by: Cherry Adair

Number of pages: 310

I liked the flawed characters of this book. Despite unbelievable scenarios, the pair of T-FLAC operators discover almost as much about themselves as they do each other. This makes for a wonderful pairing.

Fireworks and bombs, and ancient Egyptian digs combine with a fiery red-headed heroine, and her stoic, but sooo manly hero.

I’m not poking fun, the pair is wonderful despite the potential cliché.

Great book for action romance lovers.

Overall book rating: 7.75

by: Angela Knight, Diane Whiteside, Emma Holly, and Lora Leigh

Billed as “Four stories of limitless desire…” Beyond the Dark promises near-erotic romance with a bite of paranormal exoticy.

By far, Holly’s story was the most unique. Instead of being rooted to this world and the limitations of standard paranormal fare, the mix throws in aliens, ancient Egypt, erotic god powers and a steamy story line.

Leigh’s installment of the breed series ties up a few loose ends and opens the door to better heroes. Instead of being entirely ruled by the mating heat, the leading man allows his captive intended a choice.

Dragon Dance by Angela Knight was amazing and had great potential as a jumping off point or introduction to a promising series.

Whiteside’s story would appeal to Regency lovers who desire a bit of magic.

Overall book rating: 7.5625

by: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Pages: 533

Ahh, space the final frontier… for romance that is. Kenyon’s League debut book, re-released with more than before, is an excellent read. The author notes at the beginning of the book are almost as much fun (getting a glimpse of the author’s life and start in the business) as the reading.

I have some reservations about this work, mainly a cliché’d happenstance that tastes of Deux en machina, however it still ties everything together nicely, and it isn’t like it drops out of the blue. I suspected the chance meeting’s roots near the beginning of the book.

Actually, I suspected much more than really happened, but that’s just my over-active imagination getting stimulated by a good story. Read if you like science fiction, read if you like action, read if you like
romance. It’s got it all.

Rating: 7.5

(more…)

with Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, Linda Winstead Jones

While loosely based on a theme, this anthology really isn’t as cute as the title or cover relates. Of course, the tip off should have been Lora Leigh’s name on the cover.

HOT romance with cats.

Really. or Really?

Best story, Christmas Heat. Leigh delivers. Overall: 6.5

by Rowena Cherry

Wow. Science fiction with a touch of romance. Really. Let me say it again. Science Fiction…! Backstory needed, bizarre world building, and too much going on to really focus on the budding romance. Should not be put in with the romance novels. but I can’t really see some Microsoft clone wanna be Spock reading this one either.

Writing: 7.1 (kudos for world building, minus points for romantic suspense); characters: couldn’t relate. Nope. Couldn’t relate….6.1; plot: out there and contrived. huh. 5; conclusion: wow, Captain Cardboard has a brain. Who knew? 6.1

Total: 6.1

by Joy Nash

Huh. Dante Allegretti might roll in his grave at this modern interpretation of the circles of hell, then again it was very well thought out even if the leading characters had things just a bit too convenient. I’m not saying their journey was easy, just convenient. Hum… mixed reactions to this installment, but it was better than some of the others in this series.

Writing: can’t fault the writer too much because it was an enjoyable read. 7.4; characters: cardboard? 6.1; Plot: 8.4 the hell analogy was very good, but misguided. conclusion: convenient. contrived? 6.5 Total Score: 7.1

by Jacquelyn Frank

Demon king Noah finds his mate. And she’s got superpowers. Yawn. Even the sex scenes were boring. Ms. Frank should have left the leading lady dead, it would have been more interesting.

score: 6…barely

Nina Bangs, Sandra Hill, Dara Joy

A holiday romp well-timed for the season.

Fever: was hokey, but cute and fully fleshed out. Best of the book despite the fact it reminded me too much of bum-f Wisconsin. 7.8

Man with the Golden Bow: LOL hilarious and very sweet. 6.9

Santa Reads Romance: ? WTF? A writer’s fantasy, or nightmare. Falling in love with a publisher. Huh. Didn’t like it too much. 6.4

Mary Janice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, and PC Cast

Paranormal meets Desperate Housewives, with strange behavior as the norm.

Disdaining Trouble : good story, drew you into the atmosphere. Was the best one of the book even if it did stretch believability. 7.8

The nanny from Hell: not as good as the first story but sweet enough to give you satisfaction: sub-character arcs not developed. 7.1

A Tawdry Affair: too much going on. The story opens with so much backstory unwritten it is very hard to follow.5.2

It’s in his kiss: cute, but not noteworthy. Romeo and Juliet and contrivance. 6.4

by Steven Brust

I was disappointed by the latest Vlad Taltos novel. While the writing hasn’t deteriorated, the whimsical Joie de vivre is gone. Vlad is simply a tired criminal on the lam and spends too much time whining over his failed marriage. The intrigue of former novels isn’t as easy to pick out and the wrap up at the end, although expertly contrived, leaves much room for reader enjoyment.

Jhegaala is set in Draghera, but in the non-Empire portions of the East where “Easterners” dwell. Convenient, isn’t that? Vlad, a professional assassin and former leader of his very own Jhereg syndicate, has fled the Empire so he can hide from assassins like himself who have been hired by the Jhereg to kill him. He finds that the east is much like the west and he is forced to defend himself from his own kind.

This is not a “stand alone” novel. If you have read the series, it falls somewhere after Phoenix, of course. Vlad has recently fled Adrilanka following a complicated assassination that threw him into a mess he could not fix.

BUT, there are references in this book(to a Teckla boy) that make me wonder if it is supposed to fall after Orca. All in all, it was confusing so I Googled for the proper reading order, here it is:
Taltos, Yendi, Dragon, Jhereg, Teckla, Phoenix, Jhegaala, Athyra, Orca, Issola, Dzur

Not his best novel: 7.1