Review: 29

29 by Nancy Pennick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I was absolutely blown away by this book! I'm so glad I took a chance on a vague description and dove into the wonderful world of the 29. I literally just finished the book and had to immediately record my review. Why haven't more people read this book? It was like the magically perfect blend of high school teen angst, sci-fi, and romance. If any of those things appeal to you, pick this book up now!

Allie is a high schooler with a crush. She's been trying out this independent woman gig after breaking up with her cheating ex but the mysterious lure of a boy in her class keeps drawing her attention. After dedicating her after school time to essentially stalking this boy until she found out more, it all pays off in a rather sudden and extremely rewarding way. In the blink of an eye, Allie and Lucas (the mystery boy) are a couple. I guess that's pretty typical in high school, but it was just as shocking and happy to me as I'm sure it was to Allie. Unfortunately, things aren't all unicorns and rainbows. Lucas has secrets and while he appears to get a grip on the hot/cold personality he wears, it's very clear that there is something he's holding back.

Allie, on the other hand, is pretty much an open book. She's got a loving family but her brother's are significantly older than her. On brother in particular, Doug, ends up becoming aggressive in his questioning of Allie soon after she and Lucas begin dating, raising all sorts of red flags. I don't want to spoil any of the twists and turns that this book delivers, but there is definitely oodles of conflict in Allie's future. She is forced to choose between her family, her friends, and the love of her life. I don't envy her the very tough choices she's forced to make in the course of this book.

Another highlight, other than the completely addictive mystery and action, was the wonderfully written characters. Allie's friends play as much a role in the story as she does and they were so much fun. I am *thrilled* to see that there are more books in this series, because there is no way that I can let this world go. If the first book in a series can knock my socks off, where can they go now that all the introduction is finished? I can't wait!

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Review: Steele City Blues

Steele City Blues by Karen Greco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was just bursting with action, mayhem, betrayal, and a teeny bit of romance. I would not recommend reading this book if you haven't read the ones previous. You'll be a little lost because this definitely continues right where we left off.

So - we are exactly where we left everything last time. Dr. O is in prison. Nina's mom is still evil and on the loose. Max is still a broody berserker. And Nina and Frankie still have some seriously unresolved sexual tension. To top all of this off, Nina's mysterious and powerful grandfather turns up on her doorstep with ideas of training her as a witch. Everything sort of meanders its way to a few final battles here. I was worried about halfway through about things getting wrapped up in a decent way, but have no fear!

We get Nina's mother issues worked through, even though that looked a little touch and go for a while. The way we go about getting that resolution was a little less than optimal, but, hey, that's Blood Ops for you. Dr. O and the prison storyline also gets tidied up nicely. We meet some new characters in the form of border crossing werewolves. We also, sadly, get some bureaucratic nonsense from a new lead for Blood Ops. Who knew things could get more crappy than having your leader arrested? All of this bundles together in a messy and gritty look at Nina's insane life. I really hope she follows through on that vacation.

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Review: Any Way You Want It

Any Way You Want It by Kathy Love
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm in love with this series. Sure, it had some formulaic elements to it and had a somewhat stereotypical self-sacrificing main character, but there's a reason those things are popular. I will easily forgive those "sins" for the really fun read that I had here.

Maggie is trying to get over her ex with a wild and crazy trip to New Orleans. The first guy she meets, though, ends up being more than she bargained for. Was it her wish to the famous voodoo queen that threw their lives together? Who knows! Either way, Maggie's work researching and authenticating music directly intersects with the performer on stage, seemingly performing an unknown piece of work from way too long ago. The rock star and the shy tourist end up dancing around one another while her friends try to push her to take the plunge into one-night-stand territory.

The rock star, Ren, is also pretty smitten with the shy tourist. They give the one-night-stand thing a try, but it's pretty clear that they are addicted to one another. Their romance is filled with secrets, supernatural, and (of course) sizzle. What begins simply enough ends up becoming a life-changing ordeal for them both. You get a nice HEA at the end here and I'd be interested if any other characters we meet get their own love story afterwards. I'm surprised this book doesn't have more reviews - it was great!

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Review: Winged Sex

Winged Sex by Lora Leigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dirty, dirty, dirty (in a good way). This was a super quick read that showed the shapeshiftery coupling of an eagle shifter (Keegan) and Nikki. I'm not quite sure what the background is or who they are individually, but this scene is HOT.


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Review: Winter Born

Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow - going back into the Dark-Hunter universe is just plain fun! Seeing Ash again made me giddy with excitement and watching the gentle nudges he gives this outcome was just... wonderful.

Pandora has escaped her captors and is on the run. Her sister, who is also one of the kidnapped werepanthers, helped her get away and told her to find Acheron. Acheron, of course, is at Dragon-con this particular weekend. This leads to a very fun backdrop for this story. Dante, it seems, has also been drawn into Ash's plan here. He and his family show up to find the scent of a werepanther in heat. Dante is completely committed to never getting mated, so he is determined to ignore the scent... until he finds himself at her door.

Though they are both reluctant to hook up, they somehow end up in bed. These two are just stubborn enough to be a perfect match (obviously, Ash doesn't make mistakes...much). There's sizzle, action, and a nice HEA for everyone. If you're missing the gang, this story will definitely put a smile on your face.

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Review: Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read any of the series in which this short story takes place, but I found myself sucked in anyway. Usually something with future elements and things like "transports" would immediately turn me off, but this story was well written and engaging.

Adron is a grumpy and crippled ex-league assassin who simply wants to drink the night away in a crappy bar. Livia is a princess of some other culture that keeps their women separate from the males of the species, pairing them off for arranged marriages (in this case, a significantly older man). In an attempt to escape her arrangement, she is determined to make herself less prized by giving herself to the first guy that seems suitable. That person, of course, ends up being Adron.

Even though Adron has a pretty rough exterior, it's clear that he still cares. One night with an incredibly attractive woman isn't exactly a hardship to him. It does, however, change his life. Through a series of surprising events, these two end up bonded for life and it is certainly not an easy life (especially fir Livia).

This story managed to jam a lifetime of experience and stories into a very quick timeline. Livia and Adron were a wonderful romance to read about and it almost convinced me to read the series. I'll think about it, but I'd rather just be happy with the small glimpse this story gave me. Oh, and don't worry, there is a solid HEA.

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Review: Stunner

Stunner by Trina M. Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very short and quick read, set in and introducing us to the world of Alexa O'Brien. She's clearly a gifted girl - she's a werewolf who can manipulate energy like the vampires of this world. Her emotions are all over the place, being drawn to the alpha of her pack but knowing it's not right, fighting with a vampire but feeling a bit like a scaredy cat. All of these things end up bubbling up while she decompresses back at the pack house.

The story did it's job - I'll check out the series to see if I enjoy a full length story about Alexa and her exploits.

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