Hunted

I've been reading Amelia Elias's work since her first book, Three Wishes. I own most of them, though I haven't read everything. This week, I read Hunted.

Explosions, car wrecks, assassins, escaped murderers, and a kidnapping . . . arranged marriages can really take their toll on a vampire.

Witness to a brutal murder, Sian Lazuro didn't count on the killer escaping moments after his conviction. Three years later, she's learned the hard way there's only one person she can trust--herself. When she wakes up in bed with a gorgeous stranger who claims to have saved her life, she's understandably wary.

Diego Leonides is like no one she's ever met before. Sensual, mysterious, and clearly delusional, he insists not only is he a vampire, but she's now his eternal mate.

Diego never dreamed he'd find his mate by getting hit by her car, and she's no happier about their sudden bonding than she is. The only survivor of a massacre that wiped out his entire Clan, he's spent the century avoiding taking a mate. Now he finds himself stuck with a woman running from a murderer just as the descendants of the vampire slayers who killed his family arrive in San Francisco to finish the job with him.

Arranged marriages are hard enough on a vampire without having to convince his mate that the real bloodthirsty fiends are the mortals . . .

Elias is one of those authors I think should get a NY publishing contract. Any day now. I give Hunted 4.5 out of 5.

One of Elias's strengths is in her characterization. I love Diego's protectiveness even as he wants to fight his growing feelings for Sian. Once he realizes what he feels for her, though, he doesn't hide it from himself or from her. There's something wonderful and sexy about that.

Sian's a strong character as well, a rare heroine who truly can take care of herself . . . at least in most circumstances. The world of vampires is an unfamiliar one for her, and I thought she dealt with the knowledge in a realistic way. She makes a frustrating choice toward the end of the book (just talk to him, OK?), but I still liked her overall.

Hunted is the first book in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading Outcast, the next book, which is out now.

Let's Pretend

I'm working on another story, but I've been trying to make more time for reading. I seem to get cranky when I don't have reading time.

Last weekend, I bought some books during Samhain's 10%-off sale. Raine Weaver's Let's Pretend was one of them, which I bought after reading a number of blogger recommendations.

Veronica Peale is playing a game.

Her best friend Kayla has decided to "loan" Ronnie her newest boy-toy, all in an effort to make her boss, Paul Lang, insanely jealous. Veronica reluctantly agrees to pretend that she's having a torrid love affair with Brant Coleman in order to entice the man she really wants.

At least, she thinks he's the man she really wants . . .

Brant Coleman is also playing a game. He is, in reality, an insurance investigator, trying to discover why Ronnie is in possession of a priceless pair of antique earrings, reported stolen by one of the wealthiest families in Cleveland, Ohio. It is his job to verify that they are the stolen earrings and, if possible, to recover them. And if he has to pretend to be Kayla's tool and Veronica's lover to get what he wants, so be it.

At least, he thinks he's pretending to be in love with her . . .

When buying an unfamiliar author, there's always a chance I won't enjoy it. In this case, there was no need to worry. I liked it very much: 4.5 out of 5.

My favorite romances are character-driven, and the two main characters of Let's Pretend shine. Brant, with his various ploys to get Ronnie's boss to notice her, is hilarious. I ended up feeling the same way Veronica did--anxious to know what he would do next.

And Ronnie--she's intelligent, dedicated to her job, and a little insecure. She is so vividly portrayed that I felt as if I got to know her. Theirs is a case of opposites attract, and it's an opposition that works really well.

The sexual tension in this story is excellent. Ronnie and Brant have different reasons for fighting their attraction, but both of them initially fight it. I loved the scene where the inner battles stop. I'm a big fan of the-harder-they-fall romances, and Brant falls hard.

I did think Ronnie was a bit foolish to do a certain something (unspecified here to avoid spoilers) toward the end of the story, but otherwise I enjoyed the book. I only wish I'd known it was coming out in paperback this month, or I would have bought that version. I'd love to have it in paperback.

Giving In

A little blog-hopping has revealed that many readers did the same thing I did this weekend--ordered from Samhain. I don't think their shopping cart process likes people on dial-up. I had forgotten how difficult it was to download last time; my computer keeps freezing. It did so again until I remembered the trick of saving immediately.

In any case, here's what I got:

• Learning Charity by Summer Devon
• Kindred: The Shadows of Night by Ellen Fisher
• Let's Pretend by Raine Weaver (Is anyone else wondering how many she's sold lately? Looks like a number of people bought it.)

I haven't decided which one to read first. Oh, decisions . . .

Joining the Crowd

The romance blogging world's abuzz with talk of e-books. Topics have ranged from requests for more reviews of e-books, discussion about different e-publishers, and other thoughts.

I'm in a unique position. A year ago, I didn't think I'd write fiction except as an occasional pastime. I wrote it once or twice a year, tops. Given that, I reviewed anything and everything that interested me, whether it was in print or an e-book.

Obviously, things have changed. I have a release date for my first e-book: June 9. A second is under contract, and a third is well underway.

I can no longer say I'm only a reader.

For some people, that fact will completely change their opinion of my reviews. I understand that, as I've eyed some author endorsements with skepticism. However, there's usually an obvious difference between a post promoting someone's book and a post recommending it. The former often consists of a blurb about the book along with a review or two, while the latter will offer an explanation about why they enjoyed the book.

That's not the only conflict I'm facing. I've decided not to review books here by my publisher. (I may recommend the ones I like at my author blog, but I'll do that only if I genuinely like the book.)

And what about other e-publishers? Should I stop reviewing their books? Or start reviewing them in a different way? As a reader, I want to review them the same way I review anything else, but I'm not sure if that's wise.

Thoughts? I'd love to hear from readers and writers on this.

Legendary Tails IV

Ellora's Cavemen: Legendary Tails IV was one of the freebies I received when I attended the Utah RWA Conference last month. There are six stories in the anthology, so I won't post the blurbs here, but I really, really liked the stories in this book: 4.5 out of 5.

The first story in the book was the one I read last--I was a bit turned off by the title: Orgasm Fairy by Ashleigh Raine. I figured the story would be about endless orgasming (read: no plot), but I'm pleased to report there is a fun story here. The bad poetry at the poetry reading made me laugh: "Only I can fertilize the swollen berries of her womanhood. . . ." It's not from the hero or heroine, by the way. Orgasm Fairy doesn't take itself too seriously and readers who want something light should enjoy it too: 4 out of 5.

Next is Marly Chance's Overcome. This story brings two former partners back together again. This story has a little of everything--suspense, adventure, and romance. I like stories where one character has to develop trust, and this is an issue in Overcome. I only wish the story were longer; there's a lot packed in these pages: 4 out of 5.

Secrets We Keep by Mandy M. Roth is the third story about two longterm friends who finally give in to what they feel for each other. I tend to have mixed reactions to alpha heroes; sometimes they border on overbearing. Dane's definitely an alpha, but I love him anyway because of how much he loves Trish and wants to protect her: 4.5 out of 5.

The next story is A Love Eternal by N.J. Walters. This story is completely fascinating, partly because of the world Walters creates. With a title like A Love Eternal, I expected a vampire romance. That's not what this is. I very much enjoyed this story of two lonely people who find love and hope in each other: 4.5 out of 5.

The fifth story is Ravyn Wilde's Keeper of Tomorrows. Like Walters, Wilde offers a unique spin on the paranormal. Although I found it surprising that the heroine responded so well to a certain transformation--I thought she might have needed more time to get used to it--the rest of the characterization made up for it: 4.5 out of 5.

Jaid Black's Seeds of Yesterday concludes the anthology and was perhaps the biggest surprise of the book. I had heard things about Black's work that made me think it would be hardcore BDSM. It wasn't. Don't get me wrong--it's plenty explicit, but there's a strong romance to ground the story. Reading this story brought tears to my eyes more than once, and I've read Seeds of Yesterday twice more since the first time. 5 out of 5.

A Fine Work of Art

It looks like I've discovered another auto-buy author. I read and enjoyed Shelby Reed's A Fine Work of Art over the weekend: 4.5 out of 5.

At thirty-six, university art professor Elizabeth Gilstrom finds herself facing a bleak, lonely future when her husband leaves her for his young medical assistant. After giving up her own career as an artist a decade before, Elizabeth has nothing to show for their ten-year marriage . . . only the faded memory of a paintbrush's weight in her hand, an empty bed, and an empty heart.

She's still reeling from shock and devastation when graduate student Boone McCrea walks into her office . . . and into her bed. Boone might only be twenty-four, but he is, quite simply, one of the most attractive men Elizabeth has ever seen, a work of art that stirs wild sensations she has long repressed.

I love the older woman/younger man scenario, and the fact that they are teacher/student adds an interesting dynamic to the plot. It did cause some niggling in the back of my head--I kept thinking that Elizabeth was headed for trouble by getting involved with a student. Still, I liked both Boone and Elizabeth enough that I kept reading. I think Reed resolves the issue in a way that makes sense for the characters.

A Fine Work of Art is very much Elizabeth's story. It's told in third person strictly from her point of view. I usually prefer books that include both the hero and heroine's point of view, but in this case, I felt like I got to know Boone quite well through Elizabeth's perspective. In fact, I think it made the story more interesting to learn about Boone this way.

Elizabeth's journey from grief to moving on seems very realistic. She makes progress, backslides, and doubts herself much like anyone else would in her situation. Although Boone is part of her journey, I never felt like he was the sole reason for it. Their scenes together were very hot, though. :)

Reed is just a terrific writer. I love the vivid characters she creates as well as the unique stories she tells.

A side note: the cover of this e-book is rather startling, partly because it's different from the one shown on the Ellora's Cave website. Don't open this one at work or with kids around.

Midnight Rose

I bought Shelby Reed's Midnight Rose after reading a glowing review of it. While the book didn't leave me speechless, I still enjoyed it very much: 4 out of 5.

By all appearances, wealthy widower Gideon Renaud is an attractive, vibrant man, and an attentive father to his son, Jude, who suffers from a rare disorder that renders him fatally allergic to sunlight. But Gideon has harbored a bloodstained secret for one hundress fifty years--he's a vampire. When he finds himself falling for Kate O'Brien, his son's new home-school tutor, only Gideon knows their passion is a time bomb, one that will end in heartbreak . . . and possibly death for the young teacher.

As Kate finds herself drawn into Gideon and Jude's sinister world, she is forced to confront their extraordinary reality, the existence of the most horrifying evil . . . and ultimately, the power of love to banish even the darkest shadows.

Midnight Rose is quite good, and its strength lies in its characters, especially Gideon and Kate. Gideon is a concerned father, and I thought his troubled relationship with the teenage Jude was portrayed very realistically. I saw what was coming regarding Jude's subplot, but it didn't make the overall story less enjoyable.

Kate is a strong heroine who's easy to like. She obviously cares about Gideon and Jude, and her freshness provides a nice contrast to Gideon's . . . I want to say pessimism, but that's not the right word. Kate's scenes with Gideon are powerful, and their chemistry is almost tangible.

The end of the book was quite moving.

My next Reed purchase will be A Fine Work of Art. I couldn't resist the description; I just wish it were a long enough story to be available in print.

Futurelove

There are simply not enough hours in a day. Yesterday, I came home from work and did some scrapbooking for the first time in months. I also worked on revising the NaNoWriMo story so I can inflict it on share it with other readers. What this means, though, is that I'm not spending as much time reading.

Anyway, I'm home with a stomach bug today, so I have time to read and blog. I bought Summer Devon's Futurelove and thought it was terrific: 4.5 out of 5.

Time-travel agent Collins is preparing for a routine assignment to the past when rebels kill his commander and force him back in time, unprepared. With no sex-suppression drugs and incomplete training, he's stranded in a strange old world.

Candy was almost resigned to her humdrum life until a man in a strange black get-up dropped onto her park bench. If he wasn't gorgeous, and wounded, she might listen to her common sense and run. But curiosity and kindness have always been her weaknesses, and the fact that this guy rouses her long-dormant libido doesn't hurt, either.

Overwhelmed by the novel sensation of lust, Collins can't resist Candy's sensual sweetness. But every fevered joining of their bodies breaks the stringent laws to which he's sworn allegiance. Being trapped in the past is bad enough. Committing carnal crimes with an irresistible 21st century indigenous could destroy his future--and hers.

I like so many things about this story that I don't know where to start. Futurelove features one of my favorite kinds of heros--one with less sexual experience than the heroine. Collins struggles to stay aloof as he has been trained to do, but he finds Candy very tempting. His inexperience was realistically depicted; at least, it seemed that way to me. And he learns quickly, hoo boy!

Candy ends up experiencing a roller-coaster ride in this story as she tries to figure out where Collins is from. She's a delightful heroine with a great sense of humor. In fact, I smiled all through the story. Futurelove is a wonderful combination of comedy and romance.

I enjoy futuristics, and while this one has a primarily contemporary setting, I thought the futuristic elements were well explained and incorporated into the story. I also enjoyed Devon's first story, Perfection, so I'm adding her to my auto-buy list.

Midnight Run

Here's the last book I read in 2005: Midnight Run by Lisa Marie Rice. It's a good one to end on, although it's not perfect: 4 out of 5. Before I explain why, I'll give the summary:

Claire Parks has been very sick, but she's fine now--just fine--and ready to paint the town red. Well, pink. On her first excursion into the wild world of dating, she meets Bud, a tall, sexy, good-looking lumberjack. She won him fair and square, her prize for not dying. But after a weekend of wild sex, she discovers he's not what she thinks he is.

Undercover police office Lieutenant Tyler "Bud" Morrison can't believe his eyes. What's a 'princess' doing in a dance club known for its rough trade? She needs rescuing, and rescuing women is what Bud does best. He saw Claire first--finders keepers. After a weekend of the hottest sex he's ever had, he's definitely keeping this one. When trouble comes her way, he pulls out all the stops to protect her. Except Claire doesn't want Bud at her back. She wants him in her bed.

The first part of Midnight Run is very, very good. I love romances where the hero falls for the heroine in a big way, and Bud's fall is a considerable one. Rice does a terrific job of portraying how Bud, who is usually passionate but controlled with women, completely loses control with Claire.

I love one scene in particular that really emphasizes what he feels for Claire. After Bud and Claire establish that he has always used a condom in the past, and she is on the pill, he responds immediately to the thought of being inside her without a condom. I might add this to my list of favorite love scenes--not because Bud shows particular finesse; in fact, he shows the complete opposite of finesse, but his thoughts make the scene memorable.

If the story had continued in this vein, it probably would have received a 5, but it takes a turn midway through. At that point, two elements are introduced: first, Bud becomes overprotective after learning about Claire's illness from her father; and second, the suspense aspect of Midnight Man (the first book in the series) intrudes.

I use the word "intrudes" deliberately, because although the suspense affects Bud and Claire, they aren't really the center of it. At first, it was interesting to get their point of view, but it ultimately doesn't add anything new. We hear how the events of Midnight Man affect them, but there's no real sense of danger. I say this, having read Midnight Man. I suspect, though I can't be sure, that someone reading this book without having read the previous one would be a little frustrated by how peripheral Bud and Claire are to this particular part of the story.

Then there's Bud's overprotectiveness. At first I was annoyed with it, and then I was annoyed with Bud and Claire. All they needed to do was sit down and talk about it, and the issue would have been resolved. So ultimately, I liked the book, but had problems with the second half. I'm still looking forward to the next one. I'm just waiting for it to be available in print.

A Taste for Passion

I picked up Patrice Michelle's A Taste for Passion a few months ago when I was browsing at the bookstore. I had narrowed my purchase decision to this book or another one, and I bought this one when I saw that it was an autographed copy. That probably doesn't surprise many of you, since my love for autographed books is no secret. In any case, that's how I ended up buying this book, and I'm pleased to say that I ended up really liking it: 4 out of 5.

Rana Sterling finally meets the man of her dreams and BOY does he know how to push all the right buttons. Only, Mr. Tall, Dark and Too-Good-to-Be True turns out to be just that; he's a real live, fanged vampire!

Lucian Trevane has a duty to fulfill. He's expected to take the role of Vite, leader of the vampires in three days. But he knows he won't take the position without his wife by his side. Now, after seventy years of searching for his reincarnated fiance, he finally finds the woman of his dreams in Rana Sterling, Rana may respond to his lovemaking, but she refuses to become his vampire wife. As if their lives aren't complicated enough, throw in a vengeful vampire, a surprise twist, and the fact that Rana and Lucien can't deny the strong attraction that exists between them and you've just stepped into A Taste for Passion.

Reincarnation stories are tricky--I think it's easy to make the reincarnated character too much like the original character. In that case, it's not clear whether the hero and heroine are really in love or whether they are together because one of them resembles a previous love.

In A Taste for Passion, we don't learn a lot about Lucian's fiance, but we do know that Rana's personality is different. I appreciated this very much. Lucian reinforces this by making it clear at one point that they are different and that his feelings for Rana are unique. I also liked the fact that Rana doesn't simply fall into Lucian's arms. Well, she does when she is dreaming of him; when awake, she makes him work for their relationship and for her.

The back cover text mentions "a surprise twist," and there certainly is one. I like the unique way this part of the story plays out. My main issue with the book is that I wish it had been longer. I wanted more of a good thing.

This book is the first in a series, and I picked up the second one, A Taste for Revenge, today. It should be interesting.

Kiss of the Night and Wish List

Another day, another Sylvia Day book review. I discovered her writing back with Catching Caroline, then I tried "Magic Fingers" from Sex on Holiday. Now I buy and read everything she writes because I know what I will get: memorable characters, hot sex, and an emotional story to go with them. Kiss of the Night is no exception: 4.5 out of 5.

Kiss of the Night is connected to Misled.

Special Task Force agent Alexei Night has had a crush on Interstellar Council Representative Briana Michaels ever since the first time he saw her on the vid comm. But their lives are worlds apart. He's a vampire. She's not. There's no possibility of a relationship between them. Yet he still dreams of her . . .

When Briana's unpopular position supporting vampiric rights threatens her family, Alex leaps at the chance to protect her and be with her. It's a two-week journey to her homeworld, and he'll spend it making love with the woman he can't keep, trying to get enough of her to last an eternity. Their erotic connection is easily established but their bond doesn't overshadow the danger surrounding Briana.

A hopeless romance with a woman whose mortal life is threatened . . . Things can't get any worse for Alex.

And then somehow . . . they do.

Kiss of the Night emphasizes something Day depicts really well: passionate, steamy sex that shows the emotional connection between the characters. As a vampire, Alexei has certain advantages, but he prefers Briana to want him for himself and not because he exerted any influence. I definitely admired that as well as the fact that he doesn't fight what he feels for Briana.

Wish List
Wish List is a Christmas novella, and it's just terrific: 5 out of 5.

When Nicolas James draws Stephanie Martin's name in their law firm's Secret Santa exchange he knows he's in for a merry Christmas--if he can figure out what to give the woman he's wanted for months. When he works late and finds a crumpled piece of paper listing Steph's personal wish list, he knows he's in luck. Because all Steph wants for Christmas is him, in a number of naughty ways.

And not-so saintly Nick is going to make every one of her carnal wishes come true.

Wish List is a contemporary story, and it uses a great deal of humor. Read an excerpt to see for yourself. Nick's fulfillment of Steph's wish list is wonderful. I wouldn't mind having a man like Nick for Christmas. LOL! The only thing I didn't like about this story is that it wasn't long enough.

If you read e-books, I suggest that you give one of Day's books a try. If you read print books only, Bad Boys Ahoy! is due out in January. I haven't read it, but I have no doubt it will be excellent.

TBR Challenge: Jacob's Faith

My personal TBR challenge in November has been to read my review books and other books I started but hadn't finished. I picked up Jacob's Faith by Lora Leigh several times this month and finished it yesterday: 3.5 out of 5.

1. Title/Author
Jacob's Faith by Lora Leigh.

2. Brief Synopsis
I'm too tired to write one. This is from the back cover.

They are a new breed, a new race. Engineered rather than born, trained rather than raised, and their unique genetics have created more than one surprise . . .

Jacob left Faith six years before, unaware that the mark he left on her also left her in an agony of sexual heat that never dimmed. Now Jacob and Faith are together again, but surprises lurk around every corner and dangers as dark and deadly as their very creation surround them in more ways than one.

3. Copyright Year
2003.

4. Indicate if you liked or disliked it?
I had a hard time getting into it; I don't know how many times I picked it up, read a chapter or two, and put it back down. Part of that is probably the fact that I've been a bit distracted this month.

Still, I think part of it is the story itself. Jacob and Faith cover the same territory for a lot of the middle part of the book. He doesn't believe he can love, while she demands it, they have sex, repeat. This section is where I kept putting the book down. It improves toward the end of the story.

In the end, though, I liked it enough to look for the next book in the series (see number 8 below).

5. Was the book designated a DIK or Five Heart book at any of the review sites?
Not sure.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the reviewers?
Not applicable.

7. Is this a new author for you?
No. I read her short story in Hot Spell.

8. Would you read more by this author?
Yes. The epilogue hooked me, even as I recognized it as a hook into the next book. In this case, it worked.

Snaring the Huntress

I'm vexed with my online image host at the moment. None of my images are coming up. Hope they get it fixed while I still remember what my blog is supposed to look like. Edited to add: Apparently I need to update my FTP since I upgraded my account. It would help if the instructions were in something resembling comprehensible English. Wish me luck . . .

Now, on to happier topics. Today I read Sylvia Day's Snaring the Huntress, and it was another wonderful read. Some authors write beautiful short stories, and Day is obviously one who does: 4 out of 5.

Star is a judge, sent to find an ambassador who broke Interstellar Council Law. When she finds Roark, she discovers that he is the lover who has been haunting her dreams.

This is a short story, so I don't want to say anything more about the plot. However, it's terrific. Snaring the Huntress sets up the world of the story and creates a believable romance. I loved the touches of humor, such as at the end of chapter 1. Once again, I don't want to give anything away, but there are a number of moments in the story that make me smile.

The resolution seems a little too easy, but the rest of the story definitely makes up for it.

Twice Upon a Roadtrip

Twice Upon a Roadtrip is Shannon Stacey's first published book. If her subsequent books are as good as this one, then Stacey is an author I'll be sure to watch: 4 out of 5.

Jillian is having a bad day. It starts when she gets the news that someone else was promoted over her. Then her bag of groceries broke, scattering cans all over the pavement. When she starts throwing her groceries into a car, a man approaches and informs her that it's actually his car. For his part, Ethan is mostly amused by the mixup, until he learns of her negative feelings for "the bitch who stole her promotion." The bitch, he tells Jillian, is his mother.

The conflict is set up from the start. Jillian is impulsive and doesn't want to be tied down. Her family thinks of her as flighty. Ethan is methodical and detail-oriented. They seem like a bad match, until they end up on a road trip together and get to know each other beyond the stereotypes.

I enjoyed this book. This is a nice romance with fun humor throughout. I loved the fact that Ethan realized how much Jillian was hurt by the beliefs of her family. In one scene, he decides to praise her so she would feel good about herself. He gets off to an interesting start by praising her breasts. Many parts of the story brought a smile to my face.

The story didn't earn a 5 because I didn't immediately start rereading it once I was finished. But I closed my printed copy of the book with satisfaction and look forward to Stacey's next book.

TBR Challenge: Go Fetch

I decided the TBR challenge (paranormal romance this month) offered the perfect opportunity to read the second book in Shelly Laurenston's werewolf series. The first is Pack Challenge, which I really enjoyed. Go Fetch was also wonderful: 4 out of 5.

1. Title/Author
Go Fetch by Shelly Laurenston.

2. Brief Synopsis
Conall has wanted Miki ever since he first saw her, but she's continually given him the brush off. When she is attacked by unknown people, Conall becomes more protective than ever, even though Miki can take care of herself. She finds herself liking to have him around, however.

3. Copyright Year
2004.

4. Indicate if you liked or disliked it?
I definitely liked it for many of the same reasons I liked the previous book. Miki is not a heroine who says she can take care of herself and then immediately gets into danger and must be rescued. She is tough and strong. Conall is a great character as well. They are definitely well matched.

I didn't like the end when everyone had to give their opinion about the situation (I'm trying to be vague to avoid spoilers), but other than that, I enjoyed it a lot. I'm interested in the third book of the series, so I'll have to get that sometime. Wish it would come out in print.

5. Was the book designated a DIK or Five Heart book at any of the review sites?
Not sure.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the reviewers?
Not applicable.

7. Is this a new author for you?
No.

8. Would you read more by this author?
Definitely. I just have to decide what.

Misled

After reading Catching Caroline, I wanted to read more stories by Sylvia Day. Misled is her latest book, and while I didn't love it as much as Catching Caroline, I still enjoyed it: 4 out of 5.

Sable is a bounty hunter. Derek is a task force agent. These jobs put the two at odds when they are searching for the same fugitive, but Derek is determined to get past the obstacles. His new goal is to get the woman he's wanted for two years: Sable. He succeeds, but not for long. Although they spend two erotic days together, Sable ultimately leaves. Derek isn't ready for their relationship to end, so he goes after her.

Misled is pretty steamy. If you're looking for characters with substantial heat and attraction between them, you'll get what you want. The sex starts early in the story and continues throughout. I would have liked to get to know the characters a bit more before they jump into bed, but I also liked how the relationship evolved during sex. Spoiler (to read it, click the beginning of the white space and scroll over it): There's some anal, which just isn't my thing. This scene demonstrated Sable's trust in Derek, and I understood that. I was still glad this was limited to one scene. Other than that, the sex was plentiful and explicit--Day calls a spade a spade. Readers who prefer euphemisms may have trouble with the language, but it worked for the story.

I wanted more explanation at the end. Spoiler: It would have been nice to know the thought process that led to Sable's sudden reappearance. I didn't quite understand what drove her to return at that particular point. Still, I think this is an interesting story by a talented storyteller.

I've read two other stories by this author: Catching Caroline (historical) and "Magic Fingers" (contemporary), both short stories. Misled is the longest one I've read, and it's a paranormal futuristic. Day is clearly a versatile author, and I'm interested to see what she'll write next.

Her Best Friend's Lover

After reading many people recommend Shiloh Walker's Her Best Friend's Lover, I decided to try it. I read it this weekend and thought it was quite good: 4 out of 5.

Lauren has loved friend and neighbor Dale for five years. She's never acted on her feelings, however, because Dale has loved another woman as long as she's known him. Everything changes one night when Dale drinks too much and starts to see Lauren with different eyes.

Spoiler (to read it, click the beginning of the white space and scroll over it): Her Best Friend's Lover is a secret baby story unlike any other I've read. Dale tends to lose time when he's drunk, so when Lauren leaves after they make love, Dale thinks it was a dream. So the child is his baby, but he doesn't know it. He helps Lauren through the pregnancy and falls in love with her in the process. Certain elements of the plot rely on coincidence, which is at times challenging to accept. The story also includes point of view changes that are occasionally abrupt.

Besides these two points, I enjoyed the story. Dale's journey from thinking he loved someone else to realizing he loves Lauren is great to watch. I loved his wonder when he goes with Lauren to the doctor. Because of her past, Lauren struggles with worry that the people she loves will always leave her. This added a poignancy to the story. This is a sexy read with plenty of sexual tension and chemistry.

This is an e-book, but I bought and read the print version. Print books are still my preference, but Walker has a book that looks interesting coming out later this month, so I'm not going to wait for it to be released in print. She has a few dozen other books, too, so I'm planning to take a look.

Blood Moon

Blood Moon is the second book in the Kyra Moray series by Deanna Lee. I liked the first book, Still Waters, but wanted a bit more emphasis on the romance. Blood Moon gave me just what I wanted in that regard: 4.5 out of 5.

Kyra Moray is a New Orleans police inspector in 2162. In the first book, she started seeing nightclub owner Alex Waters. Blood Moon starts with the discovery of three bodies in a building that used to be a police safe house. Once the time of death is determined, it's clear they were murdered when the building was owned by police. This puts Kyra in the uncomfortable position of investigating others in the department.

I enjoyed Blood Moon very much. While Alex was off-page for long sections of Still Waters, there was a nice balance here between the mystery and Kyra's relationship with Alex. He's a wonderful hero, and the relationship between the two is developing in interesting ways.

The mystery is quite good, and I liked seeing Kyra work. It would have been nice if there was more explanation about this world's technology, nanobots in particular. I had forgotten that from the first book, so I felt a little like I was playing catch up.

Kyra's partner, Ana, finds a love interest in this story. Spoiler ahead (click on the beginning of the white part, and scroll down if you want to read it): Ana becomes involved with Desi Marcos, a doctor she often works with. This relationship had some nicely depicted moments; however, it felt a little rushed. They went from being interested to committed in a few conversations. It would have been nice to see it unfold more slowly, but I'm interested to see what Lee will do with it in future installments.

There will be more books in this series. However, Lee is working on several projects for Kensington, so the next installment won't be out until sometime next year. It's going to be a long wait.

Back Away from the Computer

I found myself a bit depressed last night, perhaps because I've watched eight episodes of Millenium in the past two days. In 2000, I watched a marathon of the series and was fascinated by several of the episodes. I found a used copy (How's that for irony? Keep reading.) of the first season on Friday and settled in to watch. I'm still fascinated, although I'm thinking I might need to spread out my viewing for my emotional health.

This morning I settled in front of the computer to catch up on blogs. Angie has a column for Romancing the Blog about trading e-books. It's an intriguing topic and excellent column. Unfortuntely, I got frustrated with one of the responses. Here's what I replied.

Interesting column, Angie. Especially since I've started reading e-books this last year and can relate to many of the points you bring up. I wish there were a way to trade e-books, but I can understand the issue's complexities, since, as Elizabeth points out, you can trade an e-book and still have a copy.

A few comments about the comments.

To assume that every person who read a loaned or resold book would have bought it or paid the full price is to assume a great deal.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for bringing up this point. Many readers, myself included, frequent the library, especially for books or authors they haven't tried before. I do the same thing with used books or books I have borrow from friends. In fact, there are several authors whose books I now buy new because I once bought them used: Michele Albert, Mary Balogh, Karen Harbaugh, Jill Shalvis, to name a few.

An author may wish I had always bought her books new, but I suspect she'd prefer I buy some books new than none at all, which is what would happen with many readers like me if we stopped buying used books. If I had all the money in the world to spend on books, I'd be happy to buy all new ones. Since I don't, I would stick with my autobuy authors if told I had to buy new.

Obviously I have strong feelings about this issue.

(Edited part of my response for length)

It is unethical to resell print books as well as ebooks. It is still the same concept. . . . Technically, you are not just trading paper vs. bits, you are trading a story that a person put blood, sweat and tears into so he or she can make a living.

Doesn't this same logic apply to anything you buy? House, clothing, jewelry, cars?

I understand authors who feel strongly about wanting people to buy their books new. I really do. But it's one thing for an author to say she'd like readers to buy books new and another to say it's unethical to sell a book. (I'm talking print books, not e-books now.)

Anyone else who thinks it's unethical, do let me know. I'll make sure I never buy your books used. If you're lucky, my book budget may stretch to cover buying it new. If not . . . well, take comfort in knowing you won't be one of those soon-to-be-autobuy authors I discover through used copies.

As I said, I understand why some authors feel strongly about this issue. I feel just as strongly about the fact that I discover many authors through used books that I would never buy new first. Period. There's a simple reason for this: finances. Surprisingly enough, there are limits to how much I can spend on books if I want to eat and pay my mortgage.

What I don't understand is why an author would say it's unethical, even if that's what she believes. Some things are obviously unethical, but buying and selling used books isn't one of those things. Using a word like that can alienate your audience, also known as the book-buying public. I suspect that's why there are a number of "anonymous author" comments on the subject.

I don't do a lot of experimenting when I buy new books. I used to, but I got burned too many times. However, you'll see that I bought books from new-to-me authors at the literacy signing. If I like a library book I read, I buy a new copy. And as I've already mentioned, I've bought books by several authors that I first bought used.

As you can see, I'm getting all worked up about this, which is a problem. And I'm hijacking the comments away from Angie's topic. So I'm going to back away from the computer, nice and slow.

Maybe I should go make lunch and watch a few more episodes of Millenium.



P.S. Would I have bought the first season of Millenium if I'd had to buy it new? No. But I'm probably going to buy the second season. Damn it.

Gypsy Heart

Gypsy Heart is the first book I've read by Sasha White, and it's a good one: 4 out of 5.

Sable is immediately drawn to Gage when he walks into the place where she tends bar. But Sable isn't interested in a permanent relationship, while Gage has decided that's just what he wants. But he can't deny wanting Sable.

There's a lot to like about Gypsy Heart. I like Sable's unique occupation (even though her name, Sable Castle, is a bit dramatic) and I appreciate the fact that she knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. I also enjoyed watching her transformation. At first she is baffled that Gage won't immediately start an affair since she knows he is attracted to her. She's thrown off balance by Gage's desire to get to know who she is.

Gage is equally interesting. I loved watching him wrestle with his lust and with his desire for more from Sable. Their scenes together are both hot and moving. He's sweet, sexy, and sigh-worthy.

The story slowed down a bit for me--not because of a plot issue, but because my internal editor kept stopping at sentences that needed commas. Still, I enjoyed the unique story and plan to see what else White has written.