Hexbound by Chloe Neill

Synopsis:

Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.

Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn't always clear…

My thoughts:

There are strange things happening beneath the streets of Chicago, supernatural type things involving slimy creatures, vampires and reapers. I’m rather glad I don’t live there. This is the second book in the Dark Elite series and while this book is geared toward teenagers I couldn't help but enjoy it. My favorite part of this story (and series) is the unlikely friendship between Lily and Scout. By day, they are ordinary teens attending school at St. Sophia’s. Once night comes, they must use their special powers to help keep Chicago a safe place to live. Lily has only recently learned that she can do firespell which allows her to manipulate light and power. Scout is not just a spellcaster but also a spellbinder which is quite rare. Their magic is only a temporary gift, lasting from puberty to around the age of 25. Lily and her friends spend their nights searching through the underground tunnels for reapers, teenagers that refuse to give up their magic and feed on other’s souls to hang onto their power. There is always plenty of action going on in this story along with the mystery as to what Lily’s parents are really doing in Germany.

Then there is Sebastian, who I think is the most intriguing character in this series. He showed up briefly in Firespell and left me wanting to know more about him. He is tall, dark and handsome and happens to have the same magical powers as Lily. Unfortunately he is a reaper, one of the bad guys. Or is he? Can there be good reapers? All I know is that Sebastian could have killed Lily in Firespell but didn’t. Then he gave her some much needed information in this story. Whose side is he on? It’s a good thing that I happen to like books that leave me with questions for they tend to stick in my mind longer. There is no word yet on when the next book in this series will be released. This was a fun read.

Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery

Synopsis:

Wanted:
-Single mom seeks billionaire's pocketbook to fund dying son's research cure. Will seduce if necessary. Blackmail is not out of the question. Miracles welcome.
-Cynical billionaire seeks working mom with a heart of gold for PR campaign to improve his standing in the community. Must be willing to attend social events. Anyone looking for love need not apply.
It seemed like the perfect match…until the unthinkable happened.


My thoughts (audiobook version):

Kerri Sullivan is a single mom who is willing to do absolutely anything to get the money needed to continue the research for a cure for her nine year old son, Cody who is slowly dying from Gilliar’s disease. She goes after Nathan King, a billionaire who had lost his son to the same disease 6 years ago, blackmailing him into donating $15 million. Nathan had no interest in getting involved. He already had to endure seeing his child die from this disease, he didn’t want to experience it again. But Kerri wouldn’t take no for an answer...

This is a heart tugging story about sacrifices, faith and a mother’s undying love. I hope that if I ever find myself in a situation like this, that I would be as strong and determined as Kerri. The dialog was witty (laugh out loud funny at times) and the romance between Kerri and Nathan was beautiful and unrushed. The other characters I found endearing were Nathan’s chauffeur and his boyfriend Lance and of course Cody who was adorable and so brave. Be prepared to laugh and cry, this is a wonderful story.

Narration: I was impressed with Therese Plummer’s narration. This was an emotional story and she really made the characters come to life for me.

Cover of Darkness by Kaylea Cross

Synopsis:

Targeted by a terrorist cell, Bryn McAllister survives a bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut only to be left to die in a desert cellar. When she is rescued by Navy SEAL Lieutenant Declan McCabe and his team, Bryn must rely on the handsome officer to get her to safety. But just when she thinks the nightmare is over, family friend and legendary CIA operative Luke Hutchinson recruits her and McCabe to help track down the terrorist mastermind responsible for the attack.

With Bryn determined to see the terrorist brought to justice, Dec joins up to protect her, prepared to do whatever it takes to keep her safe during their dangerous mission. Battling the explosive attraction between them, Dec fights to keep his distance from her so he can do his job and keep her alive. But when plans fall apart and Bryn is captured, he must make the agonizing choice between his duty as a SEAL and the life of the woman he loves.

My thoughts:

Wow!

Ok, maybe I should elaborate. I get pretty excited when I discover a new author that rocks. This book, the second story in this series, had it all. The setting, so realistic, takes place in the Middle East where a religious zealot by the name of Farouck Tehrazzi has sworn jihad until all infidels have been destroyed. In this story he wants both Bryn and her father, a Lebanese diplomat who felt his country needed U.S. support, dead. I didn’t need a caffeine fix to stay awake to read this book. Once again Ms. Cross had me sitting at the edge of my chair right up to the very end.

Both the lead and secondary characters were surprisingly well developed. I really liked Bryn who came across as intelligent, easy going, and feminine yet had plenty of moxie when she needed to. Dec’s character was equally engaging. I loved that he didn't have a big ego and he tried so hard to remain professional when all he wanted was Bryn. I felt that the romance was an integral part of the story making the whole story very believable.

Wow! Oh yeah, I’ve already said that (sheepish grin).

If you enjoy authors like Cindy Gerard, Marliss Melton, or Suzanne Brockmann you may want to check out this author. I’m sure glad I did!

Books in this series:

Out of Her League

Cover of Darkness

No Turning Back

Relentless

Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery

Synopsis:

Welcome to Fool’s Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There’s lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there’s just one tiny problem in Fool’s Gold: the men don’t seem to stick around. Maybe it’s the lure of big-city life, or maybe it’s plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may be just the city planner to do it.

Charity’s nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer — everything, that is, except its sexiest and most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she’s not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he’s perfect just the way he is. But maybe that’s just what he needs — someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he’s just chasing perfect.

My thoughts:

I was looking for a comfort read. Something to cleanse my palate after having just read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. I found just what I was looking for in Chasing Perfect. Charity wasn’t the only one to fall in love with the town of Fool’s Gold. This town is charming and chock full of wonderful characters. People I would like to be friends with in real life. There are secrets that unfold that give the story some interesting twists and turns. The only part of the story I didn’t particularly care for was the subplot regarding the missing state funds only because it wasn’t well developed and really didn’t add to the story line. All in all, it was a quick enjoyable read.

Chasing Perfect is the first book in the Fool’s Gold series. There is also Almost Perfect (Liz and Ethan’s story) and Finding Perfect (Pia and Raoul’s story).

Out of Her League by Kaylea Cross

Christa Bailey is one cut away from making the Olympic softball team when threats from an obsessed fan jeopardize her dream, and her safety. Forced to put her life on hold, she reluctantly turns to ERT officer Rayne Hutchinson for help, praying the police catch her stalker before she is cut from the team or does something stupid, like fall in love with her unattainable protector. But Christa's stalker is something far more sinister than either of them could have imagined. With her life at stake, can Rayne keep Christa safe from this patient predator?

My all time favorite genre is romantic suspense so whenever I come across an author that is new to me in this genre I just have to check it out. Out of Her League is the first book in this unnamed series by Kaylea Cross. There were so many things that I loved about this book. The characters were realistic and likeable. Cross’s writing style is smooth and easy. The suspense had me sitting at the edge of my seat. It’s a good thing I’m not a nail biter otherwise I would have chewed them down to nothing. But what I loved most about this book is that it played with my emotions. Christa’s fear was tangible. So much so that when she became anxious so did I. I'm surprised at how emotionally attached I got to these characters. Rayne was equally appealing. Besides being a hunk, he came across as being intelligent and caring. There was also a wonderful subplot about why Rayne’s mom and dad split up so many years ago.

There was one thing in Out of Her League that drove me crazy to the point that I started yelling at my iPad. There were several times when Christa should have had at least some kind of police protection but didnt. Why would Rayne leave her at his apartment alone when they both knew that the stalker not only knew where he lived but also knew how to disarm security systems? After stewing about this for a couple of days, I will admit that it did add to the suspense of the story.

So even though I had a hard time believing the lack of police protection, I loved everything else about this book and plan on reading the rest of the books in this series, Cover of Darkness, No Turning Back and Relentless. According to her website, Kaylea Cross is also working on a paranormal series.

Review: Risk No Secrets by Cindy Gerard

A RED-HOT ATTRACTION . . .

Twelve years of chasing bad guys didn’t erase beautiful Sophie Baylor from Wyatt Savage’s memory. If he had another chance, he’d never let her leave. So when she tracks him down from El Salvador and begs for help, he doesn’t ask questions—he just goes.

STARTS WITH A TERRIFYING THREAT . . .

Sophie is grateful her daughter survived a kidnapping attempt, but she won’t forgive herself until the girl who was mistakenly abducted is safe. Wyatt is the only man brave enough to take on the mysterious terrorists behind the crime—and the one irresistible man she wishes she had never let go.

. . . AND UNLEASHES AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE.

Sophie knows Central America’s steamy jungles and sticky politics better than anyone. Yet she refuses to hide in fear. Then she becomes the enemy’s number one target. Wyatt lost her once, and he won’t lose her again—even if he has to fight, kill, or die to save her.

This is the 5th book in the Black Ops Inc. series. If you are a Cindy Gerard fan, you will enjoy this book. Wyatt and Sophie weren’t my favorite characters in this series but I thought Ms. Gerard did her usual impeccable job of fleshing out their characters. IMHO Wyatt and Sophie seemed a little...too nice? Too honorable? Too perfect? Perhaps I just like my heroes and heroines to be a bit edgier. That being said, the story itself rocks. The first chapter starts out with a young girl getting kidnapped from the school that Sophie runs in El Salvador and it’s non-stop action from there. The ending is just plain awesome but you won’t get any spoilers from me. Just go out and buy a copy and read it. You won’t regret it.

I sure enjoyed catching up with Gabe, Johnny, Luke, Joe, Nate, Rafe and Sam. I missed you guys. Luke, I sure hope you get your story next. I can’t wait to find out who Ms. Gerard has picked out for you. I give it an A-.

Review: Something About You by Julie James

FATE HAS THROWN TWO SWORN ENEMIES. . .

Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends in bloodshed. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and nearly ruining his career…

. . .INTO EACH OTHER’S ARMS

Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it’s no joke: the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension…

Julie James has once again created a story that is fresh, witty, and totally believable. It’s not often I sit down and read a book in one sitting but I absolutely could not put this book down. Cameron is my type of heroine. She’s smart, sassy, knows when to speak her mind but also knows when to back down. Jack is equally wonderful. How can you not love a tall, dark and glowering hunk of an FBI Agent who loves to read? The verbal sparring had me smiling throughout the story and the sexual tension between them was down right hot! This was Ms. James’ first attempt at a romantic suspense and I thought she did a fantastic job.

Oh and Ms. James, if you happen to read this, I would love to see Agent Wilkins (Jack’s side kick) have his own story someday. I give it an A-.

Review: Waking the Dead by Kylie Brant

A KILLER IN THE WILDERNESS

Forensic anthropologist Caitlin Fleming knows bones. So she is the first one called when seven sets of skeletal remains are found dumped in a makeshift graveyard in the Oregon wilderness. The skeletons bear the same distinctive marks -- and each is missing a skull...

Cait needs outdoor guide Zach Sharper for one reason only -- to help her find her way through the Willamette Forest as she pieces together clues. Despite the attraction that burns between them, Cait will let nothing shake her focus. Until the killer closes in to terminate the search -- and the investigators on the verge of unmasking him...

Oh how I love a good romantic suspense thriller, one that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Waking the Dead did just that. This is an incredibly fast-paced, well-researched story that has plenty of twists and turns. I’ll even admit that I had no clue who the serial killer was until I was almost to the end of the story. Caitlin and Zach are both strong lead characters. In the beginning Zach was a bit prickly towards Cait and she was aloof but that seemed reasonable to me since they both had past issues. They certainly had great chemistry and I like that they tried to ignore it, putting work first. The author did a wonderful job depicting the Oregon wilderness, the town and it’s people, and especially the hot springs. I could have sworn that at times I smelled sulfur in the air! This was a quick, enjoyable read.

Waking the Dead is the 3rd book in the Mindhunters series. I still need to get my hands on the first two books, Waking Nightmare and Waking Evil. Kylie Brant’s website says the Mindhunters series will continue with another trilogy being released soon. Look for Deadly Intent due out Nov 2nd, Deadly Dreams in May 2011, and Deadly Sins in Aug. 2011.

I give it a B+.

Review: Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

YOU THOUGHT YOUR LIFE WAS COMPLICATED

Private investigator Isabel Spellman is back on the case and back on the couch—in court ordered therapy after getting a little too close to her previous subject. As the book opens, Izzy is on hiatus from Spellman Inc. But when her boss, Milo, simultaneously cuts her bartending hours and introduces her to a “friend” looking for a private eye, Izzy reluctantly finds herself with a new client. She assures herself that the case—a suspicious husband who wants his wife tailed—will be short and sweet, and will involve nothing more than the most boring of PI rituals: surveillance. But with each passing hour, Izzy finds herself with more questions than hard evidence.

Meanwhile, Spellmania continues. Izzy’s brother, David, the family’s most upright member, has adopted an uncharacteristically unkempt appearance and attitude toward work, life, and Izzy. And their wayward youngest sister, Rae, a historic academic underachiever, aces the PSATs and subsequently offends her study partner and object of obsession, Detective Henry Stone, to the point of excommunication. The only unsurprising behavior comes from her parents, whose visits to Milo’s bar amount to thinly veiled surveillance and artful attempts (read: blackmail) at getting Izzy to return to the Spellman Inc. fold.

As the case of the wayward wife continues to vex her, Izzy’s personal life—and mental health— seem to be disintegrating. Facing a housing crisis, she can’t sleep, she can’t remember where she parked her car, and, despite her shrinks’ persistence, she can’t seem to break through in her appointments. She certainly can’t explain why she forgets dates with her lawyer’s grandson, or fails to interpret the come-ons issued in an Irish brogue by Milo’s new bartender. Nor can she explain exactly how she feels about Detective Henry Stone and his plans to move in with his new Assistant DA girlfriend . . .

Filled with the signature side-splitting Spellmanantics, Revenge of the Spellmans is an ingenious, hilarious, and disarmingly tender installment in the Spellman series.

Revenge of the Spellmans is the 3rd book in the Izzy Spellman mystery series. This story has everything; zany characters, humor, suspense, and even some heartfelt moments. Izzy, who has worked for her parent’s PI firm since the age of 12, decides to take some time off from the family business to decide what she wants to do with her life. She moves into her brother’s guest apartment without his knowledge. So worried that her brother will find out, she ends up with a bad case of insomnia. Her car is never where she last parked it but that’s ok because she found out that she could get a good nap in while riding the bus. And that’s just the beginning of Izzy’s wild and crazy escapades. The only issue I had with this story was with Izzy’s younger sister Rae. At 14, her recalcitrant behavior was cute, at 16, not so much. But even with that minor irritation I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the 4th installment in this series, The Spellmans Strike Again.

If you enjoyed Stephanie Plum’s antics you might just want to give this series a try. A word of warning though, be prepared to giggle and snort. In fact, you might not want to read this in public for fear of people looking at you strangely when you fall on the floor laughing. Just thought I’d warn you. I do recommend reading The Spellman Files and Curse of the Spellmans prior to this one so that you can enjoy the wonderful character development.

I give it a B+.

Review: Shelter Me by Juliette Fay

Four months after her husband's death, Janie LaMarche remains undone by grief and anger. Her mourning is disrupted, however, by the unexpected arrival of a builder with a contract to add a porch onto her house. Stunned, Janie realizes the porch was meant to be a surprise from her husband—now his last gift to her.

As she reluctantly allows construction to begin, Janie clings to the familiar outposts of her sorrow—mothering her two small children with fierce protectiveness, avoiding friends and family, and stewing in a rage she can't release. Yet Janie's self-imposed isolation is breached by a cast of unlikely interventionists: her chattering, ipecac-toting aunt; her bossy, over-manicured neighbor; her muffin-bearing cousin; and even Tug, the contractor with a private grief all his own.

As the porch takes shape, Janie discovers that the unknowable terrain of the future is best navigated with the help of others—even those we least expect to call on, much less learn to love.

I have to admit that I bought this book because of the cover. I love this cover! Every time I saw it at our local Target store I would look at it longingly. I finally decided to buy it and I am so glad that I did.

This is a heart warming story about Janie’s journey during her first year of widowhood. Her husband died in an accident and she finds herself struggling to get through each day. In steps her family and friends, all wonderfully quirky characters, to help her out. Janie’s wit, sarcasm, and honesty had me laughing out loud so many times. I felt her grief and anger and yes, even shed a few tears for (with?) her. This story made me stop and think about how life can change in an instant and how help often comes from unexpected places. Haven’t we all wondered what we would do if we lost someone near and dear to us? Juliette Fay has filled this story with so much love, humor and compassion. There is even a love story with a happy ending for those romance lovers out there.

This is truly a wonderful first novel by this author. I give it an A.