A Hunger Like No Other

Author:  Kresley Cole

Series:  Immortals After Dark, Book 2

Year: 2006

Publisher:  Pocket Star Books

Pages:  356

Goodreads Summary:

Acclaimed author Kresley Cole introduces a sizzling new series with this tale of a fierce werewolf and a bewitching vampire—unlikely soul mates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death.

A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her...

After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy...

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae—and their notorious dark desires—ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all-consuming desire...

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

I picked this book up at an used bookstore and it has set on my shelf forever. The other night I was looking for something quick to read for a few minutes before I went to bed so I thought I'll read a couple of chapters of this simple romance and it'll settle me down so I can go to sleep. At 3:00 a.m. I put the book down after reading the last page. It's not like I didn't know how the book was going to end. Of course they were going to get together. I just couldn't stop reading the book. It was just so entertaining, fun and good. And the romance was great.

Live Through This

Author:  Mindi Scott

Year:  2012

Publisher:  Simon Pulse

Pages:  289

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. It’s not perfect—her best friend is seriously mad at her and her dance team captains keep giving her a hard time—but Coley’s adorable, sweet crush Reece helps distract her. Plus, she has a great family to fall back on—with a mom and stepdad who would stop at nothing to keep her siblings and her happy.

But Coley has a lot of secrets. She won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost-perfect life is her own carefully-crafted façade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now that Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

In this unforgettable powerhouse of a novel, Mindi Scott offers an absorbing, layered glimpse into the life of an everygirl living a nightmare that no one would suspect.

Well, I seem to be on a little bit of a theme as of late. With this book and The Color Purple and Easy (which I just finished yesterday and the review will be coming soon), there's been a lot of rape and incest in my reading. And of the three novels, this was the least powerful. I think that the author had a great idea and for the most part pulled it off pretty well.  My problem with the story was that Coley was a little too happy for a girl  going through what she is going through. I felt like it should have affected her more. I also wanted more resolution in the end. 

The Mark of Athena

Author:  Rick Riordan

Series:  Heroes of Olympus, Book 3

Year: 2012

Publisher:  Disney Hyperion

Pages:  574

Goodreads Description:

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . .

I always forget just how  much I love Rick Riordan's books until I get to reading one. They are so much fun. I love the Percy Jackson books and am so glad that he didn't cut Percy and Annabeth out of the storyline when he started The Heroes of Olympus series. But don't get me wrong, I love Jason, Piper, Leo and Hazel too. I've really enjoyed seeing the Greek and Roman camps and how their legends are similar but different. I can't wait to see where the story goes with Nico and hope that he gets the opportunity to step up and be a hero in the next book.

I definitely recommend this series.

The Color Purple

Author:  Alice Walker

Year:  2009

Publisher:  Recorded Books

Narrator:  Alice Walker

Goodreads Summary:

Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to “Mister,” a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister’s letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self.

So I've thought about this for a week and I'm still a bit conflicted on how I felt about this story. In my mind, I couldn't help but compare it to Their Eyes Were Watching God which is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read and The Color Purple didn't have that lyricism and poetry in it that Their Eyes Were Watching God does. It didn't feel quite as authentic. For the first part of the book, I was completely uncomfortable which could well have been what Walker intended. I was unsure whether or nor I wanted to finish the book but it's one of those that I always felt like I should have read so I kept sticking it out to see what all the fuss was about. And then the letters started and I realized that I was crying. I wasn't just crying, I was bawling. Once the letters started, I began enjoying the book so much more. 

This audiobook was narrated by Alice Walker and, although I have seen many places where the Walker is criticized as a narrator, I didn't have any problems with it. I think that the person that read Abileene for The Help  would have been a better choice but Walker does okay. She's criticized for reading slowly but I think that Celie might be a slow talker.

Do I recommend the book? Yeah, I think everybody should read it at some point in their lives. But do I think you should run out and read it right now?  No. 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Kick-Butt Characters Hop

Hello! Welcome to my stop on the Kick Butt Characters Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Good Choice Reading. I signed up for this hop because there's nothing I like better than a good heroine that can really kick butt.  So all my book choices feature some of my favorite heroines in recent books. The winner gets their book of choice from the list as long as either Amazon or The Book Depository ships to your country for free. I'm just listing the first book in a series. If you've already read the first book, you can choose another book in the same series. Good luck!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Succubus Blues

Author:  Richelle Mead

Series:  Georgina Kincaid, Book 1

Year:  2007

Publisher:  Audible Frontiers

Narrator:  Elisabeth Rodgers

Goodreads Summary:

When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny.

So I'm a huge Richelle Mead fan and after hearing about these books for forever, I decided to break down and start listening to them. I enjoyed this first book. Georgina is my kind of woman. She's powerful, smart, thinks for herself, works in a bookstore, relishes her books like a good meal. The guys were super-sexy and wonderful. And I know I could definitely fall for the sexy writer.

But I'm not sure I'm sold on this series yet. The story drug in a couple of places. Also, I figured out the bad guy halfway through the book. I kept thinking that surely Mead was going to pull a twist at the end and make this person not be the bad guy but she didn't. In all honesty, if I didn't already own the second audiobook, I'm not sure that I would be that pressed to continue the series. But I do have the second book so I will give the series one more shot. 

Fragments

Author:  Dan Wells

Series:  Partials Sequence, Book 2

Year: 2013

Publisher:  Balzer + Bray

Pages:  564

Goodreads Description:

Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence--it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means--and even more important, a reason--for our survival.

It took me just a little while to get back in to this world and the series but, once I did, it was impossible to put the book down (and at 564 pages that's quite a long sitting).  After hours of changing positions and turning trying to find something to prop this brick of a book on so that I could lessen the pain in my hands from holding it, I finally read that last page and instantly felt like I was missing something. I am so ready for the third book! I loved Kira and Samm in this book. I am so anxious to see where that goes. This book was very good. The book starts a bit slow but once it picks up, the pace is non-stop. 

I think Kira is an excellent heroine.  She is so strong. She thinks things out. She knows what she wants and, even if she loses faith at times that she'll be able to accomplish her goals, she doesn't give up. She doesn't judge herself by her boyfriend or even need a guy to complete herself. Kudos to Dan Wells for writing so a wonderful female role model.

I think I've mentioned this before but if you haven't listened to Dan Well's podcast with his brother, Robison Wells, and you're a lover of pop culture, you should definitely check it out. It's called Do I Dare to Eat a Peach and can be found on iTunes.

Glow

Author:  Amy Kathleen Ryan

Series:  Sky Chasers, Book 1

Year:  2011

Publisher:  MacMillan Audio

Narrators:  Ilyana Kadushin and Matthew Brown

Goodreads Description:

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. OK, that's not exactly right. I was expecting something like Across the Universe and, in a way, this was a bit like that series. But then it wasn't. There was a lot more action and excitement and suspense in this series. I found myself both liking and hating the main characters all at the same time and by the end of the book, I'm a little torn as to who I think is right and who I think is wrong. I'm definitely anxious to see where things go from here. I wanted to jump right in on book two as soon as I finished listening to the first book but then I realized that it's a very long time before the third book comes out and decided to hold out a little while so that I won't be distraught waiting for that final book.

I thought both narrators did a great job. I listened to this audiobook on a recent road trip and it definitely made the trip fly by.

The Iron Wyrm Affair

Author:  Lilith Saintcrow

Series:  Bannon & Clare, Book 1

Year: 2012

Publisher: Orbit Books

Pages:  303

Goodreads Summary:

Emma Bannon, forensic sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn't help much that they barely tolerate each other, or that Bannon's Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen. 

In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs. 

The game is afoot..

I'm kind of ambivalent about this book. I loved the idea. I thought the steampunk elements in the story were good and prevalent as well as the magic. But the characters fell a little flat. Or maybe they just didn't live up to my expectations. I was expecting a Holmes/Watson relationship; however, it ended up being two Holmes and no Watson. Unfortunately, what makes Holmes work is his relationship with Watson. I liked both Bannon and Clare separately but I felt that they didn't work together as a team. I do think this series has a lot of promise and I will read the next book. Hopefully, Saintcrow will figure out how to make that magic work between her two main characters.

The Assassin and the Empire

Author:  Sarah J. Maas

Series:  Throne of Glass 0.4

Year: 2012

Publisher:  Bloomsbury USA

Pages: 88

Goodreads Summary:
Celaena Sardothien is the assassin with everything: a place to call her own, the love of handsome Sam, and, best of all, freedom. Yet, she won’t be truly free until she is far away from her old master, Arobynn Hamel; Celaena must take one last daring assignment that will liberate her forever. But having it all, means you have a lot to lose . . . 
This fourth fantastic e-novella gives readers an inside look at the characters who appear in the full-length novel Throne of Glass. Don’t miss out!

Of course, I got these novellas out of order and read the last one first! Oh well, I kinda already knew what was going to happen anyway. I enjoyed this story but I wasn't bowled over by it. Maybe if I had read them in order, the ending would have been a bit more emotional for me. As it was, I was just upset by it but I kinda knew what was going to happen from Throne of Glass. Still it was a decent read.

The Darke Toad

Author: Angie Sage

Series: Septimus Heap, Book 1.5

Year: 2013

Publisher:  Katherine Tegan Books

Pages: 96

Goodreads Summary:

The evil Dom Daniel is up to something with the Port Witch Coven, and he needs Simon Heap’s help. Is Simon ready to do his master’s bidding? And in the state that Dom Daniel is in, how will he fare against the nasty—and ever entertaining—Port Witch Coven?

A novella that takes places between the stories told in MAGYK and FLYTE.

This little novella got snuck out on me. I had no clue the author was going to release one. This is one of my favorite series out there. It's very fun and inventive. The author does a great job of playing on spelling of words. And it's a smart series. I appreciate this little snack to tide me over until the next book's release. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it went back in time to between the first and second books. I would have loved one where the series stands right now.