Book Review: Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate

I just realized that I've gotten a little behind on my book reviews! Whoops! I don't think they will keep sending me books to read if I forget to review them! The last couple have been very good too!

Book Details:
Title: Firefly Island
Author: Lisa Wingate
2013, Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0823-2
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Christian Fiction

Book Summary:
Sometimes love takes you on an adventure completely off the map. 
Mallory Hale's life quickly veers off course when she falls hopelessly in love. After a whirlwind romance, Mallory finds herself heaving the bustle and action of Capitol Hill for the remote town of Moses Lake, Texas - with husband, stepson, and a U-Haul in tow.
A sweet, mishap-filled journey into marriage, motherhood, and ranch living ensues, and Mallory is filled with both the wonderment of love and insecurities of change. But what she can't shake is the unease she feels around her husband's new boss, Jack West. Jack's presence -and his mysterious past - set her on edge, and when hints of a scandal emerge, Mallory finds herself seeking answers ... and comes to realize that the middle-of-nowhere home she wasn't sure she wanted is the very place she'll risk everything to save.

My Review:
This is my second book from this author - and the third installment of this Moses Lake series. They seem to be able to stand alone, but having read the 1st (read my review of Larkspur Cove here) and now the 3rd, I'm curious to read the second one!

I really enjoyed this book! This author seems to be able to weave a good balance of romance and suspense. The mystery of what's going on with Mr. West and his family is very intriguing and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was going on! I remember thinking the same thing about the strange happenings in the first book! Wonderful character development.

Mallory comes from Washington, DC, and her new life in the very small town of Moses Lake, Texas proves to be very hard. She takes up blogging about her experience as the Frontier Woman, which of course I found very fun - and something I'd probably DO or READ! Her relationship with her stepson and her struggles with becoming an instant mother and family was very well understood and explored, I thought.

I would greatly recommend this book. It is a nice change from your average Christian fiction or romance because of the mild suspense aspect! It's not scary - but does make for a really interesting read!

Check out Lisa Wingate's website here.

Disclosure: The book was provided to me free of charge by Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. All opinions in this post are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.

Book Review: My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Book Details:
Title: My Stubborn Heart
Author: Becky Wade
2012, Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0974-1
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction, Romance

Book Summary:
Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his good looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded - hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light ... whether he likes it or not.

When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?

My Review:
Loved, loved, loved this book! It took me awhile to get to this book in my stack because, after reading the summary on the back, I was convinced it was going to be the usual story of: girl moves to town, needs a handyman, he's handsome and wounded and she ends up fixing him and blah blah. So, I was pleasantly surprised when this story had more depth to it than that. 

Kate is a social worker and has had some things happen recently at work to take some of the joy out of her work. She's also hit 30 and everyone is asking why she isn't married yet. She takes a 3 month leave of absence from her job to help her grandma fix up the old family home. The man Gran has hired to help is the local celebrity with a tragic past. He's hiding out in his hometown and avoiding people as much as possible.

There are also the seniors. A group of Kate's grandmas friends, who trickle in and out of the story and add a lot of fun and humor to the book with their lovely quirks. They have their own little storylines going on in the background of Kate and Matt's.

Kate determines that Matt is way out of her league, but that she's been divinely placed there to help him re-discover himself and God. Can she do this without ending up heartbroken as a result?

This book takes a good look at love, faith in God and what it takes to be true to both.

Disclosure: The book was provided to me free of charge by Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. All opinions in this post are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.

(I found the Kindle version of this book on Amazon for $2.99!)

Book Review: The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

Book Details:
Title: The Lure of Shapinsay
Author: Krista Holle
2011, Sweet River Romance
ASIN: B006O53UTS
Genre: Paranormal Romance


Book Summary:
Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant. 

Kait is awoken unexpectedly by a beautiful, naked selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure. 

Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?


My Review:
Move over vampires! This was a very unique novel. I had only briefly heard the mythology of the selkies in a previous series and the concept intrigued me, as I didn't have much knowledge of the legends. 


Kait and Eamon, the selkie male, begin a strange relationship after his first encounter with her. At first I was not sure if Kait was stupid or if she was just so enchanted by him that she couldn't help it. It kept me a little frustrated, but just enough so that I had to keep reading to find out what was going on. 


The author does a wonderful job of letting us see from Kait's view and that of Eamon. There were some definite twists and turns that I was unprepared for throughout the book, along with some unlikely secondary characters that add interest to the story.


I don't want to give too much of the plot away in my review. It is well-written and keeps you wondering until the very end what fate is going to befall Kait and Eamon. Will they end up together? Are they destined for one to live on land and one in the sea? Or will one of them end up dying while trying to survive in the other's world? If you are interested in forbidden love stories, definitely pick up this book. Like books with historical or mythological creatures? Even better.


At this point, you can pick up a copy of The Lure of Shapinsay on Amazon for your Kindle or Barnes and Noble for your Nook for only $2.99! 


Be on the lookout for a GIVEAWAY in the near future!!

Book Review: An Echo in the Bone (Finally!)

Book Details:
Title: An Echo in the Bone
Author: Diana Gabaldon
ISBN: 978-0-385-34246-9
2009, Bantam
Genre: Historical Fiction, Sci-Fi, Romance....


Summary:
Jamie Fraser is an eighteenth-century Highlander, an ex-Jacobite traitor, and a reluctant rebel in the American Revolution. His wife, Claire Randall Fraser, is a surgeon - from the twentieth century. What she knows of the future compels him to fight. What she doesn't know may kill them both.


With one foot in America and one foot in Scotland, Jamie and Claire's adventure spans the Revolution, from sea battles to printshops, as their paths cross with historical figures from Benjamin Franklin to Benedict Arnold.


Meanwhile, in the relative safety of the twentieth century, their daughter, Brianna, and her husband experience the unfolding drama of the Revolutionary War through Claire's letters. But the letters can't warn them of the threat that's rising out of the past to overshadow their family.


My Review:
Like all of these Outlander novels, it's hard to know where to even start with a review of this book. It is packed full with information, story lines and characters. I'm just going to try to break this down as simply as possible.
What I liked: 

• I heard some people didn't like this book in the series. I'm not sure why that is, but I'm thinking it may have been the way the author breaks up the book - following about five different story lines. Only Claire's story is told in the 1st person, which I think is interesting, but we also follow: Lord John Grey, William, Young Ian, Claire and Jamie, Brianna and Roger, and another couple - Quakers Denny and Rachel Hunter, who could could conceivably be lumped in with Ian.
• I personally like the fact that we are following so many characters because it prevents the author from getting stuck in long, boring, detailed passages, which she is prone to doing in past books.
• As always, there was always lots of action and adventure as well as lots of historical information. I feel like I'm getting a history lessen when I read these.
• I also liked that they made a trip back to Scotland to catch up with some of the characters left back there like Ian and Jenny.

What I didn't like: 

• There WAS one point where I got bogged down and thought I was going to get stuck about halfway through the book.
• All Lord John's intrigues throughout this book really confused me. There were certain points where I really had no idea what he was searching for, who the people he was talking to or what was going on there.
• Also, we learned about Fergus's history (which I liked), but that meant we were having to remember characters from the 2nd book! Seriously! I hadn't thought about those people in so long I almost couldn't remember what they were about.
• The ENDING! Oh my gosh! What a terrible cliff-hanger ending! People could be dead or lost forever, for all we know!

Overall, I think this was one of my favorites in the series. It moved along well and left you wanting to know what happens in the next book. I am a little bittersweet about it. I am happy to be done with these books for the meantime, it's taken me 8 months to read them all and I have a big stack in my TBR pile. But I'm slightly afraid that I will have forgotten what's going on by the time the 8th book comes out sometime next year.


Happy Reading!

Book Review: Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right

Book Details:
Title: Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right 
(The Impossible Bachelors Bk 2)
Author: Kieran Kramer
2010, St Martin's
ISBN: 978-0-312-37402-0
Genre: Historical Romance


Summary:
Most women would not be pleased to be labeled a spinster. But Lady Poppy Smith-Barnes isn't most women. In fact, Poppy has invented an imaginary fiance, the Duke of Drummond, to deter unwanted suitors. A very useful fellow, this duke, until the real Drummond turns up and uses Poppy's ploy to trap her in a betrothal.


A good spy flies below the radar. Which is why being named one of the Prince Regent's "Impossible Bachelors" is so inconvenient for Nicholas Staunton. Every society female will be out to ensnare him. Nicholas needs a fiancee - and Poppy's ruse is the answer. How could he have known she'd be a brazen, sensual siren with an irresistible taste for adventure? Now nothing less will do than to convince his fiery Poppy to revoke her spinster status ... for good.


My Review:
Well, the only reason I even read this second book in the series was because I got the first one, When Harry Met Molly, and this one at the same time. I'd heard such amazing reviews on the first one, that I was SURE I'd like it. Book One fell a little short for me though, the story was just too ridiculous for me to stomach completely. I am happy to report that I enjoyed this one MUCH more.


Poppy is determined to marry ONLY for love. She is even part of a Spinster Club with her two best friends and spinster aunt. She thinks that the Russian Prince she met in St. Petersburg is the only man she can ever love. But then 6 years later, he and his sister come to England and they are both pompous and conceited. Hmm....


Then there is the Duke of Drummond. He is an Impossible Bachelor. He doesn't want to marry either. He's working for The Service (a secret government agency), dealing with his younger brother who is gambling away their money, and decrepit properties. The Service informs him that he MUST marry to continue getting jobs.


The two main characters are fun, lively and have great chemistry. I appreciated that they weren't stupid or too naive. They were both convinced that they could never love the other one, but were going along with this ruse because they had too. Then as time went on they became friends. 


The secondary characters were good too - Mr Groop, from The Service, Aunt Charlotte, the Spinster and the Russian prince and princess with her corgi's. Made for a very interesting book and I wasn't sure how it was all to be resolved in the end.


Congratulations to Ms. Kramer - I will be picking up the next book in the series, Cloudy with a Chance of Marriage.

Book Review: Laird of the Mist

Book Details:
Title: Laird of the Mist
Author: Paula Quinn
2007, Forever
ISBN:0-446-61912-4
Genre: Historical Romance

Summary:
High-born though she is, Kate Campbell isn't afraid to draw her sword. When raiders strike, she rushes into the fray ... and is lucky when a mysterious Highlander shields her from a deadly blow. Swept onto his stallion, she soon discovers that her rescuer is her clan's most hated enemy: Callum MacGregor, the man they call The Devil. Yet she cannot ignore his achingly tender touch or the way his fiery gaze leaves her breathless...

Callum MacGregor has taken many Campbell lives,  but he's never saved one - until now. Mesmerized by this spirited lass, he wants her by his side, even if it means holding her for ransom. As his fingers graze her sumptuous curves and tangle in her unruly tresses, Callum realizes Kate Campbell is his most dangerous foe of all. For he can't make love to her without betraying his kinsmen and his honor ... and surrendering his heart forever.

My Review:
This is the 3rd book I've read by Paula Quinn. I started out with two of her books in the Children of the Mist series. Then I realized that THIS book was the precursor to that series and was the story of their father, so I checked it out.

I have to say, I think this book is written a little differently than the others. They are all romances, but this one seems a little more corny to me. The wording she used in parts seemed very contrived and well, corny, to me. I'm not a regular romance reader, but this one was a tiny bit far-fetched for me to swallow. I DID like it though. It was a good, quick read and had a pretty good plot line. It was the typical Bad Boy redeemed by a Good Girl book with a Scottish twist (meaning - there was blood and fighting involved)

-
I am reading these books totally out of order -
I won the second Children of the Mist book on a blog and then read the first one. Now I've gone back even farther to the first Mist book. Apparently there is one following this A Highlander Never Surrenders featuring some of the characters from this one AND THEN I will check out the third Children of the Mist book that just came out July 1st!
Finally! I'll be on track with this storyline! I hate reading things out of order!

Book Review: A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Book Details:
Title: A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Author: Diana Gabaldon
2005, Bantam Dell 
ISBN: 978-0-440-22580-5
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Travel .....


Book Summary:
It is 1772, the eve of the American Revolution, and the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Governor Josiah Martin calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and safeguard the colony for King and Crown. But there is one problem: Jamie Fraser's wife, Claire, is a time-traveler, as are his daughter and son-in-law. And Jamie knows that three years hence, the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the ed of it all will be independence - with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. Beyond everything else, though, looms the threat of a tiny clipping from the Willmington Gazette dated 1776, which reports the destruction of the house on Fraser's Ridge and the death by fire of James Fraser and all his family. For once, Jamie Fraser hopes the time-travelers in his family are wrong about the future - but only time will tell.


My Review:
Hooray! I finally finished it!

This installment of the ongoing Outlander series was, I think, one of my favorites. I like them all, but some books just seem to move better than others and this was one of those to me. It had a lot going on in it and moved along fairly quickly (comparably!)


This book follows Roger & Brianna and Claire & Jamie as the War for Independence is starting to really heat up. Jamie has to walk a thin line between Loyalist and Rebel. A Loyalist to keep his land and knowing when to switch to a Rebel before it's too late. He trusts his wife, daughter and son-in-law that England is going to lose this fight and to keep the America's.


This book also had some interesting twists in it that I didn't see coming. As always, Gabaldon is a master at weaving characters in and out of her books. People you thought long gone (or dead even) come back and people you think are there to stay die off or go away. Same in this book. 


We also learn what happened (kind of) to Ian, Jamie's nephew, when he went to live with the Mohawk in the last book, but then showed up again mysteriously near the end. AND there are so many kidnappings, altercations and other weird things that happen in this book that you can't really list them all.


I almost felt she could have ended the series here. Claire and Jamie were the only ones not quite settled, but they had a plan. Roger and Brianna are obviously settled. Fergus and Marsali have a business. Ian seems okay and Lord John and William are fine.


Although, there are a few loose ends. Will William ever know that Jamie is his father? Will Roger and Brianna ever see Claire and Jamie again? Will Ian find happiness?


Hm.....I guess I'll find out. =)

Book Review: The Rescue

Book Details:
Title: The Rescue
Author: Nicholas Sparks
2005, Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 0446696129

Book Summary:
When confronted by raging fires or deadly accidents, volunteer fireman Taylor McAden feels compelled to take terrifying risks - risks no one else in the department would ever take - to save lives. But there is one leap of faith Taylor can't bring himself to make: He can't fall in love. For all his adult years, Taylor has sought out women who need to be rescued, women he leaves as soon as their crisis is over, as soon as the relationship starts to become truly intimate.

Then, one day, a raging, record-breaking storm hits his small Southern town. Denise Holton, a young single mother, is driving through it when her car skids off the road. With her is her four-year-old son, Kyle, a boy with severe learning disabilities and for whom she has sacrificed everything. Unconscious and bleeding, she-but not Kyle-will be found by Taylor McAden. And when she wakes, the chilling truth becomes clear to both of them: Kyle is gone.

During the search for Kyle, the connection, the lifeline, between Taylor and Denise takes root. Taylor doesn't know that this rescue will be different from all the others, demanding far more than raw physical courage. That it will lead him to the possibility of his own rescue from a life lived without love. That it will require him to open doors to his past that were slammed shut by pain. That it will dare him to live life to the fullest by daring to love. 

My Review:
Although this was a re-read for me, I honestly didn't remember much about the book. I don't even remember how long ago I read it. I think this may be one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books though.

Both the characters of Taylor and Denise are pretty deep. Denise is a single mother and her son Kyle has some language difficulties. She is an amazing, sacrificial mother although she's portrayed pretty normal considering. Taylor has a lot of deep issues that aren't readily noticeable on the surface.

Their love story is sweet and heart-breaking. The character developments are painful at times. Of course someone has to die - I mean, this is Nicholas Sparks. Some of the parts with Kyle made me shed a tear or two - which says something because I'm usually pretty stoic while reading books.

The only complaint I have about this book is the way he writes from the different characters perspectives. I can't explain it exactly, but he jumps from one character to another all in the same section, which tends to be a little confusing sometimes. He'll be thinking from Taylor's perspective and then cut to his mom, Judy, and then back to Taylor within the same paragraph. I don't think I've ever noticed that with any of his other books, so maybe it's just because it's one of Sparks' earlier books.

Anyway... I definitely recommend it! Pick this one up if you haven't already read it - you won't be disappointed!


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Book Review: When Harry Met Molly

Book Details:
Title: When Harry Met Molly (The Impossible Bachelors)
Author: Kieran Kramer
2010, St. Martin
ISBN: 078-0-312-61164-4
Genre: Historical Romance
 
Summary:
Dashing Lord Harry Traemore is perfectly content to live out his days in the pursuit of pleasure. But when he's named by the Prince Regent as one of society's "Impossible Bachelors," Harry is drafted into a ribald romantic wager. The rules of engagement are scandalously simple: The bachelor whose mistress wins the title of "Most Delectable Companion" gets to remain unmarried. Harry is utterly unconcerned about his status... until his latest lightskirt abandons him.
 
Enter Lady Molly Fairbanks. Harry's childhood friend - actually, "foe" is more like it - is the most unlikely companion of all. She's attractive but hot-headed, and in no mood for games. Besides, what could the self-indulgent Harry possible know about what makes a woman delectable? it's time for Molly to teach him a lesson once and for all ... but will it lead to "happily ever after"?
 
My Review:
I got this book after reading several book bloggers rave about it. Luckily I also read a few reviews talking about how outlandish the storyline was - I was glad to be prepared. The storyline of this book is totally ridiculous - but somehow I still really liked it.
 
Molly has been kept away from Society and is now twenty-one - almost a spinster. But she is very naive. She ends up being dragged along to Harry's "Impossible Bachelors" week as his "false mistress". Unfortunately she has to convince everyone that she IS his mistress and learns a few things that a proper unmarried lady shouldn't know along the way.
 
They both make terrible and stupid decisions, but somehow you still love the characters and hope that everything turns out for them in the end. And it's fun to read about all Molly's antics along the way! A light, fun read!
 


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Book Review: Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11)

Book Details:
Title: Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11)
Author: Charlaine Harris
2011, ACE Books
ISBN: 978-0441-02031-7
Genre: Paranormal Romance


Book Summary (from the inside cover):
It's spring in Bon Temps, and for telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse, the season will turn out to be one full of secrets revealed - secrets that will bring major changes in her life...


With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise, and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack.


But her attention is divided. Though she can't "read" vampires, Sookie knows her lover, Eric Northman, and his "child" Pam well - and she realizes that the yare plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot - which is much more complicated than she knows. 


Caught up once again in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new queen on the board....


My Review:
Ugh! I am so frustrated by the ending of this book! This was kind of a slow mover for me as Sookie Stackhouse books go. I was still pretty intrigued the whole way through, but it seemed to have a little less action than usual. 

I spent most of the book worrying that Eric and Sookie were breaking up - I'm not going to say whether they did or not for spoiler reasons, but let's just say that after the book ended I'm still not sure exactly what I think about the situation. I've spent quite a few of these books waiting for them to get together and if it doesn't work out now I'm going to be pretty annoyed. Bill also seemed to redeem himself somewhat in this book and that didn't really make me happy either.

Some interesting things were revealed - how Sookie became telepathic, a little more knowledge about the fae and some Stackhouse family history.

Usually these books end pretty well - not too much of a  cliffhanger at the end, but this one left A LOT to be revealed. It's going to be hard to wait a whole year to find out what happened with all the loose strings at the end of this book.

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Book Review: The Fiery Cross

Book Details:
Title: The Fiery Cross
Author: Diana Gabaldon
2001, Delta Trade
ISBN:0-385-33676-4
Genre: Time-travel, Romance, Historical Fiction


Book Summary (from the back cover):
The year is 1771, and war is coming. Jamie Fraser's wife tells him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy - a time-traveler's certain knowledge. Claire's unique view of the future has  brought him both danger and deliverance in the past; her knowledge of the oncoming revolution is a flickering torch that may light his way through the perilous years ahead - or ignite a conflagration that will leave their lives in ashes...


My Review:
The book basically started right in one day later after the end of the last one. That being said, I felt like I was wading through the first half of this book. I liked it, wasn't really bored, but there was just something about the first part that didn't really get me too into it.


Not until about halfway through and some exciting stuff started happening with Roger (which I won't discuss for spoiler reasons) did I feel like the pace picked up. From that point on, I was hooked into the story. Then as it continued on, I liked it more and more.


I wouldn't say this was my favorite book in the Outlander series, but it was pretty good. I feel like everyone has worked into their respective roles (meaning, Claire, Roger and Brianna being from another time) and their lives are starting to flow well together. I'm always amazed at how the author brings characters in and out of her books. Characters that you thought were long gone or dead are mentioned again and again later on. 


There was one character in particular that I was very happy to see come back at the end of this book. =)


I also have to say that reading this book with Google handy is a good thing - not this one, but the whole series. I found myself Googling, Carrier Pigeons, myrtle-bushes and a few other things that I had no idea what they were talking about. I guess I'm getting a little education along the way.


I'm glad to have a little break to read a few other books until I get the next installment. But from the way this one ended ... sounds like the next one should be pretty interesting!



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Book Review: Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Book Details:
Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
2010, Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0-06-173506-6
Genre: Chick-lit, Paranormal
 
Summary (from the inside cover):
Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.
But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.
Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.)
But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets- then makes the mistake of falling in love with - Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.
The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able to look into her own.
and while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.
Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future...
If she even has one.
 
My Review:
Okay, I usually LOVE Meg Cabot books. I haven't read them all, but I've always liked the ones I HAVE read. This was not my favorite. I want to say that I loved this book, but I didn't. But I can't really say I hated it either.
 
I think I liked about the first half or two-thirds of this book. I actually sat up late reading a few nights after I got off work at midnight! Then it just kind of fell apart. Ridiculous things started happening (okay... I know what you're thinking... this book is about vampires - it's not realistic!). But it wasn't that. I didn't like the ending - she went off with the wrong guy, in my opinion! She made the guy I like end up being more like a creepy guy at the end. And some really far-fetched things happened - even for vampires.
 
I really enjoyed the beginning when she was making references to other vampire stories like "I'm surprised he wasn't sparkling or something?" (Twilight) or "Sookie Stackhouse, and she's made up" and "that vampire show on HBO" (TruBlood/ Sookie Stackhouse novels). But then it went off on it's own direction - and although it's characters were pretty fun and quirky like Meg Cabot's other books, there was just something I didn't like about this one. I did think her version of how vampires came to be was interesting - she ties in Dracula.
 
Soo... if you like vampire novels - you might like this one, even if just for the vampire-craze humor. If you like Meg Cabot's other books - you might like it, just because.
Or you might not. I think this one could go either way.
 


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Book Review: Happily Ever After

Book Details:
Title: Happily Ever After (Deep Haven Series #1)
Author: Susan May Warren
2007, Tyndale House
Genre: Christian fiction

Book Summary (from the back cover):
Mona Reynolds knows exactly whom she wants to marry. The only problem is, he isn't real.


Mona's dream is about to come true: she has bought an old Victorian house to transform into the Footstep of Heave Bookstore and Coffee Shop in the lovely lakeside town of Deep Haven. With the help of her best friend, Liza, and the ruggedly mysterious handyman, Joe Michaels, Mona is ready to make a perfect life for herself.


But when disaster threatens her dream, Mona turns to her handyman for more than just household solutions. As Mona and Joe reach out to each other and to God, they find that some fairy tales have surprise endings ...

My Review:
This is a book I've had lying around my house for quite awhile. It was a pretty cute book. I read a couple reviews on it saying it was like a Hallmark movie and I'd say that's true. It's also fairly predictable, but I wouldn't say that necessarily makes or breaks a book.

Although it's pretty predictable, the characters of Mona and Joe are likable and I still enjoyed the storyline. Mona has saved up all her money to move to the tourist town of Deep Haven to open a bookstore and coffee shop. She is extremely driven and independant and she has some hidden secrets for why she's that way. Joe Michaels also has some secrets. He's passing through Deep Haven for completely different reasons and just needs a temporary job - and secrecy - until he moves on his way.

But God has some different plans for Mona and Joe - and maybe some lessons on love and forgiveness for themselves and others along the way.

I noticed that this is a first in a series about Deep Haven by this author. I may try to pick up the next one in the series and see how it is.




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Book Review: Dead in the Family

Book Details:
Title: Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse #10)
Author: Charlaine Harris
2010, Ace Books
ISBN:978-0-441-01864-2
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Book Summary (from the inside cover):
A Fae War has left the supernatural community of Bon Temps, Louisiana, in chaos - and waitress Sookie Stackhouse mentally and physically drained. And still, the peace and quiet she so desperately craves is hard to come by ...
Even with the blood of two vampires in her system, Sookie is having trouble healing from the terrible torture she endured at the hands of her great-grandfather's enemies during the brief  but deadly Fae War. Worse are the emotional wounds - especially over the loss of her own personal fairy godmother and the near death of her first love.
Sookie is hurt and she's made. Just about the only bright spot in her life - besides the fact that she is, after all, still alive - is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman, who is under scrutiny by the new vampire king because of their relationship.
As the political implications of the shifters' coming-out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to one particular Were draws her into the dangerous debate. And, unknown to her, though the doors to Faery have been closed, there are still some fae on the human side - and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry.

My Review:
Can I just start out by saying that I'm very unhappy that I've come to the end of the currently published books?! I have to wait until May for the 11th  book! And then I think she only comes out with one a year. Geez!

Anyway... I really enjoyed this book in the series. Sookie was pretty battered from the previous book and as terrible as it sounds, I kinda liked it that it took her a while to bounce back - so many bad things happy to her and she's so perky usually.

This one had the interesting twist of Eric's maker coming into the mix - up until that point I'd been thinking that maybe Sookie should just get turned, but now I'm thinking that might not be such a great idea, giving Eric that much power over her - unless someone else turned her, like Pam? Hmm....

And although I haven't decided if I think Sookie SHOULD become a vampire or not, I've started to kind of leaning in that direction. Would she still be a telepath? I was also interested to see she spent a little time contemplating it, which I think she'd always been totally against it before.

I still really like Eric and hope that they stay together. Bill is annoying and Sam is a little strange - although good friend material. I have to say also that I'm glad that her brother Jason is slowly becoming an adult - finally.

Soooo.... I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment of the series. I'm actually going to pre-order the next book, which is something I NEVER do. I hardly ever buy books and when I do, they are usually in paperback. =)



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Book Review: Dead and Gone

Book Details:
Title: Dead and Gone
Author: Charlaine Harris
2009, Ace Books
ISBN: 978-0-441-01715-7
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Book Summary (from the inside cover):
For Sookie Stackhouse, the day-to-day activities of the vampire and Were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest. She's blood bound to the leader of the vamps, is a friend to the local Were pack, works for a man who is a shifter, and has a brother who is a werepanther ...

But for most of the humans in Bon Temps, the vamps are mysterious, seductive creatures - and they dont' even know about the Weres.

Until now. The Weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world.

At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a werepanther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows, so she feels compelled to discover who - human or otherwise - did the deed.

But what she doesn't realize is that there is a much greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings - older, more powerful, and far more secretive than vampires or werewolves - are preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too-human pawn in their battle.

My Review:
I was a little worried that I wasn't going to be able to get  back into the Sookie story since I've had a little break from the series, but I was sucked (hmm... no pun intended) right back in. I realized I've kind of missed quirky Sookie and her gang of Supes.

I really enjoyed this book in the series. I'm VERY glad that she's so close to Eric the vampire - I'm not really sure why because he's so selfish and demanding, but for some reason I really like him regardless. Bill redeemed himself a little in this book I thought - although I still don't like him as much as Eric.

The fae were really creepy in this book and I'm kind of glad to be rid of them. I don't want to reveal any secrets, but I will say that the two people/things that died in this book I was kind of sad about because I liked both their characters. I'm kind of surprised that I don't get more irritated with all the crazy scrapes she gets herself into, but somehow it doesn't bother me.

I'm very curious about what's going to happen between Eric and Sookie since she's had even more of his blood now - I'm not really sure how they can be more blood-bonded than they already are, but I'm assuming something must come of it.

There's only one more book and then I have to wait until May for the next one to come out!



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Book Review: Seduced by a Highlander

Book Details:
Title: Seduced by a Highlander (Children of the Mist bk2)
Author: Paula Quinn
2010, Forever
ISBN:978-0-446-55237-0
Genre: Romance


Book Summary (from the back cover):
Tristan MacGregor is famed throughout the Highlands as a silver-tongued seducer and an unrepentant rogue. Bold and charming, he's dallied with many women, yet none as beguiling and mysterious as the lass he steals a kiss from at the king's court. Little does he know this beauty is one of his clan's greatest enemies.


Isobel Fergusson has despised the bloodthirsty MacGregors ever since they murdered her father. When she learns the handsome stranger who captivated her so is a MacGregor, she vows to forget him. But Tristan means to possess her at any cost and Isobel's body turns traitor at his touch. Can a man she's sworn to hate be the only one she can ever truly love?


My Review:
I got this book from a blog giveaway. I have to be honest and say it's been sitting on my bookshelf since last fall because I laughed at the title every time I saw it. I just couldn't see myself actually reading it! Anyway... I finally picked it up and I was pleasantly surprised at what I found...


Instead of being a book packed with steamy sex scenes, as I was expecting, this book was more about righting wrongs, forgiveness and misunderstandings. Tristan is a lovable character - you like him right away even though you know he's a rogue and, like Isobel, you're not sure you should. Isobel, on the other hand, is strong, loves and protects her family above all and is spirited.


The story line was very good - I wasn't sure how they were going to work out their clan disputes. The author kept hinting that there was more to the story (the misunderstanding) but I couldn't exactly figure out what it was. AND of course, it doesn't hurt that it's all set in Scotland!


Overall, it was very good. I think I'm going to have to track down the first book in the series, Ravished by a Highlander (still makes me want to laugh!), to find out the story of Tristan's older brother, which is mentioned several times in this book.



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Book Review: The Scent of Jasmine

Book Details:
Title: The Scent of Jasmine
Author: Jude Deveraux
2011, Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-0-7434-7902-8
Genre: Historical Romance Fiction


Book Summary (from the back cover):
Charleston, 1799: A daughter of Southern gentility and a gifted painter, Catherine Edilean Harcourt has no lack of suitors at home in Virginia, waiting to fulfill her dream of marriage and family. But Cay's adventurous spirit, fostered by growing up with her three brothers, is piqued wile visiting her godfather in South Carolina. Bedridden with a broken leg, he asks Cay to fill in for him on an urgent task: on her way to a fancy dress ball, she must deliver a packed horse to an old friend's son - who also happens to be an escaped convict charged with murdering his wife!
Cay agrees to the plan, which doesn't go at all as planned ... whereupon she finds herself fleeing Alexander McDowell's captors, riding blind into the night with the fugitive Scotsman. Though she should fear him, Cay finds herself overwhelmingly attracted to Alex, and drawn into his tale of misguided justice and his innocence as they seek refuge in the steamy Florida everglades. Will trusting him be the worst mistake of her life? Or will falling in love be the salvation both of them have been looking for?


My Review:
Hmm.... I'm not exactly sure what to say about this one. I liked it ... and I didn't like it. 


First off - what I liked. The book was a fun read. The characters were enjoyable and quirky with a lot of humor, which I liked a lot. There was a lot of action packed into this novel - AND of course I always enjoy a good historical fiction. =)


What I didn't like so much - the story was completely unbelievable. I know some people would probably say all romance novels are unbelievable, but that's not what I mean. It irritates me when a book is supposed to be a historical fiction, but yet breaks all rules of the time period. I just didn't feel like most of what happened in this story would have been realistic and it kind of lessened the whole story for me. I'll all for creative liberties and such, and the breaking of some rules is okay - but I just felt this one was way off in that department.


All in all, it was enjoyable and passed the time. Not amazing and not terrible. 




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