Heidi Reviews Chris Cleave's novel Little Bee

Heidi Cheramie
Little Bee Review
Chris Cleave-Author

LITTLE BEE REVIEW

Little Bee is an emotional, heartrending read. The main character Little Bee is an incredible, memorable girl with an astounding way of looking at life. She is a sixteen year old Nigerian refugee whom we first meet in a British immigration detention center. Little Bee has spent two years of her young life there.

Sarah is an editor of a British fashion magazine, married to a journalist with a four year old child named Charlie. These two women’s lives collide on a Nigerian beach one fateful day and what occurs on that beach isn’t revealed until half way through the book. The way Chris Cleave builds up to revealing what occurred keeps the reader turning the pages in anticipation.

This is a book that divides readers--either you are going to find this a book about people’s souls, their ethical and moral decisions or a novel that has some unlikable characters that irritate. Surprisingly I found it to be both. However, the character Little Bee made this book special for me. Her witty perspective of the world is truthful, raw, wry and sometimes amusing.

Both women, Little Bee and Sarah are interesting but I kept longing for the chapters that were in Little Bee’s voice. Sarah’s neurosis and her way of dealing with her husband, lover and son often frustrated me but she had an inner strength that I admired. Personally I found her four year old son, Charlie who always wears a batman outfit too babyish for his age. Her lover, Lawrence appeared shallow and insensitive to me.

This is a novel that made me think hard about many world issues. The dark politics of oil, the treatment of refugees, the state of detention centers and the cruelty of men. This book made me feel overwhelming empathy for the plight of refugees and it also made me uncomfortable. It made me question my strength and what I would be willing to do for a stranger. What any of us would do for someone other than our family?

I don’t want to give away any of the plot of Little Bee. It is important to read the book fresh with no idea of the circumstances that bring Sarah and Little Bee together. I recommend this novel to everyone. It will make you experience many emotions and make you think about your place in the world.
I give it 4 Stars! Happy Reading!

Product Details

Paperback
Author: Chris Cleave
Publisher: Simon & Schuste (2010)
ASIN: B003OIRQ7U

Tuesday's featured poem.. The Day is Done.. By. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The day is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.

I see the lights of the village
Gleam through the rain and the mist,
And a feeling of sadness comes o'er me
That my soul cannot resist:

A feeling of sadness and longing,
That is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
As the mist resembles the rain.

Come, read to me some poem,
Some simple and heartfelt lay,
That shall soothe this restless feeling,
And banish the thoughts of day.

Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
Through the corridors of Time,

For, like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life's endless toil and endeavor;
And tonight I long for rest.

Read from some humbler poet,
Whose songs gushed from his heart,
As showers from the clouds of summer,
Or tears from the eyelids start;

Who, through long days of labor,
And nights devoid of ease,
Still heard in his soul the music
Of wonderful melodies.

Such songs have a power to quiet
The restless pulse of care,
And comes like the benediction
That follows after prayer.

Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice,
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice.

And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Review: Her Heart His Soul.. by. Kari Thomas

Tawania

Review: Her Heart His Soul

Author: Kari Thomas

From the back of the book...

Antique Book Dealer Sara Winters has been searching for a rare book that may not even exist, her obsession taking her all over the world. When her father mysteriously dies, she returns home and immediately is involved in a battle between good and evil, with the fabled book the main catalyst to win for either side. Her saviour from a demon attack is a rare, unique being himself. 

Drake Domitaine is a warrior. Half angel, half demon, he battles the demons and fights constantly against his soul becoming completely evil in the end. If the battle between good and evil is lost to the demon side, Drake's angel soul is forfeit. Sara is his only hope for salvation. But Sara isn't willing to risk her life and her heart to a being who is not human and can never be with her in the end.

 Racing against time and a Prophecy that has an uncertain end, Sara and Drake find themselves falling in love and wondering what will happen when the battle for good and evil is finished, and the battle for her heart, his soul, is finally decided. 

Review

Sara has had visions all her life, after her eighteenth birthday she starts having visions of the book. Finding the book is like an obsession to Sara, and her father finances her expeditions all over the world. Sara has a vision of her fathers murder, but returns home to late to save him. She knows the cover story her father's lab gave her concerning his death is a lie. Sara had already seen the truth in her mind. Sara is attacked while on the hunt for her fathers killer, she is saved by an extraordinary man, who is not really a man, but an Angel Demon Warrior.

Drake, and twelve other Angel warriors are sent to the earth plane centuries ago to fight demons. When they arrived on the earth plane they were tricked into inhabiting human bodies that are corrupted by demon DNA. The corrupted bodies causes the Angels DNA to change, and the Angel Warriors are trapped in the half demon bodies constantly fighting the demon half of themselves.

Drake has been watching Sara since she first dreamed of the book, he has been protecting her from afar and never approached her before. He was trying to keep his distance, but he cannot anymore. Drake has to be honest with Sara, she is the only salvation for him and his men. The only chance for them to defeat the evil in the world and the evil inside each of them.

I really liked this book, Ms Thomas has written a novel that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I literally couldn't put the book down, and kept turning pages until I finished it. This book had all the elements that makes a book a good read. A sexy tortured Angel fighting for good, sadistic demons bent on world domination, a psychic book collector with the potential to save the world, and A few Vampires thrown in to keep it interesting. The secondary characters were intriguing as well. I loved the relationship between Drake and Sara, It was romantic, passionate, and sexy. I also liked the fact that FAITH played a big part in the hero & heroines adventure together. This story had some heart breaking revelations, and it lifted me up in the end.

If you want to read a sexy paranormal involving battles between Angels and Demons with a few Vampires thrown in, then this is definitely the book for you. I loved it!!

****4 1/2 stars 

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: BookStrand Publishing (June 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606013602
• ISBN-13: 978-1606013601
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches

Review: Farthest Space - The Wrath of Jan.. By. Ellen Fisher

Tawania

Review: Farthest Space: The Wrath Of Jan

Author: Ellen Fisher

From the back of the book...

Captain Steven T. McNeill, famous explorer and even more famous playboy, finds himself stranded on an remote planet, alone except for his gorgeous, lavender-haired first officer Vaish and a neurotic computer named Fred.

Steven has worked with Vaish for years, yet never really noticed her. But as they face deadly dangers that include the threat of starvation and large, hungry saber-toothed cats, Steven begins to realize how much he admires Vaish's mental and physical attributes.

The galaxy's biggest playboy can't really fall in love... can he?

Review

This was a short fun book to read, I literally stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. There were a lot of funny references to Galaxy Quest, Stargate, and several other sci_fi movies. I really had a fun time reading it.

Captain Steven T. McNeill has a reputation as a sexy handsome playboy and womanizer throughout the galaxy. His womanizing ways causes him to be distracted at a critical moment, and he loses control of his ship. The captain is marooned on a uninhabited planet with his sexy second in command Vaish, and his sentient computer known as FRED. Steven is very easy going and doesn't realize exactly how much trouble they are in, and he definitely can't stop thinking about his sexy lieutenant. Steven never realized how much he depended on Vaish, or the feelings he has developed for her over time.

Vaish is thoroughly frustrated and disgusted in her captain, they wouldn't be in the predicament they're in if he wasn't always chasing women. She has watched him lay with all kinds of women throughout the galaxy for five years, and he never once noticed anything womanly about her. To make things worse Vaish has been harboring feelings for the captain, and is disgusted with herself for even entertaining those kinds of thoughts about him. Now they are stranded on this planet possibly for the rest of their natural lives, and Vaish isn't sure she will be able to resist the handsome captain.

Steven and Vaish must work together to try to get off the planet,reclaim their ship, and rescue the crew. It doesn't help that there are giant man eating felines roaming around on the surface, and to make things worse Steven has an enemy from his past stalking them.

 Steven was a strong character with the same flaws as any other human male. He was sexy, funny, caring, and very likable. Vaish was a strong character as well, I could definitely understand her frustration with Stephen. I could also understand why she was fighting her attraction to him, while I was hoping they got together. Vaish has special talents of her own, and they come in handy while they are trying to escape the planet.

If you like sexy Sci-fi/futuristic romances with a lot of humor included, you will definitely love this book. I Did!!

****4stars

Product Details

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 139 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B003L780GA

It's Thursday... What are you reading?

Hi All,

It's Thursday again, and time for my weekly reading update. Can you believe June is almost over? Seriously these days are flying by, if I don't stop and catch my breath the month will have passed right by me.

So... This is what I'm reading this week....

Farthest Space: The Wrath of Jan.. by: Ellen Fisher

From the back of the book...

Captain Steven T. McNeill, famous explorer and even more famous playboy, finds himself stranded on an remote planet, alone except for his gorgeous, lavender-haired first officer Vaish and a neurotic computer named Fred.


Steven has worked with Vaish for years, yet never really noticed her. But as they face deadly dangers that include the threat of starvation and large, hungry saber-toothed cats, Steven begins to realize how much he admires Vaish's mental and physical attributes.

The galaxy's biggest playboy can't really fall in love... can he?

I have to admit I'm on page 110 of this book, and I am LOVING IT! I can't wait to find out what happens. Ms. Fisher has created a story that keeps you hooked from the first paragraph. I'm totally excited to be reading this book.

I am also reading..

Kiss Me Deadly (Silhouette Nocturne) by: Michele Hauf

From the back of the book...

Death cocktail is what the vampires call a witch's blood. It's poisonous a drop will destroy a vampire within minutes. Nikolaus Drake is the rare vampire who has survived his first taste. Now he's on the hunt for the witch who almost brought him to his demise -- Ravin Crosse.


A witch who spends her nights hunting vampire tribes, Ravin has three obligations to fulfill to set her soul free. One of those obligations crafting a love spell twists her world upside down when Nikolaus draws the spell from her veins. Natural enemies rarely make the best bedfellows but is it possible their intentions are really, truly the same? Can Nikolaus's tribal loyalty survive if he surrenders to desires far darker than his own?

I had started reading this book, then I lost it so I started reading something else. I finally found it in the trunk of my car (I so don't know how it got in there), so I picked it back up. This is the first book I have read by Michele Hauf, but it certainly seems promising and I can't wait to dive back in.

So.. That's my Rundown for this week..

What Are You Reading?

Review: Kept (Blood Lust, Novella 1) by. Zoe Winters

Tawania
Review: Blood Lust
Author: Zoe Winters

The First Novella in the paranormal romance Blood Lust Anthology by Zoe Winters

Heat Level: Sensuality. Brief, non-graphic sex.

The Blurb

As a cat therian (shifter), Greta's blood is already sought-after to enhance spells and potions, but due to a quirk of her birth, her blood is potent enough to kill for. For centuries cat therians have sought shelter with magic users, giving rise to tales of the cat as the witch's familiar. When her tribe plans to sacrifice her, Greta must ally herself with Dayne, the dangerous local sorcerer who is the only person strong enough to protect her.

Review

I don't usually read novellas unless its in a series I am already reading. I picked this one up, because it was .99cents and I was looking for a quick read to download on my Blackberry.


This story had so much potential, a well thought out plot, and interesting characters, but it just didn't deliver for me.
Greta is a Therian, or werecat, and just days away from her 28th birthday. Greta stumbles upon a plot that will have her being sacrificed due to the circumstances of her birth. She is warned by her mother that she is in danger, and needs to seek shelter with the only magical being powerful enough to protect her.

Dayne is a very old sorcerer, and is believed to be evil by all the werefolk, and vampires in the region.He uses their blood to power his spells, but usually orders it on the Internet. Dayne doesn't trust the Therians or other magical creatures because of some past betrayals. He wants nothing to do with helping any Therian, but when Greta ends up on his door step seeking help he doesn't trust her, but can't turn her away.

The relationship between Greta and Dayne is cute, she keeps forgetting to take her mating heat suppressant pills, and he has to give her the sex she needs to make it through the heat. The flaw in these scenes are, the author builds up the sex scene, and then doesn't deliver on it. It was so frustrating to read! I mean why start the foreplay and then axe the scene? It was hard to connect with the characters emotionally, because all their walls were back up after the non existent sex scene.

The world building was believable, and the secondary characters were likable besides the villain. There are two more novellas in this series, I don't believe I will be reading them tho. I have to admit I like the sex scenes in my romance novels, I like the emotional build up that comes with them. I think if Ms. Winters expands on these scenes, and her character development this series could be something special.

All in all the novella was a good read and I did stay interested in the story line, I was just disappointed in the execution. I am reconsidering reading the second novella, to see if the author has expanded on the above mentioned issues I had with the book. I did like the story line after all.

2**1/2 Stars

THE BLOOD LUST SERIES:


*Kept (Blood Lust Novella Book 1)        
*Claimed (Blood Lust Novella Book 2)
*Mated (Blood Lust Novella Book 3)

Product Details

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 123 KB
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: IncuBooks (November 25, 2008)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B001M5TE1I

Tuesday's featured poem... Dust.. By. Rupert Brook

Dust

When the white flame in us is gone,

And we that lost the world's delight

Stiffen in darkness, left alone

To crumble in our separate night;

When your swift hair is quiet in death,

And through the lips corruption thrust

Has stilled the labour of my breath -- -

When we are dust, when we are dust! -- -

Not dead, not undesirous yet,

Still sentient, still unsatisfied,

We'll ride the air, and shine, and flit,

Around the places where we died,

And dance as dust before the sun,

And light of foot, and unconfined,

Hurry from road to road, and run

About the errands of the wind.

And every mote, on earth or air,

Will speed and gleam, down later days,

And like a secret pilgrim fare

By eager and invisible ways,

Nor ever rest, nor ever lie,

Till, beyond thinking, out of view,

One mote of all the dust that's I

Shall meet one atom that was you.

Then in some garden hushed from wind,

Warm in a sunset's afterglow,

The lovers in the flowers will find

A sweet and strange unquiet grow

Upon the peace; and, past desiring,

So high a beauty in the air,

And such a light, and such a quiring,

And such a radiant ecstasy there,

They'll know not if it's fire, or dew,

Or out of earth, or in the height,

Singing, or flame, or scent, or hue,

Or two that pass, in light, to light,

Out of the garden, higher, higher. . . .

But in that instant they shall learn

The shattering ecstasy of our fire,

And the weak passionless hearts will burn

And faint in that amazing glow,

Until the darkness close above;

And they will know -- - poor fools, they'll know! -- -

One moment, what it is to love.

Rupert Brook

Review: Star Raiders... By. Elysa Hendricks

Heidi Cheramie
Star Raiders Review

STAR RAIDERS

I like futuristic novels. Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, and Torchwood are my favorite T.V. shows. So I was drawn to this book after reading the back cover. This is Elysa Hendricks second futuristic and I will definitely read her first book.

Star Raiders is the story of Shyanne Kedar and Greyson Dane. They were lovers ten years ago before Greyson betrayed her. Greyson is a law enforcer who was an undercover agent for the Earth Leagues Anti Smuggling/Piracy Bureau (ASP). He captured Shyanne’s smuggler father after using her to get to him. Shyanne escaped and has taken over her fathers smuggling operation.

Ten years later Greyson leaves his desk job to go undercover again. This time his plan must succeed to save humanity but he will have to betray Shyanne again and lose the only woman he has ever loved. Greyson is an interstellar lawman who sees things in black and white. He believes in the Consortium and control and order. I liked him more as he begins to loosen up later in the book and becomes more flexible. Shyanne is a tough leader of a ragtag crew but is sensitive with a kind heart.

Shyanne’s crew captures Greyson but he offers them a deal. They will be pardoned for their crimes if they assist him in catching Simon Dempster, a man who also wants Shyanne. Dempster is an interesting and quite evil villain. Greyson’s deal is not as upfront as Shyanne believes but she has a few secrets of her own.

I really enjoyed that almost all the action in this book takes place on a spaceship and there are many exciting, space battles. The romance is smoldering and the history between the characters makes the relationship more interesting.

Elysa Hendricks has several very intriguing secondary characters and I hope we will see them in later books. I especially hope a book is written about ‘s Greyson’s friend, Carter and Shyanne’s adopted brother, Dane. There are some great aliens in the book including a crew member called Silky who is a giant cat.

This is a fun read with several plot twists and exciting battles and sexy love scenes. Something for everyone! I give it 4 stars. Happy Reading!

Product Details
Author: Elysa Hendricks
Mass Market Paperback: 286 pages
Publisher: Love Spell; Original edition (March 30, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0505528185
ISBN-13: 978-0505528186
Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches

What are you Reading? I would love to know...

I missed out on doing my Thursday What are you reading post, so I decided to post it today. Soo... This is what I'm reading this week.

Into the Dark: The Darkest Fire\The Amazon's Curse\The Darkest Prison by. Gena Showalter.

From the back of the book...

Three otherworldly tales from the master of paranormal romance…and a brand-new Lords of the Underworld bonus guide!


The Darkest Fire—a Lords of the Underworld prequel

Geryon is the guardian of hell, more monster than man. Kadence is the goddess of Oppression, more angel than woman. Together they will enter the flames to battle a dangerous horde of demon lords—and discover a passion unlike any other.

The Amazon's Curse—a tale of Atlantis

Zane, a fierce vampire warrior, has been enslaved by the Amazons. Nola, a lovely Amazon soldier, has been cursed with invisibility. Now, these two stubborn enemies must overcome the pasts that haunt them and embrace a love that can set them free….

The Darkest Prison—a Lords of the Underworld tale

Once, Atlas, the Titan god of Strength, was the Greek goddess Nike's slave. Now, he is her master. And soon these sworn rivals destined to destroy each other will be forced to risk everything for a chance at love….

I love Gena Showalter's Lord of The Underworld Series, and her Atlantis series. I am very excited to be reading this book. I just started it, so I'm on page 61.







The next book I received that I plan on starting as soon as I finish Into the Dark is..

Never Love A Stranger by Ellen Fisher

From the back of the book...

A hero like no other...


One seemingly ordinary evening, Annie Simpson finds an extremely gorgeous (and totally nude) man in her kitchen. When James tells her he’s an escaped criminal from the future, she figures he’s crazy. Before long Annie and James are running for their lives, and Annie’s falling for James in a big way. But now they have to find a way to change the future before fifty million people die...



This is a new author for me, this book was recommended to me by a good friend. I was told by said friend that I had to read this book. I will definitely let you guys know how it turns out.





Soo.. That's my rundown for this week...

What are you reading? I would love to know!

Review: One and Only (Brother Hood Of Blood Book 1) By. Bianca D'Arc

The blurb...


A deadly crash changes the fate of one lonely vampire.

Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1

Vampire enforcer Atticus Maxwell stands at the edge of his own oblivion…until the faint heartbeat of a desperately wounded mortal woman calls him back. The terrible crash that almost took both their lives has brought him a charming, intriguing woman who just might give him a reason to live again.
Lissa was headed for a conference at a resort in a last-ditch attempt to find a job. Instead, on a rain-slick mountain road that almost killed her, she finds the love of her life. A love with the most eligible, reclusive vineyard owner in Napa Valley—one that isn’t quite human.

No barrier—not even breaking the news to Lissa’s friends—seems too great to hold back their blossoming love. Until they learn the accident that brought them together wasn’t an accident at all, but a murder attempt by an unknown enemy.

Atticus saved Lissa once. Can he keep her that way in the face of a renewed threat?


REVIEW:

This book was a novella, and a short read. Atticus is a vampire enforcer who is tired of his never ending existence, he is confident that after all these years he will never find his one & only. The one woman who can save his soul and make his life complete. Atticus decides to take a last minute trip on a shuttle bus that he knows is not safe, but he's beyond caring about what happens to himself.

Lissa is more then a little psychic, she is used to her gift, and usually listens to it. Lissa knows that she shouldn't get on that shuttle bus, the feeling off dread and doom is overwhelming but she is helpless to stop. Lissa has to follow that handsome man, she can't help herself even as she realizes how truly unsafe this ride is going to be.

When the shuttle bus goes over a cliff Atticus is severely wounded, and contemplating just letting it all end. Then he hears a faint heartbeat, and realizes it's the intriguing woman he hasn't been able to stop thinking about since she got on the bus. Atticus decides to save her and himself.

Atticus and Lissa are instantly attracted to each other, they start learning of each other and realize that they have a psychic connection. They also start putting pieces together and realize that the bus crash was no accident but sabotage, now they just need to figure out which one of them was the target.

This story was a good, but confusing at times. The story was strong but had some holes in the plot. I definitely thought that Atticus, and Lissa fell in love/lust way to fast. I mean seriously, they had sex and was in love right after they survived the crash. The sex was hot, and very frequent. It seem like every time they were in a room together they were going at it. Atticus & Lissa's characters were strong and memorable, I liked them. I just wish there was more of a back story on each of them, then maybe I would understand them more. I think this was a good story to begin the series with, and I hope that there are more character development in the next book in this series. Oh, and there is a cliff hanger at the end of the story that will make you want to scream. I am sure I will be reading the next installment in the Brother Hood Of Blood just to find out what happens next.

2 1/2

Product Details

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 107 KB
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (November 7, 2008)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B001KC6X7G

Tuesday's featured poem.. Music in the Night .. By. Harriet Prescott Spoffor.

When stars pursue their solemn flight,

Oft in the middle of the night,

A strain of music visits me,

Hushed in a moment silverly,--

Such rich and rapturous strains as make

The very soul of silence ache

With longing for the melody;

Or lovers in the distant dusk

Of summer gardens, sweet as musk,

Pouring the blissful burden out,

The breaking joy, the dying doubt;

Or revellers, all flown with wine,

And in a madness half divine,

Beating the broken tune about;

Or else the rude and rolling notes

That leave some strolling sailors' throats,

Hoarse with the salt sprays, it may be,

Of many a mile of rushing sea;

Or some high-minded dreamer strays

Late through the solitary ways,

Nor heeds the listening night, nor me.

Or how or whence those tones be heard,

Hearing, the slumbering soul is stirred,

As when a swiftly passing light

Startles the shadows into flight;

While one remembrance suddenly

Thrills through the melting melody,--

A strain of music in the night.

Out of the darkness burst the song,

Into the darkness moves along:

Only a chord of memory jars,

Only an old wound burns its scars,

As the wild sweetness of the strain

Smites the heart with passionate pain,

And vanishes among the stars.

Harriet Prescott Spoffor

Guest Reviewer Brandi Ziglar-Jones Reviews Nalini Singh's Slave To Sensation

Brandi Ziglar Jones

Review: Slave to Sensation

Author: Nalini Singh

Slave to Sensation is Nalini Singh’s first novel in the Psy-Changeling series. The series has eight books currently available for purchase with the ninth coming out sometime this year.

I’ll admit at first I was very reluctant to give this book a try. I started on Singh’s Guild Hunter Series last year and I was less than impressed. I had already written her off, when one of my close friends told me that Slave to Sensation was totally different and I just had to give this book a try. I couldn’t imagine one of her earlier works being any better than her newer works but one day out of sheer boredom I decided to give this book a try.

I couldn’t put it down! I was hooked and finished the book in one day, all the while wondering to myself how did she manage to make this book so interesting and fresh when the Guild series is so blah?!?

Lucas’ and Sascha’s story is like no other. Singh has successfully refreshed a genre that can get boring and tedious after a while. The Psy is a race who adheres to a strict code of Silence. Silence was instituted to stamp out emotions such as rage in an effort to help their people prosper. Silence was so effective that it managed to erase all other emotion, rendering the Psy an emotionless race whose only concern is money and technology. All Psy are linked by the NetWeb a sort of internet for the mind, without this link they could die, but this link can also be dangerous as it can expose Psy that are having mental break downs. In the Psy-Changeling world a Psy that begins to show emotion is considered broken, and let’s just say it is not a happy ending for Psy that are defective. Sascha is a cardinal Psy who has yet to see the extent of her full power. Each Psy has a designation and Sascha, at 28 still does not know which Psy category she falls in to. Lucas’ is the Alpha of the Dark River clan, a pack of leopards that have integrated themselves in to the human/Psy world. He and Sascha meet because of a business deal that the Psy are trying to complete with the leopards. Lucas is interested in more than just a business deal, he has reason to believe that a Psy is responsible for a number of Changeling deaths and he intends to find out what he can about the murders. However things change for Lucas upon meeting Sascha and Sascha begins to feel things that no Psy is ever suppose to feel….

Pros of this book

Nalini is an author that is very aware of her surroundings. It is 2010 and many people are of mixed heritage and culture. I love the fact that she always has a very diverse cast of characters in her books.

The characters are believable. I believed that Sascha was an emotionless droid who was beginning to crack. In a rare turn of events, I would say that almost every character added to the book.

The story flowed well. I believe that Singh did an excellent job with integrating me in to the Psy-Changeling world while still managing to keep the attention on Sascha and Lucas’ love story.

The love scenes were HOT! At the end of the day it is a romance book and if the sex scenes aren’t steamy the book would be a flop. This is no problem for Singh! Lucas is hot, Sascha is hot and together they are even hotter! I was captivated by a cold emotionless Psy’s descent in to pure abandon. It was choreographed to perfection!

Not the same old romance story. Sascha was not just from a different clan or race, she was literally worlds apart from Lucas. Seeing how their romance developed was interesting and new. It was definitely not your typical rigmarole love story and it was absolutely captivating, my favorite aspect of the book.

The ending was satisfying. Without giving a way to much, one of the huge barriers between Sascha and Lucas was that no Psy could live without the NetWeb, but no Psy could live in the NetWeb while feeling emotion. Problem, how do we get Sascha out of the NetWeb so that we can be together? I thought that Singh resolved this well and while I won’t say “I was completely shocked” I will say that it wrapped up nicely.

Cons of this book

Singh’s writing. Don’t get me wrong, the story flowed and the book was interesting but Singh has a penchant to go off on a tangent about how great the characters are. I would rather be shown than told. She did a good enough job showing me the characters were great, so it was just confusing why she felt she had to shove it down my throat!

Plot. Some romance writers have a talent for integrating an actual plot in to their love stories. Singh is not one of those writers. The plot was secondary to the story and truthfully it was very weak. I didn’t mind though because this love story was different. I honestly didn’t need the thinly veiled plot because I was totally engrossed in Sascha and Lucas’ love story.

Staminia? While I loved this book and find it engrossing as well as endearing, this series currently has nine books and I have no idea how she is going to keep this series as fresh, hot and different as the first book.

Bottom Line. No matter how you feel about Singh or this genre this book is an absolute must read!

I give it 5 stars!

Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley (September 5, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425212866
ISBN-13: 978-0425212868
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches


 

Review: Dream Thief... By. Shana Abe'

Heidi Cheramie

The Dream Thief Review
Shana Abe’-Author

THE DREAM THIEF

The Dream Thief is the second fantasy romance in the Dra’kon series by Shana Abe’. Each of the Dra’kon books is a stand alone book but the characters do flow from book to book. These are fascinating stories and the society of shape shifting creatures that can shift from human to dragon and back again are bewitching.

The Dream Thief is the story of Lady Amalia Langford, daughter of the drak’on clan’s Alpha. Also it is Zane’s story, the King of the Thieves who is quite prosperous. Zane is the only human who knows about the Dra’kon’s. The dra’kon of Darkfirth have used his abilities many times in the past to assist them.

Zane is an interesting hero who can go either way. He is a thief who loves what he does, and has endured a horrendous childhood that taught him to survive by his wits and his skills. He can become dark or light.

Amalia is a dra’kon who is a disappointment to herself. A dragon princess unable to shift that feels she has no abilities. However Amalia can hear the future. That future rests in the hands of the thief, Zane. Amalia, also can hear the haunting ballad of the dreaming diamond called the Draumr. This gem has the power to enslave the dra’kon. The future Amalia hears can go two ways and her future is full Zane. Amalia runs away from her clan to help Zane find and steal the legendary dreaming diamond. Whoever possesses the diamond can control the dragon shifting people. In one future Zane is Amalia’s ally and in another he is her overlord. But in both futures he is her lover. As the Draumr sings her a haunting ballad, Zane and Amalia embark on a dangerous quest to retrieve the gem. Zane for money and power. Amalia for her life.

This is a wonderful romantic fantasy that takes us on an exciting adventure to many exotic places including the Carpathian Mountains. The closed world of the dragon society in 19th century England with it’s rigid rules and punishments also flavors this series. I would definitely read the Dra’kon series in order beginning with the Smoke Thief. Presently Shana Abe’ has completed the fifth book is this enthralling series and I will read every one. I encourage everyone to indulge themselves in this wonderful fantasy world of shape shifting dragons-the Drakon Society! Happy reading! I give this book 4 1/2 stars



Product Details


Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Bantam (August 28, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0553588052

ISBN-13: 978-0553588057

Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.3 x 1 inches

It's Thursday... What are you reading?

Hi All,
Let me tell you, this week is flying by. I'm scared to turn my head or the week might just pass me. So.. I got some new books this week, but I haven't had a chance to start reading them yet. The two books I am reading were requested for me to review. I really don't like reading two books at once, because I feel like each book should be savored. Sadly in the book reviewing world you have to make sacrifices to get the job done. This week I am reading two new books by authors that are new to me. One of the books I am reading is a m/m werewolf book, this will be my first venture into the m/m world. I am hoping there will be no permanent damage to my psyche from this adventure. I have faith in myself tho, and If you want to do what I do you have to be open to any and all aspects of Romance. I am actually excited about reading it, and very grateful to the author for thinking of me to review her book. So... This is what I'm reading.....

Pack Of Lies.. by. Vanessa Vaughn

The blurb...

When Jack is attacked by a powerful werewolf one moonlit night, his world is forever changed.


Marcus is that wolf, the strong leader of his pack, who never imagined a mere mortal could ever escape him, much less ever become one of his kind. And yet, as time passes, he can't deny the handsome human is slowly beginning to change.

No longer the civilized architect he used to be, Jack feels a new power coalescing inside of him. He barely even recognizes himself as he becomes more sexual, more impulsive, more wild in every way.
But as the bite transforms him, it also binds he and his attacker together forever. The two share a powerful unbreakable link, no matter how forcefully they may each try to deny it.

Marcus is already hiding secrets from the other wolves, and his position as Alpha is threatened. Could Jack be the new ally Marcus needs to set things right, or will their desire for one another draw them away from all they know and alter the course of their lives forever?

Title: Pack Of Lies

Author: Vanessa Vaughn
Genre: Paranormal M/M Erotic Romance
Publisher: Ravenous Romance
ISBN: 13-9781607773399

The 2nd book I am also reading is...

One And Only.. by. Bianca D'Arc


The blurb...

A deadly crash changes the fate of one lonely vampire.


Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1

Vampire enforcer Atticus Maxwell stands at the edge of his own oblivion…until the faint heartbeat of a desperately wounded mortal woman calls him back. The terrible crash that almost took both their lives has brought him a charming, intriguing woman who just might give him a reason to live again.

Lissa was headed for a conference at a resort in a last-ditch attempt to find a job. Instead, on a rain-slick mountain road that almost killed her, she finds the love of her life. A love with the most eligible, reclusive vineyard owner in Napa Valley—one that isn’t quite human.

No barrier—not even breaking the news to Lissa’s friends—seems too great to hold back their blossoming love. Until they learn the accident that brought them together wasn’t an accident at all, but a murder attempt by an unknown enemy.

Atticus saved Lissa once. Can he keep her that way in the face of a renewed threat?

Genre: Red Hots!, Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 978-1-60504-264-0
Length: Novella
Price: 3.50
Publication Date: November 7, 2008
Cover art by Angela Waters


Well.... That's my rundown for this week...

So... What are you reading? 

Follower Appreciation Giveaway Winners! And the winners are...

First I just want to say thank you to all of my followers. I love doing this blog, and all of you make it worth while for me. I went from 35 followers to 71 followers, and that's amazing to me. I had a lot of fun putting this giveaway together, and I can't wait to do a bigger and better one sometime soon.

So without further ado... Here are the winners of my first follower appreciation giveaway!

And the winners are.... (Insert Drum Roll)

International Winner of... A gift bag full of swag, and a book of their choice up to $10 from the book depository is.....


Miss Bohemia ~ Who said.... You know I love your blog & book choices :-)

Great giveaway & I'm so glad it's international yay!

US or Canadian winner of.... 2 books of their choice up to $10 a piece from Amazon or the Book Depository is.....


Melissa (yabookshelf) ~ Who said.... Great contest! I'm a Canadian follower (#47).


US or Canadian winner of.... A bag of swag & a book of their choice up to $10 from Amazon or the Book Depository is.....

mbreakfield ~ Who said.... Great giveaway. I enjoy swag almost as much as the actual books. I have a special fondness for tote bags, pens, and note pads. I'm weird like that.

Congratulations to the winners!!! I will be emailing you soon to work out the details.

Thanks to everyone who participated!!

I will definitely be holding another giveaway soon. See ya around the blogosphere :))

Tuesday's Featured Poem: When You Wake From Troubled Slumbers.. By: Mathilde Blind

When you wake from troubled slumbers


With a dream-bewildered brain,

And old leaves which no man numbers

Chattering tap against the pane;

And the midnight wind is wailing

Till you very life seems quailing

As the long gusts shudder and sigh:

Know you not that homeless cry

Is my love's, which cannot die,

Wailing through Eternity?



When beside the glowing embers,

Sitting in the twilight lone,

Drop on drop you hear November's

Melancholy monotone,

As the heavy rain comes sweeping,

With a sound of weeping, weeping,

Till your blood is chilled with fears;

Know you not those falling tears,

Flowing fast through years on years,

For my sobs within your ears?



When with dolorous moan the billows

Surge around where, far and wide,

Leagues on leagues of sea-worn hollows

Throb with thunders of the tide,

And the weary waves in breaking

Fill you, thrill you, as with aching

Memories of our love of yore,

Where you pace the sounding shore,

Hear you not, through roll and roar,

Soul call soul for evermore?


~Mathilde Blind~

Follower Appreciation Giveaway Update

Hi All,

I know everyone is expecting this to be a winners announcement, and I'm very sorry that its not. Due to technical difficulties my winners post will not be posted until tomorrow June 8th. I'm very sorry about this, but its really out of my control. Apparently someone started digging in my neighborhood without a permit or permission. They cut through our cable wires, so there goes our broad band internet service. They say it will be up and running tomorrow. Regardless the winners will be posted and notified tomorrow no matter what. I have a back up plan, just in case the cable company is wrong. In case you,re wondering how I'm able to post this message, I will tell you. I'm posting this message from my blackberry, unfortunately I can't do what I need to do to choose & post winners from it. I want everything to be fair, so I will be using random.org to choose the winners, and no matter how hard I tried it just wouldn't work out on my blackberry. So.. Please be looking for my winners post tomorrow.

Tawania

Review: Burning Wild... by. Christine Feehan

From the back of the book....

Born into a world of twisted monsters, Jake Bannaconni is shaped and molded into a cold, revenge driven man. Honed in the fires of hell, he controls his world and rules with an iron hand. He has everything and anything money can buy. He’s ruthless, merciless and is considered a man to be left alone. His hidden legacy, that of a shape shifter, makes him doubly dangerous in the corporate world.

Emma Reynolds is a woman who knows how to love and love well. When their two worlds collide, Jake’s plans for a complete take over, may just come tumbling down.


REVIEW:

I am a big fan of Christine Feehan's Dark series, but it was her book Wild Rain that made me start reading them. It was one of the first paranormals I ever read and it  helped me get hooked on the genre. I was so hoping that Mrs. Feehan would follow up with the Leopard people, and now that she finally have I am not disappointed. While  Wild Rain was light hearted and Fun, this book is the total opposite and shows the dark side of love. Again, I am not disappointed. This book is a perfect example of how an authors writing can grow and expand.

Jake is a shapeshifter who was bred by his parents only for his ability to shift, they want to control his leopard. From the moment of his birth they are cruel, uncaring, abusive parents. Jake is smart enough to keep his ability to shift a secret from them, even though they torture & abuse him for that very reason. The look that the author gives us in to his past, had me hating his parents and plotting their demise in my head. I felt very sorry for Jake, and sympathized with him. Jake grows up to be un feeling and cold towards the world believing that love isn't a real emotion. He is cruel, dangerous, domineering, and doesn't trust anyone in the world.

Enters Emma... Emma was caring and compassionate, she might have come off as weak and needy to some. I completely understood why Emma was the way she was. Emma found herself widowed, pregnant, and completely alone in the world. She has a secret past that no one knows about. I found Emma to be very strong. I loved the fact that Emma & Jake lived together for two years before anything transpired between them. It allowed them to become friends and understand each other. I also loved the fact that Emma taught Jake how to love, and receive love. He didn't even realize the emotion he was feeling was that. It was also great to see characters from Wild Rain in this book, I am curious to see how their stories turn out throughout this series.

All in all this was a very good read for me, this book isn't for everyone. The abuse that Jake suffers from his parents was heart wrenching. I was so happy for him at the end of this story, the sex scenes were a little harsh but it didn't dominate the story. I enjoyed this story, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next installment.

4****

Product Details


Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Jove; Original edition (April 28, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0515146234
ISBN-13: 978-0515146233
Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches

Review: Covet.. by. J.R. Ward

Heidi Cheramie

J.R.Ward-Author
Signet-Publisher

COVET REVIEW

Covet is the first book in the Fallen Angels series by J.R.Ward. I have never read a J.R. Ward book and I know there are lots of fans of her Black Dagger Brotherhood novels.

This book is about a fallen angel named Jim Heron. Jim is a former assassin posing as a carpenter. He is electrocuted on the job and goes to heaven. Heaven is a strange place in the clouds with a big castle and men playing croquet and drinking tea. The men/angels tell Jim he has to save the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins or the world ceases to exist. Jim isn’t sure he cares but they tell him his mother is in heaven and he should do it for her. Seriously?

Jim’s first soul to save is Vin di Pietro. I found this book interesting especially the first half and I liked Jim but it is poorly plotted. The romance is with the secondary characters, Vin diPietro and Marie-Terese. I felt these characters were stereotypical. Vin, the shady wealthy contractor and Marie-Terese the prostitute with a heart of gold. Really?? Vin had abusive, alcoholic parents and Marie-Terese had an abusive ex-husband and a child and the only way she could support herself was with prostitution. By the way she has a college degree in marketing. It was hard to care about these characters and they weren’t believable.

The most interesting characters were Eddie and Adrian, the fallen angels sent to help Jim. I enjoyed the brotherly camaraderie between all the men in this book. It was more interesting and felt more real than the romance between Vin and Marie-Terese.

It takes the reader a while to figure out who the villain is so I won’t name him or her and ruin it for the reader. I found this part of the book fun to read.

I know J.R. Ward is a very talented writer with many fans but this book was just not very good. I don’t think I will be reading the other six deadly sin novels but might give her Black Dagger Brotherhood a try.

I give this book 2 Stars.



Product Details


Mass Market Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Signet; Original edition (September 29, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451228219
ISBN-13: 978-0451228215
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches

It's Thursday... What are you reading?

I first want to say Thank you for all the heartfelt messages of condolences sent to me and my family during our time of loss. I really appreciated every one's prayers and support. I can honestly say that our community of bloggers and authors truly do stick together, and I am very proud to be a part of it.

This is what I am currently reading...

 Pleasure of A Dark Prince (Immortals After Dark) by. Kresley Cole

From the back of the book....

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY...

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her -- and those she loves.

AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED...

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED....

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness -- her wanton desire for him.

I love the IAD series, I know when I finish this book I will be panting for more. I am on page 67 right now, but I know I will be up into the wee hours of the morning trying to finish it.

I am also reading..

His Darkest Hunger by. Juliana Stone

From the back of the book...

Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he's finally found her. The hunt is over . . .


But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair, of her treachery, of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant, he game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.

But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine . . .

Ms. Stone is a new author for me, but I am very interesting to see how this story turns out. Stay tuned...