Title: Some Like it Wild
Author: Teresa Medeiros
Publication Info: Avon March 2009
Genre: Regency/Scottish Historical Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

When I want a good dose of happily ever after with a dashing hero and a clever heroine I always turn to Ms. Medeiros. She never disappoints. Her latest tale is particularly excellent. Pamela and Connor are a matching set: both devious and crafty, but with hearts of gold. Their banter surprises and delights. Their chemistry sizzles.

Plot:

Pamela Darby and her younger sister Sophie are down-on-their-luck orphans who seek the long-lost son of a Duke to claim the reward money. Their mother trod the boards of Drury Lane before it burned to the ground with her inside it. All they have left is a letter that claims the son is in Scotland. They dress in their finest costume jewelry to search the Highlands, only to be set upon by a notorious highwayman. Pamela decides that with a little stage polish this prince-of-thieves could pass for a Duke’s son. Connor Kincaid is only too happy to swindle an English swine out of his money.

When they arrive at the Duke’s door, the feeble old man is won over by Connor’s charade, but his wily sister and her son (the displaced heir) are not so easily persuaded. Pamela hoped to get the reward and run, but Connor announces that she is his fiancee. What woman could say no to a devilishly handsome Scotsman in a kilt? In staying, she risks her neck to the handman’s noose if the ruse in uncovered. She may not have a choice; this thieving blackguard has already stole something far more dangerous: her heart.

**swoon!!**

Discussion:

I love Ms. Medeiros’ books because they always fill my chest with that warm glow of love, true love. Oh! Love. Connor and Pamela are my favorite pair yet, especially the dashing Scot. He’s like a much handsomer version of Liam Neeson’s Rob Roy. Medeiros even recreates the dueling scene between the broadsword and the epee. Connor is delicious, and Pamela is a smart heroine worthy of him. (No TSTL here, thank goodness!) Just when I think I know the dialogue she’s going to say, she surprises me.

I hope Sophie gets her HEA next with similar bravado.

If you want a great book for lounging in the summer sun, drinking mint juleps and dreaming about happily-ever-after, this is it!

Title: The Dream Thief
Author: Shanna Abe
Series: The Drákon book 2
Publication Info: Bantam, August 2007
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3

The sequel to the excellent SMOKE THIEF follows Rue and Christoff’s youngest daughter, Lia, who is born with the rare Drakon gift of dreaming the future. Her hero is Zane, her mother’s street urchin sidekick, who has grown up to be a dark, powerful criminal in London.

Plot:

There is a legendary diamond that has the power to enslave the Drakon’s minds. Lia hears it calling her from a very young age, accompanied by disturbing sexual dreams of her mother’s dangerous apprentice Zane. No one believes her, so she grows up hiding her future-telling dreams and her slow-to-come Drakon powers. Her parents learn of the diamond when Lia is off at finishing school in Scotland and send Zane–a human–to find it. He runs into Lia, who has escaped school to find the stone herself. She has dreamed this. Regency road trip!

After a number of misadventures, they find the legendary Drakon castle and its twisted lord. Lia knows that Zane cannot have the diamond, because she has dreamed he uses it to kill her parents and everyone close to her. But she is Drakon, so the diamond enslaves her. Is there enough goodness in Zane’s black heart to set her free?

Discussion:

Ms. Abe’s writing is very good. I have always been a big fan of road trip books, especially when the protagonists get stranded out in the middle of nowhere and must tough it in the wilderness.

There is a lot more of that airy, poetic narration in this book. In The Smoke Thief it was only a long prologue. In The Dream Thief it comes every other chapter or so. I skimmed it.

The hero/heroine age difference bothered me. Zane is 12 in The Smoke Thief, when her parents meet. Lia is 19 in The Dream Thief. Lia has dark, sexual dreams of Zane since childhood. Does she actually love him, or is she merely obsessed? Does Zane take advantage of her youth and inexperience? Should maybe he have woken her up first? These and more questions weighed on my enjoyment of the book. In the first book, I felt Ms. Abe did a good job on coming right up to the forced-seduction line, but not crossing it. In this book, well, you’ll have to make up your own mind. I enjoyed the book, but certain parts made me a little morally squeamish.

I enjoyed The Dream Thief and plan to read book 3. Ms. Abe is a masterful storyteller. I just hope the heroine in The Dragon Queen finds healing and psychotherapy from what she endured in book 2. Maybe she should talk to Hardy Cates?

Title: The Smoke Thief
Author: Shanna Abe
Series: The Drákon book 1
Publication Info: Bantam, Oct 2006
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

Ms. Abe combines my favorite two romance genres, Historical and Paranormal, for a delightful adventure that soars through the star-strewn sky and delves deep into the fire of the human heart.

Plot:

Clarissa Rue Hawthorne was born an outcast, a half-blood in the mysterious and sheltered clan of dragon shapeshifters. She will never fit in, so she breaks the clan’s laws, fakes her own death and escapes to London. She spends nine-or-so years building a secret life for herself: the proper widow by day and a Smoke Thief at night. But her past catches up with her in none other than the dragon king himself, Christoff, Marquess of Langford, who comes to London dangling the most precious jewel of all as bait. She can’t help but visit the stone and is caught up in Christoff’s deadly claws.

Christoff has been raised for one thing: to rule his people with an iron fist and keep them safe from the human Others. He is the Alpha and must marry the Alpha female of the tribe, but no woman in generations has been able to Turn into Drakon. When he lays a trap for the outlaw who dares expose their secrets by stealing the Ton’s jewels, he never imagined he would find a female who could Turn, or the lost little girl who caught his notice so many years ago.

But there is another rogue drakon theif in London and he steals the drakon jewel from under their noses. Rue makes a devil’s bargain: her freedom for his. She must join forces with the indomitable Christoff to find the jewel before the week is up. Christoff is injured in their search. Rue has the chance to escape to freedom, or to try to save the Alpha. She might have won her freedom, but she lost her heart.

Discussion:

Christine has been telling me about this book for over a year and I don’t know why I didn’t get around to reading it until now. I couldn’t put it down! The attraction between Rue and Christoff burns red hot and their cat and mouse chase keeps the pages spinning. I loved the descriptions of the dragons flying through the clouds. This is a Cinderella story: Rue’s childhood crush comes to fruition, bringing the now all-grown-up domineering Alpha male to her feet.

The one thing I would have changed is the long airy prologue. I think that backstory could have been communicated through the book, or in a shorter prologue. I’m excited for the next one, The Dream Thief, which stars Rue & Christoff’s daughter and Rue’s street urchin companion Zane.

Title: Passion Unleashed
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: Demonica, Book 3
Publication Info: Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner), March 2009
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

The Demonica series is hands down one of the best dark paranormal series in print. Fans of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood and Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark take note. Readers will delight in this thrilling tale of demonic love and an epic battle of good and evil.

Plot:

Half vampire, half demon Wraith, the tortured brother of Eidoldon and Shade from books 1 and 2, has turned into a mature Seminous demon. He can’t run from his terrible past, and tries to drown his pain by recklessly killing bad guys and trying to impregnate everything in sight. His brothers have done all they can to save him from his destructive path, to no avail. An old enemy is out to kill the brothers, and Wraith is the first one of the hit list. He gets poisoned by a toxin with no cure. His only chance is to steal a survival charm from its keeper, but when he discovers her he finds the task isn’t as easy as he thought.

Serena Kelley has guarded the charm since her mother gave it to her–sacrificing herself in the process. Her life depends on keeping the charm, but she has to stay a virgin in order to do so. When she meets Wraith, pretending to be human, she thinks she might have found a man worth sacrificing for. But heaven and hell have a stake in the charm too. A fallen angel is bent on using the charm to unleash Armageddon, and heaven can’t let that happen.

Wraith is torn. Is his miserable life worth more than this woman he has come to care for? Wraith has never been the noble type, but the fate of the world rests on his decision.

Discussion:

Another brilliant novel from an excellent author! The world building in these books is rich with demon lore, inter-species political machinations and magic rules. The characters’ transformations are compelling and believable, and their interactions set the pages on fire. Ms. Ione is on my must-buy list. I love how complex the story is, with multiple plot lines and many potential-heroes I’m eager to read about in future books. Reaver is really intriguing, as is the newest Seminus brother, Lore. I also love how Armageddon is set in Jerusalem. Why aren’t more end-of-the-world type battles set where the last battle is supposed to be set? I’ve been to Jerusalem and seen the Dome of the Rock and other sites, which makes reading books set in those locations even more interesting to me.

My favorite is still book 1, because I love protective heroes more than tortured ones, but PASSION UNLEASHED is a close second.

My recommendation: READ THIS SERIES!! (in order-it’s important)

1. Book 1: Pleasure Unbound (Eidoldon’s story)
2. Book 2: Desire Unchained (Shade’s story)
3. Book 3: Passion Unleashed (Wraith’s story)

Title: Grimspace
Author: Ann Aguirre
Publication Info: Ace Science Fiction, Feb 2008
Genre: Science Fiction with romantic elements
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

A spectacular debut novel! This action-packed deep space thriller has luscious world building and enough romance to keep both sci-fi fans and romance readers happy.

Plot:

Sirantha Jax has a rare gene that allows her to navigate space ships through the Grimspace – bending time and space to allow them to reach their destination in a fraction of the time. (If you’ve read a Wrinkle in Time – think Tesseract.) Most Jumpers burn out after ten years, but Jax has lasted longer than anyone predicted. It’s the only thing she’s been lucky in.

The ship she’s navigating crash lands with a congregation of delegates onboard–killing everyone but Jax. Jax is arrested and imprisoned. She doesn’t remember what happened, but she knows she isn’t at fault despite what her employer, the Corp, tries to tell her. She is broken out of jail by a mercenary (March) who wants to build a new school for Jumpers in direct opposition to the monopolistic Corp. His team takes Jax to a number of inhospitable outskirt planets hoping to find unregistered Jumpers with alien genes.

The Corp announces that Jax and crew are dangerous terrorists who murdered the delegation and have blown up a number of space stations. Jax must discover why the Corp is trying to kill her before the Corp’s bounty-hunters complete the job. They’re not the only things trying to kill her. Everywhere she goes, destruction follows. There’s no one she can trust, no one who hasn’t tried to use her for their own ends. Jax is determined to live – but she might finally have found a cause worth dying for.

Discussion:

This is one of the best debut novels I’ve ever read. I often hear agents and editors talk about the importance of “Voice.” Ms. Aguirre hits that ball out of the park. Her narrator comes vividly alive through her language and word choice. Her eloquent descriptions paint a thrilling, enthralling world that the reader can almost reach out and touch. She isn’t afraid to tackle big themes or kill off secondary characters. The novel has a gritty, hard edge that I often find missing in dark books. (And movies. Terminator: Salvation should have had this edge, but for some unknown reason all the secondary characters lived happily ever after in what should have been a dark, gritty movie. What gives?) Thank you, Ms. Aguirre for killing off your non-protagonists. THAT’S WHAT THEY’RE THERE FOR. I can’t believe the main character is in danger if no one but the bad guy dies.

I really appreciated how Jax struggles to do the right thing. I believed her character. Her transformation was much more powerful and believable because the reader sees her struggle. When she finally finds something worth dying for, I know how important it is because I’ve seen her naturally self-serving tendencies. Human beings are naturally selfish. Her actions are realistic. (Unlike every character in Terminator: Salvation.)

I am eager to read more by Ms. Aguirre. WANDERLUST and BLUE DIABLO are next on my TBR list!

Title: The Road
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Publication Info: Random House, March 2007
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Today’s book recommendation comes from my brother Oliver, who is on a post-apocalyptic fiction binge. I’m collecting names for him, so if you have any to recommend, please let me know. I think he’s planning to read Hunger Games next. The Road won the Pulitzer Prize and will soon make its movie debut starring Aragorn Viggo Mortenson.

Oliver’s recommendation:

I just finished reading Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” and it blew my mind. Through the journey of a father and son McCarthy reveals a world that is unbelievably dark and tragic. The world as we know it is destroyed, the sky is forever grey, and life is merely a continual struggle against death. Father and son travel continually south on the road trying to survive and find some place better. A feeling of hopelessness pervades the novel unequal to anything else I have read.

At the same time, the bond between father and son is a redeeming aspect to a life that is otherwise absent of anything good. As a reader, I really feared for the wellbeing of the main characters. The world is so bleak and dark that it sometimes feels like their love for one another is the only light left: “When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him. Nights dark beyond dark and the days more gray each one than what had gone before”(1).

McCarthy is a phenomenal story teller and his descriptions are frightening and rich in detail: “The days sloughed past uncounted and uncalendared. Along the interstate in the distance long lines of charred and rusting cars. The raw rims of the wheels sitting in a stiff gray sludge of melted rubber, in blackened rings of wire. The incinerated corpses shrunk to the size of a child and propped on the bare springs of the seats”(273). This is one of the darkest, frightening, and most hopeless stories I have ever read and definitely worth it.

Title: Crooked Hearts
Author: Patricia Gaffney
Publication Info: Signet, Dec 2001
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

A delightful, crafty romp with two crooked souls who are perfect for each other. Picture George Clooney in Brother Where Art Thou or Ocean’s 11 and give him a female counterpart of equal cunning and skill. This book is refreshing; forget honor, forget morals, forget all those “typical” heroic traits we read about over and over again. These two con artists will steal every reader’s heart.

Plot:

1880′s, San Francisco. On a roadtrip to swindle poor shmucks out of their fortunes, Grace Russell runs into a con artist who could give her a run for her money. She may be dressed as a Catholic nun, but Reuben Jones knows a fake when he sees one. Though to be fair, without his disguise as a blind man, Grace would never have let down her guard (and her clothes). When bandits attack the stagecoach, the two must band together to escape before anyone uncovers their disguises. Who needs trust? Grace and Reuben join forces to recoup their lost money, despite the mountain of lies between them. They concoct a plan to sucker the mob boss of Chinatown for money. Instead of handing over the cash, the mob boss kidnaps Grace, and it’s up to Reuben to save her. They escape to Grace’s farm outside San Francisco and plot an even better revenge. Hijinks ensue.

Discussion:

This is my second Gaffney book (WILD AT HEART was the first), and I’m a fan. Fast paced plot, funny, playful dialogue and absolutely charming characters. Grace and Reuben’s sharp tongues are equally as intriguing as their sharp minds. I like especially when Grace makes fun of Reuben talking about wine. What’s with the cover though, really? Tasteful, but very booooring. The book is not boring. For a fun, fresh read, I highly recommend it!

Title: Gabriel’s Ghost
Author: Linnea Sinclair
Publication Info: Bantam Spectra, October 2005
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

Yet another hit from Science-Fiction Romance Author Linnea Sinclair. I’m beginning to think she can’t write a bad book! The Lusty Wenches Book Club, which met this weekend to discuss the book, was in agreement: Ms. Sinclair spins a damn fine tale.

Plot:

Space fleet captain Chasidah “Chaz” Bergren has been committed of a crime she didn’t commit and sent to the prison planet Moabar, a sure death sentence. She survives an attempted rape by one of her guards, only to find herself in the clutches of her smuggler adversary Gabriel “Sully” Sullivan, who supposedly died two years ago. She wouldn’t trust him as far as she could throw him, but Sully claims to have come to Moabar with the express goal of breaking her out. With help from the Englatarian Missionaries, Chaz waltzes to freedom dressed as an Eglatarian Nun. Sully needs her help to uncover illegal genetic labs that are breeding monsters – jukors – on the space station where Chaz grew up.

Can Chaz trust Sully after chasing the rebel/smuggler/mercenary through space for years? Especially when Sully’s best friend turns out to be a mind-ripping Stolorth. Sully’s insistence on keeping her in the dark and refusing to answer her questions doesn’t encourage her confidence in their partnership. Yet something is growing between them, and it isn’t just their need to uncover conspiracy and save the galaxy. With each new trial, a new layer of Sully is uncovered, each terrifying, each fascinating, each revealing a tortured man who is very much in love with one stubborn former-space fleet captain.

With the Empire on their tail, Jukors about to reap carnage and their closest allies threatening to jump ship, Chaz and Sully must face their demons and trust each other enough to get out alive.

Discussion:

None of the other Wenches had read Ms. Sinclair before, and all look forward to reading her again. New fans! WOOT! My job here is done. While GAMES OF COMMAND and FINDERS KEEPERS are still my favorite, GABRIEL’S GHOST comes in a close third of my favorite Sinclair books to date. GG was written in the first person, and I prefer third person for romance. A romance novel is in essence a relationship between two people, and getting into the heads of both those characters gives me the greatest rush living vicariously through their unfolding love. While Ms. Sinclair did an excellent job showing us Sully’s emotions as seen through Chaz’s eyes, I would have liked to get into his head and watch him deal with some of his self-esteem issues. The book club agreed that Chaz’s horror of Sully’s true nature wasn’t quite enough conflict to keep the two apart through the end of the book. I thought to myself, “Dude, he’s a great guy. if you don’t want him, GIVE HIM TO MEEEEE!!!!”

That said, Ms. Sinclair isn’t writing straight romance, but science fiction with a romance plot. Non-romance fans will be quite happy with the amount of non-romance plot in the book. Intergalactic battles, intrigue and adventure.

I love heroes who love their heroines from the beginning. Kel-Patin (Games of Command) was like that. Sully has that same adorable affliction. Makes me melt. I want to steal Sully for my hut. Chaz is a kick-butt, self-sufficient heroine who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to fight for it. Faith is a big struggle for her after all the men in her life (father, brother, ex-husband) have walked out on her.

We could have analyzed the theme of faith or the treatment of religion in the book (the Engletarians) or the symbolism of Chaz’s knife, but we didn’t explore the many layers of Ms. Sinclair’s excellent writing. We liked it. We want more. We want Ren’s story, ‘cuz he almost stole the show.

Title: Magic Strikes
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels, Book #3
Publication Info: Ace Fantasy, March 2009
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

With this book, Ilona Andrews takes the crown as the new queen of Urban Fantasy.

No one is safe in this captivating post-apocalyptic world where waves of magic render technology useless and monsters roam the streets. Only a handful of brave souls fight to keep back the darkness. Rebel mercenary Kate Daniels is one of them. She has grown into her bad-ass, tough-as-nails persona in this third book. She is a survivor with a honorable streak a mile wide. She’s lost everyone she’s ever cared for, she protects a dark secret she would be killed for, but Kate can’t help putting her life on the line for her friends and the fate of the world. She’s everything I’ve ever loved in an Alpha Hero, with boobs. Forget sugar & spice, this girl is made of pure guts and determination.

Plot:

Shapeshifters are showing up dead and dismembered, but Kate is shut out of the investigation. She’s pissed, but the Pack follows its own laws. Besides, she’s exhausted from solving magical problems around the city. Before she can get any shut eye, her werewolf sidekick Derek is caught breaking and entering her sketchy, sometimes-informant Saiman. Kate to the rescue. Derek refuses to tell her why he tried to steal tickets to the illegal Midnight Games, but he gives her a note to give to a mysterious female gladiator on the Reaper Team. Kate promises to deliver the note, and gives her word she won’t read it. She accompanies Saiman to the Games and discovers a bloody tournament where magical beings fight to the death for fame and fortune. Before the night is through, Kate curses herself for not reading the note.

She discovers Derek at death’s door in a parking lot, and is immediately set upon by shapeshifters. No one may want Kate’s help, but her conscious won’t let her walk away from friends. It’s a race against time to figure out the connection between the Games and the murders, before the Reapers or the Beast King Curran tear them limb from limb. When Kate is forced to become a gladiator in the arena, her dark secret can’t remain hidden much longer. She has trained all her life for the upcoming showdown with Roland, but he’s had centuries longer to hone his eeevil skills. To save her friends, Kate must (once again) make the ultimate sacrifice.

Discussion:

Each book is better than the last. Kate as a character has grown from a rather whiny don’t-you-know-how-bad-ass-I-am into a real mean, lean fighting machine. She gets knocked down, but she gets up again, ain’t nothin’ gonna keep her down. She’s self-reliant, but loyal to a fault.

World-building and plot are what make this series so spectacular. The battles are epic.

The series is Urban Fantasy, not Paranormal Romance, but over the course of the series there a growing attraction between Kate and Curran (the Beast Lord). Ms. Andrews is a master of sexual tension. In each book, she gives the reader one big delicious bite, then keeps us hanging by our fingernails in eager anticipation of more. Inch by careful inch, Curran gets under Kate’s skin until I want to scream “jump him already!!!” The hot tub scene was priceless. The last scene – oh! I cannot wait to read what is going to happen next.

Ms. Andrews has at least two other series debuting soon. Though I am looking forward to reading them, I want her to DROP EVERYTHING AND WRITE ME MORE KATE & CURRAN.

I recommend reading this series in order: Book 1 – MAGIC BITES. Book 2 – MAGIC BURNS. Book 3 – MAGIC STRIKES.

PS: I did not end up receiving an ARC. Best 8 bucks I’ve spent in a long time!

Title: Finders Keepers
Author: Linnea Sinclair
Publication Info: Bantam Spectra, April 2005
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <

Another smashing hit from Linnea Sinclair. Neither intergalactic intrigue nor universal destruction can stop true love. *happysigh*

Plot:

Trilby Elliot is a two bit trader with an antique trading vessel living on the fringes of society. What she lacks in polish, she more than makes up for in grit and brains. Though the Zafharin government and hers, the Conclave, have been a three year old truce, she isn’t happy to have an injured Zafharian officer crash land on her doorstep in a ‘Sko fighter ship – especially if the viscous ‘sko might be coming after him. She drags him to her sick bay and patches him up. He isn’t appreciative when he wakes. Instead, he tries to knock her out and take over her ship. Eventually they agree to combine forces to fix her ship and get back to civilization. If only her injured guest didn’t have his own agenda…

The man known as Rhis Vanur has classified and dangerous information, and his government needs it pronto. Someone in the Conclave Government is leaking secrets to the ‘Sco. He knows the untrustworthy ‘Sco will destroy the Conclave and come after the Zafharin next. Vanur is impressed by Trilby’s ingenious fixes for her ancient bucket of bolts and – despite his reputation as a heartless tyrant – finds himself growing fond of the quick-witted trader. That doesn’t mean he won’t do anything necessary to accomplish his mission, even if he has to kidnap her and sabotage her ship. With her friends missing and Trilby on a ‘Sco hit-list, Vanur can convince himself it’s for her own good.

After they return to the Zafharin and put the clues together, Vanur hatches a plan to uncover the traitor in the Conclave by reconnecting with Trilby’s suspicious ex. He isn’t using her as bait – per say – because he’ll be with her, protecting her with his life. The fate of the galaxy rests in their hands.

If only the ‘Sco didn’t have their own agenda…

Discussion:

I read very quickly, so all the unfamiliar names trip me up. Usually this prevents me from reading heavy sci-fi or fantasy, but I’m so very glad I stuck it out with Games of Command. After that book I fell in love with Ms. Sinclair, and my sophomore reading was no slacker. Ms. Sinclair’s plots are ingenuous and complex. Her characters are deep, layered and real. Finders Keepers had similar archetypes to Games of Command: the heroines are both independent rebels and the heroes are both unfeeling machines. Similar self doubts and similar interactions, but I loved them both. Games of Command is still my favorite, probably because of the Furzels and because Kel-Paten was so cute loving Sass from the beginning. Finders Keepers didn’t have a secondary love story like GOC, but it did have some great growing friendships between secondary characters. One complaint – heroes should NOT have mustaches. Ew.

I cannot recommend Ms. Sinclair enough. Finders Keepers is definitely a…well…keeper!