My Most Recent Blog Posts

Book 6: Blame It on the Blackout by Heidi Betts

Peter Reynolds is one of the best computer experts in the business, known for his talent for fixing bugs and creating exciting video games. What people don't know though is that Lucy Grainger is his life saver. She's his assistant and there is no one better at keeping Peter on track.

Anotehr thing peple don't know, Peter himself included in that category, is that Lucy is madly in love with him, though she knows they can never be together. He's a playboy, terrified of commitment and Lucy is a marriage and babies kind of woman.

Then one night at a charity gala, a blackout traps Lucy and Peter in an elevator. For one night, Lucy can have all she's ever desired... and that changes everything.

This is the prequel to the book I blogged yesterday. Fortunatley, though the stories are linked through the heroes being best friends, my enjoyment of the books was not affected by reading out of order.

Heidi sure knows how to tell a passion filled story! But she never forgets to throw a little humor in to shake things up a bit.

I wanted to smack Peter and Lucy for refusing to tell each other how they feel but they did have their reasons. LOL And the story wouldn't have been the same if they had. I loved Peter. He's just so clueless he's adorable and it doesn't hurt that he has a body to die for that drives the women wild. Lucy is a spirited woman but she is very tenderhearted as well.

 

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Book 5: When the Lights Go Down by Heidi Betts

I've been reading nothing but review books for so long trying to catch up that I decided to treat myself and read one I've been wanting to FORever. And since it came out in 2005, youo kow it's been sitting on my shelf a while.

Gwen is tired of being a Plain Jane and a virgin. So on her 31st birthday, she calls in sick to the library where she works and plans to go have a total makeover. The hair, the clothes, the stiletto shoes, and even a behavioral change.

Her greatest birthday wish is to finally lose her virginity. So when she is ready to leave up at the greatest night club in town, The Hot Spot, with a sleazy guy whos only mission in life is more notches in the bedpost, she is rescued by club owner Ethan. What he doesn't realize is that he just granted Gwen's wish when he takes her home with him.

But in the light of day, can Gwen keep up the facade when it becomes apparent Ethan is interested in more than a one night stand?

I've been following Heidi since her historical days and I've bought every single one of her Desires as they've been released. But this is the first I read. And wouldn't you know I picked up the second of two linked books to read first? LOL

Anyhow, I love Heidi's style and she really knows how to make you care about the characters. I also liked the complete role reversal between Gwen and Ethan. Sh's the one after only a fling and Ethan quickly decides he wants long term. So that made it interesting, especially since Gwen had to tell so many little white lies initially to keep up the ruse that she's a wild child.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Book 4: Blood Ties Book 3: Ashes to Ashes by Jennifer Armintrout

Carrie's life, or rather, her un-life, is finally getting on track and things are looking very good for her and Nathan after all the turmoil. But of course, Carrie was never meant for a simple life. Word reaches them that the headquarters of the Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement has been destroyed and the Oracle, the most dangerous of all vampires except maybe for the Soul Eater, is on the loose. Then, when it seems things couldn't get any worse, all clues point to the Oracle teaming up with the Soul eater, whose own plans involve becoming a god above human, vampires, werewolves, and all else.

Then there is Carrie's being torn between her two men, her two sires, Nathan and Cyrus. Cyrus may be human now, but if possible, Carrie is drawn to him even more becasue of his humanity. And we can't forget Max and Bella, two assassins, one vampire and one werewolf who have found what all believed impossible - love between the species.

And this is just the beginning...

Well it's no secret I've been iffy on whether or not I liked this series (Carrie in particular). While this one was far better than the second book, it still shows a lot of room for improvement. Once again, the story really drags on for a while though it picked up a bit when the Pracle made clear her plans. But there's a lot of travelling all over the place again, somewhat aimlessly.

Carrie still can't make up her mind if she wants Nathan or Cyrus, and she still whines a lot. I DO love Max and Bella though and their love stsory got me interested far more than Carrie and Nathan's. I like the new Cyrus though, now that he's discovered love (see Possession) and has gained a conscience with his humanity.

The Oracle is horribly evil, as is the Soul Eater, so you know when these two get together, our characters are in for a hell of a time. I would have liked to see them a little more though. We see them here and there throurgout, but mostly towards the end.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Book 3 - Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen

After her mother was murdered when she was 15, Megan went to live with her uncle, and has almost completely silenced the voices she heard in her head. What Mgan doesn't understand is that she is a Listener, able to hear the voices of people who have died. Until someone tries to kill her...

Neal Grady has been protecting Megan ever since the fateful nght her mother was killed. He has used his own psychic abilities to relieve the burden of the horrors Megan's gift brings her. But now he has returned. It appears Molino, the man who killed Megan's mother in a fit of vengeance and rage, has found Megan and will do anything to kill her too. but neal will do anything to protect Megan from such evil.

Molino wants the Ledger, a book that holds all the secrets to the psychically talented family Megan is believed to be descended from and he intends to use it to kill off all the "freaks." linked through the family. Megan's mother killed Molino's son with her gifts, convincing Molino she is a Pandora, the most dangerous of all psychic talents.

I dind't describe the story as well as I'd have liked but I hope I gave a fair impression anyhow. LOL

This was the abridged version of the audio book and i think some of the editing could've been better to not jump around quite so much from scene to scene. I expect teh parts cut out did a better job of transitioning. This was a very compelling book, fast paced, lots of suspense and I loved the addition of the various psychic gifts and how the talented used them, especially the Pandoras.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Book 2 - Sins of the Flesh by Devyn Quinn

Rachel has just lost everything, forced into bankruptcy after her ex boyfriend stole all her money and she had to close down her little book store. Desperate to find a job, any job, that will pay the bills she ends up at Mystique, the hot Goth Club that is the place to hang out. Not exactly thrilled with the idea of pushing drinks with her body, she knows it will make her plenty of money to get out of debt. She never counted on Devon...

Devon is the owner of the club who knows Rachel is meant for him the moment he sees her. He also hides a dark and sexy secret. Devon is one of the Kynn, vampires that feed on the sexual energies of humans, drinking small amounts of blood to forge the sexual bond necessary for full satisfaction. He has long been alone, and desires above all else to bring Rachel over into his world. But will the eroticism of their relationship be enough to convince her to join him in eternity?

Wow! This is one hot hot HOT book. I did have to skip a couple chapters (one is a vividly detailed sex scene between two men and one is a massive orgy) that were just too much for me, but I loved the rest of the book. I've known Devyn for several years, under many pseudonyms and her way with words to tell a beautiful and sexually charged story gets me every time.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Night's Eternal Promise by Julie D'Arcy

Vincent is a young man in the 1700s when he is turned into a vampire. His sire is one of the ancients, originating in Egypt and she quickly becomes obsessed with Vincent. After he flees Epatha and her dangerous fascination with him, she swears vengeance, destroying everyone, especially women who Vincent grows attached to.

Alara is a police detective who believes vampires are real after watching her childhood boyfriend killed by a mysterious person who flees into the night. Now Alara is investigating a string of murders that suspiciously remind her of hat death she witnessed so many years ago. When Vincent arrives in town, Alara is hopelessly drawn to him, even though she fears he may somehow be connected to the killings.

But vampires are real as alara quickly finds out and now she and Vincent are in a fight for their life to escape Epatha's insanity, even going so far as to flee into the past hoping to stop Epatha before she can ever turn Vincent.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, though it did tend to drag on in a few places. I especially liked the addition of Native American Shamanism that curses Vincent and may also be the key to saving him.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

books I've read so far in Challenge 2008

I am hoping to get real reviews written of these for my website's update this month which is why I'm not blogging at the challenge yet. I'll add the final reviews. And if I don't get the final reviews done, I'll post entries over there for each full length book.

So here we go:

Book 1 - Blood Lust by JM Jeffries - trade paperback - Kensington/Genesis Press - Multi-cultural, paranormal Romance/Vampire

Book 2 - Blood Seduction by JM Jeffries - trade paperback - Kensington/Genesis Press - Multi-cultural, paranormal Romance/Vampire

Book 3 - Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning - unabridged audio - Delacorte/Brilliance Audio - Dark Fantasy

Book 4 - Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning - unabridged audio - Delacorte/Brilliance Audio - Dark Fantasy

Short stories:
A Fairy Tale Romance: A View from the Clouds by Joy Nash - eBook - New Concepts Publishing - Contemporary Erotica/Light Fantasy

A Fairy Tale Romance: A Mysterious Knight by Anita Verkerk - eBook - New Concepts Publishing - Erotica

Harlequin Minis:
Bayou Reunion by Rebecca York - eBook - Harlequin Mini - Contemporary Romance

24 Hours by Kay David - eBook - Harlequin Mini - Romantic Suspense

Current reads:
Sins of the Flesh by Devyn Quinn (print)
The Last Noel by Heather Graham (audio)
Night's Eternal Promise by Julie D'Arcy (eBook)
Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen (audio)
Blood Ties Book 3: Ashes to Ashes by Jennifer Armintrout (audio)

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Scions Book 1: Resurrection by Patrice Michelle

Harlequin Enterprises/Silhouette Nocturne #31
Paranormal Romance/Dark Fantasy
Paranormal Romance/Vampire
Mass Market Paperback
Rating: 4.5

A CK2S Recommended Read!

Vampires are extinct... or are they?

Ariel's family was slaughtered by vampires and she's the only one left. Hoping to conquer her fear of the monsters once and for all, she wrote a vampire romance novel intending for it to purge the horror from her mind. Unfortunately, all it did was cause a huge controversy over the existence of vampires… and bring her to the attention of the Sanguinas. The Sanguinas are a vampire clan hiding out in the forests, just trying to survive in a world where human blood is deadly to them.

Jachin was banished from the Sanguinas and made to live in human society, hiding his true nature from everyone, and killing for money. When he discovers a supposedly fictional novel based on the very prophecy that has kept his hopes alive, believing that someday vampires would once again be able to live free. He knows he has part of the answer - if only he can get Ariel to the vampire leader who banished him, to fulfill the prophecy.

Jachin never counted on falling for the stubborn woman.

I've never read a Patrice Michelle novel before since she writes primarily erotica, but since Resurrection is a Nocturne I knew the heat level would be dialed down a bit. Then there is the fact that the story sounded so wonderful that I just couldn't resist. What a fantastic book! Action levels are intense and high, keeping the book fast paced and engrossing. The romance is beautifully done, with so much conflict and tension between Ariel and Jachin that we wonder how they will ever make it at the same time we know they are meant for each other.

World building is brilliantly done, with Resurrection taking place in a near future society. Here, the vampires are a failed laboratory experiment and human blood has somehow become poisoned, forcing the vampires to rely on each other for the nourishing blood they require. What a great concept. While this in itself isn’t exactly a new idea, Patrice Michelle handles it with finesse, making it become fresh and exciting.

Of course, knowing Patrice Michelle is known for her erotic romance stories, I expected the heat to rise as soon as Ariel and Jachin meet. The sexual tension between them is intense, sparking the moment Jachin flies in to throw Ariel over his shoulder and whisk her away to safety (but was it really safe?) from her newly indentified enemies. Sparks fly every time Ariel and Jachin are together and when they finally break down, caving under the pressure of their undeniable attraction, the love scenes will singe your fingers with their intensity.

I found Resurrection to be a sexy and satisfying read that I hated having to put away so I could take care of those mundane things in life like work and sleep. While this volume in the series is complete in and of itself, the ending hints and future events sure to be delved into with future books in the series. I was left hungering for more of the exciting Scions world, eager to know what is still to come.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, December 2007. All rights reserved.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Keeper of the King by Nigel Bennett and PN Elrod

Buzzy Multimedia
Fantasy
Abridged Audio Book
Rating: 3

Richard Dunn is a knight who desperately needs to win the tourney he's competing in if he hopes to make any kind of name for himself. But just as he's about to win, Sabra steps in. The Goddess needs someone to champion for King Arthur and she has chosen Richard for this honor, using her servant Sabra to convert him to a vampire.

Now in present day Richard is working on a case to see why the IRA is after an ancient manuscript. However, at the same time, his beloved Sabra is dying, losing her battle with the vampire beast within. Richard must find the famed Holy Grail to save his love and save himself, for he is also losing control of his beast. With only his failing immortal lover and his new mortal love to assist him, will it be enough to conquer evil once more?

I’ve been meaning to try PN Elrod for a long time and just never seem to find the time to squeeze her in. So when I had the opportunity to try Keeper of the King I took advantage of it. I loved the whole different twist on vampire lore, having them born as protectors of the Goddess and her chosen ones like King Arthur and everything they stand for. While some of the traditional vampire weaknesses were found here, there were a couple I don’t recall seeing before. For example, the idea of having fresh running water like streams and lakes be so dangerous to them. I don’t remember ever seeing that before. I also liked the idea that they aren’t quite as immortal as everyone, including their own kind, believes. That added a sense of urgency to the story, having Richard in a race against time as well as enemies, to save Sabra.

While the abridgement was well done and the story presented in the audio version felt complete and that it wasn’t missing much, there was a noticeable absence of what I can only assume was one of the secondary plots, based on the title. Aside from the King Arthur connection in the conversion of Richard to a vampire and the grail quest, that aspect of the story was absent. The focus of the story was on uncovering the plans of the IRA and their hired assassin and the race to find the grail. I would have loved to see an unabridged version that included more of the Arthurian lore I can only assume was edited down.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, December 2007. All rights reserved.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel by Marie Phillips

Little, Brown
Contemporary Fiction
Hardcover
Rating: 2

Courtesy of Amazon

Well I had high hopes for Gods Behaving Badly when I read the description, I am sorry to say the book did not even come close to living up to my expectations.

The Greek Gods are alive and well and living in a London town house. Unfortunately, being a God isn't what it used to be. They barely have any powers left and they actually had to get REAL jobs! Now they are performing menial duties like dog walking and being a phone sex operator, among other things.

When boredom and spite cause Aphrodite and Apollo to have a spat, the whole city (and world) is turned on its axis. And poor sweet innocent house cleaner Alice and the kind-hearted Neil are caught in the middle. Will the awakening love between Neil and Alice be enough to save the world and restore the faith of humans in the gods again?

While the premise of Gods Behaving Badly sounded absolutely delightful, I was sorely disappointed. Heck, only two weeks after reading it, I can barely remember most of what happened when usually stories stay with me a long time. So I guess that says something about my attention span towards this novel.

Yes, we know historically the gods were often portrayed as very vengeful and petty, taking their pleasure wherever they desire and in this story they are no different. You’d think a few millennia would make them grow up a bit but that is definitely not the case. They are all selfish and enjoy throwing their power around (or did until their magic started waning) and were so blasted annoying I found absolutely no humor in most of them. The only ones I even remotely enjoyed were Artemis and Ares. These two alone had me curious enough to continue reading when I would rather have put the book down unfinished.

The only other redeeming qualities I found in Gods Behaving Badly were Alice and Neil. Watching these two develop their relationship was delightful and shows what real love can do. They are two very normal, almost invisible to most of society, but that’s a big part of why they appealed to me. I can see so many people that remind me of these two. Neil’s development especially I enjoyed as he shows us what real heroism is – doing what must be done even though you are absolutely terrified of the outcome.

Maybe I just don’t understand British humor as well as I thought I did. Or maybe Gods Behaving Badly is just that unamusing. I really can’t say. I loved the whole concept. Unfortunately, the author didn’t deliver for me.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, November 2007. All rights reserved.

Go visit my blog for the 2007 10K Challenge!

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