Showing posts with label Elizabeth Hoyt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elizabeth Hoyt. Show all posts

Saturday, November 29, 2014

November Minis: Darling Beast & A Place Called Harmony

Historical romances have been sorely missing from my reading menu this year and I miss them. In November I picked up two books by favorite authors.

I began by reading Darling Beast (Maiden Lane #7), by Elizabeth Hoyt. This has been one of my favorite historical romance series for a few years now.


Darling Beast covers the reasons Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne, ended up temporarily mute after spending time in Bedlam, and solves the crime mystery that placed him there. In the process, Apollo finds the love of his life in actress and playwright Lily Stump (stage name Robin Goodfellow), as well as happiness her child Indio and his dog Daff. Of course it's all more complicated than that, but that's the simple summary.

In Darling Beast, Hoyt combines and balances the developing romance, heat, and crime mystery. With two exceptions, secondary characters do not interfere with the main thrust of this romance. The child Indio and his dog Daff take a bit too much page time and, although cute and adorable, their contribution often comes off over the top cute. I enjoyed the light, humorous beginning to the romance combined with danger from unknown sources. Later it was the passion that develops between Apollo and Lily, and the small clues and red herrings that Hoyt uses to throw off the reader from the finding the real culprit that kept me reading. Surprisingly, of the secondary characters I was most intrigued by the Duke of Montgomery (what makes this guy tick anyway?), instead of the slightly revolting Ira Makepeace. What?

Darling Beast does not stand above other more intensely gratifying books in this series. It is, however, a solid installment with an enjoyable romance, likable characters, and an overall good story.

Maiden Lane Series Reviews: Books #1 through #6

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The second historical romance I picked up in November was A Place Called Harmony by Jodi Thomas.

For true fans of the contemporary Harmony series, A Place Called Harmony is a 'must' read. For readers who do not follow the series, this is a wonderful western historical romance that stands well on its own.

This book is a prequel that basically gives an accounting of how the town of Harmony, Texas was founded by weaving in the dangers plaguing the original trading post, as well as the romances of the three original couples who helped build the town.

The main characters are Captain Gillian and Daisy Matheson, a married couple with four little boys. There is true love but also uncertainty in this relationship between two people who feel they've made the wrong choices for themselves and their boys in the past. Patrick and Annie McAllen are a very sweet, naive young couple running away from abusive lives with their parents. They provide much of the humor, in and out of the sheets, and contribute to the overall sense of community and warmth. The romance between Clint and Karrisa Truman is the slowest to build and therefore has the most tension and biggest payoff at the end. Clint's hard shell and Karrisa's mysterious stint in jail add interest, but the trust-building and tenderness between them become the clincher. Rounding off the cast of characters we have the fiercely loyal, silent and highly intelligent Shelly McAllen, Patrick's brother, Momma Roma and her sons, and old Harmon Ely, the man who started it all with a trading post, land, and a dream.

Jodi Thomas's signature writing style is all over this book. You will find family warmth, kindness, loving, loyalty, honesty, and passion, as well as danger and a community that comes together to fight in order to survive. A truly satisfying read.

Contemporary Harmony Series Reviews & Minis 

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Favorite Books of 2013

2013 is over! I can't tell you how happy that makes me. ;P Looking back at my reading statistics though, it was a very good year.

I read approximately 209 books during 2013, and among them found so many great books that choosing my top ten favorites became problematic. In the end I decided to disregard the publishing year and chose them from the most memorable books read and reviewed during the year (unfortunately, I read some books I loved, but did not review), rated A=5.0 and/or A-/B+=4.5. Once that decision was made, it became easier to sort them out. I still came up with more than ten. So, here they are, in no particular order, my favorite fifteen reads of 2013!*


1) Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews
Urban Fantasy (2013, Ace)
A cohesive and emotional read, Magic Rises is undoubtedly my favorite Urban Fantasy book of the year. At its core this is a transitional book, a bridge between the beginning of this fantastic UF series and changes to come, and it is most impressive that the quality in the writing and story telling does not wane one bit. Magic Rises is an excellent example of an exciting bridge book with character growth and a storyline that drives the overall story arc forward to the next level in a successfully established series. The fact that I fell in love with Kate, Curran and the rest of the characters all over again, and this writing team created a fantastic villain with depth, is beside the point. Hah!


2) Heart of Obsidian (Psy/Changeling #11) by Nalini Singh
SFF/Romance (2013, Berkeley)
One of the best installments in Nalini Singh's long Psy/Changeling paranormal romance series, Heart of Obsidian reads more like a sci-fi/fantasy romance piece. With this book, Singh drives forward the overall  story arc with scientific and fantasy details that make sense and are tightly woven with her world-building, and develops an unlikely, but believable romance despite the fact that the male protagonist is portrayed as a cold sociopath with psycho tendencies. That's talent.


3) The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
SF/Fantasy (2013, William Morrow Books)
This fantasy piece is more of a fairy tale for adults. Gaiman tightly weaves in fantasy elements with adult subjects. Gaiman cleverly takes the distortion of childhood memory issue and by having the adult narrate terrifying, magically-driven events that occurred during his childhood, creates an unforgettable, multi-layered, fantasy piece.


4) Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
Science Fiction (2012, Broad Rich Publishing)
Published in 2012, the Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey is one of the best science fiction books I read in 2013! This is a captivating post-apocalyptic science fiction volume composed of five novellas from Howey's Wool series. Wool serves as the "hook" with subsequent novellas progressively going from great, to excellent, to outstanding. Memorable in and of itself is the oppressive, repressive, suffocating, and tension-filled atmosphere. This is a fantastic series that shouldn't be missed!


5) Duke of Midnight (Maiden Lane #6) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical Romance (2013, Grand Central Publishing)
With a stiff, guilt-ridden, duty bound, grief stricken duke as a hero whose perfect solution to past problems is to become a marauding vigilante, Hoyt meets the challenge by creating his match in Artemis, a passionate woman of character, strong enough to conquer and balance his flaws. Add to that a plot that moves and great secondary characters such as the intriguing Apollo and sweet Sophie, and this historical romance is worth a read or two. The Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt stays at the top of my historical romance list with this fabulous installment.


6) In Search Of and Others by Will Ludwigsen
Speculative Fiction Short Story Collection (2013, Lethe Press)
With some highly imaginative stories and a gorgeous writing style, Will Ludwigsen takes the reader for a fantastic ride while he explores the "what ifs" and "why nots," the unexplained and unexpected in his collection of speculative fiction stories In Search Of and Others. If, like me, you love well-done speculative fiction and short works that will make your mind soar into other planes that challenge the imagination, then you may appreciate and understand why this collection is such an unforgettable read.


7) Now or Never: A Last Chance Romance (Part 1) by Logan Belle
Contemporary Romance (2013, Moxie Books)
Now or Never is a novella, not a full-length novel. Additionally, it is Part 1 of a series so the romance is not complete. Yet, the depth of feeling conveyed by the female protagonist when faced with a devastating medical diagnosis, and the inadequacies and personal self-doubts that arise while she searches for sexual fulfillment after years of neglecting herself as a woman, made this a contemporary read that I fully connected with emotionally. Logan Belle is a writer whose works I've enjoyed in the past, and is fast becoming one whose work I will follow in the future.


8) The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh
Historical Romance (2013, Dell)
The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh is a classic of old. Re-released in 2013 by Dell, I'm pretty sure it will also become a new classic. In it, Balogh digs deep into the most unlikable of heroes, a man whose self-loathing is as deep as the sea, and the woman who can't see past his faults. Balogh's talents are in full display in this fabulous historical romance. If you're a fan don't miss it, if you haven't read Balogh yet, give it a try. :)


9) Written in Red: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop
Fantasy (2013, Roc)
Reading Written in Red by Anne Bishop felt like a breath of fresh air with loads of potential. Even with the few concerns that I harbored about the source of the heroine's powers, this book became one of my favorite fantasy (or if you prefer UF) reads of the year. Particularly impressive in this fantasy are the shifters and the world built around them, with characters that maintain their initial impact throughout the story and to the end. The second book of this series, Murder of Crows, is one of my most anticipated books of 2014!


10) Guardian Demon (Guardian Series #8) by Meljean Brook
Paranormal Romance (2013, Berkley)
The end of a series can be a sad time for fans of a series, but with Guardian Demon, Meljean Brook made the end to the Guardian Series a moment to celebrate. The romance section of this paranormal romance is slow in building and worth the wait. But the most impressive and enjoyable aspect of reading this book is the end to the overall story arc in which Brook ties up all the loose ends of this all around successful and complex paranormal romance series.


11) Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro
Literary Fiction (2012, Douglas Gibson Books)
In this collection of short stories by Alice Munro some pieces spoke to me more than others, however, overall I found this to be a quiet, masterful, and memorable book where this author often wraps truth in fiction. She focuses her stories on pivotal but mundane moments that change people's lives. Some moments are depicted as harsh with a sense of distance about them, while others are intimate, personal, emotional. They are all valid. In some pieces, Munro also incorporates a subtle history of feminism that I personally appreciated, along with the last four biographical, very personal, short stories of the collection.


12) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Science Fiction (2010, Ace)
First published in 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness is considered a masterpiece and science fiction classic. The best science fiction novel I read in 2013, this is book #4 (also the first full length novel) in Le Guin's Hainish Cycle series. This is a complex story of a Terran who as an Ekumen mobile becomes the first Envoy to contact the Gethenians in their frozen planet, and his journey to understanding a radically different people and world. The result is a science fiction piece where Le Guin integrates this world's cultural and sociopolitical issues in detail, but at its core brilliantly focuses on the subject of gender and duality. A fantastic book that I won't soon forget!


13) The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
SF/Historical Fiction/Romance (2008, Allison & Busby)
In this book, Kearsley swept me away to 1708 and Scotland's failed Jacobite conflict as she incorporates three dimensional historical figures, historical facts, and a beautiful romance, while simultaneously taking me to a modern day Scotland where another couple finds happiness. In The Winter Sea, Susanna Kearsley creates a fusion of contemporary time travel with historical fiction and two romance story lines running parallel to each other. It may sound complicated, but her stories are written with attention to detail, authority, and flair!


14) The Favor by Megan Hart
Contemporary Fiction (2013, MIRA)
In The Favor, Megan Hart takes the talents for writing fiction that she so brilliantly incorporates in her successful erotic romances and ramps them up to create a memorable contemporary fiction piece. With a plot that challenges comfort zones, and flawed, deeply explored characters, this contemporary fiction piece showcases another facet of Hart's talents. A memorable read.


15) Looking for the Gulf Motel by Richard Blanco
Poetry (2012, University of Pittsburgh Press)
In Richard Blanco's multi-layered poetry volume Looking for the Gulf Motel I found an introspective, narrative style, as well as lyrical poems filled with nostalgia, grief, love and hope for the future, all progressively exploring his personal experiences as the gay son of an immigrant family, identity issues, and love. This volume touched and soothed me with its very intimate focus and easy connection with the reader.


* LGBT: 2013 Favorite Books and Authors list is posted separately (See full list here.)
2013: Favorite Quotes


Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Review: Duke of Midnight (Maiden Lane #6) by Elizabeth Hoyt


In Duke of Midnight, Elizabeth Hoyt follows through with her portrayal of sensual women who make their own choices when it comes to their sex lives even when they are virgins, as opposed to women who are "ravished" or seduced by the men they fall for. It has become a trademark of the Maiden Lane series. Most of the female protagonists to date feel caged by the societal roles imposed on them and manage to break free of those cages by making decisions that are not always traditionally accepted including the how and when intimacy with their men takes place. These women take the lead in such matters. The exception, of course, is Silence who, although embroiled in a public scandalous situation, plays a more traditional (historical romance) female role.

Artemis Greaves is one of the strongest female protagonists of this series. She has to be in order to go from the gray, invisible companion to her cousin, the spoiled Lady Penelope, to the woman who not only catches the passionate attention of the Duke of Wakefield, but becomes his ideal of what a woman should be. Artemis doesn't accomplish this with physical beauty or superficial seduction, she captures Maximus's attention, sparks his passion, and wins his heart with bravery, strength of character and will, passionate honesty, and intelligence. Artemis is loyal and fearlessly passionate in her defense of those she loves and has no scruples when doing so. She chooses to become Maximus's mistress and like the goddess of the hunt Artemis of mythology, she becomes his private goddess, his fearless Diana.

Maximus, the Duke of Wakefield is quite different from Artemis. He also has a strong personality, but tends to be overbearing and overprotective of those he loves. Outwardly, he is a stiff, humorless, and rather intimidating Duke. However, as Artemis and the reader get to know him, Maximus is revealed as a man who has been overwhelmed by grief, guilt, and duty since he was nothing but a boy. In his personal life Maximus is always a Duke and doesn't know how to be "just a man" until Artemis comes along to show him he can be both. Once she does so, he is as passionate about her, and much more romantic than I expected, as he is obsessed with what drives him to roam the slums of St. Giles.

Hoyt again works with two different threads, the romance between Artemis and Maximus and the adventures of the third Ghost in the slums of St. Giles. The romance is riddled with a few conflicts: first, Maximus decides early on to make Lady Penelope his wife, which places Artemis as her cousin and companion in an awkward position when her personal relationship with the Duke evolves. Second, Artemis wrestles with the unfair incarceration of her twin brother Apollo in Bedlam and will do (and does) anything and everything to help and keep him safe. Apollo's "madness" is a deterrent and one of the biggest conflicts confronted by the lovers in this romance. As the third Ghost of St. Giles, Maximus is obsessive in his search for one particular murderer and his hatred of the gin mills. There is good reason for both, but this obsession effects his life, personality and all the choices he makes on a daily basis. Hoyt weaves all these threads together seamlessly to drive the romance to its expected happy conclusion.

There are old and new secondary characters that make an impact in this romance. Phoebe, Maximus's younger and almost blind sister is delightfully present and right on point as always. Captain Trevillion whose role has changed so radically that his presence makes me wonder, and Apollo, the most intriguing new addition to the already large cast of characters in this series. I, however, was quite happy to see the tiny appearance at the end of the remaining single Makepeace sibling, Asa. I am hoping that his story will take us back to St. Giles where I think Hoyt makes these romances come alive with the grit and atmosphere of the slums.

Despite the fact that this is the third book featuring a Ghost of St. Giles plot, Duke of Midnight is not predictable, and both the romance and the Ghost's story felt fresh within the Maiden Lane series. With central characters who are equally strong, intelligent, passionate, and balance each other out in and out of the bedroom, the romance between Artemis and Maximus is an excellent historical romance read and a fine addition to the Maiden Lane series. Highly recommended.

Category: Historical Romance
Series: Maiden Lane Series
Publisher/Release Date: Grand Central Publishing/October 15, 2013
Grade: A

Visit Elizabeth Hoyt here.

Series:
Wicked Intentions, #1
Notorious Pleasures, #2
Scandalous Desires, #3
Thief of Shadows, #4
Lord of Darkness, #5
Duke of Midnight, #6

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Review: Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane #5) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane #5) by Elizabeth Hoyt is the fifth installment in one of my favorite historical romance series. All the previous installments have been winners for me so far, let's see how this book fares.

We last left Godric St. John when he is blackmailed into marrying Griffin's sister Margaret who's left pregnant and unmarried when her lover is killed in St. Giles. Fast forward and Hoyt begins Lord of Darkness with a scene where Godric meets Margaret in a St. Giles alley while she is attacked by footpads, and while trying to save her realizes that she is bent on shooting him! Godric's immense admiration for Margaret's passion, courage and beauty dominates this short action scene and sets a precedence for the rest of this romance. Godric was previously married to the sickly Clara whom he loved with all his heart and whose ten year illness and death left him with a withered soul. Now, after two years of absence, Margaret, or Megs as she prefers to be called, comes barging into his life without warning and wants something from him that he may not be able to grant -- a consummated marriage.

Megs doesn't want Godric's love, but he is her husband. What is so unreasonable about wanting to consummate their marriage? She came to London with two goals in mind: to avenge the death of the man she loved, and to fill those little empty spaces in her life by getting pregnant. She needs a baby! As her husband, Godric is the only who can do this for her. However, as she gets to know Godric, Megs realizes there is a difference between planning to bed an unknown two-dimensional man and having a vital, passionate man in her bed; one who she quickly learns to admire for his physical assets, courage, loyalty and kindness. While this emotional turmoil takes place, Godric continues to don the Ghost of St. Giles' mask, placing his life on the line more than once, saving more than a few innocents, and killing a few villains in the process.

My favorite aspects of this novel are the likable characters and how well the development of the relationship is executed. I really like this couple together. Godric thinks of himself as the "Lord of Darkness" with his less than optimistic outlook, while it quickly becomes obvious to the reader that on the inside he is a romantic, beautiful, giving man. Megs on the other hand is a beautiful woman with an outwardly happy soul that brings light, hope and the type of mischievousness that Godric needs in his life. Megs, however, carries an emptiness inside placed there by a loss that manifests itself in two ways: a need to be fulfilled as a mother, and a need to avenge an innocent man's death.

As a couple Godric and Megs are honest with each other even when at times that honesty is downright hurtful, but I love that there's no long-term resentment on either side. They understand, get to know and work to make each other happy even as they believe the relationship is temporary. Megs' obsession to avenge Richard's death and her fear of letting him go are the biggest conflicts in this romance, more so than Godric's attempts to rationalize his feelings for Megs vs. his feelings for Clara. I actually found that a well done, interesting twist. Why? Well, Godric's was a long term relationship that ended in slow increments, if painfully. Megs' on the other hand was a short-term relationship that ended in a sudden burst of violence that left her without any real sense of closure. Additionally, in the process, she lost more than a lover.

There are some gorgeous sexual scenes in this story. Yes, they are sexy and passionate but what I find so beautiful about them is the fact that Hoyt imbues them with emotional intimacy, and each scene becomes highly relevant and furthers the relationship. Many of Megs' doubts are expressed during some of these scenes, and Godric's and Megs' moments of clarity also happen in the bedroom, both in and out of bed.

The weakness in this historical romance came from Godric's involvement as the second Ghost of St. Giles. Mind you, there are good reasons for Godric's role as the Ghost. A role primarily used as part of his character development and to drive Godric's growing relationship with Megs. For me, however, Godric's involvement in the continued investigation of an already explored situation addressed in the last book felt like a rehashed thread; particularly since I already knew who the villain was going to be! There was no suspense and frankly some personal disappointment in that aspect of the story. Additionally, at this point aristocratic characters abound and the series has been taken away from the heart of St. Giles, as a result some of the dark, gothic(ky) atmosphere that I love so much is sorely missing from this installment.

Overall, Lord of Darkness is a solid addition to the Maiden Lane series. I found that despite minor plot weaknesses and loss of atmosphere, there are excellent elements to be found in the romance. I am now looking forward to reading the Duke of Wakefield's adventures and his journey to happiness in Duke of Midnight. After that, I hope Hoyt returns to Maiden Lane and maybe to the other seldom mentioned, but rather intriguing, Makepeace brother. Yes?

Category: Historical Romance
Series: Maiden Lane
Publisher/Release Date: Grand Central Publishing/February 26, 2013
Grade: B

Visit Elizabeth Hoyt here.

Series:
Wicked Intentions, #1
Notorious Pleasures, #2
Scandalous Desires, #3
Thief of Shadows, #4
Lord of Darkness, #5

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

2012 Top Reads



This year my top 10 reads were gathered from different categories of books released in 2012 and graded A at Impressions of a Reader or given 5 stars at Goodreads. My top ten favorite books of 2012 are numbered, but due to the fact that I read many different categories this year (and love them all) they are listed in no particular order. Please note that I've included books already listed in my *2012 LGBT Favorite Books & Authors post (read a separate list here). You will also find a list of 2012 Honorable Mention reads that I thoroughly enjoyed this year, and three Grade A 2012 favorite reprint/re-releases.

2012 TOP 10 FAVORITE READS: (Click on titles to read reviews) 

1.   The Witness by Nora Roberts: Contemporary Romance Suspense
2.   Green Thumb by Tom Cardamone: Speculative Fiction*
3.   Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corral: Poetry*
4.   Range of Ghosts (Eternal Sky #1) by Elizabeth Bear: Fantasy
5.   Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War by Jeff Mann: Erotic Historical Romance*
6.   The Last Renegade by Jo Goodman: Western Historical Romance
7.   A Horse Named Sorrow: A Novel by Trebor Healey: Fiction**
8.   The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey: Historical Fantasy Fiction
9.   Captain Harding and His Men, #2 by Elliott Mackle: Historical Fiction/Mystery*
10. Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane #4) by Elizabeth Hoyt: Historical Romance

**Book read, reviewed after this post. Read in late December and unfortunately not included with my LGBT list of favorites! 




2012 HONORABLE MENTION LIST OF HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READS
1.   Torn by Lee Thomas: Horror*
2.   Caliban's War (The Expanse #2) by James S.A. Corey: Science Fiction
3.   Riveted (Iron Seas #3) by Meljean Brook: Science Fiction Romance/Steampunk
4.   Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry: Contemporary Romance
5.   Immobility by Brian Evenson: Post Apocalyptic Science Fiction/Fantasy
6.   The Last Policeman: A Novel by Ben H. Winters: Science Fiction/Mystery
7.   The Heart's History by Lewis DeSimone: Fiction*
8.   This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz: Literary Fiction
9.   Hearts of Darkness (Deadglass #1) by Kira Brady: Paranormal Romance
10. The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir by Domingo Martinez: Non-Fiction

2012 FAVORITE REPRINT/RE-RELEASE:
1.  The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh (2012 Dell): Historical Romance
2.  It Takes Two, #1 by Elliott Mackle (2012 Lethe Press): Historical Fiction/Mystery*
3.  The Rake by Mary Jo Putney (2012 Kensington Publishing): Historical Romance

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Review: Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane, #4) by Elizabeth Hoyt


The Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt is my favorite historical romance series at the moment. The three previous books have all been winners for me because of the absolutely wonderful atmosphere created by Hoyt and the memorable characters that have populated all the stories so far. Thief of Shadows, the fourth installment of this series, is no exception.

With Thief of Shadows, Hoyt continues the series by returning to the Makepeace family and the all important home for foundling children the family manages in St. Giles. This time the focus of the romance is the orphanage's headmaster, Winter Makepeace. The story begins exactly where Scandalous Desires ends as Lady Isabel Bekinhall on her way to meet with headmaster Winter Makepeace finds a wounded Ghost with a mob about to finish him off. She quickly rescues the Ghost and takes him home with the intention of helping him, but thinking that she might finally find out who he is. This one action changes Isabel and Winter's lives as their different worlds, and secrets, are about to collide.

There are two threads running alongside the romance in Thief of Shadows. One of the patronesses decides that now that aristocratic ladies are financing the home for foundling children there is a need for a more sophisticated headmaster and that Winter should be replaced. The ladies who disagree appoint Isabel as Winter's tutor in social graces, including dance, demeanor and conversations that he might encounter in social function attended by the aristocracy. Soon, Isabel yearns to tutor Winter in more than social graces and they move on to a game where sensuality and sexual tension take precedence over sophisticated, superficial conversation. This particular thread serves to drive the romance by allowing Winter and Isabel to meet often, furthering their acquaintance and establishing intimacy.

In the other thread the Ghost of Giles is investigating the disappearance of little orphan girls in St. Giles. The more he investigates, however, the more danger he encounters, particularly since his investigations take him right to the aristocracy's front door. Unfortunately this means that as the story progresses, so does the danger for Winter and Isabel. Hoyt blends both of these threads so well that they become an inseparable part of the romance.

Talking about the romance, in Thief of Shadows Hoyt again goes for the role reversal. In Notorious Pleasures, Hoyt successfully portrayed a virginal heroine who pursued a sexual affair while the hero, the cynical seducer, fell hopelessly in love. However in Thief of Shadows, Hoyt goes further by making a widowed and older Isabel the sexually experienced seducer interested in an affair, and Winter the virginal, reluctant hero who will only give of himself sexually if or when love and commitment are involved. Hoyt not only makes this role reversal work, but in the process she makes the sexual tension, and the progressive sensuality between Winter and Isabel a hot and steamy experience for the reader.

Characterization is also important in this story. Winter is a character that has been developed slowly over four books. In Thief of Shadows that development gains depth so that the reader understands what motivates his actions, and that includes Winter's personal, intimate decisions regarding Isabel, his love and protectiveness for the children under his care at the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children, and what drives the darker side of his personality.

When it comes to Isabel, there is character growth within this story. Initially, there is a certain superficiality to her personality and her motivations that I found troubling, but as the story progresses Isabel is revealed as a woman who goes after what she wants until she gets it, strong and single minded, but not without vulnerabilities so that by the end of the story there certainly is depth to her character.

So what else can I say about this book? Thief of Shadows is a steamy romance with a hot, tender, caring, brave hero and a sexy heroine, brimming with atmosphere, wonderful sword play action, and interesting secondary characters that contribute to the story without taking the focus away from the main couple or the romance. Did I love it? Absolutely. Now the long wait begins for the next book of the series, Lord of Darkness!

Category: Historical Romance
Series: Maiden Lane
Publisher/Release Date: Grand Central Publishing/June 26, 2012
Grade: A-

Visit Elizabeth Hoyt here.

Series:
Wicked Intentions, #1
Notorious Pleasures, #2
Scandalous Desires, #3
Thief of Shadows, #4
Lord of Darknes, #5 (Releasing February 2013) 

Thursday, June 7, 2012

New Releases: June 2012

June Releases are almost here already! There are quite a few books that I'm looking forward to reading this month. As always, I will highlight only a few from my list.

These are books that I can't wait to read!

❖❖❖❖❖❖

Title: Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.
❖❖❖

Title: Hex Appeal edited by P.N. Elrod
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Fall under the intoxicating spell of their hex appeal…

In the magical world that lies hidden beneath our own, witches and conjurers play deadly games. They know just the right spell to kill a man with one kiss—or raise him back again. And they’re not afraid to exact sweet revenge on those who dare to cross them. But what if you’re the unlucky soul who falls victim to a conjurer’s curse? And if you had the power to cast a magic spell of your own, would you use it?

In this bewitching collection, nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales. Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty- third century named Silicon Lily. But as our conjurers are about to discover, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hexed. And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem.
❖❖❖

Title: Scandal Wears Satin (Dressmakers #2) by Loretta Chase
Release Date: June 26, 2012
From the Journals of Sophia Noirot: A dress is a weapon. It must dazzle his eye, raise his temperature . . . and empty his purse.

A blue-eyed innocent on the outside and a shark on the inside, dressmaker Sophy Noirot could sell sand to Bedouins. Selling Maison Noirot's beautiful designs to aristocratic ladies is a little harder, especially since a recent family scandal has made an enemy of one of society's fashion leaders. Turning scandal to the shop's advantage requires every iota of Sophy's skills, leaving her little patience for a big, reckless rake like the Earl of Longmore. The gorgeous lummox can't keep more than one idea in his head at a time, and his idea is taking off all of Sophy's clothes.

But when Longmore's sister, Noirot's wealthiest, favorite customer, runs away, Sophy can't let him bumble after her on his own. In hot pursuit with the one man who tempts her beyond reason, she finds desire has never slipped on so smoothly . . .
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Title: Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane Series #4) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Release Date: June 26, 2012
A MASKED MAN . . .

Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he's the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles-protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

A DANGEROUS WOMAN . . .

Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she's asked to tutor the Home's dour manager in the ways of society-flirtation, double-entendres, and scandalous liaisons-Isabel can't help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar-and his lips so tempting.

A PASSION NEITHER COULD DENY
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Title: Starlight (The Christies #2) by Carrie Lofty
Release Date: June 26, 2012
An esteemed astronomer, Alex Christie, the eldest and most steadfast of the Christie siblings, has never possessed his late father’s ruthless business drive. But to protect his frail infant son from his cruel father-in-law’s bid for custody, the young widower must undertake Sir William Christie’s posthumous million-dollar challenge: to make a Glasgow cotton mill profitable. At sea in an industrial world of sabotage and union agitation, Alex meets Polly Gowan, daughter of a famed union leader, who hopes to seize a mysterious saboteur without involving the police.

Because a sympathetic mill master would aid her cause, Polly becomes Alex’s guide to urban Scotland. From soccer games to pub brawls, Alex sees another side of life, and feels free for the first time to reveal the man—vital and strong—behind his intellectual exterior. Polly is utterly seduced. Their ambitions, however, remain at odds: Alex vows to earn the mill bonus to save his child, while Polly fights for the needs of her people. Is there strength enough in their sparkling passion to bind them together in their quests— and in a lasting love that conquers all?
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Title: Caliban's War (The Expanse) by James S.A. Corey
Release Date: June 26, 2012
We are not alone.

On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system.

In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .

Caliban's War is a breakneck science fiction adventure following the critically acclaimed Leviathan Wakes.
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Title: At Last (Lucky Harbor) by Jill Shalvis
Release Date: June 26, 2012
HER LOVE HAS COME ALONG . . .
Amy Michaels loves her new life in Lucky Harbor. A waitress in the local diner, she's looking forward to her first weekend hike through the mountains. But when a wrong turn takes her off the trail, she finds herself up close and personal with forest ranger Matt Bowers. And even though she's tempted to kiss that sexy smile right off his face, she won't make the mistake of getting involved with the town heartthrob.

A former cop whose life went south, Matt doesn't let anyone get too close. But something about the feisty beauty caught his eye the moment he first saw her in the diner. After a hot night under a starry sky, Matt can't deny their attraction-or the fact that for the first time in a long time, he feels the stirrings of something more. Now it's up to Matt to help Amy see that, no matter what is in their past, together they can build a future in Lucky Harbor.
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I enjoyed Scalzi's work at the beginning of the year and frankly Redshirts just looks fun! Also, I read Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P.N. Elrod in 2010 and it turned out to be pretty solid, so there's an anthology I don't want to miss.

Do you know what's interesting besides the fact that the rest these books are releasing on the same date? Chase, Hoyt, Lofty, Corey, and Shalvis wrote some of my favorite books last year and most were from these same series. It is going to be tough choosing which book to read first. It looks like my end-of-month reading schedule will be busy, busy, busy. :)

What about you? What books are you looking forward to reading in June?


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

2011: Favorite Quotes

I love quotes! I collect them just as I collect books. I've done this for years. I highlight them, bookmark them, think about them. I have little post-its and sticky notes all over my books, and a notebook of favorite quotes. Sometimes I re-visit them and depending on depth even have to write something about them!

Here are nine favorite quotes, and an excerpt from a poem, I collected this year.

Romance:
  • "Because" ... "ye've bewitched and bespelled me, my sweet Silence, didn't ye know? I'll agree that the sky is pink, that the moon is made o' marzipan and sugared raisins, and that mermaids swim the muddy waters o' the Thames, if ye'll only stop weepin'. Me chest breaks apart and gapes wide open when I see tears in yer pretty eyes. Me lungs, me liver, and me heart cannot stand to be thus exposed." -- Mickey -- Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
  • "The scent of you," he said so softly. "Heaven help me, the scent of you." -- Clevedon -- Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase
  • "To address your question fairly, Miss Eversea... while I understand my broken engagement is a popular topic of conversation among the fashionable set, one must consider the possibility that the end of it was serendipitous for both Lady Abigail and I. And that thus freed our hearts might now love more appropriately and happily." Take that, Miss Eversea. He was rather proud of thatThat epic, steaming mound of balderdash. -- Alex -- What I Did For A Duke by Julie Anne Long
Urban Fantasy
  • "The Beast Lord walked out of the warehouse. The screen went dark. My knight in furry armor." -- Kate Daniels -- Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
Science Fiction
  • "The beautiful thing about losing your illusions, he thought, was that you got to stop pretending." -- Miller - Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
Historical Fiction
  • "In New York nobody looks at a woman with that arrogance anymore. Measuring her, weighing her, calculating how much flesh there is in each one of her breasts and thighs, how much hair on her pubis, the exact curve of her buttocks. She closes her eyes, feeling slightly dizzy. In New York not even Latins—Dominicans, Colombians, Guatemalans—give such looks. They’ve learned to repress them, realized they mustn’t look at women the way male dogs look at female dogs, stallions look at mares, boars look at sows.." -- Urania -- The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa

Gay Fiction
  • "All men have macho in them. Even gay ones, but there are varying degrees, and while most forms of macho are lethal to the progression of the world and society, there are some acceptable levels, very low levels, that can sometimes be useful." Chulito by Charles Rice-González

Gay Speculative Fiction
  • "I squeeze it in my grasp and it shrinks to a twirlable size, sits comfortably between my fingers, a pen. There is no need for any statement of authority more grand than this, I think, not in this day and age. What was comfortable in one era as a humble reed with a wedge-shaped end, will be comfortable here and now as simple ballpoint. It is the most important of all these objects of power, I think -- though I am prejudiced, I suspect -- the original of all tools for shaping order and chaos." -- "Oneirica by Hal Duncan" -- Wilde Stories 2011: The Year's Best Gay Speculative Fiction edited by Steve Berman
Non-Fiction
  • "Combat isn't where you might die -- though that does happen -- it's where you find out whether you get to keep on living." War by Sebastian Junger
Poetry

"Before Cortés lops off a messenger's
hands and has another trampled,
before the branding and burning,
there is wonderment
and, for a moment, endearment
as Cortés dances, off beat, around
the long neck of his field piece." --
Excerpt from Cortés and Cannon
 Empire by Xochiquetzal Candelaria

Thursday, December 22, 2011

2011 Year-End: Favorite Books

2011 is a year I'll remember for my inconsistent reading pattern. Some months I read like gangbusters  and others I barely had the time. But I'll also remember it because if there were good reads during the first part of the year, reading-wise the second part turned out to be even better.

As always my list is compiled from books read by me during the year. I know there are many great books out there that I didn't get to! So many books! I chose my top reads from the 2011 releases only and then from those awarded top grades throughout the year. However because I do read many back list titles or books released during previous years, you will also find a short list at the bottom of this post with my favorite reads. It's only fair as there are quite a few A's in there!

I'm an eclectic reader and that's reflected throughout my 2011 choices. This year's list is comprised of books from the following genres: Historical Romance, Gay Fiction, Science Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Poetry and Contemporary Romance. Please note that this year I again posted a separate "LGBT Favorite Authors and Books" list. It is a different type of post geared towards favorite writers and their works, however you'll also see two of those books included here... without them my overall list would have been incomplete.

TOP 2011 READS: (Click on titles to read reviews)


1.   Historical Romance: Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
      (2011 Grand Publishing): A
2.   Gay Fiction: The Abode of Bliss: Ten Stories for Adam by Alex Jeffers
      (2011 Ticture): A
3.   Historical Romance: Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase
      (2011 Avon): A


4.   Science Fiction: Leviathan Wakes (Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey
       (2011 Orbit): A
5.   Paranormal Romance: Kiss of Snow (Psy/Changeling, #10) by Nalini Singh
      (2011 Berkley): A
6.   Poetry: Empire by Xochiquetzal Candelaria
      (2011 Univ. of Arizona Press) Grade: A
7.   Contemporary Romance: The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis
      (2011 Forever): A
8.   Gay Mystery/ThrillerThe German by Lee Thomas (2011 Lethe Press): A-
9.   Contemporary Romance: The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas
      (2011 Berkley): A-
10. Historical Romance: What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long
      (2011 Avon): A-

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TOP 5 CHOICES: BOOKS RELEASED PRIOR TO 2011

  1. Historical Fiction: The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa (2011 Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1 ed. Kindle -- transl. first released in 2003 by Faber & Faber): A
  2. Contemporary Romance: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie (2004 St. Martin Press): A
  3. Gay Fiction/YA: The Perfect Family by Kathryn Shay (2010 Bold Stroke Books): A
  4. Science Fiction Opera: Dust (Jacobs Ladder #1) by Elizabeth Bear (2007 Spectra): A-*
  5. Historical Romance: Song of Seduction by Carrie Lofty (2010 Carina Press): A-
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5 BOOKS I LOVED AND WILL REMEMBER REGARDLESS:

  1. Science Fiction: Embassytown by China Miéville (2011 Del Rey): B+
  2. Non-Fiction: War by Sebastian Junger (2010 Twelve) Non-Fiction: B+
  3. Historical Romance: The Sergeant's Lady by Susanna Fraser (2010 Carina Press): B+
  4. Fantasy: A Companion To Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear (2007 Tor): B+
  5. Contemporary Romance: A Summer at Seaside Cove by Jacquie D'Alessandro (2011 Berkley): B
What do I find interesting about this year's list? For the past couple of years Urban Fantasy or Fantasy have been my first choice. This year it was a historical romance and that's a big change. Also a  couple of favorite writers didn't make it to the top of my list, although I enjoyed their new releases. Eight of the books chosen by me, from all categories and release years, are from new-to-me authors whose works I read this year. That always makes me happy!

Well that does it for 2011! What book made it to the top of your 2011 list?