Review: Miss Bramble and the Leviathan by Kristen Painter

Title: Miss Bramble and the Leviathan
Author: Kristen Painter
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Steampunk Romance
Release Date: September 13, 2010
Length: Novella


Blurb from Goodreads:

When Pandora Bramble steps aboard the Company’s premiere airship Daedalus it’s not for the exclusive VIP tour. It’s to secure proof that the Company stole the regulator valve her father designed—even if it means tearing the engine apart. Foiled by the unexpected appearance of a handsome crew member, she despairs of ever getting another chance—until he kisses her.

Captain Theolonius Hatch, sentenced to engine room duty for refusing to take part in the Company’s fleet week activities, never dreamed a woman like Pandora existed. Her brains match her beauty, a combination that adds up to more trouble than he ever expected.

As Pandora allows Theolonius to sweep her into a whirlwind courtship, her wildest dreams come true. As do her greatest fears, leaving her to decide what matters most. Loyalty…or love.

After getting my first taste of steampunk with Meljean Brook’s Iron Seas series (review of The Iron Duke here), I was anxious to delve further into the genre. It was fun, fresh and fascinating.

I really liked Pandora. She’s a fun, smart, fascinating heroine. She’s more at home tinkering in an engine room than in a formal dining room and when she is in formal society she’s in the shadow of her beautiful, society-minded friend. All this adds up to a woman who’s a bit alone in the world, taking care of her father and their shop essentially by herself.

I had a few problems with this one though. First, the steampunk world was more window-dressing than anything else. It didn’t play a very big part in the story, and could just as easily been a regency romance. That’s not such a big deal, but I think I would have appreciated it more had I know that going in.

The second is mostly I think due to the length. I just didn’t feel like there was enough time to properly develop the relationship between the hero and heroine. Pandora and Theo were keeping secrets from each other, truthfully thinking the other already knew, but not talking about them, for most of the story. This is one of my pet-peeves in reading so I’m not sure how big of an issue it really is. The things that they don’t talk about – like her father’s design – is a pretty major story point, and while I can understand each of their motivations for keeping mum on the subject it just got to be a little too much for me.

That being said, I loved how it ended. Kristen Painter didn’t take the easy way out with the ending, and I really appreciated the complexity that she layered in there. I definitely look forward to trying more out by Ms. Painter in the future.

Grade: C

Book Link | Kindle | nook | kobo | Borders eBook | Sony | Samhain Publishing

Review: Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

Title: Kiss of Snow
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy/Changeling, Book 10
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 31, 2011

**Warning – Contains mild spoilers for the previous books in the series***

Blurb from Goodreads:

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna's darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

Hawke’s book has been highly anticipated by me since I first read Slave to Sensation, the first book in this wonderful Psy/Changeling series. Over the past year I’ve tried to subdue that anticipation as much as possible – sure that it could only lead to disappointment.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

This is the story I’ve been waiting for. The sexual tension between Hawke and Sienna is nearly explosive. Hawke doesn’t take too long to come around to the decision that his wolf has been pushing him towards – pursue Sienna. It might take a little creativity on Sienna’s part, but once he does; Oh boy. There are a few ‘almost’ moments, where Hawke and Sienna’s courting is interrupted by everything from injuries to Psy scouting parties to outright attacks, and you could feel the frustration, as well as the responsibility in each of those moments.

Hawke was the same alpha that I’ve always loved. The alpha who has feral wolves claiming him as their own alpha. In this dangerous war with the Psy, Hawke barely has time to set aside his responsibilities. So he never does. He and Sienna steal small moments, with the help of their Pack, and they don’t give up on what they have together.

Learning more about Sienna, and what she has grown up with, what she’s grown up expecting – to die before she reaches 25 – was heart-wrenching at times. And yet she always managed to impress me with the way she’s managed to become such a strong young woman. She is absolutely more than a match for Hawke. But she’s so much more than a perfect match for him, she’s a fierce, beautiful, determined, resourceful woman that’s not afraid to take chances with her heart, and will protect those she cares about, no matter the cost to herself.

There’s an additional side story between Lara, SnowDancer’s healer and Walker Lauren. It’s an incredibly sweet story that I was happy to read. There’s a lot of focus on the Lauren’s in general in Kiss of Snow, with more of one of my favorite characters (Judd) showing up quite a bit too.

By now there are around 50 distinct characters that we’ve met more deeply than passing by in Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling world. She continues to give each of them a voice that is solely their own. They act within their character all the time and are each noticeably different. Combine that with a world that continues to grow while following its own rules and Ms. Singh continues to blow away all my expectations.

Kiss of Snow satisfied every one of my expectations, and then some. It’s a sexy, sweet, enthralling story from beginning to end. I literally could not put it down from the moment I started it and was up late into the night inhaling this story. There’s no end in sight for my love of Nalini Singh’s writing, and I’m eagerly anticipating her next release.


Grade: A

Book Link | Amazon | Kindle | nook | Book Depository | Berkley Sensation

Review: Full Exposure by Evangeline Anderson and Lena Matthews

Title: Full Exposure
Author: Evangeline Anderson and Lena Matthews
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Contemporary Interracial Erotic Romance
Release Date: August 29, 2008

Blurb from Goodreads:

Keeley Jackson has a problem. She's madly in love with her cousin's friend Sean Hastings, but the trouble is, he doesn't know she exists. All he sees is the flat-chested little girl with the big glasses whom he always called "Squints".

Despite what she might think, Sean has definitely noticed Keeley is all grown up. The proof is right there every time he looks her way. He's just not sure if he's willing to risk losing his best friend in order to have her.

For Keeley, enough is enough. With the help of her best friend, she cooks up a plan that will surely show Sean she's not a little girl any longer, even if that means posing suggestively for erotic photographs. It's a risky venture, but Keeley knows in order to get Sean for herself she will have to risk nothing less than full exposure.

My good friend Kat recommended Full Exposure to me. I think this was the first book I read by either Evangeline Anderson or Lena Matthews, and it’s still one of my favorites. Often with a shorter length novel you don’t get enough character or relationship development to be able to really feel like you know the characters and that they’re going to survive after the story ends. Happily, that isn’t a problem here.

Keeley and Sean have a history together, as friends over a long time period, and when Keeley finally decides to up the ante I was rooting for her the whole time. Both of them are extremely well developed and I immediately fell in love with Sean as well.

The bulk of the story takes place over a couple of days and almost entirely in Sean’s studio. As you can imagine, with the boudoir photography, it steams up pretty quickly – and never lets up. This is a story that has a bit of deception, generally something I can’t stand, but that I felt was really well done. It made total sense, and was, in my opinion, perfectly handled.

Full Exposure is a sexy, scintillating, HOT read that I highly recommend.

Grade: A

Book Link | Ellora's Cave

Review: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire, Book 1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Release Date: February 15, 2011


Ellie is a normal sixteen – soon to be seventeen – year old girl. She gets bored in economics classes, does homework, goes to movies and shopping, is looking forward to getting her first car and, like a lot of girls her age, she’s trying to figure out how to get into the college of her choice. There’s just one difference: she’s been having these horrifying nightmares about creatures that kill her every night.

On the night of her seventeenth birthday she finds out the nightmares are real when she comes face-to-face with a reaper – those who devour human souls and send them straight to hell. Armed with swords the appear out of nowhere, an immortal sworn to protect her, and memories of her past lives coming back, Ellie soon finds herself on the front lines of an ages old battle between archangels and the fallen.

One of the things I appreciated most about Angelfire was the absolute normality of Ellie. Both of her parents were in her life, and though things definitely weren’t perfect at home, there was the strong point that her mother was actually a mother. She cared about where Ellie was, and what she was doing, and wasn’t just another convenient plot point. Ellie wasn’t an outcast at school; in fact she had a group of great friends while still not being obscenely popular. Obviously her parents were fairly well off, and they lived in a nice neighborhood, but everything was comfortable and normal. Plus (and this is probably my biggest thing), Ellie had common sense. See a weird boy following you – make a plan to stay away. I loved that.

Of course the weird boy turned out to be her immortal guardian, Will. Having been with her, in many lives, for the past 500 years, Will is the key to her remembering her duties, powers, and history. While he is her guardian, don’t mistake that for meaning that Ellie is weak. Far from it. Will often says, and we get evidence of it, that Ellie is stronger than him and he’s just there to watch her back – what they fight isn’t an easy enemy.

Another thing that was greatly appreciated was the fact that Ellie didn’t shy away once she learned who she was. Yes, she questioned, and had some freak-out moments, but for the most part she just kicked ass while struggling to come to terms with her new reality. And trying to integrate that reality into the one she already had. She’d train and do homework, then go hunting for more reapers. She still went to movie night with her friends, even dragging Will along saying he needed to act more ‘normal.’ I enjoyed this balance.

This isn’t to say Ellie’s perfect, but I do think she’s realistic for a teen girl dealing with incredible circumstances.

The action in Angelfire moves at a fairly decent pace, though there were times I was anxious to get back to it. It is interspaced with Ellie learning about herself and her powers, or trying to maintain a normal life, and learning more about Will.

Speaking of Will, there’s a strong romantic thread here too. While anyone who has read YA recently could probably see this coming, I thought the difference was that for once I could actually understand why they were interested in one another. It was a gradual growth of feelings based on what they knew of each other, and spending time together talking. I’d like to see where this goes further as there’s a rather interesting twist at the end to add the suspense to this storyline – and surprisingly it’s not a love triangle!

The biggest downside to the book is the writing style for me. It’s a bit choppy and doesn’t flow well all the time. I could start to see the improvement in that in the later half of the book, but it would still occasionally pull me out of the story, but it wasn’t that much of a distraction.

All in all, I was eagerly turning the pages of Angelfire to find out what happened next. A quick, easy read, with characters that I definitely want to get to know better, Angelfire left me wanting more – in a good way. It was eminently satisfying to see a lot of the young-adult conventions turned on their heads. Angelfire is the first book in a planned trilogy, so don’t look for the story to be neatly tied up in this book though there is a nice stopping point chosen.

Grade: B-

Book Link | Amazon | Kindle | nook | kobo | Borders eBook | Sony | Book Depository | Harper Collins

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward Giveaway

So, Elisha at Forever Growing, Forever Evolving is hosting a giveaway of J.R. Ward's latest book, Lover Unleashed.

I've been a long time fan of Ms. Ward's books, and am constantly spreading the love of her books to anyone I can get to listen.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?

GIVEAWAY LINK

All you have to do is leave a comment!

Review: The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton

Title: The Perfect Play
Author: Jaci Burton
Series: Play by Play, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Release Date: February 1, 2011

Mick Riley is an all-star football player for the San Francisco Sabers. For years he’s been happy to take advantage of the lifestyle made easily available to him, including a different woman for every occasion. But when he meets a determinedly single mom everything just might change…

Tara is an event planner, with her own business, and a fourteen year-old boy. It hasn’t been an easy road for her to get where she’s at, providing a stable life for both her and her son, but Tara’s never regretted a moment – and never looked back. So when she meets Mick at the party she organized for the Sabers, and ends up in his bed for a night of unforgettable sex, Tara quickly relegates it to one-night-stand territory.

What she doesn’t know is that Mick’s determined, and plans to resolutely pursue and win her, with the perfect play.

I’ll admit, I’ve been eyeing this cover for months now, waiting for the book to come out so I could own it, even though covers like this don’t generally draw me. Definitely a win on the cover.

I was really looking forward to a good sports romance, and I definitely was not disappointed here. Jaci Burton definitely knows her football, and it showed in almost every detail. The world really came alive and felt very real to me.

I really enjoyed Mick and Tara’s story. I thought that they were well matched, and I really enjoyed the growing relationship between all the characters, including Tara’s son Nathan and Mick, as well as Tara and Mick’s family. The issues that created problems for Mick and Tara, I felt, were extremely realistic and handled really well.

I had a few issues while reading, that ultimately didn’t take away a lot of my enjoyment of the book, but they were things that pulled me out of the story and I want to mention them. Throughout a good half of the book Mick is comparing Tara, favorably of course, to his past ‘flings.’ I can understand and get the point of this, but I felt that it got a bit old. Tara was so much better, more real, etc, etc, etc…

One of my hot-button issues is the ‘Big Misunderstanding’ so I’m perhaps a little overly sensitive to it. There was a misunderstanding issue about midway through that was really quickly resolved, and I loved how that was handled, because there was no time for it to become this big thing. Tara even admonishes herself for not trusting Mick, but just a few chapters later she’s doing the exact same thing. She doesn’t even ask him, or try to talk to him, just gets upset and storms out not wanting to talk to him.

The Perfect Play is an incredibly incendiary read. The really nice thing, I thought, was that it was all in line with the story and characters – it didn’t just feel like it was thrown in there to make the book hotter. Mick and Tara are both ‘talkers’ in their love scenes and after something in their words started to not feel right to me, though I still can’t lay my finger on what exactly. But, again, that did not diminish the sexiness of these love scenes, nor how extremely well-done they were.

I greatly enjoyed The Perfect Play and look forward to reading the next book in the series, Changing the Game which comes out August 2, 2011.


Grade: B-

Book Link | Amazon | Kindle | nook | kobo | Borders eBook | Sony | Book Depository | Berkley Heat

February 18 2011 Follow Friday Tag Along

 
Follow Friday is hosted at Parajunkee's View.
 
Her question this week is: If you are a fan of Science Fiction what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before...any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?
 
Honestly, I haven't really ever read science fiction. Here and there a few things, which has usually done more to confirm that it's not one of my favorite genres. But. There are a few that I want to check out. I really want to read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card for one.

If you've got some AWESOME recommendations for science fiction (straight up, romance, erotica) leave them in the comments, I'd love to have more to choose from to dive into.
 
 

Calling all 18 and over book bloggers, are you looking for more bloggers like yourself? Well please join in so we can tag along with each other. This is for a specific group and your blog needs to primarily have book reviews and post adult book content. In other words, if you read books like erotic and adult romance and have adult pic, then you can play tag along. Sorry YA readers, but if you read both (I know some of you do) you can tag along also. Just make sure you have both YA and adult romance on your blog.

It doesn't matter what you read if it’s paranormal, suspense, historical, contemporary or mystery, along with erotic with any genre. As long as it is adult then you’re in.


To join in the fun and get details click here. This tag along is hosted by Laurie at Bitten by Paranormal Romance.

If you have an adult book blog, please sign up for this tag along. There are others including myself that are looking for you so please join us.

Recent

Review of First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - Debut author book

Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Title: First Grave on the Right
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: February 1, 2011

Charley Davidson was born a reaper. The Grim Reaper, to be exact. She convinces the dead to go into the light. They’re drawn to her, and she to them. Because of this she often ends up investigating the deaths that happened under unusual circumstances – like murder. Which is good, since being a reaper doesn’t really pay the bills.

When three attorneys turn up dead, Charley helps out the PD with their case, through her Uncle Bob who’s a detective. While she’s searching for the culprit, and trying to help her other clients, Charley is also trying to figure out if her nightly visits from a phantom lover are more than they seem. This phantom has been following her all her life, and he just might not be dead. In fact, he could be something a whole lot more disturbing.

First Grave on the Right is sarcastic, humorous, quick and fun. There’s the two mystery threads – the attorneys murders, and the spectral visitor – that serve to move the story along, though Charley’s phantom is given much more credence and is much more interesting because of it.

Charley herself is extremely sarcastic. Extremely. She uses it to keep people and situations at arms length from her. I think this is a realistic defense considering what she is, but it also served to keep me at a distance. I think that I would have liked to be able to delve a little bit more into her, get some more depth and gotten to know her. I had a hard time connecting with her.

That being said, I caught myself laughing out loud a few times, even if I wasn’t loving the fact that she named her breasts which just seemed absurd to me. There were times when it felt like she was being witty for the sake of being witty.

The ending I absolutely loved. The resolution of the Big Bad that's been haunting Charley is a fantastic hook. It completely pulled me in and made me want to find out what happened next, making me think that First Grave on the Right is really more of an introductory book to get us into the world and life of Charley Davidson. I will be picking up the second book, Second Grave on the Left when it’s released to see if I can connect more with Charley.

First Grave on the Right is an enjoyable, witty ride with an interesting premise. I really enjoyed the idea of a grim reaper and what that meant for the world. I’m definitely interested in seeing where Darynda Jones takes Charley, and us, next.

Grade: C

Book Link | Amazon | Kindle | nook | Sony | Book Depository | St. Martin's Press

February 11 2011 Follow Friday Tag Along

 
Follow Friday is hosted at Parajunkee's View.
 
Her question this week is: What is your favorite romance hero-type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?

I like a variety. I don't want to read the same thing over and over again. But if I were forced to pick, I love a big male that is possessive, a touch dominating, strong, intelligent and absolutely devoted to the heroine.
 
 
 
 

Calling all 18 and over book bloggers, are you looking for more bloggers like yourself? Well please join in so we can tag along with each other. This is for a specific group and your blog needs to primarily have book reviews and post adult book content. In other words, if you read books like erotic and adult romance and have adult pic, then you can play tag along. Sorry YA readers, but if you read both (I know some of you do) you can tag along also. Just make sure you have both YA and adult romance on your blog.

It doesn't matter what you read if it’s paranormal, suspense, historical, contemporary or mystery, along with erotic with any genre. As long as it is adult then you’re in.


To join in the fun and get details click here. This tag along is hosted by Laurie at Bitten by Paranormal Romance.

If you have an adult book blog, please sign up for this tag along. There are others including myself that are looking for you so please join us.

This week's question: Whats your favorite genre?

I've always been fascinated by the supernatural, so I naturally gravitate towards anything to do with paranormal - whether it be Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy. Those are probably my two most read, but I like to mix up genres too. I also really enjoy Fantasy, Steampunk, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense (on occasion). And if I see a BDSM erotic romance story - I can't turn it down.

Recent

Review of Master of the Abyss by Cherise Sinclair
Review of Two-Man Advantage by Riley Shane
Review of Dead Man's Eye by Shaun Jeffrey
Review of Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
My Waiting on Wednesday Pick

Waiting on Wednesday: Kiss of Snow

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I can't believe that I haven't had this one for a WoW pick already! If you dig around my site at all it'll be pretty easy to realize that I'm a huge fan of Nalini Singh's books. Her writing is always engaging, lush, and evocative. My first introduction to her work was her Psy/Changeling series, where there were three races trying to share the planet.

First, or they would say they were first, are the Psy - psychic beings - more of the mind than the body, but with some incredibly awesome powers. There were telepaths, telekinetics, medical, foreseers...some are able to insert a 'virus' into another's brain. Some can travel vast distances, or rip a body apart with their mind. Others can heal, see inside the body and brain to figure out what's wrong. And they're Silent, meaning they've chosen to purge all emotion from their lives - usually with fail-safes to prevent them from having any sort of emotional response.

Then we have the Changelings. Beast and Human combined, they are not one or the other, they are always both. We've learned of Changelings of cats, wolves, birds, snakes, deer and it seems that Changelings can be of almost any species. Though we spend most of our time with the Dark River (leopards) and Snow Dancer (wolves) packs. The Changelings live by Pack rules. Law enforcement lets them take care of their own. They're incredibly territorial and, in contracts to the Psy who deal in a near emotionless state, the Changelings emotions often seriously impact their lives.

Finally, there are Humans. Seemingly powerless in this struggle between those that have stronger minds, and those that have stronger bodies and senses you might be tempted to count the humans as nothing but pawns. You'd be wrong to do so. They're as much a part of the survival of the world as both the Psy and the Changelings.

Into this explosive dynamic we are thrust. Where the tides of change are already beginning.

Title: Kiss of Snow
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy/Changeling, Book 10
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: May 31, 2011
 

Book Description (from author's website):

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…