REVIEW: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Publisher: Putnam
Publication Date: February, 2009
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 10/10

Description: Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

My Thoughts: I started this book with the suspicion that it was going to be a story that would be powerful and compelling but also hard to read and I was right. 1962 Mississippi is a very different place than what we are used to now. Women are expected to get married and have children after finishing college, not seek careers. The women’s rights movement hasn’t even begun yet, but the civil rights movement is starting. All across the country, heinous crimes are being committed against black people who dare to break the laws as written by white government. The act of sitting in the wrong seat on a city bus or using a “whites only” bathroom could result in a near-death beating. White people who speak up for black people or who try to help with the civil rights movement are arrested or imprisoned as well. It’s a very different society than today, a very scary society.

This story centers primarily around three women. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan who has just returned home from Ole Miss to discover the maid who raised her is no longer with the family and nobody will tell her what happened. Aibileen Clark is a black maid working for Skeeter’s friend, Elizabeth Leefolt. She has suffered in her life and now devotes her heart and soul to the white children she now raises. Minny Jackson is Aibileen’s best friend and works for another of Skeeter’s friends, Hilly Holbrook. Minny is outspoken and has lost several jobs because of it, including her present job. The only job Minny can secure now is with Celia Foote, who is considered socially unacceptable and doesn’t know about Minny’s reputation.

Initially, Skeeter begins interviewing Aibileen for assistance on writing a cleaning advice column for the newspaper. After a publisher in New York City tells Skeeter to write about something that concerns her, especially if it doesn’t concern anyone else, she begins interviewing Aibileen on what it is like to be a black maid cooking and cleaning and raising white children. I got a very good sense of how dangerous it was for Skeeter and Aibileen to be meeting and if they were caught, how much trouble they would both be in. The project eventually catches the interest of several of the other maids and Skeeter begins interviewing them as well.

I loved this book. I felt like I was in the room with Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. These characters are people you can care about. The author draws you in and you get to know the characters and begin to relate to and empathize with them. It wasn’t enough to read about what these women were doing, the story pulls you in so deeply that you feel like you are really there. When Medgar Evers is shot, I could feel the fear and apprehension Aibileen and Minny felt for their own lives and the lives of their children. I felt extreme anger at Hilly Holbrook and her bigoted attitude. I wanted to slap her into the middle of next week. I felt disgust at Elizabeth Leefolt for the way she treats her children. This book made me mad, made me laugh and made me cry. I recommend this book if you are looking for a book about people who cross all barriers to tell the truth, no matter how difficult or the cost.

REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: September, 1999
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 10/10

Description: For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well; and the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts."

Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.

My Thoughts: The third installment of the much beloved Harry Potter series has been my favorite from the beginning and continues to be. With the Prisoner of Azkaban, the reader is given a glimpse of the dark direction this series will take, but this book still manages to be a lot of fun. From Harry’s reckless lashing out at Aunt Marge to his crazy ride on the Knight Bus, from Harry’s first encounter with the dementors on the Hogwarts Express (not fun at all) to obtaining the Marauders Map, from meeting Buckbeak, or battling boggarts that look like Professor Snape to conjuring a patronus charm to ward off dementors and finally learning that everything is not as it seems may make your average thirteen year old more confused than ever, but not Harry. I love how Harry, Ron and Hermione seem to take it all in stride and just get on with it.

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are two of my favorite characters in this series. Finally, Harry meets people who actually knew and were friends of his parents. I don’t count Dumbledore, I guess because he’s a given and he’s not of their generation. Professor Snape knew Harry’s parents and his revulsion towards Harry and James Potter are all too apparent so meeting Professor Lupin and Sirius Black and learning of their connection to James and Lily make it all the better.

I very much enjoyed the brewing conflict between Ron and Hermione regarding Crookshanks and Scabbers. Hermione has bitten off more than she can chew, it seems, with her extra full class load and seems to be barely managing it so she isn’t her usual analytical self. Of course, knowing already how these two end up by the end of the series doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of watching these characters grow and develop.

The Prisoner of Azkaban provides countless hours of reading entertainment. Numerous intense and suspenseful scenes where long hidden secrets and truths are revealed to the amazement of the reader. When the story comes full circle and the last page is turned, I was left with a feeling of euphoria and a rush of adrenaline, akin to an exciting ride on a fast moving roller coaster. I wish I could pick one favorite moment from the book, but I fear I would do the story a great injustice if I tried. I was pulled into this story almost immediately, my sense of excitement and anticipation growing as I turned each page. I love each story in this series, but this one holds a very special place in my heart.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In August

With yet another house move in a few weeks, the absolute LAST thing I should be doing is acquiring more books. I know, I know...I say this every month moving or not, but I still acquire. I need serious help...counseling...shock treatment...lobotomy...Dr. Phil intervention...

Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase by Jen Lancaster

Description: In Pretty in Plaid, Jen Lancaster reveals how she developed the hubris that perpetually gets her into trouble. Using fashion icons of her youth to tell her hilarious and insightful stories, readers will meet the girl she used to be.

Think Jen Lancaster was always "like David Sedaris with pearls and a super-cute handbag?" (Jennifer Coburn) Think again. She was a badge-hungry Junior Girl Scout with a knack for extortion, an aspiring sorority girl who didn't know her Coach from her Louis Vuitton, and a budding executive who found herself bewildered by her first encounter with a fax machine. In this humorous and touching memoir, Jen Lancaster looks back on her life-and wardrobe-before bitter was the new black and shows us a young woman not so very different than the rest of us.

The author who showed us what it was like to wait in line at the unemployment office with a Prada bag, how living in the city can actually suck, and that losing weight can be fun with a trainer named Barbie and enough Ambien is ready to take you on a hilarious and heartwarming trip down memory lane in her shoes (and very pretty ones at that).

The Lazy Husband by Joshua Coleman

Description: My job is more stressful than your's.
I'm just not very good at domestic stuff.
Your standards are too high.
I never learned how to do this chore.

Have you heard one or more of the above excuses in the past month? Are you sick of your husband's avoidance tactics regarding housework and parenting? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you need this book. The Lazy Husband is a hands-on guide to understanding and changing men's attitudes towards domestic work and childcare. Dr. Joshua Coleman, author and clinical psychologist, understands that a happy marriage is a balanced marriage. And now, in his refreshingly honest and straightforward style, Coleman reveals exactly how women can motivate their husbands to become better partners and better fathers.

By outlining and defining the various types of lazy husbands, Dr. Joshua Coleman teaches women how to understand where their husbands are coming from and enact change. Some Lazy Husband types include:

* The Boy-Husband: This husband wants to be taken care of, and pretends to be incompetent around the house.
* The Perfectionist Husband: This husband wants the house and the kids to look perfect, but doesn't want to do the work himself.
*The Angry Husband: This husband keeps his wife at bay with his irritability, anger, or intimidation.

From here, Coleman develops type-specific plans for change. By following these proactive plans, you too can achieve a happy, well-balanced marriage. Just remember, you can do less by getting your husband to do more.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Description: Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Description: Where there's smoke there's fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum. The bail bonds office has burned to the ground, and bodies are turning up in the empty construction lot. To make matters worse, Stephanie is working out of a motor home she shares with a dancing bear, and Joe Morelli's old world grandmother has declared a vendetta against her. And just when Stephanie decides it might be time to choose between the two men in her life, Morelli and Ranger, a third man from Stephanie's past moves back to Trenton...

Break out a cold drink and slap on some sunscreen, this summer is sure to be a scorcher with Smokin' Seventeen.


Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

Description: Ever wanted a peek at someone else's emails?

Dear Holly, Are you sure you know what you're getting into...?

It's Holly Denham's first day as a receptionist at a busy corporate bank, and frankly, it's obvious she can't quite keep up.

Take a peek at her email and you'll see why: what with her crazy friends, dysfunctional family, and gossipy co-workers, Holly's inbox is a daily source of drama. Laughter, friendship, and romantic interludes keep her going, until one day, Holly's secret past begins to catch up with her...

Written entirely in emails, this compulsively readable UK smash hit will keep you laughing and turning the pages all the way to its surprising and deeply satisfying ending.

A Question Of Love by Isabel Wolff

Description: Sometimes the questions you ask yourself are the hardest ones to answer...Laura Quick's life is as out of control as her mop of unruly curls. With her shabby-chic flat on Portobello Road - complete with psychic neighbour - and her work for a chaotic TV company, Laura is anything but conventional. So she's the most unlikely candidate to present a quirky new quiz show. But her boss, Tom, see that her quickwittedness and her knack for general knowledge makes her the ideal choice.

It's the chance of a lifetime - and when old flame Luke turns up out of the blue, Laura's sisters think also it's time for Laura to move on and lay to rest the memory of her husband, Nick. But dating Luke again is a step back in time - and spells trouble. Luke is every bit as attractive as when he broke her heart. His wit and charm - not to mention his talent for trivia - captivate her once again. But this time around he's got a 6-year-old daughter in tow - as well as an ex-wife whose behaviour is less than charming. As Laura questions whether to gamble everything on a past love, she must also face up to the unexpected truth about Nick and the life she thought she once knew!

REVIEW: Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Title: Pale Demon (Rachel Morgan #9)
Author: Kim Harrison
Publisher: Eos
Publication Date: February, 2011
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 6/10

Description: Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passenger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

My Thoughts: I am going to preface this review by saying that a series with nine books isn’t always going to please everyone. Me included. I love this series but had the hardest time getting through this story. There is some crazy stuff happening in this series that had me contemplating giving up and walking away. I’m glad I stuck it out because the events I feared did not happen and I pray they don’t.

I saw Trent and Al differently in this story and I struggled with that with great difficulty because it has been relatively easy for me to despise both of these characters for the last 8 books. If they are able to be somewhat likeable or at the very least, tolerable in this story then how does that bode for Rachel? Will there be a truce between her and Trent? We already know they have history and there are definitely feelings that always seemed to run to the hate side of things. But you know what they say about there being a fine line between love and hate right? I just don’t know if I’m ready for Rachel and Trent to explore that line. I absolutely do not want her to explore any lines of any kind with Al either! I get the definite impression in this story that Al’s feelings for Rachel are definitely changing. He seems to be softening towards her. He’s still a demon, he’s still repulsive and I may be completely off base here, but my impression is that he’s developing feelings for her.

Jenks is still my favorite character in this series and even he surprised me in this story by taking a less aggressive stance with Trent and even helping him on his quest. Jenks does get into a little bit of trouble that I’m sure he would have been able to extricate himself from, but it’s always good to have friends there who have your back and Rachel and Ivy certainly do have his back.

I love the way Kim Harrison creates characters that evoke large reactions from me. Especially the villains. In addition to Trent and Al, there are some villains in this book that made my blood boil with their appalling behavior. The day walking demon, Ku’Sox is terrifying. A day walking demon is bad enough but he eats people. Literally…gobbles them up…ewwww…

Rachel has a lot on her plate. Between battling the big bad Ku’Sox and convincing the witch’s coven to reverse her shunning, she has her hands full. Keep your eyes on the ball, Rachel and your mind out of the gutter and you may just make it out of this mess in one piece. The fans of this series are eagerly awaiting the next book.

REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: September, 2000
Paperback: 341 pages
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 10/10

Description: The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart; a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom; and the unwanted attention of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone—or something—starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects . . . Harry Potter himself?

My Thoughts: The second book in the Harry Potter saga starts out with Harry back at the Dursley’s for summer vacation with a few changes. He has his own bedroom now instead of being relegated to the cupboard under the stairs. It’s actually Dudley’s second bedroom (don’t get me started on the degenerate waste of space this kid is) and out of the grace and goodness of their hearts, Harry is now using it. This entire attitude demonstrated by the Dursley’s resulted in major eye-rollage on my part and activated my gag reflex. These people are truly despicable. Not sure which is the lesser of the two evils for Harry…living with the Dursleys or being attacked by Voldemort.

After a very interesting and exciting first year at Hogwarts, we now find Harry very melancholy as he hasn’t heard from his friends all summer and is feeling very lonely. Harry meets Dobby, a mysterious house elf who comes to Privet Drive to warn Harry not to return to Hogwarts, which is not an option for Harry as he considers Hogwarts his true home. Dobby demonstrates very strange and self-loathing behavior by frequently assaulting himself with inanimate objects to punish himself for saying anything, which is a little bizarre because he doesn’t really tell Harry much of anything, other than to not return to Hogwarts.

Fortunately for the fans of this series, Harry does not listen to Dobby and through a series of misfortunate events manages to return to Hogwarts to discover an evil creature attacking students. Sadly, Harry is thought to be the one behind the attacks so he has to find out who is behind it before the next attack results in another death, like the one that occurred fifty years prior.

In this book, we get to meet a lot of interesting new characters in addition to Dobby. The new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher is best-selling author Gilderoy Lockhart who gives arrogance a whole new meaning. He was quite entertaining but very annoying, except the female students think he’s wonderful. Harry meets Draco Malfoy’s father, Lucius Malfoy who we quickly learn is quite evil and now see where Draco gets it from. Ron’s sister, Ginny is now a first year at Hogwarts and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and the rest of the Weasley family better. Many new magical creatures are introduced in this book such as Fawkes and Aragog, to name a few. A new ghost is introduced to Harry and his friends. Moaning Myrtle haunts one of the girls’ bathrooms and though she can be quite annoying proves to be a very interesting character.

I enjoyed learning more about Hagrid and Voldemort’s past in this story and getting a bird’s eye view, if you will, of major events at Hogwarts fifty years prior with the help of an enchanted diary. I loved the scenes with Harry and Ron in the enchanted car; there’s more than one and one of them is quite intense so be prepared.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets proves to be entertaining on every level. There are a few intense scenes that may be too graphic for young readers and may cause nightmares but older age groups will be thoroughly pulled into this story as Harry navigates the perilous hallways and dark corridors of Hogwarts to stop the evil creature lurking within.

REVIEW: 'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy by Leslie Langtry

Title: ‘Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy (Bombay Assassins #1)
Author: Leslie Langtry
Publisher: Leisure
Publication Date: July, 2007
Paperback: 336 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 6/10

Description: YOU CAN'T PICK YOUR FAMILY...

Death by Chocolate is her favorite dessert. And those knitting needles aren't just for craft projects. To most people, Gin Bombay is an ordinary single mom. Then again, they don't know she's from a family of top secret assassins. Somewhere between leading a Girl Scout troop for her kindergartner--would nooses count for a knot badge?--and keeping their puppy from destroying the furniture, Gin now has to take out a new target.

BUT YOU CAN PICK THEM OFF

Except this target has an incredibly hot Australian bodyguard who knows just how to make her weak in the knees. But with a mole threatening to expose everything, Gin doesn't have much time to let her hormones do the happy dance. She's got to find the leak and clear her assignment...or she'll end up next on the Bombay family hit list.

My Thoughts: The next time you think your family is awful, spend a day with Ginny Bombay and her family. Hopefully, you will get out alive. Being a member of this family brings a whole new meaning to family reunions. This family really takes care of their own. Miss a meeting or family reunion and they will take care of you…permanently. Growing up in this family, Ginny learns very early what is expected of her. At age 5, she is initiated into the family business to begin the training program. At age 15, our young assassin is assigned her first hit.

The danger is high but the perks are lucrative. No retirement plan or health benefits with this job, though. For Ginny, it’s a way of life and unfortunately, her 5 year old daughter is expected to join the ranks, much to Ginny’s dismay. When the family gathers on their remote tropical island for the annual family reunion (more like a staff meeting to me), Ginny is summoned by the Council, which consists of Ginny’s grandmother and the other most senior members of the Bombay family. Ginny is told there is a traitor in the family who is planning on bringing the family down and exposing them to the authorities. Ginny is assigned the task of finding out who the traitor is and taking them out.

This assignment doesn’t give Ginny a lot of time or opportunity to explore the attraction she feels towards hunky Australian bodyguard Diego. Of course, he doesn’t know about her true profession or the fact that the man he is paid to protect is on Ginny’s hit list. This will make for a very awkward dating moment. I keep picturing a romantic dinner setting with both of them armed to the teeth and the waiter reciting the wine list…

Though this story didn’t knock my socks off, I did enjoy the snarky humor and the family dynamic Ginny is a part of. The story introduces a lot of interesting characters, though not all of them were likeable. This is the first book in the series and I’m intrigued just enough to be curious about what happens to Ginny and her family next. If you like cozy mysteries that have wacky characters and don’t mind far-fetched storylines and enjoy humor, give this book a try.

REVIEW: Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

Title: Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: March, 2007
Paperback: 343 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 8/10

Description: Succubus. An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic. A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid.

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. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. 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...

My Thoughts: I can’t recall having read a book where the leading character is a succubus before. By the very definition, a succubus isn’t someone a guy should be getting intimate with, so there goes any chance of a happily ever after with Mr. Right for our succubus heroine, in my opinion. At any rate, Georgina manages to make her job as a succubus interesting. She has a lowlifes only policy so the souls she’s taking aren’t innocent to begin with, though her demon supervisor would rather she expand her criteria. The upside to this life that I really enjoyed is that Georgina can shape shift into anything and can become invisible. She gets to choose her body and appearance, the persona others will see. Georgina will never have to worry about having to buy larger size clothing because her craving for ice cream has gone to her butt. She can just shape shift herself into a size 4. She also works in a bookstore and seems to have access to an unlimited quantity of white chocolate mochas and free books. Not a bad arrangement at all…

I also found Georgina’s past intriguing. The reasons she became a succubus were interesting and though she seems happy with her life and choices for the most part, Georgina still mourns her old life and the people in it. I do hope she doesn’t spend a lot of time dredging up the past, though.

There are a lot of interesting characters in this book and it was a little bit overwhelming trying to keep everyone straight. Vampires, angels, and demons are among Georgina’s friends and associates. Georgina also has an attraction to a couple of mortal men, Roman and Seth, but she is trying to be careful as she doesn’t want to hurt them. The simple act of kissing can take years from their lives.

The villain in this story is a different type of character for me as well. It didn’t take me long to figure who the villain was, but finding out what the villain is came as a surprise. This kind of character in my reading is also a first for me. The villain is targeting immortal creatures and Georgina, unfortunately, is one of the victims when she is viciously attacked and beaten. Luckily, she survives and heals quickly, but other immortal creatures are not so lucky. With the help of her friends, Georgina is trying hard to solve the puzzle of who is behind the attacks and why before she loses her life or someone close to her dies. I very much enjoyed the way this story played out and learning why the villain was attacking immortal creatures proved to be very interesting. I will be looking for the next book in the series to see what Georgina and her friends get involved in next. I recommend this book if you enjoy paranormal themes but are looking for something a little bit different in your characters.

REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: June, 1997
Paperback: 310 pages
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 10/10

Description: Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley—a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry—and anyone who reads about him—will find unforgettable. For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

My Thoughts: For those who don’t know me and my reading habits, I never re-read. My philosophy has always been that re-reading is a waste of time when I have so many books waiting to be read for the first time. I first heard about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone back in 2001 when the first movie was preparing for release. To be honest, I had no interest in reading the book and couldn’t understand the hype. I mean, come on! It’s a children’s book! What’s the big deal? All of my online book groups were raving about the books and now were happily chattering about the upcoming movie. So I gave in and borrowed the audio book from the library. I figured that listening to the book would be killing two birds with one stone. I could continue to read the books from my monstrous to be read mountain and listen to this book during my daily commute. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting that much and I figured if the book didn’t work for me, I wouldn’t be out anything or have wasted valuable reading time, right?

The audio blew me away and my now ex-husband who hated to read jumped all over the books too after we watched the first movie. I quickly went after all of the audio books and was so thoroughly entranced and entertained by Jim Dale’s talented narration of the books. Even with the creative differences between book and movie, I was hooked on the movies too.

So now, here we are ten years later. The last Harry Potter movie has been released and the Harry Potter saga is complete. No more books, no more movies. So, why, you may be asking would I want to re-read the books? I mean, reading, as in turning pages, not listening to audio. I broke my biggest rule about reading and re-reading because I wanted to experience the magic of Hogwarts and Harry’s world all over again. I went out and started purchasing the paperbacks (hardcovers are too heavy to carry around) and began back at the beginning.

One very important thing I have learned is that the perspective between listening to an audio book and reading the book is greatly different. I listened to the unabridged edition back then so I thought that it would be the same as reading the book. I was greatly mistaken. Maybe it’s the way we process information we are receiving, maybe it’s my memory, maybe my mind wandered somewhat during the original listening but reading the book this time felt like I was reading it for the very first time! I didn’t think it was possible to feel that way when re-reading a book.

J.K. Rowling does a marvelous job of creating a world so unlike ours but so similar in many ways. The witches and wizards in Harry’s world are not that unlike us when you think about it. They have the same feelings, fears, hopes, dreams and disappointments. There’s a social hierarchy in their world, much like ours. There’s a political structure in their world too, complete with a governing agency, ruling officials and laws and regulations. They go to school, hold jobs, get married, raise families, get old and die. They love sports and entertainment as well. There’s good and evil in Harry’s world too.

Harry is your typical boy for the most part, but having never known his parents has left him missing out on that most important relationship. He’s being raised by his mother’s sister and her husband, living with them and their bully of a son, Dudley, but not really wanted. I got angry all over again at the way they treated him and at his living conditions. One thing that amazed me then and still does is why the Dursley’s put up such a fight to keep Harry from going to Hogwarts. They made it abundantly clear every day that they didn’t want Harry, barely tolerating his presence in their home. Going to Hogwarts would get him out of their home and ultimately their lives. They should have been kicking up their heels in joy when the first letter arrived. Perhaps, I will never understand why. Fortunately, the lack of bonding and family love does not turn Harry into a sociopath, bent on destroying lives.

Harry adjusts remarkably well to his new life and the excitement of it all. Once again, I found myself wishing I could go to Hogwarts. Going away to school in a castle with moving staircases, ghosts, magical creatures, and interesting characters may seem like a lot for an eleven year old boy to deal with, but Harry does. Finding out his parents were actually murdered by a very evil wizard who also tried to kill him is a lot to take in, as well, but Harry soon learns that those events are a part of who he is and the world he is now a part of.

I wanted to savor each page of the book, but I couldn’t put it down. Even knowing what was coming next, I discovered things I had missed before or perhaps forgot. I had forgotten what a strange and unusual girl Hermione was in the beginning. I had forgotten that Ron is very brave. I had forgotten how troublesome Peeves was and how stern Professor McGonagall could be.

So whether you are a fan who loves to re-read this series or someone who is reading it for the first time, embrace the story fully and enjoy the ride. It is an adventure not to be missed.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In July

July has been an off month for me. Though I've acquired a few new additions, I didn't finish reading very many books during the month though I am currently reading four books. Perhaps a case of the Summertime Blues...

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

Description: Succubus. An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic. A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid.
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. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. 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...


Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Description: Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passanger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.


How To Host A Killer Party by Penny Warner

Description: Don't let murder crash your party.

Presley Parker was just happy to get her party planning business off the ground. Now she's gotten the gig of the year, planning Mayor Davin Green's sumptuous "surprise" wedding for his socialite fiancée, to be held on Alcatraz.

But when the bride is found floating in the bay and the original party planner is found murdered, Presley becomes the prime suspect. If the attractive crime scene cleaner, Brad Matthews, doesn't help her tidy her reputation, she'll be exchanging her formal wear for prison stripes...


Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

Description: New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros absolutely dazzles in this quick-witted, laugh-out-loud funny, and highly moving love story that will set readers’ hearts atwitter.

Abigail Donovan has a lot of stuff she should be doing. Namely writing her next novel. A bestselling author who is still recovering from a near Pulitzer Prize win and the heady success that follows Oprah’s stamp of approval, she is stuck at Chapter Five and losing confidence daily. But when her publicist signs her up for a Twitter account, she’s intrigued. What’s all the fuss?

Taken under the wing of one of her Twitter followers, “MarkBaynard"—a quick witted, quick-typing professor on sabbatical—Abby finds it easy to put words out into the world 140 characters at a time. And once she gets a handle on tweets, retweets, direct messages, hashtags, and trends, she starts to feel unblocked in writing and in life. After all, why should she be spending hours in her apartment staring at her TweetDeck and fretting about her stalled career when Mark is out there traveling the world and living?

Or is he?

Told almost entirely in tweets and DMs, Goodnight Tweetheart is a truly modern take on a classic tale of love and loss—a Griffin and Sabine for the Twitter generation.

REVIEW: Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

Title: Goodnight Tweetheart
Author: Teresa Medeiros
Publisher: Gallery
Publication Date: January, 2011
Paperback: 222 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 9/10

Description: New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros absolutely dazzles in this quick-witted, laugh-out-loud funny, and highly moving love story that will set readers’ hearts atwitter.

Abigail Donovan has a lot of stuff she should be doing. Namely writing her next novel. A bestselling author who is still recovering from a near Pulitzer Prize win and the heady success that follows Oprah’s stamp of approval, she is stuck at Chapter Five and losing confidence daily. But when her publicist signs her up for a Twitter account, she’s intrigued. What’s all the fuss?

Taken under the wing of one of her Twitter followers, “MarkBaynard"—a quick witted, quick-typing professor on sabbatical—Abby finds it easy to put words out into the world 140 characters at a time. And once she gets a handle on tweets, retweets, direct messages, hashtags, and trends, she starts to feel unblocked in writing and in life. After all, why should she be spending hours in her apartment staring at her TweetDeck and fretting about her stalled career when Mark is out there traveling the world and living?

Or is he?

Told almost entirely in tweets and DMs, Goodnight Tweetheart is a truly modern take on a classic tale of love and loss—a Griffin and Sabine for the Twitter generation.

My Thoughts: In today’s technologically advanced world, love finds us no matter where we are. Those of us who are highly skilled in all things Twitter will relate to Abby and Mark and for those of us who aren’t so knowledgeable in all things Twitter will still relate to Abby and Mark. I found myself drawn to this book by the title and though I’m not an advanced “Tweeter” as other people are, this story is still easy to get into.

I loved how each Twitter conversation between Mark and Abby starts with the question “what are you wearing,” which elicits some humorous responses and ends with a goodnight round robin volleying back and forth until Mark ends it with “Goodnight Tweetheart.”

I could not put this book down. Like Abby, I eagerly anticipated what Mark Baynard would say next and find out where in the world he was traveling to next. I loved how his wit and charm draw Abby out of her slump and she begins writing again with his daily encouragement.

Overall, I loved this book but I struggled with the rating. I felt the ending left me a little flat. There should have been more, giving the reader a little closure. Still, this book is a solid A- that will charm the reader, bring a smile to their face and a laugh to their soul.

REVIEW: Kindred In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Kindred In Death (In Death #29)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: Putnam
Publication Date: November, 2009
Hardcover: 374 pages
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
Rating: 10/10

Description: When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they were looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter who had stayed behind.

Not even their worst nightmares could have prepared them for the crime scene that awaited them instead. Brutally murdered in her bedroom, Deena's body showed signs of trauma that horrified even the toughest of cops; including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who was specifically requested by the captain to investigate.

When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know yet that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities. Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to bring justice.

My Thoughts: What appears to start out as a random brutal crime quickly turns into a web of revenge and horror as a brutal killer is systematically killing the loved ones of people he blames for ruining his life. With the impending nuptials of Louise and Charles and Eve’s near panic at the thought of her matron of honor duties, she has very little time to find the killer but our Eve would much rather get bloody and chase down a killer than be subjected to the rituals of marriage and being within 100 miles of Trina and her devices of female torture.

As always, I loved this book and can’t get enough of Eve, Roark and the gang. However, I was expecting a more intense takedown of the subject. As usual, it played out flawlessly, but with the level of brutality the killer demonstrates, I expected him to go down fighting. Perhaps the author didn’t want her beaten and bloodied right before the wedding. Even so, Eve does get her hands dirty a few times and takes a few hits for the team. Not enough snark with Summerset this go around, but these two pace themselves beautifully and don’t disappoint when they do take the gloves off. I love how Peabody is developing as a character. She’s really coming into her own as a detective and with Eve’s mentoring, she will be a force to be reckoned with. What can I say about Roark that hasn’t been said a million times already? As Peabody and Mavis would say, he’s mag. I always enjoy seeing him getting to use his computer geek skills working with Feeney and McNab to assist Eve.

With 29 books in the series and no indication of slowing down, I am excited to see what Eve and the gang gets into next.

REVIEW: Eternal Kiss Of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Eternal Kiss Of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2)
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: July, 2010
Paperback: 361 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy
Rating: 10/10

Description: An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness . . .

And now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she's only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he'd seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful . . . human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose either the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

My Thoughts: This book turned out to be quite the surprise. In a good way. Mencheres has been a central character through the entire Night Huntress series and yet I didn’t seem have much interest in him. He always seemed to be brooding and even a little dull and mopey. In Destined For An Early Grave, there was a slight glimpse and hint of Mencheres’ ability to demonstrate quick wit and snappy dialogue. I’m happy I didn’t write him off as too dull or boring because I would have missed this story and that would have been regrettable. Those of us who have been fans of Ms. Frost’s books from the beginning know Mencheres to be quite eccentric and a little hard to warm up to. In his words, he’s older than dirt and has seen a lot of pain and suffering and endured quite a bit of his own as well. If you enjoy tortured characters carrying around scads of emotional baggage, you can’t go wrong with Mencheres. He’s used to people using him, hurting him, betraying him and even trying to kill him. He’s not used to a complete stranger endangering her own life trying to help him.

Kira is carrying her own baggage. Bad relationships, sick sister, loser brother, the list goes on. What I really liked about her is she’s a fighter. When she’s down, she refuses to stay down. She stands up to an abusive husband and picks her life up and moves forward. She doesn’t needlessly throw herself into stupid situations but when she sees a man being attacked, she doesn’t think twice about trying to help even though it nearly costs her own life. Unfortunately, she has seen too much and finds herself being kept somewhat of a prisoner until Mencheres can erase her memory about what she has seen.

I really loved this story because up until this book, Mencheres has been a character that I haven’t been able to relate to or connect with. His presence never seemed to carry the story anywhere or provide any interesting moments though he has always been a central character. With this book, Mencheres is revealed as a force to be reckoned with. He starts out as the same brooding and moping character as before, but quickly shows a completely new side to his personality that I never knew existed. Now I see a compassionate character that is protective and caring. He is a strong character with powers beyond imagining but has immense wisdom. It’s like the old Mencheres that I was seeing in previous books had died and was reborn into a completely different character.

I’m looking forward to where this series will take me next. Now that Mencheres is no longer the boring wet blanket I thought him to previously be, I would love to see a spin off book for Vlad, Ian and Tate.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In June

My book hoarding seems to have made a reappearance in June. Definitely needing a twelve step program for my book binge affliction...

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Description: In her small town, dubbed "Dullsville," sixteen-year-old Raven — a vampire-crazed goth-girl — is an outcast. But not for long...

The intriguing and rumored-to-be haunted mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood vacant and boarded-up for years. That is, until its mysteriously strange new occupants move in. Who are these creepy people — especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town prattle actually ring true? Are they vampires? Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.

Ellen Schreiber's spooky and stirring romance tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love in a town where conformity reigns, and ends with a shocking surprise.

Undead And Unfinished by MaryJanice Davidson

Description: Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor is fed up of trying to decipher the strange things prophesied in The Book of the Dead. At the end of her tether, she strikes a deal with Satan who promises to help - if she and her half-sister Laura pay a visit to Hell. Hell, it would seem, is more terrifying than Betsy could have ever imagined - a waiting room with bad carpeting, re-runs of 70s TV shows and ancient Good Housekeeping magazines. But when Betsy and Laura find themselves catapulted back and forth through time, they realize they could seriously screw everything up for good...

Kindred In Death by J.D. Robb

Description: When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they were looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter who had stayed behind.

Not even their worst nightmares could have prepared them for the crime scene that awaited them instead. Brutally murdered in her bedroom, Deena's body showed signs of trauma that horrified even the toughest of cops; including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who was specifically requested by the captain to investigate.

When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know yet that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities. Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to bring justice.

Eternal Kiss Of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Description: An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness . . .

And now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she's only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he'd seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful . . . human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose either the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

Count To Ten by Karen Rose

Description: In all his years in the Chicago Fire Department, Lieutenant Reed Solliday has never experienced anything like this recent outbreak of house fires—devastating, vicious, and, in one case, homicidal. He has another problem—his new partner, Detective Mia Mitchell. She's brash, bossy, and taking the case in a direction he never imagined.

Mia's instincts tell her the arsonist is making this personal. And as the infernos become more deadly, one look at the victim's tortured faces convinces her and Reed that they must work closer to catch the killer. With each new blaze, the villain ups the ante, setting firetraps for the people Reed and Mia love. The truth is almost too hot to handle: This monster's desire for death and destruction is unquenchable...and for Mia he's started the countdown to an early grave.

A Glimpse Of Evil by Victoria Laurie

Description:Professional psychic Abigail Cooper is about to discover that some cold cases are better off dead...

As the FBI's newest Civilian Profiler, Abby Cooper is using her powers of intuition to help solve a backlog of the bureau's cold cases. But when she's the only one who's convinced that several separate cold cases are related, she'll have to call on every intuitive bone in her body before she's the one put on ice...

REVIEW: Destined For An Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Destined For An Early Grave (Night Huntress #4)
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: July, 2009
Paperback: 355 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy
Rating: 9/10

Description: Her deadly dreams leave her in grave danger...

Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they've fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it's time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She's having visions of a vampire named Gregor who's more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn't know about.

Gregor believes Cat is his and he won't stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor's hold over her. She'll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she's ever faced . . . even if getting that power will result in an early grave.

My Thoughts: I love this series and this installment really pulled at my heart and emotions. This book also had me laughing myself silly, tears running down my face with one of the best scenes I’ve read in a while between Cat and Bones’ sire, Mencheres…

"Then you remember the dream,” Mencheres stated. “That bodes ill.”

The fear of that made my reply snappy. “Hey, Walks Like An Egyptian, how about for once you drop the formal stuff and talk like you live in the twenty-first century?”

“The shit’s gonna splatter, start buggin’, yo,” Mencheres responded instantly. I stared at him, then burst out laughing, which was highly inappropriate considering the very grave warning he’d just conveyed."

In this story, we learn a little bit more about Cat’s life before she met Bones. We find out there’s a vampire who is much older than Bones who is staking a claim on Cat, demanding she be returned to him as she is apparently his wife and has bonded with him. Obviously, Bones isn’t going to accept that lying down and compliance is definitely not in his vocabulary either. The scary thing about this vampire is that he can snatch Cat away through her dreams.

Bones also does a very convincing job of making Cat think they are through after she goes to Gregor to try to help the situation by convincing him to leave her alone. I should say the operative word here is “try” and of course it doesn’t work. Gregor is insistent that she belongs to him and is very persistent and it’s not in a good way at all. Bones even convinced me that he and Cat were through and it made me sad and a little annoyed at Cat for creating the situation, no matter how good her intentions were.

There are some major events in the book that came as a shock and a surprise. I won’t go into them so as not to ruin the story for any of you who haven’t yet read it. I struggled with the rating for this book because I love this series and I did love this book. However, something devastating occurs that I felt didn’t need to and I think it will make the series lose some of its charm. It’s not enough for me to stop reading, but I feel like the author chose a path that didn’t need to be travelled.

The devastating event notwithstanding, I highly recommend this book and the series. Fans of this series will enjoy the witty dialogue and snarky comments we have come to expect and enjoy. The awesome in your face fight scenes and the smoking hot love scenes all combined to deliver another fantastic installment to the Night Huntress series.

REVIEW: Knock Off by Rhonda Pollero

Title: Knock Off (Finley Anderson Tanner #1)
Author: Rhonda Pollero
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: February, 2008
Paperback: 320 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 10/10

Description: Meet Finley Anderson Tanner. FAT to her enemies. A West Palm Beach paralegal, who hates the gym, still rents her condo and loves two hour lunches with her friends. But what really gets Finley hot is hunting down deeply discounted designer goods she can wear at her upscale law firm.

Too bad work isn't all about fashion. Especially when a grieving widow is sitting in your office, convinced that her husband's accidental death wasn't. Investigating murder isn't really Finley's bag (that would be Prada, 75% off), but the deeper Finley digs, the stranger things get, and this discount shopper knows slightly irregular when she sees it. Kind of like sexy Liam McGarrity. Everything about the hot, hunky P.I. screams, "Get out while you still have your underwear!"

For a girl whose biggest ambition is take-out Moo Shu at 5:01, life is taking some exciting, unpredictable, and decidedly dangerous turns. Someone doesn't like Finley's new work ethic. And if this paralegal wants to bring home the real goods, she'll have to keep from becoming a killer's total knock off...

My Thoughts: An important thing you need to know about me when it comes to reading is I don’t read very fast and am not like some of my book buddies out there (you know who you are) that read hundreds of books a year. The next thing you need to know about me is I read this book in 2 DAYS!!! I could not put this book down, literally. You’re probably saying “you’re kidding.” I kid you not. Everywhere I went, I had this book with me reading, watching television, making dinner, sitting on the toilet…this was not one of those stories that I would pick up and read a paragraph or a page and be able to put it down. This book made me miss my program, burn dinner and cause pins and needles in my legs from lack of circulation! But it was so worth it!

When we first meet Finley, she is working as a paralegal for a firm handling estates and trusts. She gets pulled into a murder case when she inherits a client whose husband died and the client is convinced it wasn’t an accident. The client is very overbearing but Finley begins to look into her husband’s case. Finley isn’t your stereotypical airhead and she quickly learns that things about her client’s husband’s death aren’t adding up.

I really liked Finley. She’s not afraid of getting a little dirty and even receiving death threats don’t deter her from digging. Not having any murder investigation background at all, she manages to put her paralegal education to good use and begins researching. I was impressed at how tenacious she was since the client was a real pill.

Liam McGarrity is everything Finley’s not. He’s a former police officer who is carrying some secrets and it will be interesting to see how long before he opens up. Finley is convinced he has a wife, possibly an ex wife, that he is still sleeping with so I expect she will be digging into that scenario at some point.

There’s major attraction chemistry going on with Finley and Liam. I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes. Finley has a very difficult mother and their relationship is tense at best so I am curious to see how Finley responds to her mother’s criticism. Finley is in a relationship that the reader understands very explicitly is not the exciting love fest that Finley craves. It will be interesting to see if Finley stays with him in the second book. I have to admire Finley that though her relationship isn’t what she is hoping for and she is feeling major attraction vibes for Liam, Finley doesn’t jump into bed with him. I’m strongly hoping that the relationship issue gets resolved soon because Liam is yummy.

The plot moves forward at a great pace and the identity of the killer came as a surprise but not a shock. This is a great start to what I hope will be a very entertaining series. I am looking forward to seeing what Finley gets into next.

REVIEW: I Only Have Fangs For You by Kathy Love

Title: I Only Have Fangs For You (Young Brothers #3)
Author: Kathy Love
Publisher: Brava
Publication Date: December, 2006
Paperback: 320 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 8/10

Description: One thing you have to know about my brother Sebastian: he loves being a vampire. He's eternally twenty-five. He's single, and frankly, he's a chick magnet. Yeah, undeath is good. The only thing he's serious about is his nightclub, Carfax Abbey. It's the sort of dark, happening spot where vampires can really let their fangs down. My brother Rhys and I have tried to get Sebastian to clean up his bad-boy ways like we did, but then he went and called us fang-whipped. Okay, Bite Boy, chew on this…

The ultimate righteous reformer, Wilhelmina Weiss, is on a mission to shut down Carfax Abbey. It seems the spirited, sexy-without-knowing-it vampire is working undercover as a cocktail waitress while waging a secret war to bring him down. Sebastian's A-positive he can convince Miss Goody-Vampire-Two-Fangs that nothing beats the ecstasy of a good vampire bite. I gotta tell you, the suspense would kill me—if I weren't already undead.

My Thoughts: Without starting a debate on the pros and cons of vampires and being a loyal member of Team Jacob, I will say that I have been a fan of vampire-themed romance novels for a very long time since I read my first Amanda Ashley novel. Over the years there have been many variations on the vampire theme, which includes humor and some tongue-in-cheek wit and banter. I almost didn’t read this book because the last book in this story seemed too campy on the humor for me. Poor Christian went from pretty evil and scary to living in a trailer park listening to country music. Sadly, the story was very cliché and boring for me. So hopefully you will understand why I started this book with deep reservations.

Sebastian Young is a ladies’ man. He knows the ladies are drawn to him and he uses it to his advantage. He has no intention at all of ending up like his brothers did, head over heels in love and “fang whipped.” Sebastian owns a nightclub called Carfax Abbey (don’t you just love it?) and that keeps him pretty busy anyway so he doesn’t have time for any long term commitments. Strange occurrences have been happening at the club and Sebastian believes there’s a saboteur among them. First the police, now the Health Department are investigating and Sebastian is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Wilhelmina Weiss is one of the waitresses at Carfax Abbey. She hasn’t been there long and she isn’t very good at her job, which explains a lot as because being a waitress really isn’t her job. Her job is to shut down Carfax Abbey, by any means possible. She’s working undercover at Carfax Abbey for a group called The Society, a group of paranormal creatures who are trying to keep humans safe from the evil vampires of the City and the group has picked Sebastian as the number three most dangerous vampire. Trying to flood the club by starting a fire or creating a health hazard by trying to infest the place with rats are some of the attempts she makes to shut down the club. Luckily for Sebastian, none of them work.

I adored Sebastian. Of all three Young brothers, he is my favorite. He loves being a vampire but isn’t evil. He has embraced his immortality with both arms and is living the undead life to the fullest. Unlike his brothers, Sebastian doesn’t seem to have any regrets or wastes his time looking in the past. Though he’s very charming and appears to be a good guy, there were times I got the impression that he was just going through the motions. His mind seems to be fixated on biting or sex, usually both at the same time. He puts up a good front, but he is lonely. He is intrigued by the new waitress, Wilhelmina, but can’t understand why.

I really liked Wilhelmina, though I detest the name. Luckily, Sebastian calls her Mina, which suits her much better, thank goodness. She’s been a vampire for a while, though not as long as Sebastian. One thing I found interesting is that she doesn’t seem to know how to be a vampire. She has no idea what it means, what she can do and she goes to great lengths to hide her appearance. She has no sense of style. Her hair is a complete mess and she wears glasses, which she obviously doesn’t need. She refuses to drink human blood, even from the blood bank. She hates Sebastian with a passion and that really surprised me. He wasn’t the one to change her but yet, he’s the target of all of her animosity. She’s carrying extensive emotional baggage. Her crossing over experience was horrifying and it’s a miracle that she managed to survive.

Sebastian is a surprising character. His curiosity about Mina rises when he learns that she is the one trying to sabotage his club. I expected him to want revenge or have her punished in some way. I mean his brother Christian tried to murder his future sister-in-law, so I thought some evil act on Sebastian’s part would be making an appearance. Nope. Couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, Sebastian tracks her down and they strike a bargain. He will show her how great it is to be a vampire in exchange for not biting any humans for a month. At this point, you really begin to see the real Mina and understand where she’s coming from and witness her excitement and amazement at how different the world is when you open yourself up to it and she couldn’t have a better teacher than Sebastian. Her opinion of Sebastian changes drastically and they begin to trust each other, though she is much quicker to opening herself up to that possibility.

In the end, this installment became my favorite of the three. Sebastian is a fun character who isn’t afraid to take risks or speak his mind. He learns some important lessons about trust from his brothers, of all people and in his unique way goes after what he wants. Mina is a surprising character from first meeting her all the way to the end. She’s open minded and willing to admit when she’s wrong. They make a great couple. I am hoping to read the fourth book in this series this year which is about the sister that Rhys, Christian and Sebastian have thought was dead. I recommend this book and the series for fans of all vampire romance.

REVIEW: You Can't Hide by Karen Rose

Title: You Can’t Hide
Author: Karen Rose
Publisher: Warner
Publication Date: April, 2006
Paperback: 497 pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 8/10

Description: YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM.

Terror has forever changed the life of psychiatrist Tess Ciccotelli. Someone is tormenting her patients, pushing them to commit suicide, and setting her up to take the blame. But Tess can't break her oath to protect her patients' privacy at all costs. Even when detective Aidan Reagan demands a list of everyone she's treating. Even when the mounting danger threatens Tess herself.

YOU CAN'T STOP WHAT I'M DOING.

Aidan doesn't like anyone who stalls his cases. Still, he can't help but admire Tess's fierce loyalty to her patients, especially when it becomes clear that a nameless, faceless enemy is set on destroying her career, her family, and finally, Tess herself. As Aidan's heart softens, the killer's will hardens, and one thing becomes clear -- the noose is tightening around Tess's neck.

YOU CAN'T HIDE

My Thoughts: One of the indicators that a series is good is when the author keeps you connected to earlier characters while still moving the series forward and devoting the current book to the current story instead of rehashing the past stories. Some authors do this perfectly while some are unable to do it at all, driving me to give up on the series completely.

YOU CAN’T HIDE is the fifth book in Karen Rose’s romantic suspense series. I am very reluctant to even label it as part of a series because each book up to this point stands on its own and doesn’t require the previous books to have been read first. However, I strongly recommend you read them all as it would be a shame to miss them. The Reagan family is back in this story that features Aidan Reagan, who is now a Detective. He and his partner are investigating the suicide of one of Tess Ciccotelli’s patients and the clues seem to point to Tess as the one to blame. Immediately, the reader is given a sense of the animosity between Aidan and Tess and we quickly learn that Aidan despises Tess because he is angry that a serial killer of children escaped prosecution because of her medical testimony. Aidan suspects Tess and argues with his partner who believes Tess is innocent. Unfortunately for Tess, more of her patients die and Tess’s life becomes endangered. After one tense and dangerous standoff, Aidan realizes that Tess is being set up. Along the way, they develop feelings for one another.

I really liked this story especially when Aidan started being more open minded about what was going on with Tess and not letting his anger lead him. I had my suspicions early on about who was behind the killings and sabotage of Tess. My suspicions proved correct though I don’t know why I suspected this person to begin with. The most interesting aspect wasn’t about WHO was behind this, but WHY they were doing it. This proved to be very disturbing as each layer revealed another dark and sinister fact and that this villain could be capable of the level of hate required to commit these acts proved to be the most frightening of all.

Aidan and Tess are a perfect match. Their personalities complement each other and both have trust issues resulting from bad relationships. Both have suffered personal loss. Both have built walls around their hearts. Tess is estranged from her family back in Philadelphia and being around Aidan’s family fills the void in her soul. Tess has a cat named Bella and Aidan has a Rottweiler named Dolly, which is just one more aspect of why I loved these characters.

This author is becoming a favorite for me to choose when I want suspenseful stories featuring likeable characters with wounded souls but carrying great amounts of strength of will and personality.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In May

I was a good book addict in May. Definitely read more than I took in so could that mean I'm on my way to recovery? Yeah...no. Don't get excited people, I definitely wouldn't go that far. I'm pretty sure this book addiction is incurable... :o)

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

Description: When Chelsea Handler needs to get a few things off her chest, she appeals to a higher power - vodka. You would too if you found out that your boyfriend was having an affair with a Peekapoo or if you had to pretend to be honeymooning with your father in order to upgrade to first class. Welcome to Chelsea's world - a place where absurdity reigns supreme and a quick wit is the best line of defense.

In this hilarious, deliciously skewed collection, Chelsea mines her past for stories about her family, relationships, and career that are at once singular and ridiculous. Whether she's convincing her third-grade class that she has been tapped to play Goldie Hawn's daughter in the sequel to Private Benjamin, deciding to be more egalitarian by dating a redhead, or looking out for a foulmouthed, rum-swilling little person who looks just like her... only smaller, Chelsea has a knack for getting herself into the most outrageous situations.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea showcases the candor and irresistible turns of phrase that have made her one of the freshest voices in comedy today.

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Description: Live fast, fight hard and, if you have to die, then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she’s ever faced before.

Shapeshifter Dev Peltier has stood guard at the front of Sanctuary for almost two hundred years and in that time, he’s seen it all. Or so he thought. Now their enemies have discovered a new source of power--one that makes a mockery of anything faced to date.

The war is on and Dev and Sam are guarding ground zero. But in order to win, they will have to break the most cardinal of all rules and pray it doesn’t unravel the universe as we know it.