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2013 Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
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New-To-Me Authors


2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.

1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe

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WINNERS ANNOUNCED HERE! Be sure to check and email me if you are a winner!
Friday, April 30, 2010

To Spoil or Not To Spoil?

I read a tweet earlier today by my buddy Marq, @Love2Read4Fun, that said she was going to go home, open her new copy of Lover Mine by J. R. Ward, and read the end. *GASP*
My next door neighbor does the same thing. She always will read the last chapter of a new book first.  Her reasoning is that not knowing how a book ends stresses her out and she cannot enjoy the book. So she finds out the ending and enjoys the ride getting to the final point.  
I liken this method of reading a book to secretly opening your Christmas presents before Christmas morning. Then you rewrap the gift and wait until Christmas to open the gift again.  Where is the fun in that? When I told my neighbor that, she replied “I do that.” 
Based on my limited observations, I’ve realized that there are two kinds of people in the world: those that enjoy surprises and don’t like spoilers AND those that like to control the situation by finding out the end result.  Kind of like the pregnant woman finding out the sex of her unborn child or waiting until the baby is born. (For the record: I waited both times.)  
I am one that waits. I rarely like spoilers and depending on the book series or show, I can get really uptight about precursor knowledge. An example of a series that I must go into completely spoiler-free is Black Dagger Brotherhood - I don’t want to read a review before I read books from that series. I don’t even want to hear someone say “I really liked it!” or “I was disappointed.” Because that will taint my reading experience.
Why do I like to wait? Why do I avoid spoilers? I think it’s because I like surprises. Also, I enjoy trying to figure out things on my own. The whole time I read a book or watch a TV show or movie, I am constantly trying to figure out who did it? or why were we made privy to a certain piece of information? I blame it all on LOST - that show has ruined me for everything else. That show is so full of “Easter eggs” and misdirections, that I am always on my toes. I thrive on figuring out what is going to happen next. I have so many theories about that show...  And I get a rush out of guessing correctly. That “I knew it!” feeling is incredible for me.
So I ask... What kind of person are YOU? Do you enjoy knowing what’s going to happen ahead of time? Do you prefer to wait and see? Are you like that just for books/movies/TV or in real life too?


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And don't forget to enter my 50 Follower Giveaway HERE!



Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Giveaway Update



First of all I want to thank each of my followers, especially those that have signed up during my 50 Follower Giveaway. I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I do.

I have some exciting news... My blog reached 100 followers on April 27 - only 6 days after I started the giveaway. That means that now I have two great prizes...

     Riding the Storm by Sydney Croft

     Atlantis Redeemed by Alyssa Day


But wait... there’s more...

My good friend JoJo at JoJo’s Book Corner has been a great cheerleader and supporter since I started my blog. She is going to sweeten the pot on my giveaway. JoJo is adding

     Lover Mine by J. R. Ward



to the giveaway!!! This new release is a MUST READ. You can read my review HERE. But in order to get this wonderful prize, I need to reach 125 followers. I know I can do it - what do you all think? JoJo, THANK YOU!! You rock!


And don’t forget... If I get to 150 followers by the end of the giveaway, Ivy from Book Reader Times is going to add a BONUS SURPRISE GIVEAWAY!

So be sure to enter the giveaway HERE, if you haven’t already. Also be sure to check out JoJo’s blog and Ivy’s Forum. And please spread the word about my blog and giveaway! The giveaway entry form and rules are HERE



Contest ends 12:00 AM EST on May 16, 2010.


Thank you! and *smooches*
Monday, April 26, 2010

Lover Mine!

Lover Mine
Author: J. R. Ward
Release Date: April 27, 2010 
Publisher: New American Library (division of Penguin Group)
Black Dagger Brotherhood (BDB) Series Book #8

ISBN: #0451229851
Genre: Paranormal Romance
From the author’s website:

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. Long divided as a terrifying battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.


John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.


Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

What I’m talking about:
Just like most other BDB fans, I have been waiting for the release of Lover Mine with every breath over this past year. Actually, I have been waiting since we first met John Matthew (JM) and learned of his true identity back so many books ago. I remember thinking “When will he learn the truth?” But as I watched him grow over the past several books, the answer to that question became moot. Next it was “Who will be his mate?” and when we learned about Xhex, I was all “NO.” But like always, the WARDEN (as she is called by her fans), developed Xhex’s character and JM’s relationship with her wonderfully. Xhex truly is the perfect mate for JM.
After leaving readers of BDB with a cliff hanger at the end of Lover Avenged (April 2009), Ward picks up the story about 4 weeks after Xhex was abducted by Lash (really evil bad guy). Like the other BDB books, Lover Mine expresses the Points of View (POV) of several characters. We learn how deep JM’s feelings run for Xhex. We read what Lash is up to and how warped his “love” for Xhex is. We get a sense of how horrible Xhex’s past was and how strong-willed she is now. We visit the past by learning more about Darius and Tohr via flashbacks. We finally get some of the story from Blay and Qhuinn’s POV.  We learn more about Payne and understand her situation more clearly. And strangest of all, we follow a ghost-hunting, reality show star as he and his crew try to infiltrate a haunted B & B. The POV jumps all over, but in a thoughtful way. Although at times, I found myself turning ahead a few pages to get “back” to a specific story thread.
As we follow JM’s search for Xhex and watch her fight to escape, I would get flashbacks to earlier BDB storylines. Yet, this story is uniquely it’s own. Although there are times I would think, “This is a bit like [insert title of another BDB book],” the story would twist enough to remain different and interesting. The abduction storyline ended fairly swiftly and Ward moves on to the aftermath and hunt for Lash. 
What I love about this book is that Ward keeps Xhex true. She is a warrior and an assassin. She can take care of herself and doesn’t need to be protected. Ward finds the right balance between Xhex’s independent strength and JM’s bonded male instincts. Their interactions are a wonderful blend of emotional toughness and tender love. 
For those wanting to learn more about Blay and Qhuinn, you will not be disappointed. (This is NOT a comment on whether or not they hook up!) With the POV written from both characters, we learn how each character feels inside. No more guessing. No more hypotheses. We learn THE TRUTH. It’s an emotional roller coaster which will continue on to another story.
One thing I found out of place initially was the ghost-hunter storyline. I knew it must be tied to the overall Brotherhood story, but it just didn’t make sense to me. And then the “ah ha” lightbulb turned on about halfway through the book. It’s a good connection, one that you will probably guess sooner than I did.
Also fantastic are the Darius flashbacks. They bring the JM and Xhex story full circle. They also help us understand Tohr a bit more. Like the ghost-hunter storyline, the flashbacks have a lot of relevance to the current situation, and at some point while reading you will probably get another “ah ha” moment as you piece it all together.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Payne. We have more from her POV. We see her sessions with Wrath, but we also see her interact with the few chosen that remain on the other side with the Scribe Virgin. Her story is next, and Lover Mine sets the stage for another great story.
Finally, there are a few surprises tossed into this book. Most of them I worked out on my own (see the “ah ha” sections above), but there was one thing that took me by complete surprise and it was just awesome. I love when I don’t see something coming, especially if I like the result. Let’s discuss after you’ve read the story!
In the end, this is another great story by Ward. The story has some of Ward’s usual quirks and maybe things don’t always flow just right. There was a bit too much non-consensual (and violent) sex, and our heroes made a few too many trips to the “ER.” But like always, I tend to glaze over these concerns/issues because the BDB world is so amazing. Ward just gets it. And once again, I love the ride. I have to rank this as one of my favorite BDB stories. 
My Rating: 
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And don't forget to enter my 50 Follower Giveaway HERE.


Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sunday Snippets #5




From Succubi Like It Hot by Jill Myles.

My breath hitched in my throat. “When will I see you again?”

“I don’t know.” He touched my cheek, then leaned in to give me a kiss. “I’d say that I could sneak away to see you, except that the queen will be having me watched, and I want to keep her away from you.” He stroked my hair, then softly said, “I think it’s a good idea if we don’t see each other for a while.”

He was sacrificing himself for me, to keep me safe. My eyes burned with tears. “It’s not fair.”

He wiped my cheek with his thumb gently. “It’s never fair in love and war, Jackie.”

I laughed through my tears. “Is that what this is? Love and war?”

“I know it’s love,” he said quietly.

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And don't forget my 50 Follower Giveaway. Click HERE to enter.




Thursday, April 22, 2010

50 Follower GIVEAWAY!



Welcome to my very first giveaway!

I’ve reached a couple big milestones for myself: my blog will be 3 months old on April 28 and I now have over 50 followers. I’ve enjoyed sharing my book reviews and ponderings with you all - blogging has been such great fun. And as I continue to find my spot in the blogosphere I want to continue to grow and reach new book lovers and followers. So the next step for me is my very first contest... Please help me reach my next goal of 100 followers.

For those that have been following my blog, you will know that I recently discovered the ACRO series by Sydney Croft (Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler). I am currently reading the 4th book in the series. The series focuses on a group of special agents with unique talents, for example talking to ghosts or controlling the weather. I blogged a while back that it’s like X-men for adults! These books are the perfect mix of romance, action, and hot smex. What makes these books truly special is the detail, time and effort spent not only on the primary story but on the side characters and sub-plots as well.

So to celebrate my first 3 months and my first 50 followers, I am going to give away a copy of the first ACRO book: Riding the Storm. You can read my review here.

The goal of my contest is to share a favorite book with you all. But I also want to increase my followers. So, if I reach my goal of 100 followers I will add a second great book to my giveaway... Atlantis Redeemed by Alyssa Day. Another fabulous book, and you can read my review here. But wait, there’s more... If I get 150 followers before the contest ends, Ivy from Book Reader Times will donate a wonderful surprise package!

Now: The Rules... 


  • You must be a follower of my blog. 
  • You must be 18-years or older. 
  • Contest is open internationally (anywhere The Book Depository delivers) 
  • Only one entry per follower 
To enter, please leave a comment below and include the following information:


  • Old (prior to contest) Blog follower: 2 points 
  • New Blog follower: 1 point 
  • Tweet about contest (leave link) : 1 point 
  • Put my giveaway button (grab on side bar) on your blog (leave blog link): 5 points 
Please add up your points - for a total of 8 points max.

Contest open until midnight EDT on Sunday May 16, 2010.

Winners will be announced on my blog the week after contest ends. Winners will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck to you all and thank you so much for sharing in my fun! 
Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Time Keeps on Slipping...

I have been struggling over what to write about for my blog. I had a steady stream of reviews to post, but now my reading has tapered off, and I’m in need of some blog material. Isn’t it ironic that I started a book blog and now the blogging eats away at my reading time, giving me less material to blog about?!

I started thinking about my time management... First, let’s get sleeping out of the way. I generally sleep about 6 hours a night. Many nights it’s 4-5 hours, but for the sake of simplicity... I’ll go with 6 hours.

I work in an office 2 days a week for 6 hours plus 30 minutes commute time. I have a few after hours meetings and I also work from home occasionally.

Like many of you, I am a full-time mom. I have 2 young kids. One is in full-day school, the other in pre-school. I am their primary caregiver. My husband works long hours and travels frequently. I take care of making lunches, play dates, sporting events and activities, doctor appointments, etc.

Also like many of you, I am the primary caretaker of our home. I do all the household chores, I am in charge of all finances (oh, how did my book budget increase 100% this month?), I grocery shop, clean, cook, maintain, etc. I run this household. Oh, and I take care of our 2 cats. They aren’t really a “chore,” but they do require maintenance!

Since the fall of 2008, I have been an iPhone owner and I maintain an online social network. I frequent Facebook, Tweet and now I blog. With blogging comes research and my new task - learning to make graphics (example of pie chart below). Since that time I also became an avid reader and my TV watching time has dropped off to almost nothing. I hardly watch movies anymore, either. I still make it to the gym 4 times per week.

So with all that... when do I find the time to read? Well, I carry my book/Kindle with me EVERYWHERE! I read while my daughter is in gym class or my son is in karate. I read while in the doctor’s waiting room. I read in the parking lot before and after I run into the grocery store. I read while on the eliptical or bike at the gym. The bulk of my reading is done late at night, after the kids are in bed, the chores are done, the blog is updated and I’m in bed. When my husband is out of town, I will stay up until 1:00 or 2:00 AM reading. It’s still a small percentage of my week, however.

I created this pie chart by taking the average hours I spend on each “task” over the course of a week (you do all know I’m an engineer and planner, right?) At first I was surprised how the numbers shook out... But then as I looked at the chart, I realized, yep... this is my life. And unless I want to start giving up sleep or spending less time with my kids (well, sometimes I do want that!)... It’s not going to change.

On average what percentage of your time do you think you devote to reading? Computer time (blogging, twitter, etc.)? TV? 
Monday, April 19, 2010

Seduced by the Storm

Seduced by the Storm
Author: Sydney Croft
Release Date: available now 
Publisher: Bantam Dell
ACRO Series Book #3
ISBN: #0385340826
Genre: Paranormal/Erotic Romance
From the author’s website:

DANGER IS THE ULTIMATE APHRODISIAC.

They met in a steamy Florida bar—then spent a night of mind-bending passion. Two secret agents who each possess unique telekinetic gifts—and whose combined sexual powers leave neither of them unscathed. For ex–Navy SEAL Wyatt Kennedy, assigned by the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives to the most treacherous mission of his career, the woman in black leather and lace has just become more than a one-night stand. Because Faith Black is the sole barrier to the success of his mission—and not even Wyatt’s legendary seduction skills can penetrate her deep cover.

Faith’s psychic gifts make her one of the world’s most dangerous women—but she hides a secret pain she shares with no one. Until Wyatt. And Faith has an agenda of her own: using her unique powers to save someone close to her—a move that pits her against a man she thought she’d never see again. For as a deadly hurricane is unleashed across the eastern seaboard, desire reignites between Faith and Wyatt, exposing secrets that thrust them both into harm’s way. With the hurricane sweeping closer—and their erotic hunger for each other growing—these two wary hearts must come together to heal, to trust . . . and to harness the power of a storm that could consume everything in its path. 
What I’m talking about:
I really didn’t think that I could like this series more than I already did, but this book pushed my love over the top! At first it seemed to me that I’d get another great story with new players. The action was exciting - a category 5 hurricane ready to slam into New York City... Our heroes must stop it!  The players are sexy and fun, each with their own issues and secrets.
But this book takes the normal way of doing things in a paranormal romance story and tosses the script out the window.  The play between Faith and Wyatt is wonderful. Each with a history of being hurt and each having to bare his/her soul in order to survive. And it doesn’t end there... They have to make life-altering decisions about the mission and their relationship, and what is unique to this series and this story particularly, is the characters don’t always take the path you would expect.
This book really picks up about halfway through when the couple actually retrieves the ITOR weather machine (a storyline from the previous two books) and gets away from the ITOR agents. What a twist - really... it’s always good guys vs. bad guys, but in this story, the main couple has to get through their own issues from the past to be together. I admit that a tear came to my eyes a few times before they finally got over all the hurdles. The emotional ride is worth the read.
But the story is so much better than Faith and Wyatt. For those that have read my reviews of the first two books, Riding the Storm and Unleashing the Storm, will know that I love the side stories that are so masterfully woven into these books. First up: Annika and Creed... We get some major break-throughs in this front. Annika must confront her past and work through her emotional barriers that she has always had in place:

“Troy... I f**king hate him. Hate is an emotion. It has to go.”
Creed sucked in a breath, and she heard him step back. “Jesus.”
“Yeah, you get it now. If I purge him, I purge it all. I get myself back.” She turned. “You opened some sort of door, Creed. You made me feel things I don’t want to feel. I want it to go away. All of it. Not just the hate.”
He shook his head, pain and disbelief swirling in the black depths of his eyes. “You really want me gone, don’t you?”
Their story is so touching and worth the time it takes to develop over three books.
And then... There is Dev and X (the name of his true love will remain unknown so that those that have not read the earlier books will not be spoiled).  Let me just say: OH. MY. GOD. There is a scene in Seduced by the Storm that now ranks in my top ten book scenes. It is so powerful. So full of just the right descriptions - scenery, emotion - oh, it is amazing. Their story is the true heart of ACRO, and well, I just don’t know where it will all go next. (Someone hurry up and read these books so I can discuss them with you!) I am quickly picking up the fourth book now!
This book is amazing. This series is worth a read. But in order to get the most from the books, you really need to start with the first one.  Go do it. Now.
My Rating: 


Special Rating: 
Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sunday Snippets #4




From Dance With the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

His life had been so unfair.
She trailed her hand up his muscular arm, to bury it in his hair so that she could stroke his scalp. "Make love to me, Zarek. I can't take away your past, but I can hold you now. I want to share my body with you, even if it's only for a little while."
He pulled her forcefully against him and kissed her heatedly. She moaned, arching her back as he laid her back down on the floor.
Astrid kicked her shoes off, then removed her pants and panties. She pulled her shirt off and unsnapped her bra.
She should be embarrassed--she'd never stripped in front of anyone before. Never been naked while they were clothed.
Yet she was not ashamed.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Sneak Peek - Dark Succession




I'm so happy to present to you my new blog feature called Sneak Peek! The goal of the feature - to give you a glimpse at an upcoming release. This week I am excited to bring to you Dark Succession by Teresa D'Amario. I throughly enjoyed reading her Maxey Wizard Series, and look forward to her new book.  Have Fun!




DARK SUCCESSION - Avail 20 April, 2010

By Teresa D'Amario

Available from Freya's Bower

Nora Hunt is the daughter of former pack leader Sean Hunt and niece to Kieran Hunt. Emotionally and physically scarred after being held captive for weeks, she's finally ready to move on with her life. But when she meets Ryland, she discovers not only a world of darkness and pain, but discovers Ryland may not be any better than those who held her captive all those weeks.

When Ryland Keegan steps in as Alpha of his dead brother's pack, he inherits a pack of savage rogue wolven, as well as a legacy of violence, lies and five women held captive within the pack's confines.

But when Ryland's pack members start dying one at a time, he must decide if Nora is the catalyst or the killer. Can he trust his True Mate? Or will he be relegated to a life of leading the dregs of Wolven society?

“What do you want?” Nora was tall compared to most shewolves, at almost six feet, one inch, yet still he towered over her. He moved slowly, giving her every opportunity to run, his eyes watching her every move. Running almost seemed like a good idea. But then again, he might give chase, and she wouldn’t stand a chance. She tilted her head back to stare into his eyes. She lost her balance and was forced to step back.

“I want to know,” he leaned in, whispering, “why you were in the bar.”

“My car broke down.” His scent moved from her lungs to her blood. The mix of masculine power and leather worked like an aphrodisiac, striking with a force that nearly brought her to her knees. His heat burned against her flesh, though they were still inches apart. Nora longed to lean forward, hungry for more.

"Why did you run?" He cocked his head, curiosity shining in those glittering eyes.

She wasn't about to tell him it was because she'd caught his scent and had found it shockingly attractive, something that had never happened to her before. "I didn't want to infringe on another wolven's territory." Well, it was true. To a point.

His nostrils flared, he inched closer, his breath whispered against her ear. He rumbled low in his chest.

“I don't believe you,” he murmured. His breath played across her skin and goose bumps rose. “I think you’re like all the rest.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“You’re like all the other shewolves who come through town, looking for an alpha to fuck, in hopes he’ll offer to mate.”

His words splashed over her like cold water. He was wrong. And she would tell him so.

Just as soon as her breath returned.

His sharp fangs grazed the side of her neck, and she fought the urge to tilt her head in offering.

She shook her head. “I’m not like the others.” Small, powerless words.

His soft, taunting laugher rolled through her, her muscles turning to water.

“You want me, you know you do. You can’t hide it.” He inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring. “So what’s it to be, little rabbit? Do I fuck you and send you on your way?”

He was teasing her, pushing her, and, while she knew what he was doing, she couldn’t stop the cold flush of anger. “I’m different from the others. I don’t want you.”

“Really?” He cocked his head and met her gaze.

Her hands drew up to his massive chest. Hard, powerful muscle lay beneath his black shirt. It was almost distracting enough to make her forget her goal. Higher and higher her palms slid.

His eyes narrowed, watching. Waiting.

“Yes, really.” She gasped the words, took in a deep breath, and continued, her voice stronger. “Unlike those mangy bitches, I have a brain, and my brain says no.” With her hands on his shoulders, she slammed her knee upward. He twisted to the side, and she just missed his groin. Nora drew her arm back and let loose, the sharp crack of her palm against his cheek so gratifying.

His eyes widened, and he stepped back, the dull red imprint of her hand evident on his face.



Get your copy on April 20, 2010 here
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Confessions of a large thin-person

I’m going to start by saying... I am not a fat person. I know this about myself. I’ve never been obese or large. I was 25 pounds over-weight at one point, and that was after giving birth to my children.

I’ve never had problems losing weight. Sure, I would have to work at it. Weight Watchers was my method of choice. I have also always been fairly active... gym or running throughout most of my adult life. If I put my mind to it and committed to the weight-loss process, I always lost the weight within a few months. And I was always one of those people that could eat more than my allotted WW points and still lose weight. Good metabolism, I guess.

I tell you all this NOT to throw it in your face, but to give you an idea of what’s going on in my head now. I’m 39-years old now. I am the mother of two young kids. I have gone back to work part-time. I am 10-15 pounds over-weight. I have been for about a year now. Over a year ago I went through one of my “down cycles” where I start skipping the gym and workouts - when I start eating more than a few extra servings or desserts - when I drink a glass (or two) or wine more than once a week! I slowly put on weight and got up above that “danger weight.” You know the one - that magic number on the scale that you PROMISED yourself you wouldn’t go above... I’ve been at or above that number for almost a year. WHY? Why didn’t I rally and motivate to lose those extra pounds? I don’t know... laziness... being compliant was just easier. Sure, I only fit into 50% of my wardrobe, but I just ignore the clothes I can’t wear!

As you know I started back at Weight Watchers and joined in the #twitloss movement. It’s been a great support system and for the most part, I’ve stuck with it. I lost 5 of the 12-15 pounds I want to lose. Then I hit the wall. I was doing what I always did in the past, but the weight didn’t drop. For 2 weeks I’ve been at the same weight. Over the weekend I came to the realization that the person I described at the beginning of my post just doesn’t exist any longer. I can’t eat more and still lose weight. No longer can I have a “day of freedom” and still survive this journey. I am going to have to really and truly work for the weight loss. That realization really upset me. So I let go and ate whatever I wanted. I had the extra glasses of wine. I ate an entire bag of chocolate Easter egg candies last night.

*SIGH*

So now I have to figure out how to get over this hump. This self-destructive behavior. This woe-is-me attitude. I need to work harder to get what I want.

OR I need to change my expectations of myself and my body. I’m not sure I want to do that... I want to be realistic within my lifestyle. But I don’t want to be compliant just for the sake of laziness.

So my Tweeps and blogging friends... How do I get through this? Have you hit a wall - not just in weight loss, but in any aspect of your life - when what you’ve always done in the past just won’t work any longer? I don’t want to feel sorry for myself... I want to take action. Where do I go now?

Thanks for listening!!
Monday, April 12, 2010

Lion's Heat - a Review

Lion’s Heat
Author: Lora Leigh
Release Date: April 6, 2010 Publisher: Berkley
Breed Series Book # 21 ** For more information on the Breed book reading order, please see Ms. Leigh's website here
ISBN: #0425233804
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Shifter
From the book’s back cover:

Bad boy Jonas Wyatt’s personal assistant, Rachel, has had a child -- an innocent new life that has been put in grave danger because of Jonas’s perilous games and calculations played in the shadow-world in which he lives: the dark and sensual world of the Breeds. Now, Rachel is making only one demand of Jonas: that he finally take responsibility and deliver on the protection that only he can give.

Jonas has known for a long time that it is destiny that Rachel become his mate. He can sense it. He can also sense her reluctance. And for that, he refuses to claim her. He wants her on love alone and not because of the urge of the mating heat. But it is Jonas’s destiny to claim her. And he will have his way...
What I’m talking about:
I’ve been waiting for this book for a long time now. I started reading this series with the first book published by Berkley - Megan’s Mark. I don’t know about the books prior to that one, but since that point, Jonas has been a manipulating leader of the Breeds. It was great to see him buckle and just plain “lose it” in this book.
Jonas has always controlled his own life and the lives of countless Breeds around him. He continues to try and stay in control even though he is forced to hire his own mate as a personal assistant. She is just the woman to work for Jonas - she can stand up to him and put him in his place. But she is not aware that she is Jonas’s destined mate.  I enjoyed reading how Jonas had to continually fight the urge to take his mate. It warmed my heart that Jonas put Rachel and her child above his own health and needs so that Rachel would be comfortable and find love in her own way.  This is VERY different than the prior Breeds’ books.
As always with Ms. Leigh’s books, the sex is hot and passionate. The sex scenes go on for pages and can be graphic at times. But either I am getting used to them or these sex scenes were a bit tame compared to ones in the earlier books.
The overall Breeds story arc took some interesting twists. I think my favorite parts in this book were those that carried on the mythology of the Breeds and their battle for peace and safety. In addition, Ms. Leigh tossed in some new curveballs and unanswered questions. These unresolved issues will bring me back to the next story - regardless of who the main couple will be.
On the negative side: I did notice that there were several repetitive phases and terms used throughout the book. I don’t know if it’s lazy writing or bad editing, but it was a bit annoying to me.  I found that I started skimming longer sections that just kind of repeated an earlier section of the book.
Overall, Lion’s Heat is a must read for Breeds fans. If you are new to the series I highly recommend NOT starting with this book. You will lose a lot of important background story. If you can find the earliest books, then start at the beginning. If not, you can start at Megan’s Mark like I did. (See note at beginning of post regarding reading order.)
My Rating:

Coming Up...

Review: Making It Last by Ruthie Knox

Review: Dangerous Proposition by Jessica Lauryn

Review: Vicious Moon by Lee Roland

Review: The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans

Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Review: Marine with Benefits by Heather Long

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WELCOME to my blog! At That's What I'm Talking About, we discuss romance books and generally review the paranormal and urban fantasy genres, with some other fun topics tossed in. I hope you will stay and visit for a while!

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Jen
aka Twimom227

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About our reviews: The reviews posted here are the writer's own honest opinion of the book, not a judgement on the subject matter or author. We read for pleasure and at the request of authors and publishers. We do not receive compensation for our reviews, other than the copy of the book to read for the review.

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