Review - Waking the Witch

Title: Waking the Witch
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publication Date: August 2010
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: C
Sensuality: Subtle
Book Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.

Waking the Witch is book eleven in Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. Savannah Levine whom readers of this series first met as an unruly teenager and a very powerful witch in the second book Stolen. Savannah is all grown up now and has the opportunity to be a lead investigator on an important case while her guardians and employers, Lucas and Paige are off on a much needed vacation. Not wanting to bother Lucas and Paige, Savannah heads to the small town of Columbus to investigate the murders of three young women.

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong and really enjoy her Women of the Otherworld series. Unfortunately, Waking the Witch is probably my least favorite book in this series. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that this book seems very transitional. Kelley Armstrong seems to be taking her series in a new direction with Savannah as a lead character. She needed this book to set up new storylines and new characters for future books in the series. Plus, it was a way to show how Savannah is changing and growing into womanhood.

I have trouble with Savannah as a lead heroine. Since Savannah was introduced as a character early on in the series, I never really liked her. Savannah has always come across as selfish and her moral compass is slightly skewed. She is not afraid to use her powers and does not shy away from dark magic. By the end of Waking the Witch I felt much more sympathetic to the choices she makes. In this story she gets a rude awakening and I think it is the beginning of a new Savannah. She has a lot of growth to make and I think the upcoming books will reflect that.

Another reason why Waking the Witch wasn't my favorite is because there is almost no romance. Savannah has had a crush on Adam, a half demon who works for Paige and Lucas, since she was a teenager. Their relationship or the one sided feelings Savannah has for Adam was the extent of the romance. Again, I believe that Adam might have feelings for Savannah but won't act on them because he feels she is too young, as he is eleven years her senior. Plus, the story is told from Savannah's point of view and the reader only gets the romance from Savannah's perspective. But I am definitely intrigued as to how things are going to play out in future books.

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Review - Wicked Intentions

Title: Wicked Intentions
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: August 2010
Genre: Historical
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from Paperbackswap.com

Wicked Intentions is the first book in a new series by Elizabeth Hoyt. Lord Caire, a man who can feel no emotion yet haunted by the brutal death of his paid companion, needs access to the slums of London. He makes a proposition to Temperance Dews whose life's purpose is to clothe and feed the orphans of St. Giles. Temperance is in desperate need of funding for her orphanage. Lord Caire can introduce her to high society where she has the opportunity to snag a rich benefactor.

Wicked Intentions is a strong start to Hoyt's new series. Temperance and Caire are fascinating characters whose uniqueness will compel readers to immerse themselves in this rich story. Temperance is haunted by her own sexuality, in which she views her desires as unclean or those of a loose woman. Lord Caire is a man who is unable to withstand the touch of others without it physically causing him pain. He also is emotionally numb, using Temperance as a way to channel emotions foreign to him through her. Temperance is very expressive and that fascinates Caire, drawing him in and he is powerless to resist her.

Besides the explosive chemistry between Caire and Temperance, there is a secondary storyline involving Temperance's sister, Silence. The storyline doesn't take up much page time, but the small amount that is there makes a big impact. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Silence is in the next book. As it stands now, I am not sure when or if at all Silence will get her own book. I am going to email Ms. Hoyt and see if she can let us know what is in store for the Maiden Lane series. I’ll keep you posted.

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Review - This Heart of Mine

Title: This Heart of Mine
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Publishing Date: 2001
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: I purchased a used copy at a book store specializing in trades.

This Heart of Mine is part of Susan Elizabeth Phillip's Chicago Stars series. Molly Somerville is the younger half sister to Phoebe Calebow the owner of the Chicago Stars football team. Molly has had a long time crush on the quarterback Kevin Tucker, yet he has no idea she exists. To most people Molly outwardly seems like a woman who is sensible and kind and conservative. But actually Molly has these periods when a little chaos and impulsive behavior leads her into trouble. One such period occurs when Molly finds Kevin Tucker at the Calebow’s vacation home unexpectedly. Molly's behavior leads to some very dire consequences which eventually lead Molly and Kevin unning a camp for vacationers, which is where Kev and Molly learn about each other and fall in love.

This Heart of Mine out of the books I have read by SEP has to be my least favorite. It's a testament to SEP's writing that I gave this book a B- rating as the writing is really good, but Molly was a really hard character to like. I was absolutely appalled at her behavior towards Kevin at the beginning of the book. For those of you who have already read this book know what I am referring too, for those of you who haven't I will be vague because I don't want any spoilers in this review. (You can always email me if you want details. I'll be happy to divulge those to you personally.)

Despite Molly's despicable behavior, if you can move past it the rest of the book is actually quite entertaining and a love story finally unfolds. I liked that Kevin eventually unwraps this quirky spontaneous side to Molly and loves her that much more for it. There is also a secondary romance between Kev's Mom and a reclusive artist at the camp. SEP just makes all these quirky characters come to life and they are a treat to read about. If you can get past Molly's cringe-worthy behavior in the beginning then you'll probably be able to enjoy the book.

October Releases

Looking at my list for October, I can see I just might be able to catch up with the TBR pile. I only am wanting five new releases this month. It's slim pickin's for me.

And these are the books in no particular order:

Hellions of Halstead Hall - Book 2

Historical

9/21/2010

The Rarest Blooms - Book 3

Historical

9/28/2010

Victorian Series (Fraternitas Aureae Crucis) - Book 1

Historical

9/28/2010

The Justine Jones: Disillusionist Trilogy - Book 2

Urban Fantasy

9/28/2010

The Iron Seas - Book 1

Steampunk

10/5/2010

Review - Inside Out

Title: Inside Out
Author: Barry Eisler
Publishing Date: July 2010
Genre: Thriller
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from the library.

Inside Out is the second book in Barry Eisler's Ben Treven series. Ben Treven is a black ops soldier who recent had everything he believes in turned upside down in the previous novel Fault Line. This time Ben has been asked to track down a rogue operator who is threatening the US government with revealing tapes of American soldiers torturing prisoners all in the name of war. Ben, with the help of FBI agent Paula Lanier, must stop Larison before these tapes are revealed to the American people.

While Inside Out had many of the things I enjoyed about Fault Line, the first Ben Treven novel, it also didn't quite live up to my expectations. I think Inside Out was much more focused on the external conflict Ben was facing in hunting down Larison and was much less focused on Ben's relationships with those around him. Inside Out also seemed transitional in the fact that Ben is being groomed to take on more a leadership role and active participant in his division than just being a mindless drone that just takes orders and executes them.

There is no doubt that Barry Eisler writes a compelling, well researched and believable story. He is extremely knowledgeable in the nuances of the United States government and how it would manage a crisis it didn't want the American public getting wind of. It actually makes a person wonder at just what kinds of things are being kept hidden from us. Barry also can write compelling characters and gives the reader insight into how a soldier, especially a fierce, loyal and aggressive soldier views the world. I found it very interesting how Paula would psychoanalyze Ben and hit the nail right on the head. I do wish that there would have been more romance between these two, although the one sex scene in the book was smoking hot! Also, I felt like certain issues were wrapped up rather quickly at the end. But, I am definitely going to be reading the next Ben Treven novel.

Guess the Book #6

It's time once again to play "Guess the book". I give you a passage out of a book and you try to guess which book it came out of. The names have been omitted to make it harder. Good Luck!

K--- nodded, looking up at him. His eyes were black in the torchlight, his cheekbones drawn, and his wet hair slicked straight back from his head. He looked like a Cossack warrior, the kind who pillaged villages and stole maidens.

Maidens like her, milkmaids and poor relations and women with few relatives.

She cleared her throat and quickly shifted off his lap to the seat next to him. "Thank you for warming me," she said, starting to shiver immediately.

An odd look passed through his eyes and she followed his gaze downward. Her gown was utterly soaked, of course, and unfortunately her wax breasts had not survived their bath unscathed. One was still in place, perkily holding up K---'s meager offering. But the one on the right, where G---'s arm had towed her through the water, had been squished. The misshapen remains had migrated down and were positioned just above her waistline.

She looked down, thinnking desperately what to say. "H--- calls them her 'bosom friends,'" she blurted out, saying the first thing that came to her head. "If you would please close your eyes..."

He did. "A gentleman would not be grinning like that," she scolded, plucking the freezing ball of wax from her ruined gown. The crushed one was a bit trickier, but she was able to pull her destroyed bodice down enough to pull it out through her stays.

The boat was close to shore by the time she had restored her bosom to its natural state. Luckily they were obscured from view by the fact that their torch had at last spluttered out, though she could make out curious faces lining the marble basin.

"All right," she said, hauling her bodice into a reasonable approximation of its former self.

He opened his eyes.

"Take that expression off your face!" she said crossly.

"It's this or look at you in such a way that everyone would know exactly what I'm thinking about," he said softly.

She glanced down and saw her nipples poking straight through the wet silk. Heat rose in her face. "You'd better give the discards to me," he said. "If the servants find them, they'd never be able to keep it to themselves."

She had them hidden at her side, but she reluctantly handed them over. G--- turned over the blobs of wax. "You don't need these," he said. "But they're fascinating, all the same."

Review - Love in the Afternoon

Title: Love in the Afternoon
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Publishing Date: July 2010
Genre: Historical
Rating: B
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from paperbackswap.com.

Love in the Afternoon is the fifth and final book in Lisa Kleypas's Hathaway series. Beatrix, the youngest Hathaway sibling, finally gets her story. It all began innocently enough when Beatrix's friend Prudence reads her a letter from Captain Christopher Phelan. Beatrix never could resist a wounded soul and insists on writing Christopher after Pru callously disregards his letter. Over the course of the next few months Bea becomes Christopher's shining light amid the dark war. After the war ends he plans to come home and clam Pru as his own. Only he doesn't realize it's not Prudence he's in love with, it’s Beatrix.

Love in the Afternoon while not my favorite in the Hathaway series is still a pleasant read. Beatrix who has always marched to the beat of her own drum prefers the company of animals to that of most people. She is known for her ability to tame almost any wild creature, which is exactly what she does with Christopher once he leaves the war and has to integrate back into society. His gruff and rude behavior is no match for Beatrix's stubborn patience.

For some reason I am having a difficult time pin pointing why exactly I didn't like Love in the Afternoon as much as I did the other books in this series. It could be little things, like the fact that Bea and Christopher are apart in the beginning of the book. They exchange a series of letters which establishes their relationship. Then I think that coupled with the fact that it takes Christopher a while to realize that it was Beatrix who wrote the letters and not Pru. Pru is a selfish twit of a girl and Beatrix is obviously a much, much better person and the fact Christopher doesn't see it right away is a big mark against him. Overall it is a cute story. I mean it’s Lisa Kleypas. It’s still an enjoyable read, just not my favorite.

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