This week at Smexy:

B+ Review – Awake Unto Me by Kathleen Knowles
B+ Review – The Rogues Pirate’s Bride by Shana Galen
B+ Review – I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
B Review – Something About Witches Joey W. Hill
B Review – Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox
C+ Review – Her Husband’s Harlot by Grace Callaway
C Review – The Last Night by Nico Rosso
C Review – Slayers Kiss by Cassi Carver
C- Review – Amazon Heat by Melinda Leigh and Rayna Vause
C- Review – Inked Magic by Jory Strong

Top Ten
Guest Author Ruthie Knox
Interview with Shana Galen
Interview with Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Interview with Heather Snow

News From Mandi: I finished the Merzetti Effect by Norah Wilson and for the most part I liked it. Her hero’s attempt at fighting the vampire disease has a nice twist. Review to come soon. I DNF’d Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire by Rachel Lyndhurst. I think next week I’ll have a DNF post including this book.  I read a lot of m/m romance this week. First up was Fall Into the Sun by Val Kovalin. It was a little slow, and there are many flashbacks that I think weigh the story down. But it is emotional. Deeply set in the Latin culture with the Catholic Church influence. My review is coming soon. Next up was Thief by Ava March. Thief is the start of her new historical trilogy with Carina Press. One hero it titled, the other is from the streets of St. Giles. I liked it. Then I read Moving in Rhythm by Dev Bentham. I loved this book. Mark is a very strong, muscular guy who has a crippling shyness disorder. Seth is a dance/zumba instructor. They meet in Seth’s class and a very slow, romantic courtship takes place. Definitely put on your wishlists (also on NetGalley). To round off the week, I read Now or Never by Michele Bardsley. This is the second book in this series. Again, I really like this world she has created and the characters in it. It has a small town feel for a PNR. However in this one, the romance is extremely understated. I didn’t like that aspect. My review will be coming soon. I’m currently reading The Duke’s Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley (and loving it) and I’ve started Demon Bound by Meljean Brook. The first book I’ve read in that series and so far so good! I’m also still listening to Storm Front by Jim Butcher. Love it.

News From Tori: I was lucky to get Patricia Brigg’s Fair Game and I can’t believe how much I love this series. Set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson series, this series seems to focus more on the protagonists and the the refining of their relationship. I highly recommend. Moira Rogers is getting ready to release the second installment of her Bloodhound series-Hunter’s Prey. This one focuses on Sartia’s friend Ophelia and a new bloodhound-Hunter. A fast read with lots of action and smexy times. Review to come. Dakota Cassidy’s Waltz This Way is the third installment in her Ex Trophy wife series and jam packed with laughter, snark, and romance. I liked this one a lot because the both hero and heroine had a past that needed addressing. Review to come. I was able to get Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter from net galley-the second part of her Goddess trilogy. This one had some issues that will be explained in my coming review. Debut author Delilah S. Dawson’s Wicked As They Come was a pleasant surprise. Part steampunk and part PNR, we are introduced to a new world where vampires are good and Bambi and Thumper want to eat you. I was enchanted by it and look forward to reading more from Ms. Dawson in the future. I am currently reading Anne Bishop’s newest release Bridge Of Dreams and Trish Milburn’s YA, White Witch

News From May: . I have discovered Meljean Brook.

I had been told several times to start at book #3 (that first two were… meh.) I did, I really disliked book 3’s lead characters. The hero especially with his wild west talk and calling heroine “Miss Charlie” all the time. Book 4 is where the awesome really begins in my opinion. On her website there is a ‘primer’ guide to the series to help you catch up on where you’re at/what’s going on in the world. Very helpful! http://meljeanbrook.com/books/the-guardian-series/primer

Her heroines kick so much butt. I adore them. Demon Bound and Demon Forged (books 4 & 5) may well go on my top reads of 2012 I loved them so much! I am having to exercise great restraint in not downloading books 6 & 7 and diving in.

I had to DNF Catherine Anderson’s “Lucky Penny” this week – it wasn’t that it was so bad, so much as it grated on my every nerve, was way too descriptive and slow, and I disliked the characters tremendously after skimming it. I think a sweet romance, big misunderstanding, old west loving reader might really like it.

In awesome news? September 2012 = release date for next GA Aiken Dragon book. Better than that? It’s time for Izzy + Eibhear. Excuse me while I flail and die of excitement. The excerpt shared in her newsletter had me squealing and doing an anxious anticipation dance. It ended with this:

“What did you expect from her? To drop to her knees and suck your cock right here?”

Well… it had crossed his mind

Oh yes, Izzy & Eibhear we are so ready for you. If you’re not reading this series, you really must start. It’s made of awesome.

With all that violence and ass kicking heroines fueling me, I’m ready for something more gentle (or at least less bloody), So I’m starting Jillian Hunter’s The Duchess Diaries (review to come next week)…

News From Helyce:  I don’t have much to report this week on the reading front!  I tasked myself with a photography project to celebrate the six senior boys on my son’s varsity soccer team.  My son is only a sophomore, but two of the seniors are good friends of his and I couldn’t let their last home game go without some recognition.  So I spent quite a few hours going through hundreds of photos I’d taken this season and pulled out the best shots I had of each of the senior boys!  Using Costco’s website I created these really awesome poster sized collage prints for each of them.  It was a lot of work, but in the end-I’m so glad I took the time.  They loved them.  I did manage to read two books that will be up for review soon.  First, I read A Devil Named Desire by Terri Garey.  This is book two in her Devil’s Bargain series. Continuing on with the good vs. evil theme, we have Samael the Devil trying to corrupt the archangel Gabriel.  Considering the dark subject matter, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of humor herein.  Second, I read Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr.  I am a total fan of Ms. Carr’s Virgin River series and was thrilled to be able to read this for review.  I look forward to each book and returning to the town of Virgin River.  Loved!  Today I started Wicked Edge by Nina Bangs. This is book 5 from her Castle of Dark Dreams series. I always worry about reading a book that is part of a series, but the blurb on this intrigued me.  So far, I’m loving it.  I also dug out Dark Lover by JR Ward.  Tori mentioned that she was doing her annual re-read of the BDB books before the release of Lover Reborn in March and I just couldn’t help myself! So I’ll be getting my Wrath on this weekend!  Have a great weekend!