Romance Books

Richelle Mead has a very readable style. Although her books look like lots of others in this genre, indeed they often follow similar patterns in terms of plot and action, this author's ability to write in an interesting and well-paced style marks these books above many others. This latest book, 'Storm Born', takes a break from her Succubus series and introduces us to a very different heroine - Eugenie Markham - living in a different world. Eugenie is a powerful shaman, someone who banishes the gentry (spirits, fey and otherworldy beasts) to the Underworld or the Otherworld. She's been trained by her stepfather Roland to help dispose of the odds and ends that can irritate people's lives - running shoes that are possessed, that kind of thing. However Eugenie has begun to find that things seem to be different in her world. For a start, most of the spirits and fey seem less interested in killing her and more in romancing her; secondly they all seem to know her name now; and, thirdly, the hot man she's just met is definitely something out of the ordinary.

Eugenie is discovering that there's more to her than she originally thought. Is she destined for something rather more than just exorcising spirits? With the help of her very reluctant and potentially murderous bound spirits, with her rather foxy boyfriend, with a fairy King who has an unusual taste for tying people up, can Eugenie uncover her full powers and can she understand her role in the history of war between the gentry and humans?

This book appeared to be the first in a series in that although it reached some sort of a conclusion there were many ends left open. The focus of the story wasn't just on Eugenie's powers and battling against evil spirits but was also about Eugenie learning about herself and reading other people. The book focused a great deal on the fairy King Dorian and his training of Eugenie. The author wrote well the way that everyone involved in Eugenie's life has their own reasons for doing things and that she doesn't necessarily understand all the politics of the worlds in which she is living. There are plenty of secrets, many of which Eugenie hasn't yet uncovered, and there are reasons for peoples' actions that she doesn't understand. What stood out about this book wasn't so much the plot or the characters, although they were good, it was the author's ability to write in a flowing, interesting and descriptive style. It was easy to get drawn into this story and it was never boring. I look forward to the next in the series.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Eugenie's an all powerful shaman superstar assasinator who earns her living killing off the fey that manage to break into our world--but a prophecy involving her unborne child forces her to reevaluate who the bad guys really are. Imminent sutiors include the foxy Kiyo, a sexy veterinarian, the fairy king Dorian---and apparently the entire male population of Fey, as well.
I sort of have mixed feelings about this book, because while i wasn't all that impressed with Eugenie's character, (she's got a bit of an ego), or even the world Mead's created, I was still totally entertained with it, (i really liked Kiyo), i'm not sorry i bought it, and i plan to buy the sequel, ( well, okay, maybe that means i just have no life...). Also, i liked the fact that the characters actually have sex (but not pages and pages of it). I think that's probably one of the best things about richelle mead, she's not afraid to do sex.

This book had me captivated from the first page. Richelle takes you to a whole new world, it really shows what an imagination she has. There was a lot going on but in a good way, not confusing at all. There is hot lovin', action and the characters are the best. I love Richelle because she puts such wonderful humor in her books. I am really looking forward to more in this series.

The book started out great, then it got a bit too predictable and everything the main character personified in the begining was kinda lost in the mud. It did pick up occassionally, but I don't know if I want to read the next one.

I was honestly a bir surprised by this book. I consider Ms. Mead's Succubus stories to be OK but not anything to buy in hardcover. This book has a whole different feel--the protagonist's mindset is established better and more thoroughly, there's more "bounce" to the plot (unusual in the first novel of a series, where the author has to spend extra pages introducing characters) and the surrounding characters are more tightly drawn, providing the reader with insight into their motivations (which may be layered or different according to viewpoint) without those annoying side-expositions. It felt more like an adult story, if that makes sense.

What really sold me, however, was that this is the first heroine in a long time who understands the characteristics of power. Too many female protagonists cut a wide swath through the plot but leave me wondering why--the author portrays them as constantly torn by the power they acquire or, worse, ignoring it; the bad guys should be piling on instead of running away. In this case, however, the heroine actively wants power because she understands the good she can do with it and comprehends equally that it will be used against her if she doesn't. This is an attitude that's consistent with the presentation of a dominant heroine. (Pay attention, Laurell.)

Some imperfections: First, poor understanding of weapons. Thinking a .22 pistol will stop baddies is just dumb. Second, first novels offer the opportunity to show lots of glimpses of a world without the need to tie them off, so more incidental characters (a page, maybe two; not expensive in terms of plot) with attributes that can be expanded in later books as well as creating a more textured world. This first novel was rather sparse in this respect; a bit more effort would have gone a long way here. Third, the embedded mystery could have used a few more twists and turns. (Sorry, I'm just being picky.)

That given, a great read--definitely a one-nighter.

I've always thought that Sarah Dessen writes books that are somewhat miscategorized as Teen novels. While they are usually about teenagers, her books have a depth and wisdom to them that appeal to any age group, and Lock and Key is no exception.

The main theme that underlies this book is family - who are they and what do they mean? Dessen introduces this in a less than subtle way - it becomes Ruby's thesis project on her first day at her new school. Throughout the book, Ruby asks people for their definition of family. As she consolidates this information into a coherent answer, she begins to realize for herself what family means. Slowly, she begins to let others in and begins to trust that they will not let her down. She realizes that her old life with her mother was not all that it may have seemed - her mother had her own agenda that she did not share with Ruby. Ruby grows as a person because she has a family to love her - but more importantly, she has people around her that she learns to love.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was Ruby's character growth. In a book such as this, that development usually comes in a spurt at the very end; the character realizes the error of his or her ways and decides to change. And then the book is over. This is not the case with Lock and Key. Ruby's character changes become evident by the middle of the book. The rest of the book is watching her experience and deal with those changes. It is nice to see a character dealing with the consequences of learning to love and let others in, rather than hearing them say they are going to do it and then never being able to follow up.

The situation with Ruby's mother was difficult. Though we never really saw her as a character, except through Ruby's eyes, her reasoning and decisions didn't really make sense to me. I didn't feel like the excuses given for her behavior (for example, why she kept her agenda hidden from Ruby) really made much sense. They seemed a bit extreme for the situation, but then again, she was obviously an alcoholic and may have had some mental issues to go along with that. It was simply never made clear.

Admittedly, Ruby is a difficult character to sympathize with. Her character experienced horrors beyond most of what the rest of us have seen - therefore, her decisions aren't always easy to understand. She can be frustrating at times, but at the same time, Dessen makes it clear that she could not be any other way. All of the characters in this novel are well written and easy to picture. While I was reading, it was almost as if I had a movie running through my head simultaneously. I couldn't help but cast Ruby as Amy Smart, who played the character Ruby in the show Felicity. I think it was the name that got me, mostly.

Lock and Key is a great addition to the Dessen collection. While I have only read a few of her other books, this one makes me want to devour the rest of them!

Well, I've read almost all of Sarah Dessen's books. All but Keeping the Moon, to be exact;
and Lock and Key, wasn't her best. In my opinion.
It was still worth the $17, but. I expected much more from it.
Over all, it was still a good read.

I've recently discovered Sarah Dessen and could not put any of her books down. I borrowed this book from the library, and was bummed when I had to wait a week to get it, but it was worth it!!! Definitely a good read!!!!!

LOCK AND KEY
SARAH DESSEN
Contemporary Young Adult

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Ruby is living a secretive lifestyle with her mother, an emotionally dependent alcoholic. Ruby also has plenty of secrets that she hides from others, even her closet friends. Ruby always does what she's told and never questions her mother, even though most of the time she should. Ruby also helps support her mother by working at a job where she delivers peoples lost luggage to them. Ruby, though fun loving, is also very stubborn and sticks to her ways.

Seven months before Ruby's eighteenth birthday, her mother disappears. This isn't the first time, so Ruby assumes that she'll be back. When a few days absence turns into a few weeks, Ruby does what she can to keep her living situation in the yellow farm house afloat. School by day and work by night, Ruby thinks she's going to be able to get away with it, until her nosy landlords comes into the house to fix the dryer. That's when everything falls apart. Ruby is taken into protective custody until her older married sister, Cora, can pick her up. Ruby is taken to live with Cora and her always upbeat husband, Jamie, and introduced to an upscale, affluent lifestyle. Ruby, still wearing the key to the yellow farmhouse around her neck, is skeptical about her new living situation and private school. When Ruby meets Nate, a popular neighbor boy, she tries to keep to herself and hide her past. But one upsetting afternoon changes everything.

LOCK AND KEY is a very real story to read. The story sucks you into Ruby's world of hiding with her mom from creditors and moving to new places all the time. You feel for Ruby when her mom disappears without a word. The story drags in some parts, but it picks right back up, and you want to keep reading to see if Ruby is ever going to feel like she's a part of her sister's family. Nate is also a very mysterious character with some secrets of his own that are surprising to hear. The story flows very smoothly and is very fast to read. I also liked how Ruby's down-to-earth nature. Even though her sister and brother-in-law are rich and willing to pay for everything, Ruby still insists making her own way.

Ms. Dessen is a well known author from her other books, HOW TO DEAL, THAT SUMMER, JUST LISTEN, KEEPING THE MOON, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, and THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER. On www.amazon.com, you can check out a video that goes with LOCK AND KEY. Ms. Dessen talks about the book and points out some places from the book and what gave her the idea for it. You can also visit her site, where she blogs at www.SarahDessen.com.


Holly
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
August 2008

Ruby is abandoned by her mother. She thinks she can sail on through living alone until her 18th birthday until she is discovered by her landlords and is sent to live with her sister who she hasn't seen in 10 years.

This is my first book by Sarah Dessen and I rather enjoyed it. I saw the movie that two of her books was based on, How to Deal, and didn't exactly like it so I never tried out her books until now. But I'm glad I did. Lock and Key had a really nice theme of family, more specifically sisters. It also speaks about losing the hard shell that a lot of us walk around wearing from day to day.

I felt there were enough secondary characters to keep the story interesting but not so many that I started forgetting who was who. I especially liked Ruby's friend Olivia and her cousin Laney. The book is rather long but I read it pretty fast because the story was so great. Nothing too shocking happens, it's a quiet sort of story but none the less very worth the read. It's sort of a snippet of life sort of story.

I have totally fallen in love with this family. WOW, HOT HOT HOT!! But, this was my least favorite book. I couldn't wait till Matt's story and wanted it to be so good and so passionate, but I really didn't feel that way. I'm glad that finally a gorgeous guy falls in love with someone who's not gorgeous and perfect. I'm a plus size person so I feel for Tate, but this story was just a little "unbelievable" for me. The words coming out of Matt's mouth seemed a little corny to me, especially in the beginning. The book did get better for me after the mid point and then I couldn't put it down. I'm glad they finally got over her issues and are happy. I will definitely miss the town of Petal and all the Chase family.

The Chase brothers are hot and every bit alpha! I would love to see this series or another like it continue. The story line in this series is believable, maybe a little over the top on the "fat" story, but the rest is great and the series will keep you involved until the very end!

I really loved the four Chase Brother Books. Look forward to reading more of her books.

Tate Murphy couldn't believe her eyes when she opened them, and found herself staring into Matt Chase's handsome face. She had lusted after him from afar for many years, and to have finally met him after being hit by a car was disconcerting. He is a fireman, so of course came running when the accident happened. He had never met her before, but Matt couldn't get Tate out of his mind after her close call, and when she brought him homemade cookies as a thank you, that gave him the perfect opportunity to spend time with her. He found himself making a point to be places he knew she was going to be just so he could see her. When Matt realized that Tate was "the one" for him, he asked his mother about her background. Just from their few conversations, he knew she had a rough childhood, but wanted to know what they were facing. None of it was good. Tina Murphy was a whore that was only home if she didn't have a better offer. Bill Murphy was a drunk, but not just a drunk; he was a mean drunk that dished out more emotional and physical abuse than anyone should ever have to handle in a lifetime.

Matt was from a good decent loving family, and it never occurred to him how horrible people would treat Tate especially when they found out they were a couple. He couldn't believe his ears when he heard comments like she was a fat nobody from the wrong side of the tracks. No wonder she had such a self esteem problem. Between her family, and the town, she gets bombarded from all directions. Matt wanted nothing more than to protect Tate, but it wasn't until they were attending the homecoming game that he finally understood what she went through every day. Just when everything started to settle down a few months later, Bill Murphy started blackmailing Tate. He told her he would make the Chase family regret ever letting their son get involved with her. He frightened her so badly that she paid him for months until she was caught. Matt reacted badly because he thought she still didn't completely trust him. When he walked out of the home they had built, Tate wasn't sure he would ever be back.

What a wonderful story! Each book in this series gets better. Tate is such a complex character. She has literally been tortured her entire life, and has all the baggage that comes with that type of treatment. Feeling unloved and unattractive, she doesn't understand how Matt can love her. Matt just wants to love Tate, and make her world better. He simply wants to be with her, period because she makes him feel complete. A very emotional read, so have a couple Kleenex handy.

This was by far my favorite installment of the Chase Brothers. The kind of abuse and upbringing that Tate and her siblings endured and still endured into adulthood was heinous. I so love the way Matt accepted Tess (once he opened his eyes and saw what was in front of him) for who she was and never left even when she fought him tooth and nail about loving "someone like her". This book really touched my heart, and the way how Polly and the entire Chase clan made Tess and her siblings a part of their extended family..well..it was a two hankie moment.

Please go out and get the other books in this series..its work the price of admission.

I really like the Shopaholic series, very funny and enjoyable.
The delivery was very fast and excellent condition.

In, The Shopaholic Ties the Knot, Becky Bloomwood is getting married! Her mother and her (evil) mother-in-law are planning a wedding for the same day. Becky is having a hard time saying NO to either but knows that she cannot attend both. How will she save the day?

Hilarious! This so far is the funniest book in the serious. Becky Bloomwood is a more developed character then in the 1st two novels and why Kinsella plays up all the parts we love about Becky she also has toned it down a bit, which leads to hilarity! I laughed out loud to parts of this book. I can't wait to read the next one.

This book is another fun read in this series. I kept wanting to turn the page and keep reading to see what happened next which is something I love about a book. I like some of Sophie's other books better, Undomestic Goddess and Remember Me - but that said, this is a good read and I would recomend it.

I really have found the Shopaholic series to be quite fun and enjoyable. The character Becky Bloomwood is fabulous, witty, quite sweet, but a bit insecure with herself. As with all of the Sophie Kinsella books, it's fun and I found myself laughing out loud in some parts. I must confess that I found this book a little less enjoyable than the first two, but still quite fun.

I know Becky is quirky and loves to shop, and that's what I love about her, but you think she would have learned something by now. I am amazed with how many lies she tells and is unable to tell the truth. I found myself saying to myself, "Come on, how could anyone let it get this far", and frustrated as a result. Becky breezes through seemingly without consequences. I don't like the message that sends.

While some of my comments seems a bit negative/constructive, I still really enjoyed this book. I haven't found anything by Sophie Kinsella that I haven't enjoyed.

This book was almost like "coming home" again. While I loved the first "Confessions..." book, I wasn't really crazy about "...Takes Manhattan", but with "...Ties the Knot", I give a hearty Bravo to Sophie Kinsella!! The Magic is back!

This time out, we find Becky Bloomwood still living in the US, employed as a personal shopper for Barney's NY. Her relationship with hunky Luke Brandon is solid and the book opens to Becky on yet another shopping expedition, this time for her best friend, Suze's upcoming wedding (to a guy that once fancied Becky, no less!). This is not the only trip the reader will take along with Becky, as she has settled quite comfortably in NYC. Before you know it, things spice up when Luke proposes to Becky and of course, you just know that she said Yes!

The time comes for Becky to start planning her own wedding festivities and she gets a helping hand, not only from her mother who dreams of Becky wearing her own old fashioned wedding dress and fixing up the house in Britain for Becky's big day, but also from Luke's mother, Elinore, being a big-time society matron, she decides to throw them the biggest bash, right in NYC at the tony Plaza Hotel - high society at its best!!

How will Becky decide which way to go? Of course, the idea of getting married at home in the UK makes Becky feel all warm inside, but the idea of the Plaza wedding spectacular is so tempting - it's great fun watching Becky NOT make the decision until the bitter end - that's typical Becky for you - she just wants it ALL!!

Eventually, Becky finds a way to save her special day and by the end of this story, you get to see how much Becky has grown from the original shopaholic into a woman who thinks and dreams, not only what's best for her, but for those around her as well. The book's ending is touching and poignant and leaves the reader, once again, wanting more & I'm sure, "Shopaholic & a Sister" will deliver - Great Read!!

Can't miss with Sherrilyn Kenyon, she's the best! She always brings humor, chemistry & lots of action into her books. Gotta love Tabitha, she's something else. Excellent book, highly recommend.

It was an okay read, nothing spectacular. After reading Kresley Cole's Immortal series, I guess am a little spoiled. I may read one or two more of the Dark Hunter series, eventually. It wasn't a bad book, but it was not the same caliber of Ms. Cole's novels.

I LOVED this book!!!! It it definitely one of my Favorites from this series! Tabitha first appears in Book 2 of the series with her larger than life Deveraux personality. This book delivers on the expectations of a Tabitha book and also closes the loop on the Kyrian/Julian/Valerius dynamic. Not to mention i fell in LOVE with Valerius. I devoured this book in a day. Once I started reading I could not put it down. I would strongly recommend this book to everyone.

These books would be better if the author actually remembered what she had previously written and therefore did not contradict herself.

For example: on page 339 of "Dance with the Devil" she described Archeron thus: "His long blonde hair flowed around his shoulders".

On page 8 of "Seize the Night" however she says that Archeron "......wore his long black hair loose and flowing around his shoulders".

On page 242 of "Dance with the Devil" the author says "Zarek stripped his own clothes off" and yet just one page later on 243 she says: "Zarek moved away from her only long enough to remove his clothes".

This kind of sloppy writing detracts and distracts from some rather unusual ideas that deserve either a) a writer of more discipline or b) proof-readers who knows what they are doing.

The other thing that detracts from what would be interesting stories is the insistance that all her primary male and female characters seem to suffer from a severe sex addiction and the inability to control it to the point where it interferes with the flow of the story.

On top of that the sex scenes are so repetitve that having read a couple of them, the reader is free skip forward a couple of pages in any and all of the books to pass over the "seeing stars" and "hissing" with passion bits.

It's a shame because the basic themes are interesting....the above instances are distractions from what should be good stories.

This is the first (and most likely only) Sherrilyn Kenyon book I've read. The premise sounded interesting, given that I'm an Anne Rice fan (mostly her early Lestat and Lasher books).

This is book 7 of a series on immortal Dark-Hunters who hunt vampires. This book centers on Tabitha and Valerius. Tabitha is a human who hunts vampires and it's during one of her hunts that she meets Valerius, a Dark-Hunter disliked by everyone else.

I haven't been able to finish the book, not so much the plot, but SK's writing style. She is constantly going on about how this guy is so sexy and all about their sexuality and deliciousness and then doing the same for the next guy. It gets old after a few lines. And her sex scenes seem to go on forever. Don't get me wrong, I love a good sex scene in a book, but when its pages and pages of it...

After reading half the book, I haven't learned anything but what I've written above.

This was a quick read like her other books but I did not like the ending but after reading Dead And Loving It(A Fiend in Need) made everything come together in the end. Also the first killing of the fiends really made me sad because it was my favorite character. This book has quite a bit of blood and not a lot of laughs. Personally the cover sucks-if it was in a bookstore I would have just walked past it and picked up another book.

I've loved the Undead series so far, but Betsy has used up her "I'm new at this and so don't take it seriously" gimmick. That author Davidson seems to be taking the character in a new, slightly tougher, direction is good. Not that I want the lightheartedness to go away, but Betsy needs to evolve for the series to maintain some momentum. This book is arguably a bit thin, but if, as promised, it serves as a bridge to a new level for Betsy, it's worth it. I'll be buying the eighth book in the series to see whether Davidson delivers.

This comedy vampire thriller is number seven in a series which incongruously combines chick lit, romantic comedy and vampire thriller - from the viewpoint of the new and very incongruous Queen of the Vampires. Imagine a cross between "Sex and the City" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and you've roughly got the idea.

The plotlines of the first six books were all more or less resolved in number six, "Undead and Uneasy" so "Undead and Unworthy" kicks off which Mary Janice Davidson (MJD) calls a new "story arc" - she also says that this will be a trilogy.

The full list of Queen Betsy stories to date is

1) Undead and Unwed
2) Undead and Unemployed
3) Undead and Unappreciated
4) Undead and Unreturnable
5) Undead and Unpopular
6) Undead and Uneasy.
7) Undead and Unworthy

There is also a "Queen Betsy" story in "Dead over Heels" which is a collection of three paranormal romance novellas. In my opinion you will get most out of these books if you read them in order: I would start with "Undead and Unwed" and work on from there.

The "Queen Betsy" books are told in the first person by Elizabeth Taylor, who prefers to be called Betsy for obvious reasons. The first words of the series are "The day I died started out bad and got worse in a hurry."

Betsy is a former model and is still a fashion fanatic: at the start of the series, on the morning of her disastrous 30th birthday, she is working as a secretary. Her main interests are designer shoes, designer clothes, and her cat. In quick succession she gets fired, loses her cat, and is killed in a car accident. It is a great surprise to her when she rises again as a most unusual vampire. It is even more of a surprise when, through a sequence of bizarre events, she becomes queen of the vampires.

At the start of this seventh book, the initial chaos which results from Betsy's accession to the Vampire Throne appears to have died down. Then, in quick succession,

* Betsy's ghastly and recently-deceased stepmother Antonia starts
haunting her

* Local detective Nick Berry, who is also the boyfriend of Betsy's best friend Jessica, asks Betsy for some discreet help in solving the horrible murders of a number of gangsters - he suspects that a rogue element of the police force has found a way to get rid of local criminals without the tedious business of gathering evidence or attending court by paying a vampire or fiend to murder them.

* Betsy and her friends are attacked by a pack of ungrateful fiends.

There will be a lot of confusing and amusing shenanagans before all this is sorted out ...


Mary Davidson has great fun with the incongruity of mixing up the vampire genre as in Laurell Hamilton's "Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter" series (or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Chick-Lit romantic comedy a la "Sex and the City." This series is way over the top, fairly sexy, and usually very funny.


An interesting comparison with other authors who have written entertaining comedies by combining incongruous genres would be with Marianne Mancusi and Robert Frezza.

In the same way that this book gets plenty of laughs by combining chick lit with Vampires, Frezza write two very funny books which combined Vampires and Science Fiction ("McLendon's Syndrome" and "The VMR Theory") and Mancusi combined chick lit with time travel in "A Connecticut Fashionista at King Arthur's Court" and "A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest." Anyone who likes this book is likely to enjoy all four of those, and vice versa, if you have read and enjoyed one of those books you may well enjoy this one.

OK, this is never going to win the Booker Prize or any other great award for classic literature, and it is fairly raunchy, so not suitable for children. However, if you have the right sort of sense of humour, it is pretty good fun. I can recommend "Undead and Unworthy" and also enjoyed reading the rest of the series.

There was way to much going back and describing previous events. I would think that by the time you get to this book you would not have to be reminded of story lines and characters. I took this book on vacation with me and I was very disappointed.

book was good. not as great at some of her toher ones, but i loved it.

First and last Debbie Macomber book I've ever read. Too sappy, way to predictable, and the writing not very interesting. It may work for some, but not for me.

The second book in this series was just as good if not better than the first book. Looking forward to the next book.

I had not read any of her books until I obtain the 2nd one of the series and then I wanted to read the entire series. It was interesting to read how she wove all the lives of the different people on Blossom Street togather. I never lost interest in any of the books.

Here is a another excellent book from Debbie Macomber. I couldn't put it down. The theme of this book you could really see happening in a little town. Knitters will love it.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Lydia Hoffman has settled into her new plan for her life with her yarn store, her growing relationship with her sister, and her romance with UPS driver Brad Goetz. Lydia has decided it's time to start a new knitting class and has three women of all walks of life who have joined her.

There is teenager Courtney Pulanski, about to start her senior year, who has recently moved in with her grandmother and misses her dead mother. There is Bethanne Hamlin, recently divorced, who is trying to adjust to her new life. And last is Elise Beaumont who while long divorced has never quite recovered and now her estranged former husband is back and wants to make up for lost time.

Each of the women has their own stories to tell and their own trials to face. Only through the bonds they have formed with each other will they make it through.

As I have said before, why oh why did I not discover the talent of Debbie Macomber long before now? It is so very rare to find an author who can touch my heart deeply with every single novel she writes, but Macomber has succeeded in doing just that. I always find myself crying at some point, sometimes happy tears, other times sad but each book is so very emotional.

Once again, all of the women are from different walks of life yet find a common thread in their passion for knitting. Courtney is suffering from depression after having to move to live with her grandmother when her mother dies since her father is out of the country so much for work. Courtney struggles with all the usual fears a teenager has, complicated by the fact she is a bit overweight and afraid of making a fool of herself in front of her new classmates. Knitting helps her to form strong ties to each of the women, and possibly even a new love in the form of Bethanne's son. It also gives her a new found confidence to shine like the wonderful young woman she is.

Bethanne is struggling to adjust to her new life as a divorcee and is also trying to deal with her daughter's rebellions resulting from her parents splitting up. Bethanne's story is quite touching as we see her go from the depression and lack of self-confidence after the breakup of her marriage to a happy healthy young woman who has found a new lease on life and a new sense of self worth.

Elise goes through many changes as well. She's trying to get used to living with her daughter's family after a scam ruins her financially and is still very bitter over her divorce so many years ago. When her ex-husband, Maverick, returns, Elise goes through yet another life altering change as he tries to woo her back into his heart and home. This story broke my heart, especially when we find out the history between Elise and Maverick and his reasons for trying to reunite with Elise after so many years.

Of course we can't forget Lydia, the heart of A Good Yarn, and her sister Margaret. Lydia's relationship with Brad grows and changes, and she faces new hurdles when he ex-wife decides she wants to be part of his life again. Lydia has faced so many difficulties her whole life and this one just adds to the list. But as things progress with Brad, we see her continue to blossom into a vibrant woman in the prime of her life. Then there's Margaret... Abrupt and sometimes harsh, her personality is the exact opposite of Lydia's. Margaret has her own hurdles to overcome as well, with her husband's career dying and the impending loss of their home as a result. Margaret is hard to get close to, but once she finally reveals her problems, we begin to see a whole new side to her.

The Knitting Series by Debbie Macomber is incredibly heartwarming and I enjoy visiting A Good Yarn and all of the people in town in each and every book. I can't wait to visit again and see how things are going with these characters who have become beloved friends.

This finishes the story line begun several books ago. It was a good read but I think I enjoyed the earlier stories more than this installment.

LOVE THIS BOOK,WONDERFUL STORIES, GREAT PLOT, LORA LEIGH HAS NOT DISAPPOINTED ME YET.LOOKING FOR THE NEXT GREAT BOOK!!!!

I love Lora Leigh and she does not dissapoint with this book. I love her menage a tois's. I particularly liked the second story in this book. I hope she features Khalid in her next book. Very hot book.

A must read for any and all Lora Leigh fans. Just what you would expect, if you have read the other books in this collection. Lora Leigh...never lets you down.

As a fan of Bound Hearts I admit I've been waiting for the next installment of the series. And as the same with 4 and 5, I found myself utterly disappointed. The delivery just isn't there. All in all, the characters are prosaic, the sex is sleazy, and something in the plot is horribly amiss. This is, quite possibly, the most horrible series ever put to pen, and I'm almost 100% certain the other reviews are from herself. ;)

I'm convinced that Lora Leigh is to the book industry as Michael Jackson is to little boys. She just lost a fan, forever.

The book was so small it wasn't worth the time it took to open it.

I just can't get enough of Karen's books. She does a wonderful job. The only problem with this book is that I wish it would have been longer. :-)

This is a novella from the Karen Moning books that feature characters from the MacKeltar storyline. All I can say is...READ THIS BOOK! It is a great mixture of magic, highlands, passion & humor. The characters are well developed and get you itching to read the rest of the MacKeltar books (#1 "Kiss of the Highlander" - (Drustans story),#2 "Dark Highlander" (drustans twin), #3 "Immortal Highlander" (Adam Black - side character interacting w/ MacKeltars), #4 "Spell of the Highlander" (part of MacKeltar clan), #5 "Highlander's Touch" (seperate story linked w/ Adam Black), #6 "Into the Dreaming" - a novella that features the fairy queen mentioned in the other books. NOTE: This is my suggestion for the order to read them in. There is not real official order in which to read them. All I know is once you finish this book, you will be itching to read the rest. ENJOY!!!

Those of you unfamiliar with Karen Marie Moning may be disappointed and pout when you realize that this book is a bit of a novella. Personally, I am always sad when her books end because I have to wait for the next one. I don't feel that this book is a disappointment at all. It is a gentle transition into the Fae series and without this little installment, how will you understand where the Seelie Queen is being held prisoner??? Read it and consider it a sneak peek or a bridge between those delicious McKeltars in Scotland and Mac in Ireland.

Wow...an excellent read with Jane Sillee & Aedan MacKinnon, a union of soul mates with her given only thirty days to make him remember their inseparable tie or lose him forever to Unseelie King as Vengeance. Sometimes a short, humorous, cleaver story of the best romance is all we have time for in this busy world. I, for one, inquired as to how any pages to expect when I purchased it...no surprise there. This is a well written story of a fantastic time and place. I highly recommend this and all Karen Marie Moning. I will, no doubt, read this one a dozen more times.

I am a devoted fan to the DH series but was getting a little worried after the last novel. I was NOT disappointed in this one. LOVED Alexion and Danger. Could not put it down. Loved the small bits of information on Ash and the difference in the storyline. Can't wait to read the next one!

So how many stories can Sherrilyn Kenyon tell about the Dark-Hunters and not repeat herself? Seems to be an infinate number. Each book holds clues to the overall picture of the Greek Gods yet each is such a completely different story with surprises at each turn. HERE HERE with a HIP-HIP-HOORAH for creativity slathered in wit and wisdom.

More Please!

I did not care about anyone in this story. This book is not in the same caliber as her other DH books and to me was not important to the series. It was this book and book # 9 that made me stop buying her series - two not even good read in a row is all I give an author. Maybe if they would quit turning out so many books a year the story/style would still be the same.

Your over doing it SK with the DH, Dream series and the one under Kinley MacGregor.

I have to start this review by saying I have had a love-hate relationship with these DH books. I would love one, then would hate the next. I have struggled with the quality of the writing, which I found simplistic and at times cheesy. But with this installment I am now officially hooked-the story lines are so good and the characters so interesting that I'm over it- I don't care about the quality of the writing or the cheesy lines. I love this series!
While I have had a negative review or two for SK's books in the past, I really don't understand the negative reviews for this one. I think overall the plot, writing, and character development have never been better. You find out some very interesting things about Ash which advances the story line. Alexion and Danger are awesome characters and the chemistry between them jumps off the page. There are no slow points in my opinion.

While all of the DH books are fantasy, this one was the 'most out-there' of all of them so far. Kenyon just doesn't develop Zarek and Danger enough to make it believable that a Shade and a soulless dark hunter could suddenly develop emotions and feelings. It just didn't tie in that well with the rest of the series, and it left me wondering if the rest of the series is like this, then I don't know if I want to spend any more money on the books.