Thursday, July 31, 2008

"Midnight Rising" Is a Sexy Hit!

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:
In a world of shadows and dark, cosuming hungers, desire is the deadliest weapon...
For journalist Dylan Alexander, it began with the discovery of a hidden tomb, thrusting her into the center of a gathering storm of violence and secrets. But nothing is as dangerous as the scarred, lethally seductive man who rises from the shadows to draw her into his world of dark desire and endless night.
Fueled by pain and rage over a shattering betrayal, the warrior Rio has pledged his life to the war against the Rogues. He will let nothing stand in his way—least of all a mortal woman with the power to expose the entire vampire race. For an ancient evil has been awakened, and a stunning darkness is on the rise. Suddenly Dylan is powerless to resist Rio’s touch, even as she uncovers a shocking link to her own past. And now she must choose: Leave Rio’s midnight realm, or risk it all for the man who has shown her true passion and the infinite pleasures of the heart. . .

In the spectacular fourth book in her sexy Best-Selling series, Lara Adrian gives it all she's got and leaves the reader more than satisfied. Midnight Rising tells the story of the warrior Rio, tortured and broken, lonely and betrayed, and how he finds his true love and mate.
Just like her other books, Lara Adrian provides a great story set against an interesting background (Vampires that were originally 'aliens' who came to earth thousands of years ago but could only breed with certain women, Breedmates.) plot with well developed and captivating characters, hot and steamy sex, funny moments along with an occasion heart-warming one. Yet another perfect exmample of paranormal and romance blending together effortlessly, providing the readers with a fast paced and addicting series that will leave you coming back for more.
Alpha male and Order's warrior Rio was betrayed by his mate, Eva, destroying not only himself--physically, mentally, and emotionally-- but also hurting the Order and their mission. Wishing to end his own life, he takes one last mission, promising his fellow warriors that he will carry out the orders to seal the cave, aka the Ancient's hibernation chamber, and then he was going to visit Spain for a bit... Of course, he had no plans of actually come back out of the cave, little loan going to Spain. But after months of being up their alone, hungry, betrayed, lost, and suffering from blackouts and moments of almost insanity, he loses track of time, forgeting who he is, what's he's there for....But all of this changes when Dylan walks into his cave, awakening the beast......
The rest of the story in fast paced and captivating, showing how one woman, one Breedmate, is able to pull the beast out of the shadows, to show him that there is something to live for--little does she know yet that he only wants to live for her. Rio and Dylan's conversations are well written, interesting and sad, sexy and funny. Their connection runs deep, their love sweet and tender, yet always ready to boil over into hot passion.
Besides the tale of Rio and Dylan, Midnight Rising gives us more details into the mystery the Order must figure out-- and soon---What Anicent was put in that hibernation chamber, by who, and where is he now? Because if they don't stop it soon, they might be facing a world with hundreds of new Gen One vampires *Generation One vampires, for you non-Midnight Breed fans* while at the same time the vampire holding the Ancient is having the current left over Gen One vampires executed. With an Ancient alive somewhere, hungry, dangerous, and apparently breeding, the Order has their hands full... and the question is will they be able to stop the evil plans before they go to far-- and at what costs?
5/5 STARS! A perfect romance novel with a great paranormal plotline, a deep love connection and, yes, great sex scenes, Midnight Rising provides a reader with everything they could ever want or need. If you have been following the series from the beginning, you might find yourself almost getting teary eyed a couple of times when Rio is finally mated again, happy, after so many years of torture and loneliness....A definite 'Don't Miss'!
~TBQ~

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

"Over the Moon" Has a Few Weak Spots, but Still Manages to Come out On Top...

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:
Three bestselling superstars and one exciting new voice in paranormal romance in a hot new anthology.

When it comes to sexy werewolves, fairies, and magic, there's only one place for readers to go this winter: Over the Moon.

Angela Knight ventures to the borders of Mageverse, a land ruled by vampire knights.

MaryJanice Davidson returns to the wicked lair of the Wyndham werewolves.

Virginia Kantra finds magic and wonder in a strange fairy kingdom.

And Sunny discovers a Mixed Blood Queen in command of a new realm.


Okay, I have to start out and say that, unfortunately, the only reason I labeled Over the Moon as 'One of my Favorite' is because of Angela Knight's short story, Moon Dance. The other three stories, I felt, were a little weak and not exactly what I expected. I will give the whole book a
rating, and then I will proceed to break it up, reviewing each of the four stories and giving them their own rating.

Although the book was full of paranormal and romance, I found more of the first than the second-- and that kind of put me off, because when I pick up a book from the genre of 'paranormal romance', I kind of expect an equal amoung of both the fantasy, aka paranomal, and the connection and love, aka the romance. If I wanted straight out fantasy *I have heard some people refer to the genre as 'Urban Fantasy'* I would go to that section in the bookstore. No, I want an equal combination of both, and I felt that for the most part, Over the Moon failed in that area.

For a book total, I am giving Over the Moon 4/5 STARS, but I most, once again, point out that most of those stars come from the brillant work of Angela Knight. Her story in thie book, Moon Dance, continues her sexy Mageverse series that I fell in love with about a year ago. The other three authors, I am sorry to say, did not really impress me, at least in this book. This does not mean that I do not like their work, because I do not believe that I have read any of their other books before. I am willingly to give them another chance, and who knows, maybe they can impress me more when they are writing a full length novel by themselves-- I don't really know yet, but I will definitely give them another chance, some day, and read one of their own books.

Moon Dance
By Angela Knight
If you have read Angela Knight before, you already know how she deftly combines paranormal romance with both erotic sex scenes and even some tender love connections between the hero and heroine, providing, in my opinion, a perfect example of a paranormal romance book. I have devoured and loved each and every book in her Mageverse series, and in Over the Moon, her short story is a continuation of the series, following the sexy tale of Lucas and Elena, both of whom are Dierkind (Or werewolf for those of you unfamiliar with Angela's Mageverse series.)
The only thing I don't like about anthologies is that usually the author's individual stories cannot be properly spun out and resolved in only a hundred or so pages. True, some of them do it nicely and leave you satisfied in the end, but a lot of them, usually the great ones, seem like they've been cut short *Which I guess they have, in order to fit into the anthology.* and even though you love the story and the author's writting, you still finish the story and find yourself asking "But what about..." or "Wait, I don't want it to end- what's going to happen next?".
Moon Dance was by far my favorite book in the whole anthology, and probably the only one that I really felt was cut short and I would have loved to have seen Lucas and Elena's story in a full length novel.
So, for Angela Knight's story, Moon Dance, I felt it deserved a 4.5/5 STARS easily, because, once again, Angela has proven that she can write a great romance with fantasy and wild sex and yet still keep that true romantic feel to it in the end. Great story, can't wait for her next books, especially in her Mageverse Series.
Between the Mountain and the Moon
By Virginia Kantra
I have never read any books by Virginia Kantra before, so forgive me if may judge her a little harshly.
When the story started, the setting sounded like a promising one: the heroine is out in the mountains hiking, and she comes across a handsome man, whom she nicknames Tall, Dark and Mysterious for obvious reasons. I settled in, thinking I was going to be reading a great story that I would love and want to return to every now and then and rush out to look for previous novels by the author. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
I found the 'sex' scenes to be kind of bland and, well, not very hot or wild, lacking 'details', if you will. I prefer my romance books to USUALLY lean more towards the 'X' rated, as some call it, or even 'erotic', and I felt that this one was very gentle, not the more 'mature' content that I am use to, that I have come to enjoy. Virginia had ample opportunity, considering that the hero and heroine were alone in the woods, he's a total rough and sexy alpha man type, but when the two of them finally had sex, it seemed quick and meaningless, with only vague refrences as to what was going on-- for a moment, I wasn't even sure if they had actually proceeded to the 'third base', because one moment Rhys was teasing her and the next thing you know it's two or more paragraphs of how good this felt to him and how he'd never felt like that before, etc *Which isn't a bad thing, but I would have prefered to hear more details inbetween his thoughts of 'could this be love'.*
Though it is not my first choice in romance novels, or any books, for that matter, I did find the sidhe 'plot' of the book very interesting, and I would have loved to have heard more about the race, especially Rhys and his chidlhood, and instead the story felt rushed and choppy. I may still give this author another chance, but for now, I'm going to simply move on and stick with my review of her work.
Between the Mountain and the Moon gets 3.5/5 STARS, because the ending was sweet and the story itself wasn't completely horrible.
Driftwood
By MaryJanice Davidson
Yet another author that I have yet to read any other books from, but I am pretty sure that this is one that I might just completely cross off my 'potential future reading list'-- sorry MaryJanice!
At first, I was happy to find that her story in the anthology would be about vampires-- one of my favorite fantasy characters. And then I started to read it... and I was quickly let down.
The starting was kind of flat, the heroine was a little bit annoying, and the hero wasn't very vocal, nor was he very strong in personality. In fact, he almost seemed like he should have been cast as the sidekick or best friend, because he just didn't seem to fit the role of a hero.
Just like I said about Virginia Kantra's story, MaryJanice's was a little bit bland and boring as far as the sex. I'm not asking for outright erotica from my romance authors, but I would prefer just a tad bit more orginality, personality, and, oh yeah, details!. Also, I thought that even for a short story, the plot was kind of weak and not the most interesting, and I was, I'm sorry to say and I hope I do not offend MaryJanice fans out there, but this is my honest opinion, happy to see the end of the story. Unlike the other books in this anthology, I worked through Driftwood much slower, forcing myself to stick with it to the end, hoping it would get better... Unfortunately, it didn't, at least not for me. However, if you have not read any MaryJanice Davidson before, please don't completely cross her off your list just because of my review. This is my opinion, nothing more, and who knows, you might love her work. I am only saying that her books aren't really my thing, and I doubt I'd pick up another one, unless I could be assured that it would be a complete 180 degrees from what I just critiqued.
Driftwood receives one of my lowest ratings, with only 2.5/5 STARS. I found it lacking details, plot, character development, sex.. pretty much everything that I look for in any book, especially a romance novel. If the plot cannot hold up the whole book, then it should fall to the characters interactions, conversations, connections and for me, Driftwood failed on all accounts.
Mona Lisa Three
By Sunny
Though I am not a huge fan of the heros and heroines of my romance novels being in 'Open Relationships' or polygamy, I was surprised to find that Mona Lisa Three wasn't half bad, all things considered. I wouldn't call it a 'romance' book, not in the classical sense of the word, since Mona Lisa, the heroine, has two loves from the very beginning of the story, both of whom are willingly to share because they both love her so deeply. I will give the book some 'romance' credit, because it does show how deep of a connection all of them have with one another, which is a plus in any book, but it's not a plot line that I would usually want to read, and especially not one that I would usually label as 'I really enjoyed it!'. However, I think that both apply to Sunny's work, though this is the first one I have read by her (so far). I may actually go on to read her full length novels about Mona Lisa and her life, just to see if she can continue the story without overduing it or making it seem repeatitive.
Be warned, if you do not like the idea of threesomes and hot and wild sex, all very detailed, I might add, then you might want to skip Sunny's book. However, if you are willingly to try those things or you already have a liking for them, then I think you will like it. The plot line is fairly interesting, with a few unique twists and turns to it, and the fantasy world she's created does add to the amazing sex that the characters have together (After all, a truly great book has to have more than just great sex in order to make it in the industry, at least in my view.) The story is very erotic and yet the characters have their tender moments.
The only thing I would have liked better is if the author has better explained Mona Lisa and her two lovers', Amber and Gryphon, lifes before the point in which she starts the book at. I'm hoping that her future books do a flash back type thing, in order to give us the full story, which sounds interesting, from what little bit Sunny tells us in this book.
Mona Lisa Three gets 3.5/5 STARS for having interesting characters, plot, and, of course, sex scenes, while still playing a bit on the romance that the series belongs to.
~TBQ~

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

"To Seduce a Bride" Wins-- Handsdown!

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:
Seduction has never been more enticing than in this third novel of Nicole Jordan's enthralling Regency trilogy, The Courtship Wars.

Spirited beauty Lilian Loring believes that love is too risky a venture and marriage is best avoided entirely -- even if her unwanted suitor comes as deliciously packaged as Heath Griffin, the Marquess of Claybourne. The charismatic rogue has never had a woman discourage his advances. But after a show of resolve, Lily melts under Heath's sensuous kisses. Indeed, perhaps that is why she decides to hide out in the last place a gentleman would look for a lady: a house of scandalous repute.

In bold pursuit, Heath discovers his enchanting spitfire cheerfully instructing the demimonde in the art of deportment and manners. Now the thrill of the chase is exceeded only by his powerful need to possess Lily as his bride. For Heath, victory in their game of passion means nothing less than winning Lily's elusive heart...

The third installment in Nicole Jordan's steamy Courtship Wars series, To Seduce a Bride, lived up to every one of my expectations: It's passionate and sexy, the characters fit together perfectly and both are well developed, the conversations are both sexy and loving, funny and serious. Add to all that the fact that the book was written by the perfect author, the one that could truly bring the story to life, Nicole Jordan and you have a perfect romantic read!

I loved Lily's character-- she was very strong willed, intelligent, daring, passionate... the perfect heroine, especially for the wickedly handsome and surprisingly tender hero, Heath. From the first book in this series, I knew that Lily and Heath would be perfect for each other, and I was very happy to see that I was right.

Much like the other two books, Lily's story involves more than just a straight forward love story. Nicole Jordan writes delicious romance books that actually have a plot, or subplot, beyond the usual 'hero and heroine meet and after a few problems fall head over heels in love', which is one of the reasons that I love her books so much-- each one is a breath of fresh air, new and wonderfully developed. Lily is deadset against marriage, but after their first kiss, both of them find themselves on the road to passion-- and love, whether or not they are willingly to admit it yet. Heath realizes much sooner than Lily that they share something very special, something that neither one of them should let pass up. Heath is willingly to do anything to get Lily to agree to be his wife, and not just for future children or money. What better way then to start a wager, a game, with her and a couple of her slightly scandalous friends *Ex-Courtesans... Well, okay, maybe they aren't all completely retired Cyprians, but still...*?

After many ups and downs, lessons in seduction and propriety *The latter for the young women boarding at Lily's friends' house*, arguments and intoxicating love scenes, Lily finally realizes that she is completely in love with Heath and the only woman that will ever marry him and satisfy his carnal desires is her--and she will do anything to make him believes it, even if it means, as she seems to think of it as, letting go of some of her much-loved freedom (Which Heath has assured her, many times before, it will not.)

4.5/5 STARS! A perfect book, with a solid beginning, middle, and end, filled with both tender and arousing moments, and two great characters that truly belong together. Just as great as the previous two in the series, along with her other novels, and I know that her next books in the series will be just as beautiful and romantic!

~TBQ~

Monday, July 28, 2008

"To Bed a Beauty" Conquers Love

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:
Nicole Jordan takes the delights of the Regency mating game to breathless new heights in this daring second novel of a superb new trilogy, The Courtship Wars.

Clever and charming Roslyn Loring, the middle child of three beautiful, independent sisters, knows that true happiness lies in a marriage of the heart–and she has hers set on a love-match with a neighboring earl. Yet her sharp mind has observed an undeniable truth: Gentlemen lavish passion on their mistresses, not their wives. Roslyn realizes that to win her future husband’s devotion, she must learn the secrets of kindling a gentleman’s ardor. Fortunately, she finds a willing tutor in Drew Moncrief, the Duke of Arden, a notorious rake whispered to be London’s most magnificent lover. If his searing kisses are any indication, the duke is the ideal man to teach Roslyn how to be the perfect mistress.

Drew begins schooling Roslyn while coolly guarding his heart. But as best-laid plans are thwarted by unexpected events–including a night of unforgettable passion–Roslyn and her wickedly arousing tutor discover how easily lessons in pleasure can become lessons in love. . .


The second book in the outstanding new series by Nicole Jordan, To Bed a Beauty provides everything needed in a great romance novel: great love, steamy sex, a few laughs, lessons on seduction...Nothing could possibly make it any better!

I loved the connection that Drew and Roslyn had, even if they fought if for the longest time. I found Roslyn's character to be interested and refreshing-- she wasn't weak or shy, nor was she ditzy or spoiled, like I have found some heroine's to be. Shy, I can deal with, but the others, I can't. Roslyn was the complete opposite. She knew what she wanted, she was willing to take risks, she's not ashamed of her studious ways *Which really appealed to me, since I am the exact same way.*

The only problem I had, if you can really call it a problem, was the hero's name, 'Drew'. Yes, it's short for Andrew, which I might have been able to handle better...maybe. I know I shouldn't, but when I am reading books, I sometimes judge the characters based on the names. For some reason, 'Drew' brings to my mind a middle-aged man with more inches around his waist than hair on his head. I'm sorry if this affends anyone reading this, but that's just what I think of-- maybe because of past acquaintances? No matter the reason, I wasn't happy with Nicole's choice for the hero's name. Drew sounds more like the name of a best friend of the hero, not the name of the main character.

4.5/5 STARS! Nicole Jordan has accomplished perfection yet again! A great romantic read with plenty of passionate and loving moments, a bit of a 'mystery' to solve, and even a few carefree moments. A definite 'Must Read' for any romance fan!

~TBQ~

Friday, July 25, 2008

Review Policy

NOTE: As of January 2014, I'm only accepting limited review requests. My pile is simply out of control and I need to take a break!

If you are interested in having one of my guest reviewers (Kame or Pat) review your book, I can pass your review request email along. Keep in mind they do not cover all the genres I do, but if your book matches what they like, I'll let them know it's available.

Thanks!
Danielle (The_Book_Queen)








Interested in Having Your Book Reviewed?

Genres I Review:
~Romance
              Of almost any kind (contemporary, historical, paranormal)
              NOTE: I do not read M/M or other GLBT books. I hope that you  can respect my choice, as this is purely personal taste in books and has nothing to do with the actual GLBT community. Thanks!
               I have only recently started reading a few M/M romances. It is not likely that TBQ's Book Palace will ever be a main site for this particular genre. However, I will be sharing a few reviews of books that I have found and loved. I'm not sure if I will accept review requests for this genre, at least at this time, as I am still just dipping my toes into the genre. Feel free to try contacting me if you have a M/M romance that you think I would enjoy and I will consider it!
~Erotica
              Of almost any kind
              NOTE: I do not read M/M or other GLBT books. I hope that you can respect my choice, as this is purely personal taste and has nothing to do with the actual GLBT community. Thanks!
              NOTE: I do not read erotica with extreme fetishes. If you are unsure what books may fall in this category, contact me!
~Fantasy
            Mainly Urban Fantasy, with a few other exceptions
~YA
            Mainly Fantasy, but occasionally romance or contemporary in this category
            Must fit into the upper YA category--that is, no children's books. If it's marketed for under 16, I will not review it for this blog.
~NA
            Contemporary, paranormal...I'm not picky!




Genres I Won't Review:
~Christian Fiction
~Non-Fiction
~Mystery/Suspense/Thrillers
~M/M romances or erotica (see above for more info, though as I said, it's a *possible* genre that will show up on this blog in the future)



Formats I Accept:
~Print (hardback OR paperback, both of which I prefer, and always will)
~ARCs
~Galleys
~E-Books (PDF or NOOK compatible only, please!)   I have a Kindle now, MOBI files are best



My Rating System:

5 Stars= Fantastic. Perfect rating, and a must read for anyone!

4.5 Stars= Great--- highly recommended!

4 Stars= Good, a very enjoyable read.

3.5 Stars= Nice, quick read.

3 Stars= Okay, about average.

2.5 Stars= Eh....Not the worst, but below average.

2 Stars= Borderline fail...Something was missing!

1.5 Stars= I didn't like it.

1 Star= Major flaws.... Or not my cup of tea, depends on how you care to look at it...

.5 Star= DNF or DNE (did not enjoy--- at all).



About my Reviews:
~I try to be honest in all my reviews, but I never set out to deliberately tear down an author about their writing. If I am writing a “negative review”, the most I will do is point out parts or reasons why I did not enjoy the book, but I will not say, at any point, that the author was incompetent in anyway!

~My reviews usually consist of a brief summary of the storyline, followed by the reasons I liked (or did not like) the book, perhaps an example or two that explains why I liked/did not like it, and my overall rating and final word on it. My reviews are not always long, but neither are they terribly short—I say what needs to be said and that's it. Average reviews vary from 250-800 words, it truly just depends on what I have to say.

~Lately I've started putting favorite quotes from the book in my reviews. This does not always happen (as sometimes either I do not have a favorite one to highlight OR there are too many to pick...or I forget, if we're honest). Some of the "categories" I do include sweet quotes, spicy quotes, favorite quote (overall), favorite quote (general) and favorite funny quote. When I quote, I always give credit to the author!


~My reviews are also posted on: LibraryThing, GoodReads, Facebook, BN Amazon, and, (in the case of my NOR reviews) NightOwlReviews. I am a bit behind on updating these other sites at the moment, but I will have them up as soon as I can!


~When I post a review on the above sites, I post a "partial review" (usually because of character limits on these sites), which will include perhaps the first 1/2 to 3/4 of the review posted here. At the top of the review, I tell readers that it is a partial review, and let them know that if they wish to read my full review they can do so here (I provide a direct link to the review on my blog).

~I try to post reviews in a timely manner, but obviously things do come up that may prevent this. ARC reviews are usually held off until about a month before the release date; reviews for already released books are posted soon after I complete them.

~I am also open to Giveaways, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Blog Tours and the like. Please see this page for more information!



A WORD ABOUT REVIEWS:

When I accept any book for review the point is, obviously, to get a review in return.

However, I reserve the right to choose not to write a review after reading the book.

Possible reasons why I could choose not to write the review include: 

~Low rating (I have yet to post a truly negative review on my site, and I hope to never do so)
~Lack of things to say (I hate when I have nothing to say, and my review ends up like twenty others that I've written--generic phrases and praises, but no real substance)
~Lack of time (Life changes--I had time when I accepted the book for review, hence the reason I accepted. But by the time I read it, this is not always the case, and there are some things in life that are more important than my blog, as much as I love it).


If I accept your book for review, please understand that I do not review every book, for various reasons (including the ones listed above). Should I choose to still write a review, I will let you know when it will be posted on my blog.

The average turn around time on reviews is 2 months. If you wish to have your book reviewed shortly before or after its release date, it would be best to plan on contacting me at least 2 months before that time. Giving us more time is always best, as it allows us to not only plan our "need to review" list, but it also allows me to mark out a good date for the review on the calendar.





Thanks!





If you are interested in having me review your book or host you here on TBQ's Book Palace, please email me: The_Book_Queen@yahoo.com, with your request in the subject line (ie: Author Interview Request or Book Review Request).


~*~*~*~*~

If you have any other questions, comments, concerns, etc, again, feel free to email me, and I'd be happy to help!






Thanks!
Danielle (TBQ)


Enjoy!















Until Next Time,

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*TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

"To Pleasure a Lady" Is Captivating and Lush!

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:
New York Times best-selling author Nicole Jordan spins a delectable tale of wit and sensuality in this delicious Regency romance, the captivating first in a dazzling new trilogy, The Courtship Wars.
Marcus Pierce, a strikingly handsome aristocrat with a wicked reputation, inherits guardianship of spirited Arabella Loring and her two younger sisters - and immediately declares his intention to marry them off. But enchantingly defiant Arabella sparks frustration - and something deeply erotic - in Marcus. After matching both wits and swords with her, the possessive nobleman concludes this beautiful and formidable foe must be his.
Having sworn off marriage and men, Arabella wishes to be left alone to run her finishing school for young ladies. To that end, she boldly accepts Marcus's intimate challenge: if he can woo and win her within two weeks, she'll take her place in his bed as his wife. However, if she can resist his considerable charms, the Loring sisters will be granted their independence. Thus an extraordinary game of seduction begins....
I have read almost every single one of Nicole Jordan's previous books and loved each and every one of them. All I can say about To Pleasure a Lady is Nicole Jordan has done it again, proved that she is able to write lush historical romances with subtle but erotic undertones. Perfect combination written by a brillant author! By the end of the book, you are ready to run out and grab the next two books, just to find out how well Roslyn is able to break Drew's wall against love and if Lily will be able to submit to Heath and yet keep her hellion attitude.
I loved the connection that Marcus and Arabella had, almost right from the beginning. Their story is full of sexual tension, sweet moments, and even a couple of laughs. Of course, you will probably be prepared to smack the one annoying student in the Loring sister's academy (I believe her name is Sybil? I can't really remember right now, sorry!), but that is all part of the story, I guess. After all, not everyone is pleasant, in real life or romance books. But you notice that there are more annoying young twits in the historical romances? Just a thought...
It's a perfect start to what I believe will be yet another outstanding series by Nicole Jordan. All I can say is she had better keep them coming!
4.5/5 STARS! A great story line, with luscious scenes and pleasant conversations, a bargain thrown in to make everything more interesting, and yet another devilishly handsome hero. This is a definite must read-- as well as all of her previous works!
~TBQ~

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

"Voyager" Take You on an Amazing Voyage into the Past-- Again!

Synopis from Amazon.com:
From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.
Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.
Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite—or forever doom—her timeless love


Okay, if you are not already an obsessed Outlander fan, I don't know what I can say to change your opinion. But no worries-- everyone has their own thing, so I won't push it. I will, however, say that even though the whole series was started with Outlander, and it is definitely one of the top books in the series (Though this is hard to say for sure, since rating one perfect 5 star book over another is veeeeeerrrrry hard, at least for me!), the story that Diana tells us does not, can not, simply end there.

I loved reading Voyager because Diana did a great job of writing Jamie and Claire's reunion. I was almost close to tears a few times! I think that with every book, I fall deeper and deeper in love with Jamie-- who wouldn't? I think that Voyager proved that they can withstand anything-- 20 years of being apart, the whole 200 year difference in time periods, all the problems and trials they've been through. In a way, being apart like they did made them even stronger, as much as I hate to say it, because I wish they had never parted just as much as the next fan. But if they hadn't, nothing would have been as it was.

Besides the heartwarming love connection between Claire and Jamie, you also have the budding romance between Brianna and Roger (Which, okay, was mostly in the previous book, Dragonfly in Amber, as well as the next book, Drums of Autumn, but still.) and that of Fergus and Marsali (The latter of which I found to be kind of annoying at times, but I put up with it because she seemed to make Fergus happy, and he did the same for her, which I found kind of cute. Hey, I liked Fergus and I was happy that he came back in the story!).

I could not find any real flaws in Voyager either, but I guess that's a 'duh' for a true fan. The only thing that I didn't particularly like, but I won't hold it against him for ever either, is the fact that Jamie fathered a child on that annoying, spoiled, immature twit, along with his other moments of infidelity, shall we call it? Yes, I know that Claire was gone, that he wasn't even sure if they *Claire and Brianna* were alive, etc, and he never thought he see her again, but I still think he could have done without the occasional woman to warm his bed at night. He mentions that he didn't love any of them, had no feelings for any of them, and that he felt like sometimes that was the only way to remind him that he was really alive, that he wasn't completely alone... Well, I can sympathize there, but that doesn't mean that I am allowing him to use that as an excuse. I forgave him, before the end of the book, but I still found that it kind of upset me, that he could do that to Claire, even if she was gone (After all, she only had her husband, Frank, while she was gone.. and even that wasn't love like she had thought if 23 plus years ago!). And yet, I understand that this contributed to the story's plot and the way that the characters turned out.

5/5 STARS! Yet again, Diana has done it-- no surprise there! Perfectly written, a wonderful mixture of secrets and mysteries, romance and love, adventure and death, Voyager goes above and beyond most other books, and proves, yet again, that Outlander cannot be beat!

~TBQ~

Thursday, July 17, 2008

"Into the Shadow" Is a Sexy and Wild Ride

Synopis from B&N.com:
Blessed—or cursed—with the ability to change into a sleek panther, and driven by a dark soul he's accepted as his fate, Adrik Wilder abandons his family and his honor to pursue a life of wickedness. He excels at every vice, including kidnapping Karen Sonnet to use for his selfish purposes.
But Karen's spirit and passion make him question the force of his family's curse. And when a new evil emerges, Adrik must choose whether to enact revenge on his enemies and redeem his soul, or save Karen from a fate worse than death…




The third book in the captivating new paranormal series by award winning author, Christina Dodd, Into the Shadow proves itself to be just as perfectly addicting as the previous two. Adrik, the lost brother, is found, alive and well, but how far into the dark has he fallen-- and can anyone pull him out?

Once again, Into the Shadow, like it's sister books, is flawless. It has everything that a reader could possibly want, all well written and delivered. Adrik, aka, Warlord, had sunk low, very low, into darkness, becoming close to the very thing his ancestors had made their original pact with. But when he sees a beautifully intriging woman on the train, Karen, he realizes that she is his mate-- and he will never let her go. He goes to her in secret for weeks, months, on end, bringing her endless pleasure, passion... and possibly love? But a creature like him cannot love, does not deserve to love someone like her... does he? Karen helps to pull him out of the darkness, to save his life multiple times, proving again and again that she is the perfect woman for him-- the only woman for him.

I found Adrik and Karen's story to be one of the best I have read in a while. Karen is determined, hardworking, everything that he could possibly ask for....and yet he knows that he doesn't truly deserve her love, her light. It's a touching love story with adventure, mystery, passion and danger. It's not a perfect fairytale romance, but even as unique and rough as it is at times, I still found myself going soft and pliant while listening to them fighting or talking, knowing that in reality, even if they wouldn't admit it yet, they were already deeply connected, completely in love. And during one part towards the end of the story, I was literally teary eyed, crying along with Adrik, wishing so much that I could offer him my shoulder to cry on.....

I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that the plot takes a few turns from what we expected when we first picked up Scent of Darkness, but not completely in a bad way, and Christina does it so well, it does not make the story confusing or ruined. And she writes a wonderful ending....One that leaves you hanging on a huuuuge cliff, teetering on the edge, ready to take the plunge if it will only allow you to read the next book, Firebird's story, Into the Flame, right NOW, not wait until it comes out in August.

5/5 STARS! Adrik's story shows you both his hard, rugged side and his tender, passionate one-- and I promise that by the end, you will be completely in love with both of them!

Until Next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

"Touch of Darkness" Touches You, Heart, Soul, and Body!

Synopis from B&N.com:Handsome, powerful Rurik Wilder holds the power to transform himself into a fierce bird of prey-a gift that's caused death and destruction.

At last he's offered the chance to redeem himself. Only one woman stands in his way-a beautiful writer determined to wreak revenge on the assassins who murdered her family. Assassins, it's been rumored, who have powers no human should ever possess...






As soon as I finished the first book in this series, Scent of Darkness, I immediately grabbed my copy of Touch of Darkness, eager to continue the spectacular story that Christina Dodd had weaved so intricately, so perfectly, making me obsessed from the start. I literally ran into my room to grab it off the shelf-- and in socks only, on a hardwood type floor, which means, what everyone?, yes, that's right, slipping and slidding. I swear, my cat was laughing at my when I grabbed wildly for my desk to keep from falling, if only because falling would slow me down, meaning it would be longer before I could get my hands on Rurik's story.

I have to say that even though I loved Touch of Darkness, so far my favorite in the series was the first one, Scent of Darkness. I can't explain why, exactly, but I felt that it was written slightly better- but only slightly. How can you judge the two perfect, five star books, comparing them? Both are great, don't get me wrong, and I am confident that the last two books in the series will be just as wonderfully written. But I think I shall always hold the first one closer to my heart, even if it's only slightly closer than the rest. However, I will tell you if this top spot changes after I read book 3 and 4.

Once again, Christina tells a story that grabs you from the start and pulls you head long into the book, never letting you go until the very end, and even then, you are reluctant to go. She writes witty and even touching conversations, unique, dangerous, and sexy experiences. Add to all of that, as if you could possibly want more out of a romance book, a slight touch of mystery, secrets, legends and history *Okay, so it's not true history, as far as I know, though wouldn't that be great, because if it was, then that would mean that Rurik and Jasha are really out there somewhere.... Oops, sorry, starting drooling there for a second, went off to daydream land, but I'm back. But a true fantasy/romance reader can still pretend, right?*. Combine all those elements together, add in a healthy dose of sexy alpha males who can shapeshifter and like to claim their mates *Not rape, that's left to the evil Varinkski cousins*, a love story that is anything but a fairytale *at least at first* but still fits Rurik and Tasya exactly and leaves you both hot and bothered and warm and fuzzy, and a passionate family that sticks together no matter what and you have the perfect story--Touch of Darkness.

5/5 STARS! Christina has done it again! Don't miss this thrilling sequel to Scent of Darkness and don't forget to grab Into the Shadow, and, soon to be released, Into the Flame, Adrik and Firebird's stories, respectively.

Until next time.. Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

'Scent of Darkness" Provides a Rough and Sexy Ride that Promises More Great Books to Come!

Synopis from B&N.com:
Ann Smith loves her handsome, dynamic boss, Jasha Wilder, but her daring plan to seduce him goes awry when she encounters a powerful wolf who-before her horrified eyes-changes into the man she adores. She soon discovers she can't escape her destiny, for she is the woman fated to break the curse that binds his soul.








I love paranormal books that combine fantasy, sexy scenes, and romance together and leave you wanting more. So it was no surprise to me when I found myself in love with Scent of Darkness from the very first chapter-- actually, the prolouge was what hooked me and the first chapters reeled me in. The perfect start to a promising new series!

Ann wanted a normal life, a perfect life. She wanted a nice house, a great job *which she already had*, maybe some childre, and, oh yeah, Jasha, her boss. Doesn't sound to bad, right? Nothing abnormal there.

Of course, Ann doesn't know that her boss, her beloved Jasha, is really a demon, whose family has been 'cursed' and bound to the devil for thousands of years, becoming a preditor at will, in his case, wolf. Ann is horrified, scared... and yet strongly aroused, unable to stop herself from reacting to his coarse passions, demanding and yet somehow still gentle, if only slightly so.

When Ann finds an ancient icon of the Madonna, she finds herself to be part of a Prophecy told by Jasha's mother only a short time ago. If the true loves of 'their four sons' do not find the various icons before their father dies, he will be sent to hell and he will not be redeemed of his evils. Every day, Ann finds herself being pulled in farther and farther into a world that she never knew existed, and certainly never wanted to be part of. But now, she finds that world becoming a part of her...especially Jasha, who is steadily becoming a part of her heart- again. But can he love her back? Or is she simply a pretty woman whom he has great sex with and who will be able to help his father to be redeemed before dying?

You will be sitting on the edge of your seat from page one until the end, submerged in a world filled with fantasy and demons, curses and legends, love and hate, erotic moments and passionately *Lovingly, so* possesive moments. You will want to know what will happen next, what does Ann's unique birthmark mean, and who is watching them-- or, more importantly, how many.

Christina Dodd has proven that she can write both tender historical romances and sexy paranormals. Right now, I already have the next two books waiting to be read, and in a bit I will start on the second in her Darkness Chosen series, Touch of Darkness which tells Rurik's story. I can't wait until Firebird's story, the fourth one, due out in August, I believe. She sounds like such an interesting character.. and it seems like she has more secrets hidden from her family than they thought.

5/5 STARS! Scent of Darkness is the perfect start to an amazing new paranormal series. Sexy alpha males, passionate but sturdy heroines, a dangerous legend, deadly secrets.... How can you possibly resist? You can't, believe me! This is a must read for anyone who likes things that go bump in the night...

Until next time.. Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Monday, July 14, 2008

"To Catch a Highlander" Will Capture Your Attention from the Very First Page!

SYNOPIS From B&N.com:

In this sizzling romantic adventure, a daring Highland lass plays a high-stakes game to keep the home she loves...but ends up losing her heart instead.


When her father gambles away the family estate to darkly dangerous Lord Dougal MacLean, Sophia MacFarlane is determined to use her wiles to regain it. Forced to stake the one thing she has left -- her virtue -- she desperately hopes her skill can limit her losses to a few kisses...no matter how hotly tempting Dougal turns out to be.


Dougal MacLean knows that Sophia has some trick up her sleeve, but he can't resist the challenge -- or her ravishing beauty. So when she proposes a card game with most unusual stakes, Dougal is delighted to accept. But as the game ends, Dougal and Sophia discover they've wagered something even more precious -- their hearts.


Even though I had read a fair amount of Karen Hawkins previous novels and enjoyed them, when I picked this up a few days ago, I found myself a little hesitant after the first few pages--it seemed to move along slower than what I was used to. Luckily, I stuck with it, and I found my reward to be a great historical romance that I shall revisit again, along with the rest of the MacLean Curse Series.


I found the heroine, Sophia, to be a fairly enjoyable character, not whimpy and annoying like some others I have read. She knew what she wanted and she was not giving it up, no matter what. When her father gambled away her mother's precious house, she sets up a plan to ruin all the hard work they had been putting into it over the years, in order to (hopefully) make Lord MacLean find it disgusting and not worth the money needed to 'fix it up' again. But, of course, this is a romance book, and this is going on in the beginning of the story, so nothing goes quite as planned....


When Dougal rides up to the MacFarlane House, almost a full month after he had won it from Red, he is surprised to find it looks like it's rundown and falling apart-- or so it seems. While trying to find out if anyone is home, he follows the sounds of low voices and stands outside an open window, listening. He finds out that the two inside, Angus, and a woman he thinks must be a servant but is instead Sophia herself, are blocking up the fireplace in order to make it smoke terribly. Of course, he stays there long enough to hear them talking about her plan to make his new house unwanted by him.


As the days go by, he sticks to his lie, pretending that he has no idea what she is up to. Along the way, the story has quite a few laughs, helping to move it along. But, of course, the main thing that carries the whole story along is their budding and passionate romance. She bets him to play a game of cards with her, planning on winning the deeds and her mothers jewels back. But she soon begins to wonder if she might be in over her head-- and her heart.


After winning it, and losing her heart-- and innocence-- to Dougal, he leaves, thinking that she cheated during the game, not believing her when she tries to make him believe she only tried to cheat after she won the deed, when they were playing ' for a kiss, or something more'. She follows him to his sister's place, where he is sulking and brooding *even if he would never admit it*, causing horrible weather, since his family is cursed. While there, she plans on giving him back the deed, severing what few ties she thought they had, and then moving on. Ha--She soon figures out it's not that easy.


After starting to realize that he might very well be in love with Sophia, Dougal leads her to believe that the deed has gone missing-- and then her mother's jewels are stolen as well. While searching for both of the missing items, they get stuck in a fellow guest's room, when suddenly he returns from the party's morning ride-- and he's not alone. Stuck under the bed, Sophia tries not to giggle while the two lovers are above her, ripping each other's clothes off and tearing up the sheets. Dougal, also stuck in the room, dives under the bed to be with her during a time when they were 'turned in the opposite direction'. Not wanting to forgo an erotic opportunity, he proceeds to kindle her already warm passion, though they are limited by both the place/space and, of course, the fact that any of those noises would surely give them away. I loved this scene, finding it both charmingly funny and slightly heated, the perfect combination, in my opinion.


They find her jewels-- and her grandfather, whom her father told her was dead. After years of guilt from the way he had treated his daughter, Beatrice (Sophia's mother), the earl finally comes to meet his granddaughter and appologize for his pride and bad behavior so long ago. This is a total 'ahhhh' moment, since it not only brings together a tattered family, but also leads Dougal to admit his feelings and propose (Okay, more like a simply 'You will marry me' but since she wanted it just as much, I'm fine with the way he did it.) to Sophia after hearing how both the Earl and Red felt about their late wives. Finally, the last of the MacLean's, the rakehell rascal, is tamed, married, and deeply in love, a passionate one, at that.


4.5/5 STARS! Karen Hawkins has done it again, providing a fresh take on a classic story, of how the rake is deceived, played, tamed and loved, while giving a reader everything they could ever want: a touch of magic *the family curse*, a beautiful setting, lush details, warm moments and passionate ones. Don't miss this delectable series!


Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to the fullest!


~TBQ~

Friday, July 11, 2008

"Let Sleeping Rogues Lie" Will Keep You Up all Night Long!

Summary From Back Cover:
When Madeline Prescott took a teaching position at Mrs. Harris’s School for Young Ladies, it was to help restore her father’s reputation. Instead, she’s in danger of ruining her own. The devilishly handsome Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, has agreed to provide “rake lessons” to Mrs. Harris’s pupils so they can learn how to avoid unscrupulous gentlemen, and Madeline is to oversee his classes. She has always believed that attraction is a scientific matter, easily classified and controlled-until she’s swept into the passionate desire that fiercely burns between her and Anthony. Nothing could be more illogical than risking everything for a dalliance with a rake-even one who’s trying to behave himself. Yet nothing could be more tempting…

Since I first picked up In the Princes Bed by Sabrina Jeffries over 2 years ago, I have been completely obsessed with her books, quickly devouring each and everyone that has came out since then, along with some of her older ones. So it was no real surprise to me when I finished Let Sleeping Rogues Lie *In only a day, I might add!* and realized that I loved it just as much as her previous books (possibly even more?).
Let Sleeping Rogues Lie is the fourth installment in Sabrina's "School for Heiress" series. Miss Madeline Prescott is a teacher at Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies (Teaching: A plot that has been used a little bit too much? Maybe, but who cares!). But her life is not exactly what it seems. Her father lost his position as a doctor and may very well be thrown in jail by Viscount Norcourt's Uncle. So what's a respectable lady to do? Why, sin, lie a bit, and, of course, seduce the hot bad boy, Lord Anthony Norcourt himself! Come on, tell me you wouldn't do the same if you were in her position? Just take one look at Anthony and his restraining control over 'the beast' inside him and I promise you'll be ready to push Madeline out of the way. But sorry girls--- Anthony is not happily married. ;)
I found the story line to be interesting. Unlike some of the usual ones that are used in historical romances, I felt that this one was well written (Of course, Sabrina is an amazing author!). It had a plot, it had the evil uncle, the tortured hero (God, I love the heros in my romance novels to be tortured souls that are healed, but not so much so that they become a stiff gentleman, if you know what I mean!), the not-quiet-innocent-but-not- quiet-experienced heroine who is not only suppose to be pretty but also smart *Bimbos for heroines don't do it for me, sorry*, a few scandalous bargains, steamy love scenes that have the right amount of hot sex and touching sweetness....what could you add to that to make it better? Nothing! *Well, okay, so I would have loved it even more, if that's even possible, if Anthony had been a vampire, but hey, I guess you can't always have what you want!*
5/5 STARS! Let Sleeping Rogues Lie is a great story filled with love, sex, and humor, all twisted together flawlessly by one of the best historical romance authors out there-- Sabrina Jeffries! P.S: If you have not had to chance to read one of her novels yet, all I can say is "How the heck can you be a romance lover and not have picked up one of her books before?!" I promise, you will not regret it!
Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to the fullest!
~TBQ~

Thursday, July 10, 2008

"Only For You" Is as Sweet and Heartwarming as the Title!

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:
Saxan Honey Todd has sworn to avenge the murder of her twin brother. Recklessly, she gallops across the English countryside in pursuit of the man she believes to be his murderer--Botolf, Earl of Regenford. Amidst the danger of the untamed Scottish border, both Saxan and Botolf will risk their hearts on the stormy battlefield of love.







Only for You is the first book I have ever read from Hannah Howell. I'd been told different opinions from friends on mine on LT and other places. Some told me that they were boring and predictable, others told me that Howell's books are some of the best. Since I had not yet read any of them, I simply stayed neutral. But after reading Only for You, I have to say I'm leaning more towards the latter. Ms. Howell is now joining my long lists of favorite authors!

Since I usually prefer my romances to be leaning more towards romantica/erotica, or at the very last, an 'R' or 'X' rated romance, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed Only for You very much. It had everything-- sweet, tender moments, as well as witty ones, steamy ones, as well as a few that make you sit on the edge of your seat. Though I will admit that, yes, I would rather have had the story be a bit more frank on it's love scenes, it was not enough to discourage me from wanting to read more of hers, nor of giving Only for You a high rating.

Some say that the story line was "Too predictable and boring", and okay, maybe at times it was, but who cares? It was a great story of love and adventure, and even if you knew that the attempts on both of their lives might come close but never truly kill them, it was a delectable read, one that, when I get the time to go back through my books to re-read them, I will pick up again. In the mean time, I am going to start looking for her other books and read them. Hannah writes a brillant story line, mixing a lush historical setting (Most of her others, I hear, are Scotland, which is my favorite setting!) with a almost suspense like subplot and a budding, but touching romance that gracefully works it's way into full bloom. Along the way are moments where you laugh, moments where you almost cry, and, yes, even a few where you are tempted to grab a fan in order to cool off.

The only thing I had a slightly problem with was the hero and heroine's names. Yes, I know that OFY is set in the medivel times, but come on! Saxan and Botolf? I enjoy creativity in characters names, but I found that these two names just didn't quiet do it for me. But even this flaw was one that did not destroy the enjoyment of the story.

4.5/5 STARS! A fabulous historical romance that alternates between making you laugh and pulling on your heart strings, Ms. Hannah Howell has done it again! This one is definitely a keeper!

Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

"The Maclean Groom" Brillantly Weaves Historical Scotland with a Steamy Romance

Amazon.com Book Description:
Married by decree....

He is her family's ancient foe, but never has Lady Joanna Macdonald seen a man she wants more. Still, she hides from Rory MacLean--the dashing lairs whom King James has ordered her to marry--hoping to save her family's honor. For the pretty yopung lass knows that once she is wed, her trembling passion will be a difficult secret to keep hidden from her determined bridegroom.

Bound by Desire .....

For Rory MacLean, this marriage was merely a means to secure his fortune. But when he finally sets eyes upon his heiress bride, Rory is enraptured, and determined to have her, body and soul.But first the rugged Highlands warrior has to the spirited, innocent beauty desire the man she has been taught all her life to hate. And by slow and sinful seduction, Rory MacLean will show sweet Joanna that he is truly the husband her heart is destined for.


Though the plot Kathleen Harrington chose to base The MacLean Groom on may seem like a repeat of so many other historical romances already out there, it's anything but. Kathleen turns a seemingly simple plot and adds her own spectacular writing skills to it, making the story an original work of art. Her books have everything: honest-to-God romance, deliciously steamy sex scenes, and a subplot that adds a touch of mystery and adventure (Up until the end, you are not sure who really did kill a certain character nor how far evil Ewen is willing to go in orer to get control of all the land and power he can.). Add to all that a wickedly handsome hero, a Highland warrior/Sea God, and Kathleen has created the perfect historical romance novel.

Joanna did not want to marry the fierce Lord Rory Maclean, the very man who murdered her grandfather after wrongly accusing him of killing another man, a friend of Rory's, as it turns out. She is so against it that she gets the whole castle to go along with this elaborate plot to hide her until the very end, saying that her cousin is her. Then, right before the ceremony, her cousin's father will step forward and claim that she is not Joanna, by which the true Joanna will be long gone, leaving the wicked laird along at the alter.

But this plan backfires from the beginning when Rory realizes almost from the very beginning that the true Joanna is dressed as a lowly servent boy, Joey. He, of course, keeps his knowledge of their plot secret and starts the seduction of the beautiful lass. By the time the ceremony comes around, he has her--him, as she was still dressed as Joey-- come up and be the proxy bride and say Joanna's vows, knowing full well that she is Joanna. He tears off her cap right before leaning in for a passionate kiss and lets her and their guests know that he has not been fooled.

Of course, she still fights him, not wanting to be married to such a devious man, and her evil uncle Ewen, who had planned to have her married off to her sixteen year-old cousin in order to keep their two lands together, does not help their potential love connection any. Of course, in the end, they both end up falling for each other, after some steamy tearing up of the sheets.

But everything goes wrong one day. After Ewen has her and her family taken away to a far off castle and has Rory thrown in prison for five months, Joanna fears that she will never see her beloved again, and will instead either be killed by her phsyco uncles or finally married off to her cousin. But when Rory is freed by his brothers and comes to her rescue, ragged and dressed like a wicked pirate, she's not the only one who's surprised. When Rory turns to see her standing there, he finds out just what five months apart can do to her body---she's pregnant.

They head home, and a few months later, she gives birth to their lovely baby boy. When Godfrey tries one last time to take her away for his own plans, this time planning on killing James, their baby, and Rory, Joanna steps inbetween his knife and her beloved Rory. Rory kills Godfrey, but before he dies, they find out that Joanna had been telling the truth all along-- her grandfather was not the one who killed Cameron. Everything falls into place: the two feuding families have stopped, Rory and Joanna proclaim their love to one another, and they all live happily ever after.

4.5/5 STARS. The Maclean Groom is a must read for any die-hard Scottish romance fan, or any romance fan, for that matter. Charming and sweet, steamy and witty, TMG is the perfect read! Unfortunately her previous novels are currently out of print, but I am trying to get my hands on used copies. Until then, I am anxiously awaiting the next two books *As far as I know, they are not yet even written, but still...* in her luscious and gripping Highland Laird's Trilogy-- no doubt about Rory's younger brothers.

Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Monday, July 7, 2008

"Dragonfly in Amber" Just as Wickedly Delicious as The First!

SYNOPIS on B&N.com:

From the author of Outlander... a magnificent epic that once again sweeps us back in time to the drama and passion of 18th-century Scotland...



For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....



Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ...and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....



Diana Gabaldon has done it again! Weaving a breathtaking story of myth and history, fiction and love, Diana has created a series that goes beyond that of any other romance novel out there: She creates a world that seems real, that is real for her fans, not just yet another story that is possibly enjoyed and then set aside. No, the Outlander Series grabs you from the very first page and even after you have set the books down (Until next month, of course, when you revisit them all...) the story and characters are still with you.



Dragonfly in Amber proves once again that Jamie and Claire's love transends over two centuries, a fierce love that goes deeper than ANY other connection I have ever read about in the hundreds of 'Romance' books I have read. Just reading some of their scenes, you almost feel like you are intruding on a personal moment between your best friends, it is that real, that deep. Nothing keeps them apart, and even though they have their fair share of arguments, they never hold it against each other for very long. A miscarriage, rape, both attempted and, well, 'succeeded', battles, treason, murder.... this all pales in utter significance to their love and passion.



I've fallen in love with Jamie more than I have any other guy I've ever known or dated. Now, yes, that could be read as me being a little bit... obsessed or crazy, but to any true Outlander fan, this is another reason why Diana Gabaldon is able to write such touching and gripping books. I am now eager, no, impatient!, to pick up her next book (The only thing standing in my way is 60 plus miles between me and Barnes and Nobles.).



5/5 STARS! What other words can I use to describe Dragonfly in Amber? Witty, heartwarming, touching, deep, loving, passionate, steamy, magical, wonderful, delicious, wicked, lovely, spectacular...the list could you on and on! But the one that should be at the very top is : 'A-MUST-READ-DO-NOT-MISS!' Okay, so maybe that's a lot more than one word... But it's the truth!

Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Friday, July 4, 2008

"Summer of the Eagle" Soars above the Rest!

Summary from the Summer of the Eagle:
Blaze was an outcast. The most powerful healer in her tribe, she used her impossible abilities only for good, but even that had alienated her fellow Sioux. Her father, who was pejuta wichasha, her tribe's medicine man, feared her. She herself feared some of the things she could do. And her dreams--those dreams of the child and the two slaughtered birds--were more terrifying than anything.

But it was a season of change. Blaze saw answers on the horizon, keys to the secrets she needed to unravel. The winds of destiny were rising, sweeping her toward freedom and others of her kind. There was darkness in her visions, but also a man: a tall, bucksin-clad stranger with golden-brown hair and eyes as green as the leaves on the trees. And though he was nothing like her, was a Frenchman, a trapper, his eyes promised understanding, kindness, and most important, a love that would be hers and hers along. Yes, the winds of fate were rising, and they promised a long, hot... Summer of the Eagle.



Though I have nothing against Native Americans, actually quiet the opposite, I have never really wanted to pick up a romance novel with the subcategory of 'Native American'. I can't describe my reasons, if there even were truly any, as to why I didn't. Maybe it was because the few that I had looked at did not hold my attention? Because they plot seemed too common? Poorly written? I'm honestly not sure. But whatever it was, it almost prevented me from picking up Summer of the Eagle by Susan Edwards about six months ago. I'm glad I picked it up and finally read it!

I've always been drawn towards books-- and movies-- that were magical. And no, I don't mean that in a flattering type of way (I.E.: "The moment was magical!"), although I guess that could be used to describe a lot of them. But magic, gods and goddesses, healing, things like that have always interested me. Becuase of this, Summer of the Eagle was very interesting and I savored every word! I may not believe in all of those things I just listed, but I do know that some of them are not entirely as fake as present day Society has made them out to be. It's hard to explain to a nonbeliever, but there are things that no one can explain.. things that shouldn't happen...things that are almost magical.
Susan Edwards deftly spins a delightful tale filled with mystical pleasure at every turn, a hint of mystery (Who is Taya, the child in Blaze's dream?), the story of a woman's quest to find out who she really is, and a love that binds Blaze and Luc spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Summer of the Eagle has everything that a good romance needs. It has it's moments of near fantasy, flaming love scenes, touching love/bonding scenes, and a touch of adventure. What more could you possibly ask for?
There were very few things that I could find faulty in Summer of the Eagle. The only thing that I could maybe put in the 'flaws' list is that it has a time or two when the story is rocky/slow in building up. But this one flaw, if you could even call it that (Seriously, what book does not have one part that the reader feels could have been slightly better, or could have been written this way or that way, et cetera? It's only bad if it happens more than twice AND each time the scene was messed up horribly.), was still not enough to ruin the overall fantastic story.

4.5/5 stars. This is a must read for anyone who is constantly devouring great romance novels! Come on, pick up Summer of the Eagle, and be prepared to find yourself fully submerged, body and all, into a lush story that soars along at the perfect swift speed (Yes, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but just trust me.)
Until next time.. Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest! Happy 4th of July!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

"The Nanny Diaries" Weaves a Wonderful Story.. Very Believable!

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:

Based on the real-life experiences, the inside story on the real lives of the rich and privileged from the women who know all the secrets - the nannies.

The Nanny Diaries deftly skewers the manner in which America's over-privileged raises les petites - as if grooming them for a Best of Show competition. A poignant satire, it punctures the glamor of Manhattan's upper class to tackle head-on the truer state of backstairs Park Avenue.

Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic apartment, Nanny takes a job caring for the only son of the wealthy X family. She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved in ensuring that a Park Avenue wife who doesn't work, cook, clean, or raise her own child has a smooth day.

When the X's marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny's nearly impossible mission becomes maintaining the mental health of their four-year-old, her own integrity, and most importantly, her sense of humor. Over nine tense months Mrs X and Nanny perform the age old dance of decorum and power as they test the limits of modern-day servitude.


I bought the book after watching the movie, which I loved. This is sometimes a mistake. However, The Nanny Diaries hits 'outstanding' either way-- in the book or movie. I suggest you do both, does not really matter the order. But since this review is on the book itself, lets go with the book first, okay? ;)

It took me a while to pick it out of my TBR pile, simply because I wanted to read romances, not chick lit for the longest time. But when I grabbed it Wednesday morning, I had it almost finished by the time I turned in that same night (Only missed finishing it by about 40 pages, but I was so tired from work that day that I finally just left it at that and finished it early this morning.) But from page one, I was hooked, and quickly reeled in, only being let go at the very end.

Knowing the way money and power can get to a person *thought yes, I know, not all people* it's not surprising that Mrs. X and her friends act the way they do. And it was not hard to imagine the same things that happened in the book to happen in some rich family's town house in New York. Emma and Nicola provide an amazing story that weaves both previous experiences and a touch of fiction together flawlessly, leaving you believe you are still reading a 'fiction' book and not an almost autobiography. The story combines chick lit, a touch of romance, a heavy does of love (As in the love that Grayer and Nanny have for each other.) and more than sprinkle of reality-- the perfect recipe for a perfectly witty book. The must read book for any woman to read, just right for an easy and fun beach read!

5/5 stars. The Nanny Diaries is the best 'chick lit' type book that I have ever read, sure to become a great 'classic' for women to read at the beach, at home, with friends, or even for a book club. (Well, you know what I mean!) Don't miss this book-- and the movie is very good too.***If slightly different during some parts from the book***

Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest!

~TBQ~

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

"How to Engage an Earl" Has Some Stalls Along the Way...

Summary from Amazon.com:
The last thing the Earl of MacLaren wants is a wife, so when he awakens to discover a fair-haired enchantress at the foot of his bed, he behaves as any man might by taking full advantage of the delicious situation. Then his family bursts in, and the chit brazenly announces that she is his betrothed. So he finds himself well on his way to being legshackled for life!
Beautiful, reserved Anne Royle had never done anything so mad in her life. She entered the earl's bedchamber with no intention of seduction. Rather, she hoped to discover a document that could contain the truth about her heritage. But now her world is turned upside down, and while she trembles at the thought of her wedding night, she finds she longs for it in ways she never thought possible.
I read a mixture of all kind of romance books. My obsession started out with historical, but has moved to a lot of paranormal in the past year or so. But I still read a fair ammount of historical. When I bought How to Engage an Earl, I had high hopes for it-- I had read her previous book in this trilogy, about the eldest sister, Mary, titled, I believe, How to Seduce a Duke (Correct me if I am wrong here, it has been a while...). There are some books that you have no hope for, but they come up on top in the end, some that you have high hope for, but they end up disappointing you... I'm afraid that, for How to Engage an Earl, I'm leaning more towards the last option. The story started out kind of rough. It had to potential, as far as the early plot line, to be a good, interesting book with a faster pace. But it didn't quiet reach that potential. Annie was looking for letters that supposedly prove her and her two sisters are daughters of the prince, illigetimate triplets born during an affair their mother had with him. She is sent upstairs until the Earl's bedroom to look for them, but who should she come across while up there? Why, the Earl himself! Of course, he's a little bit drunk, and he's a rake, well, a recovering rake, so it's not surprising when he tries to take advantage of her. His mother and half of her friends, some of the more loose tongued matrons of Society, along with Laird's best friend, catch them together. Annie lies and says that Laird had just proposed to her, and they came up here for a moment alone. So starts the tangled and twisted lies they will weave before the story's end. Most of the book's storyline was mediocre at best, with a few areas that alude to a mystery yet to be solved. However, those few areas are not written as best as they could have been, in my opinion, which also makes them less than perfect. Don't get me wrong, Kathryn Caskie is a good author. I simply thought that How to Engage an Earl was one of her weaker works. I will say that it picked up considerably towards the end, but not enough to save the whole book. All in all, it was an okay book, but I doubt I will ever take time to reread it again. I will probably pick up the next book in the series, How to Propose to a Prince, just to see how Elizabeth's story ends and if we will ever find out the complete truth about the letters, the Prince, and the triplets' mother. 3.5/5 Stars. How to Engage an Earl has a few flaws, too many for my tastes, but for a true historical romance buff, it may very well be a diamond in the rough. However, this reviewer found it lacking in the plot, the romance, and the love scene--hello, she was a virgin, and during their one and only love scene in the whole book, there is absolutely NO mention of her condition! He doesn't stop, she doesn't cry out, there is no pause, no 'pushing in until he suddenly reached a barrier...blah blah blah...he gives one final shove' et cetera. Maybe I'm missing something? A page that went astray? A paragraph that got lost? This is not a book to run out and buy right away nor is it a book to cross off your list and never read. It's stuck somewhere in the middle, and only you can decide for yourself if you want to take the plunge and try this book. It's not horrible, so you shouldn't regret the decission, but it's not wonderful either. But that's just me. Until next time... Read plenty, laugh often, love unconditionally, and live each day to it's fullest! ~TBQ~