Advertising for Love is a free ebook I picked up from Barnes & Noble. The storyline is really...moreOriginally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Advertising for Love is a free ebook I picked up from Barnes & Noble. The storyline is really rather sweet and the characters likable. It wasn't bad for a free read though it would benefit from a good edit and polish. I'm an easy going reader so I was able to look past it for the most part but if you're one that finds editing mistakes frustrating you'll want to skip over this one because there are good deal of them and it'll drive you absolutely nuts.
Tizzy, short for Trizella, works at our hero Grant's advertising firm. She's an incredible talent but because of an extremely traumatic experience in her past she's shy to the point where she has panic attacks when the focus of attention. She hides behind plain clothes, has a terrible stutter when nervous and low self esteem. She basically does everything she can to just be ignored. Grant is the opposite of Tizzy in many ways. He's the head of the company, confident, in charge. I really liked getting to see the two interact and how that chance car ride changed everything for both of them. Grant's a likable guy. He's gentle with Tizzy, understanding of her situation, is there for her when she has an attack and needs him. And Tizzy is one of those characters you can't help but feel for and care about. She's really pulls at your heart strings especially when you find out what happened to her years earlier.
Things weren't exactly smooth sailing between them. Misunderstandings, hurt feelings, rude coworkers who couldn't help but make comments about their differences, clients with a sudden interest in Tizzy. And that's where the side characters, who added a nice dimension but didn't overpower the main couple, came into play. There were a couple surprise twists and turns with them and their motives concerning the main characters. Maybe a little outlandish in reality but I liked how it played out and the roles they all ended up playing in getting Tizzy and Grant together.
Despite the lack of editing I really did enjoy Advertising for Love. It was a sweet read and a nice short story. I wouldn't have minded spending more time with the characters and getting to know more about them. This was my first read that actually took place in Australia which threw me a little because of some words/phrases but, you know, I actually enjoyed that once I got into the story. (less)
Well Lora Leigh's Breeds series is definitely growing on me. I'm not sure why exactly but, Lord he...moreOriginally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Well Lora Leigh's Breeds series is definitely growing on me. I'm not sure why exactly but, Lord help me, I think I may be hooked. The Breeds continue to fight off attacks from the Council and other extremist groups against their women, children and homes. So far this underlying plot that connects each of the books is a bit slow moving but it does look like things might be picking up in the next few books with the Breeds and their allies getting proactive about those attacking them. I'm looking forward to that quite a bit cus it's really about damn time! They've been way too nice in my opinion and I'm ready for some good ass kicking.
What I really enjoyed with Kiss of Heat were the two main characters in all their snarly, mocking, stubborn, pain-in-the-ass glory. Kane who is human and Sherra who is a Breed have had a long and painful history filled with mistaken deaths, betrayals and years of separation. There's a lot of snark and defensiveness between them that they use to protect their hearts and the fact that they really do love one another. Sherra can be down right scary and Kane is one sarcastic son-of-a-bitch that loves to throw out little digs about the Breeds and their kitty sides. He's a total ass but I just couldn't help but love him. I thought it was pretty interesting how things were a little reversed in their relationship with Kane being the one that wanted more than just a sexual relationship. I really liked how things played out between them and how they recovered from their pasts. As big a prick as he could be Kane also had a very soft side that we get to see from time to time when he's interacting with one of the Breed children. He's a total push over and really cares about the people around him even if he can be a little rude with his kitty digs. And Sherra, well, I understood her pain and hesitations too and wanted so much for her to find some peace.
"I love you," she sobbed. "What more do you want?"
"No more running." He gripped her shoulders, forcing himself to lighten his hold, his desperation. "No more f****** denials, Sherra. No more separate beds or hiding. All or nothing. I want it all."
"What the hell do you think I'm trying to give you, asshole? She snarled in his face, her canines flashing in warning as she growled the words. "Do you want me to take out a f****** ad or something?"
"I could handle that." He tilted his head as though considering the suggestion, holding back his smile, his laughter. His joy. "It would be a start."
So, I thoroughly enjoyed these two and their story. If you're going to pick up this series one thing I'd recommend is to take breaks while you're reading it. I've read 3 in pretty quick succession and I definitely ready for a break. The relationships and their lives in general are so full of tension and aggression which can get to you after a while. There's not much soft or sweet about this series. The storylines have also been a little similar and I think they'd be more enjoyable with some space between them so that the ones before aren't quite as fresh in my memory. Leigh does do an excellent job of setting up future couples/storylines and getting your curiosity tweaked about them. I'll be picking up the next one to see what happens and where the Breeds go from here. Hopefully they'll really start kicking some ass :)(less)
Might not be the catchiest title but it's a pretty good book! I picked up Crime Scene at Cardwell...moreOriginally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Might not be the catchiest title but it's a pretty good book! I picked up Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch not too long ago when I needed a book with a cowboy hat on the cover. I hadn't read Daniels before so didn't know what to expect and gotta say I was pleasantly surprised with what I found. The story was very light in the romance department and not steamy at all but the mystery and crime were very well done and kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed Daniels writing style which moved along nicely, easily held my interest, wasn't too fussy or difficult to follow. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of her books.
Multiple murders over more than a decade, strange evidence found at the scene. Add in the weird affair between Dana's sister and Hud that broke them up years earlier, anonymous notes that brought Hud back into town, break ins, overall suspicious activity and attacks against Dana. There was just a lot going on with the case and I loved how it all intertwined.
Dana and Hud are both decent characters but I didn't feel too invested in them as individuals. I had nothing against them but found myself focusing more on the crime, instead of how things would turn out for them as a couple. I love a book that keeps me guessing and Daniels did a great job with that. There were so many possible suspects for all of the crimes that it wasn't until very close to the end that I finally decided who was behind everything.
I liked the ending and the way things played out. How things changed for some of the charactes/families after the murderer was revealed and the truth came out. I did wish there had been just one more scene at the end between the hero/heroine but it was still a nice ending that left the potential for a wonderful future for the couple.
Added little note: Oooh! Looks like there's a sequel coming out later this year!! So gonna have to pick that one up!(less)
Was it campy? Yeah, yeah it really was. Did I love it? Hell yeah I really did. How could you not l...moreOriginally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Was it campy? Yeah, yeah it really was. Did I love it? Hell yeah I really did. How could you not love a book that starts with the hero losing a fang in a blood donor sex bot? I mean, really?!
Roman pressed the handkerchief against the gaping hole where his right fang should be. "Thit."
"You could use your own healing powers to seal the vein shut," Laszlo suggested.
"It would be clothed permanently. I'd be a one-thided eater for all eternity." Roman removed the bloody handkerchief from his mouth and reinserted his fang into the whole. ... "Sir, I suggest you go to a dentist." Laszlo picked up the fang and offered it to Roman. "I've heard they can put a lost tooth back."
"Oh, right." Gregori snorted. "What's he supposed to do, waltz into a dental office and say, 'Excuse me, I'm a vampire and I lost a fang in the neck of a sex toy.' They're not going to be line up to help him."
I really enjoyed the world Sparks created where Vampires are still in the PNR closet and there's a battle going on between the modern vampires, who drink fake blood, and the Malcontents who still want to snack on people. After the whole sex bot debacle tensions rise even higher when Roman saves his human dentist from a Malcontent hitman that's been hired to eliminate her and decides he's going to protect her.
Right from the start there's an attraction between Vamp Master Roman and human dentist Shanna but it takes a while for things to really heat up since life and a lot of nosy vamps keep getting in the way.There's this whole Vampire Mind Sex thing, where they don't even have to be in the same room, that was...interesting. Kinda hot in an odd way until everyone living in the house tried to join in. Ack!
I really liked Roman. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and feels incredible guilt over being a vampire but he's sweet, thoughtful and pretty sexy. You just want to hug the guy and show him all of the good things he's done. Shanna though can be a bit hard to warm up to. She has a tendency to be irrational and doesn't handle finding out about vampires well at all. But once she settles down she's not bad and she does add a lot of humor to the storyline.
The support characters...OMG...fanfreakingtastic! LOVED them. A dozen Scottish highlanders? In kilts? And deep, sexy accents? Yes, please! There were a lot of side characters which could get a little confusing but they were so much fun and so entertaining I didn't mind having to sort them out. From the Scottish highlander vamps that provided security to the kinda geeky modern day vamp scientists. They added a fantastic layer to the story and I seriously cannot wait to read all of their stories.
She smiled. "You're looking hot, dude."
Gregori strutted toward the door. "I'm too sexy for my cape, too sexy for my fangs. Too sexy." He whirled in a circle, then struck a disco pose with a hand pointing at the ceiling. "Too sexy!" He left with a flourish of his cape.
Shanna grinned. "I think he enjoys being a vampire."
In the end I thought it was a fantastic start to a series and a lot of fun to read. If you go into this one expecting serious, dark vamps you're going to be damn disappointed. But if you can embrace a bit of over the top humor, some dramatics and just take it as light hearted entertainment you'll probably have a blast with this one like I did.(less)