DIK Challenge Review: Bound by Your Touch

Bound by Your Touch
Meredith Duran
Historical Romance/London/1884
Pocket Books/June 2009

Purchased

From the back cover ~

Silver-tongued Viscount Sanburne is London’s favorite scapegrace. Alas, Lydia Boyce has no interest in being charmed. When his latest escapade exposes a plot to ruin her family, she vows to handle it herself. Certainly she requires no help from a too-handsome dilettante whose main achievement is being scandalous.

But Sanburne’s golden charisma masks a sharper mind and darker history than she realizes. He shocks Lydia by breaking past her prim facade to the woman beneath . . . and the hidden fire no man has ever recognized. But as she follows him into a world of intrigue, she will learn that the greatest danger lies within—in the shadowy, secret motives of his heart.

Better late then never, I say. :) I've finally reading a Meredith Duran novel. This one comes from CJ's list on the island. It isn't Duran's first book, The Duke of Shadows, but I'm sure I'll get to that one eventually. This is Ms. Duran's second novel which I found quite entertaining.

It's 1884, and James Durham, Viscount Sanburne is not himself. He's under the influence. Of what, he's not sure. Something his friend Phin created. James doesn't seem to care what's causing the high, only that he can escape reality. The words that came to mind when I first met James were "frat boy". He drinks, stays out all night and in general doesn't seem to give a damn about anything. But there is so much more to James. His dissolution with life comes from what he feels was his inability to keep his sister safe. He blames himself for not getting her out of a dangerous situation. James is also suffering from a broken relationship with his father, Earl of Moreland. James takes distinct pleasure in embarrassing his father in society. Yes, James is determined to cultivate that bad boy image.

Lydia Boyce is nothing like James. She is the eldest of three daughters of Henry Boyce, an archaeologist of some renowned. She is well read and manages her father's affairs while he spends most of his time on digs in Africa. I really liked Lydia from the start. I did feel sorry for when she finds herself in a very upsetting situation early on. Being the eldest Lydia is a natural leader and feels responsible for her sisters. Ana, her youngest sister, is sweet and innocent. Her sister Sophie is a real bitch. Yep, I've got it right here in my notes, "Sophie is a bitch". Lydia put up with a lot of BS when it came to Sophie. I really wish she had shown her backbone regarding Sophie a bit sooner than she did. On the other hand, she had no problem standing up to Viscount Sanburne.

When Lydia meets James the impression he gives is not a good one. ~

But then something went wrong. His laugh started out softly, but he did not seem able to stop it. As his mirth rose in volume, it assumed a lunatic quality. Lydia dimly sensed people scattering back to their seats, but she could not look away from the young lord's face. It was more than morbid curiosity that arrested her. She'd never seen someone lose his mind before, but Sanburne managed it beautifully. The sight tightened her throat, and only this prevented her impulse to - page 23

James is unconventional and Lydia can't help but be fascinated by him. Like a train wreck, she can't seem to look away. And they go on to have another encounter of the bizarre at the home of James' father. Lydia is there for a dinner party when James makes his entrance. Their banter shows off their intelligence and wit. With James teasing and leading Lydia to where he thinks her wants her to go. But Lydia is smart and not one to easily be lead around.

Lydia and James are brought together because of their mutual interest in antiquities, specifically from Egypt. Lydia handles the items her father ships back to England but now the legitimacy of those items has come into question. Lydia is determine her father is innocent of any wrong. James is just as determined to find out what exactly is going on with the forgeries. Their relationship most of the time is at odds with their goals. They begin with a keen dislike of each other based on those goals. They then move to attraction, of course, then a shared goal. Duran plays out the suspense of the story well, giving the reader enough back story to fill in the various characters and their roles.

I did like how James came to appreciate Lydia's intellect. He didn't continue to assume he was the more intelligent one simply because he was the man but came to value her as a person. He still maintained his alpha-ness and tried to protect her but Lydia was a force to be reckoned with. And Lydia learned to look beyond James' playboy facade' to the real man behind the mask. What she found was a man that loved his sister, cared about his friends and society as a whole. He simply didn't know what to do with those emotions. In this way Lydia helped him work out and face his feelings regarding his sister and his father.

Any problems I had with the book were minor. There were times when I felt the narration was a bit too heavy and could have been broken up with more dialogue. Overall I thought that Duran did a good job developing not only the characters but the plot, flavoring it with the costumes and and the workings of the society of that period. The secondary character of Phin caught my interest and fortunately his book, Written on Your Skin, is next in the line up.

Rating: A-

In Death Challenge Review: Fantasy in Death

Fantasy in Death
J. D. Robb
Futuristic Suspense/Earth 2060
In Death series/Book 30 (plus 7 novellas)
Putnam/February 2010
Library book

From the inside cover ~

Bart Minnock, founder of the computer-gaming giant U-Play, enters his private room, and eagerly can't wait to lose himself in an imaginary world—to play the role of a sword-wielding warrior king—in his company’s latest top-secret project, Fantastical.

The next morning, he is found in the same locked room, in a pool of blood, his head separated from his body. It is the most puzzling case Eve Dallas has ever faced, and it is not a game...

She is having as much trouble figuring out how Bart Minnock was murdered as who did the murdering. The victim's girlfriend seems sincerely grief-stricken, and his quirky-but-brilliant partners at U-Play appear equally shocked. No one seemed to have a problem with the enthusiastic, high-spirited millionaire. Of course, success can attract jealousy, and gaming, like any business, has its fierce rivalries and dirty tricks—as Eve's husband, Roarke, one of U-Play's competitors, knows well. But Minnock was not naive, and quite capable of fighting back in the real world as well as the virtual one.

Eve and her team are about to enter the next level of police work, in a world where fantasy is the ultimate seduction-and the price of defeat is death.

I am completely caught up with the series. Yeah! It only took a year and a half and most of that was listening to audio books. This time around I read the book and I have to say, I missed the voices. While I still hear the different accents and nuances in my head as I read, of course it's not anywhere as clear as listening to the audio books.

Okay, this is a weird case, even for Dallas. A decapitated victim, alone in a secured holo room. Dallas and Peabody have to call in the EDD (Electronic Detective Division) since they will figure heavily in this investigation. And Roarke has a connection to the victim, no surprise there. I do often wonder how he gets any of his own work done managing his multi-billion dollar empire when he spends so much time helping Eve.

I liked the scenario, yeah it's gross but you gotta say, it's different. As I went along reading something felt... off. For some reason I didn't get that click that I usually do when I get into an In Death book. Like I wasn't quite fully into the world. Could it be because it wasn't an audio book? IDK, but whatever reason, I liked the book but I didn't love it.

This time around we didn't get as much Eve/Roarke time. At least it didn't seem like it. Which was okay with me. I was intrigued by the holo game and how Dallas and Peabody would figure out the who/why of the murder. There was also the secondary story line of Nadine's book release party. She wrote a book about what happened in Origin in Death. It was one of Dallas' cases and right up there with this one in the land of bizarre. Eve and Nadine's relationship has become more than a working friendship. They have both gotten closer and have learned to trust each other with both work issues and personal issues. Another person that Eve has learned to open up to.

As the plot progresses we get more information on the fascinating gamer world of the future. Peabody and McNab head to East Washington for a gamer convention. Lots of similarities to the current cons; games to test, celebrities to meet, cool toys to buy. I liked seeing Peabody and McNab together, they are such a cute couple. Peabody with all of her body insecurities and McNab loving her just the way she is. Lucky girl, our Peabody!

My favorite part of Fantasy in Death was Dallas and Peabody. I know when people mention the series it's Eve and Roarke's relationship that is most often mentioned but I like how Dallas and Peabody's relationship is evolving and changing right along with Eve and Roarke's. I've noticed that when I think of Roarke and the Lieutenant I call her Eve but when I think about Peabody and the Lieutenant I call her Dallas. I guess it's my little way of separating Lt. Eve Dallas's two lives.

In the beginning when Dallas tagged Peabody to be her assistant, Peabody was in awe of Lt. Eve Dallas. She was a bundle of nerves and very unsure of herself when it came to working a crime scene. She was also a little afraid of Dallas. Afraid of disappointing her and not living up to Dallas' expectations. Fast forward to their current relationship and it goes something like this. ~

[Dallas]"Who's on this one?"

[Peabody]"I put Carmichael, Foster, Callendar on this one. It's supposed to storm tonight. Do you think it's going to storm?"

"How do I know? Do I look like a forecaster?"

"I've got these great shoes to wear to Nadine's party, but if it rains and we get stuck getting a cab or have to walk to the subway, they'll get screwed." Peabody searched the sky for answers. "If it storms I need to wear those pretty mag boots, but they're not new. Plus the shoes are so totally uptown."

"Peabody? Your footwear is of absolutely no interest to me, and at the moment the source of mild annoyance."

"Since it's only mild, let me continue. I sprang for a new outfit, too. It seemed like a good excuses for one. Nadine's book, fancy deal. And the Icove case was ours. I'm in the book and all that. I want to look complete. What are you wearing?"

"I don't know. I don't care."

"You have to." To bring the point home, Peabody stabbed Eve's arm with her finger. "You're like the star of the book."

"I am not the star of the book." The idea was horrifying. "The case is the star of the book."

"Who was in charge of the case?"

"I'm going to show you my current footwear, Peabody, up close when my boot connects with you nose."

"It's usually my ass, so that's a nice change." pages 238-239

I started laughing when she continued since it was only causing mild annoyance for Dallas. If this had been back at the beginning of their relationship, Peabody wouldn't have mentioned her shoes let alone continued talking when Dallas told her to shut it. I love the way they tease each other and are there for each other. They make for a very balanced partnership.

The wrap up of the case was dramatic and I thought done well. Dallas does a good job putting all the pieces together with the help of the EDD team and her expert consultant, civilian. The villain wasn't a surprise to me but I did find the how of the murder interesting. Robb adds another solid entry to the enduring In Death series.

Rating: B+

ARC Review: Naked Edge

Naked Edge
Pamela Clare
Romantic Suspense
I-Team series/Book 4
Berkley/March 2010
ARC won from DA

From the author's website ~

What do you do when desire drives you to the very brink?

The day Navajo journalist Katherine James met Gabriel Rossiter, the earth literally moved beneath her feet. Nearly killed in a rock slide while hiking, she found her life in the tall park ranger's hands. Although she can't forget him she thinks she'll never see him again. She is crushed when she recognizes her rescuer among the law enforcement officers raiding a sweat lodge ceremony one night, throwing her and her friends off Mesa Butte, land they consider sacred.

Gabe long ago swore he would never again lose himself to a woman not even one with long dark hair and big eyes that seem to see right through him. But from the moment he first sees Kat, the attraction he feels is undeniable. Appalled by what he has been ordered to do, he's determined to get to the bottom of recent events at Mesa Butte and to keep Kat safe.

But asking questions can be dangerous almost as dangerous as risking one's heart. And soon Kat and Gabe's passion for the truth and each other makes them targets for those who would do anything, even kill, to keep Native Americans off their sacred land.

First off I want to say that I've enjoyed the previous books in Ms. Clare's I-Team series and was looking forward to Kat's story. We knew just the basics about her from previous books but that was enough to snare my interest. Unfortunately, my interest in Kat slowly dissipated as Naked Edge progressed. And Gabe Rossiter, well, lets just say I had some issues with him to. But I'll get into those later.

The story starts out with Kat heading north to do some hiking. She heads to Eldorado Canyon State Park where hero Gabe Rossiter works as a ranger. After Kat's close brush with death and Gabe's rescuing her they both go their separate ways. Kat back to Denver and her job as an environmental investigative report with the prestigious I-Team and Gabe with his ranger duties.

Move forward three months later and Kat is at Mesa Butte, participating in a Navajo ceremony when it's violently broken up by the local police. Gabe is called in because the area is part of the Mountain Parks jurisdiction. What he finds are some women and an old man not bothering anyone but being treated like criminals. I liked the Native American aspects of the story. I thought Clare worked them well into the plot and made them an interesting part of Kat's heritage.

Gabe is stunned to see Kat again. He hasn't forgotten her from when he rescued her from the rock slide. But Gabe is not a one woman man and for Kat, that's all she wants. The dynamics of Kat and Gabe's relationship were polar opposites when it came to their sexual needs. Gabe wants to fuck. Period. In fact, I got to thinking that was his favorite word since he used it so much. Kat was a 26 year old virgin with very little experience with any type of physical intimacy. I liked the fact that she stayed true to her beliefs. She was strongly attracted to Gabe but let him know that she was a virgin and planned to stay that way. Talk about being shocked! That part I thought was funny. Gabe couldn't believe gorgeous Kat James was a virgin. For a guy as experienced as Gabe, Kat was out of his realm of experience. :)

Gabe's past history with woman is front and center in his present views of women. It's not that he is disrespectful towards them, it's just that he only wants no strings sex from them. The problem I had with Gabe's outlook is that he was a smart man but couldn't see that not everyone woman was destined to treat him like crap. Kat was so different from Gabe's previous lover that I had a hard time buying into his trust issues with her (Kat). Once he got to know Kat, there is no way he could have expected her to treat him with anything other than honesty. I think it would have been easier from me to believe that his attitude about sex came from being self-centered rather than having trust issues.

Kat started out fine but slowly got on my nerves. Kat is this young woman with a very important, stressful job that most journalist would kill for. It wasn't that I had a hard time believing in her writing skills or her intelligence but her ability to deal with stressful situations became hard to believe. To put it bluntly, she turned into a cry baby. Seriously, she just seem to cry all the time. At one point, I thought "what is she, pregnant?", then I remember she was a virgin. And her need to be rescued, repeatedly. It just go to be too much.

The suspense aspect of the plot was engaging. It did run fairly smoothly until near the end. Then I pretty much had to suspend all disbelief to take in the dramatic cliff-hanger of an ending. Up until that point, I thought the development of the mystery of Mesa Butte fairly well done. I do think some of my favorite scenes were at the newspaper. Seeing the workings of a big city newspaper, that's where Clare shows her stuff. She lends her experience as a journalist to the story and gives the reader the feel that they are right there in the newsroom with the I-Team.

So, not my favorite story in the series but there were certain parts that I did enjoy. Most of the reviews I've read for Naked Edge have been very positive, so I'm chalking this one up to personal preference and that it just didn't live up to my expectations. I did take a peak at the excerpt for the next book in the series. If the excerpt is any indication, it looks to be a good one. Even with the little bump in the road that was Naked Edge, I still like Clare's writing and will continue with this series.

Rating: C+

Review: My Soul to Save

My Soul to Save
Rachel Vincent
Fantasy/Young Adult
Soul Screamers/Book 2
Harlequin Teen/January 2010
Library book

Spoilers for Book 1

From the back cover ~

“If she were going to die, I’d already be screaming. I’m a banshee. That’s what we do.”

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld - a consequence they cant' possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

Book 2 of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series picks up where book 1 left off. Kaylee and Nash are dating. Kaylee is now living with her father who has moved back to the United States from Ireland. Before Kaylee's father moved back to Texas, Kaylee was living with her aunt, uncle and cousin. Since her aunt's death and the events leading up to it, Kaylee's father is now back in her life in a big way. She's happy about it but they are both new at this father/daughter thing. He's overprotective of Kaylee but he's also a bean sidhe, so he knows the darker side of what's out there. I liked how he was portrayed. He loves Kaylee but he's also stumbling around when it comes to how to treat his nearly grown up daughter, she's 16. It's a learning process for him that he doesn't always score high on but the love is definitely there.

Vincent does a good job of moving the story arc forward, introducing new creatures and giving the reader a greater understanding of the Netherworld. We do get to see Kaylee and Nash's relationship progress at a believable rate. Nash made it clear he wanted to sleep with Kaylee, Kaylee isn't completely sure. She wants to but...

I never felt Nash would push her into it. And they do have a bunch of other things and people, to interfere with any alone time they might get. Both Kaylee and Nash have parents that are present and involved in their lives. These are parents that are trying their best to raise their kids in the most normal of ways, knowing the bizarre other world that is part of their lives.

Kaylee and Nash are a typical high school couple in many ways but they are also a very unique couple because of what they each are - bean sidhe. They compliment each other with Kaylee letting loose her ear piercing wail and Nash using his soothing voice to help her not go crazy when the urge to wail comes over her. I liked the way Vincent shows them as being typical. They both have school and homework. Kaylee has a job, Nash has football practice. And through all of this they still have their duties as bean sidhes.

The main focus of the story is the soul stealing of teens that's going on. Specifically Addison Page. She is a singer and TV star. She's also Tod's ex-girlfriend. Tod being Nash's older, very dead brother. But Tod's still around because he's a reaper. He works at a local hospital, taking the souls of the recently departed. Tod may be dead but he's still very much a part of Nash's, and Kaylee's, lives. He's the one that gets them into the concert where Addison is the opening act for the singing star Eden. Kaylee, Nash and Tod find out what has been going on with the selling of souls after Eden drops dead on stage. Here's where we see some conflict between Kaylee and Nash. Kaylee feels she must help Addison but Nash doesn't think it's worth risking their lives for what he considers a spoiled pop princess. Kaylee stays firm in her belief and Nash goes along to protect Kaylee.

There is a vulnerable side of Kaylee that I enjoyed seeing. She's a very strong-willed, young woman. She's brave and maybe even a bit reckless when it comes to her bean sidhe life except she also has insecurities concerning Nash. She very attracted to him and knows he's attracted to her, yet she wonders about that attraction. If he's attracted to her because she's a bean sidhe or because she's another "conquest" for Nash, the popular football star. Those insecurities, for me, made her more authentic as a female and a teenager.

This time around we get more of the Netherworld. The way Vincent describes it I found fascinating and eerie. It makes sense that the higher concentration of hellions and such would be found corresponding with places of high human traffic. I found myself worried for Kaylee, Nash and oddly, even Tod when they were in the Netherworld. I have no idea why I was worried about Tod since he is dead. Just got caught up in the story. :)

Tod is an interesting character in that we get to see him interact with Nash and Kaylee as if he's just another young adult. Sometimes I would forget that he was a reaper and as dangerous as a reaper should be. There were times when Vincent would remind us of that very fact. After reading book 1, I was curious about Tod. Now, after getting to know more about him, I'm still curious. A good thing, right?

The ending - Wow. I wasn't sure what to expect. How everything could possibly work out, with a good outcome. Vincent played it well, giving the reader a resolution to the soul stealing while still reminding us that this isn't fun and games but life and death. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series, My Soul to Keep, release date June 1.

Rating: A-

Review: My Soul to Take/Book 1

Eat, Pray, Love Movie

After seeing the movie trailer, I want to read the book. Anyone read the book? I know it was real popular, might still be on the NY Times list. I actually have it around here somewhere...





The trailer looks really good. Some might say it's a chick flick but I think it's more. Similar to Under the Tuscan Sun, which I really liked and yeah that's no doubt considered a chick flick too. Even though the main character is female, I still think there are things that a man could relate to. Plus guys still think Julia Roberts is hot right?

Much of what she said resonated with me. I couldn't take off for a year but there are definitely times when I'd like to take a road trip and just focus on me, if only for a few days. I think I will take off to the movies this summer and see this. Maybe even drag dh along. :)

Review: Tapestry

Tapestry
Karen Ranney
Historical Romance/1760's
Zebra Books/May 1995
Sent to me by Lori :)

From the back cover ~

THEIR DESTINIES WERE BOUND BY A SHIMMERING THREAD OF DESIRE...

For Lady Laura Blake, there is only on man in the world: Alex, the Earl of Cardiff. Yet ever since he was wounded in battle, Alex has locked himself away in his great stone castle at Heddon Hall. Believing himself to be less than a man, he conceals his ravaged face behind a leather mask... and hides his scarred soul beneath an icy aloofness.

A mere child when he went off to war, Laura has blossomed into a beautiful young woman Alex scarcely recognizes. The compassion and desire he sees shining out of her eyes tempts him to ease his pain in her sweet, sensual embrace. But as need flames into uncontrollable passion, an evil fate conspires against them both, weaving a web of treachery and betrayal that could bring heartbreak or happiness to those who dare to love...

First I have to give a big thanks to Lori who sent me her copy of Tapestry after she reviewed it on I Just Finished Reading. She was such a sweetheart and offered to send me her copy. I took her up on the offer and was pleasantly surprised by this older historical romance's take on the beauty and the beast theme.

The story begins with Laura, the beauty, eager to act on her plan to get inside the beast's lair, certain she can persuade him to venture out among the living. Alex, the beast, is there proving the rumors of his injuries true. He wears all black, donning a mask to cover his disfigurement. Laura is not put off by his visage, only more determined to break through the walls he has put up since returning from war. Alex, is intrigued by Laura, though he does not recognize her as the childhood friend and neighbor he left behind. She has grown into a woman, with a woman's love for a man.

In Tapestry there is the basics of the beauty and the beast story. Alex was cursed by war and death, becoming a man to be feared and pitied. Laura is the light, there to bring him back from the darkness that he has fallen into. I enjoyed the way Ranney developed Laura and Alex's new relationship, making Laura the stronger of the two. It's Laura that brings Alex out of hiding and Laura that forces the issue of their physical attraction. Alex tries to hold back out of fear of her reaction to his scars but she pushes him, showing him that they do not offend her. Once they give in, look out, Alex can't get enough of Laura. He's making up for lost time. :)

Alex has lived through some horrible things in his twenty-eight years. He not only suffered terrible wounds but came into his title of earl through the deaths of his father and older brother. I got why he wanted to be left alone in his tower - people treated him like he was a monster. Who wouldn't want to hide away from the world? Even after he begins to spend time with Laura he still has this sadness about him. Moments of happiness are there but he still can't seem to allow himself to be completely happy. It's as if he knows something bad is going to happen. Self prophesy?

Laura, for her part, maintains her positive nature. She encourages Alex to become part of the world again, not only by loving him but also by challenging him to engage in the running of his estates. What she doesn't do is give up on him. And he can be a trial to deal with. If Alex were a woman you could almost say he blossoms. LOL He really does come out of hiding and begins to really live again. But of course it's too easy to end the story this way, and far too short, so Alex must go away to war and possibly never come back.

Here's where the story shows it's age a bit. It gets that old school feel to it with one tragedy after another coming at Laura. She sinks into depression and despair. She is so far removed from the Laura that we first meet who rescued Alex. Now she needs some rescuing but first... she must sink just a little farther.

This is where the story slowed down. It's like I knew what had to happen, so lets just get to it already! So, my impatience got to me a little. But even with the slow points I still enjoyed this lovely gem of a romance. Laura and Alex made for an interesting love story and I found I liked the way they played off each other. I'll certainly be reading more of Ms. Ranney's romances.

Rating: B+

Review: The Secret Year

The Secret Year

Jennifer R. Hubbard

Young Adult Contemporary

Viking/January 2010

Library book

From the author's website ~

Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend. When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal Julia left behind. But Colt is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

This little book really surprised me, in a good way. The premise is in the style of West Side story but the twist is that the heroine is dead when the book begins. We get to know her through her own words, written in her journal, and through the memories of the hero, Colt. We get to see how he deals with her death in secret, just like their relationship. For a teen to have to lose someone they care about is hard but to have to grieve in quiet solitude must be even harder, causing pain and confusion.

I think part of the reason I liked this book so much and was able to connect with it so quickly was because of Colt. It's told in his POV. I liked his dark, dry humor and found myself laughing at some of the strangest times. He tells it like it is, and doesn't go easy on himself. What we get is his guilt over Julia's death and his questions about what role he played in her death. Colt doesn't do a whole lot of "why me" which was refreshing. He knew where he was from, the flats as it's called. The blue collar neighborhood where his mother works as a waitress and his father drinks, a lot. And Julia was a kid from Black Mountain Road where the mansions and money are. Completely different worlds.

Colt and Julia meet along the river bank. They strike up a peculiar relationship, meeting in secret, mostly by the river. Julia is afraid of being caught but she also gets a secret thrill from "almost" being caught. Colt is a laid back guy and seems to get swept up in her. Completely overpowered by her personality is a good way to describe what happens to him. She's so different than what he's encountered in his very limited experience with the opposite sex.

The aftermath of Julia's death leaves Colt at odds with his group of friends. He needs to talk to someone about Julia and their relationship but he can't. Then her journal falls into his hands and he gets to find out what she thought of their relationship. He gets to relive their year together through her eyes. While he is doing that he is also caught up in the middle of the rivalry of the kids from the flats and the kids from Black Mountain. Colt has some issues with Austin Chadwick, one of the Black Mountain guys. Austin was Julia's boyfriend and Colt can't stand him. The dissension between the two groups emphasizes how the high school society would have viewed Julia and Colt's relationship.

The one real problem I had with the story was the teen angst. Too heavy for my liking but remember, I'm not a teen so of course this is totally from my older perspective. Would I have thought the same when I was a teen? Maybe. I don't think it would have irritated me as much. I do think Hubbard did a good job with the characterizations. Some even reminded me of people I knew when I went to high school. lol

The Secret Year is an interesting and different story. I think by having it begin with Julia already dead, the focus could be on Colt. Had she still been alive, I have a feeling her presence would have overpowered his and we would have missed out on the unique perspective of the teen male. The Secret Year, Hubbard's debut novel, is a quick read at just under 200 page, but it packs a solid punch. Dealing with forbidden love, social class conflicts, secrets and loyalty.

Rating: B+

TBR Challenge Review: Have You Seen Her?

Have You Seen Her?
Karen Rose

Romantic Suspense

Warner Books/February 2004

Purchased

From the back cover ~

DO YOU LOVE HER?

One by one, the girls disappear from their beds at night. Each one is pretty, with long, dark hair. And each one is found brutally murdered.

DO YOU MISS HER?

Special Agent Steven Thatcher has sworn to find the serial killer preying on this small town. As the investigation pulls him one way, his family pulls him in another. A widower haunted by loss, he now worries about his son Brad slipping away. But there's a bright light in his life; his son's teacher, Jenna Marshall, has reached out to help. She's beautiful, kind, and considerate— and slowly, tentatively, she and Steven are starting to fall in love. But both have been hurt before— badly. And as the two try to find the courage to bare their souls, a murderer who has slain many looks for the real treasure he craves. He sets his traps. And waits. For Jenna . . .

HAVE YOU SEEN HER?

This month the suggested themes were historical romance, mystery or fiction. I decide to deviate a little and chose a romantic suspense. So there is that mystery element to the plot plus some romance. The murderer in this case isn't obvious and it's up to Agent Thatcher and his team to figure out who is committing the brutal murders.

The second book in Karen Rose's loosely connected series shows this author hasn't fallen into the sophomore slump. She continues in Have You Seen Her? with Special Agent Steven Thatcher who we met in the first book, Don't Tell. Agent Thatcher is given the lead investigator spot on what's looking to be a serial murderer. A very brutal murderer. The girls are young, pretty and cheerleaders. They leave their homes willingly in the middle of the night since no signs of a struggle are found. What is found are their mutilated bodies.

Agent Thatcher and his family are still feeling the after affects from when his youngest son was kidnapped six months ago. His youngest son Nick can't sleep in his own bed but instead chooses to sleep on the floor. The two older boys seem to be back to normal but are more cautious around Nick. Aunt Helen, who came to live with Steven and the boys after their mother died, is pretty much worried about everyone. Steven feels the pressure at work, having his boss looking over his shoulder and wondering if he's going to crack, makes for a stressful work environment. But Steven feels that he is more than up to the job of finding the murderer of the young girls.

Steven's oldest son, Brad, has been having some problems in school. His grades have been taking a nose dive. Finally his chemistry teacher, Dr. Jenna Marshall calls Steven to discuss his eldest son. Jenna's had a recent encounter with a parent that left her shaken so she's leery when it comes to meeting Steven. No worries, it turns out Jenna has no problem telling Steven what she thinks. I liked their first meeting. Jenna may have ended up on the floor but with an advantage over Steven. She has beautiful legs and wears garters. What is it about men and their love of garter belts? Steven can't get over Jenna's legs. Jenna can't get over the idiot who ran into her. This is one of the things I like about Rose's writing. She deals with a very dark topic and adds the lighter man/woman fumbling of instant attraction to keep that dark/light symmetry. Throughout the book there is a good balance of suspense and romance/family plot.

Steven continues with searching for the killer and Jenna starts getting to know Steven and his sons. Neither one wants anything serious. Steven is worried about bringing someone into the boys' lives only to have that person leave. Jenna is living with the ghost of her deceased fiance. What's interesting is that they both know the way they're living isn't healthy but they can't seem to change. Human nature at work folks! Rose does an admiral job giving Steven a little push here, Jenna a little push there until they realize they don't want to be without the other. Unfortunately lives must "hang in the balance" before that realization comes. :)

The mystery/suspense aspect worked well with a few little quibbles, mainly at the end. Some circumstances that seemed just too unrealistic. There are other circumstances that made me roll my eyes a bit but the overall mystery keep me entertained. I also liked the team members of Steven's group. Their work relationships sometimes carried over into friendships. The role each team member played felt authentic, no extra bodies, everyone had a job to do.

Three secondary characters I liked a whole bunch were Steven's sons. Brad, the eldest is the smart steady one, until he's not. I liked his storyline and the way his emotions were dealt with. Very realistic IMO. Matt, the middle son was easy going, quick with a laugh but wisdom lurked behind the jokes. Nicky is the youngest and most vulnerable. He's got that shyness that can pull you in so easy and make you want to bring a smile to his face. Jenna totally fell for him. I thought the relationships she made with these boys was well written and would have been missed had they been merely skimmed over.

Jenna has a family too, sort of. She has Adam, her deceased fiance's family. This was an odd little group Jenna had. She's very close to her fiance's father and calls him Dad. She has dinner regularly with the fiance's sister and her family. They are a close group and it's good for Jenna because she's not close to her mom and doesn't know her bio dad. But there were times when they suffocated Jenna with the reminders of Adam. This to me, was one of the main reason she had such a hard time moving on.

There is this theme that I seem to be running into lately, just happened with another recent read. It's the projecting a past love's hurtful actions onto the current love interest. I can understand when you get burned and you're cautious but when the past love and the present love are completely different people it can get to the point where it's just overkill. Steven did that to Jenna and it caused him to do some serious damage to their relationship. Really just wanted to smack him over the head a few times.

Ah, even with the few problems, they were minor and I managed to read this in about 24 hours. I was sick and camped out on the couch but still a very engaging story. I can certainly see why Karen Rose has so many fans.

Rating: A-

ARC Review: The Stolen Crown

The Stolen Crown

Susan Higginbotham

Historical Fiction/England/1464-1483

Sourcebooks Landmark/March 2010

ARC from Publisher

From the author's website ~

When six-year-old Kate Woodville’s beautiful sister Elizabeth makes a shocking—and secret—marriage to King Edward IV in 1464, Kate and her large family are whisked to the king’s court. Soon a bedazzled Kate becomes one of the greatest ladies in the land when she marries young Harry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. But Kate’s fairy-tale existence as a duchess is shattered when the ongoing conflict between the houses of Lancaster and York engulfs the Woodville family.

As Edward IV fights to keep his crown, Harry’s relatives become hopelessly divided between Lancaster and York. Forced constantly to struggle with his own allegiances, Harry faces his defining moment when his dear friend Richard, Duke of Gloucester, determines to seize the throne for himself as Richard III. With lives in jeopardy and nothing less than a dynasty at stake, Harry’s loyalties—and his conscience—will be put to the ultimate test.

What a story Higginbotham has woven into this rich slice of English history. The characters may be real people long since dead but the emotions and distinct traits given to them bring them alive again and allow the reader to get to know these men and women. While this isn't my typical historical read, I found myself becoming immersed in the history of the Lancastrians and Yorks. The political intrigues of court life, marriages made for power and riches, wars fought for kingdoms; it all comes back to the people who lived those historical events.

There are very, very many characters needed to tell the story of the War of the Roses and the reigns of Edward IV, Richard III and Henry VII. Included at the beginning of the book is a long list of the historical figures mentioned in the novel. It is arranged by family and I found very helpful in keeping the various characters and their relationships organized for me. The two main characters of the story are Harry Stafford, second Duke of Buckingham and his wife, Katherine Woodville. They are also the characters who's POV the story is written in.

Beginning when they are both children and going through their adulthood, Harry and Katherine are the storytellers. They give their unique perspectives of the events occurring around them as well as those they are directly part of. From the secret marriage of a king, to life at court, to the battles for the control of the crown; all seen through their eyes. I liked the way the two viewpoints were written. At the beginning, with Harry giving a more "male-centered" perspective and Kate the "female-centered" perspective. Over the course of time we see how their priorities changed as they grow older. And how their outlook on not only their futures but England's future changes.

The Woodvilles play a crucial role in Edward IV reign. Edward marries Elizabeth (Bess) Woodville in secret, making Kate the sister to the Queen. The Woodvilles are not well liked by many of the nobles, with many thinking they are reaching far above their station. There is fear of the power they will wield being related to the king. This puts Kate and Harry in the midst of many of the conflicts.

I have to say I found the life of the royal court and all the intrigue fascinating. Even though I know the history of the time and the outcome of the characters I still found my attention on the story, worrying about what would happen and how it would all turn out. Harry and Kate gave the extraordinary events a human facet. I loved how they were shown with all their flaws and insecurities. How they loved each other but still made mistakes and hurt the ones they loved most. It made them that much more human, that much more interesting. More than just names found in a history book.

The Stolen Crown is not what I would consider a light historical read by any means. It has it's share of sadness and despair. With some very complex plots and character relations to follow. But there is also happiness to be found, the pure joy of the moment they are able to find among the intrigue of the court. I'd forgotten how appealing I find reading about historical figures, about actual events and the people who lived them. The Stolen Crown has reminded me how captivating those people and events can be.

Rating: A-

Reading, Sneezing and Blogging...

So, it's been really quiet in blogland. Wait, that's Nath's line. LOL

One of my goals for the year was to post more about me and RL. This isn't exactly what I had in mind but, for now, it's all I've got. :)

I’ve been quiet and way behind on blog hopping. Friday night I started getting that icky feeling in my throat. Then the sneezing started. But I was determined I wasn't going to get sick. Nope, not happening. The weather is too pretty to be stuck inside and it’s spring break here. Lots to do.

Saturday found me feeling worse and a giant box of tissues as my constant companion. I still didn’t feel terrible and thought it would just be a mild cold. I did read my TBR challenge book, Karen Rose’s Have You Seen Her? Started it Friday night and finished it Saturday night. I couldn’t believe it’s 499 pages! But considering I didn’t do much more than read and snooze Saturday, it’s not surprising I was able to finish it quickly. Plus it’s a good story.

Yesterday I woke up with a pile of tissue on the floor next to the bed. Yuck! Horrible night, very little real sleep and probably breathing through my mouth the whole night. Lovely. Turns out it could get worse with my eyes now teary and itching, my throat hurting and lets just throw some pms in there for fun. I had to wear my glasses all day, no way could I wear my contacts. I hate wearing glasses. I did start Pamela Clare’s newest, Naked Edge. It’s good but I only managed to read about 70 pages, the eyes watering and headache made reading difficult. I did get my mp3 player fixed, sort of, so I started listening to KMM’s Beyond the Highland Mist. I will say the voice of Phil Gigante made me feel sooo much better. Love his brogue!

Today is better. Definitely more energy and my throat isn’t as sore. So I hope to get around to the blogs today and find out what I’ve missed. And now that I’m on Pacific coast time because of DST, I feel like I’m an hour behind. We don’t spring forward where I live but since everyone else does our time zone changes. Weird.

Oh, I did see that dabwaha has started and picks can be made until Wednesday. So I need to do that since I plan to win it this year. :P Anyone not familiar with the craziness that is dabwaha can head over here and learn all about it. It's a lot of fun, surprisingly exciting and there are some great prizes.

I hope if anyone else out there has the sickies that you are feeling better!