Romancing The Countess by Ashley March

Romancing the Countess by Ashley March
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What can I say of this book? A slow, almost painfully so, ride to satisfaction. It's kind of strange in the beginning because you're kind of wondering how they're going to get together, since they don't think they can stand to be in the same room together for very long. Their spouses cheated on them with each other, and they're taking it differently. Leah is being brazenly bold & daring and not caring about what the ton thinks. Sebastian is being angry and resentful, because he was most hurt by the realizations that came with the joint-deaths of their spouses. All through the first half, I yearned for more of a passion between the two, but was at the same time grateful that I wasn't reading the same story, just done with different names yet again. It's really hard to find something refreshing in published books these days.

I also must say that the sensuality in this book is no where to be found until the very end. It's kind of disappointing, in that regard, for me. I think it actually gives the book more of a sense of reality. You're not thinking to yourself "He must be some looker, if she could do all those things with him so quickly!" You're thinking "I wonder what's holding her back, since she's so irreverent elsewhere in her life."

Also, the things the little 18 month old said? Were slightly advanced, to say the least. It wasn't a deal-breaker for me, though. By the time he was talking and such, I was more intrigued by the push-and-pull between the main characters.

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Move Heaven And Earth by Christina Dodd

Move Heaven and Earth by Christina Dodd

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This started off ok, but then the hero's brother dies & the heroine keeps freaking about being a nurse… and I just kept thinking 'Well then don't be a nurse! DUH!' and the resolution between the main characters & the villain was just waaaay too drawn out! but I'd say the the first half of the book was pretty good. I'm kind of disappointed it wasn't a new favorite of mine :(



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At The Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker

At the Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'd say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Never read anything by this author until now, and I feel like reading more from her, so that's a good sign. One thing that bothered me was the flatness of Tristan & Charlotte. More so Tristan. The author could have done a lot better at explaining what Tristan was about & some of his thoughts & feelings instead of he was a cardboard cutout standing in the background.



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The Secrets Of A Lady, Jenna Petersen (ARC)

The Secrets of A Lady (Jordans #1) by Jenna Petersen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


With the exciting backdrop of post-Napoleonic Wars England, Audrey and Griffin come together and sparks fly as Audrey tries desperately to prove herself in her brother Noah's world of espionage.

Sometimes, I've found, the whole spy aspect of these romances can become too much for me. They can draw attention away from the love story unfolding. This didn't happen at all in the story Petersen shares. The romance is full of heated kisses and a push and pull that leaves you on edge, hoping they just drop their doubts and self-imposed hindrances and make out! And that they do!

I fell in love with Griffin's driving need to see Audrey safe and secure, and preferably with him, instead of the antagonist. The antagonist- Douglas Ellison - is a slimy, filthy character bent on assassination and sending England back into turmoil and treachery, all the while courting Audrey.

Noah Jordan and his sister Audrey are bound and determined to set things right and see Ellison in jail. They need to set up camp near the assassin, so they might find out who else is in on the deadly plot... and Griffin's London house just so happens to be neighbors to Ellison's.

Reeling from a failed marriage & the untimely death of a despicable wife, Griffin agrees to house the brother-and-sister spies. He has to endure watching the woman whose kiss five years before sent his world upside down, play at being enamored of a wretch like Douglas Ellison, and he's finding it quite hard, indeed.

Thoughts of Audrey's drunken kiss five years before have been haunting him ever since, and he's bound and determined not to let another liar like his wife into his heart, but Audrey isn't like Luci. No, she's more wholesome. She's everything he's ever dreamed or hoped to have, in fact, and she's letting herself be the object of the cad Ellison's affections.

It's a wonderful love story, and I can't wait to read the rest in the series!

This book is set for publication in September, and its companions will be published in October and November.



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Just Like Heaven, Devil In Winter

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I'm sure there were about fifty or so pages of the hero being injured, and about fifteen with the hero & heroine kissing & such… so yeah.

It didn't help that I just read Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, because in her story, too, the hero was injured for a long, dragged-out amount of time. Ugh.

It wasn't terrible… it just want's spectacular, either.


Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The beginning of this story was kind of rushed, but in a good way. This is a very… shall we say "heated" beginning to a historical romance. I guess you can't expect anything more from such a manwhore, eh? But I guess he's a manwhore with a heart of gold? lol. He wasn't detestable… like some manwhore/rakes can be in these types of books. I didn't really like the intrigue part, the end was kind of a fizzle, too.



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The Raven Prince

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was picked out by my sister as a dare, because we were in the awkward Romance Section of the bookstore, but I'm so glad she picked this! It was such a wonderful read. I've read it many, many times since I first picked it up in 2007. Hoyt has become a favorite author of mine because of this book, too.

The story is such a wonderful one, too. It's about a widow who takes a job as a secretary for a beastly lord, and it reminded me a lot of Jane Eyre, but much sexier lol. I love both the heroine & hero and I love all the chemistry & fiery passion they had for one another.



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To Catch A Highlander

To Catch a Highlander by Karen Hawkins

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I didn't find myself enthralled with the love story.
I felt kind of like what they said to each other was lame, to put it bluntly.
It wasn't horrible, but not my cup of tea, I guess.



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When Beauty Tamed The Beast

When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I kind of view the Dr.House similarity to be a cop-out, but it was still a good book that I didn't want to end. The beginning was kind of tedious, though.



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Seven Secrets Of Seduction

Seven Secrets of Seduction by Anne Mallory

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I liked the depths of both the hero & heroine.
That was really nice. There wasn't some stupid
mystery to solve or anything… I figured things out,
but I wasn't necessarily shouting silently for
the heroine to smarten up & realize what was happening.



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Through Her Eyes

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It got pretty annoying after a while, let's just say. Henry was 17, afterall, and the author tapped into the mind of a 17 year old emotionally disturbed boy quite exceptionally, and repeated his horrid poetry over & over & over & over again. UGH!



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The Duff

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Well, I have to start by saying that this might give the younger crowd the wrong idea about sex. It might glamorize it a bit. If you're a teenager, and are thinking about sex, know that it's not a bandaid. It might feel that way, at first, but it's not & never will be. Those feelings of being dirty & stuff, after having meaningless sex with some dude that may or may not think you're the sexiest person in their vicinity, are real. They last. They leave a lasting impression on your soul & your conscience. It's a big decision, but one that some girls think is just one more step to adulthood/non-losertown. It's not.

Anyway, I guess it was an ok read. Nothing jumped out at me, though. Other than the sex-glamorization thing.



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Remember Me?

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I think the only thing holding my attention throughout the thing was the amnesia, and for everyone to treat her like she was a retard, that's just… odd.

Everything & everyone seemed a little too flaky for my preferences, but some people like that type of thing. If you like light, chick-litified books, this one's for ya! It's got a good premise, but it could have been dealt with a lot better, I think.

Where's the amnesia books?! I want to start reading them.



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Harvesting The Heart

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Possibly the worst last-half of a book I've read in a long time. Why did she spend so much time on the getting-to-the-reconciliation part than she did in the son's recovering part? Not cool! Nobody wants to read about a bypass surgery unless they're about to get one, and maybe not even then. UGH! There should be a huge warning about that scene.



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The Story Sisters

The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I didn't think I'd come across another book that had as much power over me as The Lovely Bones or Lucky, but this one? This one had every element I love about books in it. It was beautiful at times, and so very true to life.

I honestly thought all three sisters were going to meet up with loves in their destined places, boy was I wrong! lol.

I like that aspect of the story, too.

I have a lot of things in common with this story. Some were painful to realize, though.

I didn't think there'd be another book that made me feel throughout it, and I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I wish I got on here last night when I finished it, so that all those emotions would be fresh in my mind, but suffice it to say that this has been another journey into my past as well as into a wonderful story, and I loved every minute of it!



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The Edge Of Winter

The Edge of Winter by Luanne Rice

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I am disappointed because this book seems like a rerun of her other books. I want a new plot & new characters & sub-characters!



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A Pirate's Pleasure

A Pirate's Pleasure by Heather Graham

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I liked this much better than Sweet Savage Eden, but with that said, nothing really stood out to me one way or another. Good or bad? I don't know...



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Sweet Savage Eden

Sweet Savage Eden by Heather Graham

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The first three chapters made me hate the heroine, and pretty much the rest of the novel made me hate the hero. Why in the hell is he so damn angry with the world, if his world is so full of nice, loving parents/siblings/friends? His character & his backstory do not mesh up all that well, and so I just couldn't like him.



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Between The Bridge & The River

Between the Bridge and the River by Craig Ferguson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was slightly hard to get into, but was so oddball-awesome that I had to finish it, but at my leisure. I loved the subtlety laced throughout.

Oh, and his insights? Were very spot-on... just as any great author does. I read this because I wanted to get that silly one-book-at-first library policy out of the way at my new library, and thought he'd be fun to read. I was right :D

There were some things that were so true that they became kind of scary, because truth hurts, ya know?

I have to admit, though that with the first two chapters, I thought it was a collection of short snapshots of unlinked stories.

It was a great book, made you think but not overly-much so was still fun to read :D

P.S: I'm sure I'd give it a 5-star rating if it was read to me by the author lol... I just love scottish accents so much.

P.P.S: Girls don't get "moist" as much as he seems to think. This is a total untruth...but oh well.



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Green Rider

Green Rider by Kristen Britain

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is very, very similar to one of my favorite books/stories of all time, The Blue Sword & The Hero & The Crown by Robin McKinley. I felt like it had a good start, but was very, very disappointed in the would-be end. Quasi-end, is more like it. Basically, not-satisfying, one key ingredient to any ending!
I feel compelled to read the other books in the series, but not in a good way, ya know?



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Speak

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Liked the movie, loved this book! It's truthful, vibrant & secretive all at once. I had tears in my eyes on two occasions, too. Always a good thing, while reading a book, at least.



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This Is All I Ask

This Is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is three stars because it's rather tedious when everyone's turning on the waterworks left & right...but that's my only complaint, really. It's a sweet love story. If only a few more handsome men went blind & became enamored of the plain women in their futures, eh?



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The Book Of True Desires

The Book of True Desires by Betina Krahn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Very adventure-heavy, this one. also, I don't think the man on the cover looks anything like the hero lol. But to each their own, or something.

I have given this a three, personally, because adventure isn't necessarily my cup o' tea. If it had more romance, I'd likely give it four.



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The Pirate Next Door

The Pirate Next Door by Jennifer Ashley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Whoa...never in all my reading-life have I actually wanted to read the swashbuckling being done in a book. This one? Had such likable villains (well, except one) that I was glued. I think this has been elevated all the way up to being my favorite pirate romance ever.



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Priceless

Priceless by Christina Dodd

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


As many have stated, way too much intrigue, not enough romance. I actually hate the hero, too...so yeah....



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Stealing Sophie

Stealing Sophie by Sarah Gabriel

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The author seriously I'm not exaggerating here, wrote the same paragraph or two about the stupid fairies about six or so times throughout the entire book. VERY ANNOYING! If you're going to talk about the magic, at least put a little bit here, a little bit there. Sprinkle the magic, don't dump it over our heads every chance you get.





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On Writing

On Writing by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book should be read by all aspiring authors.
It's amazing, nitty-gritty & it makes you want
to write as soon as you
close the book for the day.
I'm sure that at the time I
read this, if I'd had access
to anything to write on, I'd
be studiously tapping or scrawling
away into the wee hours.

Lost in your writing? READ THIS! Now.



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The Madness Of Lord Ian MacKenzie

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


As many reviewers have noted before me, the hero in this tale does indeed have Asperger's disorder. I love the way the author made what could have been a 2D character into a lively, tortured soul. I at first read the second novel in this series,and Ian captured my attention right from the start, so much so that I rushed through that book to begin this one. Beth is a pretty cool heroine, too.

I must say that I'm torn as to whether I want to read the fourth book, the one about Hart. I didn't want to like him at all in this one. At one point, if I were Ian, I'd have strangled him.





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The Perils Of Pursuing A Prince

The Perils of Pursuing a Prince by Julia London

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


OMG...I hated Owen Percy's presence in this book with a passion. I kept thinking "Ok, when's this jerk gonna get written out?!"

I got the sense of Jane Eyre or something whilst reading it. I think it's because of the dark and stormy setting it's taking place in. The characters are nothing like it, although there is some Beast in Mr Rochester from Jane Eyre, and a lot of beast in Rhodrick. Where Jane Eyre is a frumpy field mouse, Greer is a brunette beauty, I guess.

As far as the romance & the sex scenes... just the right amount of both. I'm not so sure why they fell in love, other than that they were in a remote setting for a few weeks together. Sometimes love is strange like that, though.



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A Little Bit Wild

A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is another take on the beauty and the beast theme that seems quite believable.
A good read!

Marissa is modern in her views of men & women & their intimacies together. She openly ogles their form & performance on the dance floor, eager to get them undressed.

She makes a mistake in choosing a bed partner (boy can I ever relate to that!) and is faced with pulling off a pretend-betrothal (as the synopsis states). It wasn't necessarily heart-melting, this love story, but it did not suck, either lol.



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The Enchantment

The Enchantment by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It's an interesting read. There's some very modernistic views that the heroine displays... I'm not sure if I bought it too much, but afterall...this is fiction, right? I didn't let it bother me too much.

It's a good change, having a not-at-all-alpha hero. I like how their different life-tragedies were somewhat similar and they could grow with each other out of the people they once were. That's a cool theme, love can conquer all.



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Wed Him Before You Bed Him

Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I just didn't get into the story. I skipped around, saw that what I thought would happen did happen, and that was that. It was romantic that the man she shamed before came back around in penpal-form to help her find herself...but I just didn't like reading it. I think it held too much suspense for me. I don't really like reading suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat books. I'm more about reading emotionally-charged books.



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Beware A Scot's Revenge

Beware a Scot's Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Good story, overall. I was guessing about the mystery element all the way until the reveal, so that's good :)



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The Perfect Rake

The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


For those in the mood for a more love-instead-of-loving, non-bodice-ripper, here's your book!
I not-so-instantly fell in love w/ the Merridew sisters.
And with Gideon as well. I found myself actually laughing out loud in some parts, and smiling to myself throughout chapters. Very well-written!
The dialogue between hero & heroine remind me of the early movies, tongue-in-cheek but loving all the same.

As this novel illustrates beautifully, humor is a firm foundation to build love & passion upon.



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A Kiss At Midnight

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I wasn't expecting this book to be as good as I found it to be. It wasn't as dry as some of her novels (I think I've read practically all of her books)



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If I Stay

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I couldn't stop but for two cigarette breaks. This brought laughter out loud to me, and this brought me very near to tears too. Unexpectly.
It was an easy read, I finished in around four hours. At first I didn't really want to get the main character, and like her, I didn't know why the
cool rocker kid was so enamored of her. Soon I realized that sometimes those things happen, and it is a book afterall.
I didn't let it bother me, and enjoyed reading about how cool her family was. What a brave girl she was! This reminded me of Izzy Willy-nilly by Cynthia Voigt. If you enjoy this book, you might want to read that one, since it's about the recovery process after being in the hospital. It was written in the 80s, I think but is still relevant to the here and now.
Throughout the book, she reminded me of myself.



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The Devil's Love

The Devil's Love by Julia London

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Here's what I wrote in my notes when I was only 119 pages into it:
"No reason why he's so callous & mean. I don't really identify w/ either main character.
Nothing has yet made me want to meet Michael. Their lil squabbles grew increasingly tiresome, really.
I don't understand why Michael was so hostile, because it's not as if Abbey had anything whatsoever
to do w/ both their fathers' lies & deceit. I'm not really intrigued as to why they did it,and don't know if I care to find out.
If I was arguing the way they were, I would not let that man's tongue inside my mouth. I know there's something to be said about
opposites attract and all that, but what kind of woman actually enjoys being degraded and talked down to and then having their mouths
ransacked by a seemingly unfeeling and cold man who recently has proven what a cad he can be? Not me. It seems these two characters don't care,
as long as they can be kissing an unbelievably attractive person. Being homely myself, I don't really identify with this sentiment at all, either. "

The same holds true to now. I got to page 200 before I decided I didn't have time to read about people I don't care about. This is strange because this never happens to me while reading a historical fiction book.

I skipped to the end, and nothing really grabbed at me and said "OH gee, betcha wish you read it all the way through now, huh?!"



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A Highlander Never Surrenders

A Highlander Never Surrenders by Paula Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I didn't really like it, and I didn't really hate it.
I think it was hard for me to sympathize w/ a slut for a hero.




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Light of The Moon

Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


There is just way too much sap going on in this book. Especially in the interactions. It all came off as roll-your-eye moments, to me. Nothing really profound was said. I usually like this author, but this one was just… heck, maybe it was just my attitude going into it? I don't know.



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Laird Of The Mist

Laird of the Mist by Paula Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I highly recommend this book if you like just the right amount of passion mixed in with heart-melting tenderness.

The hero's tale of torture is really heart-rending, too. I felt so sad when I read what he & his sister endured.

I couldn't help but think to myself a few times what the story would be like if the two sets of brothers & sisters lives were switched around. If Robert was the tortured soul & Kate the broken body. So, what I'm saying is that it's not just another fluffy historical romance...it lets you experience a spectrum of emotions.

I loved Callum's sister, Maggie! Once she appeared I instantly wished to befriend her. She's a vegetarian! lol. And a spitfire, to boot! Very much smile-inducing, that one.



I didn't really like the end, but I'll confess I kind of skipped the confrontation part. They always bore me.

Overall, I loved the story & will probably read it again sometime.



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Playing James

Playing James by Sarah Mason

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Yet another chick-lit I can't seem to read.
I know they say to open up with a bang, but
extracting a condom from a best friend's nether-regions?
Over the phone?! No way will I continue to read past this stupid
little scene!



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Lucky

Lucky by Alice Sebold

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was kind of a bittersweet read because I can identify with a few things she's gone through. I loved reading it because it let me get in touch with some hard-to-deal-with feelings and emotions I had locked up for years and have been able to finally come to grips with. I want to thank her in-person,but that'd be kind of weird lol!



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The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


This is possibly the worst modern-day book I've ever ever read, as far as the writing goes. Way too pompous for my liking!



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The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It's been a while since I've read this, but I really love this book! I loved the first sentence, too. I loved the idea of Heaven & I cheered at the end ;) If you've seen the movie, the book is way better & more coherent. You're not left thinking "WTF?!" and the characters are more fleshed out.



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