Eternal Hunger by Laura Wright

FEAR IS IN THE BLOOD

Alexander Roman wants nothing to do with the controlling rulers of his vampire breed or the family he escaped from a hundred years ago. But as a new threat to the pureblood vampires emerges, Alexander's ties to the past are forced upon him again, and without warning, he finds himself - disoriented, terrified, and near death - at the door of a stranger.

TRUST IS A RISK

Dr. Sarah Donohue is dedicated to removing the traumatic memories of her patients - like those of the stranger at her front door. But what he tells her of his past is too astonishing to be anything more than the delusion of a madman. Yet she has seen his flesh scarred by the sun and witnessed his inhuman strength. And never more has she felt so connected to a man, by both fear and seductive excitement.

~~

**I requested this title for review from LibraryThing**

I feel like this is somewhat of a mediocre addition to an already overflowing genre. Vampire paranormal romance is still hot and new ones are being published all the time. Unfortunately not all of them are quite up to snuff and I think this series definitely needs some work. 

First of all let me say that yes Sarah Donohue does find Alexander on her front stoop, but it's not quite like the cover implies- she doesn't immediately jump into trying to help him get past some traumatic memories. He's fully (ish) in control of who and what he is; he's just more than a little confused over why it's all going down about 100 years too early. There's some back and forth between them, threats of future forced changes for his brothers by the semi-evil 'Powers that Be' and what generally turns out to be a not so bad plot. 

The problem is that this is a plot I've seen before. A lot. There's nothing really new or unique about this book. Wright's characters are fine but not amazing, and at the moment I feel like there's so much set up in anticipation of the next book that I don't even have to read it to know what's going to happen. I'm not saying that Eternal Hunger is bad - it's not. I thought Sarah and Alex coming together had nice tension and while you knew how things were going to end, it's a romance after all, their relationship was convincing. I don't have a problem with him not realizing that she's his destined mate until the end (I guess I've read about too many other bone-headed males) and the brothers were fun characters to start getting to know. But if I were seriously committed to getting my money's worth I'd probably keep it moving and check this one out from the library.

Overall Feeling - Eh. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either.

Series - 1) Eternal Hunger 2) Eternal Kiss (April 2011)

The Debutante's Dilemma by Elyse Mady

One woman in search of passion

Miss Cecilia Hastings has achieved what every young lady hopes for during her first London season...in duplicate! She's caught the eye of not one but two of England's most eligible bachelors. Both Jeremy Battersley, Earl of Henley, and Richard Huxley, Duke of Wexford, are handsome, wealthy and kind, the epitome of proper gentlemen. But Cecilia doesn't want proper, she wants passion. So she issues a challenge to her suitors: a kiss, so that she may choose between them.

Two men in love with the same woman

Friends since childhood, and compatriots on the battlefields of Spain, Jeremy and Richard have found that falling for the same woman has set them at odds and risks destroying their friendship forever. But a surprising invitation to a late-night garden tryst soon sets them on a course that neither of them could have anticipated. And these gentlemen quickly discover that love can take many forms...

~~

**I requested this title for review from NetGalley**

I hate to knock an authors first title but I just didn't care for The Debutante's Dilemma. I liked the sound of it, especially with it's menage implications, but the execution didn't go over so well.  It could have been the page limitations but I never felt very attached to Cecilia as a character. The reader only gets so much from her point of view and it's unfortunate because what's she going through is actually something I'd usually enjoy - 2 men, questions of love and passion - who doesn't want to know more about that? Instead I'm left feeling cold because the more traditional historical format that Mady has chosen leaves me confused about how they're all going to get their HEA.

I did like the way Mady had Cecilia confront her confusion over the two men, and them finally have sex didn't feel awkward or forced, but again afterward I was left feeling 'eh'. Instead of drawing the picture of a 3-some relationship composed in just the right way was to fool prying eyes, we're left with an obvious answer that just gives me more questions. Both of these men are important heirs to estates - if they both love her but only one is allowed to marry her, are they going to let the other estate die? Does that not matter? Society at this point doesn't really allow titles to be left to obvious bastards or godchildren, so what's going to happen? Both of them profess to love Cecilia so is the left over doesn't seem inclined to marry for society's sake. 

So in the end I've gotta give this one a thumbs down because as much as it's not badly written, the plot itself leaves too many holes for my liking and its brevity doesn't do it any favors either.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs down

Series - None

Veil of Night by Linda Howard

Jaclyn Wilde is a wedding planner who loves her job - usually. But helping Carrie Edwards with her Big Day has been an unrelenting nightmare. Carrie is a bridezilla of mythic nastiness, a diva whose tantrums are just about as crazy as her demands. But the unpleasant task at hand turns seriously criminal when Carrie is brutally murdered and everyone involved with the ceremony is accusing one another of doing the deed.

The problem is, most everyone - from the cake maker and the florist to the wedding-gown retailer and the bridesmaids' dressmaker - had his or her own reason for wanting the bride dead, including Jaclyn. And while those who felt Carrie's wrath are now smiling at her demise, Jaclyn refuses to celebrate tragedy, especially since she finds herself in the shadow of suspicion.

Assigned to the case, Detective Eric Wilder finds that there's too much evidence pointing toward too many suspects. Compounding his problems is Jaclyn, with whom he shared one deeply passionate night before Carrie's death. Being a prime suspect means that Jaclyn is hands-off just when Eric would rather be hands-on. As the heat intensifies between Eric and Jaclyn, a cold-blooded murderer moves dangerously close. And this time the target is not a bride but one particularly irresistible wedding planner, unaware of a killer's vow.

~~

I've been a long time Linda Howard fan and this book is definitely no exception. It's not very modern of me I'm sure, but her type of alpha male has just the right amount of 'gruff business' to really appeal to me, especially when combined with her outspoken heroines. 

Additionally Howard's book usually have a great mystery or suspense element that separates them from other romances. Here Eric is the detective, forced to consider Jaclyn as a suspect in a murder, all why trying to find the real perpetrator and a no-strings-attached cup of coffee (read the book, those scenes are hilarious). Eric and Jaclyn have great chemistry and the sparks (evident from the way they give in soon after they meet) continue throughout and it's even more believable to me that way Jaclyn is pissed off and resistant after realizing that Eric considers her a suspect.

In the end readers are left with a good HEA with a bit of an obvious ending, but a lot of the time I don't mind that. The book wasn't a no brainer, but Howard leaves helpful hints along the way and you can put them together pretty easily. What stands out for me is that I don't care or feel like the ending's been ruined; this is a romance and that relationship is still the core of the novel and I'm fully engaged in that the entire time. I highly recommend this to new or old readers of Howard's work, because it's a perfect example of what she does best.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up.

Series - None

It's almost Halloween!

I don't know about you guys but I can see Halloween on the horizon! I'm excited because I get to don two awesome costumes this year: grown & sexy Little Red Riding Hood and Roller Derby Girl! LRRH is a homemade costume, just using stuff from around the house, but for the Derby Girl I pulled out all the stops and even bought skates!!

 Look how cute they are with their lavender wheels!

I bought them from Dick's Sporting Goods with a coupon and even if I only wear them for 10min that night I'm going to consider the purchase totally worth it.

If you're interested in what else I've been doing this Fall you can jump over to my other blog, Bittersweet Musings, for pictures of my apple picking adventure. I'd never gone before and it was so much fun climbing ladders and picking Granny Smiths - so much better than buying a bag from the grocery store! I even ending the evening with my very own farm fresh pumpkin. And beets. Because who can resist beets?

 

I'm strangely proud of my beet picking skills, don't ask me why because I don't know. 

I've got to admit though that I'm probably most proud of my first carved pumpkin of my DC life. Truthfully it's probably the first carved pumpkin of my adult life, which makes it extra extra special. I surprised myself at how much fun I had doing it (minus the initial gross out moment when I was cleaning it out) and the outcome wasn't too shabby! 

OOOOOOOO! Scary huh? More pics on my Pumpkin Mutilation post. 

I hope all you guys out there in book land are also having a great Fall and reading some wonderful books! The cooler weather makes it perfect for curling up with a good book (Indian summer being somewhat of an exception) and the changing leaves give you the perfect backdrop!

Second Chances by Lauren Dane

Ten years ago, Rori Simon left town shy, unattractive and with zero self-esteem. Now she’s back, older, stronger and finally loving herself -- and it shows. Hot men are soon knocking at her door, including Jude Callahan, the bad boy who starred in her teenage daydreams…and her adult fantasies.

Jude can’t believe the sexy, confident woman before him is actually Rori! She’s gotten under his skin like no other woman has…and brings out secret desires he can’t resist. He wants to dominate Rori with every fiber of his being. Wants to own her and pleasure her. To cherish her as he makes her his.

Rori discovers she likes being controlled. She also knows Jude is not a one-woman man. Everything changes when she meets Zach Helm. Edgy, sensual Zach knows just what she needs, and before long, she’s in love. Jude watches them together and wonders if he’s lost his chance forever…

~~

**I requested this title for review from NetGalley**

For the first 1/2 of this book Dane had me with her. I liked the characters, the storyline, the emotion - the whole thing worked. Rori was real in her sexuality in her personality and the relationships she developed with the people in her hometown didn't feel forced. The problem was that after the first half of the book I got confused and then after the first 3/4 I was irreparably pissed off.

I was confused because for a while there I didn't understand Jude's purpose to the story. His romance with Rori had ended, she was with Zach; what was he doing there? Zach was too nice/perfect (almost too) for Rori to cheat on (not that her doing that would make sense at ALL) and Jude was still slightly in and out as the friend who was learning to change his ways, but I just didn't get it. What was going on here? With a title like Second Chances there was really only way I could see this story going once they introduced the second story - either Zach had to die or he and Rori would have to invite Jude into a 3-some to make everybody happy. Neither seemed to jive all that well with my perception of the author and the character's personalities, so ultimately I ended up feeling on edge for a good part of the book while trying to figure out what was going on.

Dane does pull it out while maintaining the integrity of her storyline but for me I just didn't agree with how it all wrapped up too neatly. It was just too pat and since I had been taken aback by the way it came about (sorry for the vagueness, more explanation in the spoiler laden paragraph below) I couldn't have the same emotion for the story I'd had before.

 ***************SPOILER!!!SPOILER!!!SPOILER!!!*****************

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED - SPOILER ALERT!

What the F*%K Lauren Dane?! I understood that with the title there were a couple ways you could make this work. Still I had figured in on Zach dying during some earlier part in the novel when I didn't know him all that well. Instead I get through 150pgs of a 200pgs book and BAM! Bomb. Dead. The end. NOT COOL. I had felt all safe my nice little 'maybe Jude will find someone else' dream and that was just too much for me. Rori loved Zach soo much and to have only about 50pgs to take her love for him and turn it into a real relationship with Jude didn't jive. I understand that it took placed over almost 2yrs after his death. I'm not saying the time line wasn't realistic, but the way that it translated to the reader (i.e., me) was too fast. 

I'm not going to lie, this killed the book for me. I called my coworker, I called my friend, I pretty much tortured the people around me after Zach died because I just couldn't believe that it happened. I know that I'm ranting and that some people might consider me too harsh in this instance - but I don't think I have to make sense. As a reader and a reviewer I get to rely on my feelings to explain how I connect with a book, and this one knocked my feet out from under me.

*******************SPOILER ENDED*******************

Overall Feeling - Eh. The ending kind of killed this one for me.

Series - None

Other Reviews - Fiction Vixen (less spoiler filled, lol)

Book Memories: Filmstrip

Ahh good old filmstrip. One of the highlights of my kindergarten experience.

Well ok calling it a highlight might be a bit extreme, but who doesn't love some time out of the classroom to be surrounded by books? (Yes I have always been a nerd. I was born that way) Plus this kind of activity fed into my Type-A personality and allowed me to impress teachers with my ability to hit the 'Forward' button when prompted by a tape. 

To remind all of those who aren't able to recall with crystal clear clarity the antics of their childhood (or don't want to spend lots of time scouring Google), here's the 411 on filmstrip presentations:

"The filmstrip was a common form of still image instructional multimedia, once commonly used by educators in primary and secondary schools (K-12), now overtaken by newer and increasingly lower-cost full-motion videocassettes and DVDs. From the 1940s to 1980s, filmstrips provided an easy and inexpensive alternative to 16mm projector educational films, requiring very little storage space and being very quick to rewind for the next use. Filmstrips were large and durable, and rarely needed splicing. They are still used in some areas.

....The instructor would turn on a film projector that would show the first frame (image) of the filmstrip. The instructor then turned on a 33 RPM record or cassette tape containing the audio material for the filmstrip which included narration. At the appropriate point, a tone would sound, signaling the instructor (or a student volunteer/assistant) to turn a knob, advancing to the next frame. Later, technical improvements allowed the projector to advance the film automatically."

--from Wikipedia

I know it's ridiculous and archaic to bring something like this up but it's always fun for me to remember the little things that came at the beginning of my book loving journey. The little moments that I didn't realize at the time would mean so much to me. I remember sitting Indian style with my classmates waiting for the ding and the next slide to flash, excited for the story to continue.

Take a moment to remind yourself of a good book memory - I know you won't regret it if you do!

References:
*Wikipedia Article - 'Filmstrip'
*Collectors' Quest - 'Collecting Filmstrips'
*Each image is linked to its source, none of them are my own

Teaser Tuesdays (10/26)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"She made herself stop looking at Jude and imagining riding him like a pony before she embarrassed herself any further. And instead focused on not tripping or generally looking like an idiot as they walked along."

--pg 19, Second Chances by Lauren Dane