Romance Books

Halfway through the book I was tempted to throw it in the trash. I was so dissapointed. I was hoping that Bella would finally grow out of her obsession with Edward. In the other books the forbidden love plot made it for an interesting read. I loved the love triangle with betwen Jacob, Edward and Bella in previous books. I saw her maturing as she found herself loving Jacob-a love that grew through friendship contrasted with her obesession with Edward ,a relationship based on a physical attraction. I wanted to see a mature conclusion to her wrestle with wanting to give up everything in her human life, to be with Edward. My favorite part of this book was the chapters written by Jacob's point of view. He seemed like the only real character in the book this time. the book ended too neatly, with nothing lost. Bella made her chioce, but didn't have to live with any consequences. The book made it seem as if becoming a vampire is much more desirable than living a life as a human. Where did the dilema go? Edward should of changed her 3 books ago without a second thought if this book is to be believed. I finished it, hoping something would salvage this book in the end. Nothing did.

It is a little too neat like many other reviews are saying. But it was the last book. Were we really thinking it would end with a giant sacrafice? Would that have made a good end? If more books were to follow I could see ending the story with some of choice and sacrafice of the others. Overall a good book. Too bad their aren't more to follow. She definately left some material on the table.

The book was slow at times and it seemed a little long, but overall I loved Breaking Dawn and I read it as fast as I read the others.

I thought the book was great and even thought it really threw me for a loop I'm really glad with how it turned out. I can't seem to understand what other people are thinking when they say they are disappointed with it.

I truly loved this novel! Meyer did an amazing job of making me hate "the monster" that Bella was carrying. I was horror struck that she was keeping it. Of course, all was meant to be...and I prefer to have a happy ending as opposed to people dieing. What does it say about our society when people are upset that people are living when all is said and done? Give me a break! Enjoy this book for what all the other books in this series are: entrancing, thrilling, and passionate!

This contains SPOILERS.
I found this book to be a mix of good and bad, mostly an okay book but I will start out with some of the bad.
Many friends had told me that this book was great. So, I picked it up with much trepidation and found many of my worries to be well founded. The lack of forward motion in the plot was the first thing that grabbed me. How can an author spend so many pages writing about the two main characters asking each other questions without anything happening? Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people having conversations in books, but things also need to happen! Towards the end the plot does pick up, but after Bella makes an interesting plan to confuse a tracking vampire that wants to get her, she just runs off to do her part by hiding in a hotel. Then when Edward the vampire is coming to save the day, she has to go save her mother. However, she doesn't have any idea what she is doing: She is just walking to her death. This could have been played in an interesting way, I probably wouldn't have been able to think of a plan either, but she doesn't even try to think!
I found the characters to not be well developed, there was much too much emphasis on how everybody looked and not enough on their personality. Edward was always there to save the day, so there wasn't enough tension in this book. Sure, there was some tension sprinkled throughout the book, but not enough to make the reader very worried about the characters well being.
The other thing that bothered me was how Bella was supposed to be extraordinarily clumsy. It was very over - played, no normal human who doesn't have some medical problem can be quite that clumsy to not be able to run ten feet without falling. Edwards over protectiveness was fine for the most part, but I started to get a bit tired of it when he began to carry her into his car on a regular basis.
Now I will try to move on from the negative and say something good about Twilight. It may not have been superbly written, but Meyer's writing style kept me engaged from cover to cover. I read it in a day spent not doing much else. Her ideas about how the "myths" about vampires evolved were interesting. Most of the time, though I haven't read many vampire books, I hear about the same sorts of vampires, her's were different and intriguing. I would call this a good book to read if you are not feeling too picky and want to read an entertaining, though not inspiring book.

Best new series of books written in a while.Makes you believe the characters are real

have to say I don't usually get involved in books that have romances and I thought it would be a negative point for this book but I did really enjoy it. The romance between Edward and Bella is delicate and ravenous at the same time. I loved the fact that they didn't always agree on things. The fact that they are both stubborn is humorous. Then you are teased just little with bits of fantasy and myth. I am hooked to the series after reading this book and the first couple chapters of the next book, New Moon. I also see why after the release of Twilight the publishers re-released the L.J. Smith book the Vampire Diaries. I remember reading them in my teen and this did remind me a little bit like them but Twilight was also different.

TWILIGHT has given me a story unlike anything I could have possibly imagined it to be. I was weary before I began to read it, but immediately I was drawn in after giving it a try. It turned into a book that I couldn't put down even if i ever wanted to (which I didn't). It is the epitome of the perfect, unconditional love story that rivals ROMEO AND JULIET. Meyer's ability to elicit emotions from the reader is amazing. Bella is so relatable and the reader feels like they are seeing through her eyes.
Overall, this is one of the best books that I have ever read. HIGHLY recommended and everyone should also read the books that follow in the series. NEW MOON, ECLIPSE, and BREAKING DAWN are all amazing!
READ THEM!

As much as I wanted to enjoy this book, I found it very disappointing. Written for tweens and lacking in depth, I don't understand why this book is so popular with intelligent adults. Too bad - maybe the movie will actually be BETTER than the book in this case, especially if they re-write it.

This book was excellent, just like the previous ones. I am a junior high teacher and wanted to read these books to talk to my students about them, but I got hooked on them myself. Excellent books!!

What can I say. Stephanie Meyers rocks. Even though this series is slightly different from the usual Shock and Horror books that I enjoy,I have to say I loved them. Adding to that, any book that has my teenagers fighting over them and yelling "aren't you finished yet?", gets my vote any day of the week.

The book came quickly, within a week, and was in great condition- no nicks or bent pages, etc. I would definitely buy from this merchant again.

Okay. The main lure of this whole series for me is its pure addictive quality. Just for that, it gets four stars. But Bella is beginning to get on my nerves...she doesn't DO anything! She's only the one everyone else is trying to protect. She does have a redeeming capacity to love and forgive, but she's not the Tamora Pierce or J. K. Rowling hero I love to root for.
This book was my favorite so far, I think, but the whole thing about Bella having to shatter all of Jacob's hopes and dreams makes me sad. I wish she'd make up her mind already!

First off, I really enjoyed this book. The descriptions of the newborn vampire wars, the werewolves' history and pack life, and the vampires' pasts were fascinating. I also liked how the vampires each have their own powers. However, I do have some criticisms.

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Edward's character didn't seem all that wonderful. In fact, he seemed more or less psychotic in parts. He disabled Bella's car so she couldn't see Jacob. He had Alice hold her hostage. He dictated who she could and couldn't be friends with. I know he did it for her "protection," but it seemed extremely controlling. Edward's behavior often was excused by his looks. And then at the end, he suddenly became spineless and docile--to the point where he didn't even object to Bella cheating on him.

I thought Bella's sudden revelation about Jacob was out of place. She hadn't seemed to be in love with him before, at all. It was also unsettling to me that she only realized it when he coerced her into a kiss. How is that supposed to sound--a borderline sexual assault made her finally see the light?

I also couldn't help but wonder, is Bella supposed to be average or extraordinary? I know the story is meant to be about an ordinary girl who finds herself in remarkable circumstances, but everyone is always telling her how "different" and "special" she is. So which is it? Is she average or is she special? If she's meant to be unusual or unique, she doesn't come across that way.

That aside, I did enjoy the story. I liked the background information, the wolf coven, and Alice's sense of humor. The return of the Volturi was very engaging, and I loved the final battle. It was worth the read.

The writing gets worse in the Twilight saga. It makes VC Andrews (if you are old enough to remember those books) read like high literary prose. But what teenaged girl can resist this plot of an unearthly gorgeous vampire (who is also wildly rich) in love with a mortal girl dealing with high school? Apparently not many.

I liked New moon a lot, almost every girl bell's age as gone though this, where her boyfriend or someone she feels important leaves her life. While I don't think It's the best book out the series so far, I do believe that it had to be written and defently adds to the plot and overall story. Bella is able to get back on her feet, which I think girl's need to know that possible, and live her life.
For those people who think that its horrible and I will give you your options. But to those who say Bella is "selfish, she trying to kill herself, depression is a bad example to give kids", I think you need to look around you. And It makes me wonder if you are not talking about yourself.

this was the best book out of the series, all because of the climax. enough said.

If you are expecting detailed account of vampires in this book then you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're looking for a nuanced novel about "human" emotions, then this is the book for you.

I read the first book in one day and could not put it down. So I rushed back to the bookstore to find out what happens next- NOTHING!!! If you write a successful vampire novel why would you remove the vampires from the sequel? That would be like JK Rowling switching to a story about the Dursleys for 700 pages in book 2. Wow it takes a lot of talent to mess up this badly.

I am an avid reader and literally could not put the first book down, but this is awful. I wish I could get my money back.

I liked this book for the most part. A couple things confused me though. In the beginning of the book she does a good job detailing the internal struggle between Wanderer and Melanie. Closer towards the end though it seemed like she gave up on describing this dynamic in as much detail. Melanie becomes more shrew and self serving, the wanderer becomes more self sacrificing. Wasn't the problem with placing a soul in an adult host body that the soul would start to take on some more human type characteristics? I'd have liked to see more of that. Also, I initially thought the book ended with the soul giving up Melanie's body. What a great ending - until I turned the 2 blank pages and found the aftermath. People don't always get what they want. Life is more beautiful because others make sacrifices. Tying things up with a pretty bow is like living off of cake and ice cream. sounds good at first but afterwards you realize that you need more than sugar and frosting. I would have given this 4 stars if those last few pages didn't exist...

Not since Ender's Game have I read a SciFi novel that challenges how we define humanity and morality like this book. It was incredibly well written, amazing character development and really pressed the reader to question their own personal views and truths. I liked this book better than her other series which may be b/c I'm older than what the Twilight series is aimed for but it was also because this book had bigger questions behind it and was both challenging and stimulating. I read the Host and immediately followed it by Breaking Dawn and can't believe the same writer wrote them. Hands down the Host was a must read.

In that same breadth I sincerely hope that Ms. Meyer does not write a sequel. The ending was powerful, it wasn't completely tied with a pretty bow and the questions you were left with really spoke to the beauty of the book.

I have read Meyer's Twilight series, I'm on the 4th right now, but I can honestly say that I feel that "The Host" is a superior novel. The characters are rich and the apocalyptic feel is fun to read.

The book is about parasitic aliens that come to earth and take over and control our bodies. But things aren't so cut and dry, because our narrator is a host sharing a body with it's previous owner who does not want to vacate. There's action, romance, sci-fi. It's a really interesting book with no slow parts, I read it quite fast because I wanted to know what happens. I've also heard that there may be sequels which I look forward to.

Meyer's Twilight series is okay but to get a better sense at her writing talents pick this book up instead, or first.

Although some people say that it takes 100+ pages to get interested in the book, I disagree. I got interested immediately when Melanie started talking to Wanderer and showing memories of Jared.

Then, when they set out on their journey for Jared, things start getting BORING as hell. She spends pages and pages just describing the desert. And once Melanie makes it to the human hideout, she spends CHAPTERS just describing Melanie walking through the caves. This is particularly frustrating because at this point because the reader really wants to know SOMETHING about what's going to happen to Melanie or the human hideout or just anything to explain what's going on. And the author responds with gratuitous description of the CAVES.

Things get even worse when Jared leaves. There are multiple chapters where the tension/interest does not increase and the story just stagnates. Generally, people like it when a book goes somewhere, not just sits around waiting for something to happen. I guess during this part of the book, we are supposed to warm up to minor charcters (thus setting us up for Walter's supposed heart-wrenching death) but I never really bought it.

The only character in the book who is even mildly interesting is Melanie, and she hides out for half the book. Once again, frustrating. I did enjoy the romantic quadrangle, but that was the only aspect that was enjoyable - the romance. All the action/thriller stuff didn't hook me and I ended up skimming through it.

Overall, there were some things that held my interest, but I had to sift through pages and pages of filler to get to it. Don't bother with it if you don't have the time or patience to do the same.

Great book-- i don't like this as well as the Twilight series but it's good.

The book came in excellent condition. I ordered 2 copies, 1 for me (haven't read it yet but the synopsis looks terrific) and 1 for a friend as a gift. She was thrilled. Thanks.

Okay, there is nothing particularly clever, new, or unpredictable about Ms. Green's latest book but it was 100% entertaining. I finished this book in the course of a day on my recent vacation and though I did not learn much about the human condition or have any type of moral revelations, I enjoyed Beach House. Hence the reason I refer to this as "candy": no nutritional value to the brain but "tasty" all the same. I have read many of Jane Green's other books and this one is much like the others in that it delivers a fun, easy read.

I enjoyed this book, especially after the complete let down of Second Chance. That said, I have read all of Jane Green's books, and this was not quite on par with her older books - I have noticed a marked decline in the stories in her novels the past several years. It was a fast read with an interesting story and a few twists. Nothing extraordinary or particularly memorable. My biggest complaint echoes that of other readers - there was so much detail at the beginning, and by the end, when the most important story arcs were occurring, it seemed rushed. Some of the biggest scenes in the book were not fleshed out. With more development at the end, this could have been a far better book than it was. As it is - if you are a Jane Green fan, I would wait for the paperback.

This was a cute book. If your looking for something simple then this is a good book.

The setting is Nantucket in summer. The characters are well drawn and the set up of their individual stories takes up the first half of the book. In the second half they come together in unpredictable ways, with everything playing out full circle.

Nan, the widowed white-haired, bicycle-riding matriarch is the center of the story and her grand hilltop estate with ocean views (Windermere) is the "beach house" to which the title refers. It's a dramatic backdrop to a variety of dramatic stories within this family-oriented character study. Other main characters include Nan's son, Michael, a jewelry designer who seems to have a fear of commitment. Then there's Daniel, who struggles to find his true self; Daniel's wife Bee and their two little girls; Daff, facing betrayal and divorce, and her ornery teenage daughter, along with her dad, Richard, and his new girlfriend. Relationships are all over the place, but ultimately you discover how they're tied together as the story explores many different aspects of love and commitment.

This book is a very quick read, left me satisfied and definitely made me want to plan a summer vacation in Nantucket.

Michele Cozzens, author of A Line Between Friends.

I love all of Sherrilyn's books and have been waiting for this one and i wasn't disappointed. ash as alway been a powerful character and very dark. With his past reveled we see why. I wanted to jump into the pages destroy them all for what was done to him (funny isn't it?). Sherrilyn really pulled you into the story. thanks

I understand that the beginning of the book had to happen. Fine. It explained a lot. Now to the present day half of the book. The Acheron I know and love is a bad a_ _, not an insecure, whiney whimp. He is the most powerful Atlantean God yet he continued to doubt himself and hope he could keep Tory safe from Artemis. It would have been really nice if Kat would have been included more in the story too. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it's Ash and because Talon was in the story too and who doesn't love him. During Ash and Tory's first intimate moment I kept waiting for something really big to happen like a blackout or lighting storm when Ash got to that "moment". Something to add the the hugeness of the fact that he had finally found love with a woman who found pride in being with him. All the other Dark Hunter stories had really great love scenes. Why were the love scenes so boring and undetailed in Acheron? They should have been the best out of all of them. I just kept feeling like something was missing. And, I found the many, many typos incredibly annoying too. It was a disppointment and my first and hopefully only in the Dark Hunter series.

After years of reading this series and getting glimpses of the horror that Acheron went through to become who he was, and after years spent wishing for Ash's chance at happiness, the wait is finally over. And Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12) is something Sherri Kenyon should be supremely proud to have written.

May contain spoilers (no startling revelations revealed, but major plot points discussed...)

The first book, at almost 500 pages, chronicles Ash's past. The first part is via his sister Rhyssa's journal and then from his own perspective. I don't think any Dark Hunter novel can quite prepare readers for the horror that was Ash's past in Atlantis and Didymos. Conceived by the union of Archon and Apollymi, Acheron was born as the Harbinger, the prophesied destroyer of the Atlantean pantheon and the world. Desperate to save her son, Apollymi had him placed in the womb of a pregnant queen.

Born a prince, Ash was prophesied to walk the earth alone, his sorrows unparalleled. He was cursed by his own aunt to be desired by every human on earth, with no powers with which to protect himself from their lust. Sold into slavery, his body was bought and sold countlessly. Ash's sister Rhyssa was his only champion in his life, desperately trying with any ounce of power she had (and she had very few, as a woman) to save him from the cruelty of others. But even Rhyssa could not spare Ash the cruelty of his own father, who cast him aside, believing Ash to be a result of an illegitimate union between his wife and some unknown deity. Ash's silver eyes gave him away as god borne, and only intensified the horror wrought on him.

When Rhyssa becomes Apollo's lover and Ash at the mercy of his father, he meets Artemis, who he believes is his one escape from the tortures of humanity. For the first time, Ash feels genuinely wanted by someone. Naively, Ash gives his heart to Artemis, swearing never to reveal their secret relationship to anyone. But when Ash is brutally beaten in the name of Artemis, she hides in the shadows, always watching and never coming to his aid until after the fact. Ash begins to hate the woman he once considered a friend, when she uses his body and denies their relationship before the world. And when Apollo finally kills Ash while Artemis watches and Artemis revives him out of fear of Apollymi, Ash becomes forever and irrevocably tied to her through a blood bond. One that everyone believes is unbreakable...

The second part of the book takes place in present day, and Ash hears that a certain archaeologist has claimed to have discovered Atlantis. When he attends the lecture and the artifacts are genuine, Ash sets out to discredit Soteria (Tory) at great length. But Tory seeks Ash's help to translate a journal she discovered at the site, which Ash recognizes as Rhyssa's. Drawn to Tory because of her seeming immunity to his aunt's curse, Ash agrees to help her. And when Tory is hunted in order to ensure Atlantis' secrets stay buried at the bottom of the Aegian, Ash agrees to become her protector. As their intimacy grows, Ash realizes that after over 11,000 years of not trusting anyone, he risks giving his heart to a single human woman.

At over 700 pages, "Acheron" is an intricate and complex story, and at times, I truly felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest just reading it. There are a number of people who have reviewed and commented claiming to have either skimmed over the first book or skipped the entire thing completely--I suppose to "get to the goods" as it were, and find out who the heroine is. At the risk of sounding critical: I think it does the author and this beautifully written character a great disservice to ignore it. I know a lot of people don't want to read about the intimacy between Ash and Artemis, but there is no attempt on SK's part to soften Artemis' image via Ash's past. If anything, reading the first book has made me ultimately despise Artemis even more than I already have. It portrays the scope of her betrayal...and just what Ash was willing to endure for the mere illusion of her love and ultimately the sacrifices he makes to stay true to his word. If anything it makes Ash even more of a hero than the other Dark Hunter books have divulged, and I didn't think that was possible. SK never gave any illusion that Ash's past was anything less than truly horrifying, and to be honest, I'm glad she didn't cop out and gentle it. I've heard the first book described as, "Almost 400 pages of torture." And, yes, it was. Does that make it any less worth reading? No. If anything, the first book only made the second all the more satisfying.

At the end of the first book, I had cried multiple times and was feeling just plain exhausted. Sherrilyn Kenyon did not hold back. She ripped my heart out and stomped on it and at the end of book one, I felt almost forelorn and lost and helpless--just like Ash. And book two was just the revival I needed. The romance between Tory and Ash was passionate and sweet, but at the same time there was a unique understanding between both characters. It was a bond forged through narration and description that was some of the best Sherrilyn Kenyon has ever written. The scope of emotions in both books were intense and raw and painful and happy. It is so rare for me to truly become so involved in a book that I am then tangled in the written emotions and see everything so vividly, I feel like I'm there witnessing it all unravel. I was delighted and elated and sad at times, but the full effect was the same: Sherrilyn Kenyon wrote a DAMN good book.

What an incredible book! Yes, Kenyon spends a huge chunk of the book telling the story of Ash's past but it's well worth it!! It will make your heart bleed for the boy he was and thrilled to pieces at the love he finds. Once again, Kenyon has made my heart sing!

This is the best DH book in a long while. I got it yesterday and sat up late to finish it. It is over 700 pages so you know it held my attention. All the questions we have had about Ash are answered and although it is hard to read about the things done to him you realize that they made him the God he is today. He is a God of Destruction, but Ash is filled with compassion, because he has been abused, tortured, and maimed himself. I hated Artemis for a long time and I have to say the whole situation is handled in a wonderful way. So many ends are tied up and there is still room for more DH novels. This is an awesome read.

Ash faces hatred and exile in the first 400 pages. Along with torture it is very hard to read without feeling his pain. I really think only someone very strong could come out of it with his mind intact.

Ryssa is his sister and the only one who seems to care for him. She is chosen to be offered to Apollo. But even serving the God she takes time for Ash.

Styxx is his brother, and the hatred and jealousy that he pours on Ash is horrible.

Tory is in our time, she is hunting for Atlantis. Ash meets her when he goes to a seminar that she is leading, and makes her look like an idiot. Shortly their paths cross again and he finds himself protecting her from a group led by Artemis. They are told to kill her, when she finds something that should never have been written down.

Satara is determined to find what was lost and use it to destroy those she hates.

Everyone in the Dark Hunter universe somehow is involved in the mystery and all the secrets are revealed. Do not miss this book. It is outstanding.

This is an incredible book and I'd recommend it to anyone. It should be made into a movie. Amazing and captivating from start to finish. WOW!!!

I have strongly mixed feelings about _Water for Elephants_. The alternating story between the daily life of a 90-ish year old man and his cantankerous behaviour with his youth as a circus vet kept my attention; the details about the social heirarchy between members of the circus was (on the authority of a former circus roustabout friend of mine) accurate; and I have to admit, I am a sucker for a love story. However, as previous reviewers have noted, the 1930's vernacular, and the mannerisms of men of that era were abhorrent - but then I am a stickler for these kinds of detail.

The story - of a Cornell vet student who quits his final exams before graduation to join the circus and his subsequent adventures (and love story) has undoubtedly caught the imagination of the vast majority of Amazon reviewers - including myself. Yet I deduct a star because of the lack of attention to detail regarding the male protagonists and the verbage of the time. For most readers, this apparently isn't an issue, in which case I would stronlgy recommend it.

As far as breezy summer reads go, this certainly fits the bill - who *hasn't* fantasized about running off with the circus? (Happily oblivious to the hard work, long hours and mediocre pay ...) Which among us doesn't dream (or hasn't dreamed) of finding your soul-mate on such an adventure? Recommended, particularly for the romantics among us.

Following a family tragedy, Jacob Jankowski abandons life as a college student, and instead of working as a veterinarian alongside his father, finds himself caring for animals in a traveling circus--the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob befriends numerous characters, from the glamorous performer Marlena, to the alcoholic Camel, who works setting up the circus, to the Benzini Brothers' star elephant, Rosie. As he travels between different castes of the circus and across America, Jacob narrates the triumphs and hardships experienced by the people and animals of the Great Depression-era attraction.

Interspersed throughout the novel are chapters that introduce the reader to the present-day, nonagenarian Jacob, as he laments his current living arrangement in a nursing home.

Despite several graphic descriptions of animal abuse and the cruelty displayed the novel's antagonists, the story is ultimately fun, escapist and sentimental, with an optimistic, if improbable, conclusion.

Water for Elephants has recently taken over the spot of my favorite book. The book flawlessly alternates between the main character's present day experience in a nursing home and his memories of his life during his early 20's. I was skeptical about the switching at first since many books that do this are usually confusing and I have to keep turning back a few pages to see what time period I'm in, but the author does this perfectly.

I completely fell in love with the main character, both the 92 year old and 23 year old versions of him. As someone who works in a nursing home, his experiences were so realistic and the author captured this perfectly.

The book was extremely well written and it was obvious that Gruen did her research. I found myself looking for more information about travelling circuses and downloading pictures from them, especially elephants, after reading this.

I read this book because my sister-in-law (who never reads) could not put it down until she finished. So I gave it a go and, after a slow start, was interested enough to finish. The author does everything she can to exploit the reader's concern for cats, dogs, monkeys and, of course, the titular elephant. The narrator is a vet who sticks with the circus, at first, in order to protect the animals, but he does little to interfere with their mistreatment... or the mistreatment of his fellow humans. In that sense, the book rings false. The book exploits the reader's feeling for animals and animal-human relationships for some cheap emotional effect. And it worked on me to some extent because I cared about (and shed shed tears for) the animals much more than the humans. But I fail to see larger point.

I could not wait for this book to come out as it turns out I could have waited forever. This book did not even seen like it belonged in the series. If you don't read this one you really won't miss any thing. I really have nothing good to say about this book. The only reson to keep it is you have the whole series.

I have been waiting & waiting with much impatience for Joley & Ilya's story ever since the first time they met (i think in Abby's story Oceans Of Fire), and it was well worth the wait. The author has delivered again & this book has more than lived up to my expectation in everyway...great plot, superb characters & fast paced action throughout the book kept me glued from first to last page. I disagree with the person that said this book is the weakest in the Drake series, to me it is actually the best. Feehan managed to show Joley's vulnerability but at the same time her strong unselfish character and personal convictions came through very defined & clear - she definitely had back bone & is very loyal. She stood up to Ilya & won't be handled by him which is great (what every modern woman should do) because Ilya would take a mile if given an inch :0) Ilya's very typical Feehan hero - strong, tormented, needing to be saved, unshakeable in his love & protection of Joley, he came through also as very sensitive & decisive. He knew almost immediately she's his for life & accepts this responsibilty even tho it made him very vulnerable which is an alien concept to him. I love these 2 characters to death and was so sad when the book came to the end - the ending was excellent by the way! This book showed Feehan's "Dark series" influence more so than the other Drake Sister books. The only slight detraction was that there was not a lot of involvement with all the sisters, especially with no appreance by Elle (not even telepathically) - who is the 7th sister, her story (Hidden Current) is the next & (perhaps) final book in this series. I can't wait for her & Jackson's story). I will always buy any books with Christine Feehan's name on it.

This is the sixth story in the Drake Sisters series (one more to come) and it was not Ms. Feehan's best effort. Joley had all this angst about always picking losers and being a bad person with oblique references to perhaps being a bit BDSM but not actually saying it. Her relationship with the band was not believable to me as well. Ilya was much more interesting than Joley and her character was a bit of a disppointment. Hannah and Joley seem to be missing the Drake girl's backbone. That being said, I would buy it again in a minute to keep up to date with the Drake sisters.

I have been waiting for Joley and Ilya's story since he appeared in the storyline, and it's a satisfying enough story to sate my curiosity.

HOWEVER, this didn't feel like a Drake sister's novel, as the other sisters barely even appear in the book, except in phone conversations and small cameos. Their significant others appear more, and are more overbearing than normal. I kept waiting for a Drake power scene, where they kick butt as a group, but it focuses more on Ilya saving Joley than the power the sisters share. There is a great vibe with the band, and you can see the surrogate family that Joley has when she's on the road.

Ilya and Joley's love story is believable and satisfying, but there aren't enough explanations to complete it. (How did Ilya mark her?)

All in all, it's a hot, satisfying book, but doesn't fit as well in the series as I had hoped.

Rock and roll superstar Joley Drake loved the band she called her "boys" and relished singing, but hated touring where she saw first hand what the women, drugs and alcohol was doing to the boys. She could not partake because of her other talent as a magical Drake requires no poisoning of her body so she quit partying, but it is the stalkers that concern her now.

She attends a party for the first time in a long time when she learns a teenager she saw at the gala vanished. She begins to ask questions that concern her Russian bodyguard Ilya Prakenskii who believes that his client might be in danger. He offers to use his paranormal skills to keep her safe, but the price he demands may be too exorbitant for the rock star to pay; he wants her heart and soul and will accept nothing less.

The latest Drake sister "watery" romantic suspense thriller (see SAFE HARBOR and OCEANS OF FIRE) is a terrific entry that the audience has been waiting for as this relationship has been stirring for a while. The story line is action-packed with an unknown stalker starting to kill and Joley is the ultimate target. However, though the plot is thin, the tale remains gripping due to the turbulent relationship between the Drake sibling used to swimming in a sea of love and the enigmatic lone ranger Ilya used to going solo in an empty ocean of distrust.

Harriet Klausner

I thought this book was good and can't wait for the next one! Stephanie and Lula continue to make me laugh. Keep 'em coming!

Stephanie & Morelli are stuck playing mommy & daddy to teenage internet gamer, Zook, who could possibly be Morelli's son.

After getting bailed out of jail, Zook's mom, Loretta, is kidnapped by one of the guys that helped her brother rob a bank 10 years prior. The accomplice hopes to gain possession of the entire 9 million by killing two of the other partners.

Wedding plans are being made...
no Stephanie has not chosen Morelli or Ranger. Tank, one of Ranger's men, woke up one morning and found himself engaged to Stephanie's friend, Lula. Tank doesn't want to get married but Lula is really getting into the planning of the unexpected event. (Personally, I think it's going to very hard to turn the ex ho' into a housewife.)

Check out Janet Evanovich's current book, you'll be glad you did.

First Sentence: In my mind, my kitchen is filled with crackers and cheese, roast chicken leftovers, farm fresh eggs, and coffee beans ready to grind.

Stephanie keeps suspecting someone has been in the basement of her boyfriend, police detective Joe Morelli. Stephanie is baby-sitting teenaged "Zook" after him mother was arrested. Zook's uncle isn't happy that the kid is spending time at Morelli's house and claims Joe is Zook's actual father. But the uncle, Dom Rizzi, is no saint as he did time for a bank robbery in which the money was never recovered.

Having grown up in "Jersey," I loved the earlier Plum books. Not this one.

It's one sight gag after another--oh, but wait, we're reading. What would probably be very funny visually, just doesn't quite work here, in spite of Ms. Evanovich's best efforts. She's a good writer, but this is so chaotic, you lose the focus, and the impact, of the main story.

Stephanie is a character who hasn't grown. She's the type I might enjoy at first, but would never have as a friend as she is just too much of a ditz. Men might love her; most women would just shake their heads in disbelief.

Give me a strong, smart, independent female protagonist; I think Stephanie and I are done.

It must be difficult for a writer to maintain the same level of story line and entertainment for 14 books. I have loved this series and look forward to a new book every June. Fearless Fourteen, I'd swear, was written by a ghost, or Evanovich had three or four assistants come up with outrageous ideas and she strung them together in a ridiculous plot with undefined, goofy characters no one can believe (even for Stephanie Plum).

Joe Morelli never approves of Stephanie getting herself in dangerous situations and yet in this book he even wires her up and sends her out in what could be a life-threatening circumstance. The ever-hot Ranger fizzles in his brief appearance. Grandma? What happened to her this time out? And is Rex the hamster dead for lack of care or companionship? Stephanie used to value her independence, not this time.

My advice to Evanovich is take your time. Even if a new book comes out every two years instead of one, if it is like your previous books in the series, it would be worth the wait. Get back to your Plum Zone like the old days, give your characters some substance, make the plot cohesive. I miss Stephanie, the real one. Get her back. Please.

I have read all of this series and find now that they are becoming predictable and becoming old. Being raised in the Trenton, NJ area it is still a fun beach read, but needs to be spiced up with more reality and less stupidity in Stephanie's adventures. Love Grandma and the immediate family, they are real.