Review of "Covet" by J.R. Ward

You think since I love any and all things vampires, I would have read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward, right? Well, actually.. Nope! "Covet" was the first book by J. R. Ward I've ever read, and wow.

From the back of the book:
" Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about - his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sings. And failure isn't an option.

Vin diPietro has surrendered himself to his business - until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior, and a woman who makes him question his destiny. With an ancient evil ready to claim him, Vin has to work with a fallen angel not only to win his beloved over... but to redeem his very soul. "

When I started reading this book, after learning about the great "ball game" for earth, and meeting Jim, I honestly thought I was in for something fun. Some quickly read, humorous romance that leaves me with a happy feeling at the end. But this book really blew me away. It was darker than I expected, and it had me so hooked I was up until 4am last night reading it. And when it was over, I'll be honest with you all, I wanted to cry. I'm not sure why.. maybe relief, or maybe because I felt like I was going with Jim on this new phase in his life.

I assume this will be a series, since Jim has to help seven people, and Vin was just the first. So that means that the questions I have from the first one will, hopefully, be answered. Such as, I'd like to know more about his organization that Jim used to work for. It gets to be pretty obvious what he did, but.. so much is left out. It's maybe a little too secretive for my taste. And Jim's tattoo.. I want to know more about it. I'm fairly positive I know what it means, but I'd like to have my suspicions confirmed or denied.

I'm so happy I read this book, really. "Covet" actually makes me want to go back and try to read the Black Dagger Brotherhood novels. I tried them, I really did, but I couldn't get past the first twenty some odd pages of the first book. But I got so emotionally invested in the characters from "Covet," I want to see if J.R. Ward can make me feel that way in the others, as well.

As for the rating, I'm giving "Covet" by J. R. Ward FIVE out of FIVE stars. It's heart warming, wrenching, and just.. good. As I said, I got extremely invested in this story, in Jim and Vincent's life, and I hope against all hope that I can read more about Jim soon. I love this, I am definitely re-reading it again (and again, and again), and I'm recommending this to.. everyone I know, probably.

Happy Reading! And be sure to check out "Covet" by J. R. Ward if you haven't already!
~!~ Morning Glow

Disclaimer:
Book was purchased by the reviewer. Neither book nor money was given in exchange for the review.

Review of "Dragon Actually" by G.A. Aiken

I just happened upon this book while going through a large stack of older novels, and I consider myself lucky for finding it! I think the title caught my eye first - What, you didn't believe that? Alright, the handsome looking man caught my eye first, but really, the title interested me. Honest.

From the back of the book:
" It's not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear - a lot - or else salute. It's true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother's soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer.

Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe - a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus has arranged to help train her for battle. With her days spent fighting a man who fills her with fierce, heady desire, and her nights spent in the company of a magical creature who could smite a villiage just by exhaling, Annwyl is sure life couldn't get any stranger.

She's wrong.
[ And just wait until you meet the rest of the family...] "

I really enjoyed this. In fact, I got home about six-ish, started reading it almost immediately, and couldn't put it down until I finished a few hours later. I just loved the characters of Annwyl and Fearghus. And I like the fact that Annwyl couldn't defeat her brother on her own, not because she wasn't strong enough, but because her absolute anger would trip her up somehow, would leave her open to attack. And that is what the strange knight is helping her with, to overcome her anger and make sure she's ready to face her enemy. I also really, really loved the family dynamic between Fearghus and his siblings, and even with his parents, as well. Obviously that last bit on the back cover signals the reader to the fact that this will be a series - which I am sooo excited about. In fact, "Dragon Actually" includes a shorter story in the back of the book, "Chains and Flames," that tells the story of Fearghus' parents and how they got together. I quite enjoyed that, as well.

This wouldn't be a fair and balanced review unless I talked about any and all cons of the book, but it'll be hard to come up with anything substantial. Really, the only thing I had issues with were names, and that was because I didn't know how to pronounce them. Annwyl and Fearghus.. Nope, still not sure. I almost wish there had been a pronunciation guide included somewhere. And I'm not sure I liked the fact that Annwyl never really bothered to get the knight's name, especially as things progressed between them. But I, who can be quite nitpicky, was willing to overlook these things because I enjoyed the overall story so much.

I'm giving "Dragon Actually" a FIVE out of FIVE stars. I loved it, I'm going to re-read it, I've already got my hands on the second in the series and I can't wait to read it. I hope you all get a chance to check this book out, as well. As far as I know there are at least three in the series, and I hope there will be more to come. Fearghus has quite a few siblings. I certainly plan to do some more research on this author.

Happy Reading! And definitely check out "Dragon Actually" by G. A. Aiken
~!~ Morning Glow

Review of "Nightwalker" by Jocelynn Drake

Aha, another review (finally!) - this time of "Nightwalker" by Jocelynn Drake, the first Dark Days novel. I actually won a signed copy of Jocelynn Drake's third Dark Days novel from her blog several months ago, and getting the first book has been on my list for some time. So when I happened accross "Nightwalker" at my library, I grabbed it. I also have heard Jocelynn Drake compared to Jeaniene Frost (whom I LOVE), so I figured.. well heck, I'll give it a shot! So, my review.. but let's get a little bit of info first...

From the back of the book:
" For centures Mira has been a nightwalker - an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from other sof her night-prowling breed.. and may be all that prevents her doom. The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt... or be hunted. "

First off, I wanted to say that the back cover is a little misleading. It makes it seem as though Danaus is the main threat throughout the novel, and is the only one she's fighting. Not true.. in fact, there's an entire other race involved, and it's not just Mira, but Danaus and others as well fighting the big bad evil thing. But I can understand how throwing all that in there might leave people confused. Which actually brings me to my next point.

I'm confused. I feel like I need a timeline of Mira's life. Or at least of just the important events that occured from her turning until present day. A lot of times, I wasn't sure if Mira was already a nightwalker at Machu Picchu, or if she was turned following the battle that occured there. And there was mention of a certain type of vampire called "First Blood".. but despite how many times it's talked about, and the fact that Mira supposedly is one, I really don't understand what it is. And I really wish she would explain the Naturi (the big baddies) and the bori (mentioned a few times) a little better. Actually, I wish she would just write a nice big Dark Days series companion, so that I could reference it whenever I had a question.

Mira reminded me, at times, of Anita Blake from the earlier Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels, which certainly isn't a bad thing. And I did see some similarities to Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. But I can definitely say I don't find this series as appealing as the ones mentioned above. I will, however, keep reading, because I want to know where this all is going. And I was told, by a coworker who has read the series, that it does get better, at least in regards to understanding concepts thrown at the reader.

I would rate this book a THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE. I thought the book was alright, even good at parts.. but the confusion I felt and the distinct lack of pull (as in, it just didn't pull me in) made me knock it down points-wise. But I did enjoy it to some extent, and I will check out the rest of the series.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Morning Glow

Image courtesy of Amazon.com
Book is on loan from the Reviewer's local library, neither book nor money was given in exchange for a review.

Review(ette?) of "Vampire Valentine" by Lynsay Sands (in the "Bitten By Cupid" Anthology)

Is this technically a "reviewette" since it's of a short story in an anthology instead of a full book? Let's argue that later, hmm?

"Vampire Valentine" by Lynsay Sands is the latest story in the Argeneau series, featured in the anthology "Bitten By Cupid" along with stories by Pamela Palmer and Jaime Rush.

From the back of the book:
" - A daring vampire thinks she can conquer anything, but when she's paired with a mortal detective, she'll find her life - and her heard - in grave danger...
- An innocent woman falls into the arms of a mysterious man when she can't get a killer's terrifying thoughts out of her head...
- A stunning beauty should be thrilled when her lost love finally returns, but instead she fears for their immortal lives...
On Valentine's Day, some women want roses. But some just want to make it through the day alive. In BITTEN BY CUPID, New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands and newcomers Pamela Palmer and Jaime Rush present three tales of dangerous desire, where giving in to temptation could turn deadly, and even immortality won't keep you safe from Cupid's bow."

Pamela Palmer and Jaime Rush are new-to-me authors, but Lynsay Sands is an all time favorite. I enjoy her historicals, but I am absolutely in love with her Argeneau series. And I'm sure, if you've read this blog for a while, you're wondering why I would like this story, since I've said time and time again that I dislike shorter stories. Well, I'll tell you why, jeez, so pushy..

This story is just another story that occurs in a world I've already gotten used to, and I believe that even if I was new to the Argeneau world, I would get a good idea of how things work for the immortals, since Mirabeau does a bit of explaining to the younger, newly turned Stephanie. And I was definitely better able to handle a shorter story since I already knew the characters of Tiny and Mirabeau, and loved them - especially Tiny. I've been waiting for him to get his chance at a lifemate! But I just wouldn't be me if I didn't complain a little - it was still too short! I want more of Tiny and Mirabeau, but that's the benefit of a series, I will get to see them again, most likely in the next book. Lynsay Sands is great about bringing her characters back in later books, and giving the readers a chance to peek into their "happily ever after" and see just how well it's going. In fact, we get to see Elvi, Victor, DJ, and Mabel in the end of this book, and of course some of the other Argeneaus show up in the beginning. I'm starting to think they just naturally travel in packs, despite their declaration of being solo creatures.

I believe the back of the book gives the reader the impression that there will be a sense of danger in this story, however that's not really true. The trio - Stephanie, Tiny, and Mirabeau - must sneak out and get from one location to another without being discovered or captured by Leonius (a baddie from a previous book), but... there's no sense that they're actually being followed. And I wasn't afraid they would actually be captured at all. That said, I enjoyed the character interaction - especially Stephanie's comments to the others. I thought Stephanie was an intriguing character, and I do hope she shows up again in later books.

I'm going to give "Vampire Valentine" a FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE. I'm taking that half-point off only because I did want a little bit more sense of danger, and the ending almost felt like a cliffhanger.. but I really did enjoy the story, and I'm so happy both Mirabeau and Tiny finally get their chance at a lifemate. Well... mostly Tiny. *Wink Wink*

Happy Reading! And be sure to check out the "Bitten By Cupid" anthology featuring Lynsay Sands, Pamela Palmer, and Jaime Rush. Perfect Valentines Day reading for the vampire lover!
~!~Morning Glow

Book was purchased by the reviewer.
Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.

The Little Things That Get Me... a commentary using "Uncovering Egypt" by Ann Cory

During Samhain's last anniversary, I won a contest that Ann Cory was running to promote said anniversary, and my prize was an ebook of "Uncovering Egypt." As I've stated before, I love Egypt, so I was aaall for it. Plus, you know, free book!

This is not going to be my traditional review, more like I'm using "Uncovering Egypt" as an example to express how little things can bug me, and you're all welcome to comment and say if you feel the same, or otherwise.

Bug number One: I know the ebook was short (about 59 pages), but that doesn't mean the main character needs to almost immediately believe that the guy approaching her in the hidden chamber is most definitely from ancient Egypt, and not just some whacko in a convincing costume. I mean, if something like that happened to me, I'd be pretty damn confused for a long, long time.

Bug number Two: I'm a little over the "I'll show them I'm not embarassed, so I'll strip and stand proud, but the second they look at me, I'll blush and be modest." Yes, I'm aware there are people that will do that. There's all types of people in the world.. but I think there's more books that say women do that, then there are actual women who would. In my case, I think I just wouldn't strip at all. Or I'd be hiding the important bits the whole time, no false bravado.

Bug number Three: In "Uncovering Egypt".. the main character is put into something the guards called a "body chamber"... basically, some sort of.. uh.. body-shaped-box-like-thing that leaves your head, breasts, and lower bits out in the open, but covers the rest (or at least that's how I saw it). Supposedly, this device was built for torture and punishment, and the Pharoh and guards brought it with them so as to torture whomever stole the bracelet. Yet, when our main character gets in the chamber and it closes, she says it feels tight and snug. The guards expected a male thief.. so if the chamber was snug on a woman, who is most likely smaller, and definitely build different, how did they expect a male to fit in it? And it seemed to fit her body perfectly, wouldn't it be uncomfortable and awkward if it was built to be a torture device thingy?

Bug number Four, or.. Bug, The Last.: The bracelet mentioned above is used to bring the Pharoh to the future so that he may find his next Queen - Cool. And supposedly, it has the power to take them back. And it does, but the main character, when recalling the incident later, mentions that the bracelet just barely had enough power to bring them back. Now, let me clear up something. The Pharoh came with his guards, but when the main character mentions coming back, she doesn't mention the guards. Did they just get left there? What happened to them? After a line said by the Pharoh a few moments before the mini-battle in the future started, the guards are never mentioned again. Maybe I care too much about side characters, but what if they're stuck in the future! I'm not sure they'd be able to handle it. Though Fry from Futurama did okay..

So I'm sure after reading all that, that you probably believe I hated the book. Not true! I thought it was a good read, and I read it in one sitting. It was the perfect book to grab when you're laying in bed and relaxing before you have to go to sleep. Not saying it was boring, but there are just those perfect books for reading in bed.. "Uncovering Egypt" by Ann Cory was one of them.

I think I would give it somewhere between a THREE POINT FIVE and a FOUR out of FIVE. I did enjoy it, I'll probably read it again sometime, but I think I focused a little too much on the little things. I'm not saying I demand perfection, or I will only read authors that have all these little things tied up. I'm not sure it's possible to fix everything like that, and I believe authors should be allowed some creative power. I'm just saying that I think about this stuff. Am I alone in that?

Until next time, Happy Reading!
~!~ Morning Glow

Book won in a contest, not received in exchange for review.
Book cover courtesy of samhainpublishing.com.

Review of "The Awakening" by Jamieson Wolf

What's this? Another review so soon! Who knew not having homework would mean a lot of free time to read. But now, we have "The Awakening" by Jamieson Wolf to review, an ebook I received (in exchance for review) from librarything.com. (I love that site!)

From his site here :
Cleopatra, ruler of Egypt, is just twenty years old and in love with Marc Anthony. After the death of Julius Caesar, she is thrilled to find love in the arms of another.
Her bliss is shattered when she is contacted by The Goddess Isis. Isis needs Cleopatra's help. Osiris has gone missing and Isis is unable to find him. She needs Cleopatra to locate him before he is killed.
But all is not as it seems. Cleopatra is being hunted by Anubis, God of the Underworld. Cleopatra will have to trust in herself, and the magic inside of her, if she is to survive....

I have to be honest, it took me a few moments to work out the position of the bodies on the cover.. and even now, I'm not sure the girl's head is on right.. But enough about that. As we all may know, I love mythology. I also love History. So of course I was interested in this book. It is a little short though, my ebook reader listed it as 38 pages.. and the book itself listed it as even shorter, since my reader is set to make the text a little bigger and space things out some. But uh.. not important! I think I've mentioned in the past that I'm not a fan of short stories, which is what this was, basically, because there's not enough space for development, whether it be plot, characters, or world building. But I think "The Awakening" did alright with the limited space available. Cleopatra was interesting, Marc Antony only annoyed me for like two seconds and I liked him otherwise.. but I'm not sure I liked the whole bit about Cleopatra's parents, which I don't want to give away because that is what leads to her awakening and that is the major revelation of the book. I did like the Gods interaction with each other, as well as Cleopatra, though. The mythology seemed about right, though the issue with Osiris was supposed to have happened way before Cleopatra, but.. I'll deal.

Just some nitpicky things - I'm all for a guy saying they need a woman, in bed or out of it, but there was a sex scene where for most of it, Marc Antony was telling Cleopatra how much he needed her, wanted her body, how she completed her, etc. As I said, I'm not bothered by that.. but in small doses. This was no small dose! And lastly, I do not like the idea of Cleopatra's nicname being Cleo. It just sounds too... television fake psychic-y. I mean, even if it's her lover speaking to her, she's still a Queen of Egypt, wouldn't you want to call her by her full name?

From the looks of Jamieson Wolf's website, this looks to be book one in a series, so I might be tempted to check out the others when they're released, to see how the story continues, more about world-building, etc. As for a rating, I'll give it a THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE. It was an interesting and quick read, but I didn't feel as passionate about it as I could have been.. as I would have liked to be.

Check out Jamieson Wolf's website for buying information, other books (there's tons!), and author information.
Happy Reading!
~!~ Morning Glow

Photo courtesy of jamiesonwolf.com.
Book received in exchange for review.

Review of "Truly, Madly" by Heather Webber

I just finished another book, which means - yay! Another review! And I'm super excited about this one! Not only have I found a new series that I know I'll enjoy, but I've actually gotten a chance to meet Heather Webber when she came to my local library to speak. On with the review!

Release date: February 2, 2010

The synopsis:

Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.
Plus, her rent is due.
Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking for something. So when Lucy locates a missing engagement ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who works upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it…

I received this book via Librarything.com's Member Giveaway program, in exchange for a review. It wasn't until I was showing the book to my mother and commenting on how I was excited to read it (I loved the beginning, interesting/funny way to start a book) that she reminded me that Heather Webber was one of the local authors I had a chance to meet a year or so ago. She was extremely nice, and of course, I'm always up for supporting a local author! In fact, you can find her webpage here , including a link to her blog.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Truly, madly".. in fact, I practically inhaled it. I loved the character of Lucy Valentine, she was extremely believable. And the delicious private eye? Yum. I believed, and am now a huge fan of, all the characters, and I really can't wait for the second book ( "Deeply, Desperately" ) which is supposedly set to be released in August of 2010. The plot was intriguing, kept adding little twists and turns, all without confusing the reader, which is a definite plus. In fact, as for the big mystery, it had me guessing until the end! And what a good ending it was. It's books like these that make me want to go out and do something like be a private investigator, or, in Lucy's case, be involved in matchmaking that leads to private investigating and solving a murder.

For fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, this is a great book to pick up. It has more of a supernatural edge (being that Lucy is a psychic), but I did see some similarities. But while the Stephanie Plum series is starting to have it's moments of complete stale-ness, Lucy Valentine is something new and fresh, and a character I don't see myself getting tired of.

I'm going to rate this book a solid FIVE out of FIVE. I loved it, I can't wait for the next one, and I will definitely recommend it to.. pretty much everyone. I think there is something for most, if not all, readers to enjoy in "Truly, Madly" by Heather Webber.

I hope you all get a chance to read "Truly, Madly" by Heather Webber when it is released February 2, 2010. And then "Deeply, Desperately" when it is released later this year!
Happy Reading!
~!~ Morning Glow

Book received in exchange for review.
Photo courtesy of Heather Webber's website.