book Review: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Sorry for the gap in my reviews. Between work and school any free time I have is used to catch my breath. I will work on not letting a month go by between book reviews again.

This review is on Dead in the Family, the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. There will be Series spoiler in this review but there will not be Book spoilers. If you are not caught up in the series I would suggest waiting to read this post.

Ah, Sookie... where should we start. Ms. Stackhouse has found herself in a perdicament once again. For a normal Southern Waitress, well except for the reading minds thing, she has a knack for attracting trouble. It seems that every paranormal group wants something from her. In this book we have visits from the Fae, Werewolves, Shifters, and some of our favorite Vampires. Not all of our visitors have the Sookie's safety in mind.

One major development that has been revealed is Sookie has finally made her mind up on who she wants to be her knight in shinning armor. There will be many shippers out there who are not happy with development. But with so many yummy choices we couldn't all be happy. Personally, I had a limb on a few of those ships. Unfortunately, like in real life, the happy ever after does not seem to be in the near future. Poor Sookie is even having doubts about her love and the relationship as a whole. That is one reason why I think the series has such a strong following. The main characters may be fictitious and even supernatural but they have the same issues that the rest of us do. Looks like no one is safe from the real world, even our favorite literary characters.

The book as a whole left me wanting. If felt more like a filler for the grand finale, which, as of now, will be three more books. With a series as long as this one, it is logical that not all the books will have the same punch hiding in between the cover as our individual favorites so I try not to hold that against the newest edition but I am so in love with the world that Harris has created that I wanted to be drawn in and never have to leave. This book did not give me that feeling. I am hoping that the developments given within this storyline are setting up for a whammy of intrigue in the next few books. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until next May to find out what is going to happen to poor Sookie next.

I gave Dead in the Family 3 stars. I liked the book but not with the love and desire I have for a number of the earlier books in the series.

Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

It is Friday night and I seriously need to catch up on my book reviews. Earlier this week I read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I had heard many interesting things about this book and the series as a whole. That kind of buzz I couldn't just ignore so I picked up this massive brick of a book and dove right in.

The series is about a British young lady named Claire Randall who is returning to her life and her husband after serving as a combat nurse in WWII. While on a "second honeymoon" type trip in Scotland to rekindle the love between her and her husband, Claire is mysteriously swept away through a time portal to the year 1743. While trying to find a way home, she learns about the past, human nature, love and in the end, herself.

Outlander would be considered a historical fiction with a twist of romance added in for flavor. It shows modern day readers that those we would consider to be barbarians by the way they live were human the same as we are. Living in a simpler time with out the use of modern technology did not make this society less intelligent or unfeeling. It also opens the readers mind to bigotry and prejudices that surround us today. In the end, we are all human with the same desires and feelings to drive us as people.

This book moved slowly at first to build a world post WWII and then in the past. This may keep readers from letting themselves flow into the story that is unfolding. Once the worlds are established and the characters start showing their personalities, I could not put the book down. The situations the characters find themselves in over and over again seem unbelievable until you remember that the story is taking place during a time when superstition was the basis of many people's actions. Claire, being a modern woman, brings a number of troubling situations upon herself not remembering religion and superstition was the only logic one could follow at this time. Through out the book she learns more about herself and how she wants to live her life and realizes, maybe the simple type of life isn't as scary as she originally imagined.

I have to place a warning for those with a queasy stomach. This book is not for the faint at heart! There is torture, a high amount of sex, possible rape be strangers, and possessive sex that some consider rape between lovers. Most of the negative reviews I have read about this book hinge on these points. I discount some of these as a bad thing when I think about the time period the majority of the story takes place in. In the 18th century, women were possessions. First of their fathers, then of the their husbands. I actually applaud Gabaldon for placing this conflict in the story. This is one reason why I consider this a historical fiction and not a straight romance novel.

Overall, I loved this book and as soon as I finished I wanted to dive into the next installment of the series. The characters grabbed me and drew me in. Especially the main male character, Jaime. He is who the shirt that says, "Boys in books are so much better" was created for. I gave the book 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review:The Pleasure Palace (Secrets of the Tudor Court #1)

I discovered the author Kate Emerson the Goodreads.com Tudor Lover group. Many were talking about how she brought a new style to Tudor Era Historical Fiction. Emerson mentions in an Author interview at the end of the book that she wanted to write about little known figures from a very well known period of history. She chose a French born companion of Henry the VII's children, Jane Popynocourt. This young lady was placed in the royal childrens' household to help them speak french fluently. Through the years, Jane became a trusted friend of Lady Mary Tudor, the future Queen of France and later, Lady Charles Brandon. Eventually she was a lady in waiting for Queen Katherine of Aragon. There is little more that is known about Jane from historical documents. Emerson imagined a life of Courtly politics and seduction for the young Jane Popyncourt, which is feasible for a young, poor, lady of the court during that time period.

The story was a well developed romance with some mystery mixed in and a well written look into the life at the Tudor Court for those who served the Royal Family. Emerson portrays the life of the young royal children nicely and gives you some in site to how it must of been to be raised royal during that time period. Young Jane was practically a servant at the tender age of Eight when she was brought to be a companion at the royal estate. At that young age, she learned how to work the system to become favored among those Royals who decided how comfortable a person was to live.

I enjoyed reading about prominent Tudor characters, Henry VII, Mary Tudor, Margaret Tudor, Charles Brandon, and Will Compton as children and watching them grow into the overpowering figures of History that they became. Through the eyes of Jane, you almost feel like a fly on the wall of history, watching events develop that turned into pieces of history that you read about in the Non-Fiction pieces of work.

Emerson doesn't only elaborate on people and event. She spends a great deal of time describing the world that the characters lived in. The homes, castles, clothes, and conditions in which the characters lived is illustrated in great detail through out the book. I have read that some readers did not appreciate such detail in the book but I enjoyed the visuals the descriptions gave me and made it possible to envision the scenes as if I was looking into the time.

Overall, I felt The Pleasure Palace by Kate Emerson, was a wonderful look into a time frame I love to read about. The description of the characters and the time frame was very rich with detail and made me feel as if I was standing there with the characters. The twists and turns within the story were some what predictable but overall it was a very enjoyable read. I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: City of Ashes by Clarissa Clare

Here goes nothing! This will be my first book review and it is an excellent book to start with. City of Ashes is the second installment in the Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. It is your typical Coming of Age Paranormal Adventure where a normal all American teenager, in this case, girl finds out the world is not what it seems and her family has been hiding a deep dark secret. What makes this story different is Clares ability to surprise me with with plot turns and curves that seem like you are going over the edge of a cliff! Personally, I normally see surprises in the story from a mile away but Clare gives subtle clues within her writing that when it hits, I want to smack myself for not seeing it coming. Very few authors can do that to me these days.

The story as a whole is well thought out and intriguing to an "Alternate Reality" lover like my self. Even though the story takes place in modern surroundings, the sub worlds she creates for the paranormal characters draws you in and doesn't want to let go. One thing I wish she would develop more is the Shadowhunter's world. Take the story out of the world the readers are comfortable in and let us explore more of the world we hear many of the main characters pine for. I am hoping this is what happens in the third book of the series.

The characters are simplistic, which I feel they should be since this is a Young Adult novel, which can rub a reader the wrong way. For those adults who are reading the series, I just want to remind you of how you acted when you were sixteen. I still want to hit myself now for some of the stupid things I did or believed during High School and well, lets be honest, college. Clare was aiming for a age group that tends to be superficial and have lowered self-esteem thanks to media and society in general. The characters have been developed to exactly as teenage characters should be, in my opinion.

The only issue I have with City of Ashes or with Clares story telling in general, is the lack of impacting death. This is a number of small civilizations at war and no one of importance seems to be affected. The were deaths in this book of course. You couldn't have everyone live during the big battle scene at the end, but the most dangerous wound seemed to be getting sprayed by toxic goo. At no moment did I think that we were going to lose a supporting character. Majority of those who did die were so minor that I almost missed them being mentioned on previous pages. The stories being produced today have darkness surrounding them. I honestly don't think many people expect or even want the happy ever after ending for every person who has been mentioned on more then twenty pages.

Overall, I am really enjoying this series. It will be difficult to hold off for a bit before I read the next installment, City of Glass, to find out how the "love triangle / what are they thinking?!" works out and where the story leads Jace, Clary and the gang to next. I have my own theories of course, but I will keep them to myself at this moment!

The why's and how's

My love for reading has pushed me to start a blog based on the reviews of the books that take up the majority of my free time. I am determined to write a review for approx. 90% of the books I read which should be about 10 books a month. I also have a few book readings / signings marked on my calendar over the next few months that I intend to comment on. I am not sure how far this will go but I intend to let it flourish until I can't seem to keep up with it or I just run out of time. Let's see which comes first!