Tag Archives: Romance

Kindle, Goodreads, Steam Punk, Paranormal Romance

Soulless by Gail Carriger

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This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series The Parasol Protectorate

Book Review:  1 Treasure Box
The Parasol Protectorate, #1
Publisher: Orbit; Original edition (October 1, 2009), Format: Kindle Edition, File Size: 466 KB, Print Length: 384 pages, ASIN: B002NPCJ3G

Imagine living in Victorian England with vampires and werewolves but with just a touch you could counteract their supernatural abilites. Alexia, a high-born lady has just these capabilities.  She is a strong willed spinster of twenty-five but not considered very pretty due to her Italian heritage.  She becomes involved in a mystery. Why are rogue vampires and werewolves disappearing? Why was she attacked by a newly made rogue vampire?

Soulless is the first of a projected five books in The Parasol Protectorate series. This series takes place in a world equivalent to ours in Victorian England, but humans live harmoniously with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and preternaturals.  The fifth and final book is expected to be released March 2012. This is a steampunk paranormal romance novel by Gail Carriger, (which is the pen name of Tofa Borregaard) and it is the first book she wrote. The story is told in a third person narrative with the voice and thoughts of Alexia Tarabotti, a woman without a soul, who is the main protagonist.

This book is fun to read, I really like the main protagonist and I like that it takes place in the early 1900s and that Alexis is a refined lady, even if she has no soul.  Although this is a vampire book, I find that the concept is original, although the book is a bit silly, especially some of the dialogue. This book sets up the stage for this series and introduces the characters and concepts within this world.  There is a love connection that gets pretty steamy as well.

This is a standalone book that introduces a mystery and then works through the book resolving the problem. I am not sure if I will read the next book in the series or not, but since this was Ms. Carriger’s first book, there is a good chance that the series will improve and not be quite so silly.

Question to ponder: Did you feel it was silly at times?
To Purchase: “Soulless” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

 

Book Review, 3 Treasure Boxes, Contemporary Fantasy, Public Library, Goodreads

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

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This entry is part 6 of 6 in the series Mercedes Thompson Series

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
The Mercedes Thompson Series, Book 6
Publisher: Penguin Audiobooks (March 1, 2011), Listening Length: 8 hour(s) and 54 min.(304 pages), ASIN: B004QDXJRS
The Mercedes Thompson Series, Book 6

After Mercy and Adam’s wedding, while they are on their honeymoon, they discover a river demon who is killing people. Stefen and his menagerie are in bad shape and still recovering from the injustice they received from Marsilia in Bone Crossed.

River Marked is the sixth book in The Mercedes Thompson Series and book seven is scheduled to be released in spring of 2013.  The series revolves around Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson, a Native American shapeshifter who can assume the body of a coyote. She is a strong, independent woman who makes her living as a mechanic. Patricia Brigg has written several other series which fall into Paranormal Romance, High Fantasy, and Fantasy as well as numerous short stories. This series is considered Urban Fantasy or Contemporary Fantasy. The books are told in a first person narrative with Mercy’s voice and thoughts as she lives her life.

I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be interesting and fascinating from the first page right to the last page. There was a Native American flavour to the book with the introduction of the First People spirits, which I thought added to the story. We learn more of Mercy’s history. There was plenty of action and suspense as the story built up to a great conclusion.

I recommend this book and I feel the Mercedes Thompson Series is one of the better contemporary fantasy series available. I am looking forward to the release of book seven sometime next year.  If you enjoy books with werewolves, shapeshifters, fae, vampires and witches then you will enjoy this book.

 

To buy: “River Marked” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

 

Crime novel, Book Review, 2 Treasure Boxes, Suspence, Mobipocket, Goodreads

Seduction in Death by J. D. Robb

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This entry is part 15 of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 15
Publisher: Berkley (September 1, 2001), Format: Kindle Edition, File Size: 597 KB, Print Length: 368 pages, ASIN: B000OCXJOS

Eve is always dealing with the terrible abuse she experienced as a child. So when she comes face to face with a maniacal murder who is killing women by feeding them the rape drugs known as Rabbit and Whore, Eve once again needs to deal with what was done to her as a child while at the same time finding and stopping the murders.

Seduction in Death is the fifteenth instalment of the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series, with two more expected to be released later in 2011.  It falls into the crime drama, suspense and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s personal relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

Seduction in Death grabs our attention from the first page and keeps us engaged as the story builds up to the final exciting conclusion. The personal interactions between Peabody and McNabb are fun to read and as usual there are a few hot sex scenes between Eve and Roake. It was interesting how Eve tracked down the killer and I liked the slight twist at the end of the book, when we thought the killer might get away.

I recommend this book, it is a good, fun read.  If you have enjoyed the other In Death books, then be sure to read Seduction In Death.  If you haven’t yet read any of these books, then I recommend you start from the beginning and work your way through.


To Purchase: “Seduction in Death” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

2 Treasure Boxes, Mobipocket, Goodreads, Crime novel

Betrayal in Death by J. D. Robb

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This entry is part 13 of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 13
Publisher: The Penguin Publishing Group (Electronic Edition: August 2001), EBook: 593 KB, Language: English, ISBN:0-7865-0117-0

Why would a vicious and expensive hired killer, want to murder a simple chamber maid? Eve and her team are going to find out. Meanwhile, Eve must support her sexy husband Roake while he is handling a big charity auction for a celebrity. Add into the mix, Mick Connelly, a friend from Roake’s childhood and you have an interesting story. This is a good futuristic suspense novel featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas.  She is a tough, smart, likeable homicide detective. In each book she solves a crime and finds the killer. The book also encompasses her entire life including her personal relationships.

Betrayal in Death is the thirteenth book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series, with 2 more expected to be released later in 2011. I have read most of these books and found them all to be enjoyable and well written. This book falls into both the crime drama and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

The story introduces the murderer and then slowly unravels what is driving him. I thought the description of the FBI agents actions and agenda was interesting. I like how all the pieces of the tale fell together, with the convergence of the murders with the robbery.  We learn a bit more about Roake’s past and motivations with the introduction of his boyhood friend. The story built up to an exciting, although not totally satisfying ending. I found it impossible to guess who was behind the murders until it was revealed.  I always enjoy reading the personal dynamics between Peabody and McNab as well as Eve and Roake.

This is a standalone book but I am sure that if you read it you would be quickly reading the other books in the series, but the books should be read in order. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about strong female lead characters and enjoys a suspensful crime drama. The story is well written and enjoyable. I also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about a bit of romance since there is a fair bit of this as well as some hot sex scenes between Eve and Roake.

My Favourite quote from the book: “ Yeah, I can see how your mother’s to blame for all this.”

Questions to ponder:

Did anyone else find the ending unsatisfying?

Who is your favourite character in the In-Death series?

To Purchase: “Betrayal in Death” in from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Book Review, 2 Treasure Boxes, Suspence, Mobipocket, Goodreads

Witness in Death by J. D. Robb

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This entry is part 11 of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review:  2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 11
Publisher: The Penguin Publishing Group (Electronic Edition: October 2003), EBook: 551 KB, Language: English,  ISBN-0-9865-7134-3

This is a good futuristic suspense novel featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas. She is a tough, smart, likeable homicide detective. In each book she solves a crime and finds the killer. The book also encompasses her entire life including her personal relationships. While Eve is at the play called Witness for the Prosecution, put on by one of Roake’s companies, the main character is literally killed on stage during the scene when he should be stabbed with a retractable knife.  But in this case the knife did not retract; now it is up to Eve to discover who caused this gruesome death.

Witness in Death is the eleventh book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series. I have read most of these books and found them all to be enjoyable and well written. This book falls into both the suspense and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, a dedicated and talented homicide detective, and the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

The Banter between Eve and Roake is fun to read. I also like Eve’s self-talk. Eve is tough, smart and focused yet she also is tender-hearted, especially in how she deals with women who have been abused. Her past affects her and is brought into the front of her mind whenever her current case triggers it. In this book, the discovered incest between the victim and his daughter is a sure trigger and Eve’s reaction is heart-wrenching. It is really sweet when she turns to Roake and he knows just how to help and comfort her. The story builds well and it has a few twists along the way. It is interesting to read the final conclusion and find out who really killed the bastard.

This is a standalone book but I am sure that if you read it you would be quickly reading the other books in the series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about strong female lead characters and enjoys a suspense story. The story is well written and enjoyable. I also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about a bit of romance since there is a fair bit of this as well as some hot sex scenes between Eve and Roake.

To Purchase: “Witness in Death” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Goodreads, 4 Treasure Boxes, Historical Fiction, Romance

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

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This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Outlander

Book Review: 4 Treasure Boxes
Third Book in the Outlander Series
Publisher: Dell; First Edition edition (October 1, 1994), Paperback: 1072 pages, ISBN-10: 0440217563, ISBN-13: 978-0440217565


I loved this book, it is truly a romantic tale. Since it was revealed at the end of the last book that Jamie could still be alive in the past, the beginning of the book  goes back and forth between the present and the past showing what both Claire and Jamie are up to.  Claire has a hard decision to make, leave her daughter and attempt to find Jamie or stay with Brianna.

There are currently seven books in the Outlander series and book eight is expected early in 2013. These books are all considerate historical fiction, but they also include plenty of romance.  The story is told in a first person narrative by the main protagonist, a English woman, Clare, who has time traveled in Scotland to just over 200 years into the past.

Needless to say, she decides to attempt to go back and find Jamie and due to research she is fairly certain where to find him.  It is a very brave thing for her to do since it has been 22 years since she last saw him and anything could have happened in that time. It is really touching the nervousness she has when they first meet again.  I could really relate to Claire’s insecurities surrounding this event.

There are many touching scenes between the two as well as some sexy ones as well.  The story moves around over the globe covering many advertures by the couple and with trouble following Jamie around it leaves room for lots of excitement. We learn more about how the stones work and there is some interesting parts concerning mystism.  Claire is also a doctor now which makes her ability to help people in the past even greater than in the first book.

The ending is quite thrilling with an interesting twist that leaves you wanting more.

To Purchase: “Voyager” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Historical Fiction, Romance, Goodreads, 3 Treasure Boxes

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

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This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Outlander

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
Second Book in the Outlander Series
Publisher: Dell; First Edition edition (November 2, 1993), Paperback: 976 pages, ISBN-10: 0440215625, ISBN-13: 978-0440215622


An enjoyable story with some interesting twists.  Twenty-two years have passed in Claire’s life after the end of the first book but it takes place in 1968 and introduces 2 new characters, one of them being Claire and Jamie’s daughter Brianna.

There are currently seven books in the Outlander series and book eight is expected early in 2013. These books are all considerate historical fiction, but they also include plenty of romance.  The majority of the story is told in a first person narrative by the main protagonist, a English woman, Clare, who has time traveled in Scotland to just over 200 years into the past. At times it moves into a third person narrative for the other main characters including Jamie, Claire’s husband, Brianna, Claire’s daughter and Roger, Brianna’s love interest.

The book moves back and forth through time with a flash back to 1743 where Claire explains to Brianna how she came to be in the present and the truth of her heritage. There is a fair amount of reference to historical events and how our characters relate to what is happening, considering that Claire already knows what the outcome will be.

There is lots of action and plenty of sexy parts between Claire and Jamie. There are also some very endearing and heart-rendering parts in the book as well. The ending is quite startling and leaves room for the story to continue.

To Purchase: “Dragonfly in Amber” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

4 Treasure Boxes, Historical Fiction, Romance, Goodreads

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

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This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Outlander

Book Review: 4 stars
First Book in the Outlander Series
Publisher: Dell; X edition (June 2, 1992), Paperback: 850 pages, ISBN-10: 0440212561, ISBN-13: 978-0440212560


I loved this book and have read it several times.  I thought the writing was interesting, and it had an interesting twist taking place in both modern (albeit not too modern as it was more like mid-1940s) and past (1743) times. I really liked the characters, it was a wonderful romance with some pretty sexy scenes. The book was also full of lots of action and intense thrilling parts.

There are currently seven books in the Outlander series and book eight is expected early in 2013. These books are all considerate historical fiction, but they also include plenty of romance.  The story is told in a first person narrative by the main protagonist, a English woman, Clare, who has time traveled in Scotland to just over 200 years into the past.

The main protagonist is Claire a nurse who worked in the army as a nurse during the second world war, it starts out just after the war with Claire and her husband in Scotland on a holiday where they are trying to re-acquaint themselves with each other after being separated by the war.   The other main protagonist is Jamie a sexy, manly Scotsman who lives in 1743 Scotland.  Claire somehow ends up in 1743 Scotland after being mysteriously transplanted by the stones at Craigh na Dun.

The story follows Claire’s adjustment to living 200 years in the past and there are plenty of antagonists in the book to keep the story flowing. It was interesting to see Claire adapting her modern knowledge of healing to what was available to her in 1743.  I really enjoyed the book and the book had a great ending.

To Purchase: “Outlander” from Amazon, click here or on picture above