The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4 1/2 Stars! The Goddess Test by Aimee drew me in immediately. I was impressed with the creativity of the entire storyline. Carter took Greek mythology and gave it an exciting and modern twist! Clever, dark, and light all at the same time.

We first meet Kate as she is driving from New York into a town called Eden with her very ill and dying mother. It is her mother's last wish to return to her hometown before she passes away. Because of her mothers illness Kate has become a loner, and tries her best to stay away from the other students in the new high school. But inevitably a few trend towards her. One girl convinces her to go to a school party to meet everyone, and Kate grudgingly agrees to go. The evening of the party is met with tragedy and a meeting with an intriguing stranger, Henry. And Henry claims to be a God. Thus begins The Goddess Test.

This is certainly one of the best YA books I have read this year. I would highly recommend to YA and paranormal fans alike. And I am definitely looking forward to next installment in this series. Great debut!!



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Hunters by Michelle Marquis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Okay, I really enjoyed listening to this book. There were some issues with likability with the h early on, however, the ending really redeemed her. There was a ton of sex (and I love sex in a book,) yet I felt it was a tad overdone and repetitious. Overall though, a good, exciting read!



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Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


So I did enjoy listening to Sweet Valley Confidential. I grew up in the eighties (very late eighties, of course!) and the Wakefield Twins were very much a part of my reading life. Never great works of literature, but always fun light reads. And that was the same with this book. Francine Pascal brought back several of the characters, and it was very much a Sweet Valley revisit for those who grew up reading about the twins trials and tribulations. And there was one big twist I really appreciated!



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Girl in the Beaded Mask by Amanda McCabe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An enjoyable read. I did find the ending was abrupt as I expected at least another chapter.



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Precious and Fragile Things by Megan Hart (Harlequin, 2011)

4 1/2 Stars! Honesty, I do not know where to begin with this novel. It was great in its bravery, for sure. It was honest is it's truths. It was scary in it's humanity, yet cuddly in the same manner. Holy cow, I dont know what to say about Precious and Fragile Things. It hit home in a way no other novel has...and it freaks me out!

I'm a Mom, and yes, I need a break! But just what would I do for a said needed break??? Who knows? But presented with a situation like Gilly was?? What would I do, I dunno? And after all is said and done, would the reality remain the same? Who knows? And today, I am thankful I don't know. And I cross my fingers to never find out.

This novel is one, a gripping story of one person trying to be "good" and another trying to hang on to the life she knows and the children she loves while caring for the tortured man who has kidnapped her.  Its a hard story to listen to, yet I could not stop listening to it. It compelled me in ways I am afraid to admit.

That all said, wow.  Just that wow. Perhaps in a few days I will come back and edit this review after all that happened sinks in.

Copied Blurb:
Gilly Soloman has been reduced to a mothering machine, taking care of everyone and everything except herself. But the machine has broken down. Burnt out by the endless days of crying children and menial tasks, and exhausted from always putting herself last, Gilly doesn't immediately consider the consequences when she's carjacked. With a knife to her throat, her first thought is that she'll finally get some rest. Someone can save her for a change.
But salvation isn't so forthcoming. Stranded in a remote, snowbound cabin with this stranger, hours turn to days, days into weeks. As time forges a fragile bond between them, she learns her captor is not the lunatic she first believed, but a human being whose wasted life has been shaped by secrets and tragedy. Yet even as their connection begins to foster trust, Gilly knows she must never forget he's still a man teetering on the edge. One who just might take her with him.

My Rating: 4.5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang (An excellent narrator for this book, imho)

Siren Song by Stephanie Draven (Harlequin Nocturne Bites, 2011)

4 1/2 Stars! Really enjoyed this story! I think the strong appeal to Siren Song for me was that I had absolutely no clue what was going to happen. I have never read a book with a siren before:D On the downside, I wanted it to be longer. Would love to say more...but I think you should go buy it and read it instead;)

Copied Blurb:

When Chloe Karras sings, she knows that no one can resist her sensual allure—except for the sexy naval officer seemingly immune to her voice. But Captain Alex Shore is just the man she wants to take home after her performance—until he tells her what she thought were imagined powers are real...and dangerous.
Alexandros knows firsthand how seductive sirens are, as well as their potential to destroy. Yet the former sea soldier feels a powerful attraction to the beautiful rock singer that goes beyond her spell. Can he banish Chloe from the town he's vowed to protect—or will he be drawn into the siren's bed?

The Killing Dance by Laurell K. Hamilton (Penguin Audiobooks, 2009)

5 Stars! Probably my favorite Anita Blake book yet! Choices were made, things were seen. And the mystery had a nice twist to it! Curious now to see where Ms. Blake will take the series. Especially since I see reviews up and down regarding where it goes. Definitely recommend!

Copied Blurb:
In The Killing Dance, vampire hunter Anita Blake finds herself the victim when a $500,000 price is put on her head, and the two men in her life - a vampire and a werewolf - aren't helping the situation.

My Rating: 5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Penguin Audio Books, 2009
Narrator: Kimberly Alexis

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (Brilliance Audio, 2006)

4 Stars! A suspenseful fay novel by my favorite Highlander author! I have been meaning to get to this series for a long while now. So glad I finally did!

My thoughts: The suspense was crafted masterfully.  The main character was developed well, even if I am still not sure whether I like her or not(She is pretty girly.) Moning's world building was done creatively, and slow enough to not throw everything to the reader at once.  That being said, though, I did find the pace of the first half of the book to be forgivably slower than other books I have read in the genre.

I will be listening to the next in the series as soon as I get a chance. There were a lot of loose ends(it is a series, after all) and quite a bit of foreshadowing. Very curious to see which direction Moning goes with the Fever series! Highly recommend!

My Rating: 4

Copied Blurb:
MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.

Or so she thinks...until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death - a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone - Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book - because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Narrator: Joyce Bean (Seriously not the best choice for this book. Mac is a young woman, and Bean sounds like an older lady. Had to work my brain past that to really get into listening to the book)

Masques: Aralorn, Book 1 by Patricia Briggs (Brilliance Audio, 2010)

4 1/2 Stars!  Fantasy was my first love and this book brought me back to just why I used to love and read it all the time. I enjoyed the character development of Wolf immensely.  His elusiveness really added dimension to the storyline. And Aralorn, what to say?  She was a very strong and likable heroine.  I am looking forward to seeing more in this world. Certainly a great listen!

Copied Blurb:

After an upbringing of proper behavior and oppressive expectations, Aralorn fled her noble birthright for a life of adventure as a mercenary spy. Her latest mission involves spying on the increasingly powerful sorcerer Geoffrey ae'Magi. But in a war against an enemy armed with the powers of illusion, how do you know who the true enemy is - or where he will strike next?

My Rating: 4.5

Additional Audio Notes:

Publisher: Brilliance Audio, 2010
Narrator: Katherine Kellgren

This Side of the Grave: Night Huntress, Book 5 by Jeaniene Frost (Blackstone Audio, 2011)

5 Stars!  This series is still one of my all time favorites! I just love Cat and Bones, and their often intense interactions. Once again, Frost delivered an exciting plot while visiting a handful of characters I was looking forward to seeing again. The Night Huntress series rocks!!

Copied Blurb:

Danger waits on both sides of the grave...
Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance.
With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous "ally"—the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war—to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.

My Rating: 5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert (I think Tavia just gets better and better throughout this series!)

Falke's Peak by Anna Leigh Keaton and Madison Layle (Carina Press, 2010)

4 1/2 Stars! This book had it all! Adventure, hot guys, and seriously erotic scenes! Very hot, very yummy, indeed! To top it off, this story took place in the wilderness, my absolute favorite place to be. I listened to this in audio, and found the narrator to be really good as well. It appears that this will be a series, which will thrill me to no end.  Especially since there are more people to the Falke family that need their hea.  Off to go snap some snow shoes on and see if I can't find my own adventure;)

Copied Blurb:

She couldn't believe her eyes.
Stressed out ad-exec Dakota wandered into Catamount Outfitters in search of a guide for a wilderness excursion. She didn't expect to be greeted by not one but five of the most ruggedly delicious-looking men she'd ever seen... not to mention a live cougar guarding the shop!
The Falke brothers have more than just good looks in their genes.
Eldest brother Axel agreed to guide Dakota on her mountain trek. In cougar form, Axel's twin, Gunnar, was there as a protection from predators - but he had his eye on the sexy client instead.
Into the wild....
While the rule with clients was "paws-off", both Axel and Gunnar couldn't resist Dakota's seductive Native American beauty and determination. As cold days led to hot nights in the cabin, Axel and Gunnar wondered if they'd finally found a woman strong enough to tame them....

My Rating: 4.5


Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Gina Cedarwood

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Blackstone Audio, 2010)

5 Stars! Books just don't get much better than this.  One of my favorite series ever! Looking forward to the next adventure with Bones and Cat!


Copied Blurb:
Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they’ve fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it’s time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She’s having visions of a vampire named Gregor, who’s more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn’t know about.
Gregor believes Cat is his and won’t stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor’s hold over her. She’ll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she’s ever faced … even if getting that power will result in an early grave.

My Rating: 5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert (She does a fantastic job, as usual)

The Reluctant Surrender by Penny Jordan (Harlequin Presents, 2011)

3.5 Stars! This was a typical Harlequin Presents. Alpha H, and a somewhat timid h. It was just what I was in the mood for. This one was the first part in a two part series. Giselle's Choice being the next one.

Copied Blurb:

Saul Parenti always demands the best. That's why he's hired Giselle Freeman to work for him. Nicknamed the Ice Queen, Giselle has a frosty demeanor and a cool beauty. Yet it's obvious to Saul that beneath the Arctic facade lies fiery passion!

Ever since the traumas of her early childhood, Giselle has built walls of steel around her heart. Now she's working with the only man who can challenge those defenses. Their sexual attraction is at boiling point. The only possible outcome—an all-consuming, earth-shattering, life-changing surrender!

My Rating: 3.5

Taken by Lilith Saintcrow (Harlequin Nocturne, 2011)

4.5 Stars! A thoroughly enjoyable read! This is my first Lilith Saintcrow book, and I will definitely be looking into her back-list.  As I was reading this book, I had many ideas of what I was going to say, but failed to take notes.  Anyways, it was quite an engaging story and I hope Saintcrow visits this world again!

Copied Blurb:

Sophie never believed she was special. Avoiding a violent ex she can't remember the last time she truly felt safe. Then vampires murder her best friend and Sophie is kidnapped by a dangerously sexy shape-shifter. Zach insists that Sophie is a Shaman—someone with a rare gift for taming his savage side—and he needs her to help him save his pack. Now with a malevolent enemy closing in Sophie and Zach must risk everything on a bond that may be their only salvation….

My Rating: 4.5

Angel Thief by Jenny Schwartz (Carina Press, 2010)

4 Stars! Jenny Schwartz delivers an inventive take on the genie in a bottle, with a very angelic twist! I was pleasantly surprised with how many twists and turns there were while still being a novella.  Getting into the story took a few chapters, but once I did I was certainly addicted Angel Thief!

Sara is an angel searching for a cure for a sick little boy. The said cure is apparently hiding in drug lord’s collection of books. Filip is a djinni ordered to protect the library. When Sara runs into Filip, sparks fly, yet Filip is still duty-bound to bring her to his master. Then his master’s daughter is kidnapped, and another wish is used. Will they be able to save the daughter as well as find a cure for the little boy? And where could the attraction between a djinni and an angel go?

Quickly paced, high tension, and unexpected turns all make this novella one heck of a ride! Now I need to go back and read the first novella in the series, The Price of Freedom, to see what happens to another djinni, yay!

Copied Blurb:
She's breaking the rules. Again.
An archivist in the heavenly library, Sara must follow protocol when it comes to curating the knowledge of the universe. But "liberating" an ancient text from the collection of a human-an Australian drug lord-could save a boy's life. Sara has no way of knowing that one of the man's other treasures is a sexy-as-sin djinni, bound by a wish to guard the estate.
 
He's only following orders.
Filip is compelled to turn over intruders, even celestial ones, to his master. When he catches Sara in the library, he isn't above indulging in some sensual kisses with her, or using her to trick the mobster into wasting a wish. It's what he must do to preserve his facade of freedom and protect his heart.
But the kidnapping of the drug lord's daughter forces Sara and Filip to work together-bringing out the hero that lurks within the soul of the djinni, and the passion within the angel.

My Rating: 4

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent (Harlequin TEEN, 2010)

5 Stars!  Love, love, love this series! Rachel Vincent has been very creative in keeping this series going. I really felt sorry for Kaylee throughout this book. Everything seemed to go wrong around her, and she couldn't seem to stop it.  Very highly recommended!

Copied Blurb:
Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.
Until something does.
Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.
And so is someone else....

My Rating: 5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi (She takes a little time getting used to, but really does a fabulous job!)

Dex's Claim (Harlequin Spice Briefs 2011)

4 Stars! I loved this very erotic paranormal novella! The title says it all:D I would recommend reading Sin's Pride first, only because they take place in the same world.  However, it totally stands alone as well.

Copied Blurb:

Dex Zoller has wanted lioness Jenni Ulman for years, especially when she teases him with her irresistible body. Yet she's the daughter of one of the pride's ruling elders and he's a nobody. Dex thinks he isn't good enough to take her as his mate.
But Dex doesn't realize that Jenni's body selected him as her mate long ago. His touch made her thrill with passion and need. Being at his mercy is her dream—one that becomes reality once Dex can no longer resist the urge to claim her...

My Rating: 4

Shadow's Caress by Patti O'Shea (Harlequin Nocturne Bite, 2011)

4 Stars! A curious tale of vampire hunting gone awry...in a most interesting way.  Funny in the beginning, suspenseful and fast paced towards the end. 

Copied Blurb:

Former vampire hunter Cass Lanier didn't think vampires could become ghosts...until the shade of Malachi James comes to her, arousing her with his erotic touch. Malachi was the last vampire she killed—an act she always regretted. Now Cass is his only hope of being brought back to life.
Then Cass discovers Malachi isn't the only one following her. Other hunters have learned she can resurrect the vampires she put to death, and they want to kill her first. Will Cass survive long enough to save Malachi and finally experience her phantom lover's caresses as pleasures of the flesh?

My Rating: 4

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (Luna Books, 2011)

4 1/2 Stars!! Aftertime is an engrossing and gritty romp through a tainted post-apocalyptic land. I bit my nails, I slammed down caffeine, all in the name of reading just one more chapter.  Aftertime is at times gross and at times lovely.  Engaging and exciting, oh, yeah!

Cass is a woman searching desperately for her young daughter across a dangerous land full of Beaters, zombie-like creatures.  She has woken up, far away from her last memory, missing a few weeks of her life. Her body is scarred, her flesh torn, yet healing.  She meets a man dubbed Smoke who agrees to help her.  Cass has a history that has taught her to trust no one, often not even herself.  Yet, she needs to trust him just a little, as he may just be the one who can help her get to her daughter.

My only complaint for Aftertime is that there are several situations I would have liked to know more about.  When Cass and Smoke encountered different groups of people, the reader just starts to see what the group has been doing, or what they are about to do, and then Cass and Smoke move on.  I really wanted more detail! That said, I do so hope Ms. Littlefield will write more about this land, even if the main characters are different.

A good, scary, well plotted story!  I highly recommend!!

Copied Blurb:

The World's Gone.
Worse, so is her daughter.
Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Wearing unfamiliar clothes and having no idea how many days—or weeks—have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished.
And with her, nearly all of civilization. Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.
In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get her Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety. For the Beaters are out there. And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world....

My Rating: 4.5

Silver Bound by Ella Drake (Carina Press, 2010 Audio version)

4 1/2 Stars!  Ella Drake is one of my new fav authors.  Her world building is amazing, her character sketches intriguing, and her storytelling is flawless! This is the second book I have read by this author...and I feel lucky to have discovered her!

Silver tipping is one of the main problems the H and h have to overcome throughout the book.  It is a procedure that puts the female into sexual slavery and wipes her of all her memories. I found it a sad and horrific process. It certainly kept this reader glued to the story, hoping all along they would be able to find a solution.

Definitely recommend Silver Bound by Ella Drake who truly has quite the knack for world building!


Copied Blurb:
Sheriff Guy Trident doesn't have much to do with off-worlders; he has his hands full keeping his own planet safe. But he'll do anything, go anywhere to save Jewel Quinn. She broke his heart years ago when she left to marry a Terraloft aristocrat. Now she's run away from her husband, only to fall into the clutches of slavers.
Posing as a wealthy playboy, Guy arrives at Zuthuru Station to learn he's too late: Jewel's memories have been erased. She's been tipped in silver, a process that leaves nothing behind except her body, sexually bound to pleasuring her master. Unwilling to give up hope, Guy buys her.
Jewel fights to reclaim herself, recalling a different connection to the handsome sheriff, remembering the frightened eyes of a young boy and the events that made her run. Together she and Guy search for her cure, plan her son's rescue from her ruthless ex, and test if they have any kind of future...before the past catches up to them.

My Rating: 4.5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Janet Metzger