Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I read this one as part of many of the challenges I entered this year. It is the sequel to Phillips earlier title Fancy Pants. I did not read the first book but I've heard I really didn't miss much and even after reading this one, I honestly don’t have the inclination to pick up the first in the series. In other words this one does a great job as a stand alone title.

Lady Emma Wells-Finch is visiting the Lone Star state at the suggestion of her friend to finish some research on a paper she is publishing. She also has the intention of losing her reputation as a goody two shoes. Her pristine reputation has led her to be engaged to a pompous windbag in order to save her treasured boarding school (dysfunctional childhood and all that). She is picked up at the airport by a very handsome man who, she believes, her friend has contracted to be her driver / guide while in Texas.

Kenny Traveler would like to stay VERY far away from scandal. The suspended golf mega star agrees to cart Lady Emma around in hopes that the golf commissioner’s wife will put in a good word for him and have his suspension lifted so he can play in the Masters.

The problem is that Lady Emma is quite determined to do something a bit outrageous in the most public place so that news of the scandal reaches British soil and her fiance can be sufficiently offended to break off the engagement but not too outraged that he will close down the school. Difficult edge to walk on and Kenny is not helping her at all!!

I found the book quite humorous and at times I was wondering why Emma was doing this. I just had a problem following her whole reasoning. In the end it was good enough to get the B because it kept me engaged until the final confrontation and I love when a bad boy gets put in his place. You have to love Kenny and how he tries to avoid the temptation that is Emma.

Grade: B

TheThirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

There has always been questions on how a cover of a book might influence the buyer/reader. It has been debated many times and it always results in a resounding YES, the cover is a big draw on a book. A bad cover will have a book wither away on the shelf but a good cover will have the book flying out the door.

I absolutely feel in love with the cover of this book. I had no idea what the book was about but I saw the cover and knew I had to read it. For the longest time I thought this was a romance (never opened the book to read the jacket insert). I finally got over the cover and opened the book to read what the book was about and felt myself get disappointed.

With a cover that beautiful, why was the book not about love?

This book was definitely about love but a whole different type of love and I just had to read the darn thing to find that out.

The book is about the famous author, Vida Winters who is very ill and in her last days decides that her biography should be told. She had related her biography before but, as a storyteller, she would yield a new story about her life every time, swearing that the new version was the truth. Now she decides that the truth must be told but it's easier said than done. How does a storyteller step out of herself and deal with facts vs fiction when the fact is that her whole life has been fictionalized.

Margaret Lea, a young novice in the writing community is called upon to write the biography. But part of the challenge for Margaret is to decipher the true story out of the facts that Vida Winter gives her.

The love story is about the love of sisters, the love of family and the extent you go to in protecting those you love. This is reflected not just in the life of Vida Winters but also in Margaret who's own story needs to be told.

This is a ghost story, a story of identities lost and then found, a story of lies that were forced into truths.

Diane Setterfield's debut novel is not to be missed. The book reads like a fairytale and every glimpse we are given into Vida Winter's past is a story on it's own.

Don't miss this one. It's definitely one of my best reads of this year.

Grade:A+
Format: Audiobook

Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Okay, I don't even want to go into this one. I have read all the previous installments of the Gemma Doyle series (A Great and Terrible Beauty & Rebel Angels) but this last installment made me want to cry at seeing how this great story just took a nose dive into mediocracy. This was a strong story that was brought down by a lack of continuity in characterization.

As the book starts we find out that Gemma has not been able to return to the Realms since she bound the power to herself. Kartek has disappeared even though we thought him part of an alliance with Gemma. When she finally get back into the Realms we find that the place has changed... ALOT. It is a more scary place and everyone wants a piece of the power. Gemma's alliance with the forest folks has not been completed and they are very resentful that they had helped her defeat Surcy and yet she has not lived up to their side of the bargain.

This is my big problem. Gemma always has had a bit of a problem with fitting in but I've never known her to be so easy to manipulate. She was such a mat, letting everyone govern her actions while saying it was all on her. She kept doing things so that people would like her with no regard of the outcome of her actions.

Gemma was very abusive with her power and had so little regard for her duties as the vessel to that power that it just was a disaster. Felicity was her typical self but Gemma was the one with the power. She needed to learn to say NO and move on. The book dragged on forever with all the idiocies that the girls were doing and all the "I do what I want because Felicity/Anne/ said so!"

The book could have been so much shorter and then the ending was terrible when we lose so many strong characters in the end !!! I would stop anyone from even starting this series because the last installment was such a GREAT AND TERRIBLE DISASTER!!

Grade: D-

Format: Audiobook

Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

I waited with great anticipation for this installment of the Black Daggerhood series.
We would finally give Phury his HEA, yet as the date of release approached many reviews of ARC popped up and the buz was that the book was a complete and utter disappointment. My anticipation for the release deflated.
My daughter was leaving for her two month journey to Japan the day of the release and I wanted to give her the book so she could read it on her 12 hour plane ride so when I got my hands on a copy the night before I happily gave it to her who had not read the reviews and still was on a high. I went out an purchased a copy of it for my eBook reader. I didn't get around to reading it until mid July.

It was FABULOUS!! I will try not to let reviews influence my mood on a book ever again. the main complaint on the book was that Phury's story was loss in all the other storylines going on. Also that Ward was deviating from the paranormal romance theme. All true. Wonderfully true!!

After reading the book I think Phury wasn't strong enough to carry a book the way the others did. Even Butch's story (which is my least favorite of all) had so many things going on for the romance between him and Marissa to reach that HEA that they had to be the main focus.

I think that Phurry's story was not cheated at all. We got to see his HEA and so much more. The War took a place front and center and it was very intense. I think if you wanted a pure romance this series is not going to be offering you that in the future. This book brought the series into a Alt-Universe/Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre with some elements of romance. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Phurry deals with alot of self doubt and with alot of pity parties between it all. Many thought he was overreacting but honestly the guy put his life on hold to search for his twin. The guilt of having been the one not taken shadowed his whole life, then when he finds him, the guy is so messed up that you got to wonder if he did Zadist any favors in saving his hide. I think he is owed some gratitude but I don’t think he should expect it. Zadist is not going to see the need for gratitude because he has too many emotional scars to accept anything good going his way. This is totally dished out in one of the more poignant scenes of the book.

The caretaker became the one needing the care. I loved that Ward explored this relationship because Phurry needed to hit bottom before he could get up. I think there was more that could have been dredged up but I think it was sufficient to get a feel of what was going on there.

The rest of the book was focused on the war between the brotherhood and the lessen society. Seems the Omega fathered a son and infiltrated him into the brotherhood. There is a traitor and when you find out who it is you are a bit thrown back but honestly not surprised.

Love, Love, Love John Matthew in this installment as well as his two buddies Qhuinn (who has problems of his own) and Blaylock (who blew us away with his own little secret!).

Rehvenge shows another side of himself and Xhex is finally intrigued by John Matthew!

And if all that is not enough… We have a new ally bringing home a lost brother!

Rumors are that we won’t be seeing a new brotherhood book for sometime. I am a bit bummed on that front. This is a series that has been on my list of must reads but it has moved to a positions that rivals my all time favorite series (The Outlander series by Gabaldon)

Grade: A

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

The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

It has been awhile since my last post and I am back dating this one since it was written last month but I never got it out of draft. So let's see if I can catch up with my posting;

June saw me read the last of the available titles of the Twilight series. This series has been out since last year but it has been an uproar recently and was highlighted in my Borders monthly newsletter. Meyers was interviewed and I was intrigued but what put a cap on my jump into Twilight was when I found out it was to be made a movie. I headed over to view the Trailer (wwww.twilightthemovie.com) and recognized the actor playing Edward as Robert Pattinson who played Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies. I knew I needed to watch the movie and I could not see the movie until I read the darn books. So borrowed them in Audiobook from my local library. I'm hooked and I will be forever a fan.

I recently spent the day harassing my daughter about the release of Breaking Dawn on the 2nd of August. I want to read the last installment soo bad but I will be in Puerto Rico for a visit after 11 years and I don't foresee having a lot of time on my hands to read it but I will be reading it in the month of August for sure.

Anyway, I thought it important to give a break down of the books I had read up until now so I will have them all documented when Breaking Dawn is read. So from the top:

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The first installment of the Twilight series introduces us to all the main characters.
There is Bella who transports herself to Forks, WA when her mother Renee re-marries an athlete and goes on the road with him. Charlie, her father and sheriff of Forks has always been a bit uneasy with Bella but is happy to have a chance to deepen his bond with her. The Cullens are the family of Vampires that accept Bella as one of their own instead of the appetizer she could have been. There is Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett & Edward. We get to know these characters in more detail over the series but in Twilight we get a glimpse of them. Edward is the main man who saves Bella from death and causes a chain reaction that takes him to reveal his true nature to her. Bella becomes somewhat obsessed with him and that obsession leads to love.
Of course there is quite a bit of danger involved in loving a vampire. You have the secrecy issue... who can you trust with that type of secret? Not many people actually, at least not many that can stay alive after knowing. Then you have the other vampire families that just will not play nice with your pet human. It's like taking your puppy to dinner with your distant relatives from China. Your adorable little Beagle is being eyed as the main dish. This does not promote neighborly relations.

Twilight wet our appetite for much more to come. Don't expect a lot of action until the end of the book, when those "other vamps" (a vampire named James, his mate Victoria and a minion called Laurant) come sniffing around and want to take a bite out of Bella. The book focused mostly on Bella and Edward. Getting to know each other and how their lives change to fit into each others world.

Grade: A


New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

In New Moon Bella is faced with Edwards desertion. Edward feels it's best for Bella that they break up and Bella has to learn to live without him. She doesn't do well in that area until Jacob Black lures her out of her depression.

Jacob has a secret of his own and it makes Bella realize that there are more than one anomaly in the population of Forks (although Jacob is really part of the population of La Push). Bella takes these new revelations in stride but she becomes very reckless with her life. She develops a strong relationship with the natural enemies of the vampires especially with Jacob. She doesn't really lead him on but she doesn't dissuade him either and that didn't really sit well but in the end there was a good chunk of movement in this book that kept the grade so strong.

The trip to Italy with Alice to save Edward who was on a suicide mission not just introduces a whole new set of Vampires but also gives us a glimpse into Vampire politics. With Bella's strong relationship with Jacob and then the reemergence of Edward into Bella's life at the end, the book was a winner for me.

Grade: A


Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

This was the weakest in the series and yet it had me going.
The relationship between Bella, Jacob and Edward gets redefined. Bella needs to make a choice between these two and although her heart belongs to Edward, she accept and acknowledges her deep feelings for Jake.

Jake is a bit underhanded in this book and it pissed me off but the truth is that you really need to give the story points for eliciting that type of reaction from me.
When Bella is the mark for Victoria (the vamp from Twilight who loses her lover James) Jake and Edward have to put aside their jealousy and make a truce that will assure Bella's safety against an army of newborn vampires that are creating havoc in Seattle. The Cullens and the la Push pack find themselves fighting side by side to protect their homes from this threat.

As I mentioned, what killed me on this one was Bella's feelings for Jake. I felt it a betrayal to Edward especially when Jacob was such a rat about getting what he wanted. When Bella admits her feelings for Jacob I was so upset but when you look at a book that kicks you in the gut and when you close it you are grinning, you can't complain!

I am really looking forward to Breaking Dawn.

Grade: B+


Since writing these reviews I actually had a chance to read Breaking Dawn and will post the review shortly.

The Future King's Pregnant Mistress by Penny Jordan

Yeah another one with an appealing title. I really have very little to say good about this one. It was written from the same vein as the Susan Stephen's entry for this series.

Marco Fierezza is almost as cold hearted as Nico was in Expecting his Royal Baby, the only difference is that this one shows he is falling in love with Emily as the book moves forward.

Emily, a self made woman who is an interior designer with her own business, is a doormat to Marco and folds to his every whim.

The book was bad but as I mentioned it had it's moments and we see Marco changing a bit (you need to watch out for the change because you can easily miss it before the end of the book) which is why the book did not end up with an F and walked away with the better score of D-

I don't think I'll pick up another Harlequin Presents.

Grade: D-
Format: eBook

Expecting His Royal Baby by Susan Stephens

It's been a while since a read a book that was so all over the place. This was an eBook I picked up after looking over the eHarlequin book store. It was one that I just picked up out of no place because it was affordable and was part of a series that had good reviews.

Nico Fierezza is a bit of a dare devil. He has no regard for his safety and thrives of extreme sports. He owns a business in London (not clear what type of business since it was not clear in the book) which gives him the edgy excitement he needs on a day to day basis but he is not just a businessman. He is also the grandson to the King of Niroli. After his older brother renounces claim to the throne (this happened in the first book of the series) his grandfather seeks him out to make him heir to the throne. Something he knows right off the bat will never happen. Still he packs up his bags and heads out to the small island to answer the old man's summons.

Carrie Evans was Nico's secretary until a roll on the table with her boss in the conference room made her feel used and she decided to quit and move in with her elderly aunt. When her Aunt dies and she finds herself pregnant and homeless she goes looking for Nico to tell him she is going to have his baby.

This is the prologue and a bit into Chapter One of the book. Quit reading. It goes completely down hill from here. It's not just the asinine back and forth with the heroine but the complete unorganized plot and inconsistencies. The hero is an A*s from the get go, no false illusions there, but the heroine could have been the savior of the book and unfortunately she gave it the kiss of death.

Carrie picks up her bags and flies to Niroli to tell Nico of his impending fatherhood but keeps telling herself that she doesn't want anything from him. Yet the moment she is alone with him, he touches her and her panties drop to the floor. How is it that she could afford to fly to this island in the first place. She finds herself invited to stay in the palace just when she had told Nico she was leaving. Why accept the invitation? To speak to the man that treated you like a gold digging whore a few hours ago?

This was an easy book to read because after the first few pages it became a farce you just couldn't tear yourself away, although I almost threw in the towel when Carrie, haven gotten away from Nico and his insane life, manages to make a decent start on a future for herself but then throws it all away when he strolls in to her life and tells her to pack her stuff and return with him. No pleading or groveling, just let's go.

Sorry but this one was a complete disappointment (do you think the title should have given me a hint?)

Grade: F
Format: eBook