What I Read Over April Vacation...A Bunch of Mini Reviews

Here is what I read over spring vacation (sounds like I'm writing an essay for elementary school, only these are naughty romance novels....hee hee!)

• The Redhead Revealed by Alice Clayton....Another wonderful addition to this series. I laughed out loud on the airplane reading this baby. It's funny, sexy, and has an addictive on-going storyline. The conflict/tension that crops up between the H/h made me a tad nervous, but the resolution was excellent. One of my favorite themes in romance - "alternate families" - is totally happening here, and I love how the heroine is embracing this part of her life. Grade: B+

• Cinderella Unmasked by Bonnie Dee and Marie Treanor....This is an erotic version of "Cinderella." I adore funky new twists on fairy tales, and this one is quite good. Dee/Treanor's "twist" on the legend--Prince Charming abandons the kingdom to "take up with" a male pirate (hee hee....love that!) and leaves Cinderella in charge--is a kick-ass premise for a book. The authors manage to throw in some sexy adventures for the queen, a hot hero, a fairy godmother, wicked stepmother and stepsisters, and even the return of Charming. This is well written and entertaining, but I felt like the pacing should have been faster. This would have worked better as a shorter story. I will definitely be reading more stories by these authors who are new-to-me. Grade: B+/A-

• This Side Of The Grave by Jeaniene Frost....I almost DNFed this book at the beginning. It had a very slow start. But once it finally got going, I loved it. Bones and Cat have become an iconic pairing in paranormal romance. This book has a different feel to it than the previous ones, which interestingly enough parallels the changes in Cat's life. She is settling into married life, more stable, more responsible, no longer the wild child. That's not to say her life is still not filled with violence, excitement and hot smoky sex with Bones. Because it is. But this series is also settling down a bit. The high octane feel of the first few books isn't happening here, but I don't mind. I actually really like how the series is "maturing" while still maintaining a very engaging storyline filled with conflict and tension. And I especially love that we are not rehashing Cat and Bones' relationship insecurities, which was driving me nuts. They are finally beyond that, and their relationship continues to grow in the best possible way. Rock on, Jeaniene Frost! Grade: B+/A-

• St Nacho's by Z A Maxfield....DNF at 2% done (Kindle). Okay, confession time. Mandi gave me an "M/M assignment." I was supposed to read this book and do a review for her. However, after I read the blurb for the book, I knew I would have problems with this one. I don't love emo/angsty contemporary stories, and this sounded painful. In addition to that, I like a lot of romance with my erotica, and this sentence pretty much stopped me dead in my tracks...."I could suck any one of these guys through fifty feet of irrigation pipe, but as it happens, today I'm not looking for love." Ugh. And today, I'm not looking to read this book. I willingly accept my "F'-super failure grade from Mandi, and will attempt another M/M book that is lighter, funnier, sweeter, more romantic.

• The Bride and The Buccaneer by Darlene Marshall....Thanks, Darlene, for recommending your book to me! This book was indeed the perfect romance novel for a trip to Sanibel-Captiva. It is a charming, well-written historical romance set in 19th century Florida. It combines adventure, fascinating historical tidbits about 19th century Florida (including maritime history, slavery, and cool stuff about the territories and villages of Northeast Florida in the 1800's), very appealing characters, and an intriguing treasure hunt-storyline. The hero is a sexy-as-hell "pirate," the heroine is a spunky treasure hunter, and their love story is sweet if not somewhat predictable. I loved this! Grade: A-

• Dreams Of A Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole.....Still reading it! I am reserving judgment about this one. Not too thrilled with it yet, but KC has been known to take a slow start and turn it into something spectacular.

Happy Monday (where's the beach?...wahhhhhh!),

Penelope

2 (Almost) DNFs and the Unexpected Outcome

Note to Readers: This post was written B.H.A. (Before Heart Attack), so you can take it with a grain of salt (or rather lo-sodium Mrs. Dash! hee hee).....perhaps I wasn't getting enough oxygen due to my faltering heart.

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I very, very rarely DNF (Do Not Finish) a book. Seriously, it pretty much takes an act of God before I will give up. Even if a book sucks, I still want to find out what happens (pathetic, eh?). Nevertheless, perhaps due to a misalignment of the stars, I had not just one, but two DNFs this week.

Due to some intense forces of nature (other readers harassing the holy hell out of me), I ended up finishing both books.

The unexpected outcome was that the book I thought I would love was just mediocre, and the one I thought I would hate turned out to be fantastic.

First up....Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost. I adore Jeaniene Frost. Her Night Huntress books are the best paranormal thing going right now (in my opinion). They are power-packed, intense, incredibly sexy...can't-put-them-down-books. Frost took a chance with her spin-off series, switching from first person POV (Cat) to third person narrative. I was one of the few folks who actually loved First Drop of Crimson. It was an "A" read for me. Even though it wasn't the thrill ride that the Huntress books are, it worked very well for Denise's story.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness is Mencheres' story. Once again, we have 3rd person POV. Mencheres is a very old and powerful vampire...I was expecting a very compelling and exciting story. Instead, I almost DNFed this book half-way through. Why? I was bored. Nothing was happening. There was way too much deep POV going on and not enough action (reminded me of Julia Quinn's latest book, Ten Things I Love About You.) The pacing was off. I was shocked, because Frost's Huntress books are absolutely spot-on with their pacing and story line.

So, I gave up.

I started reading Linda Howard's Open Season, which I was told was a funny, great read. I was so peeved after reading the prologue (young Mexican girl is drugged and raped), that I DNFed that book and went back to Eternal Kiss!

Well, I finished Eternal Kiss of Darkness, and it got slightly better by the end, but I was still disappointed. For some reason, she is not translating that crazy sense of urgency and excitement from the Huntress books to this new series. I didn't like Mencheres and Kira's love story nearly as much as Spade and Denise, and I thought the final scene was too short and a let-down. Also, I felt that the end of the book shortchanged Mencheres and Kira's romance....we did not to get to see them together at the very end. In my opinion, that's a really important part of the HEA. All-in-all, this was an average read for me (B-/C+), and not what I was expecting from one of my favorite authors. I am really looking forward to Cat and Bones' next book!

Now, onto Almost DNF #2, Open Season. This book is all the rage on the Amazon boards...everyone loves it. I heard it was funny. I heard it was about a librarian who gets a make-over. So, even though I generally hate contemporary romance, I decided to give it a go. After the prologue, which pissed me off no end, I DNFed this baby. There is nothing remotely funny about a young girl getting drugged and raped. However, many readers implored me to continue reading. They said the book is great and I needed to give it another chance.

Holy Hellfire, they were right!!!!

I loved this book. Even though I sped-read over the creepy sex trade parts (weak stomach, you know), I adored the love story between Daisy and Jack. Linda Howard did a terrific job showing how Daisy went from being totally turned off by the alpha police man to falling madly in love (and lust) with him. The book is funny, well written, has wonderful characters (including the supporting cast), and a successful suspenseful story line. I love how we get a lot of different POVs in this story...that is one of my favorite things.

I would just like to say....thank-you to all of you folks who cajoled me into finishing this book. I can't wait to read my next Linda Howard book. Any other suggestions?

Happy Reading,

Penelope

Review of First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

First Drop of Crimson by Jeanine Frost

I love Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. I love the over-the-top paranormal stuff, the intensity, the explosive chemistry between the characters, the sizzling sex, even the horror and violence. Cat's first person narrative gets us right into the thick of it, and makes these books come alive.

First Drop of Crimson is absolutely nothing like that series.

But it is nevertheless a fantastic book.

First Drop is coming from a very different point of view. Instead of Cat's bitchy first person narrative, we are watching a story unfold about a normal human woman who has suffered debilitating trauma. What if you were a normal human woman and you had your entire world turned upside down? Your new husband, who you adored, was horribly murdered by paranormal beings? You watched ghouls torture and destroy your friends and family? You miscarried your first child?

This is the story of Denise, a regular woman suffering the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and how she finds the strength and integrity to fall in love again, do the right thing, and battle evil. In a sense, this is much more impressive and dramatic than having a paranormal heroine battle evil. Denise is just a regular schmo who becomes a true heroine by the end of the book. In spite of her horrible fear of paranormal beings, she is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family, and eventually the vampire she loves.

Spade is also fascinating. He fell in love with a human once before, and was destroyed by her gang rape and death. He vows never again to become involved with a mere mortal. In spite of an intense sexual attraction to Denise, he tries to distance himself from her. He grudgingly begins to respect Denise, as he sees her rise above her PTSD and feelings of guilt about her dead husband. Their love story unfolds slowly, step by step, in a very subtle way.

Subtlety is certainly not Frost's M.O. in the Huntress series, so I was very pleasantly surprised by her approach to this story. It's not the crazy, intense thrill ride we get with Cat. The Huntress books don't really deal with believability. They are so over the top, that just isn't in the mix. But I found Denise a much more plausible and likable character than Cat. She is a real woman. With real issues, dealing with a horrifying situation. Denise's growth over the course of this book was very believable, and her growing trust in Spade was believable, too. She grapples with an intense sexual attraction to him in spite of her guilt feelings about her dead husband. I also love her humor thrown into every situation....she is a great character!

When Spade finally professes his love for Denise, it is an incredibly romantic and touching moment. I think the love story between Spade and Denise is...I can't believe I'm going to say this...sweet. I know, hard to imagine a love story between a hard-hearted killer vampire and a frightened human-turning-into-a-demon as a sweet romance, but there you go. I loved it!

My favorite part of this book is when Denise saves Nathaniel at the end. It bothered me a lot that he was a throw-away, a means to an end, when in fact he seemed like a nice person who had been horribly abused. I LOVE that Denise saved him, and tried to protect the man she loved at the final climatic scene. She showed tons of integrity and grit--a perfect match for Spade.

Okay, maybe I lied when I said it is nothing like the other series. There are still some elements reminiscent of the Huntress books. The sex scenes are very hot, the build-up for the suspense is excellent, and this story has plenty of wit and humor.

I am very impressed with this book. Jeaniene Frost has shown another side to her writing chops, and I, for one, think she rocked the house. I am looking forward to more Huntress books, as well as more installments of this spin-off series.

Grade: A

Penelope

Creature Multi Feature: Review of Jeaniene Frost's Huntress Series

Destined For An Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Just finished book #4 of the Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost, Destined for An Early Grave. Read One Foot in the Grave (#2) and At Grave's End (#3) over my summer vacation week. This series is absolutely spell-binding! There are so many utterly great things about it, I'm not sure where to begin exactly. Okay, for the first time in my romantic fiction-inspired life, I understand why first person POV is supposed to be cool. I become Cat when I read these books. I experience every heart ache, every round-house kick, every gin and tonic. Frost's use of first person POV is stupendous. I completely forget I am reading a book and become immersed in her paranormal world.

Next, Bones. Bones. Bones. Jesus H. Canola, Bones is the man (I mean, blood-sucking vampire). Everything about him is fab. His sense of humor. His sexy hot British accent. His complete devotion to Cat. His relentless pursuit and bloody destruction of his enemies. Freakin' fantastic.

Frost's pacing in these books rocks--fast, tension-filled, no lulls ever. The tension in this book may have been a bit too good. I was so nervous about the big break-up between Bones and Cat that I suffered from a sick stomach ache until it was resolved. Oy! I'm already on 4 prilosecs a day. How much more can a girl take?

More good stuff...sex (hee hee). The sex scenes are explosive. You might think it would be difficult to write really juicy sex scenes using first person POV, but Jeaniene Frost will prove you wrong. They are lusty!

And the action scenes! The action scenes are hands-down the best I have ever read in a romance novel. She is the master of flying silver knives, gymnastic moves, slicing, dicing, twisting, and more. An army of undead zombies! Bring it on! Exploding vampire heads...oh yeah! More, baby! The final duel between Gregor and Bones...magnificent!

The cast of characters is wonderful. (Fabian the ghost was a great touch in this book!) Reminds me of Kresely Coles IAD series. Colorful, creative, believable secondary characters add a whole new dimension to a paranormal series, and this one has got it going on. The shocking twist about Cat's mom is heart-breaking, but I can't wait to find out what Frost decides to do about it. (I'm harboring secret fantasies about her become a kick-ass vampire slayer wearing tight leather pants. It could happen!). I am bummed about Rodney's demise, but I am hoping it will jump start Justina's transformation into something other than a whiney pain in the ass.

Another thing I love...the dialogue! It is wickedly funny, tart, sometimes shocking (in a really, really good way). Makes me laugh out loud. 

I have just a few teensy, weensy things that are bothering me. First of all, what happened to Tate? He was a major player in the beginning of the series, and he was mentioned once in DFAEG. Whad up with that?

Starting to get irritated with Cat and Bones questioning each other's loyalty/love....Frost has to get a new conflict. This is getting tiresome.

Didn't buy the idea that Cat still secretly harbored a hatred for vampires, and that's why she couldn't open herself emotionally to Bones. We're in her POV, and there is no indication of that whatsoever. Not buying it.

Nevertheless, I am still completely enamored with this series, and I cannot wait for the next one. Jeaniene Frost is a true master of paranormal romance, and I bow to her greatness. She does an extraordinary job balancing humor with an edgy paranormal scenario, which makes for my favorite of romance combinations. I also cannot wait to find out what all of Cat's powers are as she grows into a master vampire. Also on the horizon is First Drop of Crimson, a spin-off novel about Cat's friend Denise. Looks great.

Grade: A

Yours truly,

Penelope

Friday Quickie Update

First of all, I just finished the novella "My Lady Below Stairs" by Emily Bryan in the Christmas anthology A Christmas Ball, which will be released September 29. Oh my God!!! Adorable, fun, sexy, sweet...everything a Christmas story should be (and I guess I'm sort of the expert on that!). I did not have a chance to read the other stories yet, but I'll get to them soon. Review coming soon! 

Also just finished Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost. Frost continues to astound me with this series. I have a couple of teensy, weensy irritations that are cropping up, but overall this book is totally killer and I can't wait for the next one (and for First Drop of Crimson, the spin-off novel about Cat's best friend Denise). Review coming soon. 

Finally, I read the excerpt for Joey Hill's December release A Mermaid's Ransom, which is the story of Alexis, the daughter of Jonah and Anna from A Mermaid's Kiss (which I adored, see my review). Oh boy, I am psyched for this book!!!!!! This excerpt is fantastico, and I cannot wait to read the rest of this one. (Drumming my fingers on table...waiting...still waiting....ugh!) This is gonna be tough. After a lot of disappointments lately, I know that Joey Hill will not let me down!

Hope everyone is having a happy, healthy reading week!

Happy Labor Day To All,

Penelope

Review of Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Oh My God! Thanks to Mandi at Smexy Books I decided to check out the Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost. I just read the first installment, Halfway to the Grave. This is a paranormal romance series about vampires, and Holy Mother! I am in love!!!!! I am in love with this author, I am in love with Bones the vampire, and I am totally digging the snarky first person heroine of this story, Cat, even though I sometimes have difficulty with snarky first person heroines. But not this time. This time it works like a charm.

I sucked this book down like a pint of blood. Okay, so here's why I think Jeaniene Frost is amazing...first of all, her name is cool. Second, the pacing of this book is fierce...could not put it down. Third, the love story totally works. You feel for Cat who is struggling with her identity (she is half-vampire) and her attraction to Bones, a full vampire who has coerced her into helping him snag baddie vamps. You also are rooting for Bones, who is obviously falling in love with Cat, but understands where her trepidation is coming from. Fourth, Frost's paranormal world has some new twists that make it interesting, especially after reading 10,000 vampire books (these vamps can walk in sunlight, for example). Fifth, all of the characters in this book are fascinating, the good, the bad, the undead moonshine-loving ghouls. Sixth, the final climatic scene in which Bones rescues Cat from the FBI guys rocks out! Explosions! Shattering glass! Bones walking down the middle of the highway like an avenging angel! Oh yeah!

Other bonuses: The blood and guts stuff was not overly disturbing (you know me, weak stomach, etc. etc.). Also, the cover is very sexy (as are the other covers for this series). Nice. And the mix of ass-kicking, conflict/plot and sexual tension is perfectly balanced. I am seriously impressed with this author. She has got it going on.

My only beef (pun intended) was that I wish there had been more sex scenes, because Bones and Cat together are combustible-hot! 

Bones is freaking fantastic...he just jumped to the number one spot for best hero of 2009....his sarcastic, sexy, English vampire is completely addictive. Of course, I am about to order the whole rest of this series from Amazon and devour it like a blood-sucking fiend. For any of you paranormal romance fans, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is superb!

Grade: A+

Wishing I Lived in the Amazon Warehouse,

Penelope