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Hard to imagine a more satisfying middle-school/young high school read. This is action and adventure, reminiscent of "Pirates of the Caribbean", minus the supernatural elements. Jacky is as plucky a young heroine as you might wish for; her adventures are both extraordinary and plausible. The audio book is a brilliant working of accents and voices. There is an attempted sexual assault and a violent beating, so know your readers. The 12 y/o in our house loved the story beginning to end, and we had some necessary conversations about some of the realistic dangers Jacky finds herself in. By the end, we were rushing out for the second book.

Marchetta has spun a tale about a girl at a new HS struggling with new friendships, a boy, and a mother depressed and in bed. Garden-variety movie-of-the-week stuff, but with an Australian setting that has some charms. I can see why fans of Sarah Dessen would enjoy this. I saw the one big reveal coming from a long way off, but teens probably won't have the experience to track it. They will probably enjoy Francesca as a relatable, flawed teen who could be someone they know. The many friends - male and female, from the new school and the old - may lose some readers, while others will appreciate the realistic rendering of shifting alliances and developing intimacies. A bit of language and reasonable drinking might earn this a 'PG-13' rating. Its heart is in the the right, albeit earnest, place.

Quite an enjoyable read. Although it is 'about' Miles and Chip (a.k.a. "The Colonel") and Alaska, it is really about "The Great Perhaps" and "How will I ever escape this labyrinth." You know, Rabelais' and Bolivar's last words? Yep, it shamelessly tackles deep issues and smart characters without becoming abstruse, although it expects you to keep up. And while it occasionally uses some big words, it isn't all that difficult to read. Yes, there's some sex and drinking and smoking and coarse language. And they aren't at all the point of "Looking for Alaska"; they are elements that add believability. Every teen won't love this book. But smart outsiders will have much to enjoy.

This book is doomed, cursed by its own success and the familiar, contemptible Hollywood over-exposure. Why have you heard of this book? It is that funny. Not earth shaking, not era-defining, not transformational. But funny, funny, funny. There are too few books that rise to this level.

If you must read Rand, this is probably the place to start. It isn't that her ideas are bad - though Orewell certainly does a more comprehensive job detailing the loss of language and freedom - but that her writing is clunky. As her point in writing seems to be to instruct the reader, this may not strike some as valid criticism. Still, I object to reading a novel with all the linguistic vitality and joy of a furniture assembly diagram. It makes reading drudgery. Still, at 256 pages, it is at least digestible. When folks rhapsodize over Atlas Shrugged, hundreds of pages longer and just as plodding, I just don't get it.

Brilliantly funny. The audio book, which Bryson narrates, has the added advantage of his dry, American/British voice. Worth reading and listening to.

As a high school teacher, I understand the appeal of a short first-person narrative written in simple language about an emotional subject. Abuse of a child is an inherently gripping topic. Over the decades, I've seen a surprisingly large subset of kids feel the magic of reading from this book. Many make a connection to this book unlike any other. And I'm baffled. This is perhaps the worst book I've ever read (although I hear V.C. Andrews puts up a good contender in My Sweet Audrina). In every way I can think of a book being bad, this book is bad. The organization is murky, the writing lacks credibility, the characters are cartoon versions of caricatures, the copy editing is sloppy beyond belief, there's no real climax, catharsis, or remotely-sensible point to Pelzer's torture-porn exploitation of his childhood. I wasn't moved, I wasn't touched, I wasn't enraged, upset, or disturbed. Just bored an annoyed. With so many better books out there, I'm dumbfounded at "A Child Called 'It's'" continued popularity.

Some books are roller coasters, exciting from beginning to end. Others are like fine meals, to be savored leisurely. And then there was The Alchemyst, which was like shopping for Sunday school clothes with a reluctant toddler: there's just no joy in it. While I don't like panning books, this was poorly written. The underlying story was fine, but it needs an edit or ten from someone with any sense of language. While young or inexperienced fantasy fans may be able to overlook the laden writing, I don't think this is a good book for anyone with much experience of fantasy. I've read many, many better authors.

This is a fairly straight-forward book that many people will find accessible. For the faithful believer, there are some serious points that will take some thinking and study to rebut. For the Agnostic choir, his words may find their way into your conversation. Rhetorically, I do think that Harris fails to speak convincingly to the audience he claims to seek: fundamentalist, politically active Americans. Then again, part of the fun of this sort of book is either cheering or jeering it from the safety of your deeply held convictions.

A fast, fun read. Fans of superhero stories will especially like the X-Men/Fantastic four quality of the six children at the center of this series. This is compulsively readable, and will appeal to older readers who crave action, but can easily be enjoyed by younger readers as well. As a rule, James Pattersonwrites taught plots and delivers page-turning suspense. If character development or supple word choice is important to you, this will disappoint. If the series isn't enough for you, or you want to look at how an author can take a story in different directions for different audiences, try When the Wind Blows, the adult title he wrote first that uses some of the same characters.

Just finished reading this aloud to my six year old son. He loved it and really reacted in all the right places. Rowling spins a good yarn. I first read this as an adult and I will probably never quite appreciate this book in the way those who read it as kids do. Still, any book that spans a readership from six-to-sixty-six, is fine stuff.

This is really as good as its reputation. Is it flawed? Yes. Do contemporary tastes run to more character and action driven directions? Yes. Was Neil Postman correct in concluding that Huxley's vision eventually appeared, while Orwell's didn't? Yes. And yet "Big Brother" and "Double Speak" have entered our lexicon. There is so much about freedom and oppression explored within these pages. As a teacher, I love that reading and WRITING are among the most transgressive behaviors. How I wish that more people who mention "Big Brother" would actually read this complex, provocative book.

Just finished this one, and am basking in the after glow. What a good read. "Twisted" reminds me of almost any book by Chris Crutcher, with fewer characters and plot lines, and this is a good thing; the writing is tremendously sharp, the issues clear. It also recalls Gordon Korman's Jake, Reinvented with a central male character who isn't perfect but who is lovable, warts and all. I don't know how convinced I was by the suicide element of the story- it felt tacked-on and overly convenient - but I clicked with just about everything else. The short chapters moved along well, and there were almost no loose ends that aggravate reluctant readers. I think "Twisted" raises some of the central issues to American masculinity: primacy of physical strength and athleticism, group-think, sexual prowess, relations with authority, the impotence of classical education, the need to quietly take abuse or act out. I hope and expect that just as Anderson opened conversations about aspects of female experience with Speak, so will Twisted create opportunities for conversations about the experience of adolescent males.

What made this book work for me is the voice of D.J. Because she is so direct and blunt, I think she 'reads' easily. For teen males, this may be especially refreshing. Because the title and cover are not connected to the tone, and because it is oriented away from things masculine, I expect it will be a hard sell for guys, which is too bad. This is a story about toughness and strength and football that I think girls AND guys would enjoy. If they can overcome the window dressing.

"The Book of Lost Things" never captured my imagination, feeling both stiff and derivative. There were elements I enjoyed - an up-dated Snow White, a Huntress who makes macabre prey - but they never really felt more than loosely connected. It read as if it were constructed from the "Young Mythic Hero Erector Set" with similarities to many other tales and little to distinguish it. It wasn't BAD, but it wasn't especially good. Just bland. I wanted to be astounded by TBOLT, but I was only occasionally amused.

The premise is intriguing: a boy listens to tapes sent to him by a girl who committed suicide a couple of weeks ago. And I'll admit, I stayed up late to finish the final third because I was that curious about how it would turn out. I can imagine teens - male and female - enjoying the twists and turns. But. This doesn't rise to my highest tier of young adult literature. Although it is at times fascinating, there are several pieces that Mr. Asher doesn't work out to my satisfaction. The biggest problem is that it is just too easy to buy Hannah's taped versions of events and blame others for her suicide. I also didn't quite grasp Clay's attraction to Hannah or his reaction to her recorded remarks. The drama felt forced. For developing teen readers, the many characters would make this a tough read, while accomplished readers would probably find greater satisfaction in other thrillers. So while I enjoyed the book, I won't recommend it unequivocally. [Taken from my Amazon review]

Good for those who like Alex Rider books. The protagonist is supposedly twelve, but he acts more like 15 - 18, so if older readers can get beyond the stated age, this book will be satisfying. It is also British, so American readers will find some curious references, but nothing so difficult as to make the book hard.

Fast and furious, easy to read. This is a good mixture of realistic So Cal. rich folks and supernatural strangeness. Shusterman keeps the plot moving quickly, even if without the profanity and strong situations that seem to be omnipresent in today's YA. I think fantasy readers will enjoy it, as well as realistic fiction fans.

I really don't like this book. It isn't even a good fable. There is so much brilliant Holocaust literature out there, that time would be better spent reading any other book on the subject. And, to paraphrase Roger from Horn Book, if Auschwitz is the metaphor, what is the real story? This chapter of human misery is just too potent to play fast and loose with. And it was a slog to read.

It is clear that Ms. Hopkins has found an audience who loves and admires her story telling. With no slight to them, this just isn't all that good a book. It isn't up to par with "Burned" or "Impulse" and on its own, "Glass" is a pain. I slogged through it because it will be so popular with students at the high school where I teach that I needed to be familiar with it. I'm not certain it is anything more than a 680 page "Crank" re-tread. It takes us along with Kristina as she descends into hell, a journey that yields no revelations, no insights, just banal depravity. I do hope that fans of Hopkins will seek out other books that offer richer feasts. And if they don't, she's working on the third book in this unlikely trilogy.

Good from start to finish. Well, almost. The dangling, morally ambiguous end felt a bit preachy, but otherwise "Leftovers" is a good example of what writing for teens can be: propulsive, addictive, thrilling, and disturbing. After completing the book in one four-hour sitting, I'm struck by a few things. First, as a reader I enjoyed Blair and Ardith's believably complicated characters. Secondly, as a male reader, I appreciated how Wiess did an outstanding job of bringing me into the minds of teen girls. Last, as a teacher of writing, I admire Wiess for telling a story that doesn't slack or go soft, but that keeps building tension; the back-and-forth between each girl's voice works well. This is a good read for fans of darkly realistic YA fiction.

The wilted flower on the black-field cover is brilliantly honest packaging. In stories of incest, there is such a thin space between exploitation and maudlin that few books negotiate the hazards. "Such a Pretty Girl" expertly brings readers into that thin, claustrophobic space and holds them there. The pacing is solid, Meredith is all-too believable, and her mother is tragically realistic. Oh, and the Dad is dispicable. Other reviewers have done an excellent job delineating strengths of the book, so I would just like to add my voice to the chorus of hosannas along with this point: although males often avoid female protagonists, I think "Such A Pretty Girl" is one of the rare ones that teen boys will enjoy (Go Ask Alice is another that comes to mind) if presented with a copy.

More than a year after reading this book I am haunted by it. It is both elegant in its simplicity and profound in its exploration of what it means to be a parent. Or a child. Or on the road. McCarthy is a writer at the top of his form, and for my money this is about as good as literature gets.

This didn't capture me, the way Shusterman's Unwind and Full Tilt did. It moves slowly, and the characters never really came alive for me. It is interesting, but not really compelling. I'd start with other books by this author, as I think he's done much better work.

Cesar Hawkes works for the Office of Preturnatural Affairs. He does until the day he wakes with a dead woman in his bath tub and blood everywhere. Now he is a suspect and his partner advises him to run. However, he is determined to investigate the case and as he does so, folks attempt to capture him, arrest him and flat out kill him. It leaves him not knowing who he should trust and without a safe place, other than his brother's house. As always with S.M. Reine's work, this book is entertaining with good solid characters to build the new series upon. I am gleefully looking forward to seeing more of Cesar.

Rachel Lospostos is fleeing into the rainforest, away from an assassin who will stop at nothing to see her dead. She manages to slip away from an attack and disappears into the jungle, finding a small house that is furnished, but unoccupied. There will be issues when Rio, the homeowner gets back. This is the second in Feehan's Leopard People series. Each story seems to bring together a two people who are destined to be together. There is a lot of sex in the story, so if you are bothered by that, it may not be your book. Otherwise, a reasonably entertaining tale.

It's Christmas time and people are dying, one by one, horribly, their bodies decorated and adorned with an ornament representing one of the twelve days of Christmas. Lieutenant Eve Dallas catches the first case and then the others, as it becomes apparent that it is a serial offender. The link? All the victims were clients of Personally Yours, a dating service owned by a brother and sister. The challenge is finding out who had access to the information and was using it to destroy lives. Dallas is also struggling with the aspects of the case that bring back memories of her unlovely childhood. And she is finding that she is beginning to adjust to the new friendships and family that she has acquired in recent times. J. D. Robb, also known as Nora Roberts writes an entertaining story with interesting characters that keep you involved. I am looking forward to reading more of this series, goodness knows that there are tons more books in it to read.

Sentinel for House Cadogan, Merit has her work cut out for her. Not only is she obliged to protect her liege lord, Ethan Sullivan, but she also has a responsibility to the rest of the members. When Ethan requires her aid in protecting the pack Apex, Gabriel, she is there, ready to fight. And she is there to try to determine where the attacks are coming from, though deception makes that a challenge. I am enjoying reading this series, save for one thing and that is that occasionally I find words that are either a poor choice, or flat out misused which is one of my biggest pet peeves. It makes me want to channel Inigo Montoya and say, "Stop using that word! I do not think it means what you think it means." Regardless, I will continue with the series to see how things develop.

Trouble is afoot for Cadogen, yet again. Merit is having problems reconciling with her nature; people are getting messages causing them to direct hostility at people who are innocent of wrong-doing. All that and House Cadogen is accused of making death threats against one of Merit's old family friends. Oh, and Celina is free which added to the rest is a recipe for disaster. This was a good second book in the Chicagoland Vampire series. I like the way the characters are developing, though I could live without the conflict between Merit and Ethan. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

The stories in this anthology don't all seem to stick closely to the Death part of the title, though the vacation carries right across. All are well-written, most by authors of note, I find this book worth reading. The stories include: Two Blondes by Charlaine Harris is a short story in which Sookie and Pam are ordered by Eric's superior to visit an out of town gentleman's club called Blonde to negotiate with its owner. Needless to say, things don't go as expected. The Boys Go Fishing by Sarah Smith is a story of Bill Green, superhero in hiding who wants nothing more than to die. His friends are gone, his wife is gone and he lives like a hermit. Occasionally, he guides folks who wish to go ice fishing. One day, a strange young woman comes, asking for a favor. He says he'll agree, but only if one of the people in her group will kill him. One For The Money by Jeaniene Frost is the tale of Cat and Bones who attempt to save the life of a young heiress beset with many suspicious accidents. Her cousin would benefit from her death, so they seek him out, all the time protections the spoiled young girl with the help of a ghost and Cat's mother. Meanwhile, Far Across the Caspian Sea by Daniel Stashower takes us into the life of a young journalist, Jeff who works as a fact checker for a company that churns out un-ending series of books on all sorts of different subjects. He envisions making a long-term career at the company, but comes across a difficult coworker who poses an interesting challenge. The Innsmouth Nook by A. Lee Martinez tells us about Phillip and Vance who open a bed and breakfast in a tiny costal town. There are some problems, though. The atmosphere in the area is a bit eerie; the townsfolk are decidedly odd. And the tourist business isn't at all what they thought it would be. Safe and Sound, by Jeff Abbott begins with Nora Dare, a rabid reporter who is determined to bring Jason Kirk home to his parents! after he went missing during a tropical vacation. The parents and the police force and citizenry of the island are growing increasingly angry at her tactics, but she refuses to let the story go. Seeing is Believing by L. A. Banks starts in Port Arthur, Texas. Jessica is chatting with the elderly Sheriff, or rather, he is telling her that she sould get out of there and go, as he believes that she deserves better than the way she is living now. He knows that she has the sight like her mother did before her, but when she tells him that the bodies turning up there were dumped there by werewolves, he gets a little dubious. Little does she know, a short trip to New Orleans will change the way she deals with the situation before her. The Perils of Effrijim by Katie MacAlister sees Newfoundland dog shaped demon Effrijim on a vacation apart from Guardian Aisling Grey, his demon-lord. Just as he was about to leave for Paris to see his beloved Welsh Corgi Cecile, he is betrayed and sent to Akasha where he meets Titania, a nymph with revenge on her mind. Can he aid her and make it to Paris to see his doggie girlfriend? Thin Walls by Christopher Golden explores a night in a California hotel. While Tim is on a pilgrimage, of sorts, the sound of a headboard banging against the wall of the next room let him know that some couple is getting over zealously busy. When he meets the woman the next day, she has some surprises in store for him. The Heart is Always Right by Lilith Saintcrow: a gargoyle saves an Evilmart checkout girl from the forces of darkness, as she leaves work for the day and is attacked by strange creatures. In the process, he realizes that she is marked by the Heart, a force of good, and that he must now deliver her to his brethren in Paris, as the Heart requires. The Demon in the Dunes by Chris Grabenstein involves a summer at the shore, when 16 year old Dave smokes his first cigarette and gets to second base with a bikini-clad college girl. This is a bit of a ghost story. Home from America, by Sharan Newman: the O'Reillys are invited to a family gathering back in Ireland, where their family originated. The younger members are in for some surprises, as they find their parents haven't told them everything about their heritage that they needed to know. Pirate Dave's Haunted Amusement Park by Toni L. P. Kelsner starts as a young woman, changed into a werewolf against her will is being courted by local packs in an attempt to get her to join them. Wearied by their incessant attention, she decides to take a vacation back to an old favorite spot from her youth. What she finds when she gets there is a puzzle, waiting to be solved.

Indexing is a currently on-going Kindle serial story set in a version of our world where tales try to force their way into reality, co-opting seemingly ordinary people that happen to fit into a particular story-line to meet the goals of the Narrative. A Snow White, Henry Marchen heads a team from the ATI, the investigative agency that tries to stop, or at the very least, control the incursions of the Narrative that can literally end people's lives and disrupt the world as we know it. The folks at the bureau have all been affected by the Story, at one point or other and must be on guard not to become an active part of the tale once more, while fighting to protect others by whatever means necessary. While I am rarely pleased with short-stories or serial formats, this is an interesting tale which is not yet finished. The characters that we see on a regular basis are well-drawn and engaging and more are woven in as we progress. I am looking forward to the next installment.

Set in the year 1929, in Jazz-age Paris, this story takes us through the glittering literary and artistic set, into the depths of those who take things to extremes, indeed to the brink of insanity and then over the edge into a dark, hellish experience. Harris Stuyvesant is an American investigator sent to find a young woman who has gone missing in Paris. The irony is that he had a brief affair with the girl and so his interest in finding her is tinged with personal regret and a sense of a failure to protect her. The writing in this novel is vivid and evocative and though it is filled with historical nuggets and real world characters, such as Hemingway and Man Ray, it is in no way dry. I found that I was drawn strongly into the story and that the fictional characters were written in a way that allowed me to identify with them and feel that all-important connection that makes me want to read on. This is a story that I can highly recommend.

Her Ladyship's Curse is a book set in an alternate history where the United States lost the Revolutionary war and thus we are still ruled by England. Women are still treated as chattel and have very few rights and privileges. Magic works in this universe and the technology is consistent with the steam punk genre. A young woman who is a disbeliever in magic, Charmian "Kit" Kittrege has set herself up as an investigator of sorts, though most folks hire her to remove curses, she sees her job as finding out what the real problem is and fixing it for them. Lady Diana Walsh visits her office and asks for her help. It seems that she is being attacked at night and insulting words are being carved into her person. She can't tell her husband or family, so asks Kit to investigate and end this curse for her. Kit agrees to help the woman, but things get complicated, not the least because of the fact that she is a commoner interacting with the aristocracy. Since she has no male to protect her, she is vulnerable to accusations that she might not otherwise face. In addition, she has attracted the attention of two very different men, one, a death mage and the other a police inspector who each add their own level of complexity to her life. No matter, whatever the others say, Kit can not see abandoning Lady Diana to the vicious attacks. This was a wonderful tale with complex world building and characters that jumped right off the page for me. There were aspects to the steam punk technology that were unique to any that I have previously read and very interesting. I loved the web of friendship and loyalty that Kit had, despite her being largely alone in the world and the idea of her bartering in her business transactions, thus gaining favors from people that would be useful to her later. I am very much looking forward to seeing more of these stories! An Excellent Read!

Gwynneth Ever After is a lovely contemporary romance novel that is set in Canada. An ordinary single mother, Gwynneth has built her life around her three young children, working as an architect from her home, so that she can meet their needs. While attending a play that was written by a friend, she accidentally meets Gareth Connor, a famous actor who is visiting the area and finds herself drawn to him, despite herself. This story is notable for the quiet normal life of its heroine. She works, takes care of her children and home and juggles financial and maintenance issues, just like any single mother would. Many of the scenes are centered, not around glamor, but in quiet moments with which we can identify, because we live in moments like that daily. The author, Linda writes with a descriptive flair that makes even the normal and small moments special. We have all had those times when we're just doing what we usually do and then a tiny thing happens and we suddenly realize how important that moment is? She manages to convey that in well-chosen words, drawing a vivid picture that keeps us involved in her story. One line in particular stood out for me: "A sudden, icy blast of wind sliced through thoughts he knew he had no business having," This is a well-written book and a calming, enjoyable read.

The Importance of Being Wicked is a charming Regency romance in which our hero is a gentleman who has had and lost three fiances and the heroine is a widow with a secret and suprising talent. When his ancestral home suffers a fire in the mainsection, Winfield hires a firm to restore it to its former glory. He is startled and intrigued to find that the representative of the company is a lovely, yet plainly dressed woman who wears horrible, yet practical shoes. Sparks fly, as they clash in conversation, but they find an agreement that will require them to interact together for several months. I found the characters in the book to be engaging and well-rounded, and could easily relate to them. In addition, I appreciated the vein of light humor throughout and enjoyed both of their rather idiosyncratic families. This copy also included a novella at the end which told the story of the Viscount's three previous engagements. I appreciated that, as the discussion of them had made me curious.

I'm rather glad that I read the second book in this series before I reviewed this one. This one needs some editing. A lot of the information was passed in a kind of odd internal dialogue, no matter which character's head we were in. Some of it read like the narration for a fashion show. Either way, I wasn't really impressed. The story was also drawn out and could have been more effective with some judicious cuts. I can say that it did improve toward the end and that the next story in the series was better done than this one. It does have very explicit adult situations.

Even though the plot is a little unlikely for a Georgian period book, I confess that I like each story in this series quite well.... This was no exception. I look forward to seeing the next one.

I love Mercy. She is a great character, multi-dimensional, with flaws and strengths. I feel like I know who she is and could respect her, yet every story, I see something new of her and that is what keeps me engaged in this series and will hold me there for sometime to come. Great stories, Patricia.

Any Duchess Will Do is a romance novel set in the Regency period in England. Normally, I would complain about the stories she writes as being inconsistant with the period. Dukes did not marry servants. It seems to me that many of her stories are set in that period, but told with the modern sensabilty that each person is as good as an other. While her stories are not consistant with the historical period, in my opinion, they are still lovely stories and I enjoy them.

Well... take a female FBI agent who acts like Sandra Bullock's character in Miss Congeniality, add a 'bad guy' who chooses his aliases from the characters in old television shows, and then get the theme from Th Love Boat stuck in your head, because his time he chose Merrill Stubing, and you pretty much have thus story. Sure, there were over-exposing dresses, fireworks, robbery and an FBI raid, but that wsd pretty much it. The story is to have been an introduction to the new characters and series, but the probobly would have been better off just releasing a few chapters of the book early as a teaser. Short stories seldom do justice in either character or plot developement. So anyway, in my opinion this was not horrible, but not really that good.

Elise tries to maintain the status quo in Reno, keeping peace and destroying those who won't cease their attacks. A difficult job becomes harder when a darkness rises, attempting to take over. It's efforts may cause the destruction of the world.

This is the first book in the series about Cat, the half Vampire. Born as the product of a rape, her mother encouraged her to go out and kill vampires from the time she was sixteen. She polishes off quite a few, before finding one that is a bigger bite than she can chew. A fun read, this does bear a few similarities to Buffy, including Bone's resemblance to Spike.

Well, this story didn't do too much for me. The heroine was supposed to be a young doctor, an American citizen who was origionally from Mexico. She was supposed to be smart and pushy and knowlegeable. Really, she ended up coming across as Too Stupid to Live. She pushed into situations that were highly dangerous. Wandered around alone, as if there were no danger of being kidnapped or anything else and tried to force the hero to admit to her her was a good guy, despite the fact he was undercover and it would put his life in jeopardy. All of that aside, she chose to get all romantically aggressive with the guy who she thought might be seeing prostitutes at her inherited home and (view spoiler)[ had unprotected sex with him, as well. <\spoiler> Also the atmosphere didn't feel Mexican to me. It could have been taking place in a lot of U.S. locations. All in all, this one gets a big 'Meh' from me. It could be improved but would need serious editing and a re-write. (hide spoiler)]

Two novellas revolve around a shifter community. Folk who turn into panthers. No births have occurred for many years, but now two men find their lifemates among humans and things get very complicated.

As short stories go, this one was quite well written. I did not feel the lack of story and character developement that I so typically do in these cases. In this, a vampire princess and werewolf alpha bond and mate to protect both of their peoples, but also because the were has watched the woman for years and loved her. Together, they need to be strong enough to fight off the demons who are tying to wipe out their people. A good read with a high heat content.

The sixteenth Argeneau book, this was a little different than some of the others, not having as much bloodshed. Still cute though.

The eighteenth Argeneu novel: Veterinary Valerie is kidnapped by 'Count Ripsyerthroatout' and held captive in a cage, between neck bitings, along with severl other young women. Through avoiding drugged food and doing some planning, she manages to escape and call the Authorities, little knowing that the responders aren't exactly the RCMP. When Anders meets Val, he realizes he can't read her, so she must be his lifemate. He and the others set about trying to protect Valeries, as well as, trying to introduce her gently into their very extraordinary lives.

Merit is a graduate student and is walking across campus when she is attacked by a vampire who nearly rips her throat out. A second vampire scares the other off and saves her by changing her without her consent. She is immersed in a new world where she has to find peace with herself and her place in it. To complicate matters, it seems that the attack on her may be related to those on two other young women who did not survive. Struggling with the unasked for transition, Merit must take her place in the house of Cadogen and make her peace with the loss of her mortality and the life she had envisioned for herself. Because of her strength, she becomes embroiled in the inter house politics, defending her liege Ethan from attacks. She must be very careful of her decisions, because it is evident someone is plotting to bring the houses down and change the vampire world. This is a good first book in the series. It had some interesting characters and I will definitely read more from this author to see how things develop. There were a few word choices in the story that seemed odd or improper to me, but otherwise it was well-written.

This is an unusual period novella that deals with two difficult situations: one where the heroine's father steals funds from a partnership, then kills himself, leaving her to deal with it; and the second, where she becomes the companion to the wife of a controlling and abusive man. And, yes, here is romance in there too.

Estranged for five years, a man and woman try to put their marrige back together.

This Regency romance was the least believable of the series for me, in that a lady of the Ton becomes involved with a blacksmith. It is still a nice story, but just travels over the border of what would have been acceptable in that time.

This is a charming Regency period novella. Usually, I do not favor short stories, as they tend to lack in both plot and character develipment, but this was nicely done and quite credible.

This book is a very nice romance set in Regency England. Though it uses some non-traditional elements, it is done in a way that addresses the sensabilities of the period and thus the idiosyncracies don't set off my rather overdeveloped 'that would never be acceptable' alarm. The characters are quirky, engaging and human enough to struggle with their flaws. A good read.

A fake elopement, clever lies and scandalous behavior combine to make this an engaging Regency romp.

Even though this book dealt with a few issues that would not have been acceptable in Regency England, it did so in such a charming fashion that my back brain let me read it without shrieking about details in the background. There were a couple of things that I would have liked to see more answers to at the end, but over all, this was an enjoyable read.

This is the second in the Bridgerton family series and I read it first a long time ago. Anthony feels it is time for him to marry, at the age of twenty-nine, because his father died at thirty-nine and in his mind he will not out-live him. He sets his mind on a diamond of the first water, but finds himself strangely drawn to the girl's sister. This is a sweet love story with a few discordant dramatic elements.

I used to like this series a great deal, back when Anita was still saying, "no." more, even when it was stupid. Even for a while after that, the stories were interesting and the characters drew you in. The last few books have seemed to me to have lost any semblance of a plot, aside from a few straws at which it is barely worth the energy to grasp. Many characters who were previously interesting seem to have become boring and whiny. It seems the solution to nearly every problem is to fix it with sex, unless a gun can take care of it. To me, these stories are no longer worth the Fifteen bucks it costs me to get the right to read them in paperback and definitely not the close to Thirty in hardback. It makes me sad to think so.

This book was both interesting and baffling at times, most of the story being secondary to the mathematics of it all. There was something that kept me reading, but I spent a lot of time thinking about what it lacked, as well as trying to puzzle out a deeper meaning behind the words.

Wearing the cape was a rather nice super-hero novel. There is an 'event' in the world and it causes disasters and the break-through of folks who reacted to the stress by developing super-powers. The Teatime Anarchist has been making increasingly severe attacks, the latest, a bomb intended to assassinate a lawmaker. In the ensuing chaos, our heroine breaks through and smashes her way out of her car. She is taken in hand by known super-heroes and led away to discuss her new path of training. The romance element was a little cute, but I find the age difference between the two of them a little creepy-ish. (view spoiler)[ Also the 'saving herself for marriage' thing seemed to be a little inconsistent with current times. Not that I think that everyone needs to have wild scenes in their books, it just didn't seem consistent with the atmosphere. (hide spoiler)] While not exactly what I thought it should be, this had characters that interested me and made me want to know what happens next.

The second book in this series, Leila decides that Vlad's emotional distance means he will never love her, so she leaves him. The rest of the story folliws from that. Although Leila seems to move from one nearly suicidal decision to another, which is not helped by the fact that people are trying to kidnap or kill her, I enjoyed the story very much.

Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockaway joined together to write an entertaining regency romance. Three lovely young women and a raving ninny are kidnapped from a winter ball and taken to a draughty castle in Scotland, because Laird Taran Ferguson has decided it is time for his nephews to wed. The four young girls find that there is also a Duke in the carriage, asleep, who wakes as they are leaving, racing toward the castle through a growing blizzard. The passes are closed and the women are trapped until they reopen. I very much enjoyed this story, as it was lighthearted and sweet. It did not have a lot of steamy scenes, but the romance sufficed. Despite having been written by three, it was seamless. If I had to pick one thing to criticize, things seemed to fall into the happily ever after line to easily, but this is a romance and that comes with the territory.

This is the eighth in the Gin Blanco series. Gin attends a party at a museum with her brother Finn where the dead fire elemental and crime boss Mab's collection of treasures is on display. Just before her will is to be read, things heat up in a way that no one had expected. I enjoyed reading this story. I think one of the mist important things to me about the stories I read is that the characters are fully rounded and have something about them that I can understand on a gut level. These have that in spades and I think I will not cease to wish to know what happens to them next anytime soon.

Verity Price has made a life for herself in New York, between ballroom dancing, her job as a cocktail waitress and dancer/coreographer and her families path, as cryptozoologists. She even found a sort-of-boyfriend. It is just too bad that the handsome Dominic was born a member of the Covenant of St. George, an organization dedicated to the elimination of cryptid species on the planet, dangerous or not. When Dominic arrives to tell Verity that a team from the Covenant is coming, they have to make ready for all Hell to break loose. And Dominic will have to choose a side and betray someone no matter what his decision. I am enjoying this series nearly as much as the October Daye one, though I still favor that one more, they are both high on my list. The story has suspense and a quirky humor that I enjoy. Looking forward to more.

An amusing paranormal romance, this story has quirky characters and a plot that pleased me. There were a couple of iffy decisions by the heroine, but otherwise, it was just fun.

An enjoyable read , this is a quirky paranormal romance. Our heroine finds out that the voice that has been inside her head this whole time is attached to a real being: one she has to fly to Mexico, then hike through a jungle to rescue. It's a whole fight of good against evil with some additional humerous bits. Yay! Fun and sexy.

This was a free book and it started out alright, though I thought it was somewhat dumb of the heroine to argue about leaving private property. Overall, the story wasn't bad, but there were some shortcuts and abrupt changes that made it less appealing to me. (view spoiler)[ Their relationship was pushed forward by the heroine being shot full of drugs which just happened to be an aphrodisiac as well. The pack's healer told the hero to just help her out. Eric left his sister up with the wolves who kept trying to attack and harrass her. Chelsea kept changing her mind and Eric almost was banished for her murder even tho the girl had gotten in the car and driven away. One minute she thought she could trust him and the next he was a lying bastard (hide spoiler)] I think if more time would have been spent developing the plot, it would have been a really good story.

A fast read, this is a short, but cute story about a Navy SEAL and an admiral's daughter. I got this one for free; it was a nice distraction

This is a good, solid regency romance novella, featuring Lydia and Dr. Grantham. It is 1.5 in the Brother's sinister series, I believe. The author's stories are well-written with chatacters that hold my interest. Their one failing, in my opinion is that they are too dark for the genre. They are not bad stories, but do contain a few improbabilities and focus more on the negatives of the era than is usual for the regency romance. Not bad, but dark.

First book in the Brother's Sinister series, the Duchess War is preceded by The Governess Affair, a novella which I have also read. While the story contained a few unlikely-hoods, given the social and culteral climates at the time, they did not push the boundries enough to make the story unenjoyable for me. Not a bad Regency Romance.

This was an interesting story that is a little hard to classify. It falls into Science Fiction with some post apocalyptic overtones, but not exactly. You have the ultra tech folk and then the semi-luddite sorts, neither of which are really pure concepts. You have the evil AI ala Skynet. There were a few things brought up in his that didn't follow logically for me, among them why outlawed divorce and extramarital affairs were the price we had to pay for technology. In a day and age where our children sometimes don't understand where food comes from, other than the grocery store, I can understand the tecchies' disconnect when it came to eating 'real' food and dealing with 'barbaric' medical procedures, but I don't understand some's insistance on wiping out the Purists who are no threat to them. There were a few other 'disconnects' for me, but this was still interesting to read.

I've read most of the Cynster books before, but recently, a few have been available at discounted prices. I happily bought a few digital copies of books that I had purchased long ago. This is a regency romance in which the head of the Cynster family and Duke of Saint Ives, Devil Cynster meets his match in Honoria Anstruther-Wethersby. Surviving the attentions of the man who murdered Cousin Tolly is the challenge.

The Governess Affair is a well-written Regency Romance that deals with a subject not often well-resolved or talked of in this sort of literature I will not spoil the story, but let it suffice to say that in that time women had no power and little recourse when dealing with the members of the elite. A woman of the serving class would be found at fault, if she were caught in or suspected of compromising activities, whether she were willing or not. She would most likely be turned out with nothing. This is a most satisfactory tale.

The final book in this series was the best. Many of the flaws of the earlier books were smoothed and the plot was more satisfying. There were a few blatant misspellings, but nothing I couldn't read past. A good tale has come to a close.

A young woman who has faced terrible events in the past is now forced to find her path as a super-hero. While there were some weaknesses, the writing was generally good and the characters were interesting. I will read more .

This is a nice historical romance. It is a little out there in terms of what was allowable for women of the time vs the heroine's actions, but I enjoyed it none the less. I'd read this author's work again.

Reading this book was an unexpected pleasure. Frequently, books aimed at the Y.A. market are Twilight or Hunger Games clones without content enough to hold my interest. This was an exception. It is a well-written story with engaging characters and an interesting plot.

A Regency Romance, a story of love and family with some distinctive characters, this was a fun read.

A rather damaged young woman meets a to whom man she is strangely attracted while attending a frat party. Things get complicated both in their budding relationship and in her friendships which aren't all they should be. I had a very hard time reading this book and almost didn't finish it. There are numerous errors in word use and some plain old typos as well. Some of the descriptions boggled my mind, when I tried to picture them and most of the writing was without depth. There were a few sex scenes, but they left me unmoved, really. This book could be improved by better editing, a tightening of the plot and better character development. Also, I'd like to see more explanation of the working behind things, such as the reason brand new vampires would have seemingly unlimited funds, despite being only eighteen or nineteen years old. There were many other things that seemed to lack driving reason and too much seeming randomness.

This is the first book in Frost's Night Prince series and involves a young woman named Leila and the vampire Vlad Tepesh. Yes, that Vlad. It was an interesting story with complex characters and I enjoyed reading it.

The second book in Rhiannon's series. She is sent 101 years into the future at the whim of a demon where she finds life to be changed beyond all acceptability. She must find a way to stop the demon from claiming her soul and to right some of the wrongs she sees around her. As she works toward her goal, she finds aid in some unexpected places.

Well, I rather enjoyed the three books in this series, despite some small hiccups in the writing. The author periodically uses a word or two incorrectly, for example, calling what must certainly be a balcony, a terrace, among others. I have been fond of some of the characters which is what kept me reading, though the resolutions of some situations have left me puzzled. I was concerned to read at the end of the book that the author may not continue the series, because some folks are pirating her stories. I just hope she remembers the rest of us who dutifuly pay for our copies.

Another in the Persephone Alcmedi series, this book picks up where the last let off and a couple of problems are added that need to be dealt with swiftly. I was very satisfied with this installment and am looking forward to the next!

A decent enough story about a young woman who tends bar in a strip club and happens to be a necromancer, this book held my attention quite nicely. There are a few places where the word choices were odd or in my opinion incorrect, such as: inhibit, when inhabit was the better choice. Nothing was being slowed or prevented. I liked the characters... I thought Disco was a goofy name for a vampire and, as I thought, it turned out to be a joke. I look forward to reading the next book soon. Oh, also: there was 'bonus material' at the end of the kindle book. Most of the time this annoys me, as it tends to be a chapter or two of the next book which to me is not a bonus, but flat out advertising. In this case, the bonus material includes two short stories. After that, there was an excerpt from the next book, but that was not labeled as a bonus. So, yay for this author and publisher for not claiming advertising was a bonus.

This is a novella that falls inbetween books one and two of the series. Kate is married to Henry, but has a six month hiatus that she must take. Why? Because Henry is actually Hades and Kate has replaced Persephone as the Queen of the Underworld. The story rotates around the twins, Castor and Pollux and a trip that Kate and James (Hermes) take to Greece during her off-time. This was not a bad story, though I was not quite as enthusiastic as some of the other reviewers. For obe thing, I found that the renaming of the gods to things like Henry, James and Walter was somewhat disorienting. The story wasn't bad, though!

Her parents dead, her mother by poison and her father by being bound to his wife, Lourdes finds herself fighting to save her family and clan from the people who had formerly guarded them with their lives. As new maven, she makes a deal with another clan for their protection and gains herself a husband in the process. The question is, will she be able to protect all she holds dear and at the same time get justice for those she has lost? I enjoyed reading this story. The characters were well developed and the world was unique. I wasn't thrilled with the canabalism aspect, but most of the aspects of the clans seemed to be based on different sorts of spiders. Interesting.

I read this regency romance many years ago and got a copy for my Kindle when it went on sale. I generally enjoy Quinn's Bridgerton family series. The characters are interesting and individual and Quinn sticks closely to the era standards for behavior which makes them easy for me to read. This is the story of Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Despite himself, Simon has fallen in love with Daphne, though he has sworn to himself that he will never marry and have children. When they are forced to marry, after being caught together in the garden at a ball, that promise becomes more of a challenge than he ever thought to face.

When her co-worker and best friend Sabita's cousin dies in London in a brutal attack, Morgan Bailey goes with her to attend the funeral and to help with the investigation. Dealing with relationship issues and looking for the vampire that attacked her and nearly ended her life complicate things immensely, but before they are done, there will be an unveiling of secrects kept from nearly all for over a thousand years. An urban fantasy, this story is sufficiently unique to please me. It includes some very steamy romantic scenes. There are a few errors in the writing, but it was not enough to disrupt my enjoyment. All in all, this was an easy and entertaining read with pleasing characters.

I swear, I've read this book before. It is an urban fantasy with vampires, demons and magic users. The main character was attacked by a vampire, and was brought back to life, but didn't turn into a vampire. She did get a little bonus for her trouble,though: speed, strength and a healing ability beyond that which is human, among other things. When she is sent to hunt down a sunwalker and retrieve a stolen amulet, things get complicated and she finds reason to question the client's motives. Fairly entertaining and easily read.

Enjoyably easy reading, Hoyt has done a fine job with the fourth in her Maiden Lane series. The books are set in the Georgian era in England and deal with both the social whirl of the time and with the seamy underpinnings, the plight of the impoverished, especially the children who have no one to protect and speak for them. The is fine example of a historical novel wih steamy romance included.

I've read the two previous books in this series and enjoyed them. This was another good one. Silence was shamed by Charming Mickey when she went to ask him to save her husband from prison. The husband she sacrificed herself for couldn't accept or believe her when she told him the truth of what happened and their marriage was never the same. Now Mickey has taken Mary Darling, a child that Silence found on her doorstep, and Silence is bound and determined to bring her home. She goes to confront Mickey and the rest of the story follows. Hoyt really does a fine job of telling these stories. She deals with issues that are on the edge of what was respectable in that time without passing the boundries of realism. She remains properly in period, while still showing us enough to please our modern sensabilities and communicates great sensuality without resorting to modern vernacular. An enjoyable read for anyone fond of historical romance.

Leilani Teixeira has been through the wringer in life. From childhood, she dealt with the results of having a drug addicted Mother and a father who was sentenced to hard time in prison. Only after her beloved auntie took her in did she find some peace and safety. Still working her way through the repercussions of her childhood traumas, she chose to become a police officer to help find justice for those who need it. When two girls are found dead by Lei and her partner, she feels the need to take an active role in the investigation, not knowing that soon things will become ever so much more complicated Though I think this story could have used more depth, I still enjoyed reading it.

While there are some flaws in the execution of this book, the quirky and humerous flavor won my attention and my amusement. I loved the names of some of the characters, as they added to the absurdity. The literary allusions were interesting, as were things like a militant astronomical society and a theatre in which Richard III is performed by members of the audience. The whole thing was mad as pants.

Heyer's historical romances set a high standard of accuracy in detail and engaging characters that few manage to meet. I had a small problem with this one, as I couldn't imagine anyone regardiny a nineteen year old as an infant. The unexplainable innocence despite the circumstances of her life seemed a little bit more Cartland than Heyer. That said, the plot was interesting and the characters well rounded, making this an enjoyable read.

With her personal life in shambles, Charlotte de Ney flees the wierd, because she fears she will lose control of her innate ability to cure with magic and break her oath as a healer to do no harm. She fears that if it happened, it would be catastrophic in scope. She manages to find a place for herself amidst the Edgers, but when a mortally wounded man is brought to her for healing, events unfold that change everything. Husband and wife writing team Gorden and Ilona's second series is a treat to read. Whether we are seeing life in the Wierd, the Edge or in the Broken, the characters are well-rounded and the world building is pleasing. Their Kate Daniels series remains my more favored, but I shall continue to happily read the installments of this as they come.

Another installment in the Harry Dresden series, this story features the seemingly back from the dead hero wizard. After spending months in a coma, his spirit wandering, he wakes and is forced into shape for his service as Winter Knight by the Lady of Winter, Queen Mab whose method of rehabilitation involves trying to kill him on a daily basis. Other obligations are on his shoulders, resting heavily and the tasks before him multiply. He's not prepared; he's not armed with anything but the knowlege that if he fails, bad things will happen in the biggest and most dauntingly terrifying meaning of he word bad. As usual, though determined to keep his friends and family out of the line of fire, he faces the situation with a wry and sometimes geeky sense of humor and with the people and powers who have chosen to stand with him. Good Story. Want More.

Honor Harrington has a sense of honor, duty and an ability to create nearly perfect tactics on the fly. After winning once and losing multiple times in wargames, due largely to the fact that the Navy hacked up her ship and changed the armament and the carrying capacity with regard to weapons. She is exiled to Basalisk station where her c.o. leaves her to keep the peace while he takes his ships home for a refit, assuming she will fail in her duties due to being undermanned. She doesn't fail. Great book.

This is a reasonably good regency romance with not much to complain over.

The third book in the Val Shapiro Demon Underground series was interesting. It was a bit racier than I think it should be for young adults. The story was consistant, but there were some big changes that were kind of glossed over. (view spoiler)[ For instance, when Val promises herself to guarentee the demons' good faith and ends up having to make good on the promise, she just goes to work for them with no attention given to her job with the police. (hide spoiler)] There were a few other issues, including that though the book is set in San Antonio, it really has no local flavor, aside from the mention of some landmarks. Overall, I like the characters, but to much is allowed to flap loose in the wind, unfonnected. Not bad, but not outstanding.

This story is the beginning of the Demon Underground series. Set in San Antonio, Texas, it features Valentine Shapiro, a young woman just turning 18 who hunts vampires to take the edge off the yearnings she has aquired because 1/8th of her heritage comes from a demon, giving her some of the powers of a succubus. Her home life and youth are difficult and when she starts manifesting powers, her mother finds it more and more difficult to deal with the reminders of Val's father, a quarter incubus who seduced her, it seems against her will. On Val's 18th birthday, her mother informs her that she must move out of the house and not have any contact with her younger sister, because the moher feels that Val is putting her sister in danger. And they're also firing her from her job at the family run bookstore to prevent any contact. Needless to say, the poor thing is devestated. The story is about her finding a home, a job, people to identify with and a place to figure out who she really is at the bottom of it all. I enjoyed reading this. I think Val's reactions were sometimes a little childish, but she's young and that is not so out of character. I did want to smack her little sister and her mother for some of the things they did. Two of my favorite supporting characters were Fang and Micah. I'm not precisely sure how much knowlege the author had about San Antonio. Some familiar places were mentioned, but it lacked the depth and flavor of the city. There was some romance and even some lust, but only one scene that might make a concerned mom nervous. All in all, not a bad book.

A nice Regency romance. There were a few impractical elements given the social climate of the time, but nothing that interrupted my enjoyment of the story.