MAKING THE MOVE TO WORDPRESS!

Yep. I'm doing it! I've decided to make the move from a blogger blog to self hosted WP. Crazy, no?! I've very little clue as to what I'm doing, but, we'll see if I totally bring down the internet in my move. :D

So, if you follow me via feedly or networked blogs, or any other way to follow me, please update the site. It's kinda bare right now, but don't worry. We'll get there, eventually!

http://lostandfoundinfiction.com/

I won't be deleting this blog. Just in case I totally mess this up. So if something isn't working here or on the new site (links, comments, etc) hit me up via the contact page under review requests or you can DM me on twitter at:

@KatMorrisey

Thanks for your patience during this transition! 

ARC Review: Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

Title: Lingerie Wars
Author: Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: June 14, 2013

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

Englishman Lake Benson loaned his life savings to his dippy sister so that she could buy a shop. It was a big mistake. His sister has been steadily flushing his money down the drain – and now he wants it back. Years in the special forces taught Lake that if you want a job done, do it yourself. So he steps in to make the shop profitable, sell it and get his money back. The only problem is, the business is an underwear shop. And all Lake knows about underwear can be summed up in how fast he can unsnap a bra. To make matters worse, the tiny highland town already has a lingerie shop. A successful one, run by an ex-lingerie model. A very gorgeous ex-lingerie model, who’s distracting him from his mission more than he’d like to admit. If Lake wants to get his savings back, and get out of Scotland, he only has one option – wipe out the competition.

Kirsty Campbell has spent years rebuilding her life after she woke up in hospital in Spain to find her body scarred, and her ex-fiance had run off with all her money. The last thing she needs is a cocky, English soldier-boy trying to ruin all she has left. Her home town is only too happy to help her fight the latest English invasion, although Lake is beginning to sway them with his sex appeal and cut price knickers. With the help of her mother, and the retired ladies of Knit or Die, Kirsty sets about making sure that her shop is the last one standing in Invertary.

It’s Scotland versus England as you’ve never seen it before. It’s lingerie war.

My Thoughts:

What a great book! This one made me laugh, a lot, while also being sweet with just enough steam to keep things interesting.

In Lingerie Wars, we meet Lake, who has come to the small town of Invertary, Scotland to bail his sister out. Again. Rainne borrowed Lake's money to buy a lingerie shop. But wasn't doing that great a job in making money. Or running it. Or competing with the other lingerie shop in town, which Rainne had failed to tell Lake about. So Lake come's to his sister's rescue and runs into Kirsty, the owner of the other shop. Kirsty is struggling, in both business and life. She's recovering from injuries she sustained in a very bad car accident as well as her ex-fiance having run off with all her money. See, Kirsty had been a lingerie model before hte accident. But now, the scars, emotional and phsycial, are keeping her closed off. She still has family and friends of course, but she isn't putting herself out there like she used to.

But all that changes when the competition between Kirsty's store and Lake/Rainne/Betty's store, heats up. The "war" has everyone in town taking sides and in some cases, joining in to bring down the other with often crazy, hair-brained antics. The break in while Lake and Kirsty were having dinner had to be one of the best comedic scenes I've ever read in fact. It had me laughing until my stomach hurt. But in addition to the shenanigans as they tried to out-do the other, there was also tension between Kirsty and Lake. A good and sexy kind of tension that caused its own problems, and some times detentes, in the war. But even though the two recognized their feelings for each other, there were still secrets. Lake was in Invertary for a reason and he wasn't staying long, after all. He had other plans; other things to do. And once the war was done and he came out on top, would take his leave.

Too bad Kirsty and Rainne were left in the dark about that.

I don't want to go too deep in the weeds about what happens in this book because I don't want to give anything away. But I do want to address an important part that was touching, sweet and had a personal impact on me. And that was when Lake helped Kirsty deal with her scar issues. Having several scars myself from childhood surgeries, I know all about the self-consciousness they can cause. Mine are barely visible anymore, but they're still there, or at least, I know they are there. And it bugs me to no end. In the back of mind I'm always thinking someone will see, or comment on them, or just even think something about them. I'm better with them now than when I was younger but still, dealing with scars, emotional and/or physical can be tough. And even if people can't see them, that doesn't mean they don't effect the person who has them in significant ways. In Lingerie Wars I thought that the author dealt with Kirsty's issues in a very realistic and respectful manner. The way Lake saw past all that, and the way he handled Kirsty with such great care (at least regarding those issues!) was fantastic. And because of that and the way he took things slow, for her, was beautiful. Lake waited patiently while she came to terms with the fact that yes, a man like Lake liked her and didn't care one lick about the scars. The scars didn't define her and they didn't make her less of a person. It was almost like he didn't like her in spite of her scars, but instead he liked her because of them (or at least in part) and how they showed she was strong and a survivor.

I knew that there would be a "bad guy" and I was waiting awhile for him to show up. I think the way this part of the story was handled worked well. The suspense didn't overpower the story this way nor did the author get too far in the weeds about any grand conspiracies or massive crime rings. Instead the author kept the focus on Kirsty and Lake, their lingerie war, with just a dash of a "baddie" to deal with. But again, I want to stress that this book isn't just about a war between two lingerie shops. Lake's presence and undeniable attraction to Kirsty, as well as their "war", helped Kirsty move on from a traumatic past. It not only helped her in her business, but it also gave Kirsty the courage to put herself out there again and not let her stupid ex and what he did keep her down. Lake opened her up to a whole new world, and life, and it was a great journey to be a part of.

I'm excited for the next book in this series and hopefully we see more of the Invertary residents we were introduced to. Betty was a hoot and I laughed so hard in some of those scenes. And the cardboard cut-out of Lake?! I was laughing so hard at one point I couldn't even speak. Oh, and we can't forget the Knit or Die group. When they had the t-shirts made that said "SOD OFF", I could not stop the tears of laughter streaking down my cheeks. Caroline also made me smile; she was sweet and nice and I really hope she gets an HEA at some point in the series. I hated Lake's parents though. They were awful and mean and I wanted to run them over with their bus. And isn't that the mark of a good author, making me want to commit violence against fictional characters?! :D

I do need to mention the side story of Alistair and Rainne. Dear god, that part broke my heart. Just shattered it. I even dreamt about them when I went to bed and I woke up with all these feels and angst, and just, I can't even explain it without giving too much away! (Gah! If anyone has read this, or when you do, we need to exchange notes on that!!) . That's how much of an impact their story had on me. I wonder if we'll see them again. I hope so.

This is a fun, sweet, romantic, and humorous read that I would recommend to anyone likes to both laugh and swoon while reading. The writing was well done and I saw zero, yeah, I said -zero- editing issues. All in all, a solid read and one which I will likely re-read again and again. Now what are you waiting for? Start reading!

Here are the purchase/info links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Goodreads

*I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves [9]: The Week in Review

 
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. From Kimba's website, "this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies."

I was having such a great week until my car broke down on Thursday and I had to take it into the shop. Then it was 48 hours of freaking out, crying and more freaking out because I was worried it would be thousands of bucks (that's how scary the break down was) to fix it.

Well, either my mechanic is a genius or I have no clue about cars. And honestly, I think both of those are true. While the repairs put a dent in the wallet (as in, no more books until next pay day), they weren't nearly as bad as I'd thought they'd be. Thank God.

Also, and as an important side note, the mechanics working on my car were seriously hot. I couldn't stop staring. And when one spoke to me I don't remember actually forming words to respond. I probably looked like a moron but their hotness overrode the circuits in my brain. So, although it was an inconvenience and I was super upset about the car, there was, at least, a plus in the man-candy that I got to look at. :D

Anyways, after the Great Car Break-Down of 2013, I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend where I could read, prep some reviews and work on finishing the transfer my blog to WP. This didn't happen. Instead, yesterday I went to camp for the day and today it's the start of football season which means a party at my sister's house. Not much reading has been done, sadly, but I have had a great time with the family. Enough about all that though. Here's a break down of what was, and what's to come, on the blog:

BOOKS READ/REVIEWED LAST WEEK

ARC Review: The Companions by R.A. Salvatore: this was such a fun book and the intro to what is loking to be a great adventure. The writing was rich and the world building was both fantastic. I hadn't read any of the earlier works about Drizzt, but this book worked well anyways. I never felt lost about who characters were or anything. Check out my review for more info.

The Chief by Monica McCarty: Anyone who comes to this blog knows that I love highlanders. So a couple weeks ago when I picked up the first three in the Highland Guard series (in paperback, they were on sale at BN), I was excited to start. This book blew me away. It was gritty, real and though there is of course romance, the author doesn't shy away from the realities of war at the time. It's also got some real life history in it which was nice to see. I love when author's do research and include it in their works. Check out my review for more info and purchase links.

I also reviewed Say No To Joe? by Lori Foster on Goodreads. I was surprised how much I liked this book because I certainly wasn't expecting to fall in love with the hero. But I did. :D

What I'm Reading/On the Blog This Week:

In His Command by Rie Warren
Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson
Last Chance Summer by Hope Ramsay

Last week I had these same books up there, plus one other. The 'plus one other' is the only one I managed to finish reviewing. There just are not enough hours in the day! *head-desks repeatedly*

Stacking The Shelves:

This meme was started by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. The link is to the official launch page that explains what Stacking the Shelves is all about and where to sign up. Basically, it's a weekly meme where you post what you've bought, borrowed, and/or read, throughout the week. To quote Tynga, "you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!"

Well, I bought quite a few books this week, mainly due to some awesome sales that were going on so I'm going to jump right into it: (Note: I can't show covers because Blogger is being difficult, sorry!)

A bunch of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books were on sale (varying between 1.99 and 2.99) so I snapped up a bunch of those:

Night Pleasures (Dark Hunters #2)
Night Embrace (Dark Hunters #3)
Dance With the Devil (Dark Hunter #4)
Kiss of the Night (Dark Hunter #5)
Night Play (Dark Hunter #6)

Jill Shalvis' Lucky Harbor Series also was on sale (many for 1.99):

Lucky In Love (Lucky Harbor #4)
At Last (Lucky Harbor #5)

I also picked up: Monster in My Closet by R.L. Naquin because the blurb sounds awesome. I don't always make that kind of impulse buy but from what I've heard, it's worth it!

I picked up the following as freebies as well:

Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks
The Shy Bride by Lucy Monroe

And just an fyi, Amazon's daily deal, today only, are 8 of the Sullivan series' books by Bella Andre. This is a great contemporary romance series, so if you're looking for something sweet and with the right amount of sexy, you might want to give these a try! Here's the link for Amazon: The Sullivan Series by Bella Andre (Remember: check the prices of ALL these books before one clicking. I've no idea how long the sales are on for!) Have a great week everyone!

(Sorry about the weird font for the second half of this post. Blogger is being absolutely ridiculous today and won't sort itself out. I've tried everything but, yeah...I'm giving up now. Will try to fix it tomorrow!) 

Review: The Chief by Monica McCarty

Title: The Chief (Highland Guard Series, #1)
Author: Monica McCarty
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: March 23, 2010

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

[Note: I am re-posting this review from Goodreads. I hadn't planned on blogging this review but when I went to say a few words about it on GR, well it turned into a full fledged review so I figured I would share it here as well!]

This book...it made me cry. It made me grin like a fool. And it made me grip the covers in suspense. It rocked my world in ways I didn't think a highlander romance could. The writing is well done, the time is well researched and explained, and the plot is focused and has plenty of action.

Having said that, some may say, "Big surprise. Kat loves highlanders. She's biased." But this book was different. For me at least. Yes, I have a thing for highlanders. I love books about this time and I blame Karen Marie Moning for my obsession since her Highlander series is what seemed to start it all. My obsession that is. However, not all Highlander romances are for me. Some I like (Moning's, Banks', just to name two) but others, well others I end up DNFing. But this book?! No way. It had me up late, anxious to get to the end but also dreading it at the same time.

Why did I love this book as much as I did? Simple. The author clearly did research for this book (see, the Author's Note in the book) and weaved fiction and non fiction together to make a beautifu story that made me feel like I was right there, on the sidelines watching as it all went down. Her descriptions of the castles, the places, the Islands: they were clear but not overwhelming. I could see them all in my mind's eye. And I could also "see" the characters.

And speaking of the characters, I have to say, Christina broke my heart. She was such a romantic, waiting and wishing for her Lancelot to come and save her, and she so wanted to believe it was Tor. So did I! Over and over again she tried to break through. She tried to help. All to, what seemed to be, no avail. And that I think is part of the greatness in this book. We see and hear from Tor's POV at times, and we see his struggle, trying to put his clan first, before anything, even himself. And we, the reader, get glimpses of his walls beginning to crack, but never fully topple. When Christina lost hope, so did I. I sobbed, openly and avidly, though Christina seemed to have it together more than me. She seemed to become, after her and Tor's last fight, resigned to her fate. I would have liked to see her confront Tor before she left-to be a bit stronger perhaps. But I also understood why she didn't. Some might say she was stupid to do what she did and cause what some would call "trouble" for Tor, but I didn't see it that way at all. This was a young girl of about 21 who grew up with an awful, abusive father who put her through hell. All Christina wanted was someone to save her. She thought that man was Tor. And given the mixed messages he was sending, I understand her confusion about whether he did, or did not, care for her. So when the reality of her situation finally sank in, when his words about just why he married her and how her romantic dreams were basically a joke and would never be fulfilled, I think in her position I'd have done the same thing. The shame and humiliation of all she'd done and endured to find someone to save her -to love her-, it just went up in smoke.

So while I was crying at this point, I was also angry. I was angry at Tor for being an idiot. I was angry at him for continuing to confide and be close with Lady Jane, his former leman, who I really wanted to stab with a sharp object. I was pissed off that he sent his brother away (though I understood why he did it), and I really wanted him to bring his sons back to the keep so Christina could raise them, not his uncle. (The latter didn't seem to happen but I believe this was a normal occurrence at the time, so I'm not surprised by it.) But mostly I was mad that Tor didn't see the damage he'd inflicted on Christina with his words. Sometimes words are worse than fists. And he knew about Christina's father and how she was treated. He didn't have to treat her with kid gloves, but he could have had a care. But instead he mouthed off, stormed off, left Christina -AGAIN!- and then 2 days later expected everything to be fine. He'd talk to her and yeah, things would be A-OK.

Um, no Tor. Really. Get a clue.

And I get it. He's a warrior, a chief, a lord, and all that. He shouldn't have to answer to a woman. (stupid man!) But did he not remember the vow he made to Christina before their marriage? The condition she made? HELLO?! He cut her down with her words, after everything she did, after all she tried to do to bring warmth back to the castle, and expected her to be waiting for him after he told her, basically, he couldn't, wouldn't and didn't love her?! Again: STUPID MAN! (Aside: It seems men haven't made that many strides since the time of the highland warriors. They're still doing idiotic crap like this! Anyways, back to my rant.)

So thus begins the final conflict of the book, Tor's epiphany, and poor Christina suffering for Tor's stupidity and refusal to acknowledge his feelings and instead be an asshat. Thankfully her suffering was only mild compared to what the men who captured her had initially intended to do to her, and she found more of her backbone during this time too, refusing to give the interrogators their answers, suffering for it, and still finding her own way out of there.

And also, Tor and his secret army appeared to help. Okay, maybe they more than helped, but I'm still a bit annoyed at Tor. I mean, I liked him. A lot. And the sexy times, well...they were beyond hot. But seriously, he needs to be slapped!

This is the most I've written on a review in a long time. But I finished this yesterday and I still can't stop thinking about it. Maybe because I remember being younger and thinking, like Christina, that a Knight would ride up on his steed, take me away, and we'd live happily ever after. (Or in his Mustang, or on his Harley, or in his pick-up truck...you get the idea.) So when her dreams shattered it was like a personal blow to me, remembering when I too grew up and stopped believing in fairy tales, knights in shining armor and damsels in distress. That's how strong this writing is, in my opinion anyways. And because of this, I've bought the second and third books in this series and can't wait to read more about this time and these warriors. Monica McCarty will definitely be on my list of top authors from now on.

Here are some purchase links:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble

*This book was a self purchase. All opinions are my own.*


View all my reviews on Goodreads

ARC Review: The Companions by R.A. Salvatore

Title: The Companions (The Sundering, #1)
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Publication Date: August 6, 2013

My Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

This latest installment in New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore's beloved fantasy saga, The Companions moves Salvatore's signature hero Drizzt into a new era of the Forgotten Realms. As Drizzt's fate hangs in the balance, he reflects on the lives of the trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life--the friends now known as the Companions of the Hall. Meanwhile, the first stirrings of the Sundering begin.
My Thoughts:

Oh how I fell in love with this world!

First, let me say how I came upon this book. As a member of Netgalley, awhile back this book was available to me. I downloaded it and, because of my schedule, kept putting off reading it. I could kick myself for doing that because honest to god, this book was fantastic.  It was like a combination of so many of my fave SFF books/games. I started it this morning and I could not put it down. Seriously. Even during a wicked storm we were having I grabbed the flashlight and was trying to read when the power was out. It's that entertaining.

Now, I need to give some full disclosure here. I went into this book with low expectations. Not because I had little faith in the author or content, but because I just hadn't read fantasy in awhile. I'd given it up, disillusioned by the sameness that I saw out there and unsure where to find the "good" ones. Well, this book and the author turned things around for me and exceeded all of my expectations in a huge way. The writing is superb, the narrative flows at a nice pace, and there wasn't massive confusion for me, a first time reader to this series. Histories and back-stories were explained so I wasn't confused, but they weren't so detailed that I was overwhelmed with the dates, places, and people I needed to know. I loved every bit of it and already want to re-read it again. Oh! And the twist at the end, or should I say the "surprise" to the group of friends, and me, the reader? When I read that, I actually cheered. Loudly. Ask my cat, who went running for the hills when I did!

What was favorite part of the book, you may ask? Well, I have to admit that Cattie-brie is awesome and can kick some butt with her magic. I loved watching her come into her own and learn even more about herself and her magic. Even when things were heavy and it looked pointless to continue, Cattie-brie stayed on course, intent on surviving, for the chance to see Drizzt. And can we talk about Drizzt and Cattie-brie please? Good, because even though we don't get a lot of information about these two we are given enough to know that they shared an intense and beautiful love. I haven't read the earlier series and books about Drizzt so I'm not sure if we learn more about these two in those books, but what we're given here is enough to whet my appetite for more. From what I've seen so far and how the author has written Cattie-brie and her quest to find Drizzt (among other things), and then at the end...dear god I wanted to swoon right off the couch! Yes, I know. This isn't a romance novel so why am I going on and on about it? Because I loved that aspect of it and thought it made the story more realistic and more than just your run of the mill adventure novel. It made me feel and that, in any book, in any genre, is always a bonus.  The undercurrents of their relationship were written in such a way that I could feel the emotion Cattie-brie felt in her longing to reunite with Drizzt. And also gave me something else to cheer about!

Don't worry all of you who would shudder and shake at the thought of romance in your SFF (which by the way is a ridiculous thought and seriously, shame on you if you have that opinion...mixed genre in a work is a good thing since it adds, ya know, depth, realism and variety to the story...but god forbid that happens. *insert sarcastic snort here*), the romance doesn't overwhelm the book. It's just an added layer to the magic, fantasy and adventure that these characters are on. If anything it makes it well-rounded And besides, every fantasy adventure work needs a good old fashioned love story attached, right? I mean, there's nothing better than heroes and heroines fighting for goodness and love, right?! Exactly! And one the best parts of it, other than it not overwhelming the rest of the work, it that I wasn't expecting it at all. So when popped up on me, I was deliriously happy. (Okay, well maybe not deliriously, but still happy!)

One of the other aspects of this books I loved was the journey itself of the three friends, Bruenor, Regis and Cattie-brie, as they made their way to find (hopefully) Drizzt at Icewind Dale. In the beginning, when we see Cattie-brie reunite with her friends in Iruladoon, they are given a choice: go to their chosen Gods or be re-born so that they may re-join Drizzt in 21 years, when he will his Companions once again. There was much debate among them, whether to go or not, though it was never a question for Cattie-brie. She'd have the chance to see and be with Drizzt once again, to love him once again, and to fight along side him, once again. The others were conflicted though and had to consider their options. They had all lived long lives and now were ready to move on to the next plane. Did they want to go back, live another life, inside another body, with all their memories and knowledge of who they were before, biding their time until the planned meeting in Icewind Dale.

Each of them made their choice and from there we see the consequences of those choices. We also see that, even though they each have the memories of their other life and the intent to find Drizzt (hopefully) in 21 years, they do have lives to lead. And each make decisions during that time that will likely have effects on them individually and as a group, should their planned meeting take place. Regis wants to be more than what he had been the first time, pushing himself and making choices that, for me, seem questionable at best, and also dangerous. (At least one of those decisions, anyways!).  Bruenor wants to do things differently but quickly learns that certain things can't be undone and that he is living again for a more important reason. Cattie-brie's decisions revolve around her wanting to learn as much as she can about her gifts, even more than she had learned in her previous life, so that she can be prepared for whatever might come their way. But she too makes certain choices that endanger herself and others, even though she doesn't mean too. All of them make mistakes, learn, and grow on their journey back to each other and being along for the ride was a blast.

And now I can't wait to read more. I want to read more of the this series and then I want to go back and glom the earlier series about these adventurers. Have you read this or any books in this series (or the series' before it?) Are you a fan of SFF? Any suggestions for other books with a similar tone and excellent writing like this has? Let me know in the comments!

Here are the purchase/info links to the book:

• Amazon 
• Barnes and Noble
• Goodreads

*I received and ARC of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

The Sunday Post [8]

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. From Kimba's website, "this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies."

Last week school started. I'm teaching at the local community college three classes this semester, all writing, and between that and the other job, it's taken a lot out of me. I still managed to get some writing and reading in though, as well as grab some books from the library. And buy some too. I had Kobo coupons that were going to expire. I had to! *looks around all guilty like* Don't judge me...

I've also been eating healthier. I figured that with this new schedule of mine I'd better start watching what I eat better and it seems to be working. I've added a lot more fruit to my daily intake and basil tea. Odd right? But someone suggested I should take some for my asthma. It tends to act up when my allergies do in the spring and fall and so when I was venting my frustration about always having to have  and use my inhalers. someone suggested drinking the tea. It's not a cure, of course. But it supposedly helps with respiratory symptoms? I don't know. I've only had two cups so far, but I'll keep you updated on my progress.

But enough of that. Let's get down to it, shall we?

BOOKS READ/REVIEWED LAST WEEK

ARC: The Demon's Desire by Kendra Leigh Castle
ARC-The Awakening: Liam by Abby Niles
ARC: Deady Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez

I also reviewed a few books on Goodreads, so if you'd like to see those, you can check out my profile, HERE.

WHAT I'M READING/ON THE BLOG THIS WEEK

As for this week, well, I have the folliwng to finish that I dind't quite get to last week:

In His Command by Rie Warren
Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson
The Companions by R.A. Salvatore

I am also adding Last Chance Summer by Hope Ramsay to this list as well. 

ARC AUGUST

I'm participating in this challenge to decrease the amount of ARCs I have and get my butt in gear with reviews. You can check out the details HERE. In terms of progress, here is how I did for the month:

• I finished August with having read/reviewed 7 ARCs, instead of 11. This annoys me, because I really wanted to hit my goal. But at the same time, 7 ARCs in one month for me is a good thing. And it's certainly progress. Hopefully I can keep this up and stay on top of things from this point on.

STACKING THE SHELVES

No dice this week. I just couldn't get my crap together enough yesterday to post. I think that, given my new work schedule, I will be combining the Sunday Post and StS memes and post them together. I've seen others do this and it makes sense. It will also leave me a third day to post a book review, if I need to. So, 3 days of reviews, a ROW80 post, and then the SP and StS meme together. I think I can handle that! 

Having said that, I did get a whole bunch more books via the library book sale so if you're interested in checking out what I've added to my paperbacks, you can check out that shelf HERE. 

That's it for me: short, sweet and to the point. Or well, kinda-sorta anyways! I'm off to get some reading in before bed. I have a day off tomorrow and plan to enjoy it! Have a good week everyone!  

ARC Review: The Demon's Desire by Kendra Leigh Castle

Title: The Demon's Desire (Hearts of the Fallen, #2)
Author: Kendra Leigh Castle
Publisher: Entangled Covet
Publication Date: August 26, 2013

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

He’s as dark and dangerous as the storms he once commanded…and she can’t get him out of her heart. Dru has spent two thousand years fighting to keep the people of Terra Noctem safe. In all that time, she's only opened her heart to one man, with disastrous results. But when her city takes in a group of renegade Fallen, she finds herself drawn to the brooding and tormented Meresin, despite the fact that he seems to be the least redeemable of them all. When his instability hits a breaking point, Meresin’s only chance at survival is a perilous journey into a place from which few ever return. What he never expected was that confronting his demons would mean risking not only his future, but Dru's as well...and that one stubborn vampire might give him back not just hope…but his heart.

My Thoughts:

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. As you can see by my rating I really liked this book. Yep. Hence the 4 stars. I had reviewed on Goodreads Demon's Song, the first in this series and I was impressed. And I was definitely excited to get the second book in the series and see what other kind of mischief this band of Fallen Angels, humans, vampires and other supernaturals could get into.

In the first book we get a glimpse of hard nosed, angry, electrifying Meresin and the woman who seemed to annoy him to no end, Dru. Well, you know what they say when a guy pushes away a girl or acts mean, right? Of course he was doing it because the woman drove him crazy, making him feel things he hadn't felt in a long, long, long, time. And Dru couldn't deny the draw she felt to Meresin. Something was wrong. She knew it. She felt it. Hell, she and the rest of the inhabitants of their secret city were witnessing his downward spiral. And it was then that Uriel and Levi stepped in, giving Meresin am ultimatum: deal with his "condition" and confront his "maker", or die. Neither options was one Meresin wanted. After all, both could kill him and likely would. But he agreed anyways. As much as one could agree when given such a choice.

But what Meresin didn't count on was Dru. And what he never expected was her sacrifice for him. What she did for him changed everything. It jumpstarted his mission and in a sense, his heart. The journey we see these two take, while also taking a trip through Purgatory, was as sweet as can be when they have snarling, angry demons and the devil himself, Lucifer, after them. But their love for each other grew, even in a place where nothing grew. And it was this contrast that I found so fascinating. In a land where nothing was really alive, where there was no sun, moon, stars, or ocean; where the world was gray and lacked even basic atmospheric qualities like weather, Dru and Meresin finally found each other. And after thousands of years of struggle, torture, heartache and loneliness (among other things) Meresin had his breakthrough.

And I admit, when the climax was happening, with Lucifer and the rest of his demon horde bearing down on them, I was a bit nervous as to how it was all going to work out. The suspense was done well and the author was able to draw out the fear of Dru, a vampire who had fought for thousands of years and still survived, but still felt the edges of death closing in when she faced down the King of Hell himself. (Though how awesome was it that she totally was willing to go down in a fight, grabbing daggers and ready to go up against Lucifer. Righteous! \o/ ) But more important, the author conveyed the fear of Meresin, a warrior angel who'd been through Hell, literally, and back, and yet in that moment feared he could lose everything he ever needed; everything he ever wanted. I also found that this book definitely packed more of an emotional punch for me than the first in this series. And oh! I almost forgot, the sexy times? There aren't a lot, really only one in fact. But it was worth it. It was sweet, hot, tender and I was so happy for Meresin! I won't spoil the surprise but let's just say that I hadn't seen that twist coming, but given who Meresin is and his tragic story, it totally made sense.

The author presents an intriguing world, marrying the various supernatural creatures we've come to expect in PNR and then adding in the fight between dark and light, good and evil, heaven and hell. It's this, and the love between the main characters, that makes me want to continue to read stories set in this world. The world building and mythos of the Fallen and the fight between Heaven and Hell is just phenomenally written. And each book has left me with more questions and I love that! Don't worry. I'm not talking about the kind of questions that involve a cliffhanger. There isn't one of those. (I despise those myself!)  But instead the questions surround the other Fallen and the world they're living in. Will the Fallen all find redemption? Will they each find love and given a soul? And what of the vow between the vampire king, Justin, and the Fallen. Will they be able to keep the peace and find a home, and happiness, in the secret, underground city? I certainly hope so!

Here are the purchase/info links:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Goodreads

So have you picked up this series yet or this book? What did you think? Do you like the idea of Angels as heroes and/or heroines? Sound off in the comments!

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

ARC Review-The Awakening: Liam by Abby Niles

Title-The Awakening: Liam
Author: Abby Niles
Publisher: Entangled Covet
Publication Date: August 26, 2013

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

Shifter, Liam Doyle knows Hell. At least he believed he did. The night he feels his mate die, he learns how very wrong he was. Nothing he’d struggled with since Ava’s rejection compares to the emptiness that fills his soul by her death. Lost in his grief, he’s taken by surprise and drugged. When he wakes, everything changes. Nothing is what it seems, and someone is dead set on making him pay.

When Ava Michaels is taken captive, she’s thrust into a dark and terrifying world along with the man she was forced to leave behind. While being near Liam again is heartbreaking, the motive behind her kidnapping is gradually revealed. The more she learns, the more she worries Liam isn’t the man she believed him to be. He has enemies willing to do anything to extract their revenge. Can their love survive a crazy man’s vengeance?

My Thoughts:

Oh Liam. Not only do you have one of my favorite names, but you're emotional baggage, broken heart, and love for your mate despite her rejection had me swooning throughout your story. I wanted to just hold him and tell him over and over that it would be all better. And I'm not being dramatic. I'm being serious.

We learned about Liam and Ava, and their totally messed up relationship in The Awakening: Aidan. (You can find my Goodreads review of the first in this series HERE.)  I knew going in this was going to be an emotional roller-coaster and I was very anxious to find out just what the heck was going on with Ava. Why did she dsert Liam? What made her push him away and throw him into the awful emotional state he had been in the first book, a state that was so bad Aidan had to find a shifter therapist to get him out of it, or at the very least, get him through it?

Well, we find out all in this book. Strike that. We find out all about Liam and Ava in this book. We don't find out the answers to all my questions (like what is up with Britton and Val?! I am so intrigued by those two!) but Liam and Ava, and their story, comes to a head, and then a resolution that I was supremely happy about. There were also some seriously hot moments that not only kept the tension going between the hero and heroine, but also increased the tension with the conflict. I, like Ava, never knew if the big baddie was watching or not and that suspense added to the likeability of the book, for me.

What about the downsides? Well, there was one big one that had me slightly frustrated. The prolonged miscommunication on Ava's part and her refusal to ask Liam for help or tell him what was going on, really grated on my nerves. Lack of communication is not one of my fave romance novel tropes. Or at least, not when it's dragged on for a fair bit of the book. I understand that there had to be a reason for Ava to have rejected Liam but I just feel like it went on for a bit too long. I was also disappointed to see Emma leave Ava's house. I was hoping that Liam and she would have a scene, where he saw she had grown up and was doing better, as opposed to when he and Ava had been together before and Emma had been rebelling like it was an Olympic sport.

One of the plus sides of this book is the introduction of additional secondary characters to this world. Like I mentioned earlier Britton has me intrigued and I'd love to learn more about his story and why he is suffering a 20 year sentence. (I think it was hinted it, or mentioned in passing. So I know why, I just don't know everything that happened. Britton had to have a reason right?!)  Anyways, the end of this book left me feeling satisfied about the state of Liam and Ava for the most part, and I did enjoy seeing Aidan and Jaylin again. He intrigues me. Hopefully we see more of the secondary characters in the future though I'm not entirely certain if this series will be continuing or not. *fingers crossed that it does*

All in all this was an enjoyable paranormal romance by an author with a strong voice and strong writing skills. This is the second in the series and the second of her books that I've read and so far, her storytelling and style have been consistent. Scratch that. Sorta. Because I actually think her storytelling in this book was improved from the first in the series.

So what about you? Have you read this series yet? What did you think?  Do you like books with shifters as main characters? What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments!

Here are the purchase/info links:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Goodreads

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

ARC Review: Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez

Title: Dead Sexy Dragon
Author: Lolita Lopez
Publisher: Forever Yours 
Publication Date: August 6, 2013

My Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

The last thing dragon shifter Stig Wyvern needs is his dead friend’s kid sister showing up on his doorstep. He’s just minutes away from entering a mating phase. Sharing his isolated house with the young woman he’s desperately lusted after for quite some time is a recipe for disaster.

But Cora Cardenas has nowhere else to go. She’s in deep trouble with some really nasty people and Stig is the only one who can protect her. That he’s deliciously sexy and makes her tingle with the simplest of smiles is just a bonus.

Cora quickly realizes Stig is hiding something from her. To make matters worse, she’s plagued with breathtakingly naughty dreams starring a shadowed lover who bears a startling resemblance to her host. And just what the hell is going on down in the basement at night?

Stig needs to get Cora out of his house but his inner beast has other ideas. He’s found his mate and she’s not going anywhere...

My Thoughts:

I know I've said this before, but put simply, I love dragon shifters. I don't know why, but something about combining the mythos of the dragons-fierce, strong, creatures-and shifters -who are just awesome in general- just makes me incredibly happy.

This is a short work, a novella, that took me a couple hours to read. There isn't much back-story about the main characters, however, there is enough to learn that Cora and Stig have a history and are connected via Cora's deceased brother. Cora runs to Stig when she's having issues with her bakery. Most of the action takes place at Stig's home (and lair, heeheehee) and the surrounding area. We learn about Stig, his history, just how old he is, and the Order that he fights for. There isn't much interaction between people, or dragons, other than Stif and Cora, which is good since, for a novella it works. The story centers on the main couple, their conflicts (emotional and otherwise) and their connection.   We do get a quick glimpse of other dragons towards the end, learn a bit more about the creatures and their history, and just enough information to give us an HEA.

I will note that, the story about Cora being entangled into criminal activity and the later "twist" with regard to that (and the connection to Stig and the dragons) seemed to not mesh very well. It kind of came out of the blue and by the time of the twist I had actually forgotten why Cora had gone to Stig in the first place. (I blame the sexy times. They were distracting, in a totally delicious way.) However, this issue for me wasn't enough to detract from the fact that we had a dragon shifter people who finally found his mate!! And it wouldn't be right if I didn't mention the sexy times between Cora and Stig. Really there isn't much to say other than this author can right one hella hot sex scene. And the "dream" sequences?! *fans self* But it went beyond the physical between these two. And I loved how alpha Stig was while at the same time seeing to Cora and making sure she was alright. I mean, finding out the man you've been in love with for 6 years could throw any girl for a loop.

As I said, this is a novella so it's short and unlike many, the story the author presents fits into this format. Although I think the story would have benefited even more from a longer format, this works nonetheless. And again, who cares about how long it is when the hero is a freaking dragon?! The second book in this series, Red Hot Dragon, is due to be released October 1, 2013 and I am looking forward to reading more about Griffin. (The blurb sounds amazing!) And it also, at least according to Goodreads, seems to be about 30 pages longer or so. I love novellas, but the more story the better, right?!

Have you read this novella? What did you think? What are your thoughts on hot former marines who happen to also be dragons? Yummy, no?! Let me know in the comments!

Purchase/Info Links:

• Amazon 
• Goodreads
• Barnes and Noble

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

The Sunday Post [7]

 
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. From Kimba's website, "this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies."

It's been a busy freaking month. Holy heck! I start teaching writing classes next week at the local college again (in addition to my other job, which I usually call the "evil day job") so things on the blog were quieter than usual as I ran around trying to get myself together. It was a nice break though and I needed it to reset, make a plan and get organized. I admit I was a bit overwhelmed at times this month, which I blame on the wedding shower, several birthdays, unexpected visitors and two unexpected projects at work, but I made it. This week I hope to be back to my regularly scheduled programming when it comes to writing and blogging, and everything else too. I hope.

But let's get down to business, shall we? Here's what's been happening on the blog, and beyond, this past week:

Books Read/Reviewed Last Week:

Elite (Eagle Elite, #1) by Rachel Van Dyken: I received this as an ARC and I liked it enough to add the second in the series to my TBR.

Deceiving The Witch Next Door by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez: this was also an ARC and a sweet read. The author has set up what looks to be a series; at least, I hope that's the case! Also, the heroine's name rocks.

The Awakening: Aiden by Abby Niles: Shifters, YAY!!!

Sacrifice of Passion by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez: This is the first book in the Deadly Legends series. I had read the second as an ARC, not realizing there was a book before it. (They both work as stand alones though!) Once I read the ARC, I had to run out and purchase this book and I am so glad I did. 

What I'm Reading/Coming Up on the Blog

I have to look through my ARCs and the books in my TBR to make a plan for the week but tentatively I'll be reading and/or reviewing (or preparing the reviews, depending on release dates) the following:

Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez
In His Command by Rie Warren
Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson
The Awakening: Liam by Abby Niles
The Companions by R.A. Salvatore
The Demon's Song by Kendra Leigh Castle

Yeah. It's going to be a busy week. But who needs sleep?!

Stacking The Shelves

I behaved this week. Kind of. Sorta...Okay, not really. You can check out my haul HERE.

ARC AUGUST

I'm participating in this challenge to decrease the amount of ARCs I have and get my butt in gear with reviews. You can check out the details HERE.  In terms of progress, here is how I'm doing so far:

I haven't met my goal yet. I had wanted to read 11 ARCs. I've read 5. I still have 6 days left but that would mean a book a day and I don't know if I can do that given my schedule this week.  I'll try my best but no guarantees. On the upside though, getting through 5 ARCs is nothing to sneeze at. At least I've made a dent in the pile. It's a small one, but a dent nonetheless.

ROW80

I have revamped my goals for the last month of ROW80, Round 3, as well as adjusted the blog schedule. My goals is to be consistent with both writing and blogging (specifically with book reviews) since I really love doing that. It combines my love of writing and reading, and well, it's just fun for me. And that's what blogging is all about right?! So here's the plan for the remainder of the round:

• Write one hour a day on a WiP, whether on a draft, outlining, planning, or revising
• Post my ROW80 update on Wednesday: this will be the last post where ROW80 is a part of the Sunday Post.  Or that's the plan anyways. I will be doing a quick update on Wednesdays instead. This will also break up the posts on the blog from being all book reviews and book related memes. I like a little variety in my life. :)
• Finish revisions of Wanted
• Post a minimum of 2 complete book reviews each week, here or on Goodreads
• Post the Stacking the Shelves and Sunday Post memes every week, either separately or combined
• And for this week only: send the dreaded email I don't want to send for the evil day job. I can't say much about the subject of this but bottom line is, it's a task I'm dreading.  I've got to just suck it up and do it though. I'm determined to get this task done and off my desk this week. It's been haunting me for a month. 

It seems like a lot to take on but with classes starting I've revamped my entire work, writing and blog schedule and put everything in my calendar so I can (1) not forget about blog posts or forget do my writing by the end of the day and (2) stay on top of things at both of my jobs so I don't fall behind, get frustrated, and give up. Consistency in writing, blogging and at work is key to keeping me sane this semester.

I can do this. *fingers crossed*

How's your week been? Any interesting books caught your eye or added to your TBR pile? Reviewed any books lately that surprised you or you were disappointed in? What about your writing goals? Have you hit them yet? Let me know how your're doing in the comments and have a great week!

Stacking the Shelves [6]

This meme was started by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  The link is to the official launch page that explains what Stacking the Shelves is all about and where to sign up.  Basically, it's a weekly meme where you post what you've bought, borrowed, and/or read, throughout the week. To quote Tynga, "you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!"

So, I've been MIA a couple weeks with my StS posts. The bridal shower I had to throw last weekend (and the prep the week before) had a lot to do with that. Also, I've been asked to teach three writing classes this semester at the local community college so I've been rushing around to get things together for that too. I've been teaching for awhile so I should have everything together by now but the college adopted a new textbook for the class so a lot of my time has been spent getting all that together.

Anyways, I have been buying books since my last post. Well of course I have. I can't not buy books. LOL  It didn't help that I went back to the library and found more books at the summer sale they're having. I think the Library Ladies find me amusing at this point given the amount of books I've been hauling out of there. I also have found about 50 books of my own which I'll never read again that I'll be donating today. So I've basically bought a bunch and will give a bunch back. Hopefully other library patrons will enjoy my old books!

So here's this week's haul (and note: the links will take you to either Goodreads or Amazon):

BOUGHT

 Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor) was only 1.99 Friday when I purchased this. (The price was the same at Amazon and Barnes & Noble).  The boxed set was 99 cents.  

I also bought the actual books of the Maya Banks McCabe Trilogy. This is one of my favorite series of all time and I am constantly borrowing it from the library. Well, Barnes and Noble is having a "buy 2 get 1 free sale" on certain books and this entire series was on sale. So yep, I snapped it up for my book shelf. Last week I also grabbed the next three books in Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series:




 I love buy 2 get 1 free sales.

FOR REVIEW

None. I've got so many ARCs to read I just cannot request anymore right now.

LIBRARY

Welp, this week I bought 37 books, all in good shape, all for a quarter. Don't worry, I'm not going to make you suffer through an entire list of the books. However, if you want to check them, you can see them on my "paperback" shelf on Goodreads. Just sort it by date, if you want to look real quick. :)

FREEBIES

This book is free at Amazon (click on the cover to get to Amazon) and  Barnes & Noble. I used to have this in paperback but it fell apart. I love this author and this book.

So that's it for me. What did you bring in this week? Happy reading and have a great week!

ARC Review: Deceiving the Witch Next Door by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez

Title: Deceiving the Witch Next Door
Author: Melissa Bourbon Ramirez
Publisher: Entangled Covet
Publication Date: July 20, 2012

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

Down-on-her-luck witch Storie Bell never thought the biggest threat to her future would be Reid Malone, the very man she’d run from years before. After striking it rich in Texas shale, he’s back in town, and he seems hell-bent on getting in the way of her bookstore’s grand opening. A witch trying to blend in in a small southern town is hard enough, but now he’s seriously testing her strict No Kissing Mortal Men policy. But even witches don’t have a spell for that.

Reid knows there’s much more to Storie than meets the eye. But right now he has only one mission: to infiltrate her shop so he can snatch the elusive secret ingredient to his father’s million-dollar moonshine recipe. Once he does, he can go back to the city and get out of his small hometown, a place in which he has no future.

But as the days go by, he can’t help falling for Storie in every way…and every encounter brings him closer to finding out what happens when you try to deceive a witch.

My Thoughts:

The main character's name is what hooked me with this book. Both of them actually. Storie Rae Bell and Reid Malone. If I ever have kids I might have to name the girl Storie. I love it that freaking much.

Anyways, back to the review. Our heroine, Storie, returns to the small town she had lived with her dad to open up a book store/cafe. She had left some years ago and the town folks had some suspicions about her being a witch. They didn't shun her, exactly, but they definitely were suspicious. And curious. Reid however, the man who ran the bar next door with his dad, wasn't suspicious. No, he just had the strong desire to get into her pants. Something he hadn't done during their last encounter years ago. But Reid has ulterior motives and though these are explained via a bit of back-story, I wish there had been "more" to it. We only got a few glimpses of Reid's dad (who for some reason I pictured like the really old guy on Moonshiners!) and I would have loved to see his interactions with Storie. Especially since it was alluded to that Jigg and Storie's dad had been friends. Or at least, spent lots of time together when her dad went to the bar.

The steam factor in the book was moderate and tastefully done. Reid and Storie had some serious sexual tension going on and I liked how the author was able to capitalize on that as the the book moved forward. The author also explored the tension that Reid felt, being attracted to Storie and yet, at the same time, trying to do "right" by hi father. The only downside I saw with this was that I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Jigg and his father-their interactions, dialogue, even his father's reaction to Storie and the eventual hooking up of her and his son.

Oh, something else that I thought was awesome? I didn't figure out what the "secret ingredient" was (the one Reid was looking for) and was pleasantly surprised by that. Sometimes I'm able to figure out the mystery too soon and it ruins the book for me. Of course, looking back I'm all "I sooooo should have seen that!". Not much catches me off guard anymore and I kinda like that feeling. :) I did however know who the woman in the beginning of the book was right off the bat. I don't think that was supposed to be a surprise though.

I was going to give this book three stars, meaning I liked it and will definitely be seeking out more from this author and series. But the final few twists in this book made me up the rating by half. The author does a great job setting up what I hope will be future books in this series. I already think I know who the couples will be, but obviously this is just my Nancy Drew like senses going all tingly. Or is that Spiderman? Whatever. Anyways, I think I have an idea and hope I am right!

Here are the purchase links:

Deceiving the Witch Next Door (Entangled Covet) at Amazon
Deceiving the Witch Next Door at BN
Deceiving the Witch Next Door at Goodreads


*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

ARC Review: Elite (Eagle Elite, #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

Title: Elite (Eagle Elite, #1)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Publisher: Forever 
Publication Date: July 9, 2013

My Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

For Tracey Rooks, life with her grandparents on a Wyoming farm has always been simple. But after her grandmother's death, Tracey is all her grandfather has. So when Eagle Elite University announces its annual scholarship lottery, Tracey jumps at the opportunity to secure their future and enters. She isn't expecting much-but then she wins. And life as she knows it will never be same . . .

The students at Eagle Elite are unlike any she's ever met . . . and they refuse to make things easy for her. There's Nixon, gorgeous, irresistible, and leader of a group that everyone fears: The Elect. Their rules are simple. 1. Do not touch The Elect. 2. Do not look at The Elect. 3. Do not speak to The Elect. No matter how hard she tries to stay away, The Elect are always around her and it isn't long until she finds out the reason why they keep their friends close and their enemies even closer. She just didn't realize she was the enemy -- until it was too late.

My Thoughts:

Alright, first things first. This is a series. Instead of an HEA and based on the preview chapter, this ends with a HFN.  I really hope this doesn't get drawn out. As most of you know, I hate cliffhangers. Especially relationship cliffhangers. And though this doesn't end with a cliffy, it does end with that feeling of, "uh oh, things look like they could go very, very wrong."

Now, all that being said, you'd think I disliked the book, right? Well, you'd be wrong. I liked it. It had this great Romeo and Juliet feel to it that I loved (without the suicide of course) and reminded me a lot of the Vampire Academy books which I absolutely freaking loved.

Let's chat about our main characters, shall we?  Tracey Rooks get into this all exclusive college by, allegedly, writing a stellar essay. It's made clear that Tracey is the school's charity case. Oh yeah, she is not liked. One thing that drove me up a wall was when Tracey actually believed Nixon was a jerk, when he had freaking just talked to her and explained what he was going to have to do. She got all pissed and depressed and I literally wanted to smack her in the face. I mean, "hello?! The guy just told you what he was going to do and now you're ready to give up?! Get a clue!" And yes, I was talking to my Nook. But I couldn't help it, it was frustrating. Don't judge me!

Nixon. He might be the youngest alphahole I've ever read. He was such a jerk. Such a major, freaking jerk! At first I couldn't believe he was the hero, but then, as the story unfolded, it all came together. There was a method to his alphahole-ness (definitely not a word, but you get the idea!) He was, in his own way, doing what he had to do to protect his woman. What neither he nor Tracey realized until a pivotal point in the book is that they share a history. Nixon was a perfect blend of protective, broken, hot hero and I love him. Almost as much as I love Dimitri from the Vampire Academy series and so that's a lot!

Moving on to...Chase. *sighs* What can I say about him? He's the one thrown into the middle and based on the preview for the second book, is going to cause Nixon and Tracey trouble. I want to like him, cause he's hot and well, he;s Chase. But just knowing what his role is in the book and the "part" he will play, I can't. In fact, I loathe him. (I dislike drawn out love triangles just about as much as I dislike cliffhangers.)

The rest of the secondary characters were interesting and I look forward to reading more about them. Phoenix, though, seriously, someone, i.e. Nixon, should have shot him. What a lying, assaulting, jack ass. I hate him, like loads. And lastly, once or twice I felt the narrative was disjointed or didn't quite fit. I was confused about Tracey's grandfather and it just didn't seem right he was lying to her the whole time. And also, the hate between him and Nixon over their shared family history just didn't ring true. I would have preferred to see them as a united front for Tracey's sake. He also just happened to show up out of the blue which was, in a word, odd. But none of that was enough to distract me from the book or stop me from wanting to read more.

Elect, the second in the Eagle Elite  series is scheduled to debut December 10, 2013. That's seems like a long time from now but I can be patient. I think. I really am looking forward to it and hope we get some final resolution between Nixon and Tracey. They're meant to be!

Here are the links for info and/or to purchase:

• Elite (Eagle Elite) at Goodreads
• Elite (Eagle Elite) via Amazon
• Elite (Eagle Elite) via Barnes and Noble 

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

The Sunday Post [6]: Little Progress and a Necessary Break

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. From Kimba's website, "this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies."

I always try to have a plan, especially when I have weeks (or in this case, a month) where I'm swamped with work, reading, writing, family duties, and well, trying to have a personal life. This month that plan hasn't seemed to work so well for me. Oh, I'm getting things done. But I've had to sacrifice sleep and sanity to do it. Thankfully, Saturday will be the end of this month from hell and I can get back to some normalcy. I hope.

On the upside, things at work are going well. Or, going better than they were in the beginning of the year anyways. I've also been managing to pay off some bills (yay!) and stick to my budget (double yay!).  I'm slowly making headway on my website and hope to have that up and running soon. Getting familiar with WordPress has been interesting, to say the least, but once I find a background I like, I think it will be launch time. Maybe by September 1, or at the latest, the middle of September. The organizer in me wants to be sure I understand what I'm doing before I launch so yeah, maybe mid September is a better goal post for this!

But on to the here and now, this week's review of all things reading, reviewing and writing related with some miscellany thrown in between for good measure. 

BOOKS READ/REVIEWED:

Facade by Nyrae Dawn

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

Both of these made me ball my eyes out, for different reasons, but yeah, I was a sobbing mess by the end of them. I keep my reviews spoiler free for the most part so check them out if you're looking for a new adult book to read.

I also finished Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie and I fell in love with the hero in that book. And the heroine too. It was heart-warming, sweet and just what I needed after the angst of the other two I read this week. This was a just for fun book, and one I needed to finish so I could return it to the library.  I don't plan on reviewing this for the blog though I think I could write pages and pages on how deeply this book impacted me. The banter was great, the plot was interesting and not in any way over the top and the author had me connecting to the heroine in such a meaningful way that even days later I can't stop thinking about it. I might have to break down and buy this one so I can have it for re-read purposes.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING:

I have way too much to focus on this week so reading will be far down the list for me, sadly.  So other than finishing comments on my CP's book, I don't have much to read this week on my reading list. It's a short list in fact (only two books I think) and on top is Curse of Passion by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez.

STACKING THE SHELVES:

I didn't get to post my week's intake yesterday because I was up at the crack of dawn so I could get to Syracuse for the day. I had to go yesterday to do a final check of the venue and make sure we had everything.

I did get some ARCs this week though, four to be exact, though some of these don't have to be reviewed until later in the month or September so I have time. Thankfully.

Safe in His Arms by Renee Jones
Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez
In His Command by Rie Warren
Last Chance Summer by Hope Ramsay

I also bought two of Lauren Dane's books, Giving Chase and Taking Chase, and Rock Hard by Olivia Cunning. I bought these only because I had great coupon offers from Kobo and could not pass them up. I'm a sucker for a sale.

ARC August:

You can check out the details HERE but basically I'm participating in this challenge to decrease the amount of ARCs I have and get my butt in gear with reviews. (Ironic since, I'm trying to decrease the pile of ARCs and yet I got more this week. I don't even think I can explain that. LOL)  Anyways, you can check out my goals for the month, HERE. In terms of progress, here is how I'm doing so far:

• This week I read three of the ARCs and finished (and posted) two of the reviews (see above for the links!). I will finish the third review and post it sometime this week. 

ROW80:

Well, let's just call the week a big ole fail on the writing front, shall we? I don't like making excuses, I really don't. But honestly, with maid of honor duties for this shower I have had to devote my time to getting that done. So the only writing I've gotten in is for the party games templates, emails to the rest of the birdesmaids, and to-do lists. As I said earlier, after the 17th of August life will calm down and at that point I plan to reassess my ROW80 goals and move forward. But until then I'm taking a break from my goals. I'll call it a vacation though I doubt it will be very relaxing!

AROUND THE WEB:

A great post about "blah-ging": dealing with the case of the blahs while blogging and some tips on how to get out of it.

The best blog ever when it comes to books, bookshelves, libraries and everything that is books and reading! Gah! It's heaven! I found heaven, people! And you can find it too by clicking HERE.

Who doesn't like Cookie Monster?! Having grown up with the Muppets and Sesame Street I have a lot of love for them. Heck, I still have my Kermit the Frog stuffed animal I got when I was 4. Yeah, I know, it's crazy, but I can't throw out Kermit!! Anyways, check out Cookie Monster and his song about self control HERE.  (And thanks to @Katiebabs for tweeting this! She comes up with some of the best links ever.)

This is an older link (July 2012) but seriously, these are adorable and make me smile, laugh and some I even get a bit teary eyed over. In fact, I may or may not have been crying when I read #10. So check out The 50 Cutest Things That Ever Happened and don't blame me if you need tissues.

And finally, @smexys_sidekick tweeted this quote from Tina Fey which I re-tweeted because seriously, it's Truth:  “It is impressively arrogant to conclude that just because you don’t like something, it is empirically not good." ― Tina Fey  I love this quote. I need it billboard size.

So that's it for me this week. Between work, where I have a ton of deadlines to meet including one which will keep me tied to my desk Monday and Tuesday all damn day, and until next week's festivities are over I won't be around all that much. I'm even skipping my monthly book club. Can you believe that?! Instead I'll be home, drinking copious amounts of wine and making enough chicken riggies for 50 people.  (If you're from central New York or have been here, you likely know what those are. :D ) I hope everyone has a great week and see you next Sunday!