Spirited Away by Cindy Miles

BELIEVE IN FAIRY TALES

When Tristan de Barre and his men were murdered in 1292, their souls were cursed to roam his estate for all eternity. It's been a long, dull, celibate ever after. But now Tristan's phantom heart is pounding again for the first time in more than seven hundred years because of the beautiful scientist who's digging up his castle's bailey. Can he make her notice him, or will she see straight through him?

The opportunity to excavate the remains at Dreadmoor Castle has forensic archaeologist Andi Monroe tingling with excitement. It's an incredible find and a chance to study the mysterious legend of Dragonhawk, a medieval knight who disappeared without a trace. Lately, though, rational Andi is having a hard time telling fact from fiction. She could just swear she met the vanished knight, and he's a fantasy come true. But until she finds a way to help Tristan lift the curse, their love doesn't stand a ghost of a chance....

Title: Spirited Away
Author: Cindy Miles
Year published: 2007
Why I picked up this book: HelenKay sent it, but it had been on my to-buy list.
Do I like the cover? Yes, it's cute.
Is this part of a series? I don't believe so. I think her next book is a similar ghost mystery romance, but doesn't look to be completely related.
What I enjoyed about the book: There are a lot of fun elements here. It's not a time-travel like it may look. The hero is actually a lord/knight who was cursed to roam his castle along with his fellow men. He can be seen, but can't touch anything in the real world. This actually works well in the story as Tristan and Andi fall in love without ever being able to touch each other. This involves actually talking. And Andi is a great character with a unique job as a forensic archaeologist. I thought her job was handled well and was worked into the story nicely.

This is a really sweet, cute story. And sometimes, that's just what the doctor ordered. And this one delivers. The paranormal elements are here, but they aren't overwhelming or dark. And I liked that for the story, they made sense. I didn't ever wonder why something was the way it was because it seemed that everything was explained in a way that made sense. Spirited Away reminded me of a fairy tale and I have to say I really enjoyed it.

I'm sure some people won't like it because it's a simple story, but if you want something cute, sweet, and romantic, I recommend this one. It's a nice summer afternoon read. There's a quote on the back from Julie Kenner that says it's reminiscent of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and I have to rather agree.
What I didn’t like about the book? Well, it ended. That's about it.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? This is her debut book, so definitely new to me. I'm definitely going to be looking for the next book she has out in November.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? For now, I'm keeping it.

Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day

Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlantaens, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken…

When she calls…
Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She's blessed with a mind link that only Atlantaens have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an "empath" may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below…

He will come.
Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon's stolen Trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon's power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

Oh my...I really enjoyed this book. For some reason, it took me awhile to get through the first few pages. But not because of the book, just because of things going on in life. But oh, once I started in on reading this, I had lots of trouble putting it down. I think what I like most about this book is that it's populated by alpha males who don't come across as jerks. Yay!! I mean, there's a bit of "Mine" going on, but when it comes down to it, Conlan doesn't act all high and mighty and like he knows more than Riley about everything. So they're definitely alpha males, but it worked. And although there are plenty of guys in the story, they didn't come across as sequel-bait. They all added to the storyline. And Riley...it's not often you come across a social worker as a heroine. She's a strong woman, which of course she has to be to be in her job for very long. But she even gets to kick some ass in the book, which was awesome. We actually got to see the heroine saving the hero and not the other way around for once. So I have to say I loved those elements.

The world-building is also nice. It's a world like ours, but vampires and werewolves have outed themselves and are all over the place. Like in media and politics. And Atlantis exists, but the Atlanteans have hidden themselves from the world, but some of them try to watch over humanity and save them from vampires.

Anyways, I really liked this book. I liked that it doesn't gloss over the nasty bits too much, but doesn't dwell on them. And the romance is actually pretty good, too. :-) Riley's an empath and basically gets into Conlan's head, thereby knowing everything about him. And she loves the man he is. Aww....

So yeah, if you want a good paranormal romance read, I'd recommend hunting this one down.

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian

Lara was kind enough to send this to me and I'm so glad she did! It was quite yummy.



Blurb shamelessly stolen from Lara's site:

In present day Boston, trouble is brewing. Vampires are going Rogue, feeding without discretion, killing humans in the streets. For Lucan Thorne, a Breed warrior of the first generation and the Order's fearsome leader, the battles are just a taste of the carnage to come. A blood war is set to ignite, and he is determined to put it to a swift end. But when a beautiful young photographer gets caught in the crosshairs, her pictures threatening to expose the entire vampire race, Lucan has no choice except to bring her into the dark world he commands.

Title: Kiss of Midnight

Author: Lara Adrian

Year published: 2007

Why I picked up this book: Because it looked good.

Do I like the cover? Yes, I like the yellow and blue. It's nice to see something different with a paranormal cover.

Is this part of a series? Yeppers, that it is.

What I enjoyed about the book: I really liked the world and Adrian's take on vampires. Also, I found that I wasn't annoyed at the main characters as I have been in a few paranormal romances. The angst didn't bother me much. This is good. And the fact that I kinda want to reread the book is a plus. I liked how Gabrielle's connection to the vamp world is played out. And the way that Adrian described Gabrielle's photographs makes me think I can actually visualize them. That's another thing I really noticed about the book, I can definitely visualize scenes as I think back on the book. I just really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read the second. Which is a long, long time from now.

What I didn’t like about the book? The names. Well, nothing really wrong with them, but they were awfully similar to a few other books that involved vampires.

Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? New to me author and I'm definitely reading more!

Am I keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it. And will most likely get the print version, too.

The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

Beneath the glitter of dazzling 19th-century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil....

Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long taken over the world.

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake.

But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her enigmatic ally, Sebastian Vioget.

And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make the choice between duty and love.

okay, I was going to write up a nice post on this book, but since the lovely Smart Bitch Sarah did a much MUCH better review, I'm just going to link to her review. Read it. Buy the book if it sounds like it will float your boat. It's quite good. The ending is a bit disturbing if you want a strict romance HEA, but keep in mind that this looks to be a true series in that the books will follow Victoria and not just individual couples. Her story is just beginning here.

You can visit Colleen Gleason here.

With Nine You Get Vanyr by Teri Smith and Jean Marie Ward

How much would you give to live your fantasy? Think fast—your Wishstone is waiting.

At Atlanta’s Dragon-Con, nine fan girls make a wish on the mysterious ancient artifact known as the Wishstone and find themselves transported to the world that inspired their favorite TV series. Only the show couldn’t begin to prepare them for the real thing.

Domain is a world without change, frozen in a time of magic and superstition, where the immortal sons of the goddess Reyah fight a never-ending war—mostly with themselves. Reyah doesn’t seem to care. The way she sees it, her boys will be boys. They’ll settle down once they meet the right girls.

But Earth girls aren’t that easy. They’ve got serious issues with this gig. They like their computers, cell phones, double-ply toilet paper.

And they don’t believe in fate.

Welcome to Domain.

Title: With Nine You Get Vanyr
Author: Teri Smith and Jean Marie Ward
Year/Date published: Nov. 7, 2006
Why I picked up this book: It looked interesting.
Do I like the cover? Yeah, it’s not too bad.
Is this part of a series? I honestly don’t know.
What I enjoyed about the book: I liked the idea behind the story. It’s different and sounded like something that would be interesting. And most of the time it succeeds. It’s an interesting world.
What I didn’t like about the book? At times it seemed to get bogged down with way too much going on. Lots of characters and while they usually weren’t hard to keep track of, it would have been nice for there to be more focus on fewer characters than there was. I mean, there was more focus on two characters, but not much. And the reading was slow going. I’ve had this on my iPaq for awhile and reading a bit at night for what seemed like a long time. So not as fast-paced as it could be.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? They are new-to-me authors.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? Since it’s an ebook, I’ll be keeping it.

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding edited by P.N. Elrod

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding with stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, L.A. Banks, Rachel Caine, P.N. Elrod, Esther M. Friesner, Lori Handeland, and Susan Krinard.



I'm not really going to do a synopsis. Each story is different, but they all deal with weddings and the supernatural.

Spellbound by L.A. Banks deal with the Hatfield/McCoy rivalry thing with some magic added in. It's rather cute and funny, but sometimes a bit too campy for my taste.

Something Borrowed by Jim Butcher has Harry as best man for Billy and Georgia's wedding (the werewolves, remember?). Things come up and it's up the Harry to save the day. Fun story.

Dead Man's Chest by Rachel Caine is a contemporary that has romance cover model Ian marrying Cecilia Welles on a pirate ship captained by Capt. Lockhart. To say more would spoil some of the fun, but it's a nice Pirates of the Caribbean flavored story.

All Shook Up by P.N. Elrod has an Elvis impersonator with some magic. I skimmed a lot of the story since I really really don't like Elvis. Sorry.

The Wedding of Wylda Serene by Esther M. Friesner was entertaining. It has Wylda Serene getting married in a place where weird things have a habit of happening. Contained Greek mythology and other magical happenings. Fun story, if a bit hard to really explain without spoilers.

Charmed by the Moon by Lori Handeland is about Jessie McQuade and Will Cadotte's wedding. Fun story and makes me want to read the rest of the series that I haven't read.

Tacky by Charlaine Harris has a vampire marrying a werewolf and all the problems that entails. Fun story, though not sure how or if it is connected to her Sookie Stackhouse series.

A Hard Day's Night-Searcher is a Dark-Hunter story. This time it's Rafael Santiago getting together with Squire Celena. Nothing real spectacular here and the romance is a bit unbelievable.

"...Or Forever Hold Your Peace" by Susan Krinard. It says it's a Kit and Olivia Adventure, but that doesn't mean anything to me. If it is, I hope to read more of their books. I rather liked this one. It starts out with a man objecting to the wedding of Lady Emma and Lord Edward, but then running out of the church and dying on the steps. Other adventures ensue as the bride later disappears and Kit and Olivia go after her. I liked this one.

The whole anthology is a quick read and fun. Some of the stories are better than others, but on the whole, I enjoyed most of them.

Possessed by Stephanie Doyle

Possessed by Stephanie Doyle

Cassandra Allen's gift is so uncanny that even the skeptical police now consult her on murder investigations. But when she's called in to investigate a rash of serial murders, her mind is assaulted by a terrifying being from beyond… .

Cass believes the evil force attempting to possess her is involved in the killings. But how? Then she meets Malcolm McDonough, brother of the first victim. He's successful, attractive, unsettling… and he doesn't believe that Cass hears the dead. Yet even as Malcolm denies her claims, he is counting on Cass to lead them to the killer.

Because all the victims have one thing in common--"her."

I grabbed this one Saturday night when we went to Walmart to see the Wii line. I'm really glad I did because it is a great story. Cass is a great heroine and I loved how her gift worked. It's a Bombshell, but there's also a good romance between Cass and Malcolm. The things that keep them apart are valid and I don't think Cass ever did anything TSTL. Which was a very welcome change. I kept waiting for her to, but she never did.

I did figure out who the bad guy was, but only because it was the only person it could be. Just not quite enough other characters mentioned. But since it's a short book, that's fine. It didn't really take anything away from the reading.

If you like a good psychic story, I recommend this one. Makes me want to find other books by Stephanie Doyle. I think I have some of the shelf around here somewhere. I'm really sad the Bombshell line is leaving because they're just now in the last six months or so to come out with some really good stories. Guess I'll continue to pick them up as they come in to work.

The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson

Well then. I'm finally writing up the review for this book. And yet I'm still not quite sure what I think of it. But what it does do well is uniqueness. There isn't a book quite like it out right now (okay, since it's a March 2007 release, there really isn't anything like it out), I don't think.

The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson (blog here)



Here's the back copy that I have on this ARC:

Welcome to Las Vegas Nevada...As you've never seen it before.

Supernatural fantasy has never been hotter, or more dangerous. For there's another world behind the bright lights and nonstop action of Sin City...one where Light and Shadow wage an immortal war for supremacy. But the eternal battle has reached the tipping point, and only one person can change the future: Joanna Archer, heiress, photographer, and vigilante. And no one knows the darkness within better than she does.

So....on to what I think. Well, hmm...I'm not really quite sure about how I feel about Joanna, the main character. The story is first person like most urban fantasy seems to be. Joanna is a pretty strong character, though she's got the usual nasty past that's coming back to haunt her.

The paranormal aspects here are certainly unique. They deal with the Zodiac and the idea of being able to smell the opposition. Pettersson does a very good job of conveying that. There's some romance with an old boyfriend, but not enough to really call this a romance. It's definitely more urban fantasy than anything.

And even though I have such a tough time talking about the book, I did end up staying up late to finish the book. So it definitely held my attention. I'll be picking up the second one when it comes out.

Mr. Right Now by Monica Jackson

I've had this book awhile and always meant to get to it. So I did a little while back (okay, quite awhile back. So sue me).



What I don't get is how a paranormal romance involving a psycho ex-girlfriend gets this back blurb:

When three best girlfriends decide it’s time to get married, the first order of business is to find some decent husband material. But looking for Mr. Right is about to lead three nearly-thirty sistahs down a rocky road of matchmaking… Luby Uniquoncie Jones—a career girl on a fast track to success. She prepares for romance like she lands a new account…no nonsense and all business. But can commitment ever become her bottom line?

Danielle Sellers—lucky in looks, but unlucky in love, she has a weakness for sexy bad boys who set her on fire then leave her crying. Now she’s worried that a good man won’t be able to turn up her heat.

Catherine "Cat" Bronson—fine and fun-loving, already has the sweetest guy in the world, but she’s joining this "dating thing" anyway. If she goes too far, she may lose the good thing she’s got.

Soon Luby, Danielle, and Cat have entered dating hell, complete with disastrous set-ups, crazy attractions, and a wild ride on Cupid’s rollercoaster. There may be thrills, and there are sure to be spills, but the biggest surprise will be the truly fine one-in-a-million man who comes along with a heart open to true love…

I think this may be one of the most misleading blurb I've ever read. It's a good thing I actually knew what the book was about before I read the back.

So real info about Monica Jackson's Mr. Right Now. It's about Luby, who's almost given up on men. Luby spots Jake in her apartment hall and it's lust at first site. But he's white and she's not, so she figures she can set him up with Danielle as a better alternative than the usual men Danielle goes for. Well, Danielle is having none of that, but it gets Luby and Jake together. And that's where the paranormal stuff starts to happen. And where the back blurb is uber-misleading. Cat and Danielle are really just secondary characters. It's mostly about Jake and his powers and the power that Luby may have and Jake's psycho ex-girlfriend who now wants to kill Luby for supposedly stealing her man. Does any of that figure into the blurb? Nope.

Anyways, it's not a bad story, but overall, not one that's too terribly compelling. It's a bit choppy at times and sometimes the POV changes from chapter to chapter can be confusing and don't really seem to add much to the story. So it's an interesting idea, but the execution could use some work. So, not mad I spent the time reading it, but ultimately, it's just an average book and I wasn't quite sure whether I really thought the romance between Jake and Luby was really there and that they'd stay together after the end of the book.

Must Love Dragons by Stephanie Rowe

Single Female Dragon seeks love and good times in the big city.

Theresa Nichols is a red-blooded young woman—trapped in a red-hot dragon’s body. Then the chance for a real-live date with her cyber boy toy Zeke sends her running to Satan to strike a deal. After all, when you've gone without sex for over two hundred years, a night of good lovin’ is worth your eternal soul, right?

Single Male, ex-Dragon Slayer, seeks fiery sex goddess.

Zeke Siccardi is a private detective trying to live a normal life—and outrun his dragon-slaying past. Not easy to do when his sexy online paramour turns out to be a dragon with a contract out on her life. Now Zeke has to protect a woman he was born to kill. But with the love of a fire-breathing sexpot, how hard could it be?

Mona's back! And so is the cyber-sexing, pretzel-eating, perpetually horny dragon named Theresa.

Well, Justine and Derek are off honeymooning and Theresa is holed up in Quincy's (Derek's brother) apartment since Theresa and Justine's is still wrecked. Theresa's out of food and craving those pretzels when she decides to sneak out and grab some. Which she does, but gets shot in the process! I mean, if you were a chef and saw a dragon in your kitchen, you'd probably shoot it too.

Becca, Satan's Rivka, is back and plays a fairly large part of the story. I sense she may get her own story.

Zeke, Theresa's cybersex buddy and online friend is the hero. At the beginning of the story he's trying to see her in person, but Theresa's wary about that due to her dragon form. Well, she caves, but only after a trip to see Satan to make a deal. Deals with Satan are never good. So now Mona's in danger. Add in more conflict when it turns out Zeke is a dragon slayer. Hoo boy. Then more conflict when it turns out someone is out to kill Theresa.

There's a whole lot going on in this book. Perhaps too much. But that's not to say it's a bad book, it just doesn't quite live up to the expectations one might have after reading Date Me Baby, One More Time. There's still plenty of humor here, though, and it can get laugh out loud funny at times. Justine and Derek are on their honeymoon for most of the book, so we really don't get to see how they're doing. Zeke and Theresa have loads of chemistry, though whether it's due to a meeting of minds and hearts or just crazy dragon/dragonslayer pheromones is up to the reader.
But...I do think if you enjoyed the first book, you should read this one. Just don't expect it to be quite as hilarious. And like the first book, just sit back and enjoy. No overanalyzing. It IS, after all, about a dragon, a dragonslayer, Satan, and a shapechanging goblet named Mona. Along with various other baddies. But I love dragons. Hmmm....guess I Must Love Dragons. I crack me up.

So thank you Stephanie Rowe, for making me laugh. In a good way.

Can't wait for the next book in the series. Looks like it's coming May 2007. Argh, I hate waiting!

Editing to add that this is a November release.

Surf's Up by Nina Bangs, MaryJanice Davidson, and Janelle Denison

First story in this anthology is Janelle Denison's Hot and Bothered. It has recent-divorcee Reissing lusting after bar owner Shea O'Brien. She's now got a nice house on the beach as part of her divorce settlement and is a budding jewelry designer. Shea's been attracted to her ever since he saw her with her jackass husband when they used to visit his bar together. Now she's free, whoopie!

Bleh. This story was rather boring. Was more of a short Blaze than anything and the way you could see the conflict coming a mile away was highly annoying and rather silly. It was just a bland story and rather forgettable and unremarkable.

Second story is by MaryJanice Davidson and is called Paradise Bossed. It stars characters from a previous anthology, Cathy and Jack. Well, the main character is Nikki, who dies in a freak snorkeling accident when she is inadvertently scared a stingray and it stings her and she ends up drowning. Well, she's vacationing with Cathy and Jack and they feel awful about not knowing how she died or what and stay on the island, hoping her body will be found. So Jack knows a psychic (from his previous tale, apparently) and brings that psychic to the island. The psychic is Tom and basically Tom and Nikki (she's a ghost now) fall in love. Only he's supposed to be helping her pass on, not getting it on while spirit walking.

Fun story, rather humorous and much better than the Denison one. It's still nothing special, but after the first story....

Third story is Hot Summer Bites by Nina Bangs. And quite frankly, I don't feel like reading it. It's another Sparkle Stardust story and something about an investigative reporter getting together with a vampire. But, I'm not really in the mood for a Nina Bangs story. I need to be in the mood to read her brand of humor and tonight's not it. Oh well.

A Dream of Stone and Shadow by Marjorie M. Liu

A DREAM OF STONE & SHADOW
There are those who do terrible things in this world, and those who simply watch. Charlie would do neither. Imprisoned, his only release is through his own destruction—or through Aggie Durand. Sweet as a kiss or a rescued child, she is the one dream he does not dare desire. As an agent of Dirk & Steele, she could be his salvation. Today, Charlie's dream is waking.

A Dream of Stone and Shadow by Marjorie M. Liu is the second book in Dark Dreamers, but it's the only one I really plan to read. Not a Feehan fan at all.

I don't remember Aggie from any of the previous books, but Roland does make an appearance (via phone) to tie things together. It also seems that this one takes place during the events of the previous book.

The book deals with a rather horrific topic (child porn and slavery), but doesn't dwell too much on it, which is nice. It's there, but not in your face.

The romance happens fairly quickly, but it is a short story, after all. For awhile, I really wondered how Charlie and Aggie would get together. And I kinda wished this had been a full length story because I think it had the potential to be one. But I still liked what it was. Liu's definitely created a fun world and ADoSaS just shows how much stuff we haven't seen in the previous books.

Oh, I can't wait for Eye of Heaven! December can't come soon enough.