SYNOP: The publishers of Chris Cleave’s new novel “don’t want to spoil” the story by revealing too much about it, and there’s good reason not to tell too much about the plot’s pivot point. All you should know going in to Little Bee is that what happens on the beach is brutal, and that it braids the fates of a 16-year-old Nigerian orphan (who calls herself Little Bee) and a well-off British couple–journalists trying to repair their strained marriage with a free holiday–who should have stayed behind their resort’s walls. The tide of that event carries Little Bee back to their world, which she claims she couldn’t explain to the girls from her village because they’d have no context for its abundance and calm. But she shows us the infinite rifts in a globalized world, where any distance can be crossed in a day–with the right papers–and “no one likes each other, but everyone likes U2.” Where you have to give up the safety you’d assumed as your birthright if you decide to save the girl gazing at you through razor wire, left to the wolves of a failing state.

Oh my.  Where to start about Little Bee… I won’t give much of the central plot away.  But I will say that this is a polarizing book.  I believe that you will either love it or hate it.  I, unfortunately, fell into the hate category.  This books was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from.  It was horribly depressing, parts of it were horrific and heartrending and some of it just plain inconceivable.  There is evil in the world in many forms — most of them human– and this book looks at how globalization and people themselves give so little value to human life or even to basic human rights.

There were a few parts that touched me, hence the “D” grade instead of the “F” I was very tempted to give it.  The writing itself was not very stellar.  It was stilted and quite a bit of it just didn’t seem real.  not real dialogue or reactions but then again, given the subject matter I guess it’s hard for me to say what would be “real.”

I plugged and slogged through this novel because I felt like I owed it to the people that things like this happen to all the time.  It did make me think and I always appreciate that in a book, but if depressing reading material isn’t your gig, stay far, far away from Little Bee.

Book Synop: Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has her hands full dealing with every sort of undead and paranormal creature imaginable. And after being betrayed by her longtime v ampire love, Sookie must not only deal with a new man in her life-the shapeshifter Quinn-but also contend with the long-planned vampire summit.

The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she’ll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.

Fantastic as usual! I listened to All Together Dead: A Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery unabridged on CD. I really enjoy listening to Johanna Parker narrate this story. It continues the saga of Sookie and her new paranormal buddies. I’m not sure how I really feel about Quinn and Sookie dating because I’m partial to Eric, but I’m glad that Sookie is happy.

The vampire summit was a little boring at times, but overall the story was well paced and of course the humor was outstanding. I can’t wait to see if HBO is going to pick up True Blood starring Anna Paquin as Sookie. Now, if only Ms. Harris would write this series a little bit faster….

Blurb:  For twins Ryker and Ranger Good, life has never been easy. Kicked out of the house when they were barely eighteen, the brothers started a new life together. Now in their thirties they are ready to make a commitment, not only to each other but to the woman they’ve waited to claim for four years.

When the twins find out the woman they want is dating a smarmy hustler they try to talk some sense into her, only to be told to butt out. Now it’s up to them to tame their wildcat and bring her into the fold of their love. A wildcat however, has claws and Lilly isn’t shy about using hers to her advantage.

Let me start by saying that I bought this e-book over at Total E-Bound out of curiosity.  I knew that there would be the twincest storyline and I knew that it was probably not going to be my cup of tea.  I kept hoping that I would be able to fool myself into thinking they were just unrelated lovers.  I wasn’t able to and it was a bit icky.  But  that’s not why I gave this book an F.

It was very hard for me to keep Ryker and Ranger separate in my mind.  Especially when the nickname “Bub” was thrown in.  It just made it even more confusing.  Second, the dialogue seemed forced in spots (especially between the twins) and quite a few times snippets would pull me completely out of the story.  It’s not that long of a book and it took me three nights to complete it.  It just didn’t capture my attention.  Third, the plot seemed very thin.  Especially when it came to the interaction between Lilly and Jeff Brown and it seemed out of character for Ranger to go running off like a spurned lover.  All in all I just didn’t feel the story was cohesive at all.

I guess next time I won’t let my curiosity get the better of me and I’ll go with gut instinct.  I think I should just err on the side that incest is a taboo I’m not down with.

Book Synop: When Daniel Stone was a child, he was the only white boy in a native Eskimo village where his mother taught, and he was teased mercilessly because he was different. He fought back, the baddest of the bad kids: stealing, drinking, robbing and cheating his way out of the Alaskan bush – where he honed his artistic talent, fell in love with a girl and got her pregnant. To become part of a family, he reinvented himself – jettisoning all that anger to become a docile, devoted husband and father. Fifteen years later, when we meet Daniel again, he is a comic book artist. His wife teaches Dante’s Inferno at a local college; his daughter, Trixie, is the light of his life – and a girl who only knows her father as the even-tempered, mild-mannered man he has been her whole life. Until, that is, she is date raped…and Daniel finds himself struggling, again, with a powerlessness and a rage that may not just swallow him whole, but destroy his family and his future.

I thoroughly enjoy books that make you think and The Tenth Circle: A Novel by Jodi Picoult certainly did that.  A friend of mine thought that the reactions of the students were cliche.  They were, because I honestly believe that it would happen that way.  Sometimes stereotypes are real.

I don’t want to ruin the story for those that haven’t read it, but I was enthralled how this one act ruined multiple lives.  And how easily something like this could really happen.  Picoult’s characters were such that while I was empathetic, I was also repulsed.  And it made me wonder, were we like that in high school?  I’m sure the answer is yes. It was a compelling read and it encourages me to pick up more of her titles.  But if you are looking for something light and fluffy, seek it out elsewhere because this one hits like a fist.

Book Synop:

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

At first I wasn’t sure about this book. I had read all the hype and for some people, hype makes them run out and buy the book/movie/cd etc. but for me, hype just makes me want the object to gather some dust and then when my mind has shed all the gushing accolades, I pick it up and try it out. So, much Like Abby Cooper, this book was bought the first week it came out, but it has set on my TBR shelf for quite a while.

And here is where I have to admit that sometimes you have to believe the hype. One part of me is glad that I waited to read this — so I could immediately start reading Visions of Heat (The Psy-Changeling Series, Book 2) (Berkley Sensation). The other half of me is smacking the back of my head wanting to know why I waited so long to pick out Slave to Sensation (The Psy-Changelings Series, Book 1) (Berkley Sensation).

It always makes my heart happy when someone creates a brand new world for people and creatures (for lack of a better word) that could be part of the same ol, same ol. Nalini Singh has created a very rich world where Psy, Changelings and humans have an uneasy peace — of sorts.

Lucas and Sascha are incredible characters. Their chemistry is white hot and I found myself following Sascha’s path into emotion with avid interest. Lucas was a bit more alpha than I typically like, but it suited his position and his character. I guessed early on the identity of the killer but enjoyed watching the trap to capture him unfold. Sometimes things were a bit repetitive, but all in all I enjoyed learning about this new world and these new people.

As usual I PPH Karen Rose! I’m Watching You was excellent! I love stories that challenge my own perceptions and this one had me doing a bit of thinking at the end. This story is about a vigilante killer who is taking out some of society’s worst offenders. These guys all got off in court by a technicality or by their defense lawyer being total scum and discrediting the Prosecution’s witnesses. Kristen Mayhew tries so hard to put these bastards away as an ASA but she can’t get them all. But someone has decided to help her and he calls himself Your Humble Servant. She gets close to the cop assigned to her case, Abe Reagan but there are issues that both of them are dealing with that keeps them at arms lengths from each other. The book is extremely fast paced and I only put it down to get some sleep. I had to look at whether I thought the killer was actually a killer or if he was doing a society a favor. Very interesting. And since I don’t usually read psychological thrillers a second time, I’m going to leave the book here at the condo for someone else to enjoy.

Next was a book I’ve had since the day it hit the shelves of my bookstore – Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy by HelenKay Dimon was incredible! A lot of times snarky dialogue feels forced to me and pulls me out of a story, but the characters of Kane and Annie were hilarious and believable! The story kept me engaged (and practically had me washed away at high tide because I didn’t want to move from the beach chair!). I can’t wait for more from her. Fantastic! Now if only she will be doing Josh and Derek’s stories. I know something is in the pipelines for another Hawaii story because I went to her website, but I am soooo very impatient!

And last, but by no means least, is the story I just finished this evening. One that Tina has been bugging me to read for quite a while and I was very resistant to trying. When Darkness Comes (Guardians of Eternity, Book 1) is one of the best vampire books I’ve read in a while! I absolutely loved the character of Dante (where can I find myself one!!!) and the byplay between Dante and Abby kept me chuckling all through the book. The world building was subtle, yet weaved so skillfully in it wasn’t like a lesson. These two were HOT! I can’t wait to pick up Embrace The Darkness (Guardians of Eternity, Book 2) in early November. Alexandra Ivy is now on my auto-buy list!

Now what will I pick-up next…..

Well, I’m in day one of a much needed vacation at the shore. I picked up my first book in almost 2 months and guess what? It’s a dud. I’ve always loved the original VC Andrews books. I practically went into hiding until I was done with the Flowers in the Attic series. But this ghost writer(s) that the family has employed leaves a lot to be desired. Secrets in the Attic (Secrets) was an impulse buy. The back blurb sounded intriguing enough and I thought “why not giver her another try?” I wish I had my $7.99 back.

The story is extremely slow. At page 77 I was asking myself why I was still reading. I liked the characters of Zipporah and Karen. It was easy to see teenage life through their eyes. But the author was trying so hard to build suspense that it just left me bored. There’s a twist and I’m not going to give it away, but for the love of all that is holy I’m glad I didn’t finish reading it straight out. I skimmed through the last several chapters and was really unimpressed. And there’s another one to follow this story! Ye-gads! Same tripe, different cover. I say pick up My Sweet Audrina or Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger).

Book Synop: It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake…Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away.

As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he’s closing in on her — and everything and everyone she loves.

Don’t look … Don’t trust… Don’t Tell.

There are few things that are scarier to me than reading about women who run away from their abusive husbands and then are stalked by them. It creeped me out in The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner and it did so again in Don’t Tell by Karen Rose.

I really liked the character Mary Grace/Caroline. I believed in her strength and her reactions seemed very real and believable. I also really believed her way crazy husband, Rob Winters. It’s scary to think of any man being like Winters, but it’s even more horrifying to think of them as part of the system that’s supposed to protect us. I did have a small problem buying Max Hunter. He seemed to be a little all over the board. And I understand this was because of his own problems that he’s had and not faced, but I’m not sure I believed in him and Caroline as a couple.

Overall, the story flowed fairly well and I read it in one sitting (two books in one day! Holy Moly!) and I was very happy to see Special Agent Thatcher again. I had already read Rose’s Have You Seen Her? which was another great suspense novel.  I’ve bought all her books and I’m sure I’ll love each and every one those too.  I’ll let you know as I go through them.

Book Synop: A storm’s rage. A woman’s desire.

A man with the power to set them both free.

He can summon lightning at will. Emerge unscathed from the center of a tornado. Strip a woman down to her barest defenses through the sheer force of his sexuality. He’s gorgeous, dangerous, and the target of parameteorologist Haley Holmes’s latest mission. Haley has been dispatched to the Louisiana bayous to investigate the phenomenon known as Remy Begnaud–a man with a gift he never wanted: the ability to control a storm’s fury. But even a woman trained in bizarre weather phenomena has no defense against the electrifying power of the ex—Navy SEAL…a power his enemies would kill to control.

With her agency monitoring their every move, Haley’s job is to seduce Remy, gain his trust–and help him harness his extraordinary gift. But who will protect her from this voracious lover who’s introducing her to a new world of erotic thrills—a man who grows increasingly insatiable with each new weather event? Haley knows a big storm is approaching—and with it will come unexpected delights. But so, too, will the storm unleash her greatest fears: an enemy bent on destroying Remy. And her worst fear of all—falling in love with this magnificent man, then having to betray him.

I started reading Riding the Storm thinking it was going to be a mix of paranormal and suspense/thriller and soon found that it was an erotic romance. Not that I minded, but I had to shift mental gears a little. There is only one word that comes to mind to describe this book — HOT!!! I read it in one sitting. I enjoyed meeting all the new characters from this world that Sydney Croft (aka Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler) created.  In fact, there were so many that I wish there were a few less so the story could focus that much more on Remy and Haley.

The powers that the characters had intrigued me. Remy had the power to control the weather, Annika could control/create electricity and Wyatt was telekinetic — just to name a few.

Haley was sent by ACRO to persuade Remy to join them and learn to control his gift and of course the bad guys want to get to him first! Thing is, Remy’s gift is tied into sex — his way of controlling what is happening. So there’s lots of sex and I can’t believe I’m going to say this…but I wish there had been a little less sex and more outmaneuvering the bad guys! I think this is a great start to a new series and I’m looking forward to Unleashing the Storm next March. I think if you like erotic romance, X-Men and stories like Rachel Caine’s Weather Wardens then this will be right up your alley!

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I received an e-mail from Marta Acosta asking if I would be willing to review her books, Happy Hour at Casa Dracula (Casa Dracula Series, Book 1) and Midnight Brunch (Casa Dracula Series, Book 2). I received them and then my reading hours went down the toilet.

But I have finally read Happy Hour at Casa Dracula (Casa Dracula Series, Book 1) and am happy to finally post my review!

Book Synop:  Vampires, Margaritas, Mahem.  What’s a a girl to do when she’s hidden away at the home of snobby vampires and her ex-boyfriend wants to drive a stake through her heart?

Milagro de los Santos can’t find her place in the world or a man to go with it. All the men she meets are like beach reads–fun, but superficial–and she worries that she is only a beach read, too. Then one night, at a book party for her pretentious ex-boyfriend, she meets an oddly attractive man. After she is bitten while kissing him, she falls ill and is squirreled away to his family’s estate to recover. Vampires don’t exist in this day and age, or do they? As Milagro falls in love with a fabulously inappropriate man, she finds herself caught between a family who has accepted her as one of their own and a shady organization that refuses to let the undead live and love in peace.

At first, Milagro really got on my nerves.  I felt like there was too much humor and that some of it was forced, but I as I continued further into the book I started to really like Milagro and her eccentric spirit.  And at first I really wanted Oswald to be more — more man? — I don’t know, just more.   But when you realize the position that Oswald is in, it kinda explains his actions, or lack of.

I loved the interaction between Milagro and Oswald’s family.  I especially loved reading the exchanges between Milagro and Edna.  Hilarious!  This book was a little of everything.  Humorous, romantic, a dash of suspense.  And even though the book clearly leaves openings for other adentures, it’s a good stand alone title as well.  Overall this book is about Milagro finding herself and growing.  I liked watching her go from party girl to someone much more mature and responsible.  The plot points that included CACA were sometimes a little hard for me to believe but they fit in nicely and Sebastion was a great character to dislike!

Overall, I really loved this different take on vampires.  The wit was laugh-out-loud funny in many places and I’m interested to see what happens between Oswald and Milagro in the future.