2008 Challenge Wrap-up

Running a bit late on this one but better late than never!

In 2008 I joined several challenges that had mixed success. Even those I didn't complete I still enjoyed and I have plans on repeating the exercise again in 2009.

Wrapping up the year I'll start with a run down of the challenges for 2008.

Triple 8 Challenge - 8 books in 8 categories in 2008.
For my categories I had selected Anthologies, Audiobooks, Romantic Suspense, Paranormals, Published before 2000, Series Romance, Young Adults and New Authors. I completed all categories except Anthologies. It's the category that I suspected would give me the hardest time but I noticed that Romantic Suspense was also difficult to complete. Still I really enjoyed this challenge and I will be joining it again in 2009.

To Be Read Challenge (TBR) was another challenge I missed from completing. I was one book away. I honestly did not enjoy this one because the restrictions were too tight. You had to select your reading list out the door and you could not change those you selected. I am not always in the mood to read certain books and the ability to change my list is important to me. That is why in 2009 I'll join a lighter version of this challenge which will afford me some more flexibility. I think you should read what you enjoy and if I'm forcing myself to read something it feels more like homework that pleasure.

I missed completing The Classic Romances by one book as well. This one was not bad but it became an afterthought more like - hey I have a challenge.. let me see if I have read any of the books on the list. I think I'll pass on this one.

Book A Month was the most challenging of all my reading challenges (no pun intended), I missed 3 themes on this one because I just could not find a book I wanted to read for that theme. I missed the first month's theme because I signed up late (TIME) and then I missed May (MOTHER) and July (INDEPENDENCE). Yeah, that last one should have been a no brainer but in July.. Could not think of ANYTHING to read with that theme,

I completed all my other challenges with plenty of time to spare....

Pub 08 - 8 books published in 2008
Stephenie Meyer mini challenge - read all of Ms Meyer's books in 2008
Chunkster Challenge - I didn't officially sign up for this one but I still did it. Had to read a few BIG CHUNKY books and all the Twilight books qualified.
100+ Reading Challenge - Read 110 books in 2008 so I did get to meet this challenge as well.

This wraps up the Challenges that I signed up for in 2008. I have not posted all the reviews for the books that I had pending but at this stage if the game it's unlikely that I will, so I thought I'd just post the wrap up and move on.

2009 Challenges will be up soon.

Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich

Was looking for a book about Thanksgiving and the only thing I was remotely interested in reading (and could get my hands on) was Evanovich's Thanksgiving. This title was recently re-issued and can easily be found on your local bookstore’s shelf.

What was nice about this story was that:
1) It was about your everyday people. Megan Murphy is a local pottery artist and Patrick Hunter is the town's pediatrician.
2) They weren't so ordinary as to bore you. Megan has been engaged 3 times (if you count her first engagement at the age of 5) but gets the boot EVERY time. Her bad luck with fiancés stem from the fact that her parents tend to push the relationships on her. Patrick is not the handsome doctor but the guy that is every girls best friend. The 'cute' boy that has a rabbit as pet.
3) And this book is not full of crazy things jumping at you at every conceivable opportunity (which I associate with most of Evanovich’s work)

Megan meets Patrick when his rabbit escapes and crosses path with her. She goes to return the pet and while she is there one of Dr. Hunter's patients shows up and his parent abandons the boy into the Dr. and his 'wife's' hands.

The Mother promised to be back for her son in two weeks and Megan agrees to help with the infant so that the child does not have to get into the foster system. During the time that they spend together pretending to play house, they fall for each other.

Megan is a bit weary after having being dumped at the altar the last time, and Patrick is not sure he is in a place in his life that he can have the luxury of a wife and maybe children. But the parent's descend on them for Thanksgiving as well as an ex-boyfriend and a bit of stirring up takes place.

The book was entertaining and very short which allowed me to listen to it from start to finish in about 4 hours (unabridged!). Not too over the top, but not a title to blow you away.

Grade: C+
Format: Audiobook

The Missing by Shiloh Walker & Give-away

I recently had the pleasure of reading Shiloh Walker’s newest book The Missing and my first impression was Wow! I enjoyed the book to the extent that I am eager to share it with you all. Since I cannot give away my own copy I’m going to purchase a copy to share, so make sure you read on to get details.

Now to the Review:

Taige Branch has had to live her life in isolation because she is 'gifted' with psychic abilities. She has the ability to 'see' things. As an orphaned teenager living in Gulf Shore, Ala with her religious zealot of an uncle, her prospects are low, as is her patience for the summer boys that come to vacation at the beach front town. Until one of those boys proves to be more than just a pretty face with deep pockets.

Cullen Morgan is not from old money and he lives in a loving family so he knows how a girl should be treated. Regardless of her social standing, they deserve respect, so when he encounters two boys trying to rape a local girl he is compelled to step in and help. That the girl is the one that recently saved the life of a drowning boy bowls him over. He discovers that there is more to the girl than the mysterious air around her and over the summer, he falls in love. He returns to her every summer and every summer their love deepens. 4 years after they first meet, tragedy strikes at the heart of Cullen's family and with his heart torn he lashes out at Taige, destroying her faith in him.

At this point the book jumps forward 12 years, where Cullen has become a successful writer. He is a single parent of a 9 year daughter who appears to have some 'gifts' of her own. Taige also has achieved success but in a whole different area. She went on to college and after graduation became a consultant for the FBI on a special task force that helps the missing. She uses her abilities to find the lost but at a great emotional price. She has learned to master her gift but every time she uses it to save a child or to find one that is already lost, the toll weighs heavy on her.

Over the years she never has forgotten her only love and although she believes she loved more than she was loved, she dreams about him often. Vivid dreams that haunt her. They are more disturbing to her than the monsters she saves kids from. Unbeknownst to her, Cullen has been dreaming about her too. Dreams that wake him in the middle of the night, that make him yearn for the girl he chased away, that make him relive the loss.

When Jillian, Cullen's daughter gets abducted, he remembers those dreams and knows that Taige is the only person that can help him. When he shows up at her door she knows what he is looking for but seeing him again doesn't make it easier to accept. She would never say no to a missing child but knowing that the child is Cullen's makes the case more compelling. But there is more to the kidnapping than we are first lead to believe, there have been others that have gone missing, and the children share a commonality, something that has made them a target and if Taige cannot stop the madman, there will be even more lost.

The story is not just about lost love that is found again. This is a thriller that has you on the edge of your seat. The desperation that Cullen feels when he loses Jillian is palpable; the distress that Taige goes through every time she taps into her gift has you tensing. The villain is well hidden and you don’t suspect who it is (or I didn’t) until a little before it’s actually revealed in the story. But when his deeds are unveiled you feel him. The feeling was like when I saw Silence of the Lambs and Clarese was talking about the lambs being slaughtered. The same hushed disturbing visual, the same screams giving me the chills.

The relationship between Taige and Cullen is VERY believable. They have never really been apart, although they never realized it, because they have been linked through their dreams. So when he demands a place in Taige's life it doesn't come off as arrogant or presumptive. Cullen knows he messed up but he also knows that the love they had is still there. Taige's reluctance in accepting Cullen's feelings could have been annoying but Ms. Walker did not dwell upon that and made the reader know that Taige knew in her heart the truth but her mind rebelled against it. The internal conflict she felt for Cullen just made the story more grittier.

The book was reminiscent to works by authors like Sandra Brown. It was all about the romantic suspense. The darkness in Taige's visions, the evil the villain committed and the pursuit to find that person had you keeping your eyes glued to the page and refusing to put the book down.

I can't imagine the effort it took to write this, because I was exhausted by the end of the book. Like when you tense yourself for so long your body is tired when you finally relax. One of the best Romantic Suspense books I’ve read this year.

Grade: A+
Format: eBook

Now to the Giveaway, I really felt the need to share this one with you all so I will pick at random one name amongst those that leave a comment (make sure you also post your email address so I can contact you) and send them a brand new copy of the book when it’s released on Tuesday. Since postage can be pricey I need to limit this to those in the US.

Shiloh Walker is also having a giveaway at her site for those that pre-order their copy of The Missing or buy the book on release week (READ ALL ABOUT IT) where you can win, not just an ARC of her next release Fragile but also a $40 gift certificate to the bookstore of your choice and other goodies.

So, to give you a chance to get in on her giveaway, I’ll be picking my winner by Midnight EST on Sunday November, 2nd. That way if you didn’t win my copy, you can still pre-order your own copy and get in on Shiloh’s Giveaway.

I know you will enjoy this book as much as I did, so post away!

Death Angel by Linda Howard

The newest addition to the Linda Howard backlist was a bit of a disappointment. Nothing really jumped at me to tell me why I was not thrilled by it but I wasn't.

Drea Russo is the fluff piece for a drug lord called Salinas. She has her dimwit act down to the tee and she is making sure that when he dumps her she walks away with a comfortable retirement. She makes sure she minds her own business and takes everything that Salina throws her way. Her mouth shut and her head empty assures that she will have a life when Salina tires of her. What her plan did not include was Salinas using her as payment for a hit job.

Simon Goodnight, the assassin Salinas is contracting has asked for an unusual payment for his services. He wants a one time run with the boss's woman. He wanted it but didn't expect to get it. He was willing to walk away from the job and Salinas knew it and that was what turned the table in his favor. The little lady was not thrilled but when everything was said and done, both he and Drea walked away changed by the 4 hours they spent together.

Drea was not sure what she was going to do but she knew she could not stay by Salina's side after he gave her away. She was so moved by the few hours with the assassin, she knew she could no longer pretend. What she did to get away just leads her to a "near death" experience that further changed who she was and what she valued in her life. This transformation also takes place in the assassin.

Simon watched Drea die and the fact that she is still walking and breathing proved to him that there was more out there than just the here and now. He re-evaluates his life and decides that he wants something different. Not necessarily more, but different.

This is not a suspenseful book and that is what was missing. Now that I am writing this I can put my finger on that being my major disappointment. There was no real edge of the seat chases or great elaborate deceptions or anything that I have associated with a Howard book (at least her more recent ones). This was more story telling and it really was a bit out there even under that classification. If you are a Howard fan you will read it regardless, if you are not looking for much, it’s better than most, but if you are looking for great, skip this one.

Grade: C
Format: Audiobook

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Sometimes when reading a series it's difficult to ascertain if you like the story because the book was everything you wanted or because you are reunited with old friends (which give you everything you really wanted anyway). The last installment in the Twilight series was a finale worth remembering and worth every hour spent reading the mammoth book.

Bella finally gets her wish to join Edward in his world but it does not come without a cost and the rollercoaster ride to get to her final destination made for one hell of a read.

It's difficult reviewing this one since the whole story is packed with one surprise after the other. If you haven't read the book and don't want ANY spoilers...

Stop reading now.

The books opens on Bella and Edwards wedding. This part is told from Bella's POV and it goes over the phobia she has of marriage and we see how difficult it is for her to go through the process of the marriage. She is not afraid or concerned about the commitment (hell she wants to be a vampire and live eternity with Edward, so it's not a commitment issue) but the word marriage has always been voodoo for her, yet she survives the ceremony with grace.

Move on to a somewhat stressful honeymoon that for Bella is dreamy but has Edward rethinking the "I don't want to turn you just yet" proposition. and just when Edward thought it was safe to be with his wife, it turns out that Vampire males have a fertility issue... they can reproduce children on mortal women. Yup!! The marriage phobic Bella becomes pregnant. The thing is that this is no normal pregnancy. A Hybrid child who is half human and half vampire can make gestation period a bit difficult.

This leads us into the second part of the book that is told from Jacob's POV.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this transition.
Jacob is the epitome of a tortured soul. To have him guide the reader through this delicate time is wonderful because his love for Bella stops him from walking away and he has to suffer through his emotions every step of the way.

The last part moves us back into Bella's mind. She starts her life as a newborn vampire and everything that entails. The pain of transitioning, the urges, the discoveries and on top of that.. motherhood. She finds blissful happiness but it doesn't take long for the other shoe to drop. Those pesky Italian vamps (the Volturi who we met at the end of New Moon) are back to create havoc. If you didn't see it coming you really didn't pay attention to our encounter with them in New Moon.

I had not heard any resounding reviews on the book that was highly anticipated by young and old so I was intimidated and went in a bit skeptical. After reading 3 books you don't want the last book to bring you down. I should not have doubted the quality of Meyer's work. She came through for me with flying colors.

This was the best series I have read this year and if you haven't been lured yet into the world of Twilight, don't hesitate. Go out and pick up this series before the movie (coming out in December) taints your view of it.

Grade: A

Only with a Highlander by Janet Chapman

I've read all of Chapman's Highlander series with exception of the last two and I guess Robbie's story was so forgettable I really put this one on the back burner for a while even though I had it in the TBR pile. When my Yahoo reading group selected Chapman as AOM in June it gave me the perfect excuse to pull it out.

Winter MacKeage is the prophesied 7th Daughter of Grey and Grace. She was the reason why Father Daar pulled Grey and his brothers (these were an accident) into the future. He was destined to meet Grace and have seven daughters on the winter solstice, the last one would inherit Daar's druid powers and save mankind.
Winter has no idea she has a destiny to fulfill because Grey and Grace want to give her choices. She can renounce her calling and live a normal life but by doing so, she will cause the end of the world as we know it (not much of a choice if you ask me). Winter is a successful artist in Pine Creek and owns her own gallery where she meet the man that will alter her destiny.

Matt Gregor walks into Winter's gallery and sees in her art more than most. He has just bought Bear Mountain and wants to build his home there. He also wants a bit of the magic Winter puts in her art and commissions her to find the best site to build his home.

Winter is a bit skeptical of the offer but there is a mystery and an allure to Matt that she cannot resist. She is drawn to him in a way that defies all reason.

From the get go you get a vibe about Matt. You know he is more than what he says he is but he is also a contradiction. He is a successful business man and he pays attention to his business, (it's not just a front) which is what I would expect if he was the 'bad' guy. He also runs away from Winter whenever he feels he can't control his baser needs, again not typical of the 'bad' guy that comes to steal the heroine's magic. So, although I knew who he was from early on, I really could not discern his intentions.

The book unfortunately suffered from a flat line syndrome that gave me an entertaining read but held no surprises. The only really blip in that line was when Winter finally discovers who and what she is and the turns around and discovers who and what Matt is. Even the 'end of the world' scenario was a anti climactic because you knew where salvation was coming from.
Chapman did well in hiding Matt's intentions but she needed to keep a bit of everything else locked up and close to her chest so that there would be more suspense. Still the book was entertaining and I really enjoyed revisiting the clan.

While reading the book I discovered that it not only met my need for the AOM reading but all was a good fit for my Book A Month Challenge.
In June the theme was Knowledge and Winter had to go through a transference of knowledge where all Father Daar's powers and knowledge of nature passes to the heir of the druid powers. Also there is alot of discovery that takes place when Winter finds out where her destiny lies. Matt also discovers his own heart with Winter.

Grade: C+

To Bed a Beauty by Nicole Jordan

This story was the 2nd book in the Courtship Wars series and one I was looking forward to. Although To Pleasure a Lady, the first installment left me a bit dissatisfied it didn't leave without the curiosity to know the fates of the other two Loring sisters, especially Roslyn who is known as the beauty of the group.

Poor Roslyn has had her share of bad luck with men since the sisters feel in disgrace after their mother ran off with a Frenchman. We discovered in the first book that the mom was a victim of circumstance as much as any other and that the real culprit for the sister's disastrous reputation could easily be laid on the father's feet.

After experiencing several years in poverty, Roslyn was not seen by men as a Lady, but as a fallen woman, a woman that has been propositioned several times. Roslyn seeks love in her marriage and won't settle for less. She witnessed many parental arguments due to her father's infidelities and then her mother's. She has sworn to avoid a marriage of convenience at any cost and has set out to educate herself in the art of making a man fall in love. She has her eyes set on a particular neighbor who just came into his title and who, she observes, has all the characteristics of a man she could love. Now all she needs to do is make him fall in love with her. She recruits Fanny Irwin, the courtesan family friend we met in To Pleasure a Lady, to help her. Fanny takes Roslyn to a Cyprian Ball so that she can observe how the courtesan's entice the men. She never expected to see the Duke of Arden at the ball.

Drew Moncrief, the Duke of Arden is one of Marcus, Lord Danver's best friends. He has put aside his most recent mistress and is out shopping at the ball when he catches a glimpse of a newcomer. He goes off to pursue her only to have her run from him. When he finds her, he seduces her into a few kisses and a bit of first base, but is completely confounded by her reluctance in accepting his protection. This is completely cleared up later on when he discovers that the beauty he was seducing was his friend's new sister in law! He is a bit upset but quickly puts it aside when he discovers that she was not out to trap anyone into marriage (one of his worst nightmares) but was in fact trying to pick up skills to capture the heart of another. Obviously he has decided to offer his services in teaching her everything a man is looking for in the woman to be his bride.

The book itself has a worn premise and the whole 'I met you in a masked ball and could not get you out of my mind' has been used so many times it should be banned among plots that can be used in a romance but then the story moved into another plot outline that has been so overused it also should be banned "Let me teach you the secrets of love so that you can seduce the man you REALLY want". What is different about this book is that Jordan made it work.

Arden was so jaded and Roslyn so refreshing that the story just worked. Arden has never been loved for himself and because Roslyn only had eyes for her neighbor, she didn't pose a threat to him, he never felt pursued and could bring his guard down, learning to savor a relationship with a woman that, although lustful, was relaxing. I loved that even though the time line was short he fell in love with a friend.

Roslyn on her part found herself the resistant one. She did not want to fall for the Duke, a man who admitted he did not have a heart to give. Someone that she argued with and who caused painful memories to resurface. When she was found compromised, she still resisted the marriage because she wanted love. She was a wonderful character who had some wounds to heal. She would eventually learn that she could not have love without trust and she needed to trust Arden capable of loving her.

There was a secondary story line where Winifred, lady Freemantle, discovers that her husband not only kept a mistress but a whole separate family. She recruits Drew and Roslyn to find out who is trying to steal a brooch with a picture of her late husband only to discover the alternate life he had led before dying,

It seems that the third installment to this series was taking place at the same time this story was evolving because Lily, the youngest Loring sister, runs away to London. What is she running from, we will have to wait to read about it in her story.

Grade: B+

Bewitching by Jill Barnett

Jill Barnett is a new author for me. She was recommended by my fellow Yahoo Group readers several years ago and I proceeded to pick up this one and its sequel at the time but quickly got diverted by other books. I think what really turned me off was that the blurb was not very enticing and really didn't give much away:

"She had bewitched the most serious, snobbish, and handsome Duke in England. Joyous MacQuarrie...the pixie-like, green-eyed beauty had appeared from nowhere and fell unashamedly into his arms. And all that his society friends knew of the mysterious lady was that she was Scottish and that her grandmother had been a Locksley. Even her fine bloodline didn't make Joy quite proper enough to be a Duchess, but a proud nobleman like Alec, Duke of Belmore, did as he pleased...and he wanted to marry the beautiful girl who aroused his desire.

But Alec soon discovered he could not do what he pleased with Joy Fiona MacQuarrie. Bubbling with laughter, filled with spirit, she turned stately Belmore Park upside down with merriment and strange occurrences. She might even have gotten Alec to laugh -- and to cherish her -- if it had not been for the truth she hid. Though he turned to fire when he tasted her petal-soft lips, he turned to ice when he discovered that this winsome lady was, in fact, a witch. A witch whose powers of white magic were not always perfectly under control....Too late, Joy knew she was desperately in love and that nothing could stop the course of their destiny -- the scandal threatening to destroy her and the passion that held them both spellbound in a forbidden, irresistible match of two enchanted hearts"

I NEED DETAILS PEOPLE! GIVE ME DETAILS!! I have gotten burned so many times by blurbs that misrepresent the book that when something is that vague I tend to shy away from it. Well, with Portrait of a Lover being a bust I needed another 'crafty' book and so I fell back on my most reliable literary craft... Witchcraft!

Joyous MacQuarrie is one of the worst witches of her clan. She is of mixed heritage so her blood has been thinned by mortal taint. She is very naive and is always dreaming this and dreaming that but most of all she dreams of a happy ever after. When her Aunt, the great MacLean goes on a sabbatical to the Americas, Joy is to travel to Surrey to be with her other side of the family. With her incantation laid out and her bags packed, her bad luck just creeps right in and causes her to burn the paper that her Aunt had written the travel spell. Desperately trying to get to Surrey she gives the spell a try from memory... She falls straight into the lap of the Duke of Bellmore.

Alec has retired to his hunting lodge after his fiancee jilts him the night before they are to wed and runs off with a mere Capt. She tells him that he is stiff and predictable and that she wishes for a love match. Alec was raised with a stick up his dukish arse and is completely humiliated. He does not show it to the world but his pride has taken a swift blow. He was raised in a very strict environment with a family history that goes back 700 years. He was drilled the standards of the Dukes of Belmore since he was in nappies and has lived his life based on those stds. When a Scottish lass falls from the heavens into his arms and the gossips from London run into him while Joy is being tended by a physician, he takes his first step outside the path his ancestors had laid for him and decides that he will prove to everyone that he is not predictable and at the same time regain some of his pride. He asks Joy to marry him!

Joy thinks she is in a dream and she tries to be upfront with Alec and tell him she is not all that she appears to be, or better said she is much more than she appears to be, but he will not listen. He railroads her into marriage and then when he learns the truth he freaks! Well that is when the remolding of this high strung Duke starts!

This book was actually the funniest and yet poignant book I have read in soo long that it has become my favorite of 2008 (as of right now). It also has earned a spot in my keeper shelf (with the other 5 books I hold there).

There were scenes that had my laughing out loud (like when she brought to life all the statues on the roof of the estate and Alec found her) and then other times that I actually had to blink to stop from crying (like when he thought they were going to die in the blizzard). I think I can count in one hand the books that have EVER made me feel that emotionally connected.

Grade: A

Portrait of a Lover by Julianne MacLean

I had this book staring at me for over three years in my TBR, so when the Book A Month challenge said March's theme was Crafts I searched high and low for a book that had some type of craft in it and found this one... Craft reference... she's a painter.

Annabelle Lawson is a painter who suffered a great heartache 13 years before when the enemy of her stepbrother pretended to be someone else and stole her heart.

Magnus Wallis didn't know who the charming young lady he met on the train was until after he was completely taken with her. Although he tried to stay away from the one woman that was not his to take, he just couldn't and he fell for her as hard as she did.

Now what happened after they fell in love which caused the drift over 13 years? I wouldn't be able to tell you because I just could not continue reading the book. I was on pg 100 and it had taken me a week and a half to get that far. There was nothing that made me want to come back to the story. To say it was slow was an understatement.

The book moved from past to present but most of the of it took place in the past (at least in the 100 pgs I read). I just wanted to get to the here and now, the retrospect was just not working for me. I realized that if the part where these two fell in love was not allowing me to make the connection with the characters then I really wasn't going to care for their HEA. At that point I closed the book for good.

On an aside note, this book is part of MacLean's American Heiress series.I also will say that I never really had a good feeling about this book just because the cover was sooo horrible!

Still, MacLean has given many great reads over the years and will chuck this one as simply a blimp on her great record.

Grade: DNF

A Valentine Wedding by Jane Feather

I never read a valentine themed book before and I found it curious how you would be able to make a romance with a valentine theme different from any other romance? Unfortunately this book did not explain it to me... LOL!

Alasdair Chase and Emma Beaumont had been betrothed three years ago when, after discovering that Alasdair had some secrets in his closet, Emma leaves, jilting him the evening before their nuptials. She runs off to Italy where she stays until her brother, Ned is killed in service of the crown.

Ned was a spy who was killed on his way to deliver important documents to his superior and due to some mix up the letter he meant to send to his sister was deliver to the war office and his 'encoded' message delivered to Emma. Well as you can imagine, Emma is quite sought after this season, and not just the Fortune Hunters are after her.

Wise old Ned did do something right before he was killed and that was to assign as trustee to Emma's fortune his best friend. You guessed it, Alasdair!
Yeah, Ned was trying to play cupid as soon as he got his wings. He knew that there was some unfinished business between these two and by putting them in a situation where they HAD to interact with each other, there was hope that eventually they could clear the air.

At this point, the book is just starting... with spy's courting Emma and Alasdair in her face every time she turns around, the gauntlet is thrown and Emma states that by St. Valentines day (HERE IS THE VALENTINE REFERENCE! DON'T MISS IT!) she will not only have a husband but also a lover. Do we all think Alasdair will let that happen? Think again! Especially when he realizes that he is not quite over her.

There is no real contest here. Emma loves Alasdair and she admits it but her pride is hurt and she doesn't trust him.

What really set this book in the wrong direction was that trust issue, Emma doesn't give it and Alasdair doesn't get why, so they go around in circles and it gets a bit frustrating. At one point Emma shows such lack of trust that I wanted to grab her by the hair and smack her around a bit. She can trust him with her life and know he will protect her but when it comes to her heart, no way, no how. And I could not get the reason why Alasdair just couldn't just disclose his life to Emma. Couldn't he trust her to understand this other side of himself???

It had been awhile since I read a Jane Feather and yet I have 9 more titles by this author on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I'm happy that she has proven to be reliable in the past and now with A Valentine Wedding, that way I can expect pleasant reads whether I read them this year or in 5-6 years from now.

Grade: B

More Challenges in 2008 - Book A Month Challenge

If you thought I was done selecting my challenges for 2008 you were wrong. I'm still working on my lists and making sure I have the resources to satisfy the challenges I have selected to be part of, but I thought I would post the challenge that has no lists...

This challege is similar to the Themed Challenge that I participated back in 2006. The difference is that in this challenge we don't know ahead of time what will be the theme of the month. It reminds me of the Author of the Month readings I do with my Yahoo Group.

Every month a new theme is selected and we need to read a book that has that theme in it (in some form or the other).
I will update this post with the themes as they are posted at the Book A Month Challenge website.

I missed January but I selected a book to read as a catch up...

Jan - Time:
Feb - Hearts: A Valentine Wedding by Jane Feather
Mar - Crafts: Portrait of a Lover by Julianne MacLean
{*** More Crafts: Bewitching by Jill Barnett***}
Apr - Beauty: To Bed a Beauty by Nicole Jordan
May - Mother:
Jun - Knowledge: Only with a Highlander by Janet Chapman
Jul - Independence:
Aug - Cold: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Sep - Change: Death Angel by Linda Howard
Oct - Hauntings: The Missing by Shiloh Walker
Nov - Giving: Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
Dec - Light: Light My Fire by Katie MacAlister (Not Reviewed - B)