My January 2017 Diverse-a-thon TBR

So, I just found out that this is going on a couple nights ago. That means I'm a little late to the party. It also means that if I want to get involved there isn't a second to spare. Anyway, here are the books I'd like to read between now and the 29th. Let's see if we can make this happen...

Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged
by Ayisha Malik

"Brilliant idea! Excellent! Muslim dating? Well, I had no idea you were allowed to date.' Then he leaned towards me and looked at me sympathetically. 'Are your parents quite disappointed?'

Unlucky in love once again after her possible-marriage-partner-to-be proves a little too close to his parents, Sofia Khan is ready to renounce men for good. Or at least she was, until her boss persuades her to write a tell-all expose about the Muslim dating scene.

As her woes become her work, Sofia must lean on the support of her brilliant friends, baffled colleagues and baffling parents as she goes in search of stories for her book. In amongst the marriage-crazy relatives, racist tube passengers and decidedly odd online daters, could there be a a lingering possibility that she might just be falling in love . . . ?

Sofia Khan is not Obliged is the hilarious and authentic debut novel by Ayisha Malik."

Reading On: Kindle

Length: 456 pages

Current Progress: 48%

Why I Picked This: As far as I can recall, I've never read about a Muslim main character. So as a romance addict and writer, the premise of someone writing a Muslim dating book set in the framework of women's fiction / chick lit caught my interest. Upon trying the sample I knew I had to keep going since Sofia's voice is hilarious and vibrant and the storytelling overall has completely sucked me into her world. 

The Underground Railroad

by Colson Whitehead

Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood - where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned and, though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted.

In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor - engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven - but the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. Even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom.

As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman's ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share.

Reading On: Audible / kindle (haven't decided yet)

Length: 306 pages

Current Progress: %

Why I Picked This: This is the DiverseAThon group read, so of course I want to make sure I am ready for the discussion about it on Saturday. Going in I am interested but apprehensive. Topics like this tend to make me want to throw things because I cannot wrap my head around the levels of cruelty people are able and willing to carry out against each other.

Bad Feminist
by Roxane Gay

Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman of color while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years and commenting on the state of feminism today. The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.

Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better.

Reading On: Kindle / Audible

Length: 320 pages

Current Progress: %

Why I Picked This: I have very mixed feelings about Feminism and what it stands for. I am generally not one to call myself a Feminist, because there is a lot of baggage, unrealistic expectations and bullshit that tend to come along with the title. However, I went and listened to Roxane on several YouTube videos and I think I will enjoy her book whether or not I end up fully agreeing with everything she says. Plus, this will kickstart one of my goals for 2017, which is to read one non-fiction book each month. 

Are you taking part in DiverseAThon? What's on your TBR this week? I'd love to know!

Review: The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter

*This is not YA

The moment I read the blurb for The Vampire's Mail Order Bride I knew it was a book I absolutely had to read. One of my favorite paranormal series back in my twenties were the Argeneau Vampire books by Lynsay Sands. Unfortunately, those books have taken a shift in tone (they're still 'good'; just not necessarily at what I originally bought them for) and I have waited a long, long time for a series to come along which could capture and rekindle the humor I felt had largely gone missing from the paranormal romance genre.

So, was the book laugh out load funny, or was the joke on me? Read on to find out.

(Summary from GoodReads)

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs and all.

After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. What she doesn't know is her groom to be is a 400-year-old vampire.

Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. His past means love is no longer an option. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real. Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets...

The first thing I will tell you, since it's the first thing that drew me to this book, is that the humor does not disappoint. Where else can you find a kitty named Captain Underpants who does "cat yoga"? Where else have you heard of characters in a PNR novel breaking the fourth wall and poking fun at the cheese factors of vampire romance? Where have you, or when have you, ever heard of anyone doing these things well? 

A large part of why the humor likely worked so well was the lovely contrast between our heroine, Delaney, and our hero Hugh. The concept of a mortal helping an immortal get a second lease on life (as in re-learning to enjoy it) is an old trope, but it was handled very well here. And Hugh isn't the way he is just to be the way he is, he has very good reasons and I really felt for him. I also like the underlying message that simply going by 'type' doesn't always work. Sometimes the right person is someone you would never have expected. (I also like the fact that it did not take the entirety of the novel for this point to be made, as there were other, far more intriguing, things to be explored.) 

The next thing I will tell you is that this book, while hilarious, was no joke. It's filled with interesting and memorable characters who all seem to have their own unique stories and lives going on. The set up of the town, Noctourne Falls, is a perfect balance between our world and a supernatural "world" or society within our world that runs on its own timetable and with its own agenda. I never felt confused or lost, nor did I ever feel that I was being cheated out of learning something I wanted to know. That's the hallmark of good world building, right there. At least to me. 

For a book that's only about 250 pages long, The Vampire's Mail Order Bride took me on one heck of a ride. What do I mean? Well, every time I thought I had something about the plot figured out, something would happen to turn everything upside down. Considering that I've read this genre for years, I'd like to think it's not always easy to keep me on my toes. 

The story also did a beautiful job of blending a rather exciting heroine in jeopardy external conflict with a very guilt driven internal conflict on the part of the hero. Both of these were handled well. The jeopardy plot was exciting without stripping the book of its fun and whimsy, whereas Hugh's backstory never got pressed on me so heavily that it overburdened the book. 

Finally, I will commend the author on making any conflict between the hero and heroine, Hugh and Delaney, -not- the center of what was happening to them. There were a few places where they had problems. This is a story of how can / how will they get together, not why would they want to. I found it very refreshing to see two characters be drawn together and (for the most part) stay that way with relative consistency throughout the course of the novel. It let me enjoy them together longer and thanks to the quality and depth of the conflicts they were facing it never got in the way of the forward momentum of their story.

Last, I want to address the sexual content of this novel since it is technically an adult PNR novel. What I will tell you is that for the vast majority this novel is very clean / tame / mild. Don't misunderstand: the passion and attraction between the characters practically sizzles! But we don't get a play by play of them together in bed; just some really great kisses and an excellent romance set in an interesting take on the supernatural world. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

If you are looking for a fun (and funny) PNR with memorable characters, solid world building and an interesting story, The Vampire's Mail Order Bride is the book you need. This book sucked me in from page one and absolutely did not let go! 

Review: Dark Lover b y J.R. Ward

*This is not YA

Since I haven't been able to write (stupid wrist!) I've had lots of time to read. My Kindle is really great for that. Now, Dark Lover is a book I actually bought last year. It's a book I started and failed to finish. But since the Black Dagger Brotherhood is an extremely popular paranormal romance series, and I want to understand how well written PNR works, I decided to give the book another go.

I'm glad I did.

Here's the thing: since I read both YA and NA / adult books, I can have trouble switching gears. I can struggle to remember that there are things I will accept from an adult book that I would not tolerate in a YA book for reasons of logic, credibility, etc. When I got back to the point where I DNFd Dark Lover my first go around, I could see exactly why I had, and I still didn't appreciate what was there. However, I decided to continue and on the whole I really did have a good time. Want my full thoughts? Read on.

(Summary from GoodReads)

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

First, I bet you wanna know what made me DNF my first go around. The sex. It's not that it was poorly written! Rather, it's that after being traumatized by another guy a few chapters earlier (and only by a day or so in time) the heroine then has UNPROTECTED sex with the hero. Yes, she thinks its a fantasy! Yes, he can't give her an STD, etc. But it was the principle of the thing. Remember, I jumped into this on the heels of 5-10 YA books. It felt off to me, and no wonder.

Fast forward to the present? I still wasn't a big fan of this plot development, nor of the fact that there was not really enough reaction to it as the book went on. I found the connection between Beth and Wrath really, *really*, shallow. I didn't really care about them the way I *should* have. It was all too on the surface for me to really get invested.

That doesn't mean I hated the book though! On the contrary, I'm about to start book 4! Why? Because despite the fact that this romance here was not my favorite, the world building, lore, and overall cast in this book--which all carry on as the series progresses--are FABULOUS! J.R. Ward has a real talent for developing a group of characters who really do feel like family, and who felt very real to me. I wasn't crazy about how Wrath and Beth got together, but I was *glad* they did. I also knew I'd want to come back to find out more about other characters I liked, such as Rhage, Butch, Phury and Vishous. (Sorry, people--I'm not a Zsadist fan. Nothing against him, he just didn't grab me.)

As a writer, one thing I really like about this series are the variety of POVs. As someone who uses quite a few, and has characters in her own novels whose lives continue to grow, I found how J.R. Ward juggled this very interesting--and I am thrilled with how it is progressing with each book I read. As I hope I made clear above, it makes the whole series feel like a long term investment emotionally, even though the h/h in this book weren't necessarily my favorite couple ever.

Here's how I see it: Dark Lover is a 'good' book in what is shaping up to be a great series. If you are just looking for *a* romance to win your heart, I don't think this is where I wound point you. *But* if you are looking for a world to invest in and become obsessed with, the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and be extension Dark Lover, are highly recommended.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Review: Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

*This is not YA.

I've looked at the Lords of Deliverance series several times in the past couple years, thought, "Gee, I should read that.", and then went "Nope, not until Sealer's Promise is written." Well the good news, for you and me, is that I caved.

The first book in the series, Eternal Rider, isn't the one I really want to get my hands on. But I'm very much a "start at the beginning" kinda girl when it comes to series. Yes, I realize there are book prior to this from the Demonica series, and now that I'm done this I'm tempted to go back. But still... Starting here was smarter than starting with Lethal Rider or Rogue Rider, right?

Curious what I thought of Eternal Rider? Read on and find out. :)

(Summary from GoodReads)

They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.


Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

When I sat down to read Eternal Rider, I did so with two questions in mind. (1) How long will it take me to get to the book that made me want to read this series? and (2) Can this author write? That may sound really cold, but I've read a LOT of PNR, and it is my "home" genre. It's what *I* write. So yeah, I won't lie: I'm tough on books I read here, just as I (hope) I am on my own work. 

The good news? Eternal Rider totally rocked. Of the four books I've read by this author, I actually liked Cara the most out of the heroines I met. And while Ares was not my favorite hero, he was up there and I did enjoy him. Plus, the way that the rest of the horsemen, and a wide variety of other characters, were intermixed into the story added a level of richness and 'life' / 'world' / 'lore' that really kept my interest. 

Oh, and I loved the Hellhounds! They play a really cool role in this book and I found it refreshing and interesting. It goes very well with the concept that this series seems to spin around, which is pretty much the idea that any creature--angels, demons, humans, etc--can be good or evil. I won't tell you what our furry, slobbery friends actually do here, but I will say that if you love stories where animals--mythological or otherwise--play a great role, this is a book you'll want to read. 

On the other hand, if you're not a fan of scorching hot sex scenes, this is probably best avoided. It's a crying shame since the book was both really thrilling and really fun, but the truth is the truth. Further, this is one of those books where the sex was, in many cases, there for sex's sake. It wasn't *too* bad, but it was noticeable. 

Original, sexy, and fun, Eternal Rider was a book that I could not put down. If you are a paranormal romance fan and haven't read this yet, I'd highly recommend that you check it out. Please be aware that the Lords of Deliverance series is a spin-off of the Demonica series. I jumped in and did okay, but I'm pretty sure certain things would have been even better if I had read from the very beginning. 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Review: Come Away With Me by Kristen Proby

*This is not YA

I thought the premise for Come Away With Me sounded cool and it was only a few dollars. With that in mind, it isn't surprising that 'onto the Kindle it went'. I needed something to read while at my grandma's chemo sesson, I needed to download it quick, and I had liked the sample. In a matter of seconds the deed was done.

Then grandma's appointment got rescheduled and I forgot I had this--until I was transferring things to my new Kindle Paperwhite. (Thanks, grandma!) I figured it had sat there long enough and that it would have the 'honour' of being the first book I read on the device. Read on to find out whether Come Away With Me lived up to that pressure, or whether it was just too much for this book to handle.

(Summary from GoodReads)

Being confronted on the beach by a sexy stranger wasn't part of Natalie Conner's plans for a peaceful morning taking photos. And why on earth would he think she's taking pictures of him, anyway? Who is he? One thing’s for sure, he’s hot, and incredibly romantic, feeding Natalie’s wounded soul.

Luke Williams just wants the world to give him a break, so seeing yet another camera aimed at his face has him ready to pounce on the beauty behind the lens. When he finds out she has no idea who he is, he's intrigued and more than a little tempted by her. Natalie has a body made for sex, a sassy mouth and Luke can’t get enough of her, but he’s not ready to tell her who he really his.

Natalie is a no nonsense girl who doesn’t do well with lies and secrets. What will happen to this new relationship when she discovers what Luke’s hiding?

I will start by giving credit where credit is due. There were three things I really liked about Come Away With Me. 

(1) Luke is my kinda hero. In other words, he's blond with blue eyes. I'm a sucker for blond male leads. Shallow, sure, but I won't lie and I'm really clutching at straws for positives. 

(2) The opening was strong enough that I felt compelled to buy the book. I read a LOT of samples and I'm finicky as hell. After reading all of this I'm surprised the first part worked for me, but the truth remains: it did. I bought the book. Despite anything I say below, Kristen Proby does have potential. 

(3) I really loved some of the gestures that Kristen had Luke do for Natalie. The roses, the dinner, the pearls and the coffee were all great. I'm always a fan for a swoony, romantic moment and this book did deliver in that regard. 

Alas, the very structure of this review has to tell you guys something, somewhere, went horribly wrong. I gave three reasons to hope this writer improves, right? Well, here are six reasons I think there's room for growth. 

(1) Where's the plot, man? This book just kinda wandered. I realize that, this being contemporary romance, that's okay to an extent. But this wasn't a case of someone trying to imitate real life. This was a mess. Plotlines were started and either resolved within one chapter or forgotten about. There was no real arc holding everything together outside of Natalie and Luke's romance. Which leads me to my next problem...

(2) Natalie and Luke's romance was boring because it did not contain real, important, plot driving conflict. These characters had no real goals within the story, and in no way lead me to believe that they had a life before it started. Anything that could have created conflict (i.e. plot!) was squandered. 

(3) Way too much *pointless* sex. It got to a point where I felt that anything outside of the sex was merely there to hold the sex together. I'm sorry, but within the context of a book there are only so many ways two people can sleep with each other before I start checking every 2% to see how close I am to having the book be over. That was very much the case here. (For what it's worth: a lack of plot in a novel of this type generally stems from a lack of connection between me and the characters. Since I'm being so blunt, though, I don't just wanna flat out say they sucked...I just wish we knew them, rather than just watching them get it on for 50% of the book...And that probably just came out all wrong. Crap.) 

(4) Insta-love even I didn't buy into. These characters got together way too easy, felt things way too fast, and didn't do anything to convince me that I should give a crap that this was happening to them. Put that together and it's a more potent sleep aid then Z-quil. 

(5) Luke was extremely moody and unconvincing. I can understand a man having issues and having his mood shift throughout a story. The problem is that Luke shifted moods about as easy as my new Furby Boom. (All you need to do is yank its tail about twelve times, or pet its head for five minutes. You get the idea.) If I met a guy who shifted gears like that in real life there's only one thing I'd be doing: running the heck away. 

(6) Lazy, repetitious writing / word choice. I usually don't ride people too hard about that because I understand that how people write their stories is a very personal choice. But really, if I had to hear the words baby or beautiful, or listen to one more description of Luke's eyes (psst: they don't cast magic or anything, okay...?) I think I might have gauged my own eyes out. 

I think it's pretty safe to say that Come Away With Me was not my book. But I know a lot of people have enjoyed this one, so your mileage may vary. As always, I'd suggest you pay attention to my particular gripes here and consider how they might effect you as a reader. We all have unique things that push our buttons. This book happened to be rather fond of pushing mine. 

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Review: North of Need by Laura Kaye

*This is not YA

I took one look at the premise of this book and started squeeing like a lovesick fangirl. A Snow God using a snowman as a means to come to life and attempt to comfort a young, grieving widow? Sounded too freaking cool, if you ask me--or perhaps ASKED me a couple days ago...

I guess I'd be lying if I didn't admit up front that I had HUGE hopes for this one. Stories about Gods falling in love with mortals are something I tend to really love--or really hate. I'm always looking for the love, I swear! But alas, they don't always deliver.

I also came across this book because I'm mixing in some festive reads with the Get Read-y thing I'm taking part in next month. And this just seemed like it would be the perfect fit. Read on and I'll tell you where North of Need melted my heart...and where it left me totally cold.

(Summary from GoodReads)

While attempting to escape the agonizing memories she associates with Christmas, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband-and collapses in tears against the snowman at the sight of what she'll never have.

Called to life by the power of Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things, and her heart opens enough to believe he's a Christmas miracle. But this miracle comes with an expiration-before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.

I often feel like I am a black sheep in the blogging and writing community, because I'm often the devil's advocate, the defender of things that make many people seem to want to wall toss their Kindles. Take insta-love, for example. When it comes to paranormal and fantasy stories, I'm normally totally game for it. I usually find it cute, because I liken those stories, more often to not, as myths or fairytales for grown ups.

But even I have my limit, and North of Need seemed ready and willing to do everything it could to push my buttons and make me look like a total holiday Scrooge. The book actually spells it out for readers that the heroine will have FOUR DAYS to fall in love with the hero. Oh, and did you catch the part in the summary where we learned she lost her husband two years ago in a car crash? Alright-y, then. I can so buy that she'll be ready to give someone--even an Immortal Snow God--her heart in that time frame. NOT. 

But wait, it gets better. Surely, you're asking me, there must be some great and crucially life threatening reason that could throw them over the edge. Some terrible evil chasing them? Some great catastrophe that must be thwarted? NOPE. Another God, who controls the onset of spring, is doing things (that do not relate to our couple--this character isn't out to get them or a villain / antagonist--he's purely an elemental force within the context of this book) that are going to make the hero melt. And he can only avoid melting if the heroine can get past her dead husband and declare her love for him...within four days.

And just how will these two fine souls become acquainted? Why, through food, sex, an igloo, more food, more sex, skiing, and sex, sex, and did I mention SEX. Sweet mother of Zeus, I think this book had more sex scenes than Backstage Pass! (Only those were GOOD sex scenes, just to keep things clear.) There were two really big problems with the sex in North of Need. (1) It was sex for sex's sake. It didn't really do anything but pad the book out. (2) and when we're talking six to eight scenes in 230 pages that's way too much boring, generic sex. It got to a point where I would skim the sex scenes because ab-so-freaking-lutely nothing was going on there. (Might make a good sleep aid?)

The hero and heroine were okay at best. The hero, Owen, was perfect to the point of being as tasteless as--you guessed it--snow. Laura Kaye gave him some pretty cool powers here and there, and I did like the lore that surrounded his background...but he was too damn nice. As for Megan, I think I've found a new way to use TSTL. You've heard of "too stupid to live", right? Well...Megan was "Too Stupid To Love"--a condition where our heroine is too stupid to act on her feelings when it's vital and then, in turn, is so stupid we don't feel she should even get her happily ever after. >.< 

Aside from the mythology I just mentioned, the only other saving grace this book had was the Supreme Snow God, Boreas. I really wish we'd gotten to see him as a younger character and that he'd been the lead, because he was freakin' hilarious. He showed up a couple times and totally had me laughing by the end of the story. 

I'm honestly at a loss on this one. The best I can say is to take a look at the things I complained about: (1) super, duper, OMFG Kat thought it was insta-love and didn't like it; (2) Where's the plot, man! (3) Sex-o-palooza (boring, generic sex at that...) and (4) a hero who is pretty much as bland as the snow that sustains him. I don't want to write this series off completely because Laura Kaye's writing was good, I've heard the series gets a bit more momentum as it progresses, and I loved the mythology. But I'm not going to be racing to get book two like my butt's on fire. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository 

Review: Halfway To The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

*This is not YA

For years I've kept hearing about this guy named Bones, and I sat there thinking, "Who the heck names their romance hero Bones?". I knew the series was about vampires, and later learned that it was urban fantasy, but that (at the time...) silly, silly name kept making me decide to stay away.

Plus, I was relatively committed to keeping this (mostly) a YA blog. I wasn't sure back then if I really wanted to dive into an adult paranormal romance or urban fantasy series, even though that's what my main background as a reader was before I started blogging. After all, I'd read Christine Feehan and Sherrilyn Kenyon. I'd seen it all, right?

Um, no. Nothing against either of those ladies--they've both written books I love immensely--but there is much more out there. These two sister genres are both totally alive and kicking.

It was actually seeing Marie over at Ramblings of a Daydreamer review a few of the books, and receiving First Drop of Crimson at this year's Ontario Blogger Meetup that made me decide to give the series a go. I wanted to at least read the first book before I looked at that one, since it's a spin-off.

So, curious to see what I thought of Bones and Cat? (Whose middle name is Kathleen. You're killin' me here.) Read on and find out.

(Summary from GoodReads)

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, aiming for the father who ruined her mother. Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, captures Cat, and agrees to train her until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. But a group of killers pursue them. Bones is as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

Don't let the rather short summary fool you: this book totally kicked ass.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened it. I've been in a reading slump and I was dealing with some seasonal moodiness that tends to hit me this time of year when I started reading. Yet despite having odds against it, Halfway To The Grave drew me away from everything going on with me and totally sucked me into Cat and Bones world. Which is exactly what a good book should do.

Jeaniene Frost did an excellent job of combining great characters, awesome fight scenes and page scorching chemistry. The more I read, the more I rooted for Cat--in her situation with her mom, her quest to help Bones take out 'bad' vampires, and her growing attraction to Bones. As for Bones--OMG, people, this is a man (well, Vampire...) I totally loved. He's the exact type of guy I like in paranormal / urban fantasy: a total badass who can be utterly ruthless and totally devious when dealing with the villains, yet who develops a fiercely loyal heart of gold toward the heroine. Yes, Yes, Yes! Bones may very well be my favorite "new" (to me at least) male character I've read this year.

I also like how Jeaniene Frost set up her world building. She didn't drop twenty tons of info dump on her readers. Instead, she gives the reader what they need as they need it. She seems to have an almost chess-like process in choosing when to share something, and does so in a way that allows the reader to 'play along' and be able to think about things, while not getting so bogged down that they fall asleep. I sincerely look forward to learning more about vampire lore, ghoul lore and whatever else she decides to throw at me.

Halfway to the Grave grabbed me from word go and didn't let go until the last page. I zipped through it in two days and was so freaked over the ending that I immediately downloaded--and read--the second book as well. So I think it's pretty safe to say my verdict is obvious. Buy it! Buy it now! This is totally fabulous!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Review: Dungeon Crawl by Robert Bevan

Anyone whose been here a while knows that I've read all of Robert Bevan's Caverns and Creatures stuff--both his novel, Critical Failures, and all of his "mini-adventures" (short stories).

Dungeon Crawl hits a spot in between these two things, providing a more lengthy adventure that should be satisfying for those who are awaiting Critical Failures' sequel.

As always with these stories, though, I do strongly recommend that readers start with Critical Failures, especially if they don't have a D&D or RPG background.

But we're not here for me to give you a reading order. Have Tim, Julian, Dave and Cooper gone on another successful adventure? Or have they finally gotten in a bit too far over their heads? Read on and find out. :)

(Summary from GoodReads)

Tim, Dave, Julian, and Cooper go shopping, explore a dungeon, and interact with black people.

Since this blog focuses on mostly YA I'm going to explain something from word go: this book is *not* racist. It does veer on being politically incorrect, but its due to a univerally evil race of elves known as the Drow. (Or *are* they? Hmm...) 

Now that I've gotten that landmine out of the way... 

Dungeon Crawl is an excellent addition to the Caverns and Creatures series, bringing all of the things I love most about Robert's world, characters and writing, and providing them in a slightly meatier format (longer story). The humor here was spot on and did not fail to disappoint, and that's crucial considering that this is comedic fantasy. 

Going back to the aforementioned Drow for a moment, I thought they were a fantastic addition to the list of races and creatures we've seen in this series. The overall mood and personality given to the Drow contrasts beautifully with the antics of this series four main heroes, resulting in an adventure that both expands the world Robert has created while maintaining the humor his series is known for. 

I particularly liked the twist with the introduced side-character, Dusty, and as with Critical Failures, I feel that Dungeon Crawl will provide an interesting surprise to its readers. 

Dungeon Crawl is bound to give those who love the Caverns and Creatures series more crazy antics to laugh about. For new readers I stand by my stance that starting with the novel is best, though I will say that anyone who loves D&D, RPGs or comedic fantasy should check Robert Bevan's series out. Just keep an open mind--here there be swearing, cat bladders filled with goat's milk, and hairy orc nipples. You have been warned. 

Buy It Now on Amazon !

Review: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

I came across this series by accident last year and thought "Gee, I'd probably like those books.". Then, busy with other books and writing projects, I promptly forgot about it.

Then, early this month, I was back at WalMart because I thought I was going to get my new smartphone (I arrived too early--but that's not the point!). I noticed there was a shelf of books on display at the back, and among those were The Marriage Bargain, The Marriage Trap and The Marriage Mistake. Unable to resist the 40% off price tag, I went ahead and took the plunge.

So, was The Marriage Bargain an actual bargain for this hopeful romantic? Or did I buy a bunch of books in a series that I'll be trying to clear off my shelf later this year? Read on and find out!

(Summary from GoodReads)

A marriage in name only...

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

This book was just "okay" for me, and I mean that in a "good" way, not in an "it's broken" way. The writing was fine, the plot moved along decently and for the most part I didn't have any major complaints. Yet it really seemed like something was missing.

There was a lot of "should we or shouldn't we?" here, as well as an over-reliance on characters not telling each other things, and instead moaning about them in their heads, without the necessary Very Damn Good Reason for this plot device to be employed. I didn't get what Alexa felt would happen, just what sky would fall, if she told Nick she wanted to use the money from the bargain to help her parents. That she felt it was better for him to think she was a gold digger just didn't make sense to me, especially since these two have history as childhood friends who fell apart. 

I can't give you a heat rating here. Why? Because I didn't really 'read', but rather 'skimmed', these characters love scenes. I just wasn't invested enough in them to give a damn what was going on with them in bed. 

However, all hope is not lost. I totally loved Maggie and Michael's characters, and they are the leads in the next book, so I will be reading on, even though The Marriage Bargain didn't quite meet my expectations. 

I think this sums it up: if I'm going to love a romance novel, I need to love the hero. And there's no way in hell I could ever love a hero who would name his pets stuff like Dog, Cat or Fish. So unfortunately for this book, Nick didn't have me at hello. 

The Marriage Bargain wasn't a bad book. It was definitely one of those 'It's not me, it's you' situations. As long as you can deal with the plot device I gripped about and aren't offended by a guy who has no imagination when naming pets, you should be totally fine. The writing was good, and there was some witty banter that, to me, shows promise. If you can get it on sale like I did, it may be worth a shot. 

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