All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

All Together Dead
Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse Vampire Mystery #7
Rating 4.5 stars

Read For:
42 Challenge
What An Animal Reading Challenge
Read Your Name Challenge
Spring 09 Challenge


Synopsis:
Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has her hands full dealing with every sort of undead and paranormal creature imaginable. And after being betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Sookie must not only deal with a new man in her life-the shapeshifter Quinn-but also contend with the long-planned vampire summit.

The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she'll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.

My Review:
All Together Dead, to me, started out a bit slow. I don't particularly like the Quinn character so that may have been the problem. Fortunately about 80 pages in, when Sookie and Eric meet again, the books action ramps up and it's a great book after that.

Another fantastic book in the series! 4.5 stars.

Dove's Way by Linda Francis Lee

Dove's Way
Linda Francis Lee
Historical Romance-Victorian Era
Rating 5 stars

Read For:
RYOB Challenge
What An Animal Challenge
Spring 09 Challenge
Victorian Challenge
Themed Reading Challenge
1st In A Series Challenge
Chick Porn Challenge
Serial Readers Challenge
Romance Reading Challenge 2009



Synopsis: "Even months after that day on the train, her face still haunted my dreams. And I was sure the feel of her in my arms would stay with me forever. But then one night, she stepped back into my life as if walking into my dreams. . . ."

Matthew Hawthorne saved Finnea Winslet's life one day on a train in Africa. But Finnea didn't know that on that day she saved his soul. Destroyed by scandal, Matthew would have been ostracized completely by the unyielding society of his birth had he not been such a powerful man. Matthew doesn't let himself care about anyone or anything, until Finnea arrives unexpectedly in Boston.

Raised in Africa, Finnea is as foreign to Bostonians as they are to her. Yet she is determined to make a life for herself there, so she turns to Matthew to learn the ways of that rigid town. But can Matthew help Finnea without losing what is left of his heart?

From the jungles of Africa to the heart of Boston society, DOVE'S WAY is an extraordinary tale of redeeming love that will rescue a man, and release a woman from the pain in her heart.

My Review: Dove's Way is a very moving and heartfelt Historical Romance. The storyline is set in Boston but is also halfway in Africa as that's where the two characters meet and where the heroine grows up. Finnea and Matthew are both "tortured" characters in their own ways. Finnea is very insecure in her familial relationships and Matthew was horribly injured and scarred in an accident. This story is very "high drama". You won't find yourself laughing or smiling during this book but it will probably make you tear up.

Some sexual chemistry, including a few fairly hot love scenes, nothing that should offend, in fact the scenes are more emotional than anything.

I'm looking forward to reading book two, Matthew's brother's Grayson's story in Swan's Grace.

5 stars.

Rebel Lady by Dawn Lindsey

Rebel Lady
Dawn Lindsey
Regency Romance
Rating 3.75 stars

Read For:
RYOB Challenge
Spring 09 Challenge
Read Your Name Challenge
Romance Reading Challenge 2009 Challenge



Synopsis: The Insufferable Englishman

Sir Sebastian Hilliard was everything that beautiful, young, Scotch noblewoman Skye Crawford detested in an Englishman. He had wealth and power, and the arrogance to use them to get what he wanted. He had good looks and charm, and the ability to use them as well.

What he wanted now was to put Skye's brave brother in prison for defying British might, and hold her in bondage in his London mansion as his ward. Spirited Skye's personal war of independence had begun--against this lord who assumed he merely had come to conquer, and against the tremors of surrender in her own treacherous heart…

My Review: Rebel Lady is a relatively good "old school" Regency Romance. The story revolves around a young Scottish woman, Skye, and her older brother Colin. Colin has committed low level treason by helping the Jacobite cause, and is in hiding. Skye's guardian, whom she's never met, is an Englishman, Sir Sebastian, who is a distant cousin, and a loyal English man and works for the British home office. After hearing of his rebellious Scots relatives antics, Sebastian decides he must go to Scotland and bring Skye back to London before she get's charged with treason herself.
There begins a high drama, high action Regency. The story was overall well written but low on Romance. Skye is also an extremely annoying heroine who is stubborn and naive all the way to the end of the story. Her stupidity almost gets both her and Sebastian killed several times. All that being said, the story carries along enough to make Rebel Lady worth reading for any Regency fan looking for a different storyline.

The Vampire Viscount & The Devil's Bargain by Karen Harbaugh

Two Books In One
The Vampire Viscount And
The Devil's Bargain
Karen Harbaugh
Regency Romance
Rating 4 Stars

Read For:
RYOB Challenge
New Author Challenge
Spring Challenge
A to Z Challenge
2nds Challenge (The Devil's Bargain)

The Vampire Viscount
Synopsis: Unholy Wedlock . . .
Leonore Farleigh shuddered when she learned she was to marry the Viscount St. Vire. What sort of monster would take advantage of her father's debts to buy her as his bride?

But one meeting with her future husband turned her dismay to desire. Lord Nicholas St. Vire was blindingly handsome and supremely seductive. It was only after they were man and wife that questions began to poison her perfect marriage. Why did he fear to go out in the light of day? What fueled the hellfire torment in his eyes? How was he linked to the ravishing Lady Mercia Lazlo, about whom such dark rumors flew? Could the most irresistible lord in London be the most horrifying of creatures of the night?

Leonore had to find out as her marriage moved to its ultimate moment of truth -- when the viscount's all-consuming kiss would crown her eternal happiness -- or seal her undying doom . . .

My Review:

A very good paranormal Regency Romance. Nicholas is looking for a way to undo his Vampirism and Leonore is "won" as a debt pay off to him by her abusive father. What starts as a marriage of convienence quickly becomes a loving and very hot (for a Regency) story. I like that unlike most modern Vampire Romances-Nicholas hates his life and is desperate to stop being a Vampire. 4 stars.

The Devil's Bargain:

Synopsis: THE ENDANGERED INNOCENT . . .
Lovely Eveline Seton knew that she could never be a proper match for Lord Richard Clairmond. The devastatingly handsome blueblood would never dream of taking a merchant's daughter as a wife. Why then did he whisper words that made her heart beat faster? Why did he gaze at her with a heat that melted her to the core? Eveline feared her ardent suitor was hiding something.

THE IRRESISTIBLE RAKE . . .
Not for nothing did the Viscount Clairmond keep a list of ladyloves that testified to his supreme skill as a seducer. But it was not as a wife that this reckless gambler wanted Eveline. To be relieved of embarrassing debts and a certain future of pauperism, he had sold his soul-and Eveline's virtue-to Satan. And unless this extraordinarily persuasive young woman proved an equal match for him in the thrust and parry of his campaign of conquest, she most surely would become his all - too - willing victim. Or he hers . . .

My Review:

Also a well written, unusual Regency with a paranormal theme. Richard, back home from the war, is forced into a "deal with the Devil". To say his sister from ruin he must utterly ruin another innocent young woman. Eveline is a smart, savvy, "cit"-a merchant's daughter.

What starts as a seducuction and ruin quickly becomes much more for Richard as he realizes he's in love with Eveline. But how can he be with Eveline and not become the devil's minion? Read to find out:)

Also surprisingly HOT for a traditional Regency. Karen Harbaugh is quite talented and I plan to read more of her books. Recommended-4 stars.

Mesmerized by Candace Camp

Mesmerized
Candace Camp
Historical Romance-Victorian Era
Rating 4 stars

Read For:
Spring Challenge
Victorian Challenge
RYOB Challenge
1st In A Series Challenge
Serial Readers Challenge
New Author Challenge


Synopsis: In 1876 Olivia Moreland works at exposing hoaxes that prey on the grieving who desperately want to communicate with loved ones from the great beyond. During a séance, she gets up to debunk the latest fraud, but Lord Stephen St. Leger stops her, thinking she is the fake. Once the air is cleared, both are tossed out as skeptics. Before Olivia leaves for home, she gives him her business card stating she is an Investigator of Psychic Phenomena. Stephen indiscreetly labels her as a member of the "mad" Morelands.

Not long afterward, Stephen hires Olivia to unmask a so called psychic taking advantage of his mother still mourning the loss of her oldest son. His sister-in-law is too selfish to help and mostly hinders Stephen and Olivia's efforts. As Olivia tries to prove fraud, Stephen and she fall in love with one another though she believes he still loves his deceased sibling's wife.

My Review: Mesmerized is the fun tale of Olivia, a shy, average young lady who's interest in the Spiritualist movement propels her to set up her own business as a (mainly) Spiritualist debunker. At the time many families were being duped by fraudulent Mediums, so Olivia goes undercover as a interested guest to these Seances to catch the frauds in the act. At a seance she meets Stephen-who mistakes Olivia as one of the frauds and finds out she's a member of the "Mad Morelands"-an eccentric though aristocratic family. Stephen unwittingly insults Olivia and sparks fly. A week later, he goes to Olivia's office to apologize and ask for her help. A medium, Madame Valenska, he feels is conning his mother by acting like they are in communication with her recently deceased brother Roderick.

There begins a fast paced, exciting tale that is full of adventure and romance. The books moves along well and the romance is sweet, the love scenes are moderate-fairly "hot" but not over the top. Warm enough to enjoy but not hot enough to turn a sensitive reader off.

There are a few, minor places where the book gets bogged down by the ghost storyline being explained. But they are short enough that they are fairly easy to get through. I enjoyed the supernatural aspect of the book, as well as the "debunking" of the mediums part of the book. Both are major parts of the storyline and if you don't do supernatural then you should probably skip this. Several enjoyable secondary characters that I'm sure we'll see in future books

All together a fun, enjoyable Romance 4 stars.

The Indifferent Earl by Blair Bancroft

The Indifferent Earl
Blair Bancroft
Regency Romance
215 pages
Rating-3.0 stars

Read For:
A to Z Challenge
RYOB Challenge
Spring Challenge
New Author Challenge
Romance Club Reading Challenge

Synopsis:
Before Abigail Todd can collect her inheritance, she must honor her grandmother's last wish-to complete a series of tasks with the Earl of Langley-and hopefully fall in love in the process.

My Review:
Overall, a cute Regency that ran about average throughout, picking up a bit the last 30 or so pages.

Interesting premise of an American spinster of 28 who runs an Academy for girls in America when she learns of inheriting a cottage in England. To fully inherit, she must complete a series of eight tasks from Clarissa, who Abigail learns is her grandmother whom she never knew about. A famous courtesan who lived her last 40 years as a kept woman of the heroes Grandfather. Abigail coincidentally is the spitting image of her grandmother.

I would have given this book more stars if there would have been more romance. For a book with a major character being a courtesan, there is surprisingly very little sexual chemistry.

Overall though I enjoyed The Indifferent Earl and I'd recommend this book.
3 stars.

Spring 09 Challenge

Join HERE:

March 1 – May 31

Spring '09 Challenge list:
1. Read a Western (united States)- historical or contemporary
2. Read a book set in Scotland- historical or contemporary
3. Title contains Sun, Moon, or Stars (Moonlight, Starlight, etc, is ok!)
4. Title contains Angel or Devil
5. Read any title by one of the first romance authors you ever read (or reread one of the first romance titles you ever read)
6. Title or Cover makes you think of Spring
7. Readers Choice
8. Select a book that has been marked favorite or 5 stars from another group member's shelf.
9. Read an AAR top 100 title (list on allaboutromance.com, AAR Top 100 group, and the AAR Top 100 blog)
10. Title contains the word "Secret" or “Lie” in it
11. Read a title that was read and reviewed during the Winter Challenge
12. read a book with a Romeo and Juliet type theme (feuding family/clan/etc): H/H have to be on opposite sides of the feud (help at AAR)
13. Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 1
14. Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 2
15. Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 3


1.
2.
3.
4. Title contains Angel or Devil-The Vampire Viscount and The Devil's Bargain-DONE-4 stars each.
5.
6.Title or Cover makes you think of Spring-DONE-Mesmerized by Candace Camp-4 stars
7.Readers Choice-DONE-The Indifferent Earl by Blair Bancroft-3 stars.
8. Select a book that has been marked favorite or 5 stars from another group member's shelf.-DONE-All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris 4.5 stars.
9.
10.
11.
12. read a book with a Romeo and Juliet type theme (feuding family/clan/etc): H/H have to be on opposite sides of the feud-DONE-Rebel Lady by Dawn Lindsey-3.75 stars.
13.Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 1-DONE-Dove's Way by Linda Francis Lee-5 stars.
14.
15.