Weekly Wrap Up(05/28/11)

reviews

The Deadliest Bite

Mercy

How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf

South of Salem

The Art of Seducing A Naked Werewolf
Kiss of Midnight

my week

Another week closer to S-U-M-M-E-R!! I am loving the warmer weather! I am not one of those women that could move to Alaska. Nope, me, I'd want to go where the temperature is a nice warm 78 year around. So today is Saturday and Jim & I are heading to Turkey Run State Park today to hike some trails. Turkey Run has great trails, a big suspension bridge that scares the holy moly out of me when we walk across. But I still love it! This week I read: South of Salem, Mercy, How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf, The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf and Kiss of Midnight. I also finished listening to Rapture In Death on audio

and started Ceremony In Death on audio. I have been offered a JOB (as long as I pass my background check & physical) that will be taking up quite a bit of my time so I won't be blogging as much. I'm thinking I might try to find someone to read & review here along with Sharon & myself. What do you think? And...
How was your week?

Kiss of Midnightby Lara Adrian

He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell’s deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night—or this man—is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed—a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite.
Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind—and the unwitting humans existing alongside them—from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.
Here, in the arms of the Breed’s formidable leader, Gabrielle will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction, and the darkest pleasures of all. . . .

my thoughts~
I would love a Lucan of my very own! He seems to be smoking hot! The dark hair, the fangs, yum! I've been wanting to read The Midnight Breed series for awhile now and had just not had the opportunity. Since I've taken on the philosophy of reading only what I want, when I want, well perfect time to start the series! I really enjoyed reading Lucan & Gabrielle's tale and look forward to seeing them in the books I still have to read. It always makes me laugh when I'm reading a book and the hero or heroine or even both fight so hard to NOT be together. Sometimes I catch myself (like in this book) talking to Lucan in my head, telling him to just give it up. He was toast!
The Breed are vampires that are descended from 8 ancients that came from another world and decimated whole villages & towns (ever hear of the Mayan's? mmmhmm) and they could only breed with women with certain DNA, thats what makes the women Breedmates. And the offspring are only male and Lucan is one of the last few of first gen vampire and he is fighting everyday of the bloodlust that turns their kind Rogue. I really enjoyed reading Kiss Of Midnight and have eagerly started reading book #2, Kiss of Crimson.

The Art Of Seducing A Naked Werewolfby Molly Harper

Generations of werewolves have been secretly residing in a secluded valley a stone's throw from Grundy, Alaska. So when a snooping Outsider comes to Grundy to investigate rumors of lycanthropic shenanigans in the area, the valley's pack alpha, Maggie Graham, resolves to chase him away, even if doing so takes a quick bite on the butt. What a pity that researcher Nick Thatcher turns out to be so drool-worthy, and that his kisses make Maggie want to sit up and beg. Maggie just can't seem to convince Nick to leave . . . and even worse, she can't convince herself to stay away from him. Cross-species dating is problem enough for a harried alpha female, but on top of that, a rival group of werewolves is trying to move into the valley. With interpack war threatening, Maggie can't afford to be distracted. Combining romance and a career can be tough for anyone; for a werewolf in love with a human, it may be disastrous. . .

my thoughts~
The Art Of Seducing A Naked Werewolf was a fast read for me at 224 pages (ebook). I enjoyed trying to figure out who was causing the problems for the Crescent Valley Pack, and I enjoyed Maggie's snarky attitude, and Nick's determination to win Maggie over. There were several laugh out loud moments (not as many as in How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf) but there were still quite a few. Over all I enjoyed reading this book, and I hope that there is a third book to look forward too!

South Of Salemby Janni Nell

My mother thinks my job is crazy. I’m a paranormal investigator; she’ s Nancy Reagan crossed with Martha Stewart. She’ s always preferred my sister, Lily, who is following in her perfect footsteps.

But this time Mom needs my special skills. She believes my stepfather is possessed. I admit he’ s not his usual dapper, charming self, but sleepwalking doesn’t sound that weird. Until the sleepwalking spreads through the family and cousin Donna walks right out of her apartment window to her death. Then my sister goes missing and I have to find her and solve the mystery before Lily and her unborn child are harmed.
Normally I would have assistance, but my right hand, a hunky angel I’ ve nicknamed Casper, has business of his own to take care of business that might take him out of my life forever. The stakes are too high for me to lose, but I’ m not sure I can do it alone…

my thoughts~
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! I thought South of Salem was a fun, quick, quirky read! I sat down and read this book in about 3 1/2 hours! I couldn't put it down. I was even late to my sons girlfriends graduation party! I haven't read book #1, but you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one. But I am certainly looking forward to reading book #1 and any future books!

How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolfby Molly Harper

Northern Exposure
Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.
For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question.
If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . . .

my thoughts~
I listened to How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf and it is hilarious! The way Molly Harper spins a tale is wonderfully funny and I loved 'meeting' Mo & Cooper, Evie & Buzz, and the other residents of  Grundy. I loved the dialogue, it was believable (except you know there were werewolves) and (I'm going to say it again) hilarious. The quirky saying that Mo came up with had me rolling! The audiobook was so great, I've requested the book from the library (there is a waiting list!) just so I can read it! Next up on my audiobook list: The Art of Seducing A Naked Werewolf, which is about Coopers little sister, Maggie!

Mercyby Rebecca Lim

A fallen angel haunted by her past. Yearning for her immortal beloved. Forever searching for answers. Who will show her Mercy?
Mercy has lost herself. She can’t count how many times she’s “woken up” in a new body, and assumed a new life, only to move on again and again. During the day she survives in the human world on instinct and at night her dreams are haunted by him. Mercy’s heart would know him anywhere. But her memory refuses to cooperate.
But this time is different. When Mercy wakes up she meets Ryan, an eighteen year old reeling from the loss of his twin sister who was kidnapped two years ago. Everyone else has given up hope, but Ryan believes his sister is still alive. Using a power she doesn’t fully comprehend, Mercy realizes that Ryan is right. His sister is alive and together they can find her. For the first time since she can remember, Mercy has a purpose; she can help. So she doesn’t understand why the man in her dreams cautions her not to interfere. But as Ryan and Mercy come closer to solving the dark mystery of his sister’s disappearance, danger looms just one step behind.
Will Mercy be able to harness her true self and extraordinary power in time?
The first in a dazzling new series, Mercy masterfully weaves romance, mystery and the supernatural into a spell-binding tale.

my thoughts~
How to start? I guess at the beginning. The first chapter put me off a bit, the way the story started out. BUT. There is a reason it starts out this way and once I got into the rhythm of the story telling, it all made sense. And while I understand how/why the book ended as it did, I can't help but wonder what happened to the characters once Mercy left to find another body. All in all, I thought Mercy was a quick & easy read that left me wanting more! 

The Deadliest Biteby Jennifer Rardin

I have two choices. Carve Brude's name into Hell's bile-encrusted gates. Or lose my soul.

After an assassination attempt on Vayl, I find myself pulled into a tangled web that takes the gang to Romania. So how will I save a ghost, rescue a demon, and cheat the Great Taker out of a soul he's slavering for while defeating my nastiest foe yet so that Vayl can, at last, cherish a few precious years with his sons? With careful planning, major violence, and one (hopefully) final trip to Hell.



 from the authors website~

I’ve spent all my life in the Midwest, which has certainly shaped my perspective on all kinds of issues, from the question of whether or not we really have an accent, to the many and varied uses of corn.

I was born in Evansville, Indiana on April 28, 1965. Mom tells me almost every year what crappy weather it was that day. However I like to think of my birthday as the first frost-free date for my planting area. See what happens when you grow up around farmers? Scary, huh?

After a youth spent up to my eyeballs in fairy tales, nordic myths and supernatural legends I made the solid and practical decision to go to college and major in English. After which I never really held a well paying job until this gig came along! Which is why my kids love to sing that song to me from the musical “Avenue Q.” The one that begins with the line, “What do you do with a B.A. in English?”

Once I figured out the answer to that question, I wrote Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Now my laptop is my constant companion. We reside in an old farmhouse along with my husband and our two teenagers. No pets since the cat died last winter, but the birds seem to appreciate his absence. They come to feast at the feeders while I write on the back porch in the cool of the morning. Lovely.

Jennifer Rardin passed away on Monday, September 20, 2010.

my thoughts~
I'm left incredibly sad that this is the last book in the Jaz Parks series. But I'm incredibly happy with the way the series ended. The Deadliest Bite has everything I've come to expect when I am reading these books. It's action packed & quick witted. I was happy to see that all the characters I had come to enjoy were back in Jazs final adventure. Cole, Dave & Cassandra (and there's a surprise here!), Bergman, Raoul, Jack & Astral. It was a great ending to a great series.

Devil Without A Causeby Terri Garey

Idle hands are the devil's workshop
Temptation and seduction are the tricks of the Devil's trade, and when offered the chance to regain his wings by playing guardian angel, he's hell-bent on doing things his way . . .
Faith McFarland is in need of a miracle. So desperate to save her sick child, she's willing to make a deal with the Devil: steal a ring worn by Finn Payne, the bad-boy rockstar who long ago sold his soul for rock 'n roll. Temptation and seduction become necessary evils, yet Faith's salvation means Finn's damnation . . . because the ring is all that stands between him and Hell. Falling in love was never part of the bargain, but now that they've tasted heaven in each other's arms, can they convince the Devil to give up his due?

my thoughts~
This was the first book by Terri Garey that I've read, but I'm checking into her backlist! Devil Without A Cause if the first book in Ms. Garey's new series DEVIL'S BARGAIN. I found the book to be a quick read at 213 pages and I enjoyed every single page! I thought there was a great mix of humor & horror that kept me turning the page, anxious to see what happens next and how Faith & Finn's story would end. I can't wait to read book #2. Hope it comes out soon!