Review: All Wounds by Dina James

All Wounds
Book 1 in the Stranger Things series
Author: Dina James
Publisher: Mundania Press
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 9780762437177
Release date: 10/11/11
Author's website: Dina James

It's said that when opportunity knocks on your door, you have only one chance to take it.  No one said what you're supposed to do when it kicks it.

All Rebecca MacDonnell wants to do is get through high school with grades good enough to win a prestigious scholarship so that she can finally leave her miserable life behind. One evening, after a particularly bad day, she finds out that people other than her aging grandmother need her help, and desperately so.

Well, not "people," exactly. Vampires, werewolves, demons, ghosts, goblins, and other things thought only imaginary all need help sometime, and Rebecca was born with the unique ability to heal ethereal beings. She is about to turn seventeen, the age at which her talent will manifest in its entirety, and become a true Healer…if she lives through the event. A war between various ethereal factions is brewing, and Healers are a valuable commodity to any side. Those who wish to harness Rebecca’s manifesting healing powers for their own purposes must get to her before her seventeenth birthday.

Only two vampires and a rogue werewolf stand between Rebecca and those determined to make her serve them, and the fact that Rebecca has no clue what she's doing doesn't exactly help matters.  Neither does being seriously attracted to more than one of those just trying to protect her.  For a soon-to-be seventeen-year-old Healer-in-training, that's a lot to handle.

Especially on top of her homework.

All Wounds is a great start to a new YA series by Dina James.  Now I don't read a lot of YA books, but once in a while something will catch my eye and I will read it.  All Wounds was one of those books and what I liked most about it is that it starts off with the reader learning about the main Rebecca MacDonnell.  She's a teen with a lot of responsibility on her shoulders as she takes care of her ailing grandmother that has dementia.  Her social life is zero and she doesn't feel as if she is special at all.  Her once boring life changes overnight as she learns the truth about her family and that her birthday is a day of importance.  Once she turns 17 she will become a powerful healer in the paranormal world and until then she is in danger.  Others come to her aid to protect her and this is when the book gets fun as we get the opportunity to meet some awesome characters. 

One of the 1st characters that Rebecca meets is Sydney, a vampire that has agreed to help her learn her powers of healing.  He is a good friend to her grandmother and a master vampire.  He and Rebecca get very close and he warns her that their relationship cannot be more than what it is.  Let's just say it's very hard for Rebecca to not fall for him and vice versa.  Heck I even fell for him as well.  My buddy Melissa and I were discussing how much we loved his character one day and I gotta hand it to Dina James for writing such a great one.  He's so great that I've added him to my Book Boyfriend list under the Cougar category.  Another character that I loved was Billy.  He is Rebecca's bodyguard and a werewolf.  He brings comedy to the story even in serious situations.  Both of these character care deeply about Rebecca and encourage her to believe in herself. She needs the support of those around her more than ever to face whatever comes next.

I'm giving All Wounds a rating of:

My favorite part of the book is when Rebecca realizes that she is special and that she has the ability to help others.  She's not just some girl that people call names at school.  She's a girl that loves her grandmother and is learning more about herself everyday.  And now she has others that are looking out for her.  I'm looking forward to reading more of book 2 in the series Time Heals to see how much Rebecca's power will grow.  There is something truly special about her that has been hinted at throughout All Wounds and I'm looking forward to finding out.

Find our more about Dina at the links below:
Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

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Review + Giveaway with Author Shelley Workinger

Hey all my lovely peeps!

Today I have the wonderful YA Author Shelley Workinger with a Guest Post + Giveaway as part of her Book Tour over at my Group Blog Book Lovers Inc.!

Stop by to check it out and enter to win a final copy + bookmark of  her upcoming release Settling

Enter the giveaway here

http://www.bookloversinc.com/2011/06/guest-post-giveaway-with-author-shelley.html

Check out my Review of Settling here

http://www.bookloversinc.com/2011/06/review-settling-by-shelley-workinger.html

GOOD LUCK!

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Review: The Samaritan by Fred Venturini

The Samaritan

by Fred Venturini

To age is to embrace a slow hurt inside and out, to collect scars like rings on a tree, dark and weathered and sometimes only visible if someone cuts deep enough. Scars keep the past just close enough to touch, but healing is forgetting. Healing invites another cut. Healing is the tide that smoothes away our line in the sand. For life to begin, the damage must be permanent.

- Dale Sampson, The Samaritan

Dale Sampson is a nobody. A small town geek who lives in the shadow of his best friend, the high school baseball star, it takes him years to even gather the courage to actually talk to a girl. It doesn’t go well. Then, just when he thinks there’s a glimmer of hope for his love life, he loses everything.

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Review: Never Tempt Danger by: Denise Robbins

Never Tempt Danger
By Denise Robbins

Publisher: L & L Dreamspell
Published: 12 September 2010
Format: Paperback 260 pages
Categories: Thrillers Romance
ISBN 13: 9781603182607
Websites: Author, Book Depository, Publisher

Maureen thought her special gift was a curse. Maybe she’s right…

As the one man who accepted her “gift” slid the diamond ring onto her shaky finger, Maureen saw his death flash in her mind an instant before the bullet struck. With blood on her hands and a government research project in the balance, Maureen—Gilly—Gillman does the only smart thing she can. She disappears. If there was one thing Maureen had learned, it was Never Tempt Danger.


Special agent Lucas Danger knows Maureen Gillman better than any other man. Assigned to find Gilly and her military robot prototype, Lucas discovers that his past has caught up with him. When the woman he loves collides with his secretive past, Lucas has to open his mind as well as his heart to save Maureen.

Who will get to her first?

My Thoughts

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Sandra Sookoo Week: Day 4 Review: Blink + Giveaway Entry

Blink
By: Sandra Sookoo

Published By: Eirelander Publishing
Published: Nov 05, 2010
Format: E-ARC
ISBN # 9781456331108
Websites: Author , Eirelander Publishing , AllRomanceBooks.com ,  Amazon.com

 Which man is her destiny? Charlotte Jackson knows everything about her small portion of the galaxy but nothing about the secrets of her heart.

When her ship is attacked by the very beings Garreth wants to save them from, Charlotte and Jax will have to put their feelings for the blue-haired alien aside and focus on saving not only themselves but the entire galaxy. What the three find at the end could be the most valuable commodity of all.

Her life is as unstable as a supernova when her ship—the Copernicus—is visited by a blue-haired alien who calls himself Garreth. He tells her he’d like to build an alliance with Earth to improve the dire problems of both their planets. As if intergalactic space negotiations weren’t complicated enough, Charlotte finds herself more than a little attracted to the man who she should be thinking about in only the most professional terms. This does nothing to make her second-in-command—and would-be lover Jax—any more relaxed about the whole cooperation.

My Thoughts

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Review: The Icing on the Cake By: Alison Kent + Giveaway

THE ICING ON THE CAKE
by Alison Kent

Pub. Date: September 2010
Publisher: Health Communications, Incorporated
Format: Paperback , 264pp
Series: True Vow Series
Genre: Reality-Based Romance™
ISBN-13: 9780757315350
ISBN: 0757315356
Websites: True Vows, Book Depository, Goodreads


Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match . . . dot com! An on-line dating service is not Michelle Snow’s idea of how to find love but when the Big 3-0 hits, Michelle decides she has nothing to lose since she hasn’t brought a date home in ten years, she’s professionally burned out, and her climb up the corporate ladder has come at the expense of abandoning her sweet dream: to own a boutique cupcakery.

Todd Bracken, early 30s and a successful technology consultant, isn’t exactly a player after being off the market for ten years, and pours himself into his dual passions of martial arts and home-sweet-home renovations. Only there’s no one to come home to so he decides to give Match.com a try. Todd isn’t so sure the Internet dating scene is his thing—until a message pops up in the wee hours on a weekend night: “I like your smile.” Todd likes—a lot—the whole package that glides into a French bistro in Washington, D.C.

It’s serious mojo-at-first-sight but there’s a glitch: Todd and Michelle live in different cities. Will love find its way in the digital age with a You’ve Got Mail courtship when video cam kisses just aren’t enough? And when Todd challenges Michelle to not only go for her dream but let him share it, will they be able to make it happen together despite obstacles more plentiful than a shower of rainbow sprinkles?

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Review: Crossing Oceans By: Gina Holmes

Crossin Oceans
By: Gina Holmes

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Published: 28 May 2010
Format: Paperback
Pages: 290
Categories: Religious,Spiritual Fiction
ISBN 13: 9781414333052
ISBN 10: 1414333056
Websites: Author,
Book Depository,
Goodreads

Book Blurb

Jenny Lucas swore she'd never go home again. But being told you're dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-yer-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank-toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella's dad . . . who doesn't yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything-to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . even overcome the impossible. A stunning debut about love and loss from a talented new voice.

My Thoughts

I really loved this book. It has some really sweet moments and I've never cried so much reading a book.

The characters are really well written and comepletely believable. The grandmother was a hoot and I think she was my favorite character in the book. She is a very wise woman and not afraid to say her mind when needed. Just the kind of person I like!

There is a love interest for Jenny, even though it is kind of late, and I really liked how Ms. Holmes handled that. I also liked how she presented the psychological side of dying. How it affects those involved and what must go through their minds when they are dealing with something so scary. Especially what a child must be thinking. Ms. Holmes must have first hand experience about the subject to be able to present it so well.

I can't say enough good things about the book. The story is just lovely, even given the sad subject, and it is well worth the read. It is about a Christians journey toward death, and it should remind us of what we have to look forward to one day when we cross our own ocean to get to the other side.

***FTC Disclaimer: Some books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books I have purchased with my own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

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Review: Believe in Me By: Josie Litton

Believe in Me
By: Josie Litton

Audible Audio EditionListening Length: 13 hour(s) and 5 min.
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Books on Tape (October 28, 2004)
Language: English
ASIN: B0006IU3O4
Categories: Historical Romance
Websites: Amazon , Book Depository , Author

Book Blurb

They were two Viking lords, the brothers Wolf and Dragon, bound both by blood and by a shared ambition to end the war with their lifelong enemies, More...the Saxons. They know that their only hope for peace is to persuade the Saxon Lord Hawk to unite his noble family with theirs — in a bond sealed forever by the sanctity of marriage.



Together these three men will strive to overcome centuries-old rivalries and hatred. Each will unite in marriage with an extraordinary woman who has her own special gift — and her own dreams of bringing about an end to war....

The drama continues in Believe in Me, when the Saxon Lord Hawk, brother of Cymbra, seeks to strengthen the alliance by wedding a Norse noblewoman. But Lady Krysta arrives bearing many secrets — including her gift for seeing what others cannot. And as an unexpected love ignites, only Krysta can sense the looming danger that threatens the peace — and Hawk as well.

My Thoughts

A historical romance with Lords and Ladys. Lady Krysta meets her huband to be in disguise setting off on what could be the wrong foot to determine if she could actually fall in love with him. Lord Hawk sees the "servant woman" and is irrevokably attracted to her without knowing her true status.

I loved his moral values that came to light when he had a decision to make about the "servant woman". They both are drawn to each other with several interesting huddles to overcome. Lots of steamy romance scenes follow as they overcome the obstacles in their paths.

 I believe that Lady Krysta shouldn't be so strongly influenced by what stories other characters spin as the story never reveils those stories to be true about her though there are sutle hints that they could be. It would have been a good idea for her to finally meet her mother as that may have helped in establishing truth to those stories that she so readily believed. I enjoyed the twists and turns brought on by other characters though it annoyed me that Lord Hawk never had a true suspicion of those who eventually tried to cause him and his loved ones harm. I would have prefered a better ending where Lady Krysta shares with Lord Hawk more of what happened to her during the last dramatic episole. All in all the book comes together to show how true romance should be solid and all accepting.

***FTC Disclaimer: Some books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books I have purchased with my own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

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Review: No Rest for the Wicked By: Kresley Cole

No Rest for the Wicked
By: Kresley Cole

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 31 October 2006
Format: Paperback 384 pages
Categories: Contemporary Fiction Romance
Websites: Author ,
Book Depository, Goodreads

Book Blurb

A vampire soldier weary of life…

Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire—a nightmare in his mind—against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him…

When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow—accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings—particularly lust—emerge multiplied. For the first time, she’s unable to complete a kill.

Become competitors in a legendary hunt…

The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity--as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world--to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

My Thoughts

This second installment of the Immortals After Dark Series is action packed and takes you along on a contest of sorts that rivals the Amazing Race.

The main female character in this book is Kaderine, a Valkyrie. She is my second favorite in the entire series. She is better known as Kaderine the Cold Hearted. Called so because she seemingly has no conscience when she kills. A situation she has taken advantage of and uses to rid the world of Vampires. She is the best warrior in her coven.

The main male character in this book is Sabastian Wroth, a centuries old Estonian warrior. From Ms. Cole's description he is smokin hot! He has found his Bride in Kaderine and wants nothing more than to take care of her and protect her. Dang...why can't we find men like this today??

This book kept me on the edge of my seat for most of it and then took my breath away with the hot hot hot love scenes. I really love how well Kresley Cole can pull you into her books and she makes it near impossible to put the book down!! Again...make sure you have the next installment ready when you finish this one. Like the first book, it has a peek at the next book in the back.

***FTC Disclaimer: Some books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books We have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

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Review: Stray By: By Rachel Vincent

Stray
 By Rachel Vincent

Feb 2010

Miniseries: The Shifters
Category: Paranormal Romance
Paperback
Websites: Author, eHarlequin, Book Depository

  I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.



Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.


This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back... for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever and whoever--I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays--'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them...

My Thoughts

This is the first book in a series of three. Colorful twist to the typical werewolf novel in which the characters in this series actually Shift into big black panthers rather then wolves. Faythe is a tough little werecat who is intent on breaking away from the Pride to make it on her own. While away at college, she is assaulted by (and breaks the nose of a) jungle werecat which is just the first in a series of events that lead to her kidnap - well... catnap.

 Loaded with lots of action and twists that keep you guess what will happen next. This series is more action than romance packed though there are quite a few steamy make out sessions that give passion seekers what they desire. It could have had a little more gratuitous sex. :) Thats about the only thing that i found could have made it better in my opinion. I liked the story line since it was different than what i expected.

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Review: A Hunger Like no Other By: Kresley Cole

A Hunger Like No Other
By: Kresley Cole

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: June 2008
Format: Paperback 368 pages
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Adult & Contemporary Romance
Websites: Goodreads , Authors Website, Book Depository

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 desire--ebb as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

My Thoughts

The two main characters, Lachlain and Emma, are total opposites and of course are meant for each other. Lachlain is Lykae and Emma is half Valkyrie and half Vampire. The Lykaes hate Vampires and the feeling is mutual, Vampires are less than fond of Lykaes.

Lachlain has waited his whole life to find his mate and now to his horror, she is half Vampire. His people have been killing Vampires for ages. But Vampire or not Emma is his mate and he will protect her forever. Whether she likes it or not!

Emma is just as horrified to learn that a Lykae thinks her to be his mate. What will her family think? Emma has been very sheltered in her life and this Lykae is a huge brute that is keeping her prisoner because he believes her to be his mate. I don’t want to give the story away so I will stop here.

I had a difficult time getting into this book initially. I thought it dragged a little bit, although in the end I really did enjoy it,And the more I read, the harder it was to put down. I know there are those who won't agree with me, lol, but there you go.

I liked how Kresley Cole handled the evolution of the two main characters' relationship. You could feel Lachlain's frustration at finally finding his mate and the issues involved (I don't want to give those issues away, hehe), and you could feel the fear and uncertainty Emma felt as she finally starting moving out of the shelter of her family and finding herself and the man she loved.

All in all I thought it was a great book and by the end I was totally hooked. I thought this was really well written. The story is engrossing and the sex is hot! What more can you ask for in a book? I suggest you have the next book in the series on hand when you finish this one because you will want to go on to the next immediately!!

***FTC Disclaimer: Some books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books I have purchased with my own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

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Come Meet the Newbies

I am happy to announce my 2 new reviewers are finally

 joinging JoJos Book Corner! So without dragging this on

 let me introduce my new Reviewers!!!

Hi, my name is Sally and I am Jojo's mother :) I work as a legal secretary in the Kansas City, MO area and I LOVE reading. I usually have a couple of books and an audio book going all the time. I really love audio books because I don't have to stop a book just to drive to work. Jobs can be so time consuming!!

My mother gave me the love of reading with the Little House on the Prairie series. We read the whole series together and that hooked me forever! I love to read all kinds of books but I especially love romance novels, from the very tame to the very naughty **wink, wink**. And I really enjoy a good mystery. I'm not sure there is a type of book out there that I won't at least try. I hope you enjoy my reviews!!

 

 

 

AND

 

 

 

 

I'm a single 46 year old with nothing else to occupy my time with. :o) I like paranormals - werecats, werewolves, were whatever and vampires. Those "Conan" type romance novels are nice too. I have read murder\mystery\romance books like ones written by Tami Hoag. Sometimes James Patterson - depending on my mood.

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Review: I'll Be Slaying You By: Cynthia Eden

*** Originally Posted on my group blog BLI ***

Format Read: ARC

Number of Pages: 275
Release Date: July 2010
Publisher: Kensington Brava
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Book Depository, Author's website

Book Blurb

Sandra “Dee” Daniels is a vampire’s worst nightmare. Sure, she couldn’t get up to five-six in the highest heels money can buy—not that she ever wears heels. But the monsters in her past and the stake in her boot are enough to keep most bloodsuckers interested in staying undead out of Baton Rouge.

But there are changes afoot on her turf. Rumors of a Born Master in town—a vampire so powerful he can make the streets run with blood. And a new face in Dee’s dive bars and alleyways—Simon Chase, a strong, sexy shadow with a haunted past of his own. Simon knows a lot about the dark side of Dee’s work. He knows even more about how to make her body spark with desire. But the hot lust shimmering between them is only the beginning. Because Simon also knows a secret that will change Dee’s life—if she can live long enough to uncover it.

My Thoughts

I'll Be Slaying you is the 2nd book in the Night Watch Series.Some of you who have read the first book Eternal Hunter,it is Judes Story. I honestly did not believe Cynthia could get any better than that, but she has proved me wrong! I truly love that book, But after reading I'll Be Slaying You, I believe Cynthia has out done herself. The story she has brought us just kept getting better and better, and I could not put it down.

In I'll Be Slaying You we get the story of Sandra “Dee” Daniels and Simon. Dee is the only person in the Night Watch Group that is human.She may be a little thing on the outside, but don't let that fool you. With a horrible and tragic past, Dee lets nothing stand in her way when taking down the bad guys. Especially if you are a Vampire! Now Dee's character was not one of my favorites from the beggining, she just seemed like a girl who was trying to prove herself as being " a tuff girl" too much to everybody, but then again if you worked with all supernatural beings i'm sure one can tend to feel the need to prove you are just as bad ass as they are. But in I'll Be Slaying You we get a good mixture or the hard core bad ass, and the softer side of Dee.

Simon Chase, now Simon is Yummy in a giant package. Full of Mystery and running from a bad past. We don't get to find out what Simon is till about half way through the book, but Dee has many ideas of what she thinks Simon is, and man could she ever be farther from the truth. Simon comes in to help Dee, and knows everything there is to know about Dee. Simon even has a secret of his own about Dee, that will change everything, and the way Dee looks at the world. I really do enjoy Simons character. He's very mysterious, but does his best to help Dee, even when it means she very well may hate him in the end.

The world Cynthia has created with The Night Watch, has a great balance of mythical creatures such as Shape Shifters, Vampires, Demons, Witches, and who know what else she will bring us in the upcoming books in the series. We also get a nice mixture of all the characters so far and not just Dee and Simons. We get to see Jude, Zane, and a few other charcters from the first book. Jude.....we can never get enough Jude. But we also get to see Zane, a Demon, and Catalina a witch.I cannot wait to read Zaine's book. But Catalina, I don't like her very much. She seemed like a very good friend, and very strong willed witch, until the first sign of danger and she's running the opposite direction. So we will see how her story fares.

After starting this series, I have to tell you Cynthia's Night Watch Series is deffinently in my top 5 of the year!!!

***FTC Disclaimer: Some books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books I have purchased with my own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

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CSN Review and Giveaway Opportunity !!!

I am so happy JoJosBookCorner was asked to do a review for CSN. One of my favorite things to look at is bedroom furniture sets to decorate your home!?! You just cant feel anymore at home than a cozy bedroom! To me its kinda like your own personal getaway within your home. Ya know!



So i spent a numerous amount of time looking through CSN's  stores (which they have over 200+ to find anything and everything your little heart can desire) to try and find that special piece that screams JoJo. After searching and searching and searching i found that perfect piece to add to my bedroom!

4D Concepts Hanging Corner Storage In Espresso

Isn't it awesome looking! It's so different,

 I love it! I can't wait for it to show up!

So keep an eye out for my review of my awesome new bookshelf, cause along with it i will have a wonderful giveaway for all of you to have the chance to win a $15 GC that you can use towards one of these awesome shelves, or something else that fits into "your" home at any of the CSN stores!!

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Review: Lucas By: Eliza Gayle

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

Lucas

By: Eliza Gayle

Publisher: Linden Bay Romance LLP

Published: 01 April 2009

Format: Paperback 204 pages

Categories: Fantasy Romance Adult

   & Contemporary Romance

ISBN 13: 9781602021433

ISBN 10: 1602021430

Goodreads

Book Depository

Author Website

 
 
 
 

Book Blurb

 

Kira MacDonald is in trouble. Plagued by false visions and erotic dreams of a man she’s never met, she fears losing both her psychic powers and her sanity. The cure? Finding and bonding with her mate. The stubborn red-haired warrior might not want one, but fate has other plans, plans that include her rescuing Lucas Gunn.

As the Guardian of his shape-shifting clan, Lucas Gunn lived a quiet, solitary life. Until he was kidnapped, examined, and tortured. Now imprisoned, his only tie to the outside world is the memory of his dreams and the passionate woman who appears nightly in them. He thought she was nothing more than a vision. Then she came for him.

An uneasy alliance, a mating call that won’t be denied, rituals that must be honored, and unrelenting enemies who will stop at nothing to get what they want. It all comes together in the first of Eliza Gayle’s sensational Black Cougar Series. Passion and Pride. Duty and Danger. In the end, there’s really only one choice…for Lucas.

My Thoughts

Lucas is a very fast paced love story. The bond between Lucas & Kira is so strong, and comes on fast. To be able to sense somebody mentall , and communicate with them mentally without ever meeting them. WOW ! That would be kinda erie, and kewl all at once!

One key point a had a hard time with was the begining where Lucas is held captive. You have no idea how long he was there, how he was captured, or why he was kidnapped. You do find out who did capture him, but not alot of reasoning to go with it. I would have liked to have a little bit more into this part of the story.

Kira, now i really like her character! Very strong willed young women. I would have liked to have a little bit more of an insite into her past also, but.......I know, they have to keep you hanging on waiting for more! ;0)

I was really captivated by Lucas's brother Kane. Just the little bit of a glimpse you get of him in this story.....I bet he's fiesty! I can not wait to get the chance to read his story. Now into the story a bit i had a bit of an eye bulge moment when you get a peek into the things the brothers have done together in their past. And there is also a little scene where you get a glimpse of what types of things their pasts involve. That REALLY makes me want to read Kane's story!

Now there are laws that the brothers have to abid by for their clan. If not followed, there is punishment. Some of the laws between all the different clans. Its totaly craizness! It really makes you want to know how the story will continue, and how Lucas & Kira will deal with the lifes fate has dealt them.

All in all i think this was a very fast paced, keep you on the edge of your seat story. And i am very much anticipating how the story will continue, and what new twists it will bring us!

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Review: Beautiful Creatures By: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

Beautuful CreaturesBy: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 01 December 2009

Format: Hardback 563 pages

See: Full bibliographic data

Categories: Crime Science Fiction Romance

ISBN 13: 9780316042673

ISBN 10: 0316042676

Goodreads

Book Website

Blurb

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

 

My Thoughts

To start off I am thrilled that Beautiful Creatures was written from Ethans POV. Not that often do you see a story written from the males perspective. Yes alot of storys have the male perspective, but it is usually bouncing back and forth between all the different characters. In Beautiful Creatures 95% of the story is told looking through Ethans eyes. I personally think that was a excellent decision!

Beautiful Creatures started off a little slow for me. Not bad by any means. Just a little slow. But by page 95 when Amma says "Your Not Ready"  I was completely hooked! You really start to get more and more tid bits letting you know things are not Normal. And when Amma delivers a line like that....GAAAAA i couldn't put the book down! I just had to know what Ethan is no ready for.

Now the small town. WOW thats all i can say. To live in a town where nobody accepts the newbies, does everything they can to make someone look bad, or guilty of something they didn't do. You see that alot in schools. Where the popular kids , or whoever get jealous and lash out ant new / innocent people. You do see that. But when you get grown adults who do that as well , and to an innocent high school girl. WOW again. I was constantly screaming at my book! What.....what are you doing?!?! Your adults....act like one!!

The Overall world Kami & Margaret have built is awesome! Every detail you can think of has been brought into this world.So vivid, you can imagine it like your standing right there. You have magic, mixed with real world. The Library they created.....to have a library like that that would be amazing. Basically never ending books to read. You can go anywhere, just pick a tunnel. To be able to see things that have happened in the past, especially when it is not your past. Growing up finding out one day you may end up evil. Having no choice in the matter. Just knowing it could happen. Seeing someone you have known your entire life, knowing 1 person you thought no one knew,And to find out they have know each other for years. So much good stuff!!!

There are so many parts of this story that i just absolutly loved. And i would enjoy sharing all of them with you. But then i would be giving away wayyyyy to many details and spoilers. So all I can say is....

This is a must read! This is one book you will not regret reading!

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Review: The Wish List By: Gabi Stevens

The Wish List

By: Gabi Stevens

Wizards, Fairies, Wands, OH MY

When Kristin Montgomery discovers her three aunts are fairy godmothers and she's next in line for the job, her uncomplicated life disappears like magic. No, not like magic; it is magic. Kristin not only has to deal with burgeoning magical powers, but also a reluctant arbiter, a selfish sprite, and a suave French sorcerer. It’s bad enough there are no books or classes she can take to learn magic, but someone is out to take over the Arcani world. Kristin has to trust her heart and her instincts to keep herself and the ones she loves out of danger.

ISBN-10: 0765365030

ISBN-13: 978-0765365033

 
 
 
 

My Thoughts

 

The Wish List is such a cute romance story. But don't get me wrong. This is not just a romance, its just part romance. It is a story of the struggles a young girls must go through to become a fairy godmother. Its full of Wizards, Sorcerers, Sprites,and of course Fairy Godmothers.

 

I have to admit when i first started this i was not a fan of Tennysons. He was a jerk to Kristen! She was thrown into a world, that as far as she knew was all make believe and for children. He acted like he was too good to help her, and had more inportnant things to do than help her.A Rare One.....Who knew nothing of the magical world that lay before her.But as i got farther into the story you get to know the Real Tennyson, and he is such a doll! The love that starts to build between Tennyson and Kristen is a true love.

 

You also get to meet a few other characters in the story. The Aunts Lily, Rose, and Hyacinth. and Friends Zack and Callie. The Aunts are freakin hilarious! My favorite is Hyacinth. Then there is Zack and Callie. I loved these 2 characters. Zack is such a laid back kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back, even if it was the only thing he had. Callie is a no nonsense, speak her mind Sprite. I do hope we get to see more of Zack and Callie in the next 2 books!

 

Once i started reading The Wish List I couldn't put it down. Such a wonderful story full of Magic. I can't wait to see more into the world with the next 2 fairy godmothers!

 

 

Check out Gabi's Website HERE

and

Gabi reading from The Wish List HERE

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Born of Night By: Sherrilyn Kenyon + Giveaway

Born of Night

By: Sherrilyn Kenyon

In the Ichidian Universe ,The Leagues rules all. Expertly trained and highly valued, the League Assasins are the backbone of the government. But not even the League is immune to corruption....

Nykyrian

Command Assassin Nykyrian Quikiades was born and trained to slaughter. Refusing to be a pawn, he turned his back on the League and has been hunted by them ever since. Though many have tried, none can kill him.
 
 
 

Kiara

Kiara Zamir is a woman whose father's political alliance has made her a target. She wants nothing to do with politics, yet she is forced to submit to protection or die. And as her world becomes even deadlier, Kiara must entrust her life to the same k ...Read More

 

 

 

 

My Thoughts

 

I have had this book sitting on my shelf for some time now. I have heard many great things about this series, but the idea of an entire universe just didn't appeal to me at the time.But it sat there screaming my name, so i decided what the hey, i'll go ahead and give it a try. O...M...G... I loved this book!!! It's the first in the League Series.I realized i also had book 3, but book 2 was missing. So i tore apart my drug store till i found it, before i was 1/2 thorugh this book!! *whispers* yes i think it is that good!!!

 

The World Sherrilyn has created is for lack of a better term AWESOME! You have your high, mighty rich "species", you have your low, slum "species" that everyone seems to look down upon, and yes you still have your normal average humans.

 

The biggest thing that drew me into this was the main character Nykyrian. The way Sherrilyn writes his character makes you feel like you personally know him and feel his pain. There were parts that i felt so sad that a poor soul had to go through things that nobody should ever be put through, and still turn out such a strong person despite his past. How could someone who's been through so much, ever truly trust anyone again.

 

Now Kiara, I am not a fan of her so much. At the beggining of the book she started out such a strong willed, fight for her life kind of girl. Which i so truly enjoy in a heroine. But the further you get into the book she (to me) seemed like a scared, whinny, little daddy's girl that is very judgemental. Granted the scared part she is entitled to because of the things done to her in her past as well. But still there were times i wanted to knock the judgemental snot off her high horse!

 

Now i won't give anything away but there are a couple more characters we get introduced too that i can't wait to see if they get their own book. The first is Syn (who's book is #2), OMG i love his humor.For example:

"What the hell was that action?" Syn asked him.

"I think it's something called 'paternal concern.' "

Syn scowled at his bland explanation. "What.....? You sure? I thought that crap was a myth."

Nykyrian shrugged. "No,really. I watched it once in a documentary. It was fascinating. Believe it or not, there are people out there who actually have feelings for their progeny."

"Get the fuck out. No way. Your screwing with my head again, aren't you?"

"No, i swear. You just saw it with your own eyes. I did not make that shit up."

Syn shivered. "Yeah but it's really messing with my concept of the natural order of the universe. Paternal love? Whats next? Limb regrowth? Genetic splicing reversals?"  

OMG too funny! 2 others i can't wait to see if they get books are Hauk,and Darling.

 

So i would have to say the only thing missing in this book is a dictionary. There are several languages to go with the different species. On a few occasions characters curse , or make a comment in these other languages and we aren't told what most of them mean. I'm sure some are to keeping you wondering, but others it would have been really great to know what was said.

 

I give this Book in the wonderful new to me series

 

 

 

 

Ok now onto the giveaway!

 

In anticipation for the new release Silent truth (#4 in the BAD Series) By Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love which comes out tomorrow April 20, 2010, Terry Kate from Romance in the Backseat has given me the opportunity to give one lucky reader the chance to win a copy of Whispered Lies (#3 in the BAD Series)

 

RULES:

This contest is open to USA residents only. It is open through Friday April 23rd. Make sure you include your name and email address when you comment.

Comment: Who is your favorite BAD boy type of Hero?

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State of Mind By: Libby Drew

*** May contain Spoilers ***

State of Mind

By: Libby Drew

Grier Crist works for the Organization—a group of Gifted “agents” who use their powers to keep peace, help those in need, and combat criminal influence around the globe. When a suspicious bombing drives Grier to break his ties with the group and go into hiding, the head of the Organization sends model agent Alec Devlin after him, claiming Grier is a murderer and traitor to their cause.

Grier manages to turn the tables and take Alec hostage long enough to convince him that the Organization is lying and hiding something sinister. The two strike a bargain: amidst enemies who  want them dead, friends with their own agendas, and the growing passion between them, they'll work together to bring down the Organization in order to protect the world… and each other.

TRUST IS GIVEN FREELY ONCE

My Thoughts

This was my first M/M Romance i have read. I can finally say i am no longer an M/M virgin! And State of Mind was the perfect book to loose it too!!!

 

Libby's writing is informative, detailed....Yet she gives you just enough detail to keep you begging for more. The relationship she creates between Grier and Alec builds to an incredible passion. A Passion Built on trust. She has a great mix of sacasm, humor , and take no shit additude.

 

Grier Crist - Grier was an organization lifer. Till a bombing took place that he was supposed to stop. Now he has suspision of the organizations involvment. He turns his back on the organization, so the only questions now are who's coming after him, and when.

 

Alec Devlin - Alec is a tough organization agent, sent to take down Grier. With a horrible childhood, Alec fights many obsticles in his life to overcome his past. Now he has to decide if he should believe Grier about the organization and stand by his side and fight, or if he will bring him to his end. Nobody "leaves the organization".

I have to be honest, i was very nervous on how i was gonna take the sex scenes between Grier and Alec. But the intimate scences Libby has created are detailed, but done tastefully.She shows struggles one must overcome, and the worry's one must let go of.

The only thing i would have liked that i feel is missing is a little bit more of a glimpse into Grier's past. You get flashbacks of Alec as a boy, and the troubles he has delt with through his life, but you don't get a lot of information on Grier. I think it would have built his character a little more. The relationship between Grier and Ethan was something special, and Ethan was at one point in time really attached to Grier before all the problems. But you never get to know why.

By far Libby has out done herself. I can't wait to see if we get more from Alec and Grier!

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A Vampire Kiss By: Laura Stamps Chapter 1-3

A Vampire Kiss

Chapter 1-3

By: Laura Stamps

"Sara Gadsden is a Wiccan Green Witch addicted to paranormal romance novels and their gorgeous vampire heroes. Like most people, she has no idea vampires actually exist until she meets Drayton Manigault at a Samhain party. Dray is not only one of Columbia's wealthiest businessmen, but he's also been a vampire for the last 145 years. Oh, and he's totally yummy. When Dray offers Sara a job working for his computer company, Manigault Technologies, fantasy collides with reality, and Sara's future is suddenly transformed into one wild, smokin' HOT ride!"

 
 
MY Thoughts:
GAAAAA All i have gotten to read is the first 3 chapters. I enjoy it so far. Sara is a very forward,say anything on her mind type of Witch. Dray is a layed back, secretive ,sexy Vampire. They meet at a party and hit it off from the start.
I can't wait to read the rest of this story. Its seems like a very fast moving story that keeps you on your toes.And i'm guessing things are going to start getting really steamy between Sara and Dray...........
 
Check out the rest of A Vampire Kiss out so far HERE:
 
 

So Far

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