Lord of the Isles by Debbie Mazzuca

Lord of the Isles

(Isles Series, Book #1) 

by Debbie Mazzuca

Genre: Historical Romance | Time-Travel | Fantasy

After traveling to Scotland on business, the bed of a highland laird is the last place Ali Graham expected to wake up. But there's no mistaking the irresistibly masculine Scottish Highlander whose chambers she's accidentally infiltrated—or the severe wound he's suffered in battle. As a doctor, Ali knows how to heal his injury, how to nurse his body back to health. What she doesn't know is how to heal his heart...A proud warrior and the leader of a powerful clan, Rory MacLeod is ready to fight to the death to protect his homeland. After all, ever since tragedy robbed him of his wife, he has had nothing to lose. Yet the mysterious woman sent to tend his wounds is beginning to reawaken something inside him—something that he'd rather stay buried. But when true passion is mixed with Scottish magic, even the most fearsome warrior could begin to fall...

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Blood Solstice by Samantha Young

Blood Solstice

(The Tale of Lunarmorte, Book #3)

by Samantha Young

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young-Adult

In the final installment of the Tale of Lunarmorte, Caia is caught between the most powerful beings in her world desperate to use her for their own means. Struggling to find her purpose, Caia's time runs out when tragedy strikes close to home. Now she must decide if she will join the extremists she was trying to destroy... or bring them all down on her own terms...

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Moon Spell by Samantha Young

Moon Spell

(The Tale of Lunarmorte, Book #1)

by Samantha Young

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young-Adult (16+)

 It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves? No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs out of her sight-line, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her, with a dangerous attraction, from her decision to discover the truth.But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect.

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Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Born at Midnight
(Shadow Falls series, Book #1)
by C.C. Hunter

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Kylie Galen has had a lot of crap tossed in her lap lately. Her parents are getting a divorce for who the heck knows why. Her boyfriend broke up with her because she wouldn't put out. And her grandmother died because . . . well, older people do that. But now, Kylie's acquired a stalker and she hasn't a clue what he wants or how to get rid of him . . . and she really wants to get rid of him because apparently she's the only one who sees him. Thinking she may be losing it, her parents send her off to see a psychologist who gets Kylie sent to Shadow Falls Camp. Kylie and her parents think it's a camp for troubled teens.

They thought wrong.

Kylie's surrounded by vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches and shape-shifters. And if she believes what they tell her, she's one of them. They're just not sure exactly how she fits in. As Kylie struggles to cope with the realization that these creatures even exist, and the fact that she might not be human, she's got two hot guys, a werewolf and a half-fairy vying for her attention. And they can just keep vying. Kylie's determined that before she lets her heart loose on love, she needs to unearth the truth. What does the ghost want? Who can and can't she trust? And most of all . . . What is she?

Kylie gets innocently caught up in some questionable situations upon her parents sudden divorce and gets sent away to a delinquents (aka "freak") camp for the summer . . . or so she thinks. Yet, when fellow campers begin asking "What she is?" instead of "Who?" and magic/blood become something she shockingly learns to deal with on a daily basis--Kylie beings to examine her meaning behind the word "freak" and becomes worried she may just be one herself. Throughout the challenge of discovering her past in hopes of identifying just what her supernatural status is, Kylie becomes awakened by her new hidden talents (i.e. sensing/seeing ghosts, etc.) and easily gets infatuated with two extremely different guys: 1. Derek, a sweet-tempted half-fairy who was one of her first friends at camp and 2. Lucas, a darker older werewolf who Kylie actually has a history with. Thus, with so many things in Kylie's life crumbling, can Shadow Falls Camp actually become a bitter-sweet surprise?

At first, this story came off as a bit too juvenile for my taste, but as the plot progressed and Kylie's adventures in camp became more complex -- I found myself becoming more and more intrigued. The whole story timeline accelerates quickly, happening within the span of only a few weeks, thus it becomes easy to get caught up in the overall tale. Kylie has a lot of troubles becasue of friends back home, friends in camp, family, etc. that the story never goes dull, but it can become a bit too much at times. The romance in the book is all over with many of the side-characters (young and old) heating up the pages while Kylie herself gets captivated by two guys -- so yummy relationships throughout. All in all, this was a surprising read that I found myself jumping right into Book #2 as soon as I finished Book #1 -- plus Book #3 comes out this April, yayy.

Likes: If you're a fan of paranormal/supernatural characters--this is a fun read that pretty much covers them all!

Dislikes: Kylie can have only so much drama on her plate at one time before she gets spread pretty thin and then, due to becoming overwhelmed, avoids or cuts short different parts of the story that the reader would wish to have extended. Frustrating!!

Rating:

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Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Perchance to Dream
(Théâtre Illuminata Book #2)
by Lisa Mantchev

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal Romance | Young Adult

Act Two, Scene One
Enter Bertie And Company

Setting: The world outside the Théâtre

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith (Bertie):
Our charming and talented heroine

Nate: A suave, swashbuckling pirate in grave danger

Ariel: A brooding, seductive air spirit whose motives remain frustratingly hidden

Peaseblossom, Codweb, Moth, and Mustardseed: These fairies are indispensable if you need help dispatching with a pie or pudding

Growing up in the enchanted Théâtre Illuminata, Bertie learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts--but she didn't know that she had a role to play, too. Now that she's discovered her own magic, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales. And she's ready to write her own story, outside the productive walls of the Théâtre. But which way will her story go? Toward Nate, who's being held captive by the Sea Goddess, and loves Bertie dearly? Or should she write Ariel into her narrative? He's by her side every day, and she's finding his charms so very hard to resist . . .

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith's search for her stolen companion, Nate, has brought her traveling company far from the stage of the Théâtre Illuminata. With the power of her words, Bertie can reshape reality, but the magic is wild and defies her attempts to control it. The Pirate's time is running out and the Sea Goddess will not give up her prize willingly.

No matter what, Bertie is hell-bent on getting back Nate, dragging her crew through tough terrains and dangerous situations. Along the way, they meet some interesting characters that become pivotal figures in Bertie's current adventure and many secrets of her past become known. I was excited to check out book # 2 in this series, but unfortunately, this was a so-so read for me. It was VERY dramatic and kind of all-over-the-place. Plus, it was almost too much fantasy for my taste, esp. with the whole "words = reality" problem (in which Bertie became stubborn in using!) There is a big adjustment for the "Company" in dealing with people/places in the "modern" world compared to being inside the Théâtre, so that in itself was fascinating to read about, but overall it was entertaining and theatrical.

Likes: Bertie's "triangle" relationship with Nate & Ariel truly heated up in this story and I don't see it simmering down for awhile until Bertie finally makes a decision between the two.

Dislikes: The fairies come off to me as more annoying than comical!

Rating:

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The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

The Ordinary Princess
by M.M. Kaye

Genre: Fairy Tale | Juvenile Fantasy

All Across the Kingdom, excitement is running high: a seventh princess, always the luckiest and most beautiful of all, has just been born to good King Huldebrand and Her Majesty Queen Rodehesia. When the christening day arrives, the little princess is showered with the most extravagant, marvelous presents imaginable -- until her last, most powerful fairy godmother proclaims/gifts her as ordinary. And so she is. Princess Amy look so ordinary, so unprincesslike, that no prince can be found to marry her. The King and Queen are desperate. But Amy knows that she doesn't want to be wed to a royal stranger, and runs away from home, embarking on a most extraordinary adventure for the Ordinary Princess!

Along with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen. When her royal parents try to marry her off, Amy runs away and, because she's so ordinary, easily becomes the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid at a neighboring palace. And there . . . much to everyone's surprise . . . she meets a prince just as ordinary (and special) as she is!

"Lavender's blue,

Rosemary's green,
When I am King
You shall be Queen"

What an adorable book!!!! I've heard great things about this child's story for awhile now and never read it as a young girl, yet I picked it up from my local library and feel in love with the tale. Amy (aka Her Serene and Royal Highness the Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne) was born into pomp and circumstance, she had a "very grand nursery" (pg 5) and "had no less than twelve attendants all her own" (pg 6) She was also the youngest of her sisters who were all "blond, blue-eyed, and beautiful, with lovely figures and complexions and extravagantly long hair" Yet, Amy was gifted with "something that [would] probably bring [her] more happiness than all [the other] fal-lals and fripperies put together" . . . "You shall be Ordinary!" (pg 16) As she grew, gone was the use of her extravagant name, her curls became straighter & darker, her blue eyes became gray-ish-brown and "her nose got frecklier and frecklier in spite of all the Queen's lily lotions and lemon juice." (pg 27) Since she never had as much attention granted to her because of her "not-so-goodish" self, she was able to escape into the forest to play and feel in love with climbing trees and making friends with the animals and when she discovered a secret plot about her family and her future - she decided to run away to live a life she has always dreams off. She never expected to befriend a prince along the way and actually fall in love with someone who loved her for herself and not her royal-lifestyle. So sweet!

Expect a quick read that has lots of wonderful illustrations and rich detailed settings. Many of the characters are very likable, while some strongly annoying, but written well overall. The tale runs smoothly and interestingly enough that you easily become absorbed in Amy's easy-going agenda. The romance is sweet and innocent and I wish I had more upon finishing, great stuff!!

Likes: Amy was such an empowering character, she never let her "gift" become a bad thing in her eyes and thought of it always as a blessing when to everyone else in her kingdom, it was a curse.

Dislikes: It was sad how unsupporting the parents were, esp. her father's use of the word "rash" UGH!

Rating:

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Primal Bonds by Jennifer Ashley

Primal Bonds
Shifters Unbound Book #2
by Jennifer Ashley

Genre: Paranormal Romance

When half-Fae, half-Shifter Andrea Gray flees an abusive would-be mate, the only way she is allowed to relocate to the Austin Shiftertown is if a Shifter there claims her as mate.

Sean Morrissey, the Guardian of his clan and all of Shiftertown, is mate-less, lonely, and has a tough job--to send the souls of deceased Shifters into the after-world. He volunteers to claim her, sight unseen, but doesn't realize that one look at the gray-eyed, dark-haired Andrea will stir the mating frenzy in him. Even though the mate-claim isn't finalized, official, or yet blessed, Sean will do anything to get Andrea into his life and keep her there, forever.

Having the role of Guardian and Goddess-blessed is a powerful clan position to have, but also quite lonely. Thus, when a female Shifter comes to town seeking refuge, Sean claims the new arrival without meeting her, expecting a submissive little she-wolf who will accept him as is without his powerful and deadly title. Instead, he gets a beautiful women who looks him straight in the eye without fear, stirring the mating frenzy within him. On the other hand, Andrea is desperate to escape her caged life and is use to always looking out for herself. But in order to relocate to a new Shitertown ( Austin, Texas - whoot! whoot! ) and escape her past, Andrea must accept a new protector and a new mate-claim. A Guardian seems as good as a candidate as any, but Andrea's intense attraction to Sean is something she never expected. Yet, before their heated mating frenzy burns them both from the inside out, they must struggle with turning their "mating of convenience" into the real thing while battling old enemies during clan wars and uncovering some past secrets.

I think I became so absorbed in this story since it reminded me so much of Lora Leigh's Breeds series without the heavy sex scenes, sure you have your fun bed romps in this book but it doesn't overpower the story line. Plus, both characters are equally decisive about sex, something hard to find in Leigh's series as well. Don't get me wrong, I adore LL's series, but it's nice to have something similar but different - which a reader can easily find in Ashley's Shifter's Unbound series. Honestly, the story was enjoyable but something about Andrea bothered me (since she was either too quite or too loud) and I'll just say she wasn't my favorite female lead. Sean was likable and he played the heart-breaker character well with him being stuck in his "dark/tough" role when all he really wanted was a mate to love. . .aww! Since the series was new to me, the world created was fascinating and I would be interested in checking out book #1 in the series, but afraid I would get disenchanted quite easily with the writing style. Maybe I'll wait for more books to come out in the series before reading more and on a side note, this book would have been a solid 3.5 rating for me not for the location :) That alone kept me reading!

Likes: Set in Austin, Texas. Southern Austin at that. A place close to heart since it is nearby my home town and an old stomping ground for myself. Loved the references to street names, Austin shopping locations, etc. in the book . . . made me remember old times!

Dislikes: First - Felt a little slow paced a times and then not - as if there was A LOT going on at once and then a lull for a bit before going into full-on action again. Not a fan of the up & down roller-coaster feel in a book. So please, just give me something I can enjoy without feeling mentally exhausted after reading a few chapters before bed. Second - How many pet-names does Sean need for Andrea? It seemed like every other paragraph had a new one!

Rating:

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Alison's Wonderland by Alison Tyler

Alison's Wonderland
(Anthology)
by Alison Tyler

Warning: NOT exactly YA appropriate

Genre: Erotica | Fantasy | Fairy Tale

Over the past fifteen years, Alison Tyler has curated some of the genre's most sizzling collections of erotic fiction, proving herself to be the ultimate naughty librarian. With Alison's Wonderland, she has compiled a treasury of naughty tales based on fable and fairy tale, myth and legend: some ubiquitous, some obscure—all of them delightfully dirty.

From a perverse prince to a vampire-esque Sleeping Beauty, the stars of these reimagined tales are—like the original protagonists—chafing at desire unfulfilled. From Cinderella to Sisyphus, mermaids to werewolves, this realm of fantasy is limitless and so very satisfying.

Happily-ever-after never seemed so HOT. With over twenty short reads that add some spicy details to well known fairy tales, Alison's Wonderland, is a real treat. It's defiantly a juicy read where the characters hold nothing back and the passion is off the charts, so curl up with some steamy fables & enjoy!

I love fairy tales - give me! give me! - and this was truly a fun book that had me reading all Sunday afternoon. I'm not usually a fan of anthologies since I crave depth and character growth in a story, but these succulent tales had just the right about of heat that it was easy to overlook everything else. The numerous stories were quite easy to read, we're talking less than five-minutes to finish some, but others were a little longer and more involved. My favorites were Wolff's Tavern and Rings on my Fingers, but overall, be prepared for some dirty whispers & naughty acts.

Likes: I happily couldn't put the book down for a few hours after starting and finished later that day!

Dislikes: Some tales were better than others and those "other" tales were far & few between.

Rating:

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A Highlander's Homecoming by Melissa Mayhue

A Highlander's Homecoming
(Daughters of the Glen Series, Book #6)
by Melissa Mayhue

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Time-Travel

SCOTLAND, PRESENT DAY. When Faerie Magic swept ROBERT MACQUARRIE forward in time, modern medicine saved him from a fatal wound. But he also left behind an unfulfilled vow—to protect his friend’s young daughter, Isabella. Haunted by guilt for over a decade, he leaps at the chance to go back and keep that vow. The magic of the Fae works in its own mysterious ways, however.

SCOTLAND, 1292. ISABELLA MACGAHAN has reluctantly chosen a lonely existence, scorned for her Faerie blood and uncontrollable power. When she’s caught in a conflict between clans, a pawn in the struggle for power and land, her only option is to trust a handsome stranger. One who swears he was charged with her safety a full twenty years before... although the deluded man seems little older than she is.

No one is safe when Mortal schemes and Faerie magic push Robbie and Isabella to confront their worst fears. Will the magic demand the ultimate price from them both—or will they find their true homecoming in each other’s arms?

Robert has grown accustom to 'the future' but is constantly bothered by a long-ago promise he hasn't kept. Thus when a opportunity presents itself where Robbie can return to the late 1200s, he eagerly volunteers in hopes to easing his conscience. Yet, fairy time-travel is tricky and Robbie finds himself not actually returning to the time he thought. Regardless, he stubbornly takes his friend Thomas's daughter, Isabella, under his watch & protection even though trouble is a brew and feelings are becoming a little to hot to handle.

You kind of go back, forth and back again in this time-travel romance, which was fun and entertaining. Sure, Isabella is somewhat silly in her actions and Robbie is freakishly calm with his motives, but overall - their romance is oddly realistic and enjoyable to read about. Robbie is so adorably persistent in how he handles Isabella's anger that it keeps the reader entranced and he slowly helps her come out of the disillusionment she had made of her current status. On the other hand, Isabella has horrible memories of her past due to her grandfather's neglect, but it's enduring to see some amends attempting to be made; especially when Robbie becomes involved. All in all, great read - nice mixture of lust, love, and romance!

Likes: I highly enjoyed the ending because I was reading this book during the 4th of July weekend, same time in which the epilogue was set and I could easily get into the whole fireworks/ hot dogs on the grill/ outside with drinks setting! Nice!

Dislikes: It's a easy read, good summer stuff, but a bit empty at times as well. I like a little bit more depth to my tales!

Rating:

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Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

Iron Crowned
(Dark Swan Series Book #3)
by Richelle Mead

Genre : Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land’s queen, she’s fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear…

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown’s ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation--one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril…

Eugenie is in a Fae war and doesn't want to be. She doesn't like the loses, destruction, and death that war brings and wishes there was another way out - something her current male squeeze Dorian doesn't believe in. Yet, when the story of the Iron Crown is brought to Eugenie's attention, she jumps at the chance of claiming something that could lead to a peaceful end. Knowing its the struggle of claiming the crown itself that creates the fear within surrounding kingdoms, Eugenie invites her previously male squeeze, Kiyo, along on the dangerous journey. Thus, not all is as it seems when the crown is finally obtained and nature decides to play a nasty/surprising trick on Eugenie - something that will change her life and future from here on out.

I'm a big fan of Richelle Mead and adore her writing style. Her stories are easy to read, enjoyable to get lost in, and always keep me up way past my bed time. Thus, I finished this book in less that two days, but I think really liking the Dark Swan series overall added to that reading speed. Eugenie can really get under my skin though, since there are times when I highly enjoy her and others when all I wish to do is smack her. She has such a quick and abrupt attitude of changing her mind that it can give the reader whip-lash if not use to it. Also, she's so stubborn that I'm not sure if I should admire that about her or feel sorry since she usually ends up regretting her actions in the end, but her hard-headed character adds greatly to the story's intensity.

The romantic juggle between her two male counterparts is great, every book adds to that battle and I will always hold out for Dorian in the end (since I'm such a sucker for the bad boy!) But Kiyo sure did add a nice twist to the story near the end of Iron Crowned that it's really intriguing to see just how Eugenie and his relationship will lead Book # 4 on. Dorian himself is just a cocky and adorable in this tale, but the reader is also really beginning to see more emotion from him as well - which is nice for once and I hope to see more of in the series's future. All in all, highly liked the book and cannot wait for more, but I need a break from Eugenie and her stubbornness first.

Likes: I enjoy that Eugine can admit her sex life with Dorian is kinky, because some of their scenes had me blushing! ;)

Dislikes: The "ghost" part of the plot feel flat for me and didn't really add much to the story. I felt like it was only created to add a connection between certain characters, but honestly - it was boring!

Rating:

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A Highlander of Her Own by Melissa Mayhue

A Highlander of Her Own
(Daughters of the Glen Series Book #4)
by Melissa Mayhue

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Time-Travel | Historic

TEXAS, PRESENT DAY. ELLIE DENTON's world has spiraled out of control. A strange new birthmark, animals talking to her, and her mother's ex-husband laying claim to the family ranch have her thinking life can't get more complicated. But Ellie doesn't know the birthmark's connection to her Faerie ancestors. Complicated takes on a whole new meaning with her innocent wish to find her true love.

SCOTLAND, 1304. CADEN MACALISTER has more trouble than he can handle. With his brother held for ransom
and the laird missing, the last thing he needs is another problem. But the Fae have other plans.

A mysterious woman shows up in his stables, sent by Faerie Magic to find her true love. Fighting his attraction, Caden insists she's meant for one of his brothers. With his history, he has no desire for a woman in his life—especially a woman sent by the Fae.

Only the magic of the Fae can determine whether Ellie will find a Highlander of her own...

Ellie has had to deal with a lot of shocking things recently: her Mother passed away, she's getting a new birthmark medically tested, her ranch is in danger of falling into the wrong hands, and suddenly she's communicating with animals. On top of all that, she even finds herself stuck in another place and time that isn't exactly Texas. She soon learns 'words' are a lot more powerful than one thinks and sets herself on a mission to discover her future soul-mate by accepting the past.

I love time-travel romances (plus adding faeries and highlanders makes it even more exciting) and on my trip to Texas for Easter . . . I thought reading about Texas would be enjoyable, but I found this tale almost too silly. Personally, I'm just beginning Mayhue's Daughter of the Glen series and while some books have really held my attention, this one just feel flat and was rather boring throughout. The characters of Caden and Ellie's were to drastically different that it was hard for me to really get evolved in their romance and to become absorbed in their story.

I felt the book skipped a lot of character development and because of that I really missed out on feeling emotions toward the leads in the story. Ellie was just too accepting of her situation that it was just so unbelievable and Caden too stubborn of his future that they just didn't mesh well together. Plus, I am NOT a fan of dogs in story (sorry dog lovers!) so I would skip ahead many of the parts that included Ellie's Missy & Baby. Ugh! There were a few interesting parts of A Highlander of Her Own that I liked, (the bath house scenes-being one) but all in all - it was a bore (love scenes included!)

Likes: The side-character, Dair Maxwell, added some much needed entertainment to the tale.

Dislikes: I wanted more of a well-rounded ending for Ellie and for her to personally get revenge on Ray back in present-time Texas, but how it was written out was just not what I liked. I could have imagined many other/betters endings.

Ratings:

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Highland Guardian by Melissa Mayhue

Highland Guardian
(Daughters of the Glen Series Book #2)
by Melissa Mayhue

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Fantasy

SARAH DOUGLAS is a successful thirty-eight year old romance novelist with big problems. She's come to Scotland on a three month working vacation hoping to recapture her muse - who's deserted her - and resolve the issue of her strange 'feelings' - the ones which allow her to sense the emotions of everyone she touches.

From the moment she arrives, however, her problems only intensify. She's being stalked, but by whom? Is he real or only a figment of her imagination? What about the darkly handsome owner of the cottage she's leasing? How is she ever going to deal with her growing attraction to a man ten years her junior? She knows from bitter experience men - particularly men who look like Ian - aren't interested in women like her.

IAN MCCULLOUGH is neck-deep in troubles of his own. As a half-mortal descendent of Faeries, he's a Guardian, sworn to protect both the mortals of this world and the Portals leading to the Faerie Realm. After six hundred years, he's confident he knows what to expect in just about every situation and exactly how to handle it. But he never counted on a woman like Sarah showing up in his life; a woman who intrigues and charms him. A woman who turns out to be of Faerie descent herself, although she has no idea of her heritage and no belief in any Otherworld beings.

When he's assigned to protect her, Ian finds the job is tougher than he could possibly have imagined. Oh, he can handle the stalker and the ex-husband and even the renegade Faeries trying to kidnap her for their own purpose. It's falling in love and forsaking his status as Guardian, a position he swore to honor at his father's deathbed, he's having trouble with.

Both Sarah and Ian struggle to battle the demons of self-doubt and their individual pasts. In the process they learn that healing will take the strongest magic of all, the true love that occurs only between two souls fated to be together.

Sarah escapes to Scotland to stimulate her muse and get back into writing her books, she chooses to ignore the fact that something else is drawing her there as well. Ian doesn't have the time to be bothered being babysitter to the new "American" arrival at his friend's summer cottage, but upon their first meeting - things drastically change. Now Ian is torn between duty and love while Sarah must make some startling acceptances herself before the Fairy portal is revealed and all ciaos ensues.

I like this series! It's easy to read, fun and sassy, plus the characters are enjoyable overall. Ian and Sarah were very realistic and their relationship together just kept getting better and better. The story wasn't cheesy and their romance didn't feel rushed and/or pushed as many similar tales can be. Don't expect a lot of in-depth story development, but if you want something to read after a long day at work - this is a great series to get into. The author opened up the character field a lot within Highland Guardian, so many of the future books in the series can really go all over the place now - which excites me since Soul of the Highlander is up next in my TBR pile. Plus, it was nice to get a glimpse of Cate and Conner from the first book in the series.

Likes: Yayy! Scotland - I'm all about books set in Scotland since my trip there is in 42 days and counting . . .

Dislikes: The whole plot build up toward the end kind of fizzled out for me and wasn't as climatic as I would have liked. Plus, I'm noticing a similar trait within the female characters that I'm not enjoying - the two female protagonists so far both suffer from horrible past relationships that weakened them until meeting their new Highland male dream dudes (who of course save them from their pity party), but I like my women characters to be strong individually and not broken/shattered emotionally as Mayhue is writing them. I'm hoping that trait changes here on out for the Daughters of the Glen series.

Rating:

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Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband by Melissa Mayhue

Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband
(Daughters of the Glen Series Book #1)
by Melissa Mayhue

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Historical | Time-Travel

In the misty recesses of time a Faerie Prince loses his true love, prompting a blessing on all his mortal female descendants, bestowing his powers on them that they should be protected and allowed to find their own true loves.

CONNOR MACKIERNAN is a 13th century Scottish warrior, a descendent of that Faerie prince, a man who lives only for honor and duty, but he has a huge problem. His experience of betrayal at the hands of women has left him suspicious and distrustful of any woman's motives. He's sworn never to marry, but finds he must do exactly that to save his sister. With the help of his well-meaning aunt, and a little Faerie magic, the search for a bride is on.

CAITLYN CORYELL is a 21st century woman who longs to be strong enough to find love without sacrificing who she is. Her experience with an unfaithful fiance who wanted to marry her only for her family's money and influence has left her doubting her desirability and any man's reason for wanting her. Imagine her surprise when she puts on an antique pendant and Connor appears in her bedroom, begging her help to save his sister. He offers a simple adventure: travel to his time, marry him and return home. But nothing's simple when the adventure backfires, trapping Cate in the 13th Century.

An ancient Faerie's blessing reaches across the barriers of time to unite two emotionally wounded people. But it will take more than the magic of the Fae to heal their hearts. It will require the most powerful magic of all - the magic of true love.

Caitlyn (aka Cate) is torn, she's days away from her own wedding and she innocently discovers her fiance, Richard, having an affair with his secretary but she's never been one of those women who could end things so easily. Thus, she's weak in her decision about cutting ties and on that same night, a tartan-wearing warrior, Connor, walks through her bedroom mirror. Thinking she's drunk on whiskey and imagining marital related things, Cate accepts this Highlanders proposition of marriage and finds herself in 1272 Scotland with a wedding soon approaching. Yet, as realization sinks in, threats on her life become quite frequent, and romance beginning to bloom, Cate must make some tough chooses about "true" love and the sacrifices one must make in order to get it.

I'm a sucker for time-travels and this one was an easy fun read. A little silly at certain parts, but none the less entertaining. You can't take the story too seriously though since some of the plot concepts just seemed rather oddly unrealistic (even for a time-travel tale), but overall it's a good 'curl-up-on-the-couch' Sunday book. I enjoyed Connor the most. He's unbashful about marriage, daring in his actions, and accepting of all Cate's futuristic quirks. I'm eager to read more into the series to catch further glimpses of him and his family/friend.

Likes: Mairi was a fun and vibrant part of the story that spiced up Cate's character. I enjoyed their little escapes from the castle together to spy on Connor.

Dislikes: Cate came off as a confusing character to me, at times she would display a strong manner with great tact by working within her families international business, but she wasn't very resilient in her attitude toward Richard. It's like her "time-travel experience" was the only pivotal moment in her life that made her actually change for the good and because of that, she just appeared as a weak women to me in her thoughts and actions for most of the story.

Rating:

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Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever
(Fever Series Book #5)
by Karen Marie Moning

Genre: Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds. In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it.

Mac must confront all the monsters in her closet in this last Fever installment. Facing the facts about her past, confronting her sister's killer, dealing with the deadly Sinsar Dubh, and working on her relationship with Barrons are just a few of the highlights Mac deals with in Shadowfever. There are defiantly some dark twists, steamy scenes and harsh facts about Mac's reality that makes this story quite intriguing. I found I did not want the story to end, thus I slowed down reading on the last few pages, but the overall tale was amazing - even though I felt it had a few hick-ups here and there.

*SPOILERS*

My first impression of the story was that there were so many details, descriptions, and explanations about things that it became difficult for me to become absorbed during the first 100+ pages. I am not sure if my reaction was a reflection of Mac's growing insanity/grief or if Mac just views the Fever World in a new light compared to Book #1 (which could highly be the case), or maybe KMM wanted to add extra pages to up the book tally count (who knows?) . . . but it just felt like there was too much going on in the beginning but it eventually became the Shadowfever that I was expecting around page 174. Yet, because of all these details . . . I do have to praise KMM's writing style since Mac's emotional feelings were VERY evident throughout much of the story. You feel her gut-wrenching grief, her overjoyed happiness, her silly giddiness, and her cold disdain which really gets the reader to step into her shoes and enjoy the ride!

Another down factor for me was Mac & Darroc's "fake" buddy-buddy relationship. Both characters knew it was a facade and eventually one would betray the other (please, no trust to begin with!) but BOY did Darrco (aka LM) give out A LOT of detailed and personal information about himself, what he does and what he plans to do. . . much more information then Mac herself would give out. It just seemed an easy short cut to throw out much needed facts and a silly move on KMM's part to write it out that way since it was like taking the police with you on tour of a bank you were about rob, just plain idiotic . . . but the whole end of Darroc was a nice surprise.

Once I got into Shadowfever, I was addicted. It became easy to enjoy the tension created and the shocks near the end were highly enjoyable. I did get upset with the "real parents" coming to Mac and if it would have truly ended that way . . . I would have screamed and threw the book away. Also, the Unseelie King came off as lacking to me, not exactly immature, but too naive to be seen as royalty. And I actually grieve for the true Vlane, poor Fae. Plus, its not like I was expecting for the world to do a full flip into its original state at the end, but the fact that the walls were still down was a shocker to me. I assumed once all was put into place that things would be repaired, but I guess KMM needs to keep some things exciting to go into her spin-off novels. Overall, great book and its bittersweet that Mac's adventure has concluded.

Likes: Barron's underground digs . . . NICE!

Dislikes: Killing of the son - I would have thought/hoped something could have been done for him instead of what happened. ALSO - I felt sorry for Kasteo and think since Mac now has "extra powers" that Barron's group should have followed through with the execution rules, but o'well, less brutality I guess.

Rating:

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Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

Dreamfever
(Fever Series Book #4)
by Karen Marie Moning

Genre : Dark Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

"But for those of us who live large, the most alive we ever feel is when we're punching air with a fist, uncurling our middle finger with a cool smile, and flipping Death the big old bird."

MacKayla Lane lies naked on the cold stone floor of a church, at the mercy of the erotic Fae master she once swore to kill. Far from home, unable to control her sexual hungers, MacKayla is now fully under the Lord Master's spell. In the New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning's stunning new novel, the walls between human and Fae worlds have come crashing down. And as Mac fights for survival on Dublin's battle-scarred streets, she will embark on the darkest-and most erotically charged-adventure of her life.

He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister's murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac's every thought-and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V'lane vie for her body and soul, as she rallies the sidhe-seers to fight an impossible battle, and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac's greatest enemy delivers a final challenge...

It's an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth-about herself, and about the world she thought she knew.

Mac finds herself drawn deeply into the Pri'ya world where the only person who is able to help her escape is the one man who makes her cringe/shiver in more than one way. Yet, having overcome her latest ordeal has given her new powers (& a new darker side!) that begins to frighten herself & even those around her, plus she's dealing with a crumbling Dublin, a divided Sidhe-seer gang, and the scary realization that her revenge mission has become a lot more personal/depraved with the involvement of her parents and close friends. In the end, she finds just how alone she is in this journey and she must face a startling truth that just may shatter everything she's ever believed in [i.e. cliffhanger!!!!]

This is the book that defiantly heated up the relationship with Mac & Barrons, something many of the readers were highly anticipating throughout the series. Yet, it came with a twist that will leave all loyal followers coming back for more in Shadowfever. Even though a lot was revealed in this book - much more was left out including the cliffhanger at the end that has everyone guessing the true outcome and just who some of the characters are - a true mystery even after 4 books.

EXTRA : Moning Maniacs are in town for the book-signing tomorrow. I'll be there as well!

Likes: Mac warming up to the Sidhe-seer group was comforting and her finding out information about her maternal mother was nice to learn as well. Interesting to see where all this new information pans out.

Dislikes: I feel I couldn't give this book a solid 5 rating since I just cannot warm up to Dani. She drives me insane! I usually skip the parts where she appears in the book. Ugh, enough said!

Rating:

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Paranormalcy by Keirsten White

Paranormalcy
by Kiersten White

Genre : Young Adult | Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Evie, being an orphan, has known nothing else beside working full-time within the IPCA. Her best friend is an organizational mermaid, she is obsessed with high school TV melodramas, and now she is secretly crushing on a newly captured guy who is invisible most of the time. Yet, something strange is happening to other paranormal creatures that no one can explain while fellow IPCA facilities are being destroyed overnight and before Evie knows it . . . she's having strange dreams about her involvement in all this tragedy. Besides dodging creepy faeries, trying to spend as much time with Lend, and catching up on the latest episodes of “Easten Heights - Evie must now come face to face with the Evil causing all this havoc since they may be the only ones with all the answers on just who (and maybe what?) Evie is herself.

Evie truly comes off as a budding teenage girl. Crushes easily on guys. Obsessed with cool clothing. Just learning how to flirt and very innocent in many ways. Wants everything in pink bling (including her weapons . . . which she names btw) And she's automatically accepting of her life (ie. job) within IPCA until other characters make her begin to question her existence within the agency and if she truly has control over her future. Overall, she's cute, fun, and easy to like. She wants to have a normal lifestyle more than anything else and the simplest things for other people her age (ex. High school, the mall, Prom, etc.) excite her to no end.

Lend is really a likely male lead as well. He begins the story as a mystery, but in the end the reader really warms up to him even more since we learn a lot about his background (lifestyle, friends, and family) compared to Evie. The plot was different from what is out there and though I found the story to drag as certain points, all in all, it was an interesting read that kept me guessing till the end how everything would play out. Plus, there were parts that had me smiling which is something that always gives a book extra points!

Likes: Alisha's cursing moments!

Dislikes: Evie was almost too cocky/innocent/immature/whiny at times for me to truly step into her shoes as a protagonist lead, but it just shows she's young!

Rating:

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The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Daughter
(The Iron Fey Book #2)
by Julie Kagawa

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal Romance | Young Adult

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believed her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Remaining faithful to her earlier contract with Ash (a Winter fey prince), Meghan now must follow her end of the bargain and become a prisoner of her own free will within the Winter court. Feeling alone, deserted and under the watchful eye of the crazy Unseelie Queen, Mab; Meghan soon finds herself right in the middle of a deadly plot to steal Fairy's Scepter of the Seasons. When no one believes The Iron Fey still exist and are the true fey behind the plot, war soon breaks out between the Summer and Winter courts and Meghan must set things straight before this new world of hers is destroyed altogether.

The same kooky characters we readers came to enjoy in the first book are back in #2: Ash is just as dark and distant as always, Puck is just as egotistical and lovable at the same time, and Grimalkin is still a mystery. The story jumps between the modern world and Faery as well; with even a visit to Meghan's old high school. The romantic tension between the trio of characters remains strong, even though Meghan begins to lean more toward one over the other. It's obvious she's young in love since she's confused on exactly what types of love are out there (ie. her relationship with Puck vs. Ash) It's pretty obvious to the readers (or at least me!) which one she's drawn too romantically and which one she enjoys as a close friend /"brother" figure . . . she just doesn't always see it at times.

The creepy factor was back, which I enjoyed highly throughout the previous book, The Iron King, as well. You'll travel within the tangled darkness of The Briars which are "always moving, slithering, reaching for you out of the corner of your eye" (pg. 154) or witness the various creatures that lurk in the darkness of Tir Na Nog or the odd rooms of Leanansidhe's (the Dark Muse, self-claimed Queen of the Exiles) domain, where "schools of fish [swim] through the air" (pg. 175) and more. Unfortunately, the wow effect wears off a bit from Book #1 upon first being introduced into the whimsical world of Faery, but Ms. Kagawa does a nice job of keeping the plot/new characters/setting interesting enough to satisfy her fans.

Likes: New powers for Meghan was something I was looking forward too, yayy!

Dislikes: Meghan came off a little too "love sick" for my tastes. It seemed all she thought about every other page was Ash this or Puck that and honestly it became a little annoying. She came off as a whimpering, needy girl and not Arcadia's new powerful princess, a side which she should truly be embracing.

Rating:

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