This week at Smexy…
B+ review – Downfall by Rob Thurman (urban fantasy/tori)
B+ review – The Wickedest Lord Alive by Christina Brooke (historical/sheena)
B review – Cursed by Angela Addams (paranormal/may)
C+ review – Uncover Me by AM Hartnett (erotic/mandi)
C review – You Own Me by Shiloh Walker (contemporary/mandi)
C review – Six of Hearts by LH Cosway (contemporary/mandi)
C- review – Palmetto Moon by Kim Boykin (contemporary/tori)
D+ review – Wolver’s Gold by Jacqueline Rhoads (paranormal/sheena)
Take My Books (open until tomorrow!)
News from Mandi: I got a sneak peek at Archangel’s Shadow by Nalini Singh and enjoyed it. I think the second half flowed smoother than the first – but overall a nice story. I’ll be posting a full review closer to release date. I liked the mystery a lot in this one and there is a character named Naasir that stole the show. At this point in the series, if I had a character glossary, that told what person is an angel/hunter/vamp, that would help me out a lot.
The Wrath of Dimple is the third book is Lucy Woodhull’s comedic series, and it had me laughing yet again. It follows the very silly movie star heroine Samantha and her former criminal thief husband Sam. Book one is still my favorite but this one is pretty fun too. Very over the top. Review coming.
Risky Business by Melissa Cutler starts a new hockey series – but the focus of this book was more on a conflict over who owns a boating business than the actual hockey. I wrote a long, rambling review I’ll be posting soon. There were some good parts but the hero was such a big grump for the first half of the book and then he magically changes into a romantic hero. I needed a better transition.
This weekend I want to read Midnight Vengeance by Lisa Marie Rice.
News From Tori: I’ve been so BUSY this week. Lots of reading, reviewing, working in my store, and getting the kid ready to start school Monday. Is it bad I’m REALLY excited she’s heading back to school? I am taking a break, though. I, the kid, and her bff are heading to St. Augustine to see Panic! At The Disco tonight. :P
Archangel’s Shadows (Guild Hunter, #7) by Nalini Singh-Ashi and Javier’s story. *swoon* Singh gives us the romance we expect and the action packed storyline we crave. Starts out a little slow and jerky but it soon settles and the story zips along at a steady and exciting pace.
Nomad by Sam Crescent–a quick steamy read with a solid storyline and a heroine that totally kicked arse.
Precarious (Jokers’ Wrath MC, #1) by Bella Jewel–A decent start to a new MC series by Bella Jewel. Action packed suspense storyline and decent setup for series (character and arc wise) but the romance was iffy and rushed. The hero was a jerk and in my opinion doesn’t evolve much.
Let It Snow by Heidi Cullinan–A sweet sexy humorous M/M romance that brings gives us the gift of romance during the most magical time of the year. Review will appear in Nov issue of RT Book Reviews Magazine.
The Viper (untamed Hearts, #1) by Kele Moon-Fans of Moon’s Battered Heart series will love this romantic opposites attract spin off between a former thief and the sweet teacher who steals his heart.
BAMF by S.J.D. Peterson-Opposites attract in all the right ways in this dirty erotic M/M romance between an library assistant and a college student who learns you can’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Taking It All by Maya Banks-Color me shocked. I’m not a fan of Bank’s erotic romances but this bittersweet story addresses the fragility of a couple whose marriage on the rocks and the efforts they go to try and save it. Erotic and sexy, it’s the character dynamics that made this book a winner for me.
Return To Grace (Home Valley, #2) by Karen Harper-Ahhhh…my love of Amish romances has no bounds and Karen Harper feeds that love with the second in her Home Valley series. Mystery, suspense, and a second chance romance all revolve around a young lady who left her Amish heritage aside when she suffered betrayal from the man she loved. The love triangle is weak and I thought unneeded but the storyline more then makes you forgive that aspect.
This weekend I (hope) I will be reading Servants of the Storm by Delilah Dawson and a few M/M romances I picked up.
Have you read The Outsider by Penelope Williamson? So so good. It is a western romance with an Amish heroine and a gunslinger hero. Can I say one more time how good it was?
Then of course Flowers from the Storm. I think probably most romance readers have read it but have to mention it.
These maybe are not Amish romances, but both heroines are and it is a big part of the story.
OooooO…I’m going to look into The Outlander. Thank you for the rec. :P
I mean Outsider. lol
Lol. Well, Claire and Jamie do seem to be popping up everywhere, so really you never know.
Thanks! I had not heard of it…sounds different
Gah, Love Nalini and this series.
Naasir stole the show? At this point I doubt Nalini can write a guy I wouldn’t like. Those vampires and angels in Rapheal’s Seven? They are like Magic Mike crew with wings and fangs.
Naasir had me giggling the whole book. I loved the excerpt into Singh’s novella coming out in Nov, too. BASTION!! I adore Mercy’s brothers.
Hi Tori! I literally just started reading Bella Jewel’s Percarious! We are on the same wavelength :-) I was a bit confused when I first started it- heroine works in a prison? That threw me for a little loop, but I hope to settle into it today. I enjoyed Bella Jewel’s Sinners series :-)
OMG Archangel’s shadows. I love Janvier but Ash almost played too hard to get with him in the past. And Nassir is a new fav of mine- but I am holding out hope that Venom gets his own book one day!
Have a great weekend everyone!
I really want all the rest of the Sevens stories. *le sigh*
I love Bella Jewel and though Precarious was a little WTF in the romance dept, I am looking forward to book two.
Mandi, I’d never heard of Woodhull’s Dimple series but I find that you and I have similar taste in books so I read the sample of book one. I laughed so hard just within the first two pages. I’ll definitely be reading this one. Thanks!
Oh good!
Book One made me laugh more than any other book I’ve read. It is completely ridiculous and over the top – but I just adored the hero and heroine.
Book two lost me a bit but this past one was pretty good.