Patricia Briggs: Mercy Thompson Series

My reading is all over the place at the moment. Although it has been prolific throughout the month of April and May so far. I've been reading backlist books and found many new favorites among them. The Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series stands out. I read all the books and novellas with the exception of Night Broken, Book #8. At this point, I'm thinking of leaving that book in my TBR until the next installment is ready to be published.

Briggs' world building is the first thing that jumped out at me. Briggs concentrates and places a heavy emphasis on the wolf pack hierarchy, -- from dominant to submissive -- the biological aspects of being a wolf, as well as the strict rules they must follow. In Briggs' world a wolf's life is not pretty for anyone, not even the wolf pack's Alpha. It is not easy to choose this lifestyle. Unfortunately, the females are royally screwed since the rules the wolves follow were established during prior centuries when a female's worth was next to nil. So, even in modern times single females don't rank within a pack, if mated they take their rank from their mates (i.e., even if a female is alpha by nature, if her mate is submissive the female goes to the bottom of the pack with her mate). To top it all off females are not able to bear children. Their main contribution is limited to fighting and mating. Hurrah for them.

So, it is no wonder that when coyote shifter Mercy Thompson, our Protagonist (with a capital P), comes under the local Alpha's protection and into contact with his wolf pack, everyone resents the heck out of her, particularly the females. A few factors must be taken into consideration: coyotes and wolves do not get along and Briggs captures nature's enmity between these two similar but distinctive species in her world-building. Mercy stands apart, or outside the pack because she is a coyote shifter. However, many conflicts arise from the fact that Mercy is also an independent female who later comes to hold a higher rank than even the males in the pack. Another factor in all of this comes from Mercy's ability to bear a wolf's child. This is key in the series, although from a different perspective.

Mercy's character did not blow me away after reading Moon Called, #1. It took me a little while to shift my viewpoint of her, and it wasn't until late in Blood Bound that I began thinking of Mercy as a coyote instead of a female wolf. When I understood her penchant for causing trouble, playing dangerous games, and came to terms with that aspect of her personality, I enjoyed her characterization much more. The thing about Mercy is that even when she is not looking for trouble, trouble finds her. She is independent of mind but knows how to play games with the dominant/submissive wolves. Mercy grew up within a wolf pack so she understands the rules even as she fears getting too caught up in them.

At the beginning of the series, Mercy is portrayed as vulnerable because of her size and limited power. But what I found as I read along is that Mercy is vulnerable because she cares too much for others, and sometimes not enough for herself. She just wants to lead a normal life, be a mechanic, and love her man. Unfortunately, that's not to be as everything goes into high gear within and without the shifters' world. The worlds of humans, fae, vampires, witches, and shifters are colliding and Mercy along with Adam's pack find themselves in danger from all sides. As the series moves along, Mercy gains power as she gains knowledge about herself as a coyote. Her adventures become dangerous and she, her friends, and Adam's pack are all affected by her actions, mistakes, and triumphs.

Of all the books in the series, Blood Bound, #2 and Iron Kissed, #3 have the most complex plotting of the series thus far, highlighting the worlds of fae, vampires, and wolves alike. The focus on Bone Crossed, #4 is more singular in nature. It is also missing contributions by recurring secondary characters and although the story is solid overall, in the end it falls on the anti-climactic side. Silver Borne, #5 is truly exciting and somewhat angsty, but unfortunately Sam's secondary storyarc lacks all the good, emotional bits pertaining to his romance. This became specially frustrating later after reading the origins novella Silver in Briggs' anthology Shifting Shadows. River Marked, #6 became my favorite for its inclusion of Coyote, Mercy's Native American roots, and Native American folklore -- and let's not forget all the romantic shenanigans. And, Frost Burned, #7 is a solid installment with some exciting action and mysteries. It's worth mentioning that in this book Briggs includes Adam's point of view a couple of times, from the third person perspective. I liked that. Kyle, Warren's human mate was fantastic throughout the second section of the book, which brings me to the fact that Frost Burned shifts directions a few times along the way, unexpectedly so at the end.

Personally I find that contributions by the secondary characters in this series, not just Adam and Sam, are stand outs and invaluable to this series. I have a crush on Mercy's bloody vampire friend Stefan. Bran is a character whose background I would love to see explored in depth, and Zee, Warren and Ben are at the top of my love list.

My one frustration throughout the series is the pack's continued mistreatment of Mercy. Even with all the factors that make Mercy an outsider, there is such a thing as bonding while sharing hardship. Mercy has battled enemies with this wolf pack and has saved them collectively, as well as individually more than enough times to be treated with respect. The continued distrust, jealousy, and bitchiness that goes on should have abated by this point. It is my most fervent opinion that they all need to get over it already.

The romance between Mercy and Adam? I love the way it has progressed thus far. Love them together. And PS: The characters, but most importantly the events in this series fit perfectly with the Alpha & Omega series. Up to date (almost) So. . . another UF series bites the TBR dust.

Impressions Turns Six! The long version. . .

Yesterday, May 8th, Impressions of a Reader had a birthday. I've been blogging at my small space for six years. My overall experience has been positive.

This last year was stressful. My personal life took a hit when my husband of 34 years took ill at the beginning of last year and passed away in October. That stress is reflected on the blog's content for late 2014 and 2015. However, although reading became almost impossible due to lack of concentration and blogging became an almost insurmountable challenge, I doggedly continued trying because reading is a part of me, and blogging has become an act of sharing I thoroughly enjoy.

I was away from the blogging community for months. When I finally returned, it quickly became clear that both the Romance and the SFF blogging communities were badly shaken and experiencing major ongoing controversies, changes, and challenges. It can be downright disheartening to witness such turmoil. And, just. . .  damn, life is too short! But we need do what we love and love what we do. Fight for our beliefs and do it with heart. There are bloggers out there doing just that. . . from different perspectives, but all with conviction. Kudos to you!

Impressions of a Reader is a small reader's blog, a speck in the blogging universe. It is my belief that small reader blogs are the heart of different blogging communities -- Romance, LGBT, SFF, Fiction. But many small blogs are closing down. Today, I am going to play advocate for small reader blogs because it is up to readers like you and me to keep them around. Why? Large publisher backed, multi-reviewer blogs have much to offer. Some are downright fantastic and I follow a few them. They offer the latest news, show the latest releases, and showcase reviews by multiple bloggers (authors & readers alike). However, going by personal experience, nothing compares with the intimacy, candor, enthusiasm, and comfortable environment found in small reader blogs.

These are the places I seek out when I want to participate in a healthy book discussion or just want to read a review. I love the honesty with which bloggers express their pleasure or disappointment in a book. Additionally, once I get to know a blogger, it no longer matters to me whether our points of view match on a particular book because in the end I still respect his or her opinion. So, check out some small reader blogs, find a few places where you feel comfortable, where you can read honest reviews by bloggers with the same, or differing, points of view from your own. A place where you feel comfortable discussing books or heck just lurking and reading the reviews!

Okay, that is done. So what's next for me?

• For the rest of 2015 my plan is to continue reading and blogging as often as I am able. My reading pace has improved within the last couple of months. That's a step forward. 
• I am not accepting ARCs until further notice (See Disclosure Page). 
• I haven't been consistent in grading my reviews this past year, although I am still posting grades along with my end-of-month recaps. 
• All of the above will be reassessed by the end of 2015. All will be updated by January 2016. 

I would like to thank everyone who drops by Impressions of Reader - the Romance, Literary Fiction, SFF, & LGBT reading communities. Your support is greatly appreciated and never taken for granted.

Top overall posts/reviews, listed by category

Literary Fiction: Drown by Junot Diaz (#1 overall)
SFF: Book Discussion: Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (Parts III & IV)
  Overview: The Expanse by James S.A. Corey (Leviathan Wakes #1, Caliban's War #2) 
  Overview: Old Man's War Series by John Scalzi (Old Man's War #1, The Ghost Brigades #2) - Picked up under References by Wikipedia (See #10 & #11)
Mystery/Fiction: TV vs. Books: A&E's Longmire vs. Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson
Urban Fantasy: Shadowfever (Fever, Book #5) by Karen Marie Moning
Romance: The Witness by Nora Roberts
  The Endearment by Lavyrle Spencer
  A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
LGBT: From Macho to Mariposa: New Gay Latino Fiction ed. Charles Rice-González & Charlie Vázquez

Reading Note: Tapping My Arm For A Vein by Jim Elledge

I am finding:

Such tension, dark beauty, and emotion in this poetry volume! Fine control in the writing, and gorgeous language. I'm hyperventilating, panting almost, as I read Elledge's poems because they leave me breathless. . . the impact is quick and powerful. My heart is beating double time!

Update + South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

Wow, it has been a whole week since I posted. Let's dust off my little blog.

I read up a storm during the month of April (25 books), but only reviewed one book. This is what happened. First, I basically spent every single minute of my spare time reading instead of blogging. Second, I joined Scribd two months ago and took advantage of my first free month and first month and decided to become a paid subscriber ($8.99 per month). Needless to say I went nuts reading backlist books and/or old releases, or complete series I've been wanting to get to. Hmm... in some cases, I already have the print books (some are on my Kindle too) but it just became a matter of choosing a more accessible format -- ebook or audiobook. Anyway, I continued with the self-indulgent binge reading that I began in March by reading what I want to read when I want to read it regardless of release date, genre, etc. The good news for me is that I am again reading, and enjoying, a little bit of everything! ROMANCE (Yay!), LGBT (Hurray!), Sci-Fi (Fireworks!), Fiction, and more…

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (Naxos Audiobooks, narrated by Eric Loren)

I began the month by listening to the audio book South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami. This was my second audio experience, and my first in a long time. I enjoyed the narration and was able to get lost in the story without getting pulled out or bored by his voice. The plot is another matter as I did not find it exceedingly fascinating. My ongoing lack of excitement had much to do with Murakami's main characters, particularly the male character's passive inaction and the female protagonist's almost ghostly essence, or better yet Murakami's attempt to make her a mystery goes so far until, in my estimation, she becomes a non-entity and nothing more than a vehicle for the male character's ponderings.

Murakami's main character, Hajime, is a man who allows life to happen. Hajime is in an almost constant state of emotional stagnation for most of his life. He is seldom proactive, forward momentum is missing. Hajime is aware of the disconnect that occurs between his thought process and the lack of action that permeates his life. The man marries, has children, and becomes moderately successful because his father-in-law provides him with the means to do so. He seems content with his life, although there is a sort of awareness on his part, a certain resentment, but again what is there to do but go on and succeed as best he can?

Since Hajime is both emotionally stagnant and disconnected, the majority of his interpersonal and personal relationships lack intimacy. However, this man has also been obsessed (note that I did not say emotionally involved) with Shimamoto, a young girl with a lame foot, since he was a boy. At that point in his life Hajime felt a connection with her yet when his family moved away to a nearby neighborhood he allowed the friendship to die. He proceeds to obsess about this "perceived connection" with Shimamoto throughout long years, using it as a pretext to sabotage all other relationships but never seeking her out.

A reunion takes place between Hajime and Shimamoto when she shows up at his jazz club later on in his life. By that time he is married with children, however that doesn't stop him from lying to his wife and risking everything in order to grasp that old and longed-for perceived connection. Shimamoto has lived and is supposedly living some sort of complicated life that the reader never gets a handle on, and first becomes too overtly coy and mysterious about her life, while later turning into the sort of foggy Japanese female whose essence as a character is rooted in unknown tragedy.

Overall, I found South of the Border, West of the Sun to be a highly atmospheric story, moody, with lots of rain, inner philosophical monologues about life and the complexities of human connections. This passive journey of a man without a true destination has some beautiful passages with music that becomes part of the atmosphere: classical, jazz, and old standard titles that can almost be heard on the background. For me, this was a taste of Murakami's work, but I will move on to read (or listen) to his better known works.

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Coming up next: My Patricia Briggs reading binge continued in April with the complete Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series.

Review ⎪Glitterwolf: A Letter to My 16 Year Old Self ed. Matt Cresswell

"Dear Me,
It is not easy to write this review. It took me longer than expected. The letters I read in this collection were deeply moving, and as consequence left me thinking too much about a 16 year old dreamer and the lifetimes lived since. Could I ever be brave enough to share myself, my truths, as intimately and bravely as these writers? I don't believe so. But they did. And, now, I can't stop thinking about their honesty, struggles, happiness, and sorrows." Hilcia

Glitterwolf: A Letter To My 16 Year Old Self edited by Matt Cresswell is a collection featuring 33 LGBT authors sending a letter to their sixteen year old selves. The core theme is Identity. The identity theme is strongly carried throughout the collection by contributing authors identifying as gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender, genderqueer, and one from a married gay man who remains in the closet to this day. The letters’ contents are as diverse as the writers’ identities and experiences.

"I know you're not like the other girls in your class, you never have been, you never will be. That's okay though, it really is, you can live in that in-between world quite happily where you're female but you're not a girl. Not girlie. You don't need to be.

It doesn't matter. None of it. None of the little boxes you're so desperately trying to fit yourself into matter. Not now, not later." Rhian Williams

The collection is 78 pages and the majority of the letters are one to two pages long. Length, however, does not preclude this collection from making a high impact on the reader. All the letters are personal and deeply moving.

"Days that feel dark, days that seem neverendingly hopeless, do end. The sun does rise, whether or not you want it to (and there are days you want both). Accept joy. Accept love. Accept the messiness of existing. Embrace it all. You will never have the chance to do so again once it's gone. Breathe." Victoria Villasenor

The letters range from the optimistic and brilliantly defiant to sad and downright dark in content. There is no getting away from a shared sense of loneliness, isolation, subtle anger, and caring tenderness. There is also hope, whether the focus of that hope is centered on finding love or a successful career shifts with each individual.

I also found it fascinating that there is a secondary, underlying generational theme to this collection since the contributors' ages range from the early 20's to the 60's. The letters are written from the present to the writers’ past selves, and so age, hindsight, and experience must be taken into consideration. Unfortunately, place and society's fluctuating viewpoints are also a factor.

"It is so easy to be queer, where and when you are, or is it me? I don't even remember realizing I was different to my friends or deciding to keep it a secret. It was no problem." Nick Campbell

Campbell's experience seems to be in the minority. The majority of the letters show inner and outer struggles. Older generations and those growing up in small towns seem to have had a tougher time as teenagers struggling with identity issues. Gay poet C.S. Crown's letter is representative of his generation's experiences, however, it stands out for different reasons. Crown is 65 years old, married, and in the closet. This fascinating letter clearly, and without hesitation, outlines a lifetime of decisions.

"[…] the shadows from your closet will call out to you over and over again, and you will dream of the man-you-might-have-been. Look carefully at the shadows; I am one of them. Will you recognize me?" C. S. Crown

Ultimately, the strength of this excellent collection lies in the intimacy with which the contributing writers, as individuals, share pivotal moments while in their journey to embracing identity -- going from the uncertain questioning of the 16 year old, to the knowing, accepting, “Me.” Highly recommended.

"When you are my age, even earlier, you'll find that your name would stand for something that you no longer identify with, your identity as a boy. You are probably saying right now "What are you talking about?" Hello, I was you. I know about how much you felt since you were 5 that you should've been born a girl." Paulina Angel

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Glitterwolf: A Letter to My 16 Year Old Self edited by Matt Cresswell is out now available via all Amazon marketplaces. It has been released on its own, or can also be purchased as part of Issue Eight of Glitterwolf. The Attic Press Website: www. glitterwolf.com

March 2015 Recap: Books + Favorites

Finally, here is my monthly reading recap for March 2015. With my computer out of service for almost a month, it took me a while to catch up with some of my reviews. I'm still not up to date with them all, but I'm almost there.

March 2015 Total Books Read: 14 (3 rereads)
Contemporary Romance/Fiction/Suspense: 3
Historical Romance/Young Adult: 3
Fantasy: 2
Urban Fantasy: 6

Favorite Reads of the Month:

I read some great books in March. From the new releases, my favorite book was Vision in Silver, the third installment in Anne Bishop's The Other's series. So far, in my opinion, this has been an above average fantasy/urban fantasy series I recommend to everyone. Dreamer's Pool (Blackthorn & Grim) by Juliet Marillier was released in November 2014, a fairly recent release. I liked this first book in Marillier's new fantasy series so much that I will be preordering the second book scheduled to release in November. The third book in my favorite's list and the one with the highest grade is Fair Game, Book #3 of Patricia Brigg's Alpha & Omega series. Released in 2012, it is part of Brigg's backlist and my absolute favorite of that series thus far.

Fair Game (Alpha & Omega, #3) by Patricia Briggs: A- (2012 Release)
Vision in Silver (The Others, Book #3) by Anne Bishop: B+ (2015 Release)*
Dreamer's Pool (Blackthorn & Grim) by Juliet Marillier: B+ (2014 Release)*

Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega, #2) by Patricia Briggs: B+
Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose: B+
Lovely Wild by Megan Hart: B
Four Nights with the Duke (Desperate Duchesses #8) by Eloisa James: B
The Buried Giant by Kasuo Ishiguro: B-
Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega, #4) by Patricia Briggs: B-
Three Days with Lady X (Desperate Duchesses #7) by Eloisa James: C+
Snowed In (Southern Comfort Novella) by Sarah Title: C

Rereads:
Alpha & Omega Novella (#0.5) by Patricia Briggs (Reread)
Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega, #1) by Patricia Briggs (Reread)
The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine (Reread Internet Book Club)
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What have I been reading lately? One of my self-appointed goals this year is to read books I have been accumulating by Japanese authors Murakami, Mishima, and Kawabata. I began by reading a book from Haruki Murakami's backlist, South of the Border, West of the Sun.

I also read four m/m romance books by Mary Calmes from my TBR. However, the majority of my reading time has been spent on a Patricia Briggs reading binge. I am almost finished with the Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series. It has taken me approximately eight days to read 7 books, with the 8th book to go and I'm about half-way through Briggs' collection of Mercyverse novellas. Not bad. I also finally read Walter Mosley's science fiction novella Jack Strong: A Story of Life After Life

What else? I'm about half-way through Neil Gaiman's collection of short stories Trigger Warning, and about two-thirds done with Jonathan Harper's collection Daydreamers. I am reading these short stories at a slower pace while I commute. :)

My reading mojo is slowly creeping back and I hope to hit a pile of LGBT themed books gathering dust on my coffee table. Now if I could only get my reviewing mojo to return. One step at a time, I guess.

TBR Review⎪Patricia Briggs: Overview Alpha & Omega

This overview of Patricia Brigg's Alpha & Omega series was originally written as my March 2015 TBR Challenge post. It was ready, however, my computer was down and I was not able to post it. I did not want to waste it, so I'm cheating and posting it as my March/April contribution! Included in my overview you will find two rereads, two TBR reads, and one new release.

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NOTE: Take into consideration that I came to Briggs' world from a fresh perspective, not having read the Mercy Thompson books.

I reread the introductory novella Alpha & Omega, and again was taken aback by Anna's violent introduction to her life as a werewolf. The sexual and physical abuse were a turn off to me when I first read it and that did not change the second time around. Additionally, the quick, 10 minute bonding between Charles and Anna's wolves was predictable. The fact that at the end Anna, after having been physically and sexually abused for years, went away with a stranger to a strange place in a matter of days, was a huge turn off for me. Wolf non-standing, her human self should have had more reservations. Those were still my thoughts after rereading the initial novella.

I also reread Cry Wolf. This is where my feelings about the Alpha & Omega series began to change. The book is a thriller in disguise. It's violent with action and a great mystery. But what stands out for me is that this is where Anna begins the process of discovering who she is as an Omega wolf, and learns what she can do. Additionally, although Briggs threw Charles and Anna together in that first novella, their relationship slows down so that Anna as human and wolf can take the time to heal. Charles as Anna's mate is the key to her healing, not necessarily because of the wolf bond, although that is a factor, but because Charles is also a patient and understanding man striving to make her whole again. Charles is a fantastic character -- fascinating in how divided and yet whole he is as man and wolf, lover and killer.

For me, those two sides of Charles really come to the forefront in Hunting Ground, #2 and culminate in Fair Game, #3. Hunting Ground focuses more on Anna's growing abilities and confidence as an Omega wolf, but Charles' duality, his conflict as the Marrock's executioner, is also present. I love Hunting Ground for the excellent introduction (as a new reader to Brigg's world building) to magicks and new characters, the other packs and of course more of Bran, the Marrock who rules the Alphas and the werewolf packs in the U.S. After reading Cry Wolf, I already knew that witches and black magic were part of Briggs' world, but I was surprised to meet vampires and the fae in this story. I particularly enjoyed the Arturian references in the thriller/mystery story arc, which by the way was rife with action, danger, and turned out to be a great mystery to the end.

But really, the fae and Bran really come to life in my favorite book of this series thus far (the one I LOVED) Fair Game! Wow! This book not only focuses on Charles' duality by showing his intimate struggles with his role as the pack's executioner, but it also brings the fae to light with a bang. In this fantastic urban fantasy thriller, Charles and Anna work closely with four agents from government agencies -- FBI, Homeland Security -- as well as two men from a shifter/other hate group to find a serial killer who has been kidnapping and murdering weaker half-breed fae. I also realized while reading this book that Bran is not only ruthless, but also a sad and loving creature. I'm really curious about this complex character and hope his story is told at some point. Fair Game is a well-rounded urban fantasy installment with the romance taking a step forward, as Anna takes the lead when Charles falters -- that is a lovely turn of events. And, it has a fantastic finish! Dramatic, unexpected, and just. . . yes, I loved this book.

Of course after finishing Fair Game, I immediately purchased and read the latest release Dead Heat. I liked it. In this book we see a relaxed Charles and a more confident Anna. A loving couple whose bond is in place. Dead Heat also has a good mystery to solve, one that involves children and the fae. However, the reader also gets an important part of Charles's past here as he and Anna travel to Arizona and meet his old friends at a horse ranch. I have to admit that although I enjoyed the scenes of Charles and Anna at this horse ranch, there are way too many of those scenes to be had. One of my favorite things about this book, however, is that I found out how werewolves are made! Gruesome, but key to Brigg's world building in my opinion. As far as the mystery goes, I figured out who the villain was early in the game (immediately), so although the chase was great, as well as heartbreaking at times, the climax was just okay for me. My favorite aspect of this book has to be how Brigg's shows her main characters' growth -- Anna's kick-ass confidence as mate and Omega wolf, and Charles' friendly and more vulnerable side with other characters beside Anna.

Conclusion: So yes, I'm hooked on this series. I love the world-building, the characters, and the thrilling, action-packed mysteries. However, going from that first novella where I was so turned off by the violence perpetrated against Anna and ending with Dead Heat, what I like the most about this series is how well Briggs deals with Anna's psychological healing. Briggs doesn't use the "love/sex heals all" device with Anna, instead it is a slow and steady process. Anna may never conquer all her fears even with Charles at her side, they both know this, but she is healing and growing. I love that.

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Throughout all these years, I read detailed reviews for the Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series because I never planned to read the books, so I knew that there was a triangle. When this series was first released I did not read UF, and hurtful, angsty triangles do not appeal to me. HOWEVER, after reading the Alpha & Omega series, I wanted to know more about the world-building and some of the characters mentioned, in particular Charles' brother Sam and their father Bran. So, after all these years I went ahead and read Moon Called. And guess what? I just finished Bone Crossed, Book #4 and am going on to read the rest of the series.

Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose

Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose is a fast paced romance suspense/thriller with almost non-stop action and a classic psychopath serial killer -- ruthless, cold, unbalanced -- at the center of the suspense plot. By using the killer's point of view during key segments of the story, Rose allows the reader to experience his focus on Dr. Faith Fry, the main character of the novel, as well as the horrible physical and psychological violence his victims suffer. This twisted, violent point of view, although extreme at times, built up tension and kept me on edge until the end.

The romance is secondary to the suspense. Rose, however, weaves it in along with all the non-stop action and violence that takes place. The love that grows between the intended victim, intelligent and gutsy Dr. Faith Fry, and FBI agent Deacon Novak develops at the same breakneck speed as the action and short timeline that Rose utilizes to hunt the killer.

Deacon is physically different. Going by Rose's descriptions of him, Deacon could have become a caricature. Instead,intelligent and with vulnerabilities, a family and a need to love and be loved, Deacon is much more. Both he and Faith are lonely at heart and click almost instantly. Although the timeline for this romance is short, Rose takes the time to integrate family histories and backstories for both main characters. Danger and adrenaline helps this couple bond quickly, turning deep attraction into more.

Many viable suspects are introduced and kept me going back and forth trying to guess the identity of the villain. However, there is lack of good follow-up throughout the investigation that I found slightly frustrating, and much running around going on. The thriller sections could have been tighter, however I found Closer Than You Think a great read. The story is violent, mildly sexual, with more sexual tension than graphic scenes, it shows loving as well as dysfunctional family ties, and some intriguing secondary characters that I want to know better. Grade: B+

BOOK SUMMARY:

Psychologist Faith Corcoran is desperate to escape the stalker who’s made her life a nightmare for the past year—desperate enough to run to the one place that has been her nightmare far longer. Both boon and bane, her recent inheritance of her grandmother’s old house in Cincinnati offers sanctuary in which she can start her life anew, but requires that she face the dark memories that still resonate to this day.

But she has no idea how close to home her fears still are.

Two college girls have gone missing in the area, and FBI Special Agent Deacon Novak is called to work on the case. When his inquiry unexpectedly leads him to Faith, he finds a beautiful and brave woman he can’t help but fall for. Soon they’ll discover that this seemingly simple investigation is anything but. Reaching back decades into Faith’s own past, it will shatter everything she believes to be true and will give terrifying new meaning to flesh and blood.

NOTE: A big thanks to Leslie, from Leslie's Psyche, for recommending this book.

Update + Three Weeks with Lady X by Eloisa James

I finally picked up my precious computer from the Apple store today! I've been so busy there was no time to get it. There wasn't much wrong with it, thank goodness, but it is now working like new. In the meantime I've been enjoying a few favorite movies -- The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies & The Lord of The Rings Trilogy -- and the A&E production of Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth! And of course, I am waiting breathlessly for the second season of Outlander to begin.

I've also been catching up with some reading. I finished Dreamer's Pool by Juliette Marillier (upcoming review) and I picked up The Rake by Mary Jo Putney just to find out if the reread would help get me back on the historical romance horse. I am happy to report that it did!

I read Three Weeks with Lady X (Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers #1) and Four Nights with the Duke (Desperate Duchesses #8) by Eloisa James consecutively and basically in one sitting each! That hasn't happened for me in a long while.

My reactions to Eloisa James' historical romances are usually mixed -- I either love them or they don't work for me. Once in a while, however, those feelings get all tangled up in one book. I love sections of a book while other sections don't quite work. That's what happened to me with Three Weeks with Lady X.

Let's see. I loved the first half of Three Weeks with Lady X where the relationship between the protagonists and background exploration begin. The Duke of Villiers' eldest bastard son Juby/Tobias, now calling himself Thorn, hires Lady Xenobia India St. Clair to refurbish and redecorate a newly purchased country estate to impress his intended bride's mother. During this first section of the book, it quickly becomes evident that Thorn is a vastly wealthy but crass man whose years as a mudlark had a deeper influence on his character than his later education among aristocrats. He is an extremely successful as well as an acutely intelligent businessman and inventor, but his ideal wife material is a young woman known throughout society as a 'simpleton,' a woman he chose for her sweet character and love of children.

India, our female protagonist, is far from 'sweet.' She is the orphaned daughter of a Marquees, left without a dowry when her parents died. India, however, didn't sit around waiting for a husband to save her from destitution, instead she earned her own dowry by reorganizing and redecorating households for the aristocracy. Additionally, although she has had multiple marriage proposals, India will not choose a husband or marry until she is ready.

Upon meeting, Thorn and India develop a type of prickly relationship that leads to heated and amusing exchanges, quickly evolving into the sort of friendship that includes physical contact. It concludes with India lying about her virginity and giving herself, without second thought, to Thorn in a heated, off-the-charts passionate sex scene.

(WARNING: some spoilers ahead)
Then. . . everything falls apart for a while. Let's keep in mind that when all of the above takes place Thorn is not yet engaged to his chosen intended. However, even after having had sex with India, he still plans to go through with the engagement to Lala. Thorn further complicates matters by inviting his best friend Vander, the future Duke of Pindar, as a possible match for India! India willingly goes along with all of this and even considers Vander as a future husband while falling in love and still banging Thorn. (End SPOILERS)

Of course after all of those WTF moments, a highly dramatic farce ensues. And it just so happens that I love a good farce by Eloisa James, so you can see where I'm going, right? Because of course this is a romance and after all is said and done, Thorn is not about to let India get away. Villiers is involved, (I adore Villiers) and there is begging as well as some fantastic over the top fun along with emotional scenes all the way to the end. Plus in the middle of everything, James inserts a ward for Thorn -- the orphaned, overly eloquent and sincerely out of whack six year-old Rose whose grammar and vocabulary are more advanced than India's or Thorn's. Rose & Thorn. It's not easy people.

So yes, Three Weeks with Lady X was a roller coaster read and in the end I gave it a C+ because despite those "what the heck are they doing?" moments, I really enjoyed the first and last sections of the book. This book is a sort of continuation by way of a spin off of the Desperate Duchesses series. I think of it as the "manly man" series since so far the males are big, rough around the edges men oozing testosterone.

This post turned out to be longer than expected, so I will post my impressions of Four Nights with the Duke separately. The romance between Vander, The Duke of Pindar, and Mia, daughter of his mother's lifetime lover. Yeah. . .

ETA: I'm out of my mind. It's Three Weeks with Lady X, not Three Days! Edited…