Review: TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY
Jay Asher
Young Adult Contemporary
Razorbill/October 2007
Library Book

From the inside cover ~

Clay Jenkins returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

Hannah's voice explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself - a truth he never wanted to face.

Wow - just wow. This book is certainly different. The approach the author takes in telling the story is unique. It's told from the POV of Clay Jensen and the voice on the tapes of the deceased Hannah Baker. We get Hannah's thoughts leading up to her suicide and her reasons why she made the tapes and sent them out. Clay tells what he knows of Hannah and what happened leading up to her death but he's confused as to what part he played in her death. The reader is with Clay as he listens to the tapes and discovers the series of events that culminated in Hannah taking her life.

Clay Jensen is a nice, likable teenager. He's not one of the real popular kids but he's not a loner either. I'd call him an average high school kid. He gets decent grades, works at the local movie theater and stays out of trouble. Which is why it's such a surprise when he gets these mysterious tapes. Once he starts listening he can't believe it's Hannah's voice on the tapes and he's even more surprised when he realizes what she's done. She's telling secrets about Clay's classmates and how she feels each of them had a part in her suicide.

Clay doesn't just listen to the tapes, Hannah also included a map of the town and the "points of interest" she refers to in the tapes. It's almost like a treasure map that takes Clay on this journey as he listens to the tapes. He discovers some things he didn't know about the people in Hannah's life but mostly he learns about Hannah herself. He also makes some discoveries about himself and how he wishes he had done some things differently but he can only move forward and change how he acts in the present, not the past.

The story went by very quickly - I, like Clay, wanted to know what part Hannah thought Clay had in her suicide and more importantly why she did it. The why for me was never quite clear. Yes, she had some difficult times and she was fighting depression but there didn't seem to be any one thing that caused it. Sure, some of the people on the tapes were mean to Hannah, treated her poorly and upset her but there wasn't any one person, it was a domino effect.

What bothered me was the way Hannah spread the blame around but never seemed to include herself in that blame. In hindsight she exhibited some of the classic signs of depression and potential suicidal tendencies. The problem with hindsight is that it doesn't do you a bit of good after the fact. I'm not really sure you could say her life was any worse than other teens, but everyone has different breaking points and Hannah met hers.

It's hard to say if I would recommend this book. It really depends on your comfort zone. Teen suicide isn't a light subject and while this story presented it in a different way, it's still teen suicide - a dark, sad and potentially upsetting subject. I do think the impact of Hannah's death was muted by the fact that we meet her after her death. If she had been alive and I had gotten to know her, then she committed suicide, I think it would have had a more in-your-face effect. By having Hannah on the tapes, it allows the reader to take a step back from direct contact with her. We see her through Clay's eyes and through Hannah's words but those words were spoken after she made the decision to end her life. Overall, an interesting story but possibly not for everyone.

Rating: B+

ARC Review: Libertine's Kiss

Libertine's Kiss
Judith James
Historical Romance (England/1660)
Harlequin/August 2010
ARC from Publisher/NetGalley

From the author's website ~

A Restoration era love story inspired by the character of the Earl of Rochester, King Charles II’s court poet who was rumored to be the model for Emily Bronte’s Heathcliff. William de Veres, the handsome son of a hard-drinking cavalier was abandoned at an early age to a brutal school system and a predatory and abusive tutor. He soon discovers the escapes of poetry, literature, alcohol and sex, and the defenses of a sharp sword and lacerating wit. As a titanic struggle erupts between parliament and king, William takes up arms in the Royalist cause and pursued by Cromwell’s men finds himself seeking shelter from a sober young Puritan woman in a cottage deep in the woods.

The Civil war has cost the once high spirited Elizabeth Walters her best friend and her father, leaving her unprotected and alone. She flees an unwanted marriage, seeking safe haven, but what she finds there is something she never expected. Despite William’s gratitude and promise to aid her, Elizabeth never expects to see him again, but the Restoration of Charles II to his throne will bring her to the attention of both William and the king.

Can a promise long forgotten and a friendship forged in the past help two lonely people find each other and themselves? Can a debauched court poet and notorious libertine convince the wary Elizabeth he is capable of love? These are the questions asked by Libertine’s Kiss…

After having read and enjoyed Ms. James previous books I was looking forward to reading this, her latest release. The time period is not one of the more common periods found in historical romances. While I like Regency and Victorian settings, I also enjoy something different. The fact that the characters are inspired by real people from history made me curious enough to look up information on them. And left me curious as to how they would be portrayed in the novel.

William de Veres is a true rake. He is loyal to his king, living in exile with Charles and returning to England when Charles takes the thrown. William is also very loyal to himself. He enjoys drinking and women and he doesn't try to make any excuses for his actions. It was refreshing to have him not use past abuses as an excuse for his debauchery. His way of thinking is that the excessive drinking and numerous women are simply how things are done.

Elizabeth Walters is a 27 year old widow, living quietly in the country when William bursts into her life again. They knew each other as children, were close friends even, but their families chose opposites sides during the war. It has been years since they have seen each other and now William needs Elizabeth's help and she willing gives it. Years pass before they meet again. This time it's William who helps Elizabeth when she needs it the most. Elizabeth is desperate to get her land back and William is there to guide her through the intrigues of court life.

Once William decided to help Elizabeth get her lands back, he sees that she is dressed in the height of fashion and lets the other members of court think that Elizabeth is his mistress, which she is. He doesn't concern himself with this since it's what they will believe, no matter what he tells them. This side of William was a little hard to take. He cares for Elizabeth but still maintains the lifestyle of a rake.

With William, Elizabeth experiences so many new things and seems to enjoy her time at court. She falls into love with William quickly and is having the time of her life. I liked that Elizabeth embraced her time with William. Of course she wished it wouldn't end but can't see herself with a man who can not swear to be faithful to her. William's life is at court and while Elizabeth enjoys her time at there, she longs for the simpler life in the country.

William believes in looking out for himself and playing the politics of the court. He has this habit of blaming his nature, or the nature of men, for his debauchery. After Elizabeth comes back into his life he doesn't suddenly become a new man, fully redeemed by love. His life with Charles, both as a fugitive and now at court, have left him very cynical. Even with this outlook he still holds fond memories of Lizzie as a child. His first love and his only good childhood memories. There were times when he could be cold and unloving but you could feel his need to take care of Elizabeth and that hidden need to love and be loved.

I must say Judith James makes the court of King Charles come alive with vivid details and descriptions of the ornateness of the palace and the people at court. The life at court with all its finery and excesses, politics and subterfuge, add another dimension to the story. I loved seeing William use his knowledge of Charles and the court to help Elizabeth navigate through those rough waters. Until a misunderstanding due to William's reputation and Elizabeth's previous experience comes between them. They keep their distance from each other but can't stop themselves from caring for each other.

I did, at times have some problems with the slow pace of the story. While I found most of the descriptions interesting there were points when the pacing dragged and I would have liked for William and Elizabeth to have spent less time apart. They do get their happily ever after but James really made these two work for it. They both go through some changes but they didn't happen overnight. They way it played out made it far more realistic with Elizabeth standing her ground and William, being William, and doing the unexpected. Judith James delivers an enjoyable love story with unique characters set in an equally unique historical period.

Rating: B+

Review: No Mercy

No Mercy
Lori Armstrong
Mystery
Mercy Gunderson/Book 1
Touchstone/January 2010
Library Book

From the inside cover ~

Mercy Gunderson is a straight shooter with a hard edge. On medical leave from the Army, she returns home to South Dakota, which isn’t much safer for her than Iraq. Arriving just after the death of her father, it is up to Mercy to decide what to do with the family ranch. Trying to deal with her irresponsible sister and nephew and feeling guilty that she didn’t make it home soon enough to see her father one last time; Mercy is suddenly pulled into the local community when the body of a Native American boy is found on her land. But nobody seems to be doing anything about it, especially not the local law enforcement.

When tragedy strikes again, Mercy is ready to throw all her energy into her own investigation, and she’s out for revenge. As she digs up the truth behind the shocking crimes, Mercy uncovers dark and dangerous secrets and must race to stop a killer before everything she’s fought for is destroyed forever.

If you've been around my blog lately you know how much I love Lorelei James and her Rough Riders series but did you know that she also writes mysteries under the pen-name Lori Armstrong? She writes the Julie Collins series and this year started the Mercy Gunderson series. I decided to give Mercy a try. I liked the idea of a female Army sniper and Mercy, being 38, has got some wear to her.

Let me start with saying Armstrong writes some amazingly complete characters. I never felt that any character was there simply for filler. They all had a part to play in this mystery. The story takes place in a small town in South Dakota. It's a place where everyone knows everybody's business. Mercy comes back on medical leave to help her sister with the family ranch. Her father is dead and the ranch and it's responsibility have fallen to the two sisters. There are developers wanting to buy the ranch and the sisters need to make a decision about what to do with the ranch.

The book opens with the death of a teenager. His body is found on Gunderson land which is how Mercy first becomes involved. The description of the body, and the land is both vivid and stark. "The blazing sun and dry wind burn the most resilient flesh into dried meat." Armstrong does a good job making the reader feel what the environment is like, not only the physical but the emotional environment that the people live in. It's a ranching community but there is also a population of Native Americans in the community who play a key role in the murders.

Mercy is pulled into the murder investigations and begins to find evidence of some sinister goings on in her community. She often finds herself in the company of Mason Dawson, the sheriff, who doesn't want Mercy involved in his investigation. Mercy has mixed feelings for Dawson - she's attracted to him but she's also not pleased with how his murder investigations are going. As Mercy continues to discover some pretty dark secrets she finds herself in danger and her Army training proves to be very useful. I liked that Mercy was tough and didn't back down once she gave her word. She came across as standoffish but she did care about her family and friends, she simply wasn't as demonstrative in her feelings as you might expect a woman to be.

The mystery is the central storyline and it is played out well, with the reader, along with Mercy, uncovering bits and pieces of the puzzle that lead to the final confrontation. The way it all played out made sense and kept me not only engaged but wanting revenge for Mercy and her family. I liked how Armstrong incorporated the ranch life, the military and the Native American culture into the plot and gave the reader much to think about by the end of the book. The actual mystery of the who and why of the murders had some twists and turns that kept me not only interested but entertained as well. Armstrong's writing is at times brutal - showing the harsh realities of life and death. But I liked the brutal because she also softened it with those quiet moments of contemplation and family loyalty. Overall a well written mystery with intriguing characters that left me wanting more.

Rating: A-

Re-Read Challenge Review: Half way to the Grave

Halfway to the Grave
Jeaniene Frost
Urban Fantasy
Nighthuntress/Book 1
Avon/October 2007
Purchased

From the author's website ~

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers.

Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

This re-read is due to the fact that I liked this book the first time so why didn't I continue reading the series? I've got the next two books in the the tbr pile, so I don't have a clue as to why I didn't read them. Time is the most likely culprit. Anyway, I decided this would be one series I would finish reading this year - so the re-read is to refresh my memory.

The story starts with Cat and her night job - hunting and killing vampires. Cat is determined to avenge her mother who was raped by a vampire which resulted in Cat's birth. Cat has a dry sense of humor to help cope with her bizarre life. She's looked down on by her mother because of Cat's father and Cat being a half-blood. Cat is driven by guilt and revenge and seduces her vampire victims into thinking they'll get lucky with her then she goes for the kill. She spends her nights trolling the bars, looking for vampires to kill. And her mom knows about it! Yep, good old mom even encourages Cat to kill vamps. I really didn't like her mom. Big, guilty-tripping weight around Cat's neck. And Cat's killing adventures lead her to Bones.

Bones - the only way I could think of him is as a wealthier version of Spike (as in Buffy's Spike). Bones so reminded me of Spike I secretly wondered if Spike's crazy-ass vamp girlfriend Drusilla would show up. I do remember the first read thinking that Bones reminded me of Spike but I don't remember it being so strong. Bones is a very old, very powerful vampire. He takes a liking to Cat, after she tries to kill him. Bones recruits Cat to help him catch his next target. I liked Bones this time through but now I'm wondering if I liked him for him or because he reminded me of Spike.

Cat and Bones begin training and they begin feeling the pull of physical attraction. Cat doesn't want to be attracted to a vampire. That's like the worst thing that could happen to her. Bones, on the other hand, knows what he wants and he can be very underhanded in getting it. I had a few qualms about their relationship. Cat is a virgin but still knows how to play at seductress. It came off as very odd - like she couldn't make up her mind what she wanted to be. Here she'd been killing vampires since she was 16, she's 22 now, and now she's attracted to a vampire. It seemed like Bones is the only one who cared about Cat - but he's an "evil" vampire. Or that's what Cat believed, that all vampires are evil. So Bones throws her a curve when he shows he cares but it could only be that he needs her to get to his target.

Bones training sessions with Cat are meant to be sexy but I found them less than. I don't remember the sexual tension and sex scenes from the first time but this time I was pretty meh about them. I do like the dialogue between Cat and Bones. Usually funny and quick witted with Bones having some great lines. There were times when Cat really showed her youth and her street smarts seemed less than what you would expect. Which was strange when you consider she's been hunting vampires, alone, since she was sixteen. Sometimes her naivety was hard to believe.

The ending is a cliff-hanger which is not doubt one of the reasons why I picked up the second book. This time through I'm not as enthralled as I remember being the first time. It could be that at the time, there was a lot of buzz about the book and I got caught up in it. That's always a possibility. Whatever it was, I do plan to continue with book 2 since I already have it. I hope the character of Cat matures in the next book and Bones becomes less of a Spike reminder and more his own distinct character. I'm curious to see if both Cat and Bones will change and become more solid characters in the next installment.

Rating: B

Review: Visions in Death

Visions in Death
J. D. Robb
Romantic Suspense
In Death/Book 22
Penguin/August 2004

*Spoilers*

From the inside cover ~

The summer of 2059 has been long, hot - and bloody. On one of the city's warmest nights, a call from dispatch sends New York police lieutenant Eve Dallas to Central Park - and into a hellish new investigation. The victim was found on the rocks, just above the still, dark water of the lake. She wore nothing but a red ribbon tied around her neck. Her hands were posed as if in prayer. But it is the eyes - removed with such precision, as if by the careful hand of a surgeon - that have Dallas most alarmed.

As more bodies turn up, each with the same defining scars, Eve is frantic for answers. Against her instincts, she accepts help from a psychic, who offers one vision after another - each with shockingly accurate details of the murders. And when Eve's partner and friend Peabody is badly injured after escaping an attack, the stakes are raised. Are the eyes a symbol? A twisted religions ritual? A souvenir? With the help of her husband, Roarke, Dallas must uncover the killer's motivation before another vision becomes another nightmare.


With Peabody being my favorite secondary character, it's not surprising that this is one of my favorite books in the series. The dynamics of Dallas and Peabody's relationship continues to change and grow and that is very much evident in Visions in Death. The killer is a psycho, the psychic is questionable and Mavis is pregnant. Lots of stuff going on here but at the center for me was Dallas and Peabody. Roarke is here too, of course, but he's not as involved in this case as he has been in some others.

The first murder is gruesome, the second, just as much. Dallas and Peabody are working the case but having very little luck connecting the murders. The psychic who offers her help is welcomed by Peabody but leaves Dallas highly skeptical. No surprise there. I liked seeing Dallas interact with the psychic, trying to keep an open mind but not really putting much stock in any evidence until the psychic tells them things that are not public knowledge. Then Dallas starts to believe, just a little.

Sometimes I'll read fans of the series asking if/when Roarke and Eve will have a child. Robb has said that will be the end of the series if/when they do. (from Robb's FAQ). While I don't want the series to end anytime soon, I do like when Roarke and Eve are so far out of their comfort zone when confronted with even the possible involvement with someone else's child. There is a wonderful scene when Mavis tells Eve and Roarke that she wants them there for the birth. These two very capable people are filled with terror at the thought of being there when the baby is born.

[Mavis to Eve] "No. Labor and delivery coach. You'd back up Leonardo when I have the baby."

Eve choked on the canape' and turned white.

"Take a drink, darling," Roarke said with a laugh in his voice. "Put your head between your knees if you feel dizzy."

"Shut up. Are you talking about . . . like, being there? In the actual place at the actual time? In the same room as. . . it."

Then if that wasn't enough to take in, Roarke's in for a surprise.

"We want Roarke there, too." Mavis sniffed into her cloth.

Eve turned her head, and saw - with pleasure - the rare sight of utter panic on his face. "Not so damn funny now, is it, ace?"

Later, when Roarke and Eve are alone, they try to comfort each other in their terror over Mavis' request.

[Roarke]"They could change their minds. It's still months away, and they could easily change their minds and want this. . . event to be a private one between them."

She looked at him as if he'd sprouted a second head. "Private? Private? This is Mavis we're dealing with."

He shut his eyes. "God pity us."

"And it's just going to get . . . more." She pulled away, sprang up. "Before you know it, before you know it she's going to want us to deliver the thing. They'll want to do it here, in our bedroom or something, with cameras - live feed to her fans. And us pulling the thing our of her."

Utter and genuine horror leaped into his eyes. "Stop it, Eve. Stop it now."

They are really one of my favorite couples. The love they share - it's funny and deep and continues to grow. Eve does seem to do more of the growth but Roarke's in there too. He's just more accepting of the changes in his life with Eve now in it.

Roarke's presence is in this one less. He has no relation to the murders through any of his vast holdings and his help is minimal this time around. He is there for Eve when she needs him most. When Peabody is beaten nearly to death, it's Roarke who Eve leans on and Roarke who provides his quiet strength even though he is also hurting for Peabody.

The relationship between Dallas and Peabody continues to evolve and grow. There's a whole bunch of change in Visions, with Dallas trusting, really trusting Peabody with her darkest secret. Dallas has only told a few people about what happened to her when she was a child but because Peabody is not only her partner but her friend, she trusts her. They have come a long way since Peabody first became Dallas' assistant. The scene when Peabody is attacked and what follows are so emotional and vivid.

Peabody's desperate attempt to fight the attacker. McNab's reaction - it killed me. Even though McNab is a cop, a detective, his laid back attitude makes it hard to take him seriously. Plus, the way he gets all geeky with the electronics just detracts from the fact that he does carry a weapon and is a cop. But when he sees Peabody down - that scene totally hit me. Brilliantly written. The love he has for her and his cop instincts, all there for the reader to see and feel.

Then there's Dallas. Her reaction to Peabody being hurt is classic Dallas. She comes into the hospital, demanding to know Peabody's status. Then she sees McNab and the reader sees Dallas the cop but also Eve the concerned friend. I love how Robb wrote this - bringing out all those different emotions in the characters. The raw pain and fear they each feel, not knowing if their friend/colleague will live or die. It's an emotional read that I think advanced not only Dallas and Peabody's relationship but solidified Peabody and McNab.

The hunting of the serial killer speeds up after Peabody's attack. The ending doesn't come as a complete surprise but there is a twist that I didn't see coming and may surprise some readers. At this, the 22nd book in the series, Robb continues to write strong, versatile characters that continue to fascinate this reader.

Rating: A

The Hunger Games Mock Trailer...

Loved the book and now, TheHungerJabberJay, a fan of the trilogy has done an amazing job with this trailer. Makes me wish it was for a real movie. I'd go see it! Book 3, Mockingjay, release date is August 24.

I'm Not Here...

Today is my day at Access Romance Reader's Gab. So come on over and see what I'm gabbing about. I'll give you a hint - I'm confessing my deepest, darkest secrets. Okay, not really but I am making a confession about my reading. Stop by and make you're own confessions. :)

Car Buying Rant & Rave

I'm not a fan of car shopping. Sure, if I had an unlimited amount of money to spend it wouldn't be a problem but I like to get my limited amount of money's worth. So this weekend dh & I went car shopping, not fun but definitely not fun in the summer heat. We knew what we wanted, a small compact, low miles, 2-3 years old. We focused on Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas.

By the end of Saturday we had one possible car to buy - a Civic. But, when spending thousands of dollars you want to know that you've done due diligence and are getting the best car at the best price out there. So today we tried another dealer. Their website showed two Civics that fit our criteria. We get there and before we could get out of the car a sales person is out there waiting for us. We give him our list with the info of the two cars we want to see. He invites us inside, telling us he'll look them up and see if they still have them. We have a seat and he starts taking down our information. Not exactly comfortable with this but, okay. We finally head outside to look at some cars. The two cars on our list were both 2008, low miles (13K & 18K) and $17K & $14K. Same exact models, only difference was the miles and price.

The first car he showed us was an Accord, which is bigger than the Civic and had a lot of miles on it. He tells us the previous owner drove it to Flagstaff every day. That's like 1 1/2 hours away. We told him no. Then he showed us a Civic - a 2010 model priced at $22K. No again. Hey, another Civic, also another 2010 model at, yeah $22K. At this point I'm getting irritated. We come in, very specific with what we want and it's like he didn't listen. His manager shows up, asks how we're doing. We tell him what we're looking for. Then I ask the sales guy, "What about the two cars on the list we gave you?" His response, "Ah, here's the gray." Both cars on the list were gray. And yes, this car was a gray Civic but not one on the list. This was a 2007, which would have been fine except it had 36K miles. Too high. My guy drives 90 miles a day to work and back, he can put miles on the car just fine. :)

I ask about the two cars on the list. Where are they? Are they even out here? His response was that he'd go find out. What?! I thought that's what he was doing when we were inside at his desk and he was looking them up on his computer. Ugh! At this point I look at dh and say, I'm getting pissed, I want to go. His response - Okay. LOL He's usually very mellow but I knew he was already irritated when the guy had us inside, taking our information instead of showing us the cars. So I tell the sales guy that we're leaving. He's like, no, don't go, give me a couple minutes and I'll find the cars. Dude - we already gave you more than a couple minutes! We keep walking to our car, the sales manager guy comes out and starts after us, asking us to wait. I'm like, nope, we're done. We get in our car and the manager asks us "Didn't you see anything you liked?" So dh tells him that the guy didn't show us what we asked to see. And we left.

End of rant. Yeah!

We went back to one of the dealers from the day before and talked to Mo again - a nice salesman who wasn't pushy and showed us exactly what we asked to see. He was happy to see us back and after test driving another car, dh decided he liked the one he drove the day before. We started the massive amounts of paperwork and dh now has a new-to-us Civic. And now I'm wanting a newer car. I've got my eye on a red Honda CRV. But that will have to wait a couple of years. At least now I know where to go first!

Review: Instant Temptation

Instant Temptation
Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance
Wilder Adventures/Book 3
Kensington/April 2010
Library Book

From the back cover ~

Get Your Pulse Racing

To Harley, the landscape around Wishful, California, is exhilarating, untamed, and more than a little dangerous. The same could be said for T.J. Wilder, who's invited himself along on her trek to study a rare coyote. Harley's career is riding on this trip, and she doesn't need a stubborn, incredibly sexy distraction. But T.J. is a professional guide who knows when to stay back and when to provide invaluable expertise--just like he's done since they were in high school.

And Harley, as usual, is torn between throttling him and giving in to the raw attraction that's been smoldering all these years. T.J. knows how proud and capable Harley is, but he's damned sure not letting her put herself at risk when there are illegal hunters in the area. She needs him, with the same soul-stirring urgency that he's always craved her. And here, in this beautiful place days from civilization, he'll finally have a chance to prove it--over and over again. . .

I liked what little we saw of TJ in the two previous books so I have been looking forward to reading his story. Harley is also a character that we got a glimpse of before and I liked the idea of Harley and TJ together. It turns out they worked really good together.

Harley is one of those characters I could see myself being friends with if she existed in RL. She's easy to get to know and like. She does have some blind spots when it comes to her family. Her parents are good parents, they love their two daughters, but they're not exactly responsible when it comes to money and bills. They have come to rely on Harley to help them out. Same thing with Harley's sister, Skye. I don't have a problem with helping family and friends out now and then but with Harley it got to be a habit that was seriously affecting her life in the form of her bills not getting paid. This and Harley having a crush on TJ for years and not telling him are her two weakest traits. But I did like her in spite of those things.

TJ is the oldest of the Wilder brothers. I think the word remote describes him well. He's not cold but he keeps to himself, which is fairly easy since he's gone so much. TJ has a tragedy in his past that he hasn't gotten over. It's clouding his perception of what's really important to him - namely Harley. There were times that, like TJ's brothers, I just wanted to bash him over the head. Don't you just love it when characters make you want to do bodily harm to them? LOL Aside from the whole head bashing thing, I really, really, liked TJ. He's a bit gruff but he has this incredible soft side that you see when he's with his family and Harley. He knows there's chemistry between them, he doesn't deny it, but he's convinced himself that he doesn't do long term relationships. He's just not around enough. Of course his logic if flawed because he could be around more if he wanted to. Run away TJ, run away.

TJ's not the only one who's running away. Harley has been working hard and now it's payoff time. She's going for a permanent job in Colorado. She's convinced herself it's what she wants and what would be best for her. Then she spends some time alone with TJ in the wild and is drawn by the beauty of the outdoors. And the hot, sexy guide that is TJ. :) Harley's always loved being outside but doesn't see herself making a living at it.

Harley + TJ = lots of outdoor sex, indoor sex and pretty much anywhere they could find some alone time. Shalvis knows how to write it hot and adds in a bit of humor. The romance is sweet, funny and heartbreaking. I love these two together! They fit so well, everyone knew it, even Harley and TJ but Harley wanted long term and TJ didn't. It takes a swift kick in the pants for both of them to realize what they really want. It was fun seeing how they got to that nearly elusive HEA, traveling over all those bumps along the way.

I have to mention the other members of the Wilder family. First, there's TJ's two younger brothers - Stone and Cam. Loved the teasing, joking, playfulness of the three brothers. They may give each other a hard time but it's all done in love. Tough love a lot of the time but the love is still there. Then there's Annie and Nick. Annie is the aunt of the three boys who took them in a helped raise them when she was very young. Nick is a good friend to the brothers and Annie's husband. They're a cute couple. It's definitely a family story with the main focus on the romance. A really good end to the Wilder brothers.

Rating: A-

ETA: My reviews for books 1 & 2

Instant Attraction
Instant Gratification

TBR Challenge Review: Shadowlight

Shadowlight
Lynn Viehl
Paranormal Romance
Kyndred/Book 1
Onyx/October 2009
Purchased

From the back cover ~

With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone's darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn't know is that a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA.Gaven Matthias is forced to abduct Jessa himself so he can protect her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can-t read. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them to run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover if Matthias is her greatest ally-or her deadliest enemy.

This month I picked a book that I bought when it first came out last fall. It hasn't been on the pile for that long but it's one that I wanted to get to soon since the second book just came out. I enjoyed Viehl's Darkyn vampire series so I was intrigued by her spin-off series about human's with special powers. This month's suggested challenge theme was "unusual professions or not your usual setting". I think this could fit that. The hero's profession is not something he could put on a resumé - I'd say it falls in the unusual category. :)

The story has a few flashbacks, which I'm not a fan of, but they do add to the plot and explain character motivation. I didn't find it too distracting, so I was okay with them. Little bits and pieces are unveiled to the reader as the story progresses. Sometimes this worked but sometimes it left me wishing I had some confirmation on what I thought was going on.

Jessa Bellamy runs a company specializing in background checks. She has a unique ability she utilizes in her work. It's that ability that GenHance wants and will do anything to get. Jessa finds herself running from an enemy, saved by a man who wants her to trust him. She only knows what he tells her but her instincts are telling her to trust him. Jessa is smart and a survivor. I liked how she didn't hide in the corner but used her brain, trying to outwit Matthias. She's thrown into stressful situations, her life in danger but she didn't completely panic, although she had her moments but she's allowed. She didn't resort to tears but used logic and reason when dealing with Matthias.

Gaven Matthias is hard man to describe. He's not a typical 21st century alpha hero. He doesn't play games but is very serious. Sometimes I wasn't sure if he knew how to be playful. English is not his native language so it was fun to see him try to understand the some of the slang that came his way. He's a very focused man - focused on his mission even when Jessa proves to be a distraction. He wasn't an easy man to know. He doesn't open to Jessa easily, telling her very little about himself.

The romance between Jessa and Matthias was just okay. I never felt I completely connected with either one of them. I liked certain things about each of them but it was from a distance for the most part. I do wish their backgrounds had been revealed sooner and that Jessa and Matthias could have moved on from there. I found I liked the internal dialogue of the villain and the action scenes more than the romance.

An added bonus is the appearance of my favorite couple from Viehl's Darkyn series - Lucan and Samantha. They show up to extradite a convict and start investigation the horrible murders because of the brutality and the possibility that the murderer might be Darkyn.

So, while I wasn't blown away, Shadowlight proved to be a decent start to the series. The second book, Dreamveil, is about the secondary character Rowan. She's intriguing - I'm not sure what to make of her so I'll be reading her book to find out more. Curious to see her story unfold.

Rating: B