DarkHeart's comments
DarkHeart's comments from the Romance Readers Reading Challenges group.
Note: DarkHeart is no longer a member of this group.
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September's Books1.
Stray by Rachel Vincent - It was great to "re-read" where it all started with Faythe and Marc. While the narrator did a fine job, her voice just didn't work as Faythe for me. ****2.
Night Game by Christine Feehan - My favorite of the series so far, I absolutely adored Gator and Flame as they regularly has me laughing out loud. While a traditional alpha male, Gator also has a very sweet and sensitive side and a wicked sense of humor. Flame was the perfect counter to him with a mix of strength and vulnerability and a wit to match Gator's. The action was great, but it was not without tragedy adding an extra layer of drama.The mystery behind the GhostWalkers continues to unfold and the story poses more questions than it answers, but that just serves to pull the reader into the series even more. *****
3.
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs - really enjoyed this book, much more than Cry Wolf. I love that we're getting to know Anna and Charles more and watching their relationship develop. Charles has always been such a mystery, so I really enjoyed discovering more about him through Anna. Anna's role as an omega is becoming clearer and I enjoyed watching her become more confident in herself and with Charles. Seeing Tom and Moira again was a huge bonus, as I'd really enjoyed their story in Strange Brew.A brilliant addition to what is becoming a really enjoyable series. *****
4. Witch Craft Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge - Another entertaining entry in the Nocturne City series. I enjoyed seeing the changes in Luna as she now heads her own department. My frustration with her in Second Skin was gone, as Dimitri is no longer around, her attempts to sabotage their relationship having succeeded.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Lucas return with a fairly substantial role. He was very intriguing in the last book and even more so here.
Will was a wonderful addition, bringing a nice balance to Luna and some comic relief.
The overall mystery was a good one and I look forward to more adventures with Luna and her team. ****
5.
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - Already a huge fan of this series, I eagerly devoured the audiobook. Lorelei King did a wonderful job of bringing Mercy, Adam, Samuel and all the rest to life. I eagerly await the release of the next books in the series. *****6. Wes and Toren Wes and Toren by J.M. Colail - A lovely story that is both sweet and steamy. Wesley and Toren are both really likable young men coming to terms with their sexuality and its impact on their worlds.
The combination of the bad boy and the wholesome boy is not unique, but is wonderfully portrayed here. Both Wes and Tor are wonderfully developed and I quickly grew attached to them. Their relationship is not without its ups and downs and each of them must deal with their insecurities and the various obstacles to their happiness thrown up by family and friends.
The sex becomes more prevalent as the story progresses, but it's a great mix of steam and tenderness. The biggest change comes from Toren as he becomes more confident in both the relationship and himself.
A really enjoyable read. ****
7.
Staked by J.F. Lewis - A really entertaining read and twist on the vampire mythology. Eric is a brilliant character, trying to balance his life as an uber-vamp with the human morals he never let go of. The story is full of entertaining characters and a well put together mystery. Eric's limited memory makes for some truly amusing situations.I will definitely be reading ReVamped in the near future. ****
Last night I started Night Game and the book has mysteriously disappeared. I've searched high and low and it has just... vanished! Ugh... Gator!!! =(
While I try to find it, I'm going to start Wanderlust. I'm also listening to the audiobook of Stray, falling in love with Marc all over again. ;)
August's Books
A challenge free month meant I read fewer books, and for some reason failed to write up reviews on most. Hmm... maybe I'll do better next month.
1.
Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon - I've really been looking forward to this book, as the were hunters tend to be my favorites in the Dark Hunter world and I loved the glimpses we'd had of Fang and Aimee in previous books. That being said, this wasn't quite as good as I was hoping.
A large part of the book covers story lines from previous books - primarily Vane's and Wren's. I didn't mind this as we were seeing the story from Fang and Aimee's perspectives. However, there was a considerable amount of moving forward in time and it all felt a bit dijointed and rushed and as a result, didn't flow as well as it could have.
There were a few things raised in the book that were later left undealt with which bothered me, including aspects of Aimee's abilities and the mention of a character who then later never made an appearance. If it was simply set-up for future books, it felt a bit heavy handed for something that wasn't going to be adressed in this story.
I liked Thorn and look forward to possibly seeing more of him. Savitar's character doesn't appeal anymore to me than it ever has though. What I'd really like to see is Dev's story - and the amount of time he got in the book leads me to believe he will likely get his own book in the future.
Overall I enjoyed the story, but I think it could have been better. It hasn't changed my opinion that the series peaked with Acheron. ****
2.
Destined for an Early Grave by Jeanine Frost *****
3.
Storm Born by Richelle Mead ****
4.
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre ****
5.
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead *****
6.
Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole - Hands down, my favorite of the series so far. I was intrigued by Cade and the last book and he certainly doesn't disappoint. Not only is he one hot demon, but he had me laughing out loud, repeatedly. His brash, rough around the edges persona was a brilliant counter balance to Holly's uptight OCD tendencies. They led us along entertaining adventure after adventure and the book did a wonderful job of setting up Rydstrom's story. And bonus - a fair amount of the ever spectacular Nucking Futs Nix (when does she get her HEA?). An absolutely brilliant series (that really deserves better covers)! *****
7.
Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole *****
8.
Magic Strikes (audiobook) by Ilona Andrews - Another brilliant narration of one 2009's best releases. Although Derek made me cry, Kate and Curran made me laugh out loud - continually! *****
Shannon wrote: "I'm going to have to opt-out of this one this month, but it makes me sad! More of my books fit into the Paranormal Romance challenge and I'm only going to have time for one challenge because school..."I can sympathize, Shannon. I'm finishing up the penultimate class of my master's program and can't wait to be finished. I took August off from challenges to focus.
3. Summer Heat Theme: Witch Fire by Anya Bast
5. Culinary theme: Strange Brew Anthology
Loving Holly Black's series. I didn't realize I'd read them out of order though, having skipped right over the second book. Will have to go back and read it.
2. Set in the UK: Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge
3. Summer Heat Theme: Witch Fire by Anya Bast
5. Culinary theme: Strange Brew Anthology
6. Nostalgia Moment: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Yz wrote: "I haven't read enough even to have a top 5 stories...LOL...
but this will be a good place for me to visit to choose good ones."
LOL, I'm with you on that one. ;)
Lori wrote: "...An interesting side note, my library had the first 3 books in the Mercedes Thompson Series classified as YA. I have no idea why."
I was at a book store the other day and in the YA section they had a separate paranormal shelf - which I thought was really cool. However, they had Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld books on it rather than her Darkest Powers - which made no sense.
Ooh, yay, I'm such a sucker for YA series right now. Just went to a Cassandra Clare signing last night (surrounded by 14 year olds). LOL
1. Twilight Saga - Stephenie Meyer
2. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
3. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
4. Morganville Vmpires - Rachel Caine
5. The Darkest Powers - Kelley Armstrong
Augh... Lori, you've got two that I wanted to add - Adrian Phoenix and Kelley Armstrong. Five just isn't enough! LOL
Okay, here are my top 5:
1. Black Dagger Brotherhood - J.R. Ward
2. Midnight Breed - Lara Adrian
3. Immortals After Dark - Kresley Cole
4. Dark Hunters - Sherrilyn Kenyon
5. Ghostwalkers - Christine Feehan
Hmm... only five, eh? This is really hard, cause I can think of eight top ones, but here goes:1. Kate Daniels - Ilona Andrews
2. Georgina Kinkaid - Richelle Mead
3. Mercedes Thompson - Patricia Briggs
4. Shifters - Rachel Vincent
5. Night Huntress - Jeaniene Frost
July's Books
1.
Prey by Rachel Vincent - Wow, just when you think a series can't get better - it does. Vincent has delivered an extremely emotional and powerful book. The drama of the book kicks off with an orchestrated attack by strays which is practically unheard of. They barely have time to recover when Marc is taken. This sets up a race against time to find him and to discover who is behnd it all. Nothing in Faythe's life is easy though, and as is often the case for her, things don't go to plan. Some really significant things happen that affect not only Faythe and Marc, but the whole Pride. Ethan and Jace have significant roles in this book, which is always a plus, and we watch as the tables continue to get turned on Faythe as she struggles to get through to Kaci.
I've certainly been known to shed my share of tears over books, but this one crushed me at times and I think I must have cried on and off through half of it. A true testament to Rachel's writing skills that I have become so wrapped up in the Pride and everything that happens to them. Awesome! *****
2.
An Unforgettable Lady by Jessica Bird - This is the first book I've red by Ms. Bird that wasn't part of her work as J.R. Ward, and I wasn't disappointed. Though the contemporary romance setting isn't one I'd normally pick up, I really enjoyed the two protagonists in this story and the over arching mystery was well done. John is a great example of the alpha men Ward writes so well, and I really enjoyed his character. And like the females in Ward's books, Grace has a quiet strength that she slowly discovers and embraces over the course of the book. There were several interesting supporting characters that would have made the basis for a compelling series, but I'm glad to hear we see some of the characters in later Bird novels. A thoroughly enjoyable read! ****
3.
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole - A brilliant entry in the Immortals After Dark series. I've been fascinated by Bowen since the first book, and his story didn't disappoint. His story picks up during the Hie of book two where he and Marikita meet for the first time - and she curses him. She's a great match for him, a strong character in her own right. This is another case of a feisty modern female and a male who is out of touch with the world around him. Bowe thought that his dead mate, the prim and proper Mariah, was his ideal only to be completely thrown for a loop when he gets to know the self-assured and fun-loving Mari and realizes she is everything he never knew he was missing. A great story line full of adventure, humor and a strong dash of steaminess from a great author and a wonderful series (it's just a shame the covers are so bad). *****
4.
Ashes of Midnight by Lara Adrian - Another great Midnight Breed novel and a quick and entertaining read. Reichen has been an interesting character since he was first introduced - was it back in Tegan and Elise's book? After the devestating conclusion to Veil of Midnight, we knew that Reichen was going to be looking for vengeance. His Breed power of pyrokinesis is an interesting one, which leads to some pretty devestating conclusions. Claire was a great breedmate for him. Discovering their past and experiencing their reunion was an enjoyable read. The main story of the battle within Breed society was furthered in this book and it ended with a great set-up for the next book. And as a good amount of the story took place back in the States, we good to see a fair amount of all of the other characters, which was nice. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, although for some reason, not as much as the past few. ****
5.
Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole - A wonderful read with two great characters in Conrad and Néome. I loved the twist of Conrad finding his redemption through his love of a ghost - a crazed vampire lost in bloodlust and a saucy ballerina cut down in the prime of her life. As always, there were some great twists and turns on the road to their eternal happiness and plenty of steamy scenes along the way.
We got to see several characters from past books including Nikolai and Sebastian, and some brilliant scenes with Nucking Futs Nix and Mari (and the later, Bowen). Rydstrom and Cade also had important roles and Cole did a good job of deepening my interest in Cade and setting up for his story.
Overall, another great installment in a series I'm really enjoying! *****
6.
Mind Game by Christine Feehan - Mind Game sees Lily discovering the location of another of the young girls from Dr. Whitney's experiments, Dahlia Le Blanc. Loner Nicolas Trevane volunteers to go and find her. Obviously we know from the outset that Nicolas and Dahlia will come together, but it's wonderful to watch how it develops. Both are so used to solitary existences, that they are shocked by how much they enjoy each other's company. Dahlia suffers the most being in constant company both because she's never experienced it and because of the dangerous effects of her gifts. Dahlia has some great gifts, and when they come together with Nicolas' - sparks fly, both literally and metaphorically. The story has an interesting story line, great action and lots of steam. Nicolas and Dahlia make a great couple and there story was a joy to read. And hey - this is the story that introduces the Norton Twins *****
July's Reading Challenges
PNR
1. vampires Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
5. demons/angels The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
RRR
3. Summer Heat Theme: Witch Fire by Anya Bast
5. Culinary theme : Strange Brew Anthology
6. Nostalgia Moment: Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
7. Explore-A-Genre: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
This Immortal After Dark series is brilliant. Each book is better than the last. I'm really looking forward to reading more.2. Set in the UK: Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge
3. Summer Heat Theme: Witch Fire by Anya Bast
5. Culinary theme: Strange Brew Anthology
6. Nostalgia Moment: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
7. Explore-A-Genre: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
8. From our Group's shelf: Tithe A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black
First one down. Really enjoyed my firs Jessica Bird book, which should be surprising since her alter-ego J.R. Ward is my favorite PNR author. =)
1. July B-Day celebrant (Wendy): Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole
2. Set in the UK: Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge
3. Summer Heat Theme: Witch Fire by Anya Bast
5. Culinary theme (cake on cover!): Many Bloody Returns - Tales of Birthdays with Bite Anthology
6. Nostalgia Moment: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
7. Explore-A-Genre: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
8. From our Group's shelf: Tithe A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black
Okay, obviously didn't finish all 10, but I made a good go of it. =)2. A book from Liz's Shelf Ashes of Midnight - Lara Adrian
7. Royalty Theme Lament The Faerie Queen's Deception - Maggie Stiefvater
8. No Human Profile on Cover A Madness of Angels - Kate Griffin
Jessi wrote: "I just started the Vampire Diaries series by LJ Smith. A lot of people have been talking about it lately and saying that they really enjoyed the books. So I though I would give them a try. "I'll be curious to see what you think of them. I read the first one a couple of months ago and thought it was just okay. I didn't necessarily like the protagonist and felt that there wasn't much depth to the story. However, I've got the omnibus edition, so I've got the next book in the series as well, and will go back to it to see if it improves.
Accepting that I'm not going to finish my RRR challenge this month, I'm attempting to finish up my PNR one, and as such have started No Rest for the Wicked. I'm also 3/4 of the way through Weddings From Hell which will allow me to tick off one more book on my RRR challenge. Enjoying both books so far.
June's Books Pt 2
10.
Dark Need by Lynn Viehl - I enjoyed the premise of this book, but it all seemed really rushed and disappointing at the end. I liked Lucan and Samantha, but their relationship seemed forced too quickly. The mystery of the murders was initially quite engaging, but seemed more of an afterthought at the end of the book. I think it could have been a lot better but was left feeling like Viehl must have been on a deadline and had to quickly wrap everything up rather than taking the time to develop relationships and provide a satisfying concusion to the murders. And I'm still not warming to Michael and Alexandra. Meh... ***
11.
Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead - adore this series, and the gloom and doom I felt after Succubus Dreams was erased by this latest installment. That's not to say that it wasn't without it's emotional ups and downs, but my faith in the characters was restored. I thought the story line was great and had lots of twists and turns (although, unfortunately I knew one critical piece due to having read it in a supposedly non-spoiler thread). I'm optimistic for the Succubus Shadows and what it will bring Georgina, I'm just sad we have to wait until next March to read it. *****
13.
Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward - Another great reading by Jim Frangione *****
14.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith - Ha! What to say about this? First off, the premise of the book is hilarious and so well executed. If you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice and the paranormal, there is no bad here. I loved all of the humor added in and regularly found myself laughing out loud. The aspects that were changed to include the zombies were brilliant and I loved that the Bennet sisters are all kick ass zombie slayers. And as my review is of the audiobook, I would be remiss if I didn't praise the narration - Katherine Kellgren was outstanding. By far one of the best audiobooks I've listened to. I usually only listen to audiobooks of books I've actually read and enjoyed, but was swayed to skip straight to the audiobook of this when I heard a sample, and I think it was definitely the right choice. *****
14.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher - I enjoyed this first Dresden novel. Having heard so many negative reviews about the first book in the series, I wasn't sure what to expect. No, it wasn't the best book ever, but it was entertaining. I'll admit though that I imagine my enjoyment of the book was greatly enhanced by James Marsters' narration. He's got a brilliant voice and played the various parts very well. We've even got a bit of "Spike" in the form of Bob. I'd listen to him read the yellow pages, but thankfully I've got the next book in the series instead. ;) ****
15.
Stranded by Lori Foster - This is the first Lori Foster book I've ever read/heard, but I thought it was enjoyable. I know the reviews for it haven't been great, but I thouht it was sweet. The characters were likeable and their relationship was sweet. Of course, this was a free download, not necessarily the type of story I would normally buy, but I did enjoy it. ****
16.
Weddings From Hell Anthology - I'd read Jeaniene Frost's story back when I bought the book, swayed by an appearnce by Bones. It was good. This time around I particularly enjoyed Terri Garey's story which has prompted me to go out and buy the first in the Nikki Styx series. Maggie Shayne's story was okay, but felt a bit rushed. ****
17.
No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole - I really enjoyed this, the second installment in the Immortals After Dark series. Sebastian and Kaderina were more likeable characters than the protagonists of the first book. They were both had tortured pasts, having suffered great loss. Sebastian obviously felt compelled to have Katja, but wasn't overbearing about it. The Hie was entertaining and gave us an even greater glance of Bowen, further strengthening my interest in his book, the next in the series (and I've been told, the best one).
A book with a kilt on the cover
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