vendredi 31 mai 2013

Down by Contact (Seattle Lumberjacks 3) by Jami Davenport

Hello to all,

                  If you read my blog for a few month, you know that one of my objective this year was to discover the subgenre "sport romance"... i made some good discoveries so far and i also read some books that really don't sit well with me. In my quest to find new author ( to me) and series, i've encountered a blog tour for a new release " Down by Contact", i follow it, read the excerpt and i thought it was a book i could like and after the last one i read and really didn't enjoy it was a great change.

I tried to win the contests during the blog tour, without luck so i took my courage and contacted the author. The blog tour showed me a really kind and open woman and my own contact confirmed those feeling... Jami Davenport kindly accepted that i review her book on my humble blog. Let me just said i'm really glad i did dare to ask because i was far from expecting such a excellent book.

So let me give you my opinion on "Down by Contact", third book in the series "Seattle Lumberjacks", don't worry i haven't read book 1 and 2 yet but i didn't miss anything , this book works perfectly as a stand alone.( But i will read the precedent books and later share what i thought about them with you but first thing first, here comes Zach's story!)

 Happy Reading!
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Publication: 2013
Genre: sport romance
Violence: little

Language: mild
sex: strong
Public: 18+
Source: A ecopy in exchange for an honest review

Short description from goodreads :

 It's showtime.

After twelve years in the league, all Zach Murphy wants is a Super Bowl ring. He’s been about hard hits not smooth manners, about breaking quarterbacks not making small talk at cocktail parties. But now he’s shattered something else. After dumping a tray of drinks on the team owner’s snooty daughter and accidentally feeling up the Governor’s wife, his tenure with his team looks perilously short. And things are getting worse.

Life is looking up for Kelsie Carrington-Richmond. A onetime beauty pageant star and mean girl, she only recently stopped living out of her car. But those times have passed. Her finishing school for real men has a real shot, and the Seattle Lumberjacks have hired her to polish their roughest player.

Except…it’s Zach. Long ago she broke his heart. He’s just the beast she remembers—gruff, protective—but she’s nothing like the beauty from his past. Yet, getting knocked down happens, and getting back up makes a contender. And they both have the hearts of champions.


My opinion:
          From the excerpt I thought I was going to like it but in fact I love this story and I even greatly love it. It’s simply one of the best sport romance I’ve read so far, it’s really well written, the characters are well built and you will love some as much as you will hate others but each of them has the perfect background to makes the readers understand them. Also you have a large part dedicated to the sport, but it’s well written in a way that even if you know nothing about it, you are not bothered at all; in fact it even made me want to learn a little more.

And the romance: simply wonderful, sweet and cute but also growing with the relationship between the main protagonists, Zach and Kelsie, at the same rhythm as their trust. It’s just superb. To be honest I had some doubt about Kelsie at first, until we learn more about her and I can really appreciate her effort now. Knowing which kind of family she had, I can see why see wanted acceptance at all costs, sad she wanted acceptance from the number not from the quality but she was a child then so my heart went to her, even more when we learn that her parents sides with her ex after all they have done. Rachel and Lavender are her first true friends because being able to navigate society and being popular doesn’t mean you aren’t lonely far from it. Kelsie is stronger that she seems and just needed proper guidance.

Zach is just the opposite, you have to love him right at the start… he is a little like a big bear imposing on the outside but soft and fragile inside. The way he gets to do the wrong things at the wrong time just make him even cuter, I couldn’t resist. He is trying to do his best but if he manages on the field, in society that’s the opposite. He prefers to be alone, to do things that matters so in a sense he is all against appearances when he is also judging others on them. After a new disaster at a gala, he must take etiquette lessons…just the idea made me laugh. The big men who must learn how to hold their cup… while I can see the necessity of politeness, asking so much from athletes was a little ludicrous, for me, as long as there wasn’t disaster, it didn’t matter which fork they would use to eat etc. But it is also part of the scheme orchestrated by Veronika who just wanted him to fail not to shine, and that a character I detested strongly since the beginning, after Kelsie’s mother that we never see but heard enough about, and Mark that really should have suffered more.
Zach is all about honesty and compassion, he has suffered so much but he didn’t become selfish, simply afraid to let people discover that fragile side of him. The way he wants to wait until after the marriage before making love was simply adorable in a really good sense of the word. It was about love before sex, to have some meaningful and it something I respect and admire. He really worked his way in my heart.

 I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t want to put the book down I had to finish it right now. It’s the third book in the series yes but I haven’t read the others yet, but I hope to do so really soon, however that didn’t bothered me at all. It works perfectly as a stand alone even if now I want to understand Tyler more, he looks like a excellent man too. So if you want to read a sport romance with a wonderful story try this one you won’t be disappointed at all.


Score:  5/5

Disclaimer/Source: a copy in exchange for an honest review.All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review



 For more info on Jami Davenport and her books you can check her Website  HERE
 Down by Contact is available on amazon or on smashwords ( as well as other format and retailer listed on her website)



Challenge:

MAY RAK wrap up post

                   Welcome to my  2013 May RAK wrap up post..this month has been a little difficult for me because i've gotten ill so long hours in bed being able to do nothing. the result, i've been late to finish my gifts and managed to send only one but i will do my best to complete ealier promise in june.


In May I received: 

No Rak this month but one that was granted in march did arrive now that the book was released.It's Undone that Stéphanie offered me.




and in May,  i've sent :
( note: i don't take picture of the Rak i create before sending them so it's only if the receiver made one i can use that i will add it here so this post will perhaps be edited later to add some)


I wanted to make more this month but it will be fore next month since i'm taking longer crafting as long as i'm not healed.But don't worry if i promised you a RAk i will send it as soon as possible, sorry for the delay.

So i did send:

A handmade personnalised baby bear bookmark to jessie from Jessie's Book Place  i do hope you will receive it soon and find it to your liking.



 Do you participate in RAK? Did you have a good month? 

Thank you once again to Isalys and Vanessa from Booksoulmates for hosting! and to all participants for making this event a success


mercredi 29 mai 2013

Hunter’s Blood (Cursed by Blood 1) by Marianne Morea ( special edition)

Hi!,

        Hunter’s blood is another title Brenda recommended to me, in fact there is even more behind it than that. When she introduced it to us, I was more than interested in the story but also disappointed because the blog tour  giveaway was open only to US which can get really frustrating. Marianne Morea , the author, came to answer our questions about the book and she kindly offered to send me a copy for review too. After that she kindly answered my questions and even added some swag.

You know how I appreciate authors that are kind and attentive to their readers and she really fits that category. Then it was a pleasure to review her book and give you my honest opinion on it….and thanks to Brenda I knew it was better to have book 2 “Twice Cursed” too without waiting so it’s on my shelf and you will get my opinion on it later but one thing at a time and first enjoy book 1 Hunter’s Blood!

 Now if you hurry you could even get this novella for free by clicking here but hurry because i don't know how long it will last and check before downloading because amazon don't always offer the free book to all countries. It's really a wonderful occasion!

So here is a new discovery, happy reading!
Publisher: Coventry Press Ltd
Publication: 2012
Genre: paranormal romance
Violence: strong

Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+
Source: copy received in exchange for an honest review


Short description from goodreads :

This fast paced short story sets the beginning of the Cursed by Blood Saga. The novella also includes the first four chapters of book two... Enjoy!

Revenge...it's a way of life for psychic, Lily Saburi. Haunted since the brutal murder of her best friend and partner, she's obsessed with retribution-a vigilante bent on striking a blow for humanity against the shadowed world of the supernatural. Prey turned predator she aims to even the score-one bullet at a time starting with the beast that changed her life forever. Prepared for Armageddon she's in for the fight of her life. But when mortally wounded by a diseased and insane Were, Lily is rescued by a most unlikely savior-Were-hunter, Sean Leighton. Sexy and powerful, Leighton is charged with destroying anything infected with the deadly pathogen threatening the survival of his pack, and that includes Lily. But their immediate attraction leaves them both breathless and confused. As Lily grapples with truth about herself, Leighton is faced with the looming reality that he will most likely have to kill the woman he's falling in love with. Only time will tell if they are destined to be together or if they'll fall victim to the Hunter's Blood. 



My opinion:
          A pleasure too short.....Hunter’s blood is more a novella than a book and that explains why sometimes I felt the action rushed ( and it's the special edition, longer than the original one with extra scenes^^but still not enough). However despite that element I really enjoyed the story and Marianne really writes well, I found the idea really interesting , the psychic becoming hunter  because in a sense it was already her job before just she didn’t kill then and it was not focused on supernatural being. She just lost all measure when she lost her best friend and even if she came back as a shade, a kind of ghost, to advice her Lily doesn’t listen because she is hurting.

The were aren’t like all the others I’ve read about, a part of them is trying to live together despites the different species under the rule of a council with at his head a king who could shift in any of the species, for me that’s the originality here because I’m used to shifters or were having only one animal form. The system of community made me think about the Keep under Crurran’s rule in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. There are similarities yes but that’s nothing…except that I was prepared for political trouble and those happened but we still don’t know why, we get who is causing unrest but his motives are still undetermined when the book finish.

The character are promising, Lily is a psychic who doesn’t know all she is capable of , having been hurt by her best friend’s death she feel guilty and as a result get bends on revenge without knowing the reality of the supernatural creatures. She knows they exist but how that she doesn’t try to understand until she is forced to.
Sean is the alpha of the council and he is confronted to an epidemic virus that makes the weres feral when they are infected…like his brother. As alpha it’s his job to bring them down to protect the pack but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. When he is on his brother’s trail, he meets Lily who tried to invade his mind… he doesn’t know who or what she is but the attraction is strong however the pack come first so when he takes in the injured humans, it’s not to everybody’s taste.. I liked him but I was surprised he didn’t act more alpha… yes he is the head of the council etc but someone threatens the life of his mate to be or at least his lover and he tried to find a diplomatic way to stop that…it’s more calm and thinking that what I’m used with shifters.. not something bad mind you but with a short novella it wasn’t enough.

So This this really a promising debut but I would recommend you to think about it more like an introduction because there are a lot of questions without answer, a cliffhanger , not a big edgy one but still it’s there, so it would be better to have book 2 under hand to jump on it in hope to have our questions answered. If you love shifters and action as well as romance this is a excellent introduction to a new universe and I really want more of it.



Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: Source: a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own .





 For more info on Marianne Morea and her books you can check her Website  HERE
Hunter's Blood, special edition, is available on amazon or  on Book depository here






Challenge:

mardi 28 mai 2013

Alien Diplomacy (Katherine "kitty" Katt 5) by Gini Koch

Hello to all,

           While waiting for my results and thus for a solution to my medical troubles, i decided to read some authors i discovered last year and came to really love. One of those is Gini Koch, each of her book made me laugh, or at least smile, so far so i needed to continue the series and it was also perfect for the challenge of this month : " romance including aliens". I wasn't disappointed at all and i'm glad to have the next book ready when i need a little humour boost.

So here is my opinion on book 5 in the Katherine " Kitty Katt series called " Alien Diplomacy", not my favourite cover but the story is a good as before and book 7 has been released a few days ago so if you haven't started the series yet, you are really missing something.

 Happy Reading
Publisher: DAW
Publication: 2012
ISBN:  0756407168
Genre: paranormal romance, fantasy, humour
Violence: strong

Language: mild
sex: strong
Public: 18+
Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :


 Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion's Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same..

My opinion:
          Gini Koch really knows how to catch my interest and not letting go. Alien Diplomacy was funny, inventive and it’s probably only because I’m starting to know her mind that I could guess several parts but not the main one so even with high suspicions I couldn’t stop reading… in fact reading this one just made me want to reread all the first one and it saying a lot since I don’t reread to closely because I remember too well but in this case even a reread doesn’t loose it’s savour.

Kitty has lost her sparks and singular mind  which is causing her some distress now that she must act with diplomacy and can’t rush in the action… or can’t she^^;; try to reign your nature and it comes back in gallop and we love our Kitty as she is after all^.^. I was glad to see that she wasn’t the only one having problem to adjust quite the opposite and that even if they picked the ones to be put at their ex posts. It takes some time to understand than you can make a difference at any place you are as long as you do your best.

To find Kyle and Len once again was too great, I really enjoyed those. As often, our team will have its hands full between threats, assassinations attempts and sadly political meetings ^^. It will be up to kitty to do what she does best: finding unlikely allies and enter the minds of the bad guys to guess who is who….even if Washington DC make that even more difficult. Thankfully she is not alone and Jeff and the poofs ( I really want one) as well as the whole team is backing her up like always.

 This is really one of my favourite series and I’m so glad I won’t need to wait too long before reading next one^^. If you want a fun reads, with action and romance but really a lot of humour despite the tension try this series but in order because you really can’t miss anything it’s too good!



Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

lundi 20 mai 2013

An avalanche of great international giveaways!

Hello to all,

             it has been a moment i could share with you some great international giveaways.... today will make up for the wait because thanks to Cafebiblioart you get a bunch of them, each one better than the precedent. She really over did it for her Blogoversary so participate with us.
I do hope to win some of those but i thought i had to share a little^^.
There are more giveaways than those i will present you, because i choose not to enter all of then just the ones i really want, so don't hesitate to go have a look even if those i show you here doesn't interest you, you will perhaps prefer one i don't want because believe me there is something for all tastes.

All of these giveaways have a different ending date so be careful and don't wait too long to check them up.

I will start with the books and the Boxed sets ( great, no?)


*You can win the boxed set of  the Matched trilogy you have until July 31 to participate.

*  For the fan of Maggie Stiefvater you can win The Shiver Trilogy Boxset, hardback edition,  open until July 31st

*The Hush Hush complete saga, the Hardback boxed set. Open until the 10th June

* You can get the Back Dagger Brotherhood boxed set with the paperbacks of the first 6th books. Open until the 18June

*Janet Evanovich giveaway, win the trilogy bok set open until June 19th

*Beautiful Creature complete series box set set but in paperback Open until 20th June

*Win Fallen, book 1 to 3, in a deluxe box set. Open until  20th June

*George RR Martin giveaway, Game of Thrones collectible box set by Harper Voyager, until the 25th June

* Millenium Trilogy Box set, in paperback open until end of July.

* Gayle Forman giveaway, Win If i stay & Where she went, in parbeack. Open until end of July

* Gabriel's Inferno giveaway , Win book 1 and two, open until end of Augustus.

*Rock Chick giveaway, win the 7books of this series in paperback. Open until december 31st

But books aren't the only treat check those jewellery and ereader:

*Fan of the vampire Diaries? You love Caroline, then this giveaway is for you .. win the bracelet klaus offer to Caroline/   Caroline Bracelet giveaway open until 15th July

*Win an ipad mini or 300dollars of books if international. Open until September 2013

*Win a Kindle Fire HD, or the values in books from the bookdeposity if international. open until October 2013

But that's not all you can also find giveaway about John Greene, Percy Jackson, Cat & Bones, Fifthy shades and numerous others so have a look , you have nothing to loose and a lot to win.

dimanche 19 mai 2013

The Light Within Me (Six Saviours 1) Carly Fall

Hello to all,

 Since i have a few moment without my head heavy like a 5tons , i decided to share with you my first reads of this month including Aliens and romance. To be honest i forgot it has aliens until i started reading it  but if you are interested don't hesitate you can find it free on smashwords ( so happy there was a pdf format free) and amazon i think.

Happy reading

Publisher: Westward Publishing
Publication: 2011
ISBN:  9781468041231
Genre: paranormal romance, sci-fi, aliens
Violence: mild

Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+
Source: free offer


Short description from goodreads :

 When Abby and Noah meet, there is an explosive attraction between them that neither can deny...

As a shy, awkward, social misfit, Abby has gone her whole life feeling as though she's different from everyone else and she simply doesn't fit in well with society as a whole. She longs to feel a real connection with someone, and she finally does when she meets Noah.

Unbeknownst to Abby, Noah is from another world and his sole purpose is to hunt down the evil of his people that was unleashed on Earth hundreds of years ago. He's certain he isn't going to be able to return to his home, and anger and the need for revenge are his constant companions. His focus has been eradicating the evil and making them pay for taking his life on his world away from him.

Noah tries desperately to fight his attraction to Abby so he can keep his focus on his mission. But when Abby gets dragged into the evil and mayhem from Noah's world, he realizes that maybe with Abby he can find a home here on Earth...if he can save her in time.


My opinion:
          Again a series I discover when it’s finished or nearly … I missed the 6 first books and now that I’ve read book1 I do regret not having read it before.

Carly Fall created an interesting universe and I enjoyed a lot her vivid descriptions of SR44 where the inhabitants are made of colourful smoke, she took the time to describe their environment but also their culture and ways of life and the history. For this story I think it was something really important because without it I couldn’t have related to the six saviours, I wouldn’t have understood their dilemma, their mindset as well as I did. It’s the first book but it gives us solid background info to immerse ourselves in the universe she created.


Noah is a warrior but a disillusioned one … he lost hope to go back on his planet one day since it’s only possible if they complete the mission that was assigned to them. Unfortunately, the one who prepared the said mission didn’t take a lot of things into account … if it was really short one the absence of contact with their world and family was understanding but the situation they are confronted to is way worse than the one they were told and believed… hundred years later the mission is far from completed and like all warrior Noah is wearing down. He still has pride and he does it job but he is dull.  Worse they were told they couldn’t love or they would loose their immortality or slow aging and their original form making a return impossible. So when the bad guys are reproducing and killing, the good one are alone with only their mission as an objective.

Really, I had some difficulties to understand why they didn’t give up before and I admire their courage… alone in another world without anything from home that must be hard and I can’t understand that those who send them didn’t think of something if it was longer than they expected, no they are just left to themselves. Noah is their elected chief, so it’s even more responsibility for him but until now he managed. However when he meets Abby, he is attracted to her and her voices without understanding why…for the first time he is smiling again and  hoping even if he is fighting his attraction putting his duty before everything else.

Abby is different from other, she never really fitted and the dead of her mother when she was a child didn’t help. While her mother supported her love for knowledge and difference, the orphanage made her depressive. Now an adult she still lives a little isolated, with a few impersonal contacts. She isn’t happy with her life but she goes on, her work as a reporter isn’t satisfying her anymore but it pays the bill and she still hope it could help her to find her mother’s murderer. When she sees Noah on a picture of a crime scene she is knows she saw him somewhere but more than that she can’t resist the need to contact him and the connexion is immediate she trust him and can reveals secret to him however even if she loves him when he make it clear that he won’t be completely in the relationship, she prefers to stop there. When she hears the truth, her decision doesn’t change, she loves him and because of that she can’t ask of him that he renounces to what he is….  But she is different and when she attacked, Noah won’t resist anymore he must protect her even if his brothers in arms don’t agree.

I appreciated that the romance took sometime, after all a lot is in the balance and after years of putting is job as his sole priority I couldn’t have imagined Noah to make a 180° after a few hours. He is torn between his pride, his honor and Abby that make him feel alive for the first time.
What i regretted is sometimes the jump in time, for example when Rayner explains what could save her, we don’t see the ceremony just the result after and i would have loved to get more details.

The action is fast, the tension high at moment and the romance sweet, I couldn’t resist.  If you are looking for a steamy sci-fi romance, a paranormal romance with aliens, this is a good try and even better you can get it for free on smashwords so no reason for not giving it a try. I really hope i will get an opportunity to read the rest of the series


Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:


mercredi 15 mai 2013

Storm Force episode 9: The Finale!! ( review and Discussion)


Hello to all!

   Welcome to our last weekly Storm force review and discussion! Episode 9 is now out in the world and it marks the cloture of this serials, if you waited until all was released to start reading it you can start right now, this book deserve your attention .
If you want the print copy, don’t hesitate to pre order it , mid June is near.  (and don’t worry amazon should drop the price soon and bookdepository will sell it too)




 For more info on Susannah and her books you can check her blog HERE
 To buy Storm Force on amazon click on Storm Force kindle 
for the pre order of the print copy  on amazon click here


Story:
               Episode 9: Like with a hurricane, the calm lasts only a short time before danger come back full force. Mori has finally accepted that  Michael Benedict had nothing of a good alpha and she is ready to fight for what she believes in….she just didn’t know it was going to be so soon. Kell suffers but stays determined.




My opinion:
                 Fabulous, I admit I was edgy before starting this last episode…. All the tips in episodes 8 was leading to something big and  it ‘s.  They really didn’t figured Michael Benedict well at all thinking he was going to be careful and heal first… which is strange since they considered him like a psychopath/sociopath and their kind are rarely reasonable.
 I loved the fact both Mori and Kell accepted they would need to act as a team, with each one having a speciality, a “point fort”. They aren’t perfect but each of them can give something to the others and they will need it quicker than expected and without a strategy ready.

I admire how Kell realise how he did made things harder for himself because of his pride and how determined he can be to still manage to move after all he suffered. The fact, his past and grandfather’s belongings will help made me smile and I think the shell oil thing was an interesting reminder of what Benedict wanted to destroy …and that made his use so ironic. Justice served right in his own way

I enjoyed discovering Mori a great swimmer and the fight with Michael was really well described.  The action, tension and timing were simply just what it needed to make this book an excellent one.

 Now for the ending…let just said that if the publisher doesn’t want more books in the series I will become crazy! I want more, I need to see how Archer is doing, how Kell will adjust with Mori and their respective obligation and I want Robin (preferably with Nik). Gadget has made his apparition so now I want him in action not just in teleconference.

Score:  5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Discussion:
1)       Do you want more? Would you prefer the rest of the series (if you want more) to be in books or serials first like this time?
2)       If you have read the book, which character is your favourite so far and why?

mardi 14 mai 2013

My Reluctant Warden ( Ward of the Vampire2) by Kallysten

Hello to all!,

                  If you remember in March i shared with you my opinion on the first part of a new book by Kallysten " Ward of the Vampire", it's in fact the second serial that i'm sharing with you ( after "Storm force "whose last episode is released today so tomorrow will be our last weekly discussion post).... i thought part 1 had a lot of potential, you can read my review HERE,so when the opportunity to review book 2 appeared i jumped on the occasion and i don't regret it at all!!

I can only suggest you to add it on your wishlist on amazon because Kallysten is really generous and will make this second part available for free really soon ( and the amazon wishlist will inform you as soon as its price is reduced), part one was free early this month, perhaps it's stil  the case where you live but even if it's not... don't worry it will be free again so keep you eyes open. Or if you can't wait, today is the release date so you can bought it here

Happy Reading!

Publisher: Kallysten
Publication: 2013
Genre: paranormal romance
Violence: none

Language: normal
sex:strong
Public: 18+
Source: copy in exchange for an honest review


Short description from goodreads :

 When her boss brought her to the party of the season, Mr. Ward’s birthday bash, Angelina thought she had slipped on Cinderella’s shoes.

Now that she is compelled to remain in the mansion, trapped with a host who was only pleasant to her in a shared fantasy, the dream abruptly turns sour.

Under other circumstances, she might enjoy staying in an opulent guest suite, with a butler waiting on her every desire. But her cage, as gilded as it may be, remains a prison, and her host, even if he wishes she were gone, is still her warden.

As she struggles to get used to the situation, she can’t figure out what to think of Morgan Ward, a man who claims to be a vampire, who at times ignores her and at times shows himself unexpectedly thoughtful. A man she’s attracted to despite her better judgment.

However, an unexpected conversation with her boss may give her no choice but to get much closer to Morgan than she’s ready for…


My opinion:
          I appreciate the fact that the author took what the readers said into account. If you remember my review of the first part “ Ward of the Vampire”, I liked the story but I regretted it was so short and  ended with a cliffhanger since I really don’t like them.

My reluctant Warden is different, the story is still well written and the plot interesting but this time the difference between fantasy part, when Angelina is dreaming, and the event when she is awake are really well differentiated. You can’t confuse them anymore and I think that at this time of the story it’s a good thing. As Angelina learn more about the vampires and their specificities so do the reader .I enjoyed this way to discover more about Morgan. In this story we can see how thoughtful he can be, so kind and it the same time he can be so distant… I get the feeling he is afraid of something.

Angelina is trying to find how to act with Morgan because she is starting to understand that she isn’t the only one suffering so her anger against her Warden is abating.  I enjoy the character of Stephen and I hope we will learn more about him, how he came to work for Morgan and discovered he was a vampire etc.

Now the good news ^^ proof that good authors are attentive to their readers… this books is longer, nearly the double of part 1, and there isn’t a cliffhanger!! It’s not the end of the book so it’s still an open ending in a way but no need to get anxious or stress  it’s a good place to make a break until the next part is released. Also there was more humour in this second part and i often had a little smile while turning the pages.

You want a paranormal romance with steamy scene but slowly building relationship? This is a excellent book for you then.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: Source: a copy in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was received All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

lundi 13 mai 2013

Bout of Books 7.0: Goals and Update

Hello to all,

Bout of Books



Official Blurb
(Please make sure you’re linking back to the Bout of Books website and attributing properly.)

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books team


I won't change what works, but this year i will try to manage a better balance between blog time and life outside since i think that's what i missing so far.I will also try to avoid the mistake of last time: trying to overdo it the first day.. i wanted to be sure to finish my goals so i didn't plan well and then i had to take a day off to recuperate^^;; so this time it will be little by little.

I will update this post daily to keep my progress up to date so don't hesitate to come back here each date to see how i'm doing ^^. Part of this adventure is the support we can offer to each other, so count on me to try to visit you.


My Goals


  • Read 2 books ( not sure which one yet)
  • Comment on at least one parpicipant post each day
  • Enter at least one challenge
  • Do my weekly post for Storm Force
  • Prepare one official review
  • Post at least one review
  • Be up to date in my reviews ( see i finished the review for the books i've read already)
  • Work on one RAK minimum
  • Try to contact one new author for a book in one of the 2013 challenge i've entered
At the moment it seem a lot to me but i will do my best so we will see!


Books to Read

  • one book by gini koch
  • One paranormal romance
  • One sport romance
  • one book by  Marianne Morea
  • a book in French
This is a unfinished list of possibibilites not definitive titles and i won't probably read all of them but i will have the choice at least

Time Devoted to Reading

I will be reading all week as soon as i get the opportunity to do so between all i have to do in real life and when i'm good enough to. Also since i'm finishing some handmade gift my reading time will be limited a bit but i will try to do my best.

    Updates


    Monday
    Number of pages I've read today: 246
    Total number of books I've read: 0
    Books: Started: Cat & Bones ( read novella 1 &2), Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch

    Today wasn't a bad day even if i had less time to read that what i hoped. I first had to help my mother and that reduced my motivation a lot... i selected a bunch of books i really want to read and then... i didn't feel like starting any of those...at the end i picked a book in French " Cat & Bones" by Jeaniene Frost because it's an anthology regrouping 3 novella from the night huntress series, i had read the first one in english so reading the translation was quick and i loved the second novella a lot. I got the idea to  pick an anthology from another participant and it's great because when i don't have a lot of time or i need to change my mind i can read one.

    So after this slow start, my brother received the news he got a job ( a temporary one but still) so we had to help him getting ready so again less time and i just read the first page of Alien Diplomacy by gini Kock( i so wanted to continue when started but i need my beauty sleep^^;;)

    For the others goals... i didn't do the daily challenge but i commented on 7 other participant's post and i did contact the author who kindly accepted. She was working on that time so she couldn't sent me the copy immediately which is completely normal but in case she send it soon enough i will perhaps be able to add the book in this read a thon already^^. The essential is that she answered me quicker that what i hoped and positively so i'm really really happy ( Thank you!!)


    Tuesday
    Number of pages I've read today: 0
     total pages read:246
    Total number of books I've read:
    Books: Finished: 0
    Started: Started: Cat & Bones ( read novella 1 &2), Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch


    At the moment i really feel like a failure...so many things happened that i didn't manage to put my hands on the books so i haven't read any pages today and i hate that especially when i've started a book that greatly interest me.

    Oki if i try to stay positive, i did post a official review and i commented on 3 other participants' blog.. not a lot but since my goal was oen per day  it's oki. i also tried the challenge  "musical playground" but i don't know if i did right because i just matched one song "je te donne " by JJ Goldman with Mercy thompson series by patricia briggs i couldn't think of a whole playlist when this songh was just perfect for me.

     i can only hope the rest of the week will get better because i need motivation. ( now for other reasons but last bout of books, tuesday was also a bad day so it's perhaps a sign.)


    Wednesday
    Number of pages I've read today:104
    total pages : 348
    Total number of books I've read:
    Books: finished: 0
                started:Cat & Bones ( read novella 1 &2), Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch


    It wasn't really difficult to do better than yesterday  but i hoped to read more than 100 pages however my blood pressure became really bad so book was confiscated and i was forced to lie down.... after 12h of sleep in a row it's still completely unstable but at least i'm in the "orange" level instead of the red one so better but still bad.

    i did comment on 2 other participants' post and i posted my weekly post about the serial Storm Force by Susannah Sandlin.
    And a good news, i did receive the sport romance book  so i hope to get better soon enough to start on this one but health must come first.


    Thursday
    Number of pages I've read today: 0
    Total number of books I've read:0
    Books:finished: 
    started:


     I simply couldn't do anything today.. i think i have commented on one participant but even that i'm not sure ( still i did more before so it's oki).. Still 3 days left so if the doctor finds the miracle solution i should manage
    The mini challenge for today was really great and i regeret not having been able to stay up long enough to try it.

    Friday
    Number of pages I've read today:0
    Total number of books I've read:0
    Books:finished: 
    started: 

    i really hoped to be better but in fact it was worse and even during the 3h wait for my appointment with the doctor i couldn't manage to read a line...my miracle solution didn't come in fact it's more serious that what i though and now i have several exams to pass in hope to discover where the problem lies either it can be nothing either it can be really serious.. way to rassure the patient -_- so after a scanner, a echo, blood anaylysis and others things i should have a better idea of what it's happening. i do hope my kidney is well...the exams need to be scheduled soon so perhaps the first result will be available next week we will see. until then i guess my reading will stay as low but i'm not giving up yet so wewill see what i can do.

     the challenge really interested me but i got no time, i did comment like i hoped though.

    Saturday
    Number of Pages I've read today:80
    Total number of books I've read:0
    Books:finished: 
    started: /

    oki at least i did read a little... 80pages can seem bad especially for me ( i mean normally i should have finished this book in a couple of hours at most) but being in teh condition i'm , i'm quite proud to have managed to read even so little.
    I also comment like i wanted so this day isn't a complete failure


    Sunday
    Number of books I've read today:0
    Number of pages read today: 160
    Total number of books I've read: 
    Books:finished: 
    started:/


    Today as been a better day that what i hoped so i finish well even if it's far from my normal level. i've read 160 pages ( meaning i read 3/4 of both books i started) , i commented on 3 other participants' posts and i posted a review.

     I haven't worked on the RAK more than half an hour so i don't consider this goal a succes s( but i prefer to make it when i'm well so teh result is better)

     i think i'm up to date with ly review but honestly i'm not 100% because i can't reember well at the moment .

    When i take into account the shape i'm in i consider this read-a-thon a good one even if it's the worse i did so far... in a way it's even a success because it made me keep reading when i wanted to give up after the rush of bad news.

     i hope i will be better for the next edition in august ^^ i have a revenge to take.

    Are you participating? Leave me a link to your goals we could support each other