Review/ Twice Bitten/ Chloe Neill/ NAL

Title:  Twice Bitten - A Chicagoland Vampires Novel

Author:  Chloe Neill

Publisher:  NAL

Genre:  Paranormal

Publication Date:  July 6, 2010

Print ISBN: 978-0451230645

eBook ISBN:  978-1101456347

Length:  368 Pages

Format:  Print- Trade Size

Purchase:    Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 3)

Blurb:

Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.


My Review: 

The Chicagoland Vampire series continues to fascinate me, the characters are fantastic and the dialogue is sharp and witty.  In this installment the shapeshifters have come to Chicago to discuss their immediate future and whether or not they should "come out" to the public.  We also have a turning point in the relationship between newbie vampire Merit and Ethan, her master that takes place.  The plot moves at a good pace and I was completely captivated by the story. 

Merit is continuing to grow as a vampire, she's still somewhat uncomfortable with letting the "vampire" be in charge and is trying to retain as much of her humanity as possible, but she  realizes that in order to do her job as Sentinel for Cadogen house that she has no choice but to improve her skills.  At the beginning of the story her friendship with best friend Mallory is also under a bit of strain from the events that took place in Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 2), and she's also dealing with her "break-up" with Morgan, the head of Navarre House and her continued attraction to Ethan Sullivan her vampire master.

Ethan continues to be a contradiction as a vampire master, he's attracted to Merit on a romantic level, yet he continues to put politics and maneuvering above his or Merit's personal needs.  Ethan's backstory is also filled in some more and we also get additional history about Cadogen house and it's power structure.  In an effort to reach out to others and make allies, Ethan agrees to lend Merit's services to Gabrielle Keene, the leader of the North American Shapeshifters.

Gabrielle Keene and the 3 other pack leaders are meeting in Chicago to discuss the immediate and future plans for the Shapeshifter community- do they go home to their hidden base in Alaska or do they come out to humans and possibly ally themselves with the vampires?  I can't say enough about Gabrielle, he's uber sexy and I just loved every scene that he made an appearance in.  We also find out that there are unresolved issues between the vampires and the shapeshifters that have lead to some interesting prejudices amongst members of the two groups, something that they will need to overcome if they become allies.

The plot thickens as several attempts are made to kill Gabrielle prior to and during the shapeshifter meetings, we also see Ethan and Merit grow closer as they protect Gabrielle, which leads to a particular event that finally pushes Merit to mend fences with both Mallory and Catcher, Mallory's sorcerer boyfriend.   The end of the story resolves some of open storyline but leaves several situations open, including Merit and Ethan's relationship and where they will go next.  I have already pre-ordered the next book in this series Hard Bitten: A Chicagoland Vampires Novel.

My Rating:  5 out of 5 crowns

 

A Review/ The Sheriff's Surrender(Ladies Shooting Club)/ Susan Page Davis/ Barbour Books

Title:  The Sheriff's Surrender
Author:  Susan Page Davis 
Publisher:  Barbour Books
Genre:  Inspirational Romantic Mystery
Publication Date:  December 1, 2009
Print ISBN:  978-1602605626
eBook ISBN:  978-1607421382
Length:  320 Pages
Reviewer:  Veronica


Purchase:   Amazon 

Book Blurb:

Join the sassy ladies of Fergus, Idaho, as they protect their town in this quirky historical by award-winning author Susan Page Davis. A crime spree has divided the men in town, so Gert Dooley forms the Ladies’ Shooting Club to protect their businesses, homes, and families. But when one of their members is murdered, will these feisty gals have what it takes to find the killer before he strikes again? Will the new sheriff put the club out of work, or will he surrender his heart to one crack shot lady?



Veronica's Review:

The first in the Ladies’ Shooting Club series, The Sheriff’s Surrender is sure to delight anyone who likes a dash of romance and mystery thrown into inspirational, historical fiction.


The story is set in the Wild West. The plot is pretty straight-forward: a small town on the edge of the frontier is being plagued by violent crime, and the women are fed up. They decide to defend themselves, trained by the unglamorous old maid Gert, who happens to be a crack shot. The author, Susan Page Davis, keeps it interesting with some unexpected twists and turns to the plot, as well as having a mix of well-developed characters, and of course the light, but sincere, romance.


Author Davis is skilled at painting vivid scenes with just a few witty comments- one of the aspects of the book that I really appreciated. She also added enough cultural tension and ethical decisions to give the book an unusual depth for this genre. The women of the Ladies’ Shooting Club are not out to prove anything to anybody: they just want to feel more secure in their town. Nonetheless, some of the Town Fathers do not appreciate women running around with guns (they might hurt themselves!) and *gasp* actually leaving the home at all. The rest of the men in town have to decide if they are going to support their women or go along with the opinionated men.


On the other hand, the ladies have their own ethical quandaries: do they allow the unappealing homeless woman to shoot with them? How about the tavern girls? How about the tavern girls- wearing pants?!


Meanwhile, there is the mystery of who is perpetrating the violence, and what the criminal is after. And of course- the story ends with a bang.


Overall, a fun read, and I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.


Veronica's Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns

 

Magazines and Miscellaneous!

I like to look at magazines, mostly fashion...sometimes cooking ....and now some book type magazines.  I recently purchased a 2 year subscription to RT Book Reviews.  These are the same people that put on a large authors and readers convention every year (2011 will be in Los Angeles). 

I've just received my November 2010 issue and was really thrilled with the cover- since I've ordered the book that they've highlighted.  I'm a little behind on reading the series but I do love Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen Series because it combines mystery, romance and usually several good recipes.  How can you ask for more? 
  

I just recently started to acquire the Leslie Meier books to read too so this is a perfect anthology :)

So are you reading any magazines that have to do with books?  Inquiring minds want to know.

BANNED BOOK WEEK

So today is the start of "Banned Book Week", it's the week where the American Library Association draws attention to the most "Challenged" books that exist in our society today.  I never really thought much about this topic until I happened to glance at the list of books and was shocked by some of the books that I saw on the list.  The more I looked, the angrier I got. 

I applaud any parent who realizes that their child is not mature enough to handle certain topics but that should not mean that the book gets banned from public libraries- it might just need an age requirement in order to be checked out.

I'm going to highlight some of the books that I read when I was in grade school or high school that are now on the list:

1.  Mark Twain by Samuel Clemmons- I read this book and watched the Walt Disney movie when I was a young child.  While the language that is used in the book is not acceptable today, the book is worth reading.  This is something that I would let an older child read with a conversation of what is and isn't acceptable in our society and how we have grown and changed over the years.

2.  To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee- This is a fabulously written book and in my opinion is a cry to arms against the social injustice of racism and the evils that it perpetrates in our society.  The movie adaptation is fantastic and ranks twenty-fifth on the American Film Institutes 10th Anniversary List of the greatest American movies of all time. 

3.  Charlotte's Webb by E.B. White- I loved this book and can't even imagine what has caused this book to be on the list. 

4.  Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne-  Really, again no clue as to why this book would be on the banned or challenged list and all I can say is "Wake Up" people.

5.  Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell-  I'm assuming that this is banned due to the racism of the time but I found this book to be interesting and also a warning.  This is a book that I would recommend for older teens but still would not ban.

6.  The Lord Of The Rings by JRR Tolkien -  Again I have no idea why this book would be banned except that it is a fantasy based on folklore.  Seriously if you can't tell the difference between reality and fiction.....it's time to get a clue!

7.  The Call Of The Wild by Jack London-  While I personally found this to be a boring book to read, I certainly don't think it should be banned or challenged.  It's an interesting look at our American past.  Again this is a book for an older child- clearly not meant for someone who is not mature.

8.  Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier-  This is a fantastic book but again is meant for a mature reader.  The movie adaptation is also fantastic!

9.  The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hamett -  Another great classic meant for a mature reader.  Another fantastic film adaptation.

10.  The War Of The Worlds by H.G. Wells-  While this book was not necessarily my cup of tea, it too can be read by a mature reader.  There have been several adaptations of this book and while the version from the 1950's is very campy...I kinda like it.....

So be informed and read one of the banned books....I dare you! 

Here is a link to the American Library Association - just put Banned Books in their search engine to see everything that is going on this week 

American Library Association

Stand up for your right to read!

New Release Tuesday- What Are You Buying Today

So today there aren't as many books releasing and I'm only purchasing one this week

Blurb:

Furious at his grandmother s ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance, Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck and his heart at the card table against a most unlikely opponent.Mired in scandal after his parents mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans . . . and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.

Amazon

So what are you buying this week?   

A Review/ Harmonia's Kiss - A Dragonfire Novella/ Deborah Cooke/ Penguin

Title:  Harmonia's Kiss

Author:  Deborah Cooke

Publisher:  Penguin

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

eBook ISBN:  978-1101457030

Publication Date:  July 23, 2010

Length:  Novella (45 Pages)

Format:  eBook Only

Purchase:       Penguin     Amazon     Barnes and Noble

Book Blurb:

Enchanted for thousands of years, the shape-shifters known as the Dragon's Teeth Warriors have awakened to find the world a vastly different place. Their leader, concerned for their morale, dares to take them on a mission to confront the fullness of everything they've lost. Little does Drake realize that this dangerous mission will give him a renewed purpose. And if they succeed these Pyr will have to question everything they thought they knew about the past—and confront a quest for the future.

My Review: 

This is a very short novella whose focus is the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" that were released from their enchanted prison in the book Winter Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel (DRAGON FIRE NOVEL).  We are given the opportunity to discover more of the mythology behind this series and of the role that each group plays.  At this time the novella is only available in ebook format.

Drake is the leader of the rescued "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" , he's faced with the task of keeping his warriors together and deciding their involvement in the war between the Pyr and the Slayers.  He's also a man who's experiencing some depression and anger at what has happened to him and his men.  He knows that the world has changed dramatically since his imprisonment, his fear has promoted him to decide to take his warriors back to their home in Delphi in the hopes that once the men see that everything and everyone they knew is gone that they will be able to move on in this new life. 

Veronica is an American woman in Delphi looking for her missing husband, a soldier who had been sent on a secret mission.  When her path crosses the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" , Veronica provides purpose to Drake and his men and they are reminded of why they became warriors.  Her role is small but important in this short story.

The conclusion of the story lets us know what the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" have decided to do about their future and on whose side they will be joining the fight.  I really enjoyed this short novella and felt that it was a good bridge for these new characters which could end up being of pivotal importance to the war between good and evil.  I look forward to reading the next full book in this series, Whisper Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel (DRAGON FIRE NOVEL), which is currently out.

My Rating:  4 of 5 Crowns

                             

 

FTC Disclosure:  The book reviewed was purchased by the review site.