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2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
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Saturday, January 7, 2012
Random House Spotlight Book
THE DEMON LOVER by Juliet Dark
Random House Publishing
December 2011
448 pages
Purchase Info:
The Demon Lover: A Novel
Random House Publishing
December 2011
448 pages
Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.
Right now you can get a glimpse of this recent release from Random House right here at That's What I'm Talking About:
A must-read for paranormal romance fans: THE DEMON LOVER: A Novel by Juliet Dark (excerpt)
Purchase Info:
The Demon Lover: A Novel
Friday, January 6, 2012
Review: Lure of Song and Magic
Lure of Song and Magic
Author: Patricia Rice
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Magic Series spinoff
ISBN: #978-1402255748
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Paranormal
Format(s): Paperback (352 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Workaholic TV producer Dylan Ives believes former singing sensation Syrene Malcolm holds the clue to finding his kidnapped son. A lost child herself, Syrene cares about the missing boy even though Dylan's personality is nothing short of rude. But Syrene refuses to unleash her dangerous siren's voice, even for a man who is impossible to deny...
What I’m talking about:
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Dylan Ives is a highly successful LA producer with a heavy heart. His 4-year-old son was kidnapped a year ago, a year after his wife ran away (and subsequently died) with the boy, fearful the boy was in danger. Dylan refused to believe his son was dead, so when a he receives a mysterious text from a person called “the Librarian” that a former child star can help find his missing son, Dylan tracks her down.
Pippa James is a secluded children’s author, hiding from her destructive past. At the age of twelve, she was Syrene, a singing sensation, and by age 18 she was an emotional wreck, widow, and has-been child star. She believes her Voice is evil and will cause utter despair. She thinks her Voice turned her teenage husband to drugs and his early demise. She hides in the mountains, keeping her singing and Voice safe from the outside world.
Lure of Song and Magic is a spin-off of sorts of Ms. Rice’s Magic series, a historically-set romance series with a hint of magic. Lure focuses on the descendants of the original characters (for a look at the first book in the series, Merely Magic, click HERE). Lure is a stand alone story and does not require any knowledge of the original series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Right from the start, I was under Pippa’s spell; she captured me as she does the hearts and minds of friends and strangers alike. Pippa does have a gift, and with the help of years of isolation and Dylan’s persistence, she learns that her Voice can be a joyful, beautiful thing.
Pippa and Dylan’s love grew from an honest place. It wasn’t love at first site, nor was it an “I hate you, therefore I love you” cliche. The characters are written with their hearts on their sleeves. Each alone, but not overly lonely, they slowly realize that they do not want to live without the other. The give and take we witness between Dylan and Pippa is heart-warming and frankly, touching. I fell in love with the pair as they fell in love with one another.
The story also had subtle humor throughout the book. Both Pippa and Dylan has sarcastic and snarky moments. I never found myself laughing out loud, but I did have a grin often. Here is an example... Early on in the story, Dylan pushes his way into Pippa’s life and won’t walk away, believing she is the key to finding his lost son. In an effort to smooth things over, he makes Pippa a smoothie:
He knew to take peel off a banana. He wasn’t as certain about the lemon and orange, so he threw them into the container whole. Orange peel was supposed to be good for something.
I found myself captivated by the scenario of the book... Is Dylan’s son alive? Why was he kidnapped? What is Pippa’s history and who are her parents? The plot unfolds at a comfortable pace, keeping me glued to the pages, always guessing at the truth.
Ms. Rice pours her heart into this story and her characters, and this makes for a beautiful story. There were a couple of parts that were so moving, I had tears in my eyes. The story had just the right mix of emotional upheaval, romance, humor and storyline. I recommend this story to anyone in the mood for a warm, wonderful romance.
My Rating:
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Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Purchase Info:
The Lure of Song and Magic
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Review: Haunted Warrior
Haunted Warrior
Author: Allie Mackay
Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: #978-0451235480
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (352 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Kendra Chase is exhausted from her work as a ghost whisperer, so she's been looking forward to her vacation in Edinburgh. But work awaits her as the tiny fishing village is being excavated, and supernatural uprisings have been reported.
Graeme MacGrath knows the source of the psychic trouble. The excavation is disrupting the protective veil between this world and darker, more ancient ones. He hates to admit it but he will need the fetching Kendra and her paranormal abilities to save the town he loves from unspeakable evil.
What VampBard’s talking about:
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Initial reaction: um. Wow. The heat with this one starts right away **fans self**. The tension in this title builds from page 1. The inner conflict for both the hero and heroine are tremendous, especially since they're both keeping secrets from one another – secrets they believe will push the other away. Ha. As. If.
Kendra, our heroine, finds herself in the Scottish Highlands, walking. She senses something powerful – electric even – on the Highlands with her, and notices Mr. Hottie, clad in a kilt and cape. Wowza. She's totally worried that she looks like scum – Ladies, don't we always worry about this when we see the Man of Our Dreams!?!?! Kendra and Graeme are tossed together until Graeme makes it his mission in life to 'protect' her from the bad guy. Kendra, on assignment for Ghosthunters International, fears she is breaking one of her cardinal rules: never fall in love while on assignment. Meh. Can't help when love finds us, right? Animal lovers: this one is for you! Kendra is an animal lover, too! What I really enjoyed about Kendra was her drive to be independent, but she wasn't stupid about it. You know, the kind of heroine that does really stupid stuff just to prove she can do it, or to make a point? You won't find Kendra pulling that stuff. Gotta say, I loved the epilogue... don't ditch it ;)
Mr. Mystery Man, making his premier in the first several pages of the book, has looks and magnetism to spare. Think: Ronn Moss (from the soap The Bold and the Beautiful) in his younger days. After wiping up the puddle of drool and getting ice for my beverage, I continued to read. Graeme is Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Smokin'-Hot. His family has lived in the same village for ages, and they protect something powerful. Graeme had his own set of 'inner turmoil' going on, surrounding 'who' he was as well as his place in this world. Rather, his DUTY in this world. Once all that business was figured out, the HEA commences.
ABSOLUTELY breath-taking setting descriptions! I felt as though I was in the small Scottish town described. The castle ruins, as well as the general ambiance of the various locations were explained so well that I thought that I felt the harr on my face at times. What was above and beyond was Ms. Mackay's ability to pull the 'inner monologue' from her characters and give us crystal-clear insight as to their thoughts about various things. While we mostly heard from Kendra's perspective, there were a few gems from Graeme's point-of-view as well. Character descriptions, especially those of Graeme, are stellar, as shown in this little snippet:
And she was about to fork her last bit of bacon when a shadow fell across her table. Looking up, she met Graeme's smiling eyes, and her heart nearly threatened to burst from her chest.
“Lain serves up the best breakfast on the coast.” His deep, buttery-rich burr quickened her pulse, pouring over her like molten honey.
The look in his eyes made her prickle with awareness.
She blinked, sure her face was heating. “Yes, he does.” It was all she could think to say. He looked so good in his jeans and cream-colored, cable-knit Aran sweater. “I've never had a better breakfast.”
That was true.
Her words deepened his smile. The attractive way his eyes crinkled did dangerous things to her emotions. She could so easily fall in love with this man. She feared she was already halfway there.
“It is a lot of food...” She put down her fork, hoping to hide her feelings by looking at her plate. “I'm not sure I can finish.”
“You'll hurt Iain's feelings if you don't.” He set a hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. His touch send delicious shivers along her nerves. “Dinnae worry yourself. Even if you're feeling full now, you'll be glad for the energy when we're out on the open water. A good Scottish breakfast will keep you warm.”
Kendra almost laughed.
If her personal heat index rose any higher, Scotland would feel as balmy as Florida.
If I had to choose one thing that annoyed me, I'd have to say that a few plot-points were 'expected' and could have been done a bit more creatively, based upon the world that Mackay's created. Not enough to REALLY bug me, but it's really the only thing keeping me from giving this title 5 stars...
VampBard’s Rating:
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Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Purchase Info:
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Review: Clockwork Prince
Clockwork Prince
Author: Cassandra Clare
Release Date: Dec. 6, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Infernal Devices #2
ISBN: #978-1416975885
Genre: Young Adult (Historical Urban Fantasy)
Format(s): Hardcover (528 pgs), e-book, audio
Book Source: Purchased with my own funds
About the book:
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In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.
What Una is talking about:
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It may be solely because of the nostalgia that I feel from reading them, but I do love young adult novels. I will, however, preface this by saying I have learned that whiny, impulsive, immature heroines/heroes do not appeal to me (this assumes that they do not learn from their mistakes). However, Cassandra Clare has created a rich world of characters that becomes a part of you through her Mortal Instruments and her Infernal Devices series.
The Infernal Devices series is a prequel to Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. I thoroughly enjoyed the Mortal Instruments series and looked forward to reading more of the mythology Ms. Clare had created in a historical Victorian setting. I was not disappointed. You do not need to read the Mortal Instruments series before starting this series, however you need to read the first book, Clockwork Angel in order to understand what continues in Clockwork Prince.
In Clockwork Prince, we find Tessa struggling with the truths uncovered in Clockwork Angel and the rejection she feels. As the story progresses, so does her relationship with other members of the Institute. We are also given a glimpse into Will’s inner heart and the truth behind his prickly exterior. In this series, we are not wholly bound to Tessa’s perspective; the reader is allowed access to other character’s experiences, which make the overall feel of the story richer.
I have recently been exposed to Steampunk, and I am really enjoying this new urban fantasy niche. It is a small portion of the Infernal Devices series, but I love how it is woven into background of these novels. I find it absolutely fascinating and Ms. Clare does an expert job of including it as an element and yet keeping it from becoming overwhelming.
Readers of both the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series will be rewarded by the opportunity to see more of the character Magnus Bane, the warlock. He was one of my favorite characters from the Mortal Instruments series, and I absolutely love his witty character in this novel. We see so much more of him in this book and have the opportunity to see how much he has changed in later books.
So many questions are still left unanswered about the Magister, but some important ones are resolved. The love triangle, which reaches its pinnacle in this story, is also quite gripping. With the culture of the time period and its morays, this is a rich and thrilling story, full of contrasting elements, action and adventure, mysteries to be solved and love to conquer. Please check out this worthwhile series!
Una’s Rating:
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Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Books in the Series:
Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices 1)
Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices 2)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Review: Hold Me if You Can
Hold Me If You Can
Author: Stephanie Rowe
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Soulfire Series #3
ISBN: #978-1402241970
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (384 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Escaping Hell was the easy part...
Nigel Aquarian has escaped with his life, and with his inner demons. He needs beautiful Natalie Fleming, the woman he’s admired from afar for years, to soothe his turmoil…if only she wasn’t consumed with her own problems…
Staying out is going to be the real challenge…
Ever since her brush with death, all Natalie wants is to run her famous chocolate shop and be left alone. But the only way she can kick-start her powers is by giving free rein to her sensual side, which Nigel is more than happy to help her explore…
With Nigel making quite a convincing case for losing control, Natalie is finding the temptation darn near irresistible…
What B is talking about:
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Natalie Fleming is ready for a fresh start. She’s the only Sweet to ever survive a deedub (“demonic leprechauns of hostile origin”) bite, she has three days to get her chocolate shop ready for inspection, and the temporary restraining order against the creatures that attacked her is supposed to keep her safe. As a Mystic, as well as a Sweet, her sole desire is to create magick male mojo-increasing chocolate treats to help restore hope to the impotent. Unfortunately, her power of suggestion is on the fritz just now.
As a healer and an artist, Nigel Aquarian has dedicated himself to saving every warrior under his care, while finding lasting inner peace, and escape from his internal demons, for himself. But when the new leader of the Den of Womanly Pursuits uses Nigel’s gift of art, his only source of calm and healing energy, to kidnap one of his friends and threaten another, he needs help to get himself under control. The kind of help only Natalie can provide.
Unlike the first two novels in this series, Hold Me If You Can is a little bit more serious in places and adds more levels to the already busy list of conflicts Rowe has woven into her story. While this unpredictability works well to keep the pace of the novel quick and fun, I had mixed feelings about it here as the hopelessness of the two main characters continued to build. I found myself extremely eager for them to have some sort of respite. Still, as the story progressed, then drew to a close, I happily ignored everyone and everything around me, furiously going through the pages, unable to put the book down until the very end.
One of the best things about every book in this series so far is Rowe’s unapologetic infusion of humor into otherwise desperate situations. Hold Me If You Can follows in this tradition beautifully. Clever, snarky lines like, “Ah, it was always unfortunate when someone else had a valid point,” and, “Nigel. Chocolate. Nigel. Chocolate. What should she choose?” are scattered throughout the novel, practically waiting to ambush unsuspecting readers.
Although Hold Me If You Can could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning. Rowe doesn’t spare her conflicted heroes anything, and the backstory definitely adds to the overall understanding of her characters.
The Soulfire series is one of the most unique I’ve read yet, and although it seems to have more conflicts and internal turmoil, Hold Me If You Can handily continues in that tradition. Rowe writes some of the most confused heroes I’ve ever seen, and some of the most beleaguered heroines, but she somehow makes it all work out in the end, with plenty of laughs along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this addition and can’t wait to find out what delightful torture awaits the next hero.
B’s Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Labels:
4 stars,
Bs-review,
paranormal romance,
Soulfire Series,
Sourcebooks,
Stephanie Rowe
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3
comments
Monday, January 2, 2012
Reading & Blogging Goals for 2012
The NEW YEAR has arrived and everything starts anew. All the book lists reset to zero and there are so many possibilities.
READING CHALLENGES:
After my failed attempt to complete a reading challenge last year, I have opted not to participate, other than my usual goal of reading one book per week - so a goal of 52 books in 2012. I’ve added the GoodReads widget to my sidebar to help monitor that goal.
TRY SOMETHING NEW:
I have heard about and met so many great authors in the past year, and I want to read new-to-be authors and stories. My goal is to read 12 new-to-me authors over the course of 2012. I’ve already got a few on my schedule: Shiloh Walker, Mari Freeman, Stacey Kennedy, Jennifer Estep and Joan Swan all in the first three months of this year.
MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS:
We all have them! There are a couple (or maybe more *wink*) books that are scheduled for release in 2012 and I WILL be reading them. Here are the ones at the top of my list...
DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian (Jan 2012)
Midnight Breed #10: This is going to be the climatic conclusion to the Dragos story arc and Chase’s story. So. Good!
MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT by Anya Bast (Feb 2012)
Dark Magick #4: This series has gotten better with each book. I love the Fae meets modern world twist.
THE DARKEST SEDUCTION by Gena Showalter (Feb 2012)
Lords of the Underworld #9: Paris’ story. Need not say more.
NIGHTWALKER by Allyson James (Winter 2012)
Stormwalker #4: I adore this series. Mick and Janet are so perfect together. Book 3: Shadow Walker was my favorite book in 2011.
DIRE NEEDS by Stephanie Tyler (March 2012)
Eternal Wolf Clan #1: I adore Steph’s military suspense and her work as Sydney Croft is some of my favorite. I cannot wait to find out what she does with sexy shifters!
LOVER REBORN by JR Ward (March 2012)
Black Dagger Brotherhood #10: I just hope she treats Tohr right and of course, cannot wait to see more of Qhuinn and Blay!
HEART OF ATLANTIS by Alyssa Day (May 2012)
Warriors of Poseidon #8: This one is Alaric’s tale - he’s long been tortured by a forbidden love and I want to see how he explodes when he finally has it!
LETHAL RIDER by Larissa Ione (May 2012)
Lords of Deliverance #3: Have you been reading these books? OMG! What will happen next?!
GUNMETAL MAGIC by Ilona Andrews (Aug 2012)
Kate Daniels #5.5: The first “Kate” full novel told from the POV of another character - Andrea. I adore Andrea and she has had some rough times... can’t wait to find out what happens and who she ends up with (please be Raphael).
RIVETED by Meljean Brook (Sept 2012)
Iron Seas #3: No one tells a story like Meljean. Book 1: Iron Duke was hands down my favorite read of 2010 and I just love this series.
Unnamed Guardians #8 by Meljean Brook (unknown)
We all know this amazing series is coming to a close, and I for one will miss it. When I stalked Meljean’s website, I couldn’t find word about this book for 2012, but I cannot wait to read Michael’s story.
SO tell me... what are your plans for 2012? Do you have a TBR list a mile long? Have you set some goals? I hope we will continue to chat about it here at That’s What I’m Talking About.
Joyous New Year and Happy Reading!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Sunday Snippets
Hi all! Happy NEW YEAR! I hope you are enjoying some relaxation time and possibly watching some football.
Sunday Snippets is taking a New Year hiatus. I'm not sure if it will only be for this week or if it will be longer. It's a time consuming post to run each week, and I need a little break. Hope to be back soon!
Happy Reading!
Jen
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