Sunday, July 29, 2012

Finis/The end

Spell Bound (Hex Hall, #3)Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins


My rating: ♥♥♥


My summary: In this, the third book in the Hex Hall series all is revealed and we also lose a good charater. I don't know if this is the last book of the series, but it sure felt like it.

My take: It was good to get back into the this world of magical beings. To read about the plays for power and rule among their kind...which is every bit as mess up as it is in the human world. We did lose a character that I really wanted to see end up with a happy life, and I thought the very end of the drama came together a little too easily, but overall I found this an enjoyable read and all my questions were answered.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Re-Reads

I'm taking a few days to re-read books #1 and #2 of the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins.

Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1)
Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2)


After which I will start reading book #3 in the series, Spell Bound, and post my review once my mission is accomplished. It will be interesting to see if the ratings I gave to books 1 & 2 (last year on GoodReads) still hold up after a second reading. Oh, and I am really glad I decided to do this re-read, I only remember the bigger plots points. I am missing all the great little connectors in between so this is reading time well spent.
 

                                                           

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Ahhhh


Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #9) Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward


My rating: ♥♥♥♥


My summary: Two new, and previously unknown family connections are made, making our small group into a larger and happier family.


My take: I don't think I have ever felt a series take shape so easily and naturally. J. R. has a knack for developing characters and plots to the fullest. I look forward to reading more in the series but for now I am taking a break and getting to some other titles on the TBR list.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Awwwww


Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #8)Lover Mine By J.R. Ward  Book # 8


My rating: ♥♥♥♥


My summary: The kings charge struggles to find his love dead or alive.


My take: This one was so darn good and sweet at the end, that I really did have an internal Awwww happening as I read the last few pages. The book overall was really well done and blindsided me several times with twists. I had a thought occur to me about the author while reading past books, but after reading this book it has solidified further. The author writes about the types of personal experiences that could easily break someone, their struggles with the aftermath, and finally how that person chooses to move on and form a new life out of the wreckage of the old. Few authors could pull off the kind of clarity she writes with when dealing with personal tragedy....so my curiosity is, what has she been through that gives her this sage insight into the depths of a soul and its turmoil. Too bad I will never know her to ask such a personal question.


Thursday, July 19, 2012

Time clock on ink


As well as being a book lover I am a news nut and often find interesting articles on line. The link below ties both of my interests together nicely.

     Book printed in ink that vanishes after two months


I'm sad that it all goes bye-bye, but love that the book can potentially be recycled as a journal.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Scratching the itch


It takes multiple media sources to keep this book lover happy!!

To that end I would like to share with you a few links that I enjoy when trolling for 'The' next book.

1) The NY Times Bests Sellers List - My go-to for all the happenings in the publishing world.

2) GoodReads - In the past if I wanted to know more about a specific title before reading, I would go to the customer reviews section of a certain on-line retailer....but so many of the reviews were by anonymous people and I didn't feel that was a trustworthy source. With GoodReads I feel confident about the reviews because each are made by registered members of the site. GoodReads has many other cool perks like the ability to follow your book reading friends, join reading and discussion groups, and so much more.

3) The Book Show - Hosted by my local public radio station and down loadable for your enjoyment. Each week a different author is interviewed. Even if you find the book is not your reading cup of tea, the interviews themselves are wonderful because you get to hear about what the creative process is like for that author.

I hope you are able to take a few moments and enjoy one or more of the sites above.

Off Topic - While I know this blog is a needle in the haystack of the blogging universe I have noticed that a few people have taken a gander at this site from the U.S., Germany, and Russia. No matter how you found me I want to say thanks for coming and I hope you keep checking in. I will do my very best to keep the reviews and book news coming.
   


Sunday, July 15, 2012

Near thing


Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #6)Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward  Book #6



My rating: ♥♥♥ and 1/2 ♥



My summary: The Brotherhood is threatened just as much from inside forces as from its enemies.


My take: It was close, this book didn't earn its extra half heart rating until the very end...when I had to crack open a fresh box of Kleenex. (Darn you J.R. Ward for jerking the heart strings once more.) In fact I found some of it rough going, one of the brothers is struggling with internal demons and after a while it crossed the line into outright whining, to the point that I would have loved to bitch slap him and tell him to put on his big girl panties and deal with his uptown problems.
As I am a veteran of many a book series I know it happens in all on them, you just don't find one of the books quite up to the mark. But no harm I still love the series.
Now that I have declared my love I need to make another declaration: that I'm skipping book #7. It focuses on a lesser character that I like but don't want to read 400+ pages on. And J. R. Ward is cool enough to fill in any important blanks I might have missed, so I am on to book 8.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Burnin' up the pages


Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #4)Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward  Book #4


My rating: ♥♥♥ and 1/2 ♥


My summary: We find the Brotherhood battling, loving, and welcoming a new member to their small group.


My take: Such interesting turns of events, but not much can be said here without a dreaded spoiler pouring forth from my fingers....so I will just say I am still all tied up in this series.



Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #5)Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward  Book #5



My rating: ♥♥♥♥


My summary: Along with the usual tensions and challenges the Brotherhood face, one of their own finds out who his mother is and that she has him pegged for a job he does not want.


My take: This book had me wanting to flip to the end to see how all the plot twists would resolve themselves, because the author makes such good endings! But I held myself back and was not disappointed.


Monday, July 9, 2012

On a roll


Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3)Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward


My rating: ♥♥♥ and 1/2 ♥


My summary: In this, book 3 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, we continue following the small group of warrior vampires and their enemy's as they struggle to keep their race protected and have something of a person life too.

My take: Still loving this story! I love that in each book another of the brothers finds his one true love and that each book ends on a happy note....even though of course there are always more battles to be fought just around the corner. I gave this one a slightly smaller rating than book #2 only because it was just a little light on the great emotional writing I found in 2. Can you guess what I am reading now? Yup, it's book #4 in the series!

Friday, July 6, 2012

I'm a Sap


Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #2)Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward


My rating: ♥♥♥♥


My summary: This continues the adventures and travails of a group of warrior vampires. (This is book #2 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood).


My take: I am willing myself not to be ashamed (on my own blog no less) that I cried at a few parts of this book. Over vampires, people!! Could it be just hormonal? Maybe, but I think it's more due to the author's ability to write in a way that the pain and vulnerability of the character is palpable to the reader and taps into our own emotional quick sands. I am now traveling onto book three in the series while letting out a contented sigh.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Two-For


Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1) Dark Lover by J.R. Ward


My rating: ♥♥♥ 


My summary: A small group of warrior vampires known as the Black Dagger Brotherhood are tasked with protecting the average civilian vampires from a group known as the Lessers who are soul-less vampire killers. 


My take: I really like that this is yet another variation of vampire, the brothers are able to eat food, never kill humans for blood, and while they can't go in the sun they do not have to sleep during the day if they don't want to. This is book one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and it was an enjoyable read and it had me wanting more to I will continue along in the series. Since I am now reading book two it looks like each book might have one plot point devoted to one of the bothers find his true mate.




Flat-Out Love Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park


My rating: ♥♥♥♥


My summary: New college student far from home finds her housing has fallen through, mom comes to the rescue after arranging for her to stay with her old college roommate. The story revolves around her host family and the unidentified past traumatic event that seems to hold them all hostage.

My take: I'm never one to discover the plot twist before it happens or figure out who actually committed the crime before he/she is revealed, but for some reason in this book I already knew by around page 30 what the big family trauma had been about. Even though I had that piece of the puzzle for a good long time before it was acknowledged, the story was still wonderful and sweet.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Plesant Surprise


Unleashed (Ross Siblings, #1) Unleashed by Cherrie Lynn


My rating: ♥♥♥


My summary: Best friends Kelsey and Eavan have harbored crushes for each other since college but the time was never right....until her husband cheated with his finacee.

My take: I read Rock Me by this auther first and it should have been the other way around, but no matter, because it was enjoyable just the same. I wondered how the author would make this book interesting given that the main characters had known each other for over 10 years but there were enough plot elements that this book was a very good read, and in fact I think I liked it a little better than Rock Me.