Tuesday, August 31, 2010

New Releases: September/October 2010

I only have two new releases in my list for the month of September, so I've decided to combine my list for September and October and as you'll see it's a small one at this point.

I would like to highlight a book I previously neglected to mention, a book that I've been waiting for with bated breath -- KILLBOX by Ann Aguirre!

I had this book down as a September 2nd release and didn't realize somewhere along the way the date changed and it turns out the book releases today, August 31st! So, I'm getting my Sirantha Jax and Science Fiction/Romance fix a few days early. I cannot wait to read this book!

The rest of the books I'm looking forward to reading are a mix of Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, Young Adult Fantasy and Historical Romance.


Bayou Moon (The Edge, Book 2) by Ilona Andrews
Release Date: September 28, 2010
Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.
Visit Ilona Andrews here.


Double Cross by Carolyn Crane
Release Date: September 28, 2010
SOME SECRETS COME BACK TO HAUNT. OTHERS COME TO KILL.

Justine Jones lived her life as a fearful hypochondriac until she was lured into the web of a mysterious mastermind named Packard, who gifts her with extraordinary mental powers—dooming her to fight Midcity’s shadowy war on paranormal crime in order to find the peace she so desperately craves.

But now serial killers with unheard-of skills are terrorizing the most powerful beings in Midcity, including mastermind Packard and his oldest friend and worst enemy, Midcity’s new mayor, who has the ability to bend matter itself to his will.

As the body count grows, Justine faces a crisis of conscience as she tests the limits of her new powers and faces an impossible choice between two flawed but brilliant men—one on a journey of redemption, the other descending into a pit of moral depravity.
Visit Carolyn Crane here.


The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
Release Date: October 5, 2010
First in an all-new series where seductive danger and steampunk adventure abound in the gritty world of the Iron Seas.

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.
Visit Meljean Brook here.


The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Release Date: October 12, 2010
After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they’ll need the help of some familiar demigods.
Visit Rick Riordan here.


A Christmas Promise by Mary Balogh
Release Date: October 26, 2010
(First released in 1992 as a Signet Regency)
Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions—especially when a couple seems as well matched as Randolph Pierce, Earl of Falloden, and his bride-to-be, Eleanor Transome. Ellie brings to the marriage a vast dowry, while Falloden, though distant, is handsome, tremendously desirable, and possessed of a title most young ladies can only dream of sharing.

Yet Ellie is not most young ladies. She knows that she must honor her dear father’s dying wish for her to wed the proud earl, but she dreads a lifetime in a union without love—and how can Falloden claim to love her when he married her only for her fortune? As Christmas descends upon the Falloden manor, the warmth of the season may yet melt away the trappings of duty and wealth, leaving behind only a man and a woman destined for each other’s arms.
Visit Mary Balogh here.

What are you looking forward to reading in September and October? Any good suggestions?

Monday, August 30, 2010

Review: Rising Tides by Nora Roberts (Re-Read)

This month's re-reads were books that "called" to me. Does that happen to you? I began thinking about the characters in both books and just had to revisit them and their stories. One is a historical and the other a contemporary romance and both by favorite writers: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas and Rising Tides by Nora Roberts.

What do these books have in common? Although quite different on the surface, at the core Derek Craven and Ethan Quinn share similarities, neither thinks they deserve happiness with the woman they love because of their past actions and violent beginnings. They are both hardworking men, content with their achievements, if not with their lives as a whole. They both love and yearn for their women with their whole hearts, and both find women who love and see them as they really are. I think it's interesting that these different stories written by two different authors with different writing styles called to me, yet in the end they did share a few common threads. As much as I would love to write about both books, at this time for Nath's 2010 Re-Read Challenge, I've chosen to write my review on the contemporary rather than on the historical romance.

Of the three brothers, it was Ethan who shared his father's passion for the Maryland shore. And now with his father gone, Ethan is determined to make the family boat building business a success. But amidst his achievements lie the most important challenges of his life...

There is young Seth, who needs him more than ever. And a woman he has always loved but never believed he could have. But beneath Ethan's seemingly still waters is a dark and painful past. He must learn to see around the shadows to accept who he is. Because through Ethan's past lies the future -- and his one chance at happiness...

Rising Tides by Nora Roberts is the second book of the Quinn Brothers trilogy. This story focuses on the romance between Ethan Quinn and Grace Monroe. Why did this story call to me? Well, although this is the middle book and many will say not the very best of the three, in my opinion Rising Tides definitely glues this trilogy together. I loved the characters in the first book Sea Swept, but reading this book is where I fell in love with the Quinns as a family.

I personally love Ethan's character. He is a quiet, strong and hardworking man with a rough abusive past that makes him vulnerable. The brother who stayed behind and works the Chesapeake Bay as a fisherman, and  the type of man that once healed, any woman would love to have by her side. Ethan is also a one-woman man. He fell in love with Grace when she was a teenager and she is "it" for him. So there's unfulfilled yearning going on in this story that makes Ethan and Grace's coming together that much more effective when it happens. Grace herself secretly felt the same way about him, so it's a double-whammy in that respect.

The other reason I love this book is the relationship factor. I've always admired Nora Roberts ability to create, build and sell relationships, and I've always thought the Quinn brothers as one of her best. The relationship between the three older brothers with all the arguing, fighting, teasing and loving is enough to make this a wonderful trilogy. But, their developing relationship with the youngest Quinn brother Seth, as he's introduced into their family after the death of their father Ray, takes the stories to a higher level.

For me, this is where Rising Tides comes in. I always felt that this is where Seth is really brought into the family fold, and Ethan is the one brother who really made Seth feel safe, accepted and truly acceptable to the Quinn family. Roberts cleverly accomplishes this by intertwining Ethan's and Seth's storylines and having both characters work out their issues while the romance between Ethan and Grace is developed.

Of course there's also the relationship between Ethan and Grace. There's lots of yearning and not a little interference that goes on this romance. Both characters carry baggage, some of them heavy and issues must be resolved before there's a happily-ever-after. Grace and Ethan, although in love, are both stubborn and each has his and her own battle to fight and win, providing the reader with both frustrating  and satisfying moments as their relationship develops and they come together. This is a well-rounded book about love, family and healing -- a book I revisit once every so often when it calls to me.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Quinn Brothers Trilogy
Released: Jove 1998 Edition, 1999 Hardcover 3-1 Edition, 2001 Edition
Grade: B+

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Review: Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley

Lady Isabella Scranton scandalized London by leaving her husband, notorious artist Lord Mac Mackenzie, after only three turbulent years of marriage. But Mac has a few tricks to get the Lady back in his life, and more importantly, back into his bed.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage is the second book in the Mackenzie brothers series by Jennifer Ashley. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, the first book in this series, was a wonderful story and I was really looking forward to reading more about Mac, Isabella and the Mackenzie brothers.

This is a story about a second chance at love, a trope I usually love. Mac and Isabella are married but have been separated for a few years after a turbulent marriage. They still love each other, but there's a history of pain and lack of forgiveness between them. Mac made mistakes during their marriage and Isabella is unwilling to give him the second chance he needs. In this story Mac finds a way into Isabella's life again, and he does everything possible to win her back fully. She, on the other hand, struggles between wanting and enjoying Mac physically, and accepting him back into her life as a true husband.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage was an average read for me. The story itself is interesting, the characters are likable, and I enjoyed the family dynamics between the Mackenzie brothers, Beth and Daniel. Unfortunately, I had a problem with the way Ashley uses flashbacks to incorporate Mac and Isabella's past history into the story. Right in the middle of a conversation and even in the middle of love scenes, the characters flash back to a past scene or reminisce about a past event. This happens repeatedly throughout the story, diminishing the impact of the scenes and the characters' present situation. This frustrated me personally, particularly when it happened in the middle of the love scenes. There's a mystery that ends with lots of predictable drama.

Although this is not my favorite book of this series so far, I did enjoy the interaction between the Mackenzie brothers. I'm still looking forward to reading Cam's story and will continue to follow this series.

Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Mackenzie Brothers
Release Date: July 6, 2010
Source: Copy of ARC received from Tracy - Thank you!
Grade: C

Visit Jennifer Ashley here.

KMont's 2010 Year of the Historical Challenge

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Minis: Three Harlequin SuperRomances by Beth Andrews

During the last year I've been on the look out for new category romance authors to add to my list of old favorites. Recently, Wendy mentioned A Not-So-Perfect Past by Beth Andrews as a book she recommended and after doing a bit of research I decided to read the following three books by this author.

The following three SuperRomances by Beth Andrews are all related, although they can all be read as standalone books. They are all set in the small town of Serenity Springs. The protagonists from all three books are related to each other -- brothers and sisters. With the exception of two characters, our protagonists are introduced in the first book. 

Not Without Her Family
She claims she has to make things right... It's nothing but trouble for Jack Martin, chief of police, when Kelsey Reagan blows into town. Her ex-con brother just became the prime suspect in a murder, and this reformed bad girl vows to prove he's innocent. She even blames herself for her brother's jail record for her brother's convicted crime.
And now Jack's precocious young daughter is beginning to idolize Kelsey.

But an error in judgment nearly cost the widowed cop his career once; he's never going to let that happen again. Not even for a gorgeous troublemaker like Kelsey.

Kelsey's a former bad girl and comes to Serenity Springs to make peace with her brother Dillon. She has a past history of making mistakes and is here trying to make things right with the only family she has left. The first person she meets when she blows into town is Chief of Police Jack Martin and he's one suspicious man, never mind that he's gorgeous.  Jack can't help but drool over the woman he finds at his sister's bar while it's unattended, but he's a cop and no easy target, even when later the attraction turns out to be mutual.When Kelsey turns out to be Dillon's sister, the only ex-con in town, and Dillon becomes the suspect in a murder, Jack suspects that Kelsey will use their attraction to sway his good judgment.  He's a widower and a single father and can't afford to make mistakes that will affect his daughter or his career.

Not Without Her Family is a story full of suspicions and self-doubt. Both Jack and Kelsey have baggage and their vulnerabilities are explored in this story. As a cop, Jack used bad judgment once before and he's afraid that Kelsey might influence his actions while investigating the murder. Kelsey on the other hand has good reasons to distrust cops, is not the motherly type or ready for a commitment -- she has a tendency to run when things get hot and heavy. Dillon (A Not-So-Perfect Past), who is introduced in this story, is a brooding and bitter character who doesn't even want to see or talk to Kelsey. The scenes between the brother and sister are tense and heartbreaking.

I enjoyed some of this book and characters. The murder investigation was well developed and taken to a good conclusion. However, by the end of this book, I wasn't really sure that Kelsey was ready for a stable, committed relationship with a man, least of all with a single father. Although I enjoyed part of the storyline, I thought her character and the relationship between Jack and Allie needed a bit more development to make this story complete. Grade C+

Other Reviews:
Dear Author

❤❤❤❤❤❤


A Not-So-Perfect Past 
Nina Carlson knows all about Dillon Ward. Knows he served time in prison. Knows nobody put out the welcome mat when he moved to Serenity Springs. But that doesn't stop her from renting him a place to live. And when someone crashes into her bakery, he's just the man to fix the damage.

And Nina isn't the only one who thinks Dillon's the perfect man for the job: her two kids have taken a shine to him. Still, she can't afford to get close to Dillon, even if he is tempting her to toss out her goodgirl shoes. Because it's not that she doesn't trust him. It's that she doesn't trust herself.

A Not-So-Perfect Past, is Dillon's story. He's Kelsey's (Not Without Her Family) brother and an ex-convict who did time for murdering his step-father. After living and working as a freelance carpenter in Serenity Springs for a few years, his only friend is Allison Martin (A Secret Agenda). And after being accused of a murder, he has become a pariah and no one in town is hiring. When his beautiful landlady Nina Carlson asks him to vacate the premises above her bakery, Dillon has had enough and decides to leave town. Nina a divorced mother with two children, allows her ex-husband and family to influence her actions and to avoid a confrontation with them, asks Dillon to move out. But when a young man crashes his fosterparents' truck into the bakery, Nina asks Dillon's help and he comes through for her.

This was actually a wonderful book and even though Dillon is introduced in the first book of this series, it stands alone quite well. As a male protagonist, Dillon was well developed and I liked him from the beginning. He broods and is clearly traumatized by his past experiences, as the story goes along his vulnerabilities are slowly exposed and his tenderness, loyalty, passion and love come shining through. I loved seeing this character unfold and grow with the story.

Nina on the other hand grew on me as the story developed. She's a woman who has no self-esteem and lets her family and ex-husband run all over her -- a frustrating situation at the beginning of the story. However as with Dillon's character, there's marked growth in her character by the end of the story and I was quite happy with her development.

This was a wonderful couple that had a lot to overcome and they did it very well. Some of the secondary characters were better developed than others. I especially enjoyed seeing Kelsey and witnessing a final resolution to some of the questions I had in Not Without Her Family. This book had a beautiful ending and I can see why it came highly recommended. Grade B+

Other Reviews:
Wendy - The Good, The Bad and The Unread
KristieJ - Ramblings On Romance

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His Secret Agenda 
Dean Garret is about to break the number one rule of undercover work. And it's all because his new "boss" is as pretty as a professional cheerleader and has a do-gooder's heart. Who can resist that combination? Still, Dean suspects Allison Martin is hiding something behind her dazzling smile. That something being the runaway mother and son he's been hired to find.

To get the job done, he needs to gain Allie's trust. Only, the lawyer-turned-bar-owner isn't cooperating. But she can't remain immune to his good ol' boy charm and sexy drawl forever. Because Dean never fails. And he'll do anything to solve a case. Even if it means he has to break all the rules.
His Secret Agenda focuses on Allison Martin, Jack Martin's sister. She is first introduced in Not Without Her Family, but as Dillon's best friend, her character makes appearances in all three stories.

Allison is an attorney who gave up her practice in New York City to run a Bar and Grill in Serenity Springs. No one knows exactly why she gave up her successful career and although they suspect there are deeper reasons for her actions, they accept her brief explanations that she needed a change. However, her past is about to come back to haunt her when good 'ole boy Dean Garrett blows into town. Dean was hired to do a job and getting close to Allison is the only way to it. He's used to using his charm to get his way, but he has never broken the rules. But as the tension builds and times goes by, the sizzling attraction between the two makes this a tougher assignment than he thought possible.

Now here's a relationship built on lies. Allison is known to be a soft touch, she hires people who are in need instead of those who are qualified. Dean suspects Allison broke the law when she was an attorney, and he needs her help to find his quarry. However instead of asking her directly, he goes undercover and as he falls for her, proceeds to have a relationship with her built on lies and deception. Allison, makes mistakes in judgment and refuses to accept them along the way throughout this story. She also lies to her friends and family.

I initially liked both Allie and Dean, but frankly after a while I didn't love either one of them. Although these two have some great sizzling moments and I enjoyed the sexual tension and build up between them, in the end there's little room left to sympathize with these characters. There's no real change in Allie by the end of the story -- she continues to show poor judgment and only sees the consequences when they are pointed out to her by others, and she never comes clean with her family. Although Dean has reasons for his deception and he did show some personal growth along the way, the timeline was so quick that I thought this story didn't feel complete. The "happily ever after" felt rushed and abrupt without too many insights and the forgiveness and realizations didn't feel real to me.

I did enjoy revisiting with the secondary characters Dillon, Kelsey and Jack. Especially Dillon, who as Allie's best friend plays a good part in this story. His Secret Agenda was an average read for me. Grade C

Other Reviews:
Wendy - The Good, The Bad and The Unread

Visit RITA Award Winning Author Beth Andrews here.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Review: True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson

I seem to be cycling back to craving those contemporary romances again. For me contemporaries are like a favorite candy, the more I eat... the more I want. Lately I've been reading quite a few of them and I hope to post some reviews for you this week. True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson is a book I've had in my TBR for over a year and finally read in July.

DISASTER NUMBER ONE: MEN
Hard knocks and hunger taught Faith Duffy not to believe in love. Still, when she married her very wealthy—and very old—husband, she became the perfect wife. He gave her security; she gave him fidelity and loyalty, but not her heart. And then he went to that big bank in the sky, leaving Faith with a lot of lonely nights, a pile of money, and a total mess of a pro hockey team. Heck, Faith doesn’t even watch hockey!

DISASTER NUMBER TWO: PASSION
But most of America and half of Canada is watching Ty Savage, team captain. His lethal sex appeal and deadly right hook make him the favorite of hockey fans. For most of Ty’s life, he’s dreamed of winning the Stanley cup. The last thing he needs is a gold-digging bimbo messing up his plans.

DISASTER NUMBER THREE: LOVE
Faith loathes Ty on sight, but she can’t stop thinking about him all day…and all night. Then a night of temptations ends with Faith in Ty’s bed, and she begins to see there’s more to him than sex appeal and slap shots. Ty discovers there’s far more to Faith than beauty and billions. A relationship with Faith is impossible, and falling in love---would be a disaster.
True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson is all about Faith Duffy who in the past was a stripper and playboy centerfold. When her 81 year old rich husband dies and she inherits the Seattle Chinooks hockey team and millions of dollars, her days as a trophy wife are over. The captain of the hockey team, Ty Savage resents Faith's ownership and fears for the team's future, especially since she doesn't even know the basics about hockey. Faith finds herself struggling to adjust to her new status as a widow, the changes in her life, her nasty step-son, the team, the media and sexy Ty.

This sports romance had a familiar feel to it. It reminded me a bit of Susan Elizabeth Phillip's It Had to Be You, except that the characters were not as strong and I thought it was a weaker version all around. Faith's character had some good points, but overall I found her to be weak. Yes she was a stripper and a Playboy bunny who married an 81 year man for his money, however she was not ashamed of her past, her years as a trophy wife, or her acquisitiveness. Her reasons were her own and heck they were hers and I personally didn't think she should be judged for those, as opposed to everyone else in this story including Ty. Faith decides to keep the hockey team against her better judgment and hires an assistant to learn as much as possible about hockey and the team, there's character growth there for her. All good so far, right?

Ty and Faith fall for each other despite the fact that Ty tends to think of Faith as a bimbo who can ruin his career, and a hot affair ensues. Initially Ty comes off as the typical macho sports hero, and he definitely treats Faith as a gold-digging bimbo. He's more concerned with his career than he is about a relationship, and he has baggage that comes out in the book. Ty wasn't exceptionally likable to begin with, but he grew with the story and although flawed, he made strides by the end of the story. Faith is a different story altogether.

Here's where I have a problem with Faith. Due to her insecurities, she can't seem to defend herself against those who insult her personally, she can't seem to say no to those who take advantage of her, and in the end she can't resolve her own problems. Someone else has to come and take care of Faith -- THAT doesn't change and neither do the other problems I've outlined above. Examples? Charity ladies (and others throughout the story) insult her to her face and she won't respond; her mother abuses Faith's trust and uses her blatantly but Faith never fights back; and when her step-son puts pressure on her, she folds. The big Captain of the hockey team has to save the day and take care of business because Faith folds.

The build up to the romance, sexual tension and scenes were good between Faith and Ty and I enjoyed the overall sports theme as well as a few of the secondary characters. However because of the problems I had with the characterization in this book, my overall enjoyment was limited and it falls more under the good but not great category for me.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: None
Released: April 28, 2009
Grade: C-

Visit Rachel Gibson here.