Here is what we talked about at Smexy this week:

Classic Nora Robert Titles, now as eBooks
Stop SOPA/PIPA
Nicole and Mandi Chat about Emotional M/M Books
Top Ten – 1/20

B+ Review of Rocky Mountain Haven by Vivian Arend
C+ Review of Reign Fall by Michelle Rowen
C+ Review of True Shot by Joyce Lamb
C Review of Demon Crossings by Eleri Stone
C- Review of Whispers in the Dark by Maya Banks
D Review of Twisted Up by Lissa Matthews
D Review of The Source of Magic by Cate Rowan

News From Mandi: This week started with a DNF of Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow. I just felt the book was very slow and didn’t feel any sort of connection with the characters. I did really enjoy that the heroine was a chemist – I thought that was different. Hopefully her next book works for me. Next up was the M/M book, Hold the Sky by A.C. Fox, I believe her debut. This one was pretty good and my review will be up next week. I received An Affair with Mr. Kennedy by Jillian Stone in the mail, and immediately started reading it because it is about a Scotland Yard investigator. Fun! It lost a little steam as the book went on, but I’m glad I read it. Review coming soon. I read the debut book by Cassi Carver, Slayer’s Kiss. An erotic Urban Fantasy. Had some really funny, erotic moments, and some moments that I didn’t like. Full review to come later in February. And finally I read The Night is Mine by M.L. Buchman. I loved this book. It is a military romance, over the top with a perfect heroine but I still loved it. Totally entertaining throughout the entire book. The hero is so alpha and swoon worthy. Full review to come soon! Last night I started The Bro Magnet because I saw it reviewed at Dear Author. Never would have picked it up otherwise. I’m at 20%, have laughed my butt off and I’m really endeared by the hero. I’ll report back next week on this one.

News From Tori: I received a Kindle Touch and I have to say, I’m really liking it. Took a little time to get used to, and I don’t understand the whole collections thing but other then that, it’s a winner. Finally finished E.L James Fifty trilogy. Hmmm. I’m not really sure what to say. An interesting character study that is better read from a dispassionate point of view. I will say that my hand was twitching through out the series, especially in book 3, and not in a good, fun way. Lara Adrian’s Darker After Midnight was as wonderful as I thought it would be. Sterling Chase is one verra smexy man and I’m glad he got his day in the sun. (We are having a givewaway on Monday!) Reading Kelly Meding’s Wrong Side Of Dead is killing me. OMG, the emotional chaos in the story has me having to take frequent breaks to absorb everything. Review at the end of the month. May and I talked to Jennifer Estep about her next Elemental Assassin book-Widow’s Web. She says we may not like what she does. *gasp* May and I decided we don’t care what she does as long as our beloved Owen isn’t hurt. And he can’t leave Gin. Ever. Shall I talk about Lothaire? I loved and hated him in this book. What an arsehat but Cole stayed true to his character. What sold me was Elizabeth. Seriously, she was hilarious with her smart mouth and even smarter brain. I laughed so hard at her and the Valkyries. Loved seeing Nix and I’ve decided to start a petition to get Kresley Cole to write Mike Rowe as her mate. What do you think?

News From Helyce:  I can’t believe it’s Friday already.  Kid’s were off on Monday, so my whole week was "off" because of that. Then on Tuesday, I had a tax filing.  YUCK!  I hate writing that check; and right after Christmas too! I did manage to find a bit of time to read! First, I did a quick 2nd read of Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian and proceeded to put my thoughts down for its review. This book is all kinds of awesome and probably one of the best of the series, but I found myself struggling to write its review without spoilers. There is a lot going on in this book and some really fantastic surprises and new information that will make you very impatient to see what Ms. Adrian plans for her Midnight Breeds.  That review will be up next week. I finished By The Book by Scarlett Parrish.  This is my first book by Ms. Parrish and I’m sure I’ll be taking a look into her back list after this.  I love the character of Daniel Cross and the author’s descriptive writing of how his tattoo moved during sex, well, it was almost like being there. I enjoyed my very first Ava March book, Convincing Arthur, thanks to Ms. Smexy herself (thanks Mandi!).  I really enjoyed this short m/m story. I also read Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire.  From the beginning, this YA story of college aged kids drew me in and captured me. I think it spoke to my teenaged self on some level. Lots of emotional angst; and while there were parts that really didn’t work for me, on the whole, I really enjoyed it.  Lastly, I read Fifty Shades Freed by E L James today.  In fact, I only just finished it a bit ago and I am still recovering.  It was definitely an emotional ride. Lots of tears and WTF’s and if what I’ve seen on Twitter today is any indication, I will be in the minority when I say I really loved it. It felt a bit long and slow in parts, while being quite "choppy" at others, but I was very satisfied with its conclusion.  I’m about half way through Stud by Cheryl Brooks and enjoying this installment of the very sexy and talented Zetithians.  I’m looking forward to two reads next by new to me authors, Jory Strong and Claire Ashgrove.  Have a great weekend!

News From May: This week began with a DNF for the new Cathie Linz novel Tempted Again. Two chapters is as far as I got before I had to just run away. I skipped to the end and decided to spare myself and not read between those two points.

Scared and in need of a sure thing, I headed back into ye olde England with Suzanne Enoch and her very first novel The Black Duke’s Prize. Priced so well for my kindle, I couldn’t pass it up and I am glad. I adored every last page. It’s a short read, and makes me even more anxious to dig more into this author’s back list!

Next up, Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman features a pastry chef and her former boss “Chef Hot Cakes” whom she’s loved secretly always – anyhow. They can’t be together because of how different their lives are. A fact they both repeat on-page all the way until the end. A review to come soon here at Smexy – if you love food shows and cupcake shops maybe get it? But I really don’t recommend as the book left me both hungry for cupcakes and unfulfilled story wise.

After all the contemporary and regency happiness I’ve been reading lately, I really wanted to get dark and gritty. I read Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews, which was excellent, but the novella only got me hungrier for more dark and twisty characters. I’ve been trying to decide if I dig into something in my TBR mountain back-list (Kresley Cole, GA Aiken, Jim Butcher… I’ve got options…) then I noticed a file I had forgotten I had with the holiday madness: Jennifer Estep’s By A Thread (releasing late Feb) ARC!

Gin kicked, stabbed, and stomped her way across the page and had me grinning, my heart pounding, and my eyes unable to look away. AMAZING!! I always love Jennifer Estep’s books, but this one was quite possibly my new all time favorite of hers – I didn’t think that possible! It hits the perfect balance between emotion and action, twists and revelations, and just is absolutely Gin at her finest. Oh and there is some seriously smokin’ hot jealous Owen time – I swoon just remembering it. WOW. A+ from me, and if you’re not reading this series run, buy, get on it.

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