Impolite Company

24 hours might not seem like a long time, but when you're forced to spend it with a succubus who is pulling out all stops to seduce you, and it's resist or die...well, let's hope you like the color blue, Seth. :)

Liked Seth, the demon hunter who will never, ever sign a contract again without reading the fine print. Loved Isra, the tricky succubus with a passion for central air. :)

Quick, hot, fun read! Five stars.

There are so many reviews already, I'm not sure I have anything much to add.

I read Wild as a 'pick it for me' challenge. It's not the type of book I usually read, but I'm always looking for stories that take me out of my comfort zone. Written as a memoir, it follows the author's journey as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail.

There's a slight disclaimer here. This was an expensive e-book - over 12.00 - so there's a good chance I subconsciously raised the bar a bit.

When the book starts, Cheryl Strayed is in a difficult place, emotionally. She's young, but has experienced a great deal of pain and loss and general dysfunction. She's wants to clear her head, re-think her life. The journey is a cathartic experience for her, on several levels. It's definitely a 'break yourself down to build yourself up' story, and I could relate to the author's impulse decision to hike 1200 miles alone.

Now, even though I understood the motive and desire, I didn't quite understand the action. Maybe it's because I watch Dual Survivor religiously, but hiking for months with zero experience seems - for me - uncomfortably close to a suicidal gesture. I admire her courage, but I kept shaking my head at some of her decisions while on the trail - Cody Lundin would have a field-day with this woman. :) She tossed herself into the pool and sometimes, sheer luck was the only thing keeping her afloat.

I enjoyed the authors voice, the humor alternating from dark to quirky, but a few times it was just...weird. The author dishes out honesty, but sometimes the phrases took me by surprise - so much so, I was pulled out of the book for a moment. For instance, this line when she was looking at a male nurse while her mother lay on her deathbed:
"...sometimes he told her no in a voice as soft as his penis in his pants."

Overall, I liked this book but won't it won't be a repeater. The price irked me, especially since it was a bit shorter - by about 100 pages - than most of the books I read.

Middle-of-the-road. Three stars.

A shorty - location 499 in Kindle years - but it still packs a solid punch.
Erotic elements, so not for young'uns.

Summer - called Sum-mah in the sexiest drawl imaginable - is still licking her wounds over a bad break-up. She din't expect the rebound guy to be a sexy cowboy ghost, inadvertently called during a seance.
And he has no intention of leaving.

A love affair ensues, forged in a dream but just as real. It isn't long before Summer wonders if her mystery man might be more than he seems, and she questions his purpose in her life. Is she meant to help him move on, or is there another reason? The answers to those questions are totally worth the read.

Very enjoyable. Five stars.

Wonderful!
I saw the movie before I read the book, something I try to avoid because it often detracts from my reading enjoyment. Not this time. I loved this story from start to finish, and I think the fantastic screen portrayals actually contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

I have nothing to add to the already vast reviews, except to say I highly recommend this book.

Updated with review:

I read this book a few months ago, but didn't have time to leave a review. That the story is still fresh in my head confirms my previous rating.

I broke one of my reading 'rules' with this book, as I usually shy away from stories in which a main character is a young child. I hate it when bad things happen to kids. Mom thing, I suppose. That got switched up, and I found myself more concerned the child would do bad things to everyone else. :) Refreshing. Disturbing. Loved it!

The writing snapped, the characters came alive, and the plot took me in an unexpected direction. About 20% into the story, I got cocky and thought I had everything figured out. By 50%, I knew I was wrong. Loved it!

The book reminded me of Constantine, with the Sherlock demon hunters. (one of my favorites, so I consider this a compliment) Lots of little religious and historical tidbits were tossed in, and it was clear the author knew her subject matter. A great deal of slow-burn in the romance area, and very good world-building and dialogue.

I did have some difficulty early on, trying to keep names straight. Several characters were introduced in a short span, and sometimes I couldn't figure out who-said-what and who-did-what. I'm not taking stars off for that, because there's a good chance this was an issue on my end, not within the story. I'm really bad with names - in life and fiction, both.

Definitely continuing with this series.
Exceptional story. Fives stars.

Excellent book on the psychology of war and combat. My husband is a police officer and heard Dave Grossman speak here in Indianapolis. He was very impressed, and purchased a CD of the lecture. I popped it in one day, and was riveted. My husband also purchased one of his books at the lecture, and I devoured that, as well, and went on to buy this book soon thereafter.

I'm a Marine Corps veteran, and married to a cop, so a great deal of the subjects touched on things that hold a personal interest to me, but you do not have to be in a law enforcement or military career to appreciate the subject matter. The books is written in a very direct style, and information is given in such a way that even a person like me, who has not experienced combat first-hand, can still understand the physical and psychological impact of such things.

I have used this book as research material in my own writing, and I feel I have absolutely come away with a far better understanding of the dynamics involved in deadly conflicts. I have recommended this book, and others by Dave Grossman, to friends and family who are involved directly or indirectly with law enforcement or military.

If you are considering this book, I might also recommend looking up the author and taking a peek at some of his online videos so you can get a feel for his style. I was very pleased to find that his speaking and writing style were very similar. Direct, concise, and very informative.

This is a book that has a very traditional fantasy feel. The pacing, especially at the beginning, had that leisurely feel that is evident in so many epic fantasies. The calm, descriptive flow of the prose complemented the feel of the created world very well.

The story follows the journey of Moherron, the middle child in a farming family. He's introduced as a young boy, and the story progresses until he's reached adulthood. I liked this character quite a bit. I found him to be a very complex character, with a solid sense of honor. I don't think I'm giving away any spoilers by saying he has the gift of magic.

Due to an early tragedy, he understands that magical powers, while they can certainly be used for good, can also be abused. One line that really resonated with me was when Moherron explained his trepidation with schooling others in the magical arts. He said that he knew of no spell that could discern the true heart of a man. I'm para-phrasing here, the actual lines were far more eloquent. His decision on how to proceed struck me as very plausible, as well as being unique. I enjoyed the plot, and dialogue was well-written. The characters spoke in a voice that reminded me a bit of Old English.

The world-building was very good, very visual, though I did have some problems with a few things. Being a fantasy world, names of both people and objects were often difficult for me to understand. Some of the words were things like Shnertz and Xulshtnfr, and with the letter combinations being so foreign, I was pulled out of the flow of the story as I stumbled over the language.

There was a letter to readers in the beginning of the book, explaining some of the history of the world. While informative, it contained huge chunks of information that I think would have been better if included in the actual story.

I'd recommend this book to fantasy fans who like discovering brand new worlds, and who enjoy a relaxed writing style. The story doesn't read slow, but it doesn't read fast, either. The ending was bold and unexpected, which is something I prefer. Four stars!

I've been sitting on this review, waiting until the re-launch. Very excited it's finally released and I can properly fangirl! :)

The story begins with Anya, a young woman who is about to reach the age where she can choose her own suitor.

It was nice to see a fantasy heroine who was a bit older. Anya is 23, I believe. This really worked for me on several levels, because we can explore more mature relationships and themes, and it was a very welcome deviation from many (or most)traditional fantasies where girls are tossed into marriage at very young and sometimes cringe-worthy ages.

Her age alone spoke volumes about the value and respect shown to women within this created world. Yes, there is a tradition and patriarchal structure in place, but Anya and those around her seem to genuinely want the best for her and that includes her ability to make her own decisions in regards to her future. It's a complicated balance I really enjoyed.

Anya is in love with Kael, her childhood friend turned something more, and is anxious for the day she can be with him. When he disappears without a word, she finds unexpected comfort in the charms of the mysterious Lord Merivic. Gallant, refined, handsome - I was under his sway much faster than Anya! LOL

World-building is wonderful. This is a pure fantasy, and the world presented is both unusual and familiar. There are Lords and Ladies, magic and chivalry and all the trappings that come with epic romantic tales. Very visual without being too over-the-top.

I'd like to mention the language and dialogue. I'm very picky about language usage in fantasy books, and nothing will irk me more than being pulled out of a story by an anachronistic phrase or word that just doesn't fit. No worries here - the language was wonderful, appropriate and reflected the feel and elegance of the story. Bravo!

It's hard to say much more without delving into spoilers, but I'll touch on a few points:

My favorite stories are those in which a character truly surprises me. This can be for the good or the bad, it doesn't really matter. I just like a good twist and/or some punch-in-the-gut emotional responses. I got both, but I can't say how. Sorry. :)

The last 25% of the book really got my blood pumping. Not just with passion, but with fear! I was honestly in fear of and for the characters - and justifiably so, as it turned out. As a stand alone story, I didn't have the luxury of knowing characters would be returning. That alone kept me on my toes, but I was also invested in these characters. When they hurt, I hurt. They cheered, I cheered with them.

It was a great ride - emotional, intriguing, enjoyable. Recommended for those who loves fantasy, romance, magic...anyone, really. :)

Five stars!

This novelette came highly recommended from a friend and I owe her big-time for giving me the heads-up on this gem.

It's a quick read and looks to be part of a series. It's first person and the POV character is Kassie, a gal I liked from the first paragraph. She's witty, cynical, and has zero filter from brain to mouth. My kind of girl. Her mantra is the book title and one day the powers-that-be decid to take her up on her offer. What ensues is a lot of fun.

I enjoyed the writing style of the author. The story was fast paced, detailed with a sly hand so I didn't know I was getting details, and there was a fantastic sprinkling of pop culture references that made my heart swell. I will be reading more from this author.

Great story, five stars without a blink.

I just realized I still had this book on my to-read list, even though I actually read it almost a year ago. That probably says quite a bit right there, actually. :)

I've been a Sookie follower for a long time - started reading when there was only 3 (maybe four)books out. Some I liked better than others, but this was the only one I simply forced myself to finish. It's been so long, I can't remember specifics, but I do remember the feeling - and I was disgusted. Angry. A little betrayed, even. Took me forever to get through the book.

I felt like I didn't know the characters this time around. Something was 'off' and I can't really blame it all on the stress and intensity of the storyline. Yeah, there was major heartache and drama with whole Fredya thing, and I have to give Sookie credit for finally - finally - admitting that she was causing problems for others just as much as they caused problems for her. Relationships are not meant to be all hearts and flowers - anything worth having takes effort.

This is such a late review, that's all I'm going to say - plus, my memory is more than a little fuzzy. I'm contemplating another read before the next and final book, but it was hard enough the first time around so...maybe. :)

If the series finale' brings the awesome, all will be forgiven! :)

Fat Chances is a sweet Young Adult romance that I enjoyed from beginning to end. We have Annie, an overweight high-school senior that only wants to graduate and get as far away as possible from the school where she has been tormented for years.

J.S. Wilsoncroft has a knack for writing very realistic and believable characters. There is a great line toward the beginning in which Annie is talking about escaping and getting into the 'real world' where she'd be with people that had their own problems and wouldn't worry so much about hassling her for having her own.

I think a lot of us fall into that trap at some point in time, and as the mother of two teenage girls I see it first hand. School can be a nightmare and other kids,especially other girls, can be cruel. Many of us become fixated on one thing about ourselves and believe if we can just fix that one thing, or get away from that one thing, then all of our problems are solved. In Fat Chances, Annie begins to understand that her biggest problem isn't her weight or even other people, it's her own lack of self worth and that's something she can't escape.

Cory is her Zumba instructor, handsome and fit, and he takes an immediate interest in Annie. He finds her beautiful and Annie goes on the defense right away. She assumes he's not sincere, that he's one of those hot guys that thinks it's funny to play mind games with fat girls. She can't wrap her head around the concept that a guy like Cory would ever be interested in her. She's torn between wanting to believe him and a lifetime of humiliating experiences telling her that she shouldn't.

Mixed in with her internal struggle is her relationship with her twin sister who has the 'I saw him first' attitude and is angry that Cory has chosen Annie as the object of his affection. The fights, the screaming, the family drama is very real. These girls could've been my own daughters.

The author makes it easy for me to put myself in Annie's shoes. There is a time when Cory gets a peek at her unshaven legs and she's horrified, and another time when she's self-conscious about him feeling her rolls when he holds her. One part made me almost cry with laughter but I won't mention which one because it falls into the spoiler category. Loved those little touches that are both funny and heart-breaking in their realism.

My only complaint is that I wish I had more time with these characters. The ending was satisying but it felt a little rushed and didn't give me the 'closed door' feeling I prefer. I wonder if there might be a follow-up story at some point.

Overall, I loved Fat Chances for it's realism, for tackling an issue that hits very close to home for so many, and for doing it so well. Oh! I can't go without giving praise to the cover. It's beautiful and absolutely perfect. Five stars!

I was very happy to discover this book ~
The premise was super interesting; a world that has been recently destroyed by angels. Better yet, the angels were still hanging around wreaking havoc and humans were fighting to survive in the new dystopian world. High five for a great hook!

Angelfall is written in first person from the point of view of a teenage girl named Penryn. I liked her immediately and that like never wavered. She was awesome! Her family was another plus; a physically disabled sister and a mother with mental problems. Between the three of them, these characters made for quite an interesting combination. Early on they are seperated. I have a no spoiler policy in reviews so I'm not going to go into details on the how and why this happened. Suffice it to say it's pretty cool.

Enter Raffe, a horribly injured angel. Big, gorgeous, tough, the whole shebang. My kind of angel. Circumstances force Penryn and Raffe together and they are not exactly the best of pals since he was one of the gang of winged dudes that destroyed the world, and she has a pretty big grudge about that. I'm a big fan of uneasy friendship, so this was great.

Now, what was not so great for me was the lack of dialogue during the first half of the book. Raffe and Penryn just didn't talk very much - there was a little smattering of words between them every few pages, and this was a real shame because when they did speak they had some great lines. There were no other characters introduced for quite a while so we have these two, lone characters traveling together and not really talking, and they continue to travel and not really talk for about 12 chapters. Think of watching The Book of Eli while wearing a blindfold. It could hold my interest just enough to keep going, but I felt like something was missing.

Then we get to the mid-pont of the book and things take a dramatic turn. New characters come in, the plot starts to get wonderfully crazy with human resistance fighters, strange creatures in the dark, and best of all we make it to the Aerie - the angel stronghold. The Aerie rocked. I loved this place, loved the atmosphere, loved every darn thing about it. Penryn and Raffe at this point have formed a mutual respect for one another and thankfully there wasn't a full-on romantic element to their relationship, because I don't think that would've worked considering the circumstances. Their relationship was just exactly as I think it should've been; not too much, not too little. Bravo!

The last 10 chapters or so were crazy! I should point out that the chapters are very short, so when I say ten chapters I'm really talking about the last 50 or so pages. What the angels were doing was so horrible and so foreign to every single notion of what an angel is 'supposed' to be, it blew me away. It was fantatsic, it was gruesome, it was frightening, I loved it.

There are a TON of unresolved issues and questions at the end and I'll be looking forward to the next installement. The beginning I would have to give 2 stars, the end 5 so I'm going with 4. Great book, highly recommended!

A comprehensive guide to all things fantasy. I like the way sections are organized, very easy to navigate and lots of information. A book I wish I would've discovered sooner! Five stars.

This has got to be one of the best anthologies I've ever read. The concept was great: 7 authors, 7 sins. From the very first page I was impressed by the depth and originality of every story, and it started with a terrific forward that really set the stage and tone for what was to come. I enjoyed every single story, and though they were all centered around a common theme, each were strikingly unique.

Without spoiling the fun for others:

Wrath packed a punch with a modern day tale of a man reaching his breaking point; Greed blew me away with its unique and stylistic use of language in a story that really depicted how Ice can burn; Pride gave me an unexpected twist with its characters and fantasy feel; Lust left me blushing, and in awe of the author's subtle nod to religious lore in the character's names and behavior; Envy was an excellent exploration into the nature of man and I have a new ten dollar word in my language arsenal: Schadenfreude! Gluttony was an wonderfully engaging tale of a monster created and Sloth blew me away with masterfully crafted language and suspense.

I really can't pick a favorite, but I will say that Wrath was a great way to kick off the fun! The central character was surrounded by those falling to other sins- from lust to envy to greed and sloth - and these things all swirled together and created a perfect storm that felt all too real.

I cannot express in a review how ingenious each of these stories were; I highly recommend this anthology and gave 5 stars without blinking.

Supernonva was a superb read! The beginning grabbed me right me away and the story didn't let go. Lots of great characters, tons of emotions and energy. Told from the point of view of Evania, a young woman with a dark past, the story follow her journey as she discovers her place as a mysterious (and very cool) Guardian. Her friendship with the Priest, Daniel, was touching, and her unique relationship with Desmond and the rest of the Guardian gang was great fun to watch evolve. I adored Jackson, the bi-polar hottie.
Evania, by the way, had the best birthday EVER! :D

There were suprises and some wild turns that left me utterly shocked, in good ways! I didn't know what was coming next and made me want to keep turning (clicking) the pages. I'm trying to be very careful as to not give anything away so I don't spoil things, ha!

There were very intriguing backstories for each character and I enjoyed that each chapter had an individual title. Evania has some super cool abilities, as do the other Guardians. And their foes, the Adversaries and Equals, were dangerous enemies. LOTS of great fights! Highly recommended and the teaser chapter for Tsunami was a wonderful present.
I will not look at plastic wrap the same ever again!

I read this several months ago, and that this story is still so fresh in my head says a great deal about how much I loved this book. This was a great political thriller with a bit of a paranormal twist.

Just as the title states, the events in this story centers around the final presidential election in the United States before the alleged end time of 2012. There is a lot of action, and parts of it almost had an Indiana Jones feel with archeology and ancient prophecies and mysteries. The plot was wonderful, but I really felt like the characters drove this story.

I freely admit that when I read a book heavy in politics I find myself trying to figure out the political leanings of the author. I know it doesn't really matter but I still do it, and many times I can peg a definite lean one way ot another. Mr. Carrigan, however, did not let anything show. The story was a very good example of the impartial narrarator.

There were interesting back-stories for most of the characters, and I did have to re-read passages a few times to commit the deatails to memory. That might be due to my personal problem with names, but I did feel there was a bit too much information given in chunks at times. Even so, I did like the back-stories because I enjoy knowing about the 'why' behind actions.

The edning was not what I was expecting, which I count as a good thing. I won;t spoil the party, but I will say that this book is not the typical 'end of the world' story.
Five stars from me, and recommended for anyone that enjoys a well written and unique political thriller. If there is a follow-up I will absolutely be buying.