Emily (whatbookisthat) - Virginia Beach, VA (475 books)

Emily added a quote

"He took a quick breath, and his voice dropped. "You've no notion of the effect you have on me"

The words gave a hard tug to her belly. She closed her eyes and swallowed. "If by effect, you mean finding yourself in unchartered waters, wondering whether you are coming or going...." She stared at his shirt, watching his breath hitch. "Then I fear you have the same effect on me, my lord." — Kristen Callihan

Emily added a quote

"Slowly, her slim hand smoothed over the swell of his buttock, lingering there. A shocked laugh choked his throat, the sound muddled by a stifled groan that her intrigued touch elicited. The saucy little sneak thief was copping a feel. He felt inclined to turn around and let her get a handful." — Kristen Callihan

Emily added a quote

"If I were a good man,” he says, “I’d acknowledge that Taltrayn is an honorable fae, that he loves you and would take care of you. I’d step down and let you have the man you’ve always wanted, but, McKenzie, I’m not as good as Taltrayn. I never will be, and I can’t step down. I’ll fight for the chance to be with you." — Sandy Williams

Emily marked as to-read:

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns?
by Jane Brocket

My rating:

Emily voted for Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5) in Best Goodreads Author in the Final Round of the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards.

cast your vote

Emily said "yes" to attending the event: The Hop for Red October giveaway hop for blogs

date: October 07, 2011 12:00PM
location: host: Fangs, Wands and Fairydust , The United States
description: A giveaway hop for books or other blogs. A few criteria will be announced in the next few days.
Prizes do not have to be book related.
please email me at
steph AT fandswandsandfairydust DOT com

Emily gave

to:

Savor the Danger (Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, #3)
by Lori Foster (Goodreads Author)

My rating:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that watching your partner in sexcipades run for the bathroom to vomit upon waking up and seeing you is a kick to the ol' self esteem. This is the situation in which Alani finds herself after a super hot night ...moreIt is a truth universally acknowledged that watching your partner in sexcipades run for the bathroom to vomit upon waking up and seeing you is a kick to the ol' self esteem. This is the situation in which Alani finds herself after a super hot night with Jackson; she thinks it's because he has regrets; he knows it's because he's been drugged. That much is revealed in the synopsis, but comes across much more...strongly...in the opening chapter of the book.

This setup brings up what one would hope would be logical questions. Who drugged him? Why? What ulterior motives could/do they have? Will they try again? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

If the story were completely devoted to the resolution of those issues, I would have been okay. Not thrilled, not immediately making lists of people to send the book to, but it would have been a solid story and a thoroughly acceptable way to pass an afternoon. Instead, I felt like we were kind of bouncing around like a pinball, out of control and hopefully just arriving at the ending in one piece.

I freely admit that I don't remember many of the side plots from the second book and, presumably, the first one as well, especially the one that deals with Alani's abduction. Maybe if I did I would be able to get behind the relationship between Alani and Jackson a little more. This author can write some good sexual tension, so I'll put that as a mark in the positive column, but after the innuendo was done I didn't really find a lot that made me relate to any of the characters individually or as an ensemble.

Trace as the super overprotective big brother (Alani is his baby sister) got really annoying after awhile. Dude, regardless of every bad thing that has happened to your sister, and those things are indeed legion, she is an adult woman who has every right to pursue happiness and peace in her life, especially when she is not doing anything immoral, illegal, dangerous, or destructive. If you consider sex with one of your best friends whom you trust with your life to be any of those things then you need better friends or a little bit of self reflection. That is all.

Alani, too, despite having to overcome a kidnapping and the resulting issues (and I'm not being dismissive of those issues, don't take that the wrong way) seems to miss opportunity after opportunity to live her own life and to move into a better place in her own life. Alani grabs onto little details and events and refuses to let them go, even when confronted with a much bigger issue that should make her happier! She can't get over that Jackson doesn't remember their first night together, even though it's apparent to everyone else on the planet that Jackson is completely ga-ga for her and wants to repeat the experience every night for the rest of his life! It's the same old punishing your current lover for other people's mistakes and it gets old in a hurry.

Other than the smoldering tension between Jackson and Alani, this story didn't have a lot to recommend it. I also have to stand corrected on my statement from earlier today, apparently, where I said that this is the third book in a trilogy. According to the bit at the end, there is another book coming out featuring another couple from this universe. I don't know right now that I'll be reading it sadly.

Overall Grade: C(less)

Emily gave

to:

In Bed with a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy, #1)
by Maya Banks

My rating:

Ewan McCabe's life is kind of in the soup. His holdings are in ruins, his clan is short on needed supplies, and he's in the midst of trying to keep body and soul together for everyone who depends on him while at the same time coming out ahead in ter...moreEwan McCabe's life is kind of in the soup. His holdings are in ruins, his clan is short on needed supplies, and he's in the midst of trying to keep body and soul together for everyone who depends on him while at the same time coming out ahead in terms of land holdings, resources, and respect. When a mysterious woman kind of falls into his lap, he initially sees marrying her as a good way to access a huge dowry (she's the illegitimate daughter of the king) as well as to keep a problem to his young son that he will keep her safe. The fact that she isn't ugly doesn't hurt either. People have gotten married for less, right?

He didn't in a million years see Mairin Stuart coming. She's funny, sweet, vivacious, innocent (being raised by nuns will do that), enthusiastic, and a million other great things. She's completely aware of the fact that she needs a protector since a lot of people are going to be after her if the truth comes out about her identity. She's frank in her assessment that living among the nuns has given her the ability to kind of hide from the reality of her position for a long time and that it's time for her to move forward; she figures that Ewan is a decent man and she could do worse.

Do they plan to fall in love? Nope. Do they? Oh heck yeah. It's a huge journey for both of them, both physically and emotionally, as they have to overcome a ton of obstacles to cement their relationship. My heart about stopped when the evil guy finally made his move to try to screw things up. Even then, the awfulness of that can't stand up to the optimism that these two find in having the other person at their back.

By far, though, my favorite part of the book was the unabashed honesty with which Mairin approaches everything in her life. When her wedding night was kind of a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am situation, the next time Ewan tries to put the moves on her, she tells him he's a dud in the sack and why don't they just skip it. Ewan is not prepared for that to say the least. To be fair to him, there were enemies coming up on their holdings and he needed to make sure that the marriage was consummated so nobody could claim the marriage was invalid, but still, Mairin was like, well that's disappointing. It was charming in a sense that it made the characters much more authentic and real.

Ewan redeems himself, in case you were worried.

The next two books in the trilogy are slated for release in September (Seduction of a Highland Lass) and October (Never Love a Highlander) and that's super good news, because there will be minimal waiting for the next parts of the story! Ewan's two brothers, Alaric and Caelan, are the heroes of the books, respectively, and I will be super happy to see how the McCabe clan fares in the next installments.

Overall Grade: A(less)

Emily gave

to:

Seducing the Vampire
by Michele Hauf (Goodreads Author)

My rating:

I totally wish I'd gotten to this book a lot sooner because it has all kinds of elements that are right up my alley. A retelling of a great fairytale (Snow White, in this case.) Spicy paranormal romance. Vampires and werewolves. A great fusion of ...more

Emily gave

to:

Sympathy for the Devil by Justin Gustainis

Sympathy for the Devil (Quincey Morris, #3)
by Justin Gustainis

My rating:

Sympathy for the Devil is the third book in a series, but don't let that deter you from picking up this dark, snarky, entertaining story. As a matter of fact, it's nice to know that there are other books in the series, as I'll be able to catch up wh...moreSympathy for the Devil is the third book in a series, but don't let that deter you from picking up this dark, snarky, entertaining story. As a matter of fact, it's nice to know that there are other books in the series, as I'll be able to catch up while waiting for the next installment in the series!

There is a lot going on in this story, and it certainly is timely. A presidential election is looming and candidates are out trying to shore up their positions and emerge at the head of the pack for their parties. Even under normal circumstances, this involves mudslinging, secret revealing, dirty tricks, and all other manner of attention-grabbing stunts; add in something a little off the path like demonic possession and you might even convince me to watch CSPAN.

I'm kidding about the CSPAN, but not about the level of detail and observation that goes into every element of the story. Our intrepid investigators, white witch Libby Castain and occult investigator Quincey Morris, find themselves sucked into an investigation where nothing is as it seems, and it's hard to pinpoint who the good guys are or if they even exist. This is a big picture conflict; while nobody will miss a slimy politician who made a deal with the wrong demon, being responsible for the destruction of humanity and the world as we know it is something that nobody wants.

It should be said, too, that if you're looking for cuddly demons who are abrasive but misunderstood, then you need to look elsewhere. The demons here are what one might expect from the denizens of hell; they are cruel to the nth degree, they have no regard for anyone or anything, and they speak their horrible minds freely, with all the profanity and R-rated content that one might expect. Even the "not as bad this time around" demons are intense. Those on the side of righteousness certainly have their work cut out for them.

This book is definitely part of an ongoing series; there are elements that are not resolved at the end of this book (big ones, if I may say so myself) that set the stage for the next book nicely. I'm definitely interested in seeing how things progress in the next novel. I'm a recent arrival to this series, but I'm definitely a fan after Sympathy for the Devil's strong showing.

Overall Grade: A(less)

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Emily added a quote "He took a quick breath, and his voice dropped. "You've no notion of the effect you have on me" The words gave a hard tug to her belly. She closed her eyes and swallowed. "If by effect, you mean finding yourself in unchartered waters, wondering whether you are coming or going...." She stared at his shirt, watching his breath hitch. "Then I fear you have the same effect on me, my lord." — Kristen Callihan
20 hours, 9 min ago · add quote added! · more quotes by Kristen Callihan
Emily added a quote "Slowly, her slim hand smoothed over the swell of his buttock, lingering there. A shocked laugh choked his throat, the sound muddled by a stifled groan that her intrigued touch elicited. The saucy little sneak thief was copping a feel. He felt inclined to turn around and let her get a handful." — Kristen Callihan
20 hours, 9 min ago · add quote added! · more quotes by Kristen Callihan
Emily added a quote "If I were a good man,” he says, “I’d acknowledge that Taltrayn is an honorable fae, that he loves you and would take care of you. I’d step down and let you have the man you’ve always wanted, but, McKenzie, I’m not as good as Taltrayn. I never will be, and I can’t step down. I’ll fight for the chance to be with you." — Sandy Williams
20 hours, 10 min ago · add quote added! · more quotes by Sandy Williams
Emily marked as to-read: Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns? by Jane Brocket	My rating:
Feb 11, 2012 10:52am
Emily voted for Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5) in Best Goodreads Author in the Final Round of the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards. cast your vote
Nov 21, 2011 06:25pm
Emily said "yes" to attending the event: The Hop for Red October giveaway hop for blogs date: October 07, 2011 12:00PM location: host: Fangs, Wands and Fairydust , The United States description: A giveaway hop for books or other blogs. A few criteria will be announced in the next few days. Prizes do not have to be book related. please email me at steph AT fandswandsandfairydust DOT com
Sep 24, 2011 12:37pm
Emily gave to: Savor the Danger (Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, #3) by Lori Foster (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that watching your partner in sexcipades run for the bathroom to vomit upon waking up and seeing you is a kick to the ol' self esteem. This is the situation in which Alani finds herself after a super hot night ...more
Sep 17, 2011 07:13pm · see review
Emily gave to: In Bed with a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy, #1) by Maya Banks	My rating:
Ewan McCabe's life is kind of in the soup. His holdings are in ruins, his clan is short on needed supplies, and he's in the midst of trying to keep body and soul together for everyone who depends on him while at the same time coming out ahead in ter...more
Sep 17, 2011 07:07pm · see review
Emily gave to: Seducing the Vampire by Michele Hauf (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
I totally wish I'd gotten to this book a lot sooner because it has all kinds of elements that are right up my alley. A retelling of a great fairytale (Snow White, in this case.) Spicy paranormal romance. Vampires and werewolves. A great fusion of ...more
Sep 17, 2011 07:05pm · see review
Emily gave to: Sympathy for the Devil (Quincey Morris, #3) by Justin Gustainis	My rating:
Sympathy for the Devil is the third book in a series, but don't let that deter you from picking up this dark, snarky, entertaining story. As a matter of fact, it's nice to know that there are other books in the series, as I'll be able to catch up wh...more
Sep 17, 2011 07:03pm · see review

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