Duke of Shadows of Meredith Duran

2008 has been a great year in books overall and as the summer is upon us I realize there are so many more releases to look forward to. Also, it seems historical romance has improved greatly this year and one such author who has contributed to this is Meredith Duran. Duke of Shadows is Meredith’s freshman effort and I hope she will not become a one hit wonder in the publishing world. Did you known she won at Gather.com where they held a contest for unpublished romance novelists? Meredith submitted the first chapter of Duke of Shadows there and won a publishing contract. Most of us have found Joanna Bourne to be our historical romance savior and I can say that Meredith Duran should be placed on the same pedestal. If you haven’t read Duke of Shadows, you should. This is a wonderful book with a different setting, two wonderful main characters and of course some very passionate love scenes.

Emmaline Martin has traveled all the way from England to be with her fiancé who is an officer in the British army and stationed in Delhi, India. Emma is still in major shock over the death of her parents. The ship she and her parents where on sunk and Emma was the only survivor. She is all alone and the British Colonists treat her like she has the plague. Her fiancé, who should be her rock to fall back on, is a major abusive ass. He really just wants her money and feels women should be seen and not heard. Emma is definitely not a woman who will stay quiet. I wouldn’t say she is that typical sassy and spunky heroine we usually read about, but rather a mature woman whose eyes hold so much within their depths.

Then one night at a party to honor her fiancé (Marcus), Julian Sinclair, who is Marcus’s cousin, notices Emma because she looks so bored. There is nothing extraordinary about her, but there is something he finds appealing. A simple phrase she mutters as he overhears her has him falling for her even though he doesn’t realize it at first. This happens right in the beginning where Emma is drinking a glass of wine and thinking she is alone, throws her wine into the bushes and says-“Pig swill.”

From that moment on, these two have a constant battle of wills and their conversations back and forth is a form of seduction and foreplay between these two. Emma is no wilting British miss as Julian assumes at first. Julian is not only a Marquess of the British realm but is of mixed English and native Indian descent caught in between both worlds. He would very much like to seduce Emma even though she is engaged to his dope of a cousin who Julian can’t stand. They form a shaky friendship where Emma, in turn finds the Marquess to be a strange yet at the same time a man who makes her feel alive for the first time since her parents’ death.

Before these two can really explore their passion for each other, the natives bring war upon the British and Emma is caught in the crossfire. Julian quickly comes to her rescue. And since these two have to rely on each other, their attraction for each other explodes. Julian realizes this is not some woman he can tally with. The scene where they first make love is all consuming and the words between these two are so very beautiful:

“I’m here,” he said into her ear as the tears came faster. “Emma, I’m here with you now. Listen to me: I will always be here.”
Always, she thought. He said “always,” but he had forgotten to say finally. Finally you are here. Thank God, finally at last.

Those few lines are very telling for what is about to come because Julian must leave Emma. Emma is changed forever because she first lost her parents and now found Julian, who told her he will be with her forever, and that she will never be alone again. He leaves her because he must and then they don’t see each other for another three years where Emma has undergone a radical change.

When these two see each other again, they are in England. Julian thought Emma was dead and when they meet, the emotions on his face show the hell he has gone through. Emma saw so much bloodshed and horror, that she still suffers and uses her pain to paint horrific paintings of her time in India as she waited for Julian to come back to her. They are no longer lovers or even friends.

The first part of the story when Emma and Julian are in India is amazing, but somewhat stalls during the second half in England. Someone is trying to kill Emma, but regardless of some lagging, Duke of Shadows still kept me hooked. This is quite an intelligent and emotional story of suffering and angst. The setting and characters are so different and fascinating that you will not want to take your eyes away from the page.

If this is a start of Meredith’s writing career, I can’t wait to be along for the ride!

4 out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

Round Six -- There will be a slight delay

For those turning in - nope you're not wrong - it's time for Katie and me to host the DIK Hero Draft.


But


I can't get on the internet at work for any length of time and when I do, I have to keep the screen as minimized as I can make it.

So


It would be like hosting a party that I can't attend.So instead we are taking a break for a day. I'm off tomorrow and Katie doesn't have the same problems I do - so DIK Hero Draft Pick Party Time is tomorrow at our place!!

In the meantime feel free to talk trade or picks or anything else you would talk about until the hosts arrive!

Either that or we can start tonight when I get home from work! That's up for discussion too!

(and yes - feel free to laugh at the very stupid picture above - I did when I saw it - I howled)

Round 5 of Major DIK Going On!

We have round number 5 of our DIK heroes going on right at this moment over at Christine's, The Romantic Life blog.

Things are getting a bit hairy, shall we say, as the bottles of rum are running out and I have resorted to doing other fun things beside drinking myself into oblivion while my fellow wenchy thieves *cough* I mean my fellow ladies pick my men *cough* various leftover heroes and men from books and now comics!

There is even talk of building a zoo for heroines on the island and hut hopping like you wouldn't believe! So come join me and Captain ARRRR (ARRR because one of my heroes who was stolen is being used as a maid!!) for the madness that can not be beat! My next hero is so out of control that he may scorch the island with fire! But at least I can ride him... er... on his back that is :)

Just wait till round 6 because Kristie(J) and I are hosting!

Recent Read

Traceless by Debra Webb

Why this one: Well – I had a lot to choose from, that’s for sure!! But it was the storyline that made me pick this one out of all the others. The hero imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit – I’ve read quite a few of them now and they’ve almost all been yummy. So I figured this one had a pretty good chance too.

Level of Steam: I wasn’t sure for a while if this one would boil water or not – but turns out it just needed time to heat up because once it did – it was boiling hot!!

Barnes and Noble Blurb:
She's in search of justice.
Emily Wallace has no doubt about who killed her best friend ten years ago: Clint Austin, her then boyfriend. The key witness in his trial, Emily put Clint behind bars with her tearful testimony. But when Emily learns that Clint has been released on parole, she returns to her Alabama hometown to confront him—and make sure he never forgets the damage he has done.

He is dead-set on revenge…
After serving ten years for a crime he didn't commit, Clint knows only the truth can set him free. Ignoring warnings from his old friend, now the chief of police, Clint will let no one stand in his way as he tries to prove his innocence—including Emily, the girl he once loved who ruined his life. Prison has made him a hard man, yet he yearns for Emily…and he can see in her eyes that, in spite of herself, she feels the same. But even if he can convince Emily to trust him, it might be too late to clear his name—before the real killer strikes again.

My Thoughts: I liked it! I liked it quite a bit! But…. There were a few things that kept it from getting higher marks. I thought Emily, the heroine was a bit to rabid in her efforts to keep punishing Clint. I know the murder of her best friend affected her deeply and she wanted to make sure Clint suffered, but she was uncomfortably driven to for me. She also came across as a bit too damaged for something that had happened such a long time ago. Once she realized her mistake though, she was much better and I really began to like her.

As for the hero Clint, he was intriguing. But I thought the author almost seemed to hold back on his character. It’s stated over and over again what a rough time of it he had in prison, but it was never explained how he had a rough time. In comparing it to one of my favourite hero in prison books, One Summer, there is a scene where Johnny tells Rachel some of what he went through. It was a very powerful scene in that book as it shows how much Johnny cares for Rachel that he is able to confess something so devastating to him. In Traceless, we never really get a sense of that soul deep feeling from Clint towards Emily. I did like though, how he didn’t really hold it against her that she was the driving force behind him being sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He was bitter towards her while still having deep feelings for her, but he did get past them and that raised him up in my opinion so that he was really the stronger of the two characters.

There were a lot of characters who could have been the real murderer and if I hadn’t cheated and read the ending before I got there, I don’t think I would have guessed. Well, we knew before the ending – but still not until later in the story.

So – I’m glad I picked this one out of the pile. It was a good read.

Grade: 4 out of 5

Phantasmagoria by Madelynne Ellis

“1800 - Three years after she escaped to London with her bisexual lovers, Bella Rushdale wakes one morning to find their delicate ménage a trois about to shatter. Vaughan, Marquis of Pennerley has left abruptly and without explanation. Determined to reclaim him and preserve their relationship, Bella pursues him to his family seat on the Welsh Border, where she finds herself embroiled in his preparations for a diabolical gothic celebration on All Hallows Eve - a phantasmagoria. Among the shadows and phantoms, Bella and her lovers will peel away the deceits and desires of past and future.”

With the market being overrun with erotica left and right, there is one such erotic book line I have really come to enjoy. Virgin Black Lace has some of the hottest and most scandalous books that are being published and are seriously not for the faint of heart. The authors take the traditional romance and twist it ways you won’t see coming. One such Black Lace author you should take a chance on is Madelynne Ellis. Her newest release, Phantasmagoria is a very dark gothic set in 1800 with a woman and the two men she loves to fu… er.. lusts for. I actually read Phantasmagoria before the first book, A Gentlemen’s Wager, and actually prefer the sequel. You really don’t have to read A Gentlemen’s Wager to enjoy the dark “sexin” that goes on between these pages. “Anything Goes” of “Boinking Like Bunnies” would have possibly been a better title because every character gets down and dirty with everyone. And guess what? I loved it!

Bella Rushdale is the very much worldly miss (horny non-virgin) who lives in London with her two lovers, the Viscount Lucerne (good boy) and Vaughan, the Marquis (dark, broody fellow who likes nasty sex). All three have been lovers for over three years, and enjoying ferocious lovemaking every chance they can get- the really skanky down and dirty type sex. Vaughan is the type of guy that would rub your face in the mud and you would ask for more he is so deliciously tortured.

Talk about a regency soap opera! Lucerne wants Bella to be his wife but lusts after Vaughan. Vaughan is obsessed with Lucerne, but he can’t let go of Bella. Bella is caught between the two men, she adores Lucerne, but her soul belongs to Vaughan. Bella wants Vaughan on her terms and won’t let him go. Vaughan is tired of the way things are between his lovers and sets a plan into motion where Bella and Lucerne must choose whom they want to be with. He invites them to his family home at Pennerley where he will hold an All Hallows Eve party called a Phantasmagoria. He hopes Lucerne will come rushing to him and proclaim his love But Lucerne is busy having sex with other people, and only Bella arrives. Bella is willing to do anything to make Vaughan love her, even if it means degrading herself.

Phantasmagoria pushes the envelope in so many ways and this is one tale where sexual perversions are out in the open. This may be an uncomfortable read for some, but I was enthralled. Almost every page is filled with talks of sex and the actual sex acts seem a bit depraved in a way. One such scene where Vaughan enjoys Bella in the kitchen pantry should raise some eyebrows and the scenes between Lucerne and Vaughan should make some gasp. And when the time for the Phantasmagoria comes, hold onto you seats!

Phantasmagoria is one of the best ménage a trois stories I have read in a long time. Madelynne Ellis is one writer who excels at pushing the envelope with taboo subject matter. If you are in the mood for a darker erotic tale, definitely give Phantasmagoria a read.

4 out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

Round 4 of DIK Heroes

Round 4 starts today in our DIK heroes picks. Head on over to Mary Kate's Adventures in Kaitdom blog to see the wackiness that ensues.

What more could you want when you have some great DIK and more men than you can count? *G*

**must keep my eye on Lisabea and Mary Kate as the like to steal my men**

Katiebabs (KB)

Slave by Cheryl Brooks **read at your own peril!**

HE MAY BE THE LAST OF HIS SPECIES . . .
whose sexual talents were the envy of the galaxy. Even filthy, chained and beaten, his feline gene gives him a special aura.
JACINTH IS ON A RESCUE MISSION . . . and she needs a man she can trust with her life . .. Enmeshed in a tangle of deception,lust and love, they must eludea race of violent killers and together forge a bond stronger than any chains.


Kristie (J) and I were lucky to have both read Slave, the first book in Cheryl Brooks Cat Star Chroncicles. Rather than a typical review, we both decided to post our chat over AIM. Just a word of caution, what you are about to read may shock you because hey, this is an erotic tale and we had to mention some interesting scenes in the book that may help you decide if you would want to read it. You may never look at utensils the same way again!

KristieJ: Anyway - onto Slave?
KatieBabs: Aw yes, Bawdy sex romp in space
KristieJ: I was so excited when you told me about this one and even more excited when I got my copy!! I thought it might be similar to one of my favourite Futuristics, Lord of the Storm by Justine Davis. So I was all pumped when I started reading it
KatieBabs: I have never read Lord of the Storm
KristieJ: Oh Good Book!!! The hero in that one is a slave too, and it's a Futuristic
KatieBabs: Since I am on the sci fi romance kick with Ann Aguirre and Linnea Sinclair, I thought it would be more like their books, but erotic
KristieJ: The first thing I noticed was it was in the first person. But since that bridge is down now, that didn't bother me
KatieBabs: I don't mind the first person POV at all, especially when the character's voice is a strong one. And, Jacinth is that. But she seems so moody
KristieJ: Yes indeed she is. Right off the bat, I felt like I was reading something out of Star Wars
KatieBabs: Also, there is a bit of a resemblance to Dara Joy's old stories, mainly with the character of Cat
KristieJ: I noticed that too, Cat vs. Rejar
KatieBabs: Ohh I just thought of Cat much like Rejar. Jacinth could be compared to Han Solo
KristieJ: Or I was thinking Bobo Fett - with the disguise she was wearing that disguised her sex - so it wasn't clear that it was a woman buying Cat the Slave. I LOVED Cat. I thought she did a great job with him. Part lion, part human. You have to love a guy who actually purrs, since I love cats - that all worked for me
KatieBabs: He was so sweet and very loving, very comfortable in his skin. But did he know Jack was female?
KristieJ: He was! And so grateful at being bought by Jack. And I felt bad that his whole planet was destroyed. That's another thing it has in common with Lord of the Storm. The people in that book were also totally wiped out thought the planet itself was still there. And he could smell her. He had very strong senses
KatieBabs: I kind of figured that out. But all I could think how horrible he had it as a slave, especially with those special chains around him! Major ouch!
KristieJ: Yea!! OUCH indeed - to avoid TOO many spoilers we won't say exactly how he was chained - but he was - and good!
KatieBabs: a few times cringed when Jack was trying to free him
KristieJ: So I was reading along, really enjoying this, and then the reading train started to derail when they hit the planet they went to rescue her sister
First off, I'm a very visual reader - as I'm sure many readers are - and when I read the costume he had to wear - it was a REAL WTF? kind of reaction, SPOILER HERE but he had to wear tight pants, high boots, white shirt unbuttoned to the waist - and I'm thinking oh yeah baby But then.........
KatieBabs: Same here! I guess to emphasize his manliness?
KristieJ: LOL They didn't emphasize his manliness - they exposed it!!!!
KatieBabs: what page is his outfit on? I need to find it again
KristieJ: I'll look for my copy too - just a sec, ok - found it:
“Cat looked spectacular dressed as a native of Starzeel. The white shirt had a high collar, billowing sleeves, and was open to the waist - it truly had no buttons on it whatsoever and there was a black leather vest to wear over it. The black trousers were actually more like breeches, skin-tight and stretchy”
So far so good right? But then we read on further:
“but where on other worlds there would have been a fly or a cod-piece, on Statzeel, there was a big hole surrounded with decorative embroidery, through which has cock and balls protruded. A red sash at the waist and black leather boots competed with Spanish tops to the knee completed the ensemble.”
All I could think was OMG - his dangly parts are hanging out for the entire world to see!!!! And that image stayed with me for the rest of the book - as did his exposed dangly parts!
KatieBabs: OMG this line- “Then the persistent cock of his pulsed once and bloomed from its foreskin like a Tedrellian primrose at dusk”
Well, the next few pages when Jack and Cat are on Statzeel was an eye opener!
KristieJ: He certainly was a randy cat wasn't he? Of course his dangly parts were just hanging out
KatieBabs: His name should have been Randy not Cat. Dangly bits!! More like dangly trunk
KristieJ: LOL - that's an elephant silly
KatieBabs: Kristie!! The things you say!
KristieJ: and my sisters call me a prude! Ha! It is too laugh
KatieBabs: I almost spewed my yogurt all over my keyboard
KristieJ: So -they land on the planet - ready to search for Jacinth (Jack')s sister and then we come to the part where they go to a bar. And well - what does one say about that scene. Kate - you have explored some strange sex practices and we have laughed - but I think this one takes the cake. I'll let you explain
KatieBabs: Where shall I start? Jack is pretending to be Cat's slave because the planet of Statzeel has women as sex slaves so Cat must be Jack's master. Jack notices some interesting eating habits, especially when she sees one of the females use a man's penis as an eating utensil!
KristieJ: *shaking my head in disbelief* And it's true! Now continue!
KatieBabs: Another sexual preference of the Statzeelian's are big noses! And they had a fetish for Jack's nose
KristieJ: *nodding - ready to howl with laughter 'cause I know what's coming*
KatieBabs: **put down whatever you are drinking** So, the locals want to touch Jack's nose, especially the men who used their wee-wees and Jack didn't mind! Eventually Jack's nose was, how should I say it, gang banged? The men would shoot their semen over Jack's nose and the females would try and catch it in their mouths!!
KristieJ: Yep!! You read that right!! Nose sex!!
KatieBabs: But for such a sexual book, Jack and Cat didn't get intimate till way in the middle of the story
KristieJ: And THAT is a visual that haunted me the rest of the book! I kept thinking where the hell was the editor to tell her that scene just wasn't a good idea
KatieBabs: I needed my eyes to be bleached after that visual
KristieJ: Taken out - washed in bleached and dried before we put them back in again!
KatieBabs: Well, how about the scenes where Jack, and how do I put this delicately, where Jack enjoys Cat's essence?
KristieJ: Yep - again not a good visual. You see his semen, sperm, whatever you want to call it - though he did have a name for it, hopefully you can find it, had MAGICAL powers!
KatieBabs: and every time Jack "drank" she had multiple orgasms!!
KristieJ: So how many women 'really' swallow?
KatieBabs: if it is from Cat O' Juice, many.
KristieJ: You are going to have to put warnings at the beginning here - we are getting a lot more graphic than normal
KatieBabs: I know!! Omg This book is x-rated
KristieJ: And if that's not bad enough - Jack who is a space trader - wants to bottle it and sell it!! The love scenes are good - until the author gets carried away
KatieBabs: I am not sure if this was supposed to be a comedy or a crazy erotic adventure.
KristieJ: And we need to mention, that the women - the slaves - will drop to their knees and *cough* you know what - at the drop of a hat. Total public copulation! Another visual I need the bleach for, and since all the men where the same kind of outfits, with their dangly parts hanging out - it happens quite a bit! When they travel through the forest, all I could think of was the bugs. Heavenly Stars - the bugs! You know where they are going to want to land
KatieBabs: OH! How about the public sex show Cat and Jack put on at the restaurant as Jack chugged at Cat??
KristieJ: That is SO not a fantasy I've ever had! And what about when they are riding the horse?!? Dangly parts bouncing on a horse!
KatieBabs: Well, he does need a way to move the horse forward. **rolls eyes**
KristieJ: I could see where this book might too *g*. I'm not sure what the author was going for either - but I will say - it was unique for me
KatieBabs: been awhile since I read something that made me laugh and groan at the same time KristieJ: And for me with my eyebrows raised through so much thinking "I can't believe what I just read!"
So - overall what did you think of this book?
KatieBabs: I thought the same thing! But kept reading because I thought how more graphic and out of control could it get? Overall, a bit far fetched, but since it is sci-fi, it works even though the whole sex craziness was too much for me
KristieJ: Have you noticed she has another one coming out? Would you read it?
KatieBabs: Do you know what the second book is about? I may try her again, for shock and laughs.


The Cat Star Chronicles: Warrior
"Tisana is a witch on the planet Utopia, but Utopia isn't a paradise for everyone. When her former lover brings Leo, a half-dead Zetithian slave, to Tisana for treatment, a sizzling romance ensues, culminating in a dangerous adventure. Will Tisana get to keep her lover and find a way to escape her own fate?"

Comes out in October 2008

KristieJ: She is writing a series about the men from Zetithia, the planet Cat is from - and those who escaped their world’s destruction I think she's a good author, one to keep an eye out for. Slave certainly kept me entertained, but I think I'll either skip the next one or wait for buzz until she gets some of the wacky sex stuff out of her system. Overall, I think I would give this one a 3 out of 5. How about you?
KatieBabs: Everything you just said, I am in agreement with. The sex may have been a bit too wacky, but a very out of the box book. I give it 3 out of 5 stars
KristieJ: So - *grin* we agree on this one. An author to watch for and if you don't mind off the wall sex scenes, one some readers might enjoy
KatieBabs: Brooks would be popular for readers who are Elloras Cave or Samhain fans. If you don't find yourself laughing while reading this book, well, your humor is missing
KristieJ: Oooohhhh - I think that was great! And fun
KatieBabs: Our risqué review. LOL

Any thoughts and comments? Anyone need a fork or a knife? *G*

I want to send you

~~to Book Smugglers. Thea and Ana have a real kewl poll going on there~~

So - what does one do when they have trouble deciding which book to read?

If they are a bookaholic like me, they might make the problem a whole lot more difficult by going on a book buying binge.
Yes the beginning of each new month can be an expensive time of the month. It certainly was for me this month. I didn't plan on doing this - it just seemed to happen. As if figuring out what book I felt like reading wasn't bad enough, I had to make it even more difficult! Below is the example of my insanity

Bewitched by Sandra Schwab.
I met her - what a nice person!



Dark Needs at Night's Edge
The insanity continues with this author. I have all her books, but I've only read one so far.

Dark Seduction by Kathleen Korbel
I've read a couple of books by her and really like them

Fire and Ice by Anne Stuart
This one was a given though I've still yet to finish Ice Storm

Nameless by Debra Webb
I read good things about this one at AAR. Interestingly enough I found it in the Suspense section

Last Wolf Standing by Ryannon Byrd
This one was a spec buy. And I like werewolves

Scions Insurrection by Patrice Michelle
I saw a review on this one and decided to give it a try - I think - I can't remember really why I got this one.



Solar Heat by Susan Kearney
I read one of hers I really liked and I tried reading another one and it was a DNF. The one I enjoyed was a SciFi Romance...and every author needs another chance.

Take Me If You Can by Karen Kendall
I've read a book or two by her before and quite enjoyed them. And I love RS these days.



Taken By The Viking by Michelle Styles
See - I said dumb titles wouldn't keep me from reading books I really want to. I may not like 'em - but I'll read 'em. And there just isn't enough Viking books.

Isn't she done yet????? you are all thinking. Nope - I tell you insanity rules!

Taming the Texan by Charlene Sands
Let's hear it for the Western!


Maverick Wild by Stacey Kayne
You know - I have this funny feeling I already have this one. Oops

The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter
Her Author Talk videos with Jill Monroe are priceless. And I loved Savor Me S.L.O.O.O.W.L.Y.



Traceless by Debra Webb
When I picked up Nameless, I saw this one beside it picked it up to read the storyline. Town bad boy jailed for crime he didn't commit. Was there any question this one wouldn't go in the pile???








And be sure to come back later. Katie and I have something up our collective sleeves!!

~~~~~ETA~~~~~

Aaaccckkk!!!
I forgot one!! See - I have PILES of books all around the room and I'm cleaning/catalogueing and this one came to light.

Demon Night by Meljean Brook
I got this one 'cause - well - it's Meljean!!

Cat Waking Up!

This video has to be one of the cutest things I have ever watched!
Now all together... AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW


Katiebabs (KB)

Round Three has started!

Round I was held over at Carolyn Jean's.

Round II was held at Sarai's

Round III at LisaBea's

Rounds for what you are asking in case you have missed the excitement?

Well rounds for our favourite heroes of course!.



There are football drafts.

There are hockey drafts.

We are having a hero draft! It's sporting good fun!!

Blue-Eyed Devil *MUST READ BOOK THIS YEAR!*

There are not many books that can effect you so much that you can hardly bare to start reading a new one. Or you just simply sit and stare into space because you are trying to hold back tears and figure out why such a book has affected you the way that it did. One such book that tore me apart emotionally was The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. I literally balled my eyes out after I finished and refused to pick up another book for two weeks after. Quite shocking coming from me, because if I don’t read almost everyday, I get the shakes. I need my books!

I have found another book that comes in a very close second and almost gave me the same reaction just like the one I had with The Bronze Horseman. This time around my experience was much more personal and internal. I did not cry, or fall apart, but was very much out of it the whole day. Not a good thing to be when you must be on your toes at work. But even though I felt this way, I look back and was beyond thrilled I had the chance to read this insightful and wonderful piece of literature. Lisa Kleypas has reached her zenith with Blue Eyed Devil and is my number one top read of 2008, and will go down in my top 20 of all time favorite books. If you have not yet read Blue Eyed Devil, you are missing out on something so powerful. Lisa has tapped into so many of my emotions that were long forgotten and pushed deep down inside.

Blue Eyed Devil is the first person POV of Gage’s (hero from Sugar Daddy) younger sister, Haven Travis. Things start with Haven at Gage and Liberty’s (heroine from Sugar Daddy) wedding where she has brought along her boyfriend and soon to be fiancee’ Nick. Things could never be better because Haven is marrying the man she loves and who she wants to build a home and family with. Haven feels her own family life is lacking since she is always at odds with her father and she doesn’t really get along with her two brothers, Jack and Joe. The only one she has a real connection with is her other brother Gage. Also at this wedding is party crasher Hardy Cates who has known Liberty ever since she was a teen. Liberty and Hardy have a past and Hardy is not welcome at the Travis shindig. But there is something about Hardy that speaks to Haven even though she is with another man. For a brief moment, Haven and Hardy come in contact with each other and that scene between them speaks wonders. But since it is only for a brief moment, they go their separate ways.

Poor Haven’s marriage is unlike anything she imagined it would be. In the beginning, things are great with Nick, until he starts to change. His change becomes a snowball effect of emotional and physical abuse. Haven tries to stay to the bitter end because she believes things will get better or she is the one at fault for the way Nick acts. Then one night everything comes crashing down and Haven has no choice but to leave her husband with only the clothes on her back. Because she is so bruised and beaten she limps to the nearest pay phone and calls for Gage to help her.

Haven is welcomed back by Gage and Liberty, but she is so ashamed. She can no longer be touched, even by her own brother, and feels she is a failure. Her own father said her marriage would never last and now she has come crawling home with her tail between her legs. Gage, along with Jack and Joe want to beat the ever loving crap out of Nick for his crimes against Haven, which in this situation was not a shock. I had hoped Nick would get “his” by the Travis boys, but Haven won’t let them. She is bigger than that, and rather just divorce Nick and try to pick up the pieces of her life.

Haven does pick up the pieces, but very slowly. She goes to therapy and relies on her family, even though she is still on the outs with her father. And you would think Gage would be the main one who helps her the most out of her brothers, but it is actually her brother Jack, the one who never understood or got along with her. These two have become the best of friends and he is now one of her closest confidants.

Suddenly, Hardy Cates comes waltzing back into Haven’s life. Haven is still very much attracted to Hardy, but she is still healing and will not put herself in the same position she was with Nick. Hardy is gruff and a bit unhinged around the edges. He could hurt her badly if he chooses to. One horrible thought Haven has about Hardy is where she wonders if he has ever hit a woman. She is so very scared but also intrigued by this man who looks at her like he is parched and she is a drink of water. Ever so slowly, Hardy breaks through her defenses. He courts her much like a cowboy or stable hand would with a horse that doesn’t want to be tamed. Hardy isn’t aware about the abuse Haven has suffered, but he knows she needs extra special care. Even his kisses ease her into accepting him. Hardy heals her with his respect and love, and when these two do become intimate; their lovemaking is full of fireworks, love and care. But, Nick is in the background, and he won’t go away. There comes a point where Haven has to decide what to do with him and if she should go ahead and have a future with Hardy.

I was very much like Haven at one point in my life, more so with the emotional abuse rather than the physical. She spoke to me on so many levels. For someone like Haven to walk away from a person she has loved and tried her hardest to please is very, very hard. She is a survivor and even though she does walk away from the abuse, the only way she can heal is to continue on with her life, get her self esteem back and learn to possibly love again. She does love again with Hardy in so many ways. I guess you could say Hardy is her knight in shining armor, and her savior. He is to a point, but Haven is the one who has saved herself. She is her own savior.

Lisa has taken the subject matter of abuse and has written a story unlike any I have read. There are so many forms of abuse; the main one here being marital. But there are other forms showcased her such as the one with Haven and her boss who is very manipulative. There is even abuse between a parent and a child where Churchill, Haven’s father, has his doubts about her, which began when she was younger. In a way this is also a form of abuse.

When I finally closed the last page of Blue Eyed Devil, I felt drained but happy at the same time. Perhaps it is the knowledge that I have overcome so much in my life, much like Haven has done. Some situations were small, others so big that it shaped me into the woman I am today. And just knowing there is someone who can reach me in so many ways without knowing me personally is a hero in my eyes.

Without any doubt, Blue Eyed Devil gets:

5 out of 5 stars and the best book of 2008!

Katiebabs (KB)

DIK Heroes Round 2

Round 1 was an astounding success! Interested in seeing what other heroes we are going to pick fo round 2? Come on over to Sarai's blog, Thoughts of an Aspiring Writer for more wacky fun!

My pick was Alexander from The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons since a thief *coughmarykatecough* stole my first pick of Roarke from the In Death series by JD Robb!

Wonder who will be my second round pick? Here's a hint: He likes to wear fur.

Katiebabs (KB)

One just never knows!!

Sometimes following stats can come up with the most wonderful rewards. You see - I found another Crusader!! One I might never have found.

Ally Blake recently watched North and South - and surprise - she loves it! She's also a fellow Higgins fan!

Great Book Alert Great Book Alert!!!

Every so often I read a book that I totally connect with and when I do, it’s a wondrous reading experience. I can’t put the book down. I take it to work. I don’t turn on the television preferring to read. I don’t even turn on the computer; instead I spend my time reading.

Such is the case with Countdown by Michelle Maddox. I mentioned a while ago that my reading world has opened up since I started reading first person books. I’m so glad that it did – otherwise I might have missed this real gem of a book.

It’s from the Dorchester Shomi line and after originally turning my nose up at the idea, I am totally sold now. This is the third book I’ve read in the Shomi line and each one has been terrific!

But on to this book.

As I mentioned, this book is written in the first person. It takes some time in the future after a devastating plague has wiped out quarter of the world’s population. And of those that are left, most are trying to get to another place – the Offworld – where things are good. But back on earth, it’s a desolate place.

The heroine Kira Jordan, survived the murder of her family at the age of 16 and has become a person on the streets with no real home. She lives by her wits and by ripping off anyone she can. Not exactly heroine material, but it really works as we see inside her head and rather than hard, she’s just desperate.

She’s just finished lifting a pair of great running shoes when something happens and she wakes up chained to someone. The ‘someone’ turns out to be Rogan, a man who has spent the past four years in prison for the rape and murder of a number of college students. It seems they have to work together in a real life, real time video game in which if they fail the six levels they have to get through, the result is death. To make the ‘game’ even more intriguing, they each have been given implants that prevent them from being more than 90 feet away from each other. They are forced to play six levels of a game, all the while being watched by a group of ‘subscriber’s observing their every move.

It ends up being such a roller coaster ride. I found it very hard to put down and on more than one occasion I was late back from my lunch and breaks at work.

(In fact I may have been so excited about this book, I stayed home from work to finish reading it and got busted by my son when he showed up unexpectedly on a day off to borrow my lawnmower and saw my car. I’m not saying that did happen, cause that would have been wrong of this good little worker bee to do – but I just might have done it)

The concept reminded me somewhat of the movie The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger – (based on a book by Stephen King but I haven’t read the Stephen King novel). And probably some Matrix should be thrown in too. It was fast-paced, a thrill of a run and a great love story all combined into one. It was like nothing I’ve ever read before but something I could REALLY get on board with.

Rogan turns out to be not exactly as she thinks he is and as they play the game they are forced to play, he is slowly revealed to be a true tortured hero.

Although this book isn’t out until August, I was so excited and so pumped about it, I just had to do this review now.

This one is a Do Not Miss book and my advice is to mark you calendars for August when this real treat of a book goes on sale!

Grade: 5 out of 5

**EXCLUSIVE COVER** Seduce Me At Sunrise

Lisa Kleypas's September 30th release, Seduce Me At Sunrise (The Hathaways, Book 2) now has a cover!

And why not an excerpt to go with it?

Any thoughts?

Katiebabs (KB) who does like the pretty red cover *G*

Desert Island Heroes Draft Picks!

We all enjoyed picking our DIK books and now we have something better even planned! This is the time to pick your favorite men/heroes from your favorite books. These men will keep you warm late at night under your man made tent as you wait to be rescued.

Carol Jean of The Trillionth Page has the rules set up for this latest adventure!

Personally, I wouldn't want to be rescued. *G*

Katiebabs (KB)

**UPDATE: As of 6pm EST these are some participants in our DIK heroes:

.1. Tracy

2. Thea

3. Sula

4. Shannon

5. Sarai

6. Sarah

7. Samantha Kane

8. Naida

9. MaryKate

10. LesleyW

11. Lisabea

12. KristieJ

13. Katie(babs)

14. JenB

15. Ciaralira

16. Christine1

7. Carolyn Jean

18. Ana

19. Ally Blue

Anyone can join in,from male, female, lesser (still channeling from my LE review). Go to The Thrillionth Page to join in the fun! *G*

Poor me, unlucky 13. :(

Question of the Day

To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt

Despite what it says on the sidebar, this is the book I'm currently reading - and enjoying very much by the way.

But.... why did the publisher decide to change the cover? The cover of the book I'm reading is the one on the left, but I much prefer the cover on the right. I wish they had stuck with that one instead.
Although I see the authors name is much bigger on the left one - which is nice for Elizabeth Hoyt. But I prefer the couple rather than just the heroine. And I like the title's font much better on the one on the right too.
What about you? Which one do you like better?
Now the inside is pretty nice *g* on my copy. If my scanner wasn't currently on the fritz and I didn't have to get ready for work I'd try scanning it.
But it would call for me to think - and I'm saving that function for work.

Public Service Announcement for AOL Email Users

This will concern AOL mail users:

The past weekend has been a weekend of email hell. My main email address is AOL. I live and breath through my email. Sad, but true. Well, AOL had a meltdown over the past month, leading up this this weekend. The majority of emails I sent out to people were not received and in turn, any emails people replied to that I sent them, were bounced back to them.

So, I did a little investigative reporting. I was given the email and the phone number to get in touch with the AOL Postmaster. It seems any emails listing website links or with website links on a person's signature will not go through. AOL is undergoing a massive system failure. So, if you have been experiencing this, you are not alone. If you want more information I recommend You call:

AOL's Post Master at 1-888-212-5537

or

Write them at Postmaster@aol.com

So, anyone who went me emails (and had links in them) they were bounced back to you or lost in cyberspace. I have not ignored you!! :)

Katiebabs (KB)

Lover Enshrined Review

**EXCLUSIVE**

There are quiet a few of us who jokingly call the books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by JR Ward, “crack”. And if you are a fan of this series, you definitely know what I mean by that term. There is something about a book or books that become an addiction to the point where you refuse to stop reading (makes for good bathroom reading) because you are so engrossed in this world. And when you are done, you need your next fix much like an addict does.

The question you are probably asking is if Lover Enshrined delivers? And do I still have those cravings for the next book? The answer is both yes and no. The addict comparison I use is so perfect for a book like Lover Enshrined because it is the perfect description of what Phury has become.

JR Ward is an incredible storyteller. She has invented an amazing world and her dedication to her series and her fans are very strong. Lover Enshrined has thrills, shocks and more WTF moments than the past five books combined. (You thought Jane’s outcome in Lover Unbound was the ultimate WTF moment? Think again) This is a book with some weaknesses, which mainly involves the love story between Phury and Cormia. This is well known to be Phury’s story and assumed that this is a romance first and foremost. I hate to disappoint you, but if you were looking for an incredible and sexy love story like the past ones, look somewhere else. The romance here is more of a subplot if anything else and Phury and Cormia’s relationship is the weakest storyline. I have lead myself to believe that Ward is slowly moving away from the romance umbrella and moving toward the Urban Fantasy genre, with romantic undertones. Ward is now at a crossroads with her series and with Lover Enshrined her readers have a decision to make. Her hardcore fans will most likely stick to the very end. The other circle of readers will become casualties because after Lover Enshrined, some will not want to continue on.

There are three main storylines that caught my attention out of six possible ones that occur during this book. First and foremost is the one about Phury.

At the end of Lover Unbound, Phury became the Primale to the forty Chosen, women who were born and bred for the sole purpose of being impregnated and giving birth to future warriors or brothers to ensure their race’s survival in the fight against the evil that is the Omega. Phury took over this responsibility from his brother in arms, Vishous, who found his soul mate, Jane. Phury, knowing this responsibility would likely destroy Vishous, volunteered for the job. Phury was also given a First Mate from one of the Chosen, Cormia. She resides in the mansion with Phury and his brothers, waiting anxiously for Phury to mate with her. She is ready and willing to open her legs for The Primale and be whatever he wants of her. But Phury is in a very bad place. He is a full blown drug addict and has a demon on his shoulder called the Wizard who whispers seeds of doubt into his ear. To escape, Phury smokes to the point of being numb, and he has even moved on to injecting needles with even more deadly drugs with the help of his dealer, Rehvenge.

Phury and Cormia suffer, as both cannot reach each other because they are very much strangers and products of their making. Some readers are going to be on the fence about Cormia much like they were about Marissa in Lover Revealed. But keep this in mind; Cormia is who she is because of her environment.

And, you think their HEA is going to be easy one? Think again.

The one group of characters that truly shined was Blaylock, John Matthew and Qhuinn. These three musketeers are so dedicated to each other that you will get a good idea of what the future holds for them. The one character who made this book and changes the whole vampire society and Brotherhood as we have known it is Qhuinn. There is quite a cause and effect that happens and because of Qhuinn’s reaction to a certain situation and the way he acts, he starts a domino effect that will enable the Omega to have more power then ever and the possibility of destroying the vampire community in Caldwell. (Some may be shocked by these turn of events, but for once my spec-u-meter was right) Because of Qhuinn, his “brotherhood” with Blaylock and John Matthew becomes stronger than ever. One of my favorite scenes, which was quite beautiful, is the one between Blaylock and Qhuinn. These two have such an incredible friendship filled with love and they must decide where they are headed and what road they should take with each other. JR Ward can write some of the best relationships between men that I have ever read and with this scene she has done wonders.

Rehvenge is also very prominent and we find out why he is being blackmailed and what he must do to keep his blackmailer happy. I have always thought of Rehvenge as an anti-hero and he is such a big presence whenever he appears. Well, I can happily say Rehvenge is a true hero in every sense of the word, as worthy as any of the other Brothers. You thought Zsadist was tortured? Sorry, what Rehvenge goes through puts all these men to shame. Again, it is all about sacrifice, and Rehv has made a lot of them He and Phury are alike in many ways.

So, where does this leave me and my final impressions of Lover Enshrined? I was very much hooked from the first page of the Prologue to the very last word. Ward gives us quiet a shocker in the Prologue and doesn’t let up for the next 500 plus pages. This is a very dark and intense book filled with more bloodshed and deaths than any other before. There are many victims and the strongest ones realize they may not be able to save everyone and maybe even themselves.

Everything that happens grabs you by the throat and won’t let go; other than Phury’s story and the very one-dimensional love he has with Cormia. Their courtship was my main pet peeve. Phury has become a martyr for no reason and I really wanted to smack some sense into him. But his brother does that job for me. There is this great scene between Phury and his brother Zsadist where Phury confronts him. Phury is angry because Zsadist never thanked him for rescuing him. Zsadist is fed up and they have a knock down fight where Zsadist tells Phury, in not so many words, what I was thinking –

“…get off the cross, someone else needs the wood.”

There is so much more that happens within these pages that I can’t mention, because you do need some surprises and to learn them would ruin your enjoyment. But, one tidbit I will give you is that there is a new character introduced that gives something special back to the Brothers and brings even more life into this series. (If you are a member of JR Ward’s message boards you can probably figure out who I am talking about)

Lover Enshrined may not be my favorite title from JR Ward but I find myself still in awe of her world building, characters and her ability to write such books that can not be compared to any other. To figure out what grade to give is a hard one. Overall, I did enjoy the crack... oops, I mean Lover Enshrined even though the love story was a bit too stale for my tastes.

So, what grade should I give this book that reeled me in but left me a bit unsatisfied because of the romance?

3 ½ stars out of 5

Katiebabs (KB)

And as always comments are always welcome **ducks away from the fruit**

Blog Alert

I know a lot of you, like partner Katie, are fans of C.L. Wilson and her Tairen Soul series. Book Smugglers have a great interview with her. Check it out!

To tide you all over

until Katie's big post tomorrow
and to encourage Lisabea to become a full fledged Crusader! And to whet Carolyn Jean's appetite!

IT'S COMING...!

This weekend I am going to post the Crack review *ahem* I mean my Lover Enshrined review.

Hold onto your hats kids, because it is going to be a bumpy one!

Katiebabs **whimpers** (Hopefully no one will throw rotten fruit at me when all is said and done)

***EXTRA****

Shannon has now hopped on board the Island Express and is bringing her six books to add to the growing pile.

Check and see what she'd decided to share.

Remember it's a big island so there is still lot's more room. Just check which books are already being brought - not to mention the rather odd things that Katie is stashing away on her person and play along!!

And no sooner did I hit post when I discovered another Island Castaway!! Ciaralira (what a pretty name!) is also joining us. She has 3 to switch up though because they are already going to be in the book pile. Hmmmm - I could offer some suggestions *g* 'cause there are a lot more I would have liked to bring!

**EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT** King of Sword and Sky by C.L. Wilson

C.L. Wilson just posted an excerpt for King of Sword and Sky (Book 3 of the Tairen Soul Series) on her website!




Anyone interested?.... excerpt

I AM!!!

Katiebabs (KB) *WOOT AND MORE WOOT*

(Busy information Thursday) :)

**EXCLUSIVE COVER** Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice!!

I am over the moon because Ellora's Cave superstar and Avon Red author, Lisa Marie Rice has a new book coming out this July!!

And the synopsis: (Don't I always deliver?)

"Small-town librarian Charity Prewitt never dreamed she'd meet and fall in love with a man like Nicholas Ames. The handsome, rich, charming, sexy-as-hell millionaire blew into tiny Parker's Ridge, Vermont, and immediately rocked her world. Powerful, sensual, the perfect man, Nick knows all the right words—and all the right spots to touch, sending her soaring to dizzying new heights of ecstatic abandon. Never before has prim and proper Charity leapt into bed with a perfect stranger—and now that she's there with him, nothing is going to drag her away!
But Nick Ames is not who he claims to be. In truth, he is Nicholas Ireland—the one they call "Iceman." A former Delta Force operator, now a high-level undercover agent, he will do whatever his government asks of him—lie, seduce, betray . . . even kill, if necessary—for the sake of the mission. And this time his mission is Charity Prewitt.
Suddenly one woman has broken down his chilly restraint and ignited his passions completely. And before the erotic dream turns into a nightmare, will Charity be able to melt the Iceman's cold, cold heart? "

Sounds hot right? *G*

And why does this woman not have a website?? Lisa, I want to interview you so badly!

Katiebabs (KB)

Dark Needs at Night's Edge Review

By now most blogs and websites have posted their own reviews about Kresley Cole’s next release in her Immortal After Dark series. Hopefully mine will be up to par and my impressions will be a little different from everyone else. So, without further ado…

Kresley Cole is one of my favorite authors. Whether she writes historicals or paranormal romance, I have enjoyed almost every single one of her books. Well, that is until her Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night came out last year. As most of you know, Wicked Deeds was a DNF (do not finish) from me. I was a bit ashamed because everyone seemed to love this book, while I couldn’t get pass the first 100 pages.

When a book comes along from an author I have usually glommed in the past and is a less than wonderful read, I have some reservations about their next release. What if their last DNF becomes an on-going cycle for them? All her past books up to Wicked Deeds I have enjoyed in her Immortals After Dark series. What would Dark Needs at Night’s Edge hold for me?

I can say with very happy results, that Dark Needs at Night’s Edge is a MUST read and my favorite book in this whole series. Kresley has an incredible way of writing wonderful characters who give angst a new meaning, but makes sure there are some lighthearted moments. Dark Needs is a much darker book where we don’t have those semi annoying witches showing up like they have done in the past. Sorry, I am not a big fan of them as a whole. Some of them do pop up but make a small appearance and leave as quickly as they arrive. Hooray!

What we have here are two characters who have suffered considerably. Conrad, is a vampire so overcome with bloodlust, he will kill anyone who gets in his way, even if that means his brothers who love him. Neomi, the woman in his life, is an 80 year old ghost who was murdered in a very gruesome way by a man who didn’t want to share her with any other. So, you may ask, how can a blood crazed murdering vampire and a beautiful ghost make a relationship work?

What amazed me is, is that Conrad and Neomi cannot touch each other because Neomi is a ghost after all, thus not solid. And because of that, their courtship was very beautiful and touching. Conrad thinks Neomi is a hallucination, which he has had many in the past. He is being held against his will by his brothers at Neomi’s former run down mansion so he can go through a type of rehab for his bloodlust. Conrad feels all is lost for himself that is until he starts to see Neomi. He begins to have hope that may be he can overcome what he has become. Neomi may have died horribly and is stuck in her home she loved when she was alive, but she embraced life to the fullest from her work as a dancer, to her friends and even men. We actually have a heroine who enjoys sex and does not feel guilty about it! And Conrad is one of those very special heroes I adore that has no experience with women. Double hooray!

As these two get to know each other, without any of the physical aspects you usually expect, Conrad is the first to admit to himself that Neomi is his Bride (mate) and his love for her will set him free. If only he can find a way to make her live again, or least give her a body so she can teach him all about the physical lovemaking he has missed out on for hundreds of years. Unfortunately Neomi’s phantom like state is a major roadblock towards their HEA.

So, how does Neomi change her ghostly state to be with Conrad? Of course I am not going to give that away, but Kresley makes sure things work out in the end for this duo. Their passion for each other is intense and because they cannot touch, their foreplay is through their conversation with each other, which leads to them both falling in love.

Another great thing about Dark Needs is, even though it is part of a series, and you haven’t read the other books, you won’t be totally lost. Kresley does a great job at giving enough information without a reader being too confused about past events or characters. But, if I were you, I would recommend you go back and read the other 4 books, even Wicked Deeds, my personal DNF (Forgive me Kresley!)

A tortured virgin vampire and his lovely and gracious beautiful ghost makes for a great and of course sexy read.

Dark Needs at Night’s Edge gets 4 out of 5 stars.

**AND… this weekend I will post an extra special review, which some of you have been salivating for. Which book you ask? One word- CRACK! MUWAHAHAAAA!!!**

Katiebabs (KB)