Vane Cynster takes refuge with his elderly godmother to avoid getting caught in a storm, only to find one of her guests is her niece Patience Debbington. Intending to leave when the weather clears he finds himself intrigued by that young lady, and when his godmother asks for his assistance in a matter necessitating a longer stay, he agrees. Vane realises he has met his match in Patience, and the vow he made no longer seems important.

Patience thinks Vane is arrogant and presumptuous just like every ‘elegant gentleman’ and while his kisses leave her wanting more, she knows he is bound to be unfaithful just like her father. She has no intention of being caught and definitely not by a known rake like Vane.

I really enjoyed this book but I have to confess I am a sucker for an alpha male! The author  manages to bring alive the early 19^th century and I have no problems imagining the time as she describes. The story moves along well with a good sub plot involving a thief and a ‘spectre’, as well as the main plot line involving the two main characters.

Vane is definitely an alpha male but Patience is no shrinking violet either. Get your fan ready because with what goes on behind closed doors you will definitely need to cool down!

While this book is the second of a series involving the Cynster family, A Rake’s Vow, and indeed all the Cynster books can be read on their own. However, once you have been introduced to the Cynster men you will want more and more and more…. fortunately there are a lot of them!

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Pioneer Woman is just such a book and I actually ended up reading it because I follow the author’s blog. Ree Drummond is a lady who loved the trappings of city life, going out and having fun, but when she fell in love with an honest-to-goodness cowboy her whole life changed. Ree is not afraid of making fun of herself, has the most delicious recipes, takes amazing photographs, has four great kids and is still crazily in love with her husband. That’s a criminally brief summary of Ree and her life and I urge you to visit her site (http://thepioneerwoman.com/) because her writing is both funny and thought provoking. I’ve kept up with her for several years now and I hope she never stops!

So what started on her blog as a series of individual posts, about how she met her husband and the changes that happened in her life, eventually turned into regular updates and then subsequently a book. The original online series was called The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels and I believe it was also first published under that name.

The book takes us right from the circumstances that led to her meeting her Cowboy to the end of their first year of marriage, and it amazes me what they went through to get there. Her writing is sharp and witty and she is not at all afraid to portray herself in the worst of conditions. There are moments of reflection and laugh out loud incidents as she experiences the journey from being engaged to a cattle rancher, to being his wife (oh my goodness, their honeymoon!), and then to being a mother.

Every time she talks about her husband (we only know him as Marlborough Man) and children, you can feel the abiding love and adoration she has for them. It was such a treat to finally read this sweet, funny and engaging love story, I was disappointed when it ended!

You should absolutely go out and buy this, even if you have never seen the blog as it’s a great read and a wonderful love story about Ree and her cowboy, the enigmatic Marlborough Man.

Oh, and you never do learn his name

Rating: ★★★★½ 

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The Ghostwalkers are an elite team of men and women who have been physically, psychically and genetically enhanced, often without their consent.

On a Mission to rescue hostages in Mexico, the last thing Ghostwalker Kane Cannon expects to find is Rose Patterson – former Ghostwalker, fugitive and pregnant with his child.

Forced into a breeding program by Dr Whitney, Rose escaped with the help of Kane after she was impregnated by him. Now Kane has found her, he is not going to let her or his unborn child disappear again – despite the fact that Rose seems to trust nothing and no-one.

I discovered this series about 6 weeks ago, read them in order and Ruthless game is the ninth in the Ghostwalker series (not that they are difficult to put down or anything!!!) It would be so easy for the books to become repetitive and indeed there is a formula to all the books (which works well), but Christine Feehan manages to keep the story in each book fresh and I do not feel like I am reading the same stories at all. The plot surrounding Dr Whitney unravels a bit more with each book and is as integral to the series as the individual Ghostwalkers.

This book moves along at a faster pace than some of the others and while the relationship between the main characters is obviously the focus of the story, there is a lot more involvement with the rest of the team and much more action. I feel like I have got to know all the team members rather than just the main characters and cannot wait until their stories come out. As with the other books, the male lead is smoking hot and the sex scenes are even hotter.

I do not want to spoil it by giving too much away but at the end of the book we do start to get some idea of what the next generation of Ghostwalkers will be like.

If you have not read any of this series yet, do! Start from the beginning however, because although the story could be read as a stand alone, the reader may become confused by the underlying plot threads. Reading the series in order has definitely made it much more enjoyable and I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

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While the mere mention of the categories probably conjurs up interesting and gratuitous images, what attracts me most about Michaels’ writing is her characterisations.  I love that she can create three very diverse and interesting characters, bring them to life and then set them into a story that not only makes sense but is also compelling.

While the story is obviously very adult and erotic, it’s also very well written and the love scenes well envisioned and tasteful.

Lily is a sheer force of nature. Dominant to her husband Riley, her love, compassion and awareness of her husband’s needs is amazing, as well as her understanding of his attraction to his best friend Nick.  She is the one that realises the attraction is reciprocated and also the one that makes it possible.  She does make mistakes which makes her all the more human but she is truly a brilliant character.  I loved Riley and his sense of humour; being submissive doesn’t mean he’s a walkover and is the perfect foil between his wife and his best friend.  Nick is very different, more serious and has his feelings for Riley well locked up.  It was great seeing him unfold, learning to hope and trust.  The three share so much and the relationship just made perfect sense to me.

It’s a very simple story but one full of emotion, passion and love.

As I’ve said before and will probably say again, I’m of the opinion that love comes in many forms and isn’t or shouldn’t be defined by social norms.  I think that message is what I love most about Tere Michaels’ work.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

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I loved the premise of the Lords of Deliverance series; Four siblings, born of a demon and an angel, almost brought the ancient world to ruin and as punishment, were cursed to be the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Technically it’s three horsemen and one horsewoman which was actually another facet I loved.  The end of days will come but how soon depends on if the seals they were cursed with are broken.  They fight on the side of good as long as their seals remain intact but should the unthinkable occur, they turn evil and will side with the bad guys, unleashing the full terrible force of their natures.

As this was the first book by Larissa Ione I’d read, I didn’t realise this series is actually a companion set from her main one called The Demonica.  This also explains why I felt some names or characters were important and should have some deeper meaning for me.  It didn’t spoil my enjoyment of Eternal Rider though and just made me want to catch up on the other series.

I loved the way Ione smacks you right in the face with one of the Horsemen’s seals breaking, just as you started liking him.  It was just enough that you hope the remaining three and their uneasy allies can find a way to restore him before he destroys everything.

This book is Ares/War’s story and I absolutely loved it.  Ares is a complex character with layers to his personality and can be quite a scary individual.  Even as Ares, he is drawn to battle and tries to keep to himself as his mere presence can cause fights to break out.  A lonely immortal existence but one he accepts for his part in the ancient war that nearly brought the world to its knees.

Cara is a human that I could identify with instantly, having a love of animals that borders on the paranormal.  On the verge of bankruptcy and mourning the death of her father, she still can’t turn away an injured dog that was run over.  She has the ability to heal animals and was her calling in her father’s vet practice, but lost all confidence in herself.  Discovering the dog had been shot catapults her into a confusing world where nothing is as she thought it was, least of all that the dog was actually a Hellhound and now bonded to her.

Both characters brought something different to the book and made it whole, even with the large supporting cast.  I loved their interplay and interactions, often making me laugh as Cara is feisty and definitely a modern woman.  It was a pleasure seeing them grow in personality, both individually and as a couple.  They complement each other perfectly and also made for some very hot scenes.  You may need a fan if you are a blusher!

The pace of the story was fast, often with no let up and the action scenes were exciting and well written.  I was so engaged, I couldn’t put the book down and by the end I felt breathless.  The teaser for book two at the end had me reaching for it and am very thankful I had it waiting!

A really interesting and exciting take on the Four Horsemen mythos and a series I can’t wait to read the rest of!

Rating: ★★★★½ 

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As before though, it was an autobiography that struck my interest, by another of my favourite comedians – Michael McIntyre.  I eagerly watch anything on TV with him in it, including repeats, because I find his sense of humour and quirky style hilarious.  I did wonder if I would find his writing as funny but was also interested in how his career came about, because it seemed almost as if he was an overnight discovery, plucked from obscurity like a comedic Susan Boyle.

The truth is far from it.  I had no idea how hard he’d fought to get where he is, how personal circumstance and sheer bad luck almost prevented him from being the phenomenon we now know and love, which would have been a crime.  His writing is as funny as his stand-up but with extra depth and emotion.  He’s not having to be a live wire for ten minutes or a couple of hours here and as he took me through his life, both funny times and sad, I learned a lot about the man and where he came from.  He holds nothing back in this frank outpouring (all I’ll say is puberty!) and there are many laugh out loud moments that you can just imagine from his descriptions. The photo’s are interesting, seeing Michael at different ages, but his captions and anecdotes really bring them to life.

The book was so engaging I couldn’t put it down and when I’d finished, I immediately wanted to find the audiobook just to hear it in his unique voice.

An all round funny, touching and highly recommended account of the life (so far!) of a comedy genius.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

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Sister is an amazing book that gripped me and I just couldn’t put it down.  I started it Sunday morning and finished it in the afternoon and I was left with that lovely ‘Wow’ feeling and then had to think about it for a while.  I didn’t see the ending coming at all and once I had finished I could see the tiny and very subtle hints leaning towards it but for the life of me, I totally missed putting them together.  Rosamund Lupton is a master at getting you to look the wrong way.  For that very reason I think the ending has that much more of an impact, when the dawning realisation mixed with horror hits you.

As a debut novel, it’s nothing short of amazing; the plot was intricate but easy to understand and the writing so clean and smooth, I didn’t realise how much of it I had read until my husband commented.

It’s hard to put a label on Sister.  It’s part crime, part thriller but with a little edge of future-science to wrap it up into a book that I now want everyone to read so I can talk about it!  I might find I was the only one who missed the clues but that’s not unusual because I get so caught up in the story.

Lupton’s characterisations were extremely well done.  I loved Beatrice and the changes she undergoes throughout her journey, how much her life alters through her solid refusal to believe what she’s been told, and her determination to find out the truth.  She was both believable and real, and the love she has for her sister got to me in a deep and profound way.

The supporting cast were as solid as Beatrice; her mother who has already been through enough tragedy with the loss of a son at an early age, her safe dependable and boring fiance who just wants her to accept things as they are so they can go back to the States.  The police she encounters repeatedly in her search were well written and their actions were understandable, even as you felt her frustration with them.   The best character other than Beatrice was Mr Wright, the CPS Lawyer who takes her through the events of her search.  They make up the most of the book along with narration or a letter to her sister.  He was utterly believeable and I loved him.

I can only briefly mention the ending in that it left me shocked and speechless but with the feeling that I had just read something incredible.

Sister is a fascinating and enjoyable book that will pull you in and refuse to let you go until you know the truth.

Rating: ★★★★★ 

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I finally decided to read it with the film coming out and while I won’t watch it until it’s released on DVD, I still wanted to know how the series ended.  I’d read the previous books some time before but hadn’t really found myself in the right mood to read this one until now.

Having finished it, I’m surprised to say… its not terrible.  That’s not to say it’s a great book either, just my expectations were low and it surprised me.  If anything, it was the book I enjoyed the most in the series; less angst, more signs of Bella taking control of her ‘life’, Edward being less of an idiot and Jacob becoming less selfish.

I felt the writing in this book was a lot better than the previous novels, whether that was down to a different editor or Meyer getting better at her craft I can’t say but it was a much smoother read.  It could have done with being shorter in my opinion but there weren’t many scenes that I felt could or should have been cut completely so that was a big plus for me.

The plot was decent and I liked how some story threads from previous books had prepared the reader for a big one here.  That it got straight down to the story without preamble was another positive for me, I didn’t have to force myself to keep reading until it caught my interest.  I did have to suspend disbelief on a few major events but in the context of the book, they fit and I could accept them.  The pace was well judged by Stephenie Meyer and unlike previous books wasn’t stop/start and that was some of what kept me reading.

The characterisations seemed much stronger and less annoying, and perhaps that is because the cast have matured from big decisions and events previously, but I just liked them a lot more.  There was humour to balance any angst and I found new respect for Bella in the decisions she made in this story, likewise the antagonism between Edward and Jake lost its childish and hard edge and became almost a familiar teasing thing.  The Cullen family as a whole I’d always liked, and their role in Breaking Dawn didn’t change that opinion, if anything, it cemented it.  Alice was a star and her part in it all was really well thought out and planned.  The end results of her actions were a bit ‘TA-DA!’ but I liked it all the same.

The big finale didn’t ruin the series for me but I did feel after all the build up and preparation that had gone on, it fizzled out a bit like a damp squib.  Since the book wasn’t just about that moment, the rest of the story carried it through and when I finished I was surprised to find not only had I enjoyed it but I was happy with the outcome (yes I am a hopeless romantic!).

Not an amazing book but a decent fantastical read and while I now understand why some people either love it or hate it, I find myself in the middle – I just liked it.

Rating: ★★½☆☆ 

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Now having just finished it, I am astounded at Singh’s ability to write characters that affect me on such an emotional level.  She creates a world that is modern but moulded according to her rules, where the supernatural elements are the norm.  It’s believable and fascinating the way she weaves the two together, especially as complex as the Psy-Changeling world is.

The main characters were wonderfully portrayed and felt very real; I loved the interplay between Sascha Duncan and Lucas Hunter straight from the start even though they come from such different backgrounds.

I have to touch on the Psy network.  It’s intricately created, and very impressive that I understood the basis of it easily through the story without the author having to take time out to explain it.  I felt sad that they had drastically changed themselves so much through the removal of emotion, even with their minds being connected.  Sascha had an immediate impact on me because she did feel, even though she hid it and thought it was wrong.

The Changelings again were really well created, their history and their love of nature struck a deep chord in me and while it did take me a little while to warm up to Lucas, I ended up loving him completely.

Slave to Sensation is a wonderfully emotional story about not fitting into the world you were born into, or following the path you were expected to. It’s a tale of being allowed to dream. The mixture of intrigue, corruption, love and passion delivered with a fast paced plot, made this book an amazing and enjoyable read.

It was so good, I want to read it again immediately. I can’t think of any higher accolade than that!

Rating: ★★★★★ 

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Germline is not an easy read, it has all too realistic scenes of death, insanity and desperation in war, the main character is about the most self-indulgent mess of an anti-hero you could find and even though it’s set in the future, the war is ultimately about who has the most strength to claim what dwindling mineral resources are left, something I can envision all too clearly in our reality.

Having said all that, the book was absolutely amazing.  The clarity of writing and scene descriptions were brilliant and I was able to clearly envision what was going on, even if I didn’t want to.  I had to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next, no matter the outcome and there were more than a few times when I had to take a brief break, just to absorb or pull back from what I’d just read.

I thought the technology T. C. McCarthy created was superb, fit the setting well and it impressed me how easy it was to understand without being led into lengthy jargon on how and why.  From the weaponry, to the armour, even the genetic soldiers all provided everything I needed for a well rounded science fiction novel.

As the book was written in first person perspective, I think it provided a unique look at what was going on in Oscar Wendell’s head.  Starting as a drug-addicted and failing journalist, he had one last chance of redeeming himself with his employers by securing the chance to write an article from the frontlines of the subterrene war in Kazakhstan.  Seeing the war happen from his civilian perspective gave greater impact to what it was really like, the conditions they endure and the edge of sanity they have to dance to get through another night.  The choices he made throughout were both insane yet believable.

I really wanted to hate him.  At first it felt like there was nothing redeeming about him whatsoever, but McCarthy wrote him so cleverly that as he woke up to the reality around him and grew up without wanting to, he sneaked into my mind and a little into my heart.

There was quite a large cast of supporting characters, and a few of the individuals that Oscar meets had quite a major impact on me.  The sheer amount of emotion that the author managed to convey along with these characters, some of them only for a short time was astounding and a testament to a brilliant and empathic writing style.  I have to mention the Brit and the Kid.  I loved both their characters and the fact you never learned their names.

The ending was actually a real surprise for me, I honestly didn’t expect it and I can only give huge props to T. C. McCarthy for making me believe there could be only one outcome for Oscar.

My only negative is that the title of the book and the consequent definition on the back cover aren’t actually used in the book that I recall, and perhaps it wasn’t needed as you now knew what it meant. Due to the definition though, I was expecting something a little different but I was in no way disappointed with what I got.

The pace of the book was fast and unrelenting, leading to me not being able to put it down unless I had to.  The plot was both original and interesting and actually very hard to describe so all I can say is read Germline.  Then get back to me

A gripping close up of a futuristic war in all it’s gritty, brutal, dark and horrific glory.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

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