Fins Are Forever Review

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(More customer reviews)OH WOW, I love this series!!! This book was Crabbtastic!! In Fins are Forever the story continues right where Forgive My Fins left off with Lily being madly in love with Quince but deciding that she is interested in giving up her crown in Thalassinia as future queen to stay as a human on land forever with her boyfriend Quince and seek out college and a new life.
Forgive my Fins was great and so I had high expectation for Fins are Forever to be equally good!! However, I think that Fins are Forever was better than my expectations! I devoured the book as fast as possible and might even go back through and read it again! You know the author is great when the second book in the series doesn't have the case of "boring middle book" syndrome but is just as exciting as book one!
The new twists of Lily's bratty younger cousin Doe showing up was great! She is one of those characters you hate but find a bit amusing and appealing! The trouble she brings to the book adds a bit of additional humor to the story that is great!
Again, the plot in this series is unlike anything I've ever read and is so engrossing that it is hard to imagine waiting for the additional books in the series to be released! The ending was a bit predictable but still not disappointing in the least.
The romance is of course the most important part of this story and I loved it in Fins are Forever. I wish there were more kissing scenes between Lily and Quince but what Childs gives us is great! There was a mild make-out session between 2 other characters but it was all done very clean and I would say this book is appropriate for any age group!
One of my favorite things about Tera Lynn Childs writing is that her stories are fun, easy going, delightful but so engaging that you are thinking about the story for a long time after reading it and it is hard not to compare every other mermaid book out there to this outstanding series!
This was a great summer read that you should run out and buy even if you are not a young adult! I am almost 30 and this book has made my favorites list! Not sure how I will survive waiting for book 3.


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On Lily Sanderson's eighteenth birthday she'll become just a girl-still a mergirl, true, but signing the renunciation will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being-human thing once and for all.

Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she's almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, the waves start to get rough. Lily's father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily's former crush, Brody?

The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily's past shows up-Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There's a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?

Tera Lynn Childs's sequel to Forgive My Fins offers another tail-flicking romance with plenty of fun, sun, and underwater adventure.

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13, rue Thérèse: A Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)This beautifully written and illustrated book is a magical tale woven around a box of artifacts owned by the author. They tell the story of Louise Brunet, a woman who lived in the early part of the 20th century, as imagined by Trevor Stratton, an American academic working in present day Paris.
Trevor discovers a mysterious box of letters and mementoes in his office that was secretly left there by his secretary. He becomes enchanted by the objects; old love letters, notes, faded photos, pieces of music even a pair of gloves. As he examines each of them he begins to write about their significance in a series of letters to someone identified only as `Sir' and in doing so creates the story of Louise. At the same time Trevor is becoming more aware of his secretary and the role she plays in his discovering the objects.
Louise is not what I would consider a typical woman of the 1920's. Her thoughts, desires and actions are more consistent with those of someone living today. But then I would remind myself that I was experiencing Trevor's fantasy of Louise's life. Childless and married to a man of her father's choosing, Louise suffered heartbreak when the love of her life was killed in The Great War. While she loves her husband, he is not the man of her dreams. She wants a child. She wants passion. She has neither.
Louise is an intriguing and complex woman; she also has a naughty streak. Thinking about a pair of lace gloves she is wearing while in church causes her mind to wander off on an imagined sexual fantasy. Another time she makes a false confession to shock a priest. She has a desire to sleep with her new neighbor and writes him anonymous letters while at the same time she invites him and his wife to dinner.
Throughout the pages the book is illustrated with color photos of the actual objects which were the inspiration for the novel. Each of the photos are also displayed on an interactive website which can be reached through links in the book, a wonderful enhancement to the story. This is a book that must be seen to be appreciated. Go take a look at that gorgeous site; you will not be disappointed; you will be intrigued.
Love story, romance and fantasy, this is a clever and captivating story that is at times both sexy and adult. It is a puzzle that keeps you wondering until the very end when all the pieces ultimately fall into place. An enjoyable read.

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Demon's Kiss (Wings in the Night, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)While Demon's Kiss has paranormal romance overtones it is very much a relationship driven ensemble piece that develops a very interesting group of characters and relationships.
Seth has been waiting all his life for something and has had visions of a woman, a woman who is somehow wrapped up in his destiny. When Sean is mugged, beaten and left for dead Sean readily accepts vampire Reaper's offer of immortality and even on the brink of death Sean realizes that at last he is on the road to fulfilling his purpose. Reaper former CIA assassin during life and now vampire rogue hunter has compelling reasons for shunning any relationship, but since Seth is the one Chosen with whom Reaper has an undeniable bond, Reaper cannot ignore his compulsion to protect Seth. In Shayne's vampire world this bond is not necessarily a romantic bond and Reaper's bond with Sean allows Sean to begin to crack the isolation that loner Reaper has maintained in life and death.
Sean is also the catalyst for cementing the ragtag group that begins to form around Reaper, much to Reaper's frustration. Initially the group is Sean, Reaper, Roxy and Topaz. Roxy, the only non-vampire, is a seer and powerful in her own right. Roxy is the voice of reason for the group and was previously Reaper's only friend and privy to his dark secret. Topaz is a socialite pampered princess on the surface but tough and smart underneath. Topaz hooks up with the group to seek vengeance on the vampire that stole her heart and her money. The remaining important characters are associated with the rogue group that Reaper hunts:Vixen - held captive by the group - is Sean's mystery woman. Vixen is both vampire and fox-shifter but alien in her thinking, almost more fox than woman even when in human form. Briar - beautiful, dark and cruel, is no longer able to feel her own pain and revels in inflicting it on others. And Jack - perpetual con-man, is the vampire who broke Topaz's heart. Jack is always running a scam, loyal only to himself, he never lets any one close to his heart.
It is very difficult to write a decent synopsis for Demon's Kiss because all seven main characters have distinct personalities and roles to play in the action. Shayne intertwines her characters and sets up their relationships, so that while you can see six of them starting to pair off, there are other friendships and other bonds developing between the group that are just as important. Shayne does a good job weaving her story with threads following various members of the ensemble, coming together, splitting off and reforming.
Demon's Kiss is not one of those series romances that focuses solely on a single couple as they take their romantic turn in the spotlight. While Sean & Vixen's is the only romance that runs full course here, there is a strong foundation laid for the past and future relationship between Topaz and Jack. Reaper is also such a strong character that there is no way to keep Reaper staying meekly in the background. The beginning of the complex relationship between Reaper and the evil Briar, whose soul is just as dark and damaged as Reaper's own, steals the spotlight at times. I look forward to seeing where both of those relationships go in the follow on books: Lover's Bite (May 2008 Jack & Topaz) and Angel's Pain (Oct 2008 Reaper & Briar).
Demon's Kiss is set in the same world as Shayne's popular Wings in the Night/Twilight Series (Rhiannon makes a brief appearance here) so check these out if you are looking for something to tide you over until May. Some of the older stories are being released as ebooks, Shayne's website has summaries and a `family tree' that shows the connections between books, she also has a movie trailer for Demon's Kiss by the same production company that does Christine Feehan's, the short one is fun and the longer one a bit hokey.
The Twilight Series Vampire Romance:
Wings in the Night Reissue contains:
Book 1 Twilight Phantasies - Eric & Tamara,
Book 2 Twilight Memories - Roland & Rhiannon,
Book 3 Twilight Illusions - Damian & Shannon
At TwilightReissue contains:
Book 5 Born in Twilight - Jameson and Angelic
Book 4 Beyond Twilight - Cuyler and Ramsey
Book 7 Twilight Hunger - Dante & Morgan,
Book 8 Embrace The Twilight - William & Sarafina,
Two By TwilightReissue contains:
Book 9 Run From Twilight Micheal & Mary
book 6 Twilight Vows - Donovan & Rachel
Book 10Edge Of Twilight Edge & Amber Lily
Book 11Blue Twilight - Lou & Maxie
Book 12 Prince Of Twilight - Vlad & Stormy


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Even by vampire standards, Reaper is a loner, and his current mission to destroy a gang of rogue bloodsuckers is definitely a one-vamp job. Then fate takes a hand, and before he knows it, he's surrounded by a ragtag crew of misfit helpers: the newbie, the princess, the shape-shifter and the human healer. Seth is new to immortality, but he's sharp and strong-and he'll risk anything for the rogues' strange female captive, a secretive creature he doesn't understand but feels compelled to save.Vixen is confused by the emotions that swirl through her at the sight of her impulsive hero. She only hopes the brutal Gregor and his bloodthirsty renegades will leave her alive long enough to explore them.Or will Reaper himself be the one to destroy them all?

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Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams Review

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(More customer reviews)I didn't really know what to expect from this book. I'm drawn to books about the Romanovs, so I thought I'd like this story.
Unfortunately, this is a badly edited book that uses the currently popular YA theme of the very-old-but-smokin'-hot man lusting after a teenage girl. The plot had promise, but the characters were so one-dimensional that they all but killed my interest in the story.
I liked the inclusion of the Baba Yaga element, but that sort of fell flat for me, too. For a much better novel that incorporates this folk tale, try Orson Scott Card's Enchantment.
After reading this book, I'm left with a fairly sour taste in my mouth. But at least I know that Ethan's eyes are blue. How could I forget that fact, after Anne mentions it more than 30 times?

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Hunter's Moon (Tales of the Sazi, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)People know him as Tony Giodone. No one knows his real name. He is a hitman, hired assassin, and a werewolf. Tony is still getting used to what he has become. One year ago he had been stalking his mark, but his mark ended up ripping Tony's throat out. With no one to teach him how to deal with his new abilities, Tony taught himself. He has learned which scents mean he is being lied to and which mean someone fears him. But most scents he has yet to figure out. He is slowly learning how to use his changes to his business advantage, except during the full moon when he locks himself away.
Sue Quentin won the lottery last year. She should be happy, thrilled. Instead, she wants to hire Tony to kill her. The moment she meets Tony she is disturbingly attracted to him. He returns that attraction. Even when she accidently learns he is a werewolf, she feels the pull of him.
Their relationship is still on shaky ground when Tony's enemies decide to harm Tony by going after Sue. Tony and Sue find themselves in a world of high stakes card games, kidnapping, larceny ... and shapeshifters of all kinds.
**** This super natural romance is told from Tony's point-of-view. The back ground of the shapeshifters does not go into deep detail. Readers learn only what Tony does as the story progresses. Yet is gave me enough information to actually thirst for another glimpse into the darker world. Do not think that you will easily put this book down whenever the telephone rings. Very well done! ****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

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A Lady At Last (de Warenne Dynasty) Review

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(More customer reviews)In 1820 Kingston, privateer Cliff de Warenne, son of an English earl, understands the need to hang pirates. However Governor Thomas Woods using the pathetic Rodney Carre as an example will do nothing to stop the activity of his bolder ruthless Cuban rovers especially the notorious El Toreador. Cliff detests the circus that Woods has caused with the spectacle and wonders about Carre's daughter La Sauvage, who would do anything to free her father.
After the hanging of her beloved dad, Amanda has no place to go so Cliff agrees to take her to her mother in England. On their trek across the Atlantic, Cliff begins teaching Amanda how a lady behaves in polite society where she will find a husband. However, she realizes loves Cliff and he loves her, but neither will take that critical first step and reveal what they hide from their beloved.
The delightful tale of the youngest de Warenne son meeting his beloved is a warm Regency romance that effortlessly flows from Pirate of the Caribbean to the ball rooms of the Ton. The story line will remind readers of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady as Cliff falls in love with his creation, who returns his feelings, but doubts he could care for her inner wild soul. Fans of the series will immensely enjoy what may be the best of a strong series while newcomers will seek the backlist (see MASQUERADE and THE PRIZE, etc.).
Harriet Klausner


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The Devil Wears Plaid Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a fun historical romance. Light and fun and full of roguish romance. It starts out in the typical way. Man steals woman to make another suffer, man finds woman surprisingly attractive, woman finds man surprisingly attractive, both find themselves in each others arms and win over the bad man she was about to be married. Now, yes, I did just basically tell you the story, but that formula is as old as perhaps the castle under contention. :) What I liked about this story is that the woman has her own mind and finds strength within her capture. Even though she does rely on Jamie's physical prowess to keep her safe, her wits and inner strength keep her up to the challenge of a bunch of burly men and the highland wilderness. Yes, I liked Emma. She was a good match for Jamie. You don't always find that within these types of stories. I also loved Jamie although there were times I could hit him over the head for being so stubborn.
All in all I give this book 4 stars. It's a fun, light historical romance. If you love a roguish man in a kilt, sexy time in an abandoned church you will enjoy this book.

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Touched by an Alien Review

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(More customer reviews)While I enjoy urban fantasy/paranormals, I am so very tired of tormented vampires, werewolves, etc. and the tough yet sexy women who love them. I picked this up because, hey, aliens! I really enjoyed it - it was totally entertaining. The heroine is smart, funny, Jewish (how often to do you run across that in UF?), and has a great relationship with her parents. She doesn't wear leather pants and her weapon of choice is hairspray. The hero is too good to be true (he's an empath with amazing, umm, stamina who looks great in Armani) but he's brood-free! It's a fun "girl kills evil alien, meets a bunch of really cute good aliens and falls in love while saving the world" read. Pick this up if you're looking for something a little different.

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Keeping It Real (Quantum Gravity, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)While Keeping It Real by Justina Robson is her fifth published novel, she shows off the full strength of her imagination here and announces to those who may not have heard already that she is a major talent and that she will write a blend of science fiction and fantasy that demands to be read.
How is that as a selling point?
Keeping It Real opens with a not quite a chapter, not quite a prologue telling us what we need to know. In 2015 there was some sort of Quantum Bomb which detonated in Texas and which opened our world to five alternate / parallel worlds where there are elves, fairies, demons, the dead, and elementals. The other races insist they have known about us all the while.
The novel takes place in 2021 and we need to know that this is the state of being because this is not what the novel is about nor is it the story Robson is telling. But it is the setting.
Lila Black is possibly less than half human. The other half is machine. At the start of the novel we do not know why or how, only that she is assigned security for a rock band called the No Shows which consists of fairies singing backup and an elf as the lead singer. The No Shows are immensely popular and someone is trying to kill the elf, Zal. Lila, as it turns out, does not entirely trust elves and is barely comfortable in her own skin, such as it is. She is in control of her body and machine, but not entirely. There are glitches.
This is the starting point of Keeping It Real. The rest needs to be discovered to be believed. Robson keeps the novel moving at a reasonably fast clip with action, excitement, elf sex, imperfect cyborg machinery, inept fake [...] attempts, and a heroine who is broken more on the inside than on the outside...and this is the woman who must protect Zal, and elf who barely wishes to be protected.
Keeping It Real is perhaps the most original science fiction or fantasy novel I have read in some time and it is because Robson is able to blend the two genres so seamlessly that it is simply just good storytelling. Robson plays with familiar concepts (elves, cyborgs, different worlds, magic), but in doing so she puts them together in ways we haven't seen before. The elves here are aware of the stereotypes brought on by countless fantasy novels and Lord of the Rings (the elves crack on lembas bread so that the humans can't). Remember, this is our world, just altered in our future.
Keeping It Real is the first volume in a proposed trilogy and I cannot wait to see what Robson brings us next.
-Joe Sherry

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Jane Austen Ruined My Life Review

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(More customer reviews)Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo is a surprisingly fast and fun read, and I found myself unable to put it down at times. The plot revolves around wishful thinking: WHAT IF Jane Austen's sister Cassandra saved more of her letters than we know about? What if the missing correspondence is being kept somewhere, protected from the public?
This knowledge has English professor and devoted Jane Austen scholar Emma Grant salivating. Her academic reputation is in tatters after her husband and his teaching assistant (and his paramour) accuse her of plagiarism. Newly divorced and denied tenure, Dr. Grant travels to London hot on the trail of the rumored missing letters. There, she meets up with Mrs. Gwendolyn Parrot, a Formidable, who tantalizingly allows Emma to read a copied snippet of Jane's missing letters. Scholar that she is, Emma immediately recognizes Jane's handwriting and the (seeming) authenticity of the fragment. To be certain, she would have to read a copy of the original.
After extracting a promise of secrecy from Emma, Mrs. Parrot sends her on a series of tasks, in which Emma visits Steventon, Chawton Cottage, Bath -- well, you get the drift -- all the places that Jane Austen either lived in or traveled to. Emma's motives for going through all this trouble are the possibility of handling the actual letters and researching them. Her resulting book would salvage her academic reputation. Traveling with Emma is an old flame who, coincidentally, is staying in the same flat as Emma. Does he know of her secret or is he truly as interested in her as he claims? His presence adds to the mystery and suspense of the plot. The book is a fast read and I found it completely satisfying until the very end. While the Emma finds her own definition of a happy ending (which, I will concede, made logical sense), I wanted to scream out "No!" and rewrite that ending. You see, romantic that I am, I do believe that people can have their cake and eat it too.
Beth Pattillo's latest novel reads less like a Jane Austen sequel and more like a The Da Vinci Code offspring. Consequently it will appeal to a broader audience than most Austenesque books. Having said that, the plot is not wholly original . There are echoes of Syrie James's The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen and Lori Smith's A Walk With Jane Austen in this novel. The author, whose writing style is elegant and spare, has written eight other popular books, including the award winning Heavens to Betsy.


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The Accidental Werewolf (The Accidental Series, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)You know when you start to read a book and you get so into it that you forget about eating and sleeping and even your children? This is one of those books. I literally could not put this book down and finished it in 2 days. (It would have been hours, not days but the children did eventually convince me that they needed food.) I cannot wait to read Nina's story. Come on July 2008!!

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Devil Takes a Bride Review

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(More customer reviews)England, 1805, seventeen-year-old Devlin Kimball had been sitting in detention awaiting the arrival of his displeased parents and little sister Sarah when the dean walked in to inform him that his Aunt Augusta was en route to pick him up. His parents and four-year-old sister had "an accident". Half way to the school they had stopped at an inn to rest. The inn had caught fire, killing 47 people, including his family. The Dowager Viscountess (Augusta) Strathmore did her best with Devlin, but he eventually went adventuring on the high seas, spending his rage on the elements.
London, 1817, Devlin "Devil", Lord Strathmore, had uncovered the dark truth about the fire at the inn. The fire had been deliberate! He also knew that one or more of the morally twisted gentlemen in the "Horse and Chariot Club" were to blame. Devlin vowed to learn the names of the guilty and kill them. Marriage never entered the equation. But Aunt Augusta's will changed that.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Carlisle had been lady's companion to Augusta, who had been affectionately known to all as "Lady Ironsides". Knowing how much the old lady loved her nephew, Lizzie had tricked Devlin into visiting only weeks before the lady died. Devlin had been annoyed at Lizzie at first. But his aunt had been the only person Devlin cared for anymore and understood, after awhile, why Lizzie had done it. Both of them were shocked when the will was read. The problem for Lizzie was that she had already been through a broken heart before with Lord Alec. (The brother of Lizzie's best friend in the previous book titled "LADY OF DESIRE".) The last thing she wanted was another man in her life! The problem for Devlin was that if anyone at the club realized his actually had come to care for Lizzie, she would be in grave danger!
***** EXCELLENT! I can tell you this much more without spoiling anything and I only tell because the reader knows this from the beginning: Sarah was saved from the fire by someone, Ginny, and raised for the next twelve years in Ireland. Though Sarah recalls nothing, Ginny wishes to return Sarah to her only living relative, now that he has finished traveling. First though, Ginny must make sure Devlin is not like the men in whose company he keeps.
Author Gaelen Goley has done an incredible job writing about the Knight family. (Alec & Jacinda's family.) Readers will have glimpses into the lives of a few past characters as well. You do NOT have to read any of the previous books to thoroughly enjoy this one. The plot is strong, the writing perfect, and the story moves along at a good pace. You will not find yourself getting bored at any point. I highly recommend the entire series! *****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

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Perfect You Review

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(More customer reviews)Kate's life has never been perfect, but it used to be fairly okay: She grew up with a best friend, Anna, who knew everything about her, and vice-versa. She had a roof over her head, two parents with stable jobs, and no big conflicts with her older brother. She got decent grades in school and had a decent freshman year.
But now she's a sophomore, and Kate's life is so far from perfect that it's in another state. When Anna came back from her summer vacation, she looked like a different person. Newly thin and blonde, Anna starts hanging out with the popular crowd at school and stops speaking to Kate. Kate's father abruptly quit his job to sell Perfect You infomercial vitamins in a booth at the local mall. Kate is expected to work there after school, and she doesn't get paid for it. In fact, sometimes, she's the only person manning the booth, as her father is prone to wander off to play video games or solicit customers from other stores. Due to her less-than-stellar driving tests, Kate isn't allowed to get a car yet, so she has to rely on her family members to cart her around. Her brother obtained a college degree, then moved back home. Instead of actually getting a job, he sits on the couch and decides he wants to be an actor. Of course, he changes his dream job as often as he changes his socks, so Kate doubts he's serious. To top it all off, a guy at school named Will with a reputation for flirting and leading girls on keeps bugging her.
Kate is conflicted, to say the least. Her first-person narration relates her ups-and-downs with Will, Anna, and her family members. She doesn't want to admit that she likes Will and she certainly doesn't want to get hurt, but she starts to see him anyway. She restricts their time together to mall breaks, not wanting people at school to know about them, and she refuses to let things become serious. She doesn't even know if Will honestly likes her or is just using her like he's used all of the other girls, and she pretends as though she doesn't care either way. She desperately wants to repair her friendship with Anna but isn't sure what it will take to do that. Kate is mortified by her father's antics at the mall, but she suffers these little indignities quietly, not wanting to stir up trouble. She can sense that her parents' relationship, once fun-loving, is starting to get strained. Kate's maternal grandmother comes to visit and ends up staying indefinitely. After taking a second job to make ends meet, Kate's mother is stressed enough, and the addition of her own mother to the household only causes more problems.
Sometimes, all it takes is a good or bad conversation, even one that's ten seconds long, to change your mind and your feelings. Elizabeth Scott (Bloom) writes dialogue that sounds very true to life and very true to teens - remarkably, with minimal swearing and slang. A quick exchange of words with Anna and Kate thinks they are friends again, then a blatant snub in the hallway makes her heart sink. It's hard to have a friend "outgrow" you or otherwise leave you behind. I like that they drifted apart due to their own changes (well, Anna wanting something more and changing herself) rather than being torn apart by some devastating, earth-shattering event. Nevertheless, it still felt devastating to Kate.
By the end of the book, things in Kate's home have changed yet again, and her relationships with Anna and Will are totally different than they were at the beginning of the school year. Kate has to decide whether to hang on or move on.

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Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible. And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest. Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them....

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Mr. Darcy's Obsession (Pride & Prejudice Continues) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Mr. Darcy's Obsession" is Abigail Reynolds' first new book in what seems like way too long. Her other Pride and Prejudice alternate stories are excellent and this one's no exception. After the wait for a new story, I was definitely not disappointed.
In "Obsession," Darcy never has a chance to propose to Elizabeth and leaves Rosings with an aching heart. Nearly a year later he learns that Mr. Bennet has died leaving the family in dire financial straits. Circumstances have forced Jane to marry a local shopkeeper, and Elizabeth is living in London as nanny for her aunt and uncle's children. Now her situation is even more beneath Darcy's than before. What will he do?
Although he knows he should stay away, Darcy can't help himself. At first he tells himself he'll just check on her, but when the opportunity presents itself, he "accidentally" runs into her in the park. During their talks, Elizabeth begins to see another side to Darcy, but of course, many misunderstandings ensue which threaten to separate them forever. In spite of the many opportunities Darcy has to walk away, he looks into those fine eyes and he's lost again.
What I love most about Abigail Reynolds is the way she brings Darcy and Elizabeth to life. After reading one of her books I feel as if I've just stepped back into the world they inhabit and we've had a good chat. The dialogue between them is a delight to read. Elizabeth continues to be witty and down to earth while Darcy is becoming more human as he learns to put the needs of his heart ahead of the approval of his family and society. Ms. Reynolds has also added some interesting, lively new characters to the mix as well as breathing life into some who are mentioned in P&P but never developed. They seem so real that they fit right in.
Clearly, this author has great affection for her characters. In fact, I'd say she's somewhat obsessed with Darcy and Elizabeth - and I'm glad of it. I'll be anxiously awaiting my next opportunity for a visit to Pemberley, and in the meantime, I'll have to satisfy myself with rereading some of Ms. Reynolds' earlier books.

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Be Mine Tonight (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)just got done reading Be Mine Tonight, and.. I really, truly loved it. A wonderful job all the way around - the characterizations were very three dimensional, not to mention that Pru Ryland is one of the best heroines I've ever read. Kathryn Smith's new take on vampire legend was very smart, unique and believable. I loved that Chapel didn't end up as that all-too-familiar vampiric hero stereotype. He was very vital, warm and alive, instead of being darkly brooding and menacing in the way I've come to expect from vampire fiction. As for the story itself, I don't want to give too much away I was asborbed every step of the way as the two main characters, Pru and Chapel, fell in love very convincingly without falling into cliches. I cried so hard through parts of this book that I've blocked my right ear, but it was a fabulous read. I'm usually a picky b*tch and not too many authors make it into my auto-buy list, but this one just did. I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, and hope they'll all be as wonderful as this one.

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I am called Chapel . . . For nearly six centuries I have roamed the night, a mortal man no longer. Would that I could undo the past -- when I entered the sanctuary of the Knights Templar to wrest from them the Holy Grail, only to discover the chalice I raised to my lips was not the sacred relic but a hellish cup of damnation. Now I shun the day and all things human, driven by an ungodly thirst. And yet... Never have I known a maiden the like of Prudence Ryland, whose beauty and spirit awaken a heart I feared long cold and dead. But her young life is slipping away, and she also seeks the deliverance of the Grail -- unaware that the cost of her search could be her soul. I must help Prudence, for in six hundred years, no other woman has stirred my passions so. But dare I tender to my beloved that which she most desires -- the sensuous "gift" of forever that is both rapture and a curse: my immortal kiss?

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A Certain Slant of Light Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book for my two older daughters to read due to the reviews and the subject matter being similar to other books they have enjoyed. However, I read the book before they did just to see what it was about, and I am so very glad I did! At the end I was just crying, but in such a good way.
I don't consider myself religious, more of an agnostic. Even though the book spoke about heaven, etc., it wasn't in such a way that made it overbearing. It actually questioned certain beliefs more than anything, so I did not think there were any sort of religious overtones in the book that tried to explain life, death, and what comes after in an arrogant, this-is-the-way-it-is-so-do-NOT-ask-questions-or-doubt-it-in-any-way tone.
What it was is an extremely touching, moving book with such a great conclusion. I most definitely did not think there should have been more, it was, as another reviewer called it, beautiful. It is an atypical love story which shows the power of forgiveness, all in a story that teens and adults can relate to.
Really, this is a wonderful book, you just have to read it. I know my children will love it, although since they are not adults, as the characters in the book are, they may not be able to relate to some aspects of the story, like how strong a mother's love is and why you would punish yourself for things you thought you had done wrong.
I hate to think there are people that think this book is only for older teenagers. If your kids are allowed out in the real world at all without earplugs and blinders, the sex, language, and drug references in this book are *not* going to surprise them. Sorry for having to say that, but it isn't cynicism, just unfortunately, reality.

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Almost Heaven Review

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(More customer reviews)At the age of 18, I have only read about 30 romance novels, most of which were only "so-so". From the moment I read "Once and Always" by JM, I was in complete and utter awe at her talent; I couldn't seem to get enough of her work! "Almost Heaven", however, is without a doubt my favorite one of them all. The characters are so lovable and seem so REAL, making it almost impossible to put the book down. (even at 2 in the morning on a work day :) Elizabeth is wonderfully witty and intelligent; who knew that this sweet, charming girl possessed such an uncanny knack for bargaining? Ian is definitely the man of my dreams. Yes, he was stubborn and extremely exasperating at times, but he said things to Elizabeth that made ME swoon! This book captivates you from the first page to the last; I love it so much, I'm in the process of reading it for the seventh time as we speak...so you can probably guess how highly I recommend it!!

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In this classic novel of two willful lovers caught in a breathless adventure of deception and betrayal, #1 New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught has created a powerful and unforgettable masterpiece. ELIZABETH CAMERON The Countess of Havenhurst possessed a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast. IAN THORNTON A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, his voyage to Elizabeth's heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge. Destined for each other, yet wary of each other's motives, Elizabeth and Ian engage in a dance of suspicion and passion that tests the very soul of their star-crossed love. As a twisting path of secrets takes them from London's drawing rooms to the mysterious Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart?

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