Crusade

Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Publisher: Simon Pulse

September 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4169-9802-0

Pages: 470

Contemporary, Paranormal, Spain, San Francisco and New Orleans

Jenn has been studying, living and training for the past two years at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones.  She is one of the few that have pledged to defend humanity against the vampires or at least die trying.  The vampires though are gaining power and the battle has just begun.

She is forced to return home after the death of a family member.  While in San Francisco Jenn discovers that it is now a stronghold for the vampires.  She is a lone hunter apart from her team and because of that isolation she is now at risk.  She needs and craves the company of her fighting partner Antonio.  She wants his protection, reassurance and his touch.  Though a relationship with Antonio has its own risks and the closer they get the more Jenn ultimately has to lose.

Now Jenn is facing a betrayal by someone that was once bound to protect her.  She now has to face her doubts about everything she has believed to be true. If Jenn is going to survive she needs to trust in herself and her heart.

This is the start of a trilogy that while written about vampires proves to be story that is all its own.  The plot is fascinating and very different.   Reading how the characters interact with each other and how they react to each situation is interesting and pulls the reader into the story.  It will also have readers wanting the next book just to see how everything works out or if it is even possible for it to be fixed.  It also has several mysteries that while not quite answered in the first book makes for an interesting puzzle to solve.  With every answer provided there are still more to be solved and will have readers looking forward to seeing just what drives each and every character in the book.  This is one worth checking out.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses 

LRH

Inferno

Inferno Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Publisher: St. Griffins Press

April 2013

ISBN: 978-1-250-00283-9

Pages: 451

Contemporary, Paranormal, New Orleans

Nick now has his driver’s license and he will use it though turning sixteen isn’t quite what he thought it would be.  Most boys his age are thinking about and worrying over prom dates and college applications.  Nick is neck deep in enemies that are more than happy to make sure he doesn’t make it through another day.  He is no longer sure just who he can trust or if he can trust anyone.  His one ally seems to be the one person who he was told would ultimately kill him. 

Life is anything except ordinary when it is spent serving the undead.  Now his enemies have summoned an ancient force that is powerful enough to have the gods in fear of it.  As Nick learns to control and command the elements he must master the one that will help him combat his latest foe and it is also the one that is most likely to destroy him.  As the old saying goes fire shows no mercy.  If Nick can survive this latest round he will ultimately have to sacrifice a part of himself.  Sometimes though the best sacrifice isn’t the sanest move.  Sometimes it is the one that confuses your enemies the most.  Sometimes you have to trust the enemy to save those most important to you though what you are supposed to do when the enemy is yourself is anyone’s guess.

This is proving to be a fun series that gets better with each book read.  It will also have readers eagerly wanting to read the next book.  Seeing how Nick grows with each book and how he bumbles his way to saving the day makes for a book that is very difficult to put down once the reader starts it.  The situations get more complicated and yet how Nick gets out of each one will have the readers at the very least chuckling because only Nick seems able to get into so much trouble trying to do the right thing.  This is proving to be a series for the keeper shelf.  It is also a series that just seems to get better and better.  It is fun to revisit earlier versions of the Dark Hunters and see how time has changed them. 

I give this one 5 red roses 

LRH

Planning for Love

Planning for Love by Christi Barth

Publisher: Carina Press

August 2012

ISBN: 978-14268-9421-3

Pages: 277

Contemporary, Chicago

Ivy Rhodes is a hopeless romantic and the best wedding planner in the business.  She isn’t going to let anything get in the way of getting ahead and most certainly not a personal problem.  She isn’t about to let a heartbreaking and recent one-night stand get in the way when she is asked to star in the reality show Planning for Love.

Bennett Westcott is a videographer that didn’t handle his encounter with Ivy well at all.  Watching her smile and great body through the camera every day makes him want to try for some no strings attached fun with her. 

The more time they spend together shows Ben that Ivy isn’t at all what he imagined her to be namely a wedding-crazed bridezilla.  He has never trusted himself to make a relationship work let alone last.  Now he has to try and convince Ivy to give him another chance. 

This is a romance that takes the reader on a very fun ride.  The situations at times are comical and seeing how the character react makes for a very enjoyable read.  It is also interesting to see how the characters overcome their respective pasts to get the future that they find that they really want to have with each other.  This story kicks off a series that if they rest live up to this one should prove to be a wonderful series to read and enjoy.  It also gives a fun spin to both weddings and reality shows. 

I give this one 4 red roses 

LRH

Navy SEAL Surrender

Navy SEAL Surrender by Angi Morgan

Publisher: Harlequin

April 2014

ISBN: 978-0-373-69762-5

Pages: 224

Contemporary, Romance, Aubrey, Texas

John Sloane is a Navy SEAL that just planned on coming home to Texas and reconnect with his twin brother that he has been estranged from and to also save the family ranch.  He never expected to reunite with the girl from high school especially since he broke her heart years ago. 

When Alicia Adams’ daughter is kidnapped, John is determined to help and jumps in fearlessly.  This op might be off the books and he might be used to doing rescue missions but this one is posing many unfamiliar dangers for John.  The most risky part is John’s feelings for Alicia.  John is finding that he needs to regain her trust and also protect her from the kidnappers.  He is also determining that the career that meant so much to him doesn’t compare to what he feels for Alicia.  It all comes down to a daring scheme to show Alicia he can be the hero she needs because if he doesn’t he will end up breaking her heart all over again.

This is an action packed story that takes some clever twists to make this one a very hard book to put down.  The reader can really relate to the characters and sympathize with them as they deal with the nightmare their life has become.  With every word the story comes to life and takes the reader there so they can feel what the characters are feeling.  This is a nice second chance at love story that is sure to please readers.  It will also leave the reader hoping for more books to see if the other characters get their own HEA.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Gilt

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Publisher: Viking

May 2012

ISBN: 978-0-970-01399-9

Pages: 406

Historical, England 1539 – 1542

Kitty Tylney has always lived in the shade of Cat, her best friend. Now Cat has wormed her way into both the court and heart of Henry VIII.  When Kitty becomes part of Cat’s inner circle she gets her own chance at court with fabulous gowns, opulent parties and for the first time dashing men vying for her attention in a glittering new life.  Kitty soon finds out that while all is beautiful on the surface underneath is a world of lies, secrets, trysts and behind the scenes deals.  A world where the price of gossip could very well be someone’s head.  Though once you are at the top and Queen of England there is only one way to go and that is down. 

This takes a period of history and brings it to life for the reader.  The reader gets a glimpse of what it must have been like in the Court of King Henry VIII both the good and the bad.  The reader also gets a chance to see how in many cases the nobles and lower classes were out to get what they wanted and didn’t care who they had to step on to get there.  The intrigue that was constantly going on at court is enough to make people’s heads spin. It shows just how far both good and bad people were willing to go.  This book also will have readers looking for more from this author and this story proves to be very difficult to put down once you start.  The story proves to be more of a story of history with some light romance in it but still is a very good read.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

The Here and Now

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

Publisher: Delacorte Press

April 2014

ISBN: 978-0-385-73680-0

Pages: 256

Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance

Prenna James is now seventeen but when she was twelve she immigrated to New York. Prenna didn’t come from a different country but a different time.  She came from the future where there are mosquito-borne illnesses that have changed into a pandemic, killing millions of people and leaving the world in ruins. 

Prenna and some others escaped to the present time and they have to follow strict rules.  Rules to keep them safe.  They can never reveal where they are from or interfere with history and never be intimate with anyone outside their community.  Prenna has been good at doing what she is told. She also believes she can help prevent the plague that sent them back in time. 

All of that changes when she meets Ethan Jarves and falls in love. 

This is a great story on what if.  The possibilities that this story puts out there make for a read that is sure to stay with readers for a long time to come.  The world portrayed in the future is a scary possibility but it also makes for an engrossing read.  The characters are fascinating and complex.  It will also have readers hoping for more books to go with this one.  It is a young adult book but adults will find it interesting too because it will definitely get readers thinking and talking.  This is one to definitely check out.  It has a slight cliffhanger at the end that is sure to have readers wanting more books to go with this one.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

The Gathering

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Harper

April 2011

ISBN: 978-0-06-179702-6

Pages: 359

Contemporary, Young Adult

Maya is a sixteen-year-old that has been an ordinary teen that is from a small ordinary town.  She doesn’t know much about her background other than she is adopted and has a paw-print birthmark on her hip.  She never thought much about her who her birth parents are or how she ended up with her adopted parents.  She just knows her adopted family lives in a tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Things are happening that are making her wonder just what is going on in her small community.  Strange things that don’t have any explanations.  Like the fact that the mountain lions around the town are approaching Maya and her best friend’s hidden talent about “feeling” out situations and people.  There is also the new sexy bad boy that makes Maya feel different than she has ever felt before.  Now there are unexplained deaths around town and a mystery that seems to involve Maya’s biological parents.  It is starting to look like their small town has a few skeletons in the closet. 

This is a trilogy that is starting out fast and if the other two books live up to the beginning this is going to be one trilogy that will be very hard to see end.  While some of the questions get answers in the first book there are still enough to make readers want to get the other books just to see what will happen next and just what is going one and who knows what.  The story takes some great twists and turns that has the plot moving along at a fast pace that keeps everything intriguing while not losing the reader in process.  The characters are interesting and seems like anyone reader might know and yet with some paranormal elements that makes it different and fun.  This is one for the keeper shelves. 

 I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Passion

Passion by Lauren Kate

Publisher: Delacorte Press

June 2011

ISBN: 978-0-385-73917-7

Pages: 420

Paranormal romance

There isn’t anything Luce wouldn’t do for Daniel including dying.  Throughout time Luce and Daniel find each other only to have it all end with Luce’s death, over and over.  And Daniel is left alone each and every time.  It leaves Luce wondering if there isn’t another way.

Luce thinks someone or something in one of her past lives can show her how to stop it in her present life so Daniel and she can be together without her dying yet again. So Luce begins a journey through her different pasts to find the key that will have their love surviving this time around.

Cam, the legions of angels and the Outcasts are determined to catch Luce as she travels back but only Daniel is truly desperate.  As Daniel chases Luce through the pasts that they have shares he is afraid of what will happen if she manages to rewrite their histories.  If Luce manages that it just might take a romance that has lasted through the ages and sending it up in flames but permanently this time around.

This is proving to be a series that stays with the reader even after they finish each book.  The series pulls the reader in more and more with each book that is read.  It will also have them hoping for a satisfying ending that has Daniel and Luce getting an ending fitting for a romance that has proved to last throughout time.   This is proving to be a very intriguing series that has readers reaching for the next book just to see what will happen to all the characters next.  This book in the series has some great twists that just add to the overall plot of the series that keeps readers guessing just where it will all end.  It is also proving to be a very good romance.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH