Review: The Wedding Affair - Leigh Michaels

 Genre: Historical romance
Pages: 384
Published: September 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: for review

The Duke of Somervale's sister's wedding brings together three couples who must sort themselves out to avoid scandal. The handsome Duke persuades Lady Reyne to pretend to be his fiancée so he can avoid the matchmakers but falls in love with her anyway. Lady Reyne's friend Kate discovers how much she has in common with adventurer Andrew Carlisle, and Lady Penelope Townsend discovers new love with her estranged husband.

My thoughts:

Again there are three couples that will find love in this regency romance by Leigh Michaels. And I do like that there is more romance to go around.

First we have Olivia who after her husband's death is poor, and living with her daughter in a little cottage. She meets Simon, the Duke of Somervale and the first meeting is not a good one. But then by the look of her he does not think she is a lady either. But he has every young woman in the area after him and he comes up with the perfect plan. These two together, what to make of them really, I do like how they fell without knowing it. I liked Olivia and she did not have the best of marriages. Simon manages to get some fire out of her and Simon then, well he was not looking for something but is still falling. And I just loved how he was around her daughter.

Then we have Kate who is staying with Olivia since she has no where else to go after her father's death. She is being courted by the vicar, poor thing, cos he is, just think of Mr Collins. But she meets Andrew, who she had a crush on when she was younger. 

Last we have what was actually my favorite storyline. At the wedding we meet Lady Penelope who is there with her husband. A crappy marriage it is, her father wanted a title for her and Charles needed money. Now he resents his wife and does not even look at her. It was just so sad because it was not Penny's fault. But she finds her own voice and because of that I loved the story. Because when these two start talking they really start talking. And it was about time.

All these stories take place during a wedding and since they are all at the same time the POVS jump around. It works great too and I was happy to see that more than one couple found love. Because they all truly deserved so.

Conclusion:

A lovely book that had me reading. And even though I liked one story more they were all good and together even better. I do find that I like Michael's voice. And there is nothing like a good wedding affair, romance and passion promised.

Rating:

Nice

Cover:

Nice color.

Review: Where Demons Fear to Tread - Stephanie Chong

Series: The Company of Angels 1
Genre: Paranormal romance
Pages: 358
Published: August 23rd 2011
Publisher: Mira
Source: For review
Review by Lis

Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure–seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…
After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy–sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries–old feelings. Now, their high–stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell.or a deliciously hot heaven.

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What’s up with Angels and Demons? It’s are a rising trend in romance books just as vampires and werewolves once were. It’s a bit scary to tell you the truth. I grew up on stories of myth, legends and stories from the bible where Angels and Demons are divine and devilish creatures. Especially Angels are glorious, divine, mystical and powerful creatures. It seems weird to humanize them and put them in romance books. At least, it seems to me. Alright, enough of my rambling. Can you guess what this story is about?

Where Demons Fear to Tread is the story of Serena who is new addition to the company of Angels (you can see heaven as one big celestial company), Julian, an Archdemon, and to an extend Nick, Serena’s ward. This is where the story begins, because Nick is Hollywood’s latest bad boy and partying hard while Serena tries to watch over him and teach him yoga to get him straightened out. This is apparently not an  easy feat and it’s proven when Nick parties in Julian’s latest soul ensnaring club. Serena follows and BAM, Julian sees a new project. In fact, Julian is quite taken with Serena. And it’s: let the games begin. The price? Souls. 

While this story is not at all bad, it was hard for me to like the character of Serena. The author created a typical black and white story where angels are the good guys and demons the bad guys. It’s only later in the story where the lines blur, but more on that later. Serena is your typical sweet, selfless and self-sacrificing Angel who believes in love. She seems too naïve to me. Almost as if she doesn’t know anything about the world. But she believes in her ideals. 

Julian on the other hand is a victim of circumstance and your archetypal bad boy. He’s been around the block a time or two and knows what’s out there. He’s jaded and burned by love. Yet, Serena’s light shines so brightly that he’s attracted to it and will do anything to have her… 

There is another important character in this book and that’s Serena’s ward, Nick. In a way he’s the foil for Julian. Julian is fiercely independent and makes his own choices and knows exactly what he’s doing. He doesn’t care who he breaks, who he hurts or what he takes as long as he comes out on top. Nick is the opposite. Sensitive and sweet and very ignorant, he feels misunderstood by his divorced parents and will do anything to get their attention. He believes the only right thing in his world in Serena. While trying to get everyone’s attention, Nick makes all the wrong choices. And where Julian moves towards redemption, Nick moves towards damnation. 

Where Demons Fear to Tread is also a story of redemption. In this case that of Julian through Serena. There are several more themes in this story, one among them is choices. Everything is a choice you can make. While I like that, it clashes with the black and white view of angels and demons, good and bad that the author portrays in this story. 

To me the view of Angels and Demons in this story was kept very simple. Both the Angels as the Demons portray very human characteristics. In fact, both Julian as Serena live among humans and Serena even owns a yoga studio. It feels weird and unlike what we know of them in the first place. It also made me wonder how it works, because if everyone upon death either becomes a demon or an angel… where do they put everyone. Doesn’t the world get crowded?

While Where Demons Fear to Tread is not essentially a bad one, you have to like it to love it. It left me mostly feeling annoyed with a need to kick Serena hard and thump Nick on the head and tell him to: grow up. Julian is deliciously evil, just the right amount of evil to still keep him likable. 

So if you love a sweet romance between an Angel and a Demon, than this is the book for you! 

Review: The Hour of Dust and Ashes - Kelly Gay

Series: Charlie Madigan #3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 324
Published: August 2011
Publisher: Pocket
Source: My own

To save her sister, she must stop a silent killer. . . .

Protecting Atlanta from the off-world criminals of Underground is tough enough, but now Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner, Hank, learn that the addicts of the offworld drug ash have begun taking their own lives. Ash makes humans the perfect vessels for possession, and something or someone is leading them to their deaths. Charlie is desperate to save her addicted sister, Bryn, from a similar fate. As New Year’s Eve approaches and time runs out, Charlie makes a deadly bargain with an ancient race of beings and embarks on a dangerous journey into hellish Charbydon with Hank and the Revenant Rex to save Bryn and make it back before it’s too late. Only, for one of them, coming home means facing a fate worse than death. . . .

My thoughts:

Omg, yes I have to start with a omg. This book has a nice little ending where the problems of the book are solved, but, the but is a big one. Then there is that one lose thread, that cliffhanger that makes me say that Kelly Gay is one evil woman, and please can I have book 4 now.

Atlanta is now covered in darkness after the events in book 2. Charlie is back and doing her job. Kick-ass as always,a  fiercely protective mother, and just nice. I like how she handled Rex, oh by the way, I am totally falling for Rex. I hope he stays just like that. A sweet guy. And now many would handle it like she did, when a spirit tookover her dead ex-husbands body.

Ok to the action, non stop, they are dealing with suicides (ash users), and since Bryn, Charlie's sister is on ash then she has to be guarded. Someone is pulling strings but who? She will also do something big to save her sister, and even go to hell. I must say I liked Charbydon, it sounds so scary and cool. But then that is "hell" should be like. So a lot of dangerous situations, monsters and that hint of romance. Yes I did not forget about that. Hank, her partner and Charlie has been sniffing around each other for a while now, and they still are. But the tensions are there and I just wish they do it already ;) But then he is just too good looking and can make a woman melt with the sound of his siren voice. I do get why she takes it slow. Oh Hank, damn, I am falling.

Then I am back at the end. I can't say anything but I want book 4 now because, because...well I can just say you would want it too. That book is going to be hell of a ride and I am pretty scared now what Kelly Gay will think of.

Conclusion:

A good book that had me reading and yes we all know what I thought about the end. I will need to buy that book at once when it comes out.

Rating:

Good

Cover:

Cool

Review: After Eden - Katherine Pine

Series: Fallen Angels 1

Genre: Paranormal romance YA

Pages:

Published: April 2011

Source: For review

Review by Lis

Devi knows she shouldn't trust the new employee at her favorite used bookstore. Sure, he's funny, smart and hands down the sexiest guy she's ever met, but something dark lurks behind his unassuming smile and sinful green eyes.

Still, a girl can't always afford to be picky. When an angel abducts your twin brother it should come as no surprise that the one person who can help you get him back is a demon--and only if you're willing to pay his price.

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Grrrrrr! That’s what I thought for most of this book. That and I wanted to shake some sense into the main character Devi. Girl, grow a pair! As you all know, characters sometimes are just like real people to me and I like my characters strong or written in such a way that their behavior is believable. Well, this story just left me a little annoyed after reading it and thinking of Bella from Twilight. While this story was most definitely not my cup of tea, it might just be what you are looking for. Curious about my ranting yet?

After Eden is the story of Devi, which starts the day she walks into a used bookstore. While there she gets a seizure but is rescued by the very handsome, but very mysterious new owner: Oz. So long has he touches her, she’s seizure free. Of course, this is the perfect opportunity to ask someone out, which Oz does. Okay, well, they go to dinner and Oz walks Devi home.

That’s actually where the real story starts, ‘cause once home the demon Forneus pops in to kidnap her and take her to the Prince of Hell. Well, that’s certainly some home coming. Luckily for Devi, there’s Oz. Did I mention that Oz is an Angel? No? Well… there ya go!

Can you feel the other shoe falling yet? Uhuh. Angels and demons. A very popular theme in young adult stories these days. There certainly are some interesting views on heaven and hell, angels and demons and devils in this story. You sure have to like this theme to love it. Personally I have no problem with demons, but angels and heaven/religion are subjects I rather not always touch in story. Especially with a whiny character that leans on a man too much.

After Eden is very much a character-driven story. There are looooooooooooooooooooong conversations in this story and that pushes the action to the background a bit. Have I mentioned I’m an impatient woman? While some of these conversations where most definitely needed, some were too long and overdrawn, jumping from one topic to the other.

To me this story would have benefitted from a good editor, because my other issue is: originally I thought this would be about Devi who searched for her missing brother. While the theme/topic is certainly around, it gets lost in the story sometimes. After Eden focuses on too many things, which makes this a complicated read. There is no real balance between the world building and the plot.

After Eden is certainly not a bad read and there are some who will really like this book. It would have been nice to see Devi grow a little in the story and maybe finding a backbone along the way and Oz being a little less overprotective. But if you like Angels and Demons, with some sweet characters than this book is for you!

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