Buddy Review: Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett

First buddy review of the year! Yay! Hopefully, Ames and I will keep up with our consistency in 2014 and find books we both want to read and review :) Of course, if a book in our New Releases posts catch your eye and you'd like to discuss it, feel free to contact us for a buddy review!

In the meantime, find out what we thought of Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett :)

Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett
published by Berkley

It’s the roaring twenties, and San Francisco is a hotbed of illegal boozing, raw lust, and black magic. The fog-covered Bay Area can be an intoxicating scene, particularly when you specialize in spirits…

Aida Palmer performs a spirit medium show onstage at Chinatown’s illustrious Gris-Gris speakeasy. However, her ability to summon (and expel) the dead is more than just an act.

Winter Magnusson is a notorious bootlegger who’s more comfortable with guns than ghosts—unfortunately for him, he’s the recent target of a malevolent hex that renders him a magnet for hauntings. After Aida’s supernatural assistance is enlisted to banish the ghosts, her spirit-chilled aura heats up as the charming bootlegger casts a different sort of spell on her...

On the hunt for the curseworker responsible for the hex, Aida and Winter become drunk on passion. And the closer they become, the more they realize they have ghosts of their own to exorcise…

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Roaring Twenties, Book #1¸

Ames: This book wasn’t on my radar until you mentioned it in the January New Releases post. I didn’t really have any expectations, just wanting to read outside the box, but I don’t really care for ghosts. This book didn’t really change that opinion of mine. LOL

Nath: LOL. Quite frankly, Bitter Spirits was on my radar because of the time periods - the 1920s - which I found unusual :) As for the ghosts, I thought they would be a nice bonus, but they turned out to be a very small part of the story. At least, Ms Bennett delivered on the time period and atmosphere! :)

Ames: I liked the time period too. But it confused me a little. There were some words and phrases that were used that I’m not sure were from that time period or if the author was just using them out of context. So of course I’m pulled out of the story enough to go research things to see if they were even in existence. They were in the end but I think the language was a bit too modern for my taste.

I agree that the author delivered on the time period and the atmosphere. But the romance was meh for me.

Nath: See, for me because Bitter Spirits was a mix of historical and paranormal, it gave it leeway in the accuracy department… Also the fact that I rarely pay attention to those details unless they’re in-you-face obvious ^_^;

Yeah, unfortunately, the romance and even the mystery didn’t measure up to expectations. It’s unfortunate because both started off so strong. I really loved the beginning because of the obvious attraction between Winter and Aida. I think the time period gave them more freedom, obviousness, knowledge. Aida wasn’t the ignorant, virginal heroine that is so common in regency historical and Winter was more bold. The problem though is that both the romance and mystery were dragged on sooooo long :(

Ames: I’m usually oblivious to historical details, but these were a bit jarring for me so that’s the only reason why I noticed them.

I thought the beginning was good. It set up a problem and some very interesting characters. I like how Aida saw Winter in a very vulnerable state and set up their attraction from the get go. But the rest of the book didn’t follow through on the promise. Which was unfortunate. I thought the setting was a great choice and I like that there were Chinese characters as well. But the mystery kind of got lost in the story and the characters fell for each other too quickly for it to be believable. Then their miscommunications just got on my nerves. Which again, unfortunate because I did like Aida and Winter.

Nath: Nod nod, I’m with you. I think the problem was the pacing of the story or the fact that the romance and mystery were too separate. The story would focus on the romance for a bit and then, the mystery and back to the romance and so forth instead of the two threads being entwined. Actually, at one point, the mystery totally took the backseat and was almost forgotten. What was forgotten was also the paranormal elements. While Ms Bennett was so focused about the romance, there were no reference to ghosts… and being a medium, I would think that Aida would have a lot more contacts with them.

I did enjoy the secondary characters though. They were fun and interesting. How much do you bet that Winter’s sister and Bo are getting their own book?

Ames: LOL They’ll probably get a book. But I just don’t think Bennett’s writing is for me.

I also thought Aida’s misgivings about having a relationship with Winter were a bit weak. I liked that she was willing to have an affair with him without having to get married. That was refreshing.

Nath: I think it has to do with the time period :)

So does that mean you won’t be picking up the next book?

Ames: That’s exactly what it means.

So overall, Bitter Spirits showed some potential at the beginning but then it kind of went flat for me. I’m giving this one a C.

Nath: Hmmmm. I agree with your overall assessment. Bitter Spirits was really promising in the beginning, but unfortunately, it didn’t follow up on it. I was expecting Bitter Spirits to be a bit more about the paranormal aspect, but in the end, the focus was about the romance… and despite some good banter and interesting interactions, I’m not sure I bought the romance between Aida and Winter ^_^; It’s going to be a C+ from me.

Buddy Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Wait For You by J. Lynn
Self-published in February 2013

Some things are worth waiting for...

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing...

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet...

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Genre:  New Adult
Series:  Wait For You #1

The story: Avery Morgansten is attending college thousands of miles away from home to escape what happened to her five years ago. She wants to be as far away from home and the memories that come with it. She wants to move on with her life. But things don’t always happen the way that you want them to. She hasn’t gotten over what happened to her and meeting the charming and super sexy Cam Hamilton doesn’t change that.

When Cam comes into her life, Avery is thrown because she wasn’t planning on diving into a relationship. She’s a mess but when Cam refuses to go away, she decides to enjoy it but when her problem from back home doesn’t go away, Avery’s world comes crashing down and threatens the new life she’s building.

Rowena: So, I loved this book. What did you think?

Ames: I thought this book was ok. I did not connect with Avery and the only saving grace to me was Cam and his infinite patience and understanding. I thought that although Avery's character did grow, it was too little too late for me.

Rowena: I guess where Avery is concerned, I was much more interested in finding out what the heck happened five years ago on Halloween night and knew that it had to have been pretty big because Avery was a complete mess in this story. I wanted to know about the big bracelet that she never takes off. I wanted to know where the hell her parents were and why they weren’t more supportive of her. I wanted to know why she was acting the way that she was acting so while I did have my frustrations with her characters, I didn’t let them get to me. I wanted to understand so I let her slide with a bunch of stuff but like you, she frustrated the hell out of me sometimes.

Cam was an amazing addition to this story. He was one of those guys that makes people sit up and take notice. His charm and his personality shines through in everything that he does and he’s not a dick. He’s a college guy that acts like a college guy but he’s also a nice guy. I loved the way that he was with Avery. How patient he was and the way that he was always there for her. I want my own Cam!

Ames: I guessed what happened to Avery early on in the story, even what was under that bracelet. And omg I hated her parents!! And her cousin. Like how horrible were they? Sheesh. My frustration with Avery's character was that she wasn't a fighter about her situation. If she had said a big eff you to everyone after what happened, that would have made me like her better. Even going away for college, that would have been a perfect jumping off point for her to reclaim herself. But she was too battered to use that chance to start over until too late in the story. And hello! Colleges have student services to help with stuff like what she went through.

I want my own Cam too. He really was the perfect guy.

Rowena: I hear you about the whole Avery thing. It did get annoying some times and I did wish that she fought a little more for herself and everything so I get you. I hated her parents too. Even her Dad. We see her Dad come around in the end but for me, that was too little, too late. She went through the wringer for a long time and he just sat by, letting it all happen. Letting her go through all of that alone. He was the adult in that situation and he didn’t speak up for her when she needed him to? We’re supposed to forgive all of that because he came outside and gave her that fake, too late apology (did he even apologize? I can’t remember)...ugh.

I think she was ignorant about everything. She lived through it all by herself and she was scared because of the NDA she signed. She probably thought she was going to get into serious trouble if she said anything to anyone so she dealt with it all by herself. I mean, if you think about it...she refused to fill Cam in on anything until she just about lost him.

But damn, that Cam. Loved him. There wasn’t any part of him that I didn’t like. Well, when he finally lets Avery have it for shutting him out at every turn, my first thought was FINALLY! I thought it took him far too long to get to that point. I was already hoping for that explosion for 100 pages before it finally happened. Alright, I gotta know…who’s book are you looking forward to more, Jase and Teresa or Brit’s?

Ames: You know what I liked about Cam? His pet turtle. LOL And how much he cared about his younger sister. *swoon*

I get what Avery was going through, and she was only 14 when everything went down and so that's 4 years of being in that mind-set, I just wanted to see a bit more fight from her. I do realize because all the people in her life who should have cared about her turned their backs on her almost made it hard for her to open up again. It just bugged me. I just recently read a book too where the heroine had something similar happen to her when she was 16 and she used that opportunity to turn her whole life around. That's something I wanted from Avery. Ah well. Wait for You was well written though. As much as Avery annoyed me, I kept reading because I did want to see her open her eyes and see who was standing in front of her. And I wanted to read more of Cam.

I want to see more from Jase and Brit. I liked Avery and Cam's friends.

Rowena: I loved the way Cam was with his family and the way he was with his friends. And I loved his turtle too. And that he got Avery one too. You know, Cam was almost too perfect and sometimes for me, that could be a problem but I thought J. Lynn did a fabulous job of making us fall in love with Cam without making him too good to go be true (even though he probably is but I don’t care, I love him!). He was an interesting character and a swoonworthy love interest. One of my favorites, scratch that, my favorite love interest of the summer so far.

I was kind of hoping that Jase’s story would be with Brit but I’m curious to find out what happens between him and Cam’s sister, Teresa. Should be an interesting story. Will you be interested in continuing this series?

Who do you think Brit is going to end up with? Someone new or...Ollie?

Ames: I think Ollie is too goofy to be paired up with Brit. But I think Jase and Teresa could be interesting.

All right, because Avery was such a downer, I have to give Wait For You a C. It was just ok overall for me. What about you?

Rowena: I want to see Ollie grow up and I think him being paired with Brit would be good…for him. =) I’m looking forward to reading Jase and Teresa’s story. Like I’m anxious to read it. I really adored this story and came to like Avery and for that, I’m giving this an A.

For July, Rowena and I will be reading the Hot Summer Nights anthology.

Buddy Review: Slashback by Rob Thurman

Buddy reviewing the newest Cal Leandros book with Leslie and/or Hilcia has become a yearly tradition - one that I wouldn't want to break :) So here we go for 2013, our thoughts about the 8th book!





Slashback by Rob Thurman
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2013

I stopped and let them circle me, first because it was intriguing and, second, because, honestly, what could they do? Only knives, but all armed, and that made them even more interesting. Interesting. Fun.

Playtime…

Taking on bloodthirsty supernatural monsters is how Caliban and Niko Leandros make a living. But years ago—before they became a force to be reckoned with—the brothers were almost victims of a very human serial killer.

Almost.

Unfortunately for them, that particular depraved killer was working as apprentice to a creature far more malevolent—the legendary Spring-heeled Jack. He’s just hit town. He hasn’t forgotten what the Leandros brothers did to his murderous protégé. He hasn’t forgotten what they owe him.

And now they are going to pay… and pay… and pay...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, Book #8

The Story: The blurb has it pretty accurately. There's a new serial killer in New York City - a supernatural one. While it's their job to investigate such case, Cal has no intention of taking this one for multiple reasons: a) they're not getting paid for it and b) they have to focus on Grimm. However, when it becomes apparent that this religious zealot has beef with the Leandros brothers, they don't have much choice than to step in. But this one won't be as easy as they realize as it brings up memories both would prefer remain undisturbed. And as usual, their good friend Robyn Goodfellow is there to give them a hand.


Nath: Wow ladies! Can’t believe that Slashback is already the 8th book in the Cal Leandros series! Whew, time flies! So what did you think of Slashback? Is it still refreshing or becoming too familiar? :)

Leslie: You ladies know this is one of my favorite series - I simply love how Thurman writes the male perspective. I liked Slashback but didn’t love. It felt like it moved slower than the usual pace of the series. And there didn’t seem to be as many fight scenes either. I love the fight scenes! I don’t think the series is at the point where it’s become too familiar. The characters are familiar but not stagnant or boring. I feel Thurman still has more to explore with the Leandros brothers.

The flashbacks. I’m not a big fan of flashbacks and generally try to avoid them. This time I was surprised at how well they worked for me. The plot allowed for a nearly seamless back and forth flow from present day to twelve years prior. I usually find the transitions jarring but not this time. I see the flashbacks as tools to develop the current storyline which they did here. But I also simply enjoyed reading about the young brothers and could see reading maybe a novella about young Cal and Niko - Leandros Brothers: The Early Years. lol

Alternating POV - so happy we get both Cal and Niko’s POV. Niko is such an integral part of Cal, he wouldn’t be Cal without Niko, so the story feels more complete when part is told in Niko’s voice.

Hilcia: I can't believe Slashback is the eighth book of this series and the three of us are still enjoying it. In this particular installment I love that Thurman went back to using both Niko and Cal as narrators again. That was refreshing, particularly Niko's strong and rather sweet voice. Yes, sweet, because his love for Cal comes through the pages and I loved young Niko’s voice.

Leslie, I feel the same way about flashbacks, and in this instance they also worked for me. The flow was excellent between timelines and Thurman tied up the two storylines beautifully. However, I disagree about the pacing. Slashback wasn’t a slow read for me at all! Even with the lack of the usual nonstop action, I read it in two sittings. Yet, this is not one of my favorite books of the series either.

I’m finding that although I still love the characters and there are a few surprises in this book, there is also a certain repetitiveness to the overall story arc. I had a distinct sense of deja vu while reading the story. What about you Nath, what do you think?

Nath: LOL, it’s really no wonder us three get along so well when we have such similar tastes in books and writing styles!! So no surprise, I’m not a fan of flashbacks either, but in this case, they worked for me because they were really integral to the main storyline, actually complemented it. It wasn’t just random scenes, but a whole story in itself and that kept me reading. And of course, add the fact that it was told in Niko’s POV and that was a must-read. I have to say though, I particularly enjoyed these flashbacks because it gave us another look at Cal and Niko’s brotherhood. Yes, we’ve been told they were close since they were young, but here, we were shown :) By the way, I have to say Ms Thurman did such a great job at inserting some surprises in these flashbacks!! And as you both said, the flow between the present and the flashbacks was done flawlessly.

As for the pacing, I’m torn between you guys. On one hand, I know what Leslie means by the lack of fighting and as such, I feel the action wasn’t as good as previous books. However, like Hilcia, I don’t feel Slashback was a slow read. Trust me, I’ve slugged through the first couple of books of this series and I still remember how slow it was LOL. I think the problem here is as much as we enjoyed the flashbacks, they did overshadow the main storyline. Furthermore, because Ms Thurman had to compose with two storylines going on at the same time, she had less pages to develop Cal and Niko’s current case and therefore, had to cut back on the action ^_^; So for me, my issue with Slashback is that the intrigue/mystery part wasn’t as strong as I’d hope.

And you know, Hils, regarding your sense of deja vu... Well I think it was Cal’s monologue again, how he’s dealing with the human and monster sides in him. Can’t be the case because it wasn’t about the Auphe, which by the way, I didn’t mind LOL. Can’t be the flashbacks... so that leaves the characters and mainly Cal :P

Leslie: I’m not sure if it was expectations based on previous books but I did miss the action scenes. Those action scenes tended to break up Cal’s monologues, goodness but he loves to talk to himself! In Slashback, his monologues felt like they dragged on a little too long. I did get that repetitive feeling too. It was a case of too much time spent in Cal’s head. I usually like his dry, self-deprecating humor. Still like it but sometimes I just want him to be more serious and not leave all that responsibility to Niko. Hils, this one took me more than a few sittings to read. Which surprised me since I usually devour this series.

Agree with you Nath, the current case didn’t feel as developed. But the offset was getting to know the brothers in their early years. Even though we’ve known Niko has had a tremendous responsibility since a very early age, it was heartbreaking to see not only how much responsibility he shouldered but how much blame he took upon himself.

Hilcia: Leslie, wow... that’s what happened to me with previous books. That’s interesting. But you know what? I didn’t miss the action all that much, which surprises me. What kept my attention more than anything was the suspense of what was going to happen to Niko and Cal in the storyline set in the past. In this case, the suspense was more effective for me than the actual action.

But yes, Cal’s continuing monologue and struggle between the human and monster sides of himself have become repetitive, that’s definitely part of that sense of deja vu. At this point, I’m losing track of where exactly Cal is on the growth or decompensation scale as a human/monster. He takes one step forward and three back! Also, we already know how deeply Niko and Cal feel about each other, I don’t think it’s really necessary to make it all about “how they would kill or die for each other,” we know that. Can we move on? But, there was also a sense of familiarity about the mystery itself that I can’t put my finger on. I’m referring to the contemporary storyline here, the one set in the past felt fresh and I was very much into that section of the story.

Nath: Hmmm, seems like I can’t help you here, Hils. For me, the repetitiveness came from Cal’s monologues. As you said, he seems to take one step forward and three back, sigh. As you’ve also pointed out, I don’t think we need to be shown again how the brothers would kill for each other. That being said, one thing that I did enjoy in the bromance in Slashback was to see a more human and flawed side of Niko. How he thrived for a bit of normalcy and the fact he’s done some mistakes and does not want to talk about them. Niko always seems so perfect, so level-headed, but at the end of the day, he is human and flawed like everyone else. Ok, less than everyone else, but still LOL.

While Slashback didn’t have as much action as previous books, I thought it made up with some revelations. What did you think of them? Let’s take them one at a time and start with the boys finally finding out the truth about the peris. About time no?

Leslie: I loved getting to know more about the mythology of the peris and seeing their abilities in action. There’s just so much more of this world to explore, I hope we see more of the peris.

Hilcia: Sigh... I love the bromance too, Nath. I just believe that Slashback was a long, involved way to show how Niko finally comes to certain, truthful realizations about Cal’s nature, and Cal realizes what he may be capable of if he continues on a certain path. This was needed, yes, but I wish that Thurman had done so within the already established story arc, instead of going on a tangent by focusing on the peris.

As far as the introduction of angels go, I think that came out of left field at this point in the series! I mean, so far Thurman has introduced multiple mythologies and creatures, but with the angels she goes into the whole Judeo-Christian realm. I don’t really know how I feel about that. I do, however, hope we see more of the peris. I like them.

Leslie: You’re right Hils, it did come out of left field. Almost as if Thurman realized she should have given this background sooner since the peris have been involved in the series for a while now. As for the religious connection, I’m curious as to how far Thurman will take it. I do wonder if this means the peris will become even more prevalent in Cal and Niko’s personal life. Maybe a female peri as Cal’s love interest? Talk about good girl attracted to bad boy! Of course I'm still hoping Georgie comes back. lol

Nath: Actually, the revelation about the peris isn’t coming out of the left field as much as you two ladies think. Did you guys read Ms Thurman’s other series, the Trickster series? Because those two books are very much focused on angels and demons and I guess that’s where Ms Thurman did most of her world building for that aspect. So the knowledge that peris are actually angels have been out there for a while. For me, I was happy that it finally came all together :) I wonder if there is going to be some cross-over... That’d be interesting!

A female peri as Cal’s love interest would be interesting, Leslie. However, if I remember correctly, I have not seen any woman as angels or demons... Even the peris we have seen in the Cal Leandros series have all been male, so I wonder if there are any female peris. In any case, I’m still hoping for the black hair girl that Cal met in that market... was it last book or two books ago?! I’m hoping she is a Trickster :P Cal has already gone the good girl route with Georgie and he really needs someone that can handle herself. Dahlia is not the best example, but at least with her, Cal didn’t have to worry for her ^_^;

Hilcia: Les, I’m SO glad you mentioned Georgie! After reading that rather mysterious scene in the last book, I really thought there would be something, more of a hint about her in Slashback. You know that I’m not a fan of Georgie, but I was actually disappointed that that story arc was not continued in this book. Instead, we got more revelations about Robyn and his relationship with Niko and Cal? What did you ladies think about that?

Nath, it’s interesting that Thurman features peris in her Trickster series, however, I personally don’t follow that series. However, since this is the first time peris as angels are mentioned in the Leandros series, it came out of left field for me! It’s an interesting concept, but she’s going to have to further develop it, or give readers more details, in order to really make it work in this series.

And, lol, I don’t know what woman would put up with Cal!

Nath: Hils, I know what about you mean about the world building. I hope Ms Thurman will flesh it out more in the future for those who missed the Trickster series.

As for Georgie, I think the reason we did not see her at all is because she is so closely tied to the Auphe’s storyline. I’m sure she will be mentioned when Grimm surfaces back. As for the peris, perhaps she’ll incorporate more of the world building in the next book, now that Cal and Niko know. However, I’m not sure to what extent given that New York City is without angels and demons and thus, the peris don’t have much reason to get involved. Also, they are there in sufferance - if it wasn’t for Robyn, they’d have been given the boot, so I think they will continue to keep a low profile.

As for the revelation about Robyn and his relationship with Niko and Cal, I thought it was interesting! I find it’s so much fun and makes the bond between the three even stronger. However, as much as like the connection, that’s the revelation I thought came out of the left field. Although as Robyn said, he’s been dropping some heavy hints recently. Still, there’s a difference between Archilles being your ancestor and you, being a reincarnation of Archilles! Makes me wonder when Ms Thurman had decided on this twist because I’m sure it wasn’t from the beginning! Still, she did a good job at explaining why the Leandros brothers haven’t recognize Robyn and why Robyn jumped on the bandwagon so fast LOL.

Leslie: I’ve read the first book in the Trickster series but don’t remember it. As for there being female peris, it’s possible they are fewer in number and not as “out there” as the males - keeping a lower profile. IDK The black hair girl in the market I don’t think was random either. It was Doubletake when she made her first appearance. (I cheated and checked our buddy review for it) It’s only been one book so I think she’ll be back and hopefully we’ll find out more about her. But I do agree that whomever Cal pairs up with she will need to be strong and able to take care of herself. So yeah, I was also disappointed with no sightings of my Georgie girl. But who knows what she’ll be like when she comes back? She could be all bad-ass. Hey, don’t laugh, it’s possible! lol

Nath: Leslie, you eternal optimist. Not giving up on Georgie, LOL.

Hilcia: Les, I believe that Thurman is saving Georgie for Cal. She’s coming back... I know it. LOL

Leslie: Nope, not giving up on Georgie. I’m stubborn when it comes to her. lol

As for Robin and his relationship with the brothers, I do like knowing they have this long-lasting bond. Fate keeps putting them together because they were meant to be together. Did it come out of left field? I would say no if I had read these books closer together and would have hopefully picked up on the clues. But since my memory is pretty much shot, it did surprise me. But like Robyn said, they were always comparing Niko to Achilles.

I did feel sorry for Robyn, knowing the brothers will eventually die and he must wait and hope to see them again. Like Cal said, Robyn is lonely and those years he gets with the brothers must be that much more treasured with the knowledge they will be gone again. So glad Robyn now has Ishiah now too.

Hilcia: I agree with you Leslie! I also think the revelation about the relationship between Robyn, Niko and Cal makes absolute sense! This worked for me because I think that Thurman was quite clever in how she worked in the details featured in previous books and taken from the interactions among all three men. I particularly liked the surprise in the flashback part of the story. That was kind of fun and at the same time... sad. You know. . . I love Robyn. He is fun and crazy and lascivious, but underneath it all, I feel sad for him. I also hope he keeps Ishiah. :D

Nath: I’m with you two. It is sad that he keeps losing them. At the same time, he knows he’ll see them again. I guess at the end of the day, it’s just bittersweet. Although I gotta love how they met again in this life. The pervert comment LOL. Even at such a young age, Cal could recognize them :P And I think this time, Robyn won’t let go of Ishiah.

So, final verdict on Slashback?

Leslie: It’s a solid installment to the series with some interesting revelations that should keep the story arc moving. The thing is, I’m not sure what direction that arc will take. Is that good or bad? I feel like we should have some idea of where the series is going at this point. I still enjoyed the book but it took too long to finish so I’m going with a B-.

Hilcia: Ladies, I’m conflicted about Slashback. I enjoyed the dual narrative from Niko and Cal’s perspectives, the quick read, and additional depth gained by our main characters in the flashback section. However within the contemporary setting, due to Cal’s repetitive monologue and a sense of deja vu, the storyline suffered. Additionally, I believe that the overall series has stalled and needs to move forward, or as much as I love Cal and Niko, I’ll lose interest. So in the end for me this was no more than a C+ read.

Nath: Jeez, and they say I’m the tough grader! LOL. I’m going with a B. The intrigue was a bit weak and there was some repetition, but the revelations and the flashbacks definitively made up for it :)

Buddy Review: You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

All right you lucky people!  Wena and I have another buddy review for the month of April.  At the end of this review I've posted what book we're going to read for May, in the hopes that you'll read it too.  :P

You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith
Published by Simon & Schuster in April 2012

Emma and her neighbor Peter are both lonely in a way that only bothers them on occasion. They both come from families they don’t quite understand. They both feel like something big is missing from their lives—and they’re both about to search for answers. When Emma makes a discovery that shakes the foundations of her identity, she convinces Peter to join her for a road trip. Each of them has something to find: For Emma, it is a grave—a grave that may be her only connection to her family. Peter is seeking something harder to define, but perhaps easier to navigate—a freedom, a sense of something more than what he has. Together, they take to the open road, engaging in a universal quest to make sense of who they are and where they come from…and learning a thing or two about love along the way.

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Series: n/a

Ames: I was pleasantly surprised by You Are Here. I enjoy road trip novels and I thought this one was cute. What did you think?

Wena: Like you, I love road trip books and while I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t my favorite road trip book. For me, it was hard to connect with Emma. I kept reading through the book and wanting to come to like her but I just couldn’t. Now, Peter? I connected the hell out of him. This story moved because of Peter’s story. He was such an interesting character.

Ames: I know what you're saying about Emma...but I felt like there was enough growth with her character at the end that I was pleased with the story. When she realized how bad of a friend she was to Peter? I like that she saw that and changed it.

Peter I liked too. He was an interesting character. I liked his love of maps and geography and civil war battlefields.

Both Peter and Emma had to deal with the loss of a family member. Peter's mom from when he was born and Emma just figuring out that she was a twin. But it was an interesting set up because of the parallels in their families. For Peter it was just him and his dad and his dad refused to talk about stuff. For Emma, she had her parents and 3 older siblings who never even mentioned the twin. I could see how hard it was for them to try and get their family to open up. But I do have to say that Peter's situation broke my heart. And I cried when Emma finally talked to her mom. I loved her brother for asking her to get that salad bowl. Awww.

Wena: That was my exact problem with Emma. She was really selfish in the way that she thought, the way that she acted and Peter deserved so much more than the kind of friendship that Emma gave him. I don’t know, after that kiss attempt when they were camping, my heart completely broke for Peter (I cried) because it really sucks to like someone that doesn’t like you back and Peter, for as great a guy that he was, I wanted more for him then…Emma. And that’s not the usual reaction that I have for the main character of the book.

I do agree with you that over the course of the book, Emma starts to change for the better and it was good to see it but I guess, for me anyway, that I spent so much time being annoyed with her that a part of that annoyance never went away. It’s stupid but there it is.

What were your favorite parts of the book?

Ames: Oh I wanted to shake both of them when he kissed her! LOL Peter for just going along with Emma's reaction and then Emma for not doing anything. Just a complete shutdown. (But hey, she comes by that naturally, with her family.)

I did like how Emma brought her family together at the end. I felt bad for her, the way she felt like the odd duck out with all the intellectuals around her and then having older siblings who were off living their own lives already.

My favorite parts were with the hitchhiker they picked up. I wasn't expecting that and I thought he was a cute character. When Peter fell asleep at that battlefield in Tennessee and the cops were there when he woke up. The way Emma got them out of that other interaction with the cop and then at the end, when I cried when Emma found that box and photo album.

What about you?

Wena: I really liked when they first got to Gettysburg and the way that Peter was when they got there. The way that he knew the timeline and history of the entire place, the way that he was so happy to be there. How in awe he was to be there. I really liked that.

I also liked that scene at the end when Nate sends Emma down to the basement to get that damn salad bowl and she finds the photo albums. I thought it was a sweet scene and it was good to see Emma’s family be the kind of family that she’s always wanted.

I also liked the scene when Annie and Emma have it out when Emma finally gets to Annie’s house and the boys find them in the kitchen are unsure how to handle the situation.

There were a lot of scenes that I liked and my only complaint was that misconnect with Emma. I just couldn’t get there with her and I wanted to. Oh, well.

Ames: Those are all good scenes. I liked the one with Annie in the kitchen too.

That's too bad you didn't connect with Emma.

Wena: I mean, this was a solid story but because of my disconnect with Emma, I didn’t enjoy the book nearly as much as I’ve liked our other books. Peter’s journey through this book was more interesting to me and I was bummed that we didn’t get enough of it, at least for me. So, I’d give this book a C.

Ames: I'm going to give this book a B. I liked the growth I saw in Emma's character and there was so much going for this book, the cute hitchhiker, Peter's whole gig and then it made me cry. I liked it. :)

~~

And Wena and I had an idea to tell you what our next book is going to be.  So if you want to discuss it with us, you'll be prepared.  :P Our pick for May is going to be Abbi Glines' Fallen Too Far.

Buddy Review: Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby

And we have another buddy review this week, yay! This week, I welcome Jan from Notes from a Readerholic. Jan is a fairly new blogger and this is her first buddy review, so I hope everyone will enjoy the discussion :)

Ames and I are trying hard to keep Breezing Through going :) We're always on the look-out for people who would like to buddy review books... and it's very simple! You can do like Jan and just let us know what books we are looking forward to in common and voila, buddy review! :)

Enjoy!


Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby
published by New American Library (Signet) in April 2013

Vitala Salonius, champion of the warlike game of Caturanga, is as deadly as she is beautiful. She’s a trained assassin for the resistance, and her true play is for ultimate power. Using her charm and wit, she plans to seduce her way into the emperor’s bed and deal him one final, fatal blow, sparking a battle of succession that could change the face of the empire.

As the ruler of a country on the brink of war and the son of a deposed emperor, Lucien must constantly be wary of an attempt on his life. But he’s drawn to the stunning Caturanga player visiting the palace. Vitala may be able to distract him from his woes for a while—and fulfill other needs, as well.

Lucien’s quick mind and considerable skills awaken unexpected desires in Vitala, weakening her resolve to finish her mission. An assassin cannot fall for her prey, but Vitala’s gut is telling her to protect this sexy, sensitive man. Now she must decide where her heart and loyalties lie and navigate the dangerous war of politics before her gambit causes her to lose both Lucien and her heart for good.

Genre: Fantasy romance
Series: Hearts and Thrones, Book #1

The Story: Because of her mixed lineage - half Kjall and half Riorcan - and her magic, Vitala Salonius has been trained from a young age as an assassin by a secret organization called the Obsidian Circle. Her ultimate goal  is to kill the emperor to free the Riorcans from slavery. Her opportunity finally arises when she wins the Caturanga tournament in Beryl and is invited to the imperial palace to meet the new emperor, Lucien. Because of his war-magic, Vitala's only chance to accomplish her task is during sex and as such, she must seduce him with her charms and wiles. However, before she gets the chance, there's a coup from inside Lucien's court and instead of killing him, Vitala ends up rescuing the charismatic emperor as she realizes working towards freedom will be much easier with Lucien who's willing to negotiate than the Usurper. Now, Vitala and Lucien must work together to get what they want.


Nath: First of all, a big thank you Jan for agreeing to buddy reviewing Assassin’s Gambit with me! I’m always excited to find new people with whom to discuss books! :)

So Jan, I was wondering why did you pick up Assassin’s Gambit? For me, I was looking for a fantasy romance, something a bit like the Chronicles of the Warlands by Elizabeth Vaugan. Also, I love court intrigues and political machinations and when I stumbled across the blurb of Assassin’s Gambit, I thought I’d hit the jackpot! :)

Jan: I first saw a review at All About Romance and thought it sounded good. I also like Elizabeth Vaughan’s books. This book reminded me quite a bit of her books and I’m also always on the lookout for new fantasy books and authors.

Nath: Nod nod. Yay, another fan of Elizabeth Vaughan! LOL. Although I’m going to be honest and get it out right away, I don’t think Assassin’s Gambit was anywhere near as good as Warprize ^_^; It’s perhaps not a fair comparison given they have very little in common, but the feel simply wasn't there. Know what I mean? I thought there’d be a bit more plottings, more fightings... and in the end, things just happened too quickly and fell into place a bit too easily :(

Jan: Yes, I thought it was a more simplistic plot than Warprize. I did like Lucien and Vitala, but agree that things fell into place easily. Apparently, this is a series, but the next book looks like it takes place before this one which I thought was odd. I tend to read more urban fantasy where the romance is not the focus. I think sometimes the time spent on the romance makes the world building and other parts of the plot less intricate.

Nath: Yes, the next book seems to take place before the events of Assassin’s Gambit which I thought was odd as well. Although I have to say, I am curious about Rhianne and Janto’s story :P Seriously, I’m not sure I would pick up the next book in this series if it wasn't theirs ^_^;

I know what you mean about about romance sometimes being a detractor from the world building. However, in the case of Assassin’s Gambit, I don’t think you can blame it on the romance as I thought the romance was also under-developed! Yes, Lucien and Vitala did fall in love, but really, Ms Raby sure did not expand on it. It was very sequential: they met, they were attracted, they jumped into bed and oups, coup!! Heroine saves hero, next thing you know, they are in love. Then add in the conflict and a touch of reconciliation and that was pretty much the romance ^_^;

If you think about it, everything seemed half-done in this book. The world building, the romance and the story. What took up the most number of pages was the development of Vitala - her background, her training to be an assassin and her mission. It was a lot of development for a character that essentially, we won’t see in the next book. In my opinion, for Assassin’s Gambit to a be a winner, it should have been at least a duology. That way, Ms Raby could have spent time on the world building and expanded on the story - make it more complex - and romance - more satisfying.

Jan: Up until the end where things got pretty much resolved I thought there would be at least one more book about these two characters. Toward the end of the book, Bayard took on more personality and I thought he was going to have more of a role in this book or the next one, but then that kind of fizzled out, too. I think I liked the book a bit better than you did. :) I’ve been reading lots of urban fantasy which sometimes have some romance, but usually not a lot so the romance was kind of fun for me! I admit it was pretty fast and they didn’t really know each other.

I liked the game Caturanga which was how the characters met. Of course, it’s very much like chess, but it did show some insight into their characters--both bold and willing to take chances. When Vitala saves Lucien she sees it as a strategic action to save her country.

Originally, when I read about the book I not only thought of Elizabeth Vaughan, but also Jacqueline Carey and her Kushiel series. (I admit that since I haven’t read that series that is a little suspect! lol) Other than a few superficial details, I’m sure this book isn’t like Ms. Carey’s books.

Nath: I do read a lot of urban fantasy, but the bulk of my reading is romance... So I guess that’s why I thought the romance was a bit lacking. I just wanted more and I needed more to believe that they were in love.

The game of Caturanga was a good idea and I liked that it was the reason of Lucien and Vitala’s meeting. It was a clever idea. Then again, when you think about it, it didn’t make that much sense. Vitala started her training of Caturanga at a young age... Does that mean that Lucien’s father also invited the Beryl Champion every year as well? For some reasons, I have my doubts.

Overall, I really thought the premises and the world building had potential. It’s just too bad they weren’t fully exploited. Especially the world building. There was so much I’d like to know more about such as the history between the two countries and how does the magic works.

Also, what did you think of Vitala as an assassin? I have to say, the fact that she assassinated them during sex is not something that I really liked :( Also, does that mean that’s the MO of all the Obsidian Circle’s assassins? And I’m kind of disappointed how the issue was handled with Lucien. Yes, he was unhappy, but again, it wasn’t develop. Just swept away, sigh. By the way, I think the fact that she had to seduce her target is the reason you were reminded of the Kushiel series (I have not read them either).

Jan: For me, the lack of world building was the biggest problem with the book. I wanted to know more about the world they lived in and the two countries. More history and a map would have helped.

I think the reason Lucien invited the winner of the Caturanga tournament to his palace was to become a better player because he hadn’t gotten a chance to play very much when he was younger. I thought it was strange after about the first third of the book Caturanga isn’t really mentioned again.

I thought the way they trained the women assassins was pretty awful. It’s no wonder a lot of them had “visions.” They had been abused. And yes, Lucien accepted Vitala and trusted her very quickly even though she’d been trained for years to assassinate him. That’s not natural!

In fact, if I hadn’t read the AAR review I might not have read this book, because the premise sounds really dark--seducing a person and then killing him while you have sex. The book wasn’t that dark though. Vitala didn’t view what she went through as abuse so I finally decided in their society it wasn’t considered strange to treat children this way. She was damaged by it though. When they finally talked about her problem they were able to get past it pretty quickly.

Nath: If it was a regular child, I don’t think the way she would be trained would be acceptable. However, as assassin and part of a secret organization, that changes thing. That whole killing during sex was the only thing that made me hesitated to pick Assassin’s Gambit and at the end of the day, I still found it distasteful. I figured out it was because of Lucien’s kind of magic - a war mage - but I would rather have Vitala be a good assassin because of her skills and superior intelligence than her looks and how seductive and efficient at luring men she is. By the way, it was never explained what skills Lucien had as a war mage, right? :(

Speaking of Lucien, what did you think of his character. I thought as a fantasy hero, he was refreshing. I surely didn’t expect his handicap. However, like everything else, I think there was a lack of development. I wished we had seen him more in action, the political changes he was trying to install, him leading people. For sure, he is smart... but quite frankly, he lacked charisma and that was a bit disappointing.

Jan: You’re right about Vitala. I hadn’t thought about the fact that even though she’d been trained to fight that wasn’t why she was an assassin. The Obsidian Circle had male assassins who were war mages and killed other war mages by fighting them. Women were only able to defeat the men through sex. Ugh.

The abilities of war mages and Lucien in particular were rather vague. He was quicker and could sense when something was about to happen and I think he was stronger because of his mage stone, but it wasn’t really explained if war mages had all the same abilities or different ones. Lucien had been in power for about three years I think, but it didn’t sound like he’d accomplished much. We are told in the book he’s charismatic, but that wasn’t shown very well. I did like the way he handled his handicap though.

Nath: I liked it too, especially as the ruler of a nation that prizes perfection. When you think about it though, it’s a surprise that there wasn’t a coup before. Also, were we ever told what happened to Lucien’s father? It doesn’t seem to me he simply died.

Anyway, just way many things about Assassin’s Gambit that were too vague. It seems to me that Ms Raby bit off too much for her debut novel :( As a result, Assassin’s Gambit gets a C- from me. What saved the book for me was Ms Raby’s writing as her style was quite fluid and readable and the setting for Spy’s Honor, as I’m quite curious about Rhianne and Jantos’ story :)

What about you Jan? What grade do you give Assassin’s Gambit?

Jan: I think Lucien’s father was deposed, but that was vague. Perhaps that’s what Rhianne and Jantos’ story is about. It is surprising Lucien wasn’t deposed before. :)

As I mentioned before I liked Assassin’s Gambit more than you, Nath. However, I don’t know that I will pick up the next book even though I liked Rhianne. I don’t want to read a book that takes place before this one, I guess. Anyway, I gave the book a C+.

Review: The Proposal by Mary Balogh

Nath and I are back! With a review!  It's been over a month since the last buddy review was posted, but never fear, we've got some more coming down the line.  :P

Today, we're discussing The Proposal by Mary Balogh.  We're both Balogh fans and we know many of you are as well.  Let us know how our thoughts compared to yours on The Proposal.


The Proposal by Mary Balogh

published by Random House Publisher in May 2012

Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy, especially since a freak accident took her husband much too soon. Content in a quiet life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her.

Hugo never intends to kiss Lady Muir, and frankly, he judges her to be a spoiled, frivolous—if beautiful—aristocrat. He is a gentleman in name only: a soldier whose bravery earned him a title; a merchant’s son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. He doesn’t wish to court Lady Muir, nor have any role in the society games her kind thrives upon. Yet Hugo has never craved a woman more; Gwen’s guileless manner, infectious laugh, and lovely face have ruined him for any other woman. He wants her, but will she have him?

The hard, dour ex-military officer who so gently carried Gwen to safety is a man who needs a lesson in winning a woman’s heart. Despite her cautious nature, Gwen cannot ignore the attraction. As their two vastly different worlds come together, both will be challenged in unforeseen ways. But through courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with every caress, she cannot resist Hugo’s devotion, his desire, his love, and the promise of forever.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Survivor's Club, Book #1

The Story: Hoping to offer comfort, Gwendoline is visiting a friend in Cornwall who recently lost her husband. However, the visit has been horrible so far and wanting to escape for a little while, Gwendoline goes for a walk on the beach. Unfortunately for her, she sprained her ankle from her bad leg quite badly. Luckily, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham and the newest member of the ton thanks to his heroic leadership during the war, is present and brings her back to the Duke of Stanbrook's country estate. Forced to stay at the estate to recover, Gwendoline makes the acquaintance of a group of survivors of the Napoleonic Wars who have named themselves The Survivor's Club.

A member of the club, Hugo is staying at the Duke's estate for their annual meet. He doesn't really know what to think of Gwendoline as she's a lady of the ton and he doesn't think highly of the aristocracy - despite his new title as his family roots stem from trade. One thing he is sure of though is that he's attracted to her and so is she.

After they both succumb to temptation, Hugo proposes to Gwendoline out of duty. However, Gwendoline wants to be courted. She decides to take Hugo's half-sister under her wing and launch her into Society, giving Hugo the opportunity and time to woo her. Coming from two different worlds, will they be able to compromise and be happy?

Nath: So Ames, what did you think of The Proposal? I went into this book with no expectations - luckily ^_^; It’s not that The Proposal was a bad book, but it just didn’t grab me. Everyone loves a book that focuses on the characters - and Hugh and Gwen were likable characters; however, that means you need to have a really good conflict for development and growth... and I don’t think it was the case here. Actually, I feel that The Proposal’s main purpose was really to introduce the Survivor’s Club and pave the way for future books ^_^;

Ames: I went into this one with no expectations either. And I agree, it’s not a bad book, but I felt like it was lacking passion. There was chemistry between the characters, but that didn’t result in any passion. It was a slow book that unfolded in a slow, meandering way. Nothing wrong with that, but that kind of story just doesn’t grab me.

I agree that it was also setting up the other characters. But that again is not a bad thing. They were interesting characters.

Nath: True, they are interesting characters and I’m looking forward to some of the stories, but I think my problem is that it was just a bit too obvious ^_^;

As for the lack of passion, I have to agree with you. It’s interesting how characters can have chemistry, but lack passion. I think one of the reasons for it is because both Hugh and Gwen knew they were all wrong for each other - their way of lives and also their status, and yet, they still had sex together... but the sex was meant to be meaningless. It felt like they didn’t even like each other... but were just feeling “lusty.”

Ames: Also, I hate to say this, but I think their age had something to do with it. Age and personality. These were two level-headed characters who realized despite everything they were attracted to each other and so had sex. Hugh was a recent member of the ton - his exploits as a soldier garnered him a title. So he has his attitudes towards aristocrats and even after he gets to know Gwen, he still stubbornly holds on to those ideas. And that bothered me. I wish these two had communicated more. Gwen somehow magically expected Hugh to know what she wanted and these two really needed to get to know each other.

And thinking about it some more, Gwen got on my nerves. She was too passive for my tastes.

Nath: I think you’re onto something, Ames, about Hugh and Gwen being level-headed. It’s refreshing to have more mature characters, but in this case, Hugh and Gwen let logic dictates the course of their relationship instead of their feelings, their heart. Always doubting, always thinking they knew what the other was thinking - that’s why passion was missing.

Something that surprised me as well is how Ms Balogh introduced some issues and conflicts, but did not develop nor resolve them. For example, Gwen’s husband death and the role Grayson had in it, the way Grayson tried to smear Hugh’s reputation and Hugh’s stepmother. Any of these conflicts, if developed, would have made the book more interesting and could have showcased different sides of Hugh and Gwen’s personalities... but Ms Balogh didn’t. In which case, I wonder why introduce these issues/conflicts at all?

Ames: I know what you mean! And I also feel like Hugh wasn’t the most understanding character about Gwen and her relationship with her husband. I think these two had their biases and they were firmly entrenched and I did not like that about them. Hugh felt judgemental. I just wish that Hugh and Gwen told each other what they were thinking.

Nath: I hear you about the biases! It really bothered me as well, especially since the book wasn’t about overcoming those biases. I felt that with all the prejudices and biases they both felt towards each other and their classes, Hugh and Gwen shouldn’t have gotten together. And when they overcame that biases, instead of feeling “yay, what an accomplishment!” it was more “meh, just get on with it” ^_^;

LOL Ames, I think this is probably our shortest buddy review ever! But really, I’m having difficulty finding things to discuss about this book ^_^; And I definitively think it says something about The Proposal. I originally gave it a C, but now, a C- seems more appropriate.

Ames: I originally gave this a B- but I think I need to lower it to a C. It was just ok. I hate that I didn’t enjoy it more because I really love Balogh’s writing - but sometimes you just strike out.

Nath: Sometimes, it happens... and it proves that authors are humans too :)

Review: Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

Happy Independence Day! Today, I'll be reviewing  Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh and joining me is Brie from Romance Around the Corner. Hmmmm, thinking about it, this review is very à propos as our characters fight for their world and no matter what happens, in the end, they are heading for some changes :) Perhaps not independence, but for sure more equality between the Psy-Changelings-Humans and a better balance of power :P

So read on to find out how much we liked Tangle of Need!

Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh
published by Berkley in May 2012

Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past--one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another.

For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.

Their coming together is an inferno...and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Psy-Changelings series, Book #11

The Story: I really wonder how these people come up with the blurbs ^_^; For Tangle of Need, it's not that it's wrong, but it's so overly dramatic. Desperate woman?!? Really?! Anyway, by now, you probably know the story, but just in case you don't, here we go :)

Riaz and Adria are both characters Ms Singh has introduced in prior books, both with a lot of emotional baggage. In the case of Riaz, the woman destined to be his mate is human, but unfortunately for him, he has found her too late as she is already married to another man. As for Adria, she was in a long-term relationship with a wolf less dominant than she was and it really didn't end well. So for Riaz, being attracted to another woman feels like betrayal to his mate and Adria, she's just wary of males and doesn't want to start a new relationship... Except both are attracted to each other. Is there any future to such a relationship?

In the meantime, the SnowDancer pack is recovering from the showdown in Kiss of Snow and everyone is getting ready for the next attack, for the next move. However, this attack might come sooner than expected... and perhaps nothing can be done as the Pure Psy leader is not dead yet and he's determined to show the Psy a new path by attacking the Psy Net itself.

Nath: So Brie, what did you think of Tangle of Need?

Brie: I have mixed feelings. The romance wasn’t satisfying. They were almost secondary characters in a book that was more about setting up what’s to come than the main couple. Riaz and Adria didn’t get enough page time and they were second to Hawke and Sienna. So in a way, this book felt like a wink to the fans and a continuation to Kiss of Snow. Since I was never a fan of that couple, I wasn’t happy and the silliness and waste of time bothered me a lot (the part where they bake cookies made me so angry). The problem is that in a series this long, we become attached to recurrent characters that have been there since the beginning, and by giving new characters their own books before the others get their chance, the author breaks the organic feel of the series. I wasn’t as invested in Adria and Riaz as I am in other characters. And then there’s the fact that I hate when the hero is a widower and Riaz was the Changeling version of one.

Having said that, I loved the Psy machinations and how the book sets up what’s to come. I loved reading about the Arrows and I hope the next book doesn’t happen in Changeling ground. I’m ready for some action and I think it’s time for the Psy to take over the series.

Nath: Oh, I’m with you Brie! I loved the psy machinations in Tangle of Need. Actually, everything related to the Psy was great, even learning more about the A designation! I wished Ms Singh had expanded that part. Is this the first time she mentions the A designation? My favorite part though was the Arrows! I feel we really got to know them better in this book, more than the few glimpses we got previously. It’s exciting to know how long the Arrows have been plotting for their freedom!! And I hope Aden or Vasic gets their book soon! I’m so ready for a Psy book, preferably a Psy-Psy :)

I also totally get your mixed feelings about Tangle of Need, because that’s how I feel as well. If there’s ever been a transitional book in a series, Tangle of Need was it. In addition of wrapping and setting up some of the story thread, it was also a big “fan service,” meaning a lot of the material of this book was there to please the audience. In itself, these two things are not bad in my opinion, but they rely heavily on the execution... and I think that’s where Ms Singh failed here. Wow, I never expected I would be saying those words ^_^;

Before everyone starts throwing tomatoes at me, let me explain what I mean LOL. Basically, I think Ms Singh got the balance wrong for Tangle of Need. It was marketed as Riaz and Adria’s book, but it clearly wasn’t. For me Tangle of Need was a SnowDancer book, because the Pack features so extensively. It’s not just Hawke and Sienna - although they do take up most of the pages, but every characters from previous books from the Snow Dancer pack make a big-ish apparition... Actually, if you take a good look at the book, almost every freaking character from all past books in the series is found/mentioned. In my opinion, that made the book overwhelming and obviously, left little time to the romance between Riaz and Adria.

As usual, it does feel like Ms Singh had a plan coming into Tangle of Need and knew the challenge she had ahead of her. I think Ms Singh was hoping to circumvent it by having characters she’s already introduced in previous books as “main” characters. The problem is I think Ms Singh rushed things a little and didn’t set the characters properly. I wished she had revisited them and their background a little, before throwing them together. That first intimate scene was really too fast and the anger that it generated, ugh. Also, as a result, it felt like most of the book was spent playing catch-up with Riaz and Adria’s feelings.

Brie: I’ll help you dodge the tomatoes because I agree with everything you said. This was a “bridge” book, its function was to set up the next book in terms of overall story-arc and to establish the conflict. The rest was just a huge wink to the fans, the parts featuring Sienna and Hawke read more like the extras authors usually post on their websites, I felt like I was reading fan fiction *dodges eggs*.

I also think you’re spot on when you say this was a Snow Dancer book. It was interesting to see more about the pack’s dynamics but it was overwhelming and it took away the spotlight from the lead couple.

Nath: Hey, I like to read about my favorite characters as much as everyone else and I was happy to get updates! Although I really wished we’ve seen more of Lara and Walker!! And Marlee! Oh and that bit where Ben was playing with Julian and Roman? Adorable!! LOL. The thing is, I had a problem with the execution of these scenes. Actually, not just with the fan service scenes, but with how the whole book unfolded. To me, it felt like every scene of the book was too short and always cut at a critical moment. I think Ms Singh was trying to build up the suspense, but she did it at the expense of the pacing. It seemed to me, every time the momentum or rhythm of the book was building up - cut and change to another scene. It made the book very choppy and not as enjoyable for me.

Something else I had difficulty with is the whole feeling that Tangle of Need was the aftermath of an epic battle. I think this is more a criticism towards Kiss of Snow, but it directly affects Tangle of Need because is supposed to be the down-time. Unfortunately, because the romance took precedence in Kiss of Snow, the battle was relegated to the background and it still doesn’t register in my head how important that battle was. As a result, I kept hoping Tangle of Need would have more action, be more exciting. I think this expectation did not help the way I feel about the pacing of the book.

Brie: Yes to all you just said. I didn’t feel the epicness of the battle and it made no sense that they needed to recover from it. Tangle of Need had many things going on, and nothing at all. As you said, it was choppy and all over the place, it lacked focus because not even the main couple felt important enough.

It’s a shame, really, because regardless of how I feel about the introduction of new characters as leads, I thought the conflict these two were dealing with was interesting and original. First time I see a shifter book that deals with what happens when the love interest isn’t the fated mate. I was happy with how it was resolved, it felt authentic and not a cop out like other books *cough* Kiss of Snow *cough*. But I wanted more time to develop that particular plot line, which should have been the main plot, but it wasn’t.

How did you feel about the romance and the resolution?

Nath: Quite frankly, by the end of the book, I wasn’t really invested in Riaz and Adria’s romance. I mean, I’m happy they got the HEA ending, but is that really surprising? Also, I don’t think it was necessary for Lisette to make an appearance, especially when the reason for her separation with her husband was so far-fetched ^_^;

What I did like though is that Ms Singh challenged her own “mating” system. Seriously, the whole “soulmate” thing is always flawed, but what Ms Singh chose to do is acknowledged it and let us know there are some possibilities out there. That the changelings did not necessarily need the mating bond to live and be happy, they could find happiness elsewhere. That was interesting, refreshing and very cool :) And as you said, I did not feel cheated about it either :)

Brie: You didn’t like Lisette showing up? I loved that part, I’m a sucker for that type of drama.
When the ex comes back and the heroine feels all insecure and doubts his love and steps back so he can be happy! Also, that’s exactly when the story cranks up the pace, so she marks the part of the book when the story became more interesting, at least for me.

Nath: LOL, I’m not a fan of drama ^_^; I’m all for self-sacrifice though, but two things in scenarios like the one we encountered in Tangle of Need. First, I feel it demonstrates a lack of confidence on the heroine’s part and a lack of trust in her lover. Don’t you believe you can make him happy? Don’t you think he loves you, that your relationship should be cherished? Also, I don’t get why the two parties never discuss about it! It’s their future right? If Adria is ready to step aside, why doesn’t she make sure that’s what Riaz wants?!? Instead of assuming and making the decision on her own and at the end, you get 3 unhappy people instead of 1? Okay, I know it doesn’t work that way...but why not? LOL.

Brie: You feel very strongly about this! Intellectually, I agree with all you say, but in my heart I just love the cheesy drama!

Nath: Yeah, I guess so ^_^; I think it’s because this type of drama has been overdone. You find it in a lot of romance books and it always end the same way. It almost feels like a cope-out for authors because you get conflict, drama and resolution all at once, allowing the authors to wrap things up quickly, sigh.

Brie: What do you think will come next? Any theories for the future?

I think Kaleb’s book will be next, or at least soon-ish (I hope so!). I think coma-lady (Alice?) will get a book and her hero will be Aden making it the first human/psy pairing. And finally, I’m ready for a Psy/Psy couple which I think will be Kaleb’s book.

Nath: I have no idea what will come next :) Predicting stuff is not my forte. Also, I have not followed any of the discussions and theories or paid any attention to all the clues Ms Singh has given away. I’ll leave that for you! However, do you think Ms Singh introduced the BlackSea pack in preparation to her spin-off series? I think that pack is really interesting and I’m curious about them, but it’s a bit late to add such an important player to the game, don’t you think? That’s why I’m thinking she’s laying the path for her future series.

Brie: I’ve read different interview with Ms. Singh (because I’m obsessed with The Ghost but let’s not go there) and she says that once this main story arc is done, she plans on writing more books with different characters we haven’t seen so far, maybe explore the world and its potential. So I think the BlackSea pack will play a role in that but I also wonder if there’s a reason why we’re just hearing from them. They didn’t have any reason to be in this book, but maybe in the next one? It’s just weird that she’s introducing this random pack not to use it again soon.

Nath: Well, Ms Singh made up a reason for them to be in the book, but yes, their introduction wasn’t crucial. I guess she is really laying the blocks for the future - it’s like the other wolf pack that Alexei is dealing with.

Brie: She’s probably expanding the world to let us see just how big it is, so far it seems the conflict pertains only to California and if we’re getting a huge showdown between the Psy and everyone else, it must be clear that this is a global thing, not just regional.

Nath: Yes that’s true. Despite how Ms Singh’s books always feel multi-ethnic and international, the story has predominantly happened in California. See, that’s why I love Ms Singh so much - such a smart author :) In any case, I’m glad she has plans to write more books in this world. It’s such a great one, I’m not ready to let go of it!!

To come back to your earlier comment, a Psy/Psy couple would be really interesting and I’m hoping for one! As for Alice, you really think she’ll have her own book? That’d also be interesting... To hear about her knowledge and see how she adapts to the new world. Perhaps she’d get Vasic though... two damaged persons, re-building their lives. However, from what we got from the series so far, there’s definitively a link between Alice and the founder of the Arrows, Zaid Adeleja. I wonder if he’s alive or if he has descendants. Although now that I think about it, it’d probably be a bit icky for Alice to fall in love with the descendant of someone whom she had feeling for ^_^;

Brie: Heh! Alice is being groomed as a heroine, I have a feeling about it. The Adeleja connection fuels my theory that she’s going to fall for an arrow. Maybe Vasic and Aden were trained by him? How old is he? I need to keep better track of the history behind the series.

Also, If Aden doesn’t end with Alice, then he’s probably in love with Vasic. Didn’t you notice the homoerotic undercurrent surrounding those two? LOL!

Nath: LOL, yes, I did detect the undercurrent, but I’m hoping Ms Singh doesn’t go there!! I mean, look at what Ms Ward did to V and Butch! I don’t want it to happen to the Psy-Changelings series!!!

As for Zaid, well if Alice has been in cryogenic suspension for 100 years (right?)... He’d be 120 years old. Well I’m assuming Zaid was about the same age as Alice. I know the people in the Psy-Changelings world has a longer lifespan, but yeah... I think that rules him out as hero material LOL. Unless he’s been in cryogenic suspension too. Which, hmmm, two people trying to recover? Not sure it’d made a good story.

So, at the end of the day, what’s your grade for Tangle of Need?

Brie: It gets a 3 (C) from me. In terms of worldbuilding and story-arc it deserves a higher grading, but I wasn’t feeling the romance and all the background noise that came from Hawke, Sienna, etc. got in the middle of my enjoyment. Ms. Singh can do better than this.

Oh! And one last warning -- this book doesn’t stand alone at all, you have to read the previous books in order to appreciate this one, in fact, this whole series should be read in order.

Nath: At this point, I don’t think there’s any subsequent book that could stand-alone. Each story and romance are woven too tightly into the overall story-arc, but that’s why the series is so strong :)

For me, Tangle of Need gets a B- (3.5/5). As we’ve discussed, the world building and story-arc are good :) Plus, I think I enjoyed all those winks more than you did, Brie, and I love the changelings and the SnowDancer pack. It’s just too bad the romance was not better - I think Riaz and Adria deserved more focus.

Review: We'll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart

One of the reasons I love blogging so much is the people you get meet and the friends you make :) It's really just awesome to have this instant connection with someone. Just the fact that you mention character names and that other blogger immediately knows the book you're talking about... It's an incredible feeling! So today, I'm happy to introduce my newest blogger friend, Brie from Romance Around the Corner, as my buddy reviewer!

Brie and I met because we visit the some of the same blogs :) Actually, the book we've reviewed today, We'll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart, is the best proof LOL. We both read Wendy's recent post about comfort authors and ended up buying Ms Hart's newest release LOL. When we realized it, we decided to buddy review the book :) And voila! Enjoy!


We'll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart

published by Harlequin Romance in April 2012

I've done it! Thanks to my awesome powers of persuasion, elusive-but-dreamy TV star Simon Valentine is starring in our new romance documentary!

It wasn't easy, though—Simon thinks his status as prime-time financial guru turned celebrity is ridiculous! He says he now steers well clear of affairs of the heart, but surely he must have one romantic bone left in his body?

Much as I'd like to find out firsthand, I've sworn off men after a disastrous ending with my last boyfriend. Must remain professional—though it won't be easy…we're filming in the most romantic city of all...

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: None

Brie: How did you like it? I enjoyed it a lot, the heroine not once got on my nerves, surprising considering that she had all the ingredients to be annoying. She was silly, obsessed with musicals and too happy for my taste (I know, I’m weird that way). But underneath it all, there was this honest and hardworking woman trying to deal with heartbreak. My favorite thing about her was that even though she was deeply hurt by her ex, she never regretted loving him. I found that to be such a refreshing attitude. Usually in romance when one of the characters has bad luck in love they swear off romance for life and just engage in meaningless sex. Not the case here, she kept looking for that one person to love her just as much as she deserved.

Nath: LOL, too happy? You are definitely weird, Brie!

Actually, I very much enjoyed the characters in We’ll Always Have Paris. Going into the book, I knew the main theme was “happy-go-lucky heroine thawing stuff hero” - one of my favorite which is why I picked up this book - and I have to say, the H/H were as I expected :) I like heroines that are happy and cheerful like Clara. I think there’s a fine line between being silly and being an airhead. In the case of Clara, she chooses to see the good sides of things in life. It’s not as if she’s not aware of the bad or ignoring it, but she decides to build her life on the positive... And as such, I think she’s a lot stronger and braver people than people give her credit for. It’s easy to be angry or to give up, but to be genuinely cheerful is much harder in my opinion.

I have to agree with you that her attitude towards love was refreshing. I liked that she didn’t want to settle, that she was looking for someone who would love her the way she deserved. Another thing I liked? The time frame... If I’m not wrong, when We’ll Always Have Paris opens, she has broken up with her ex-boyfriend for almost two years right? I liked that Simon wasn’t a rebound relationship...

What did you think of Simon, Brie?

Brie: I loved him! I’ve got a soft spot for aloof and clueless heroes, and he was definitely that. I found his character to be slightly cartoonish, with his take on life and his inability to believe that true love was real. But he wasn’t bad, and his background gave him depth and a reason to be that way.

Nath: Yeah, Simon was a good hero. I like the way Ms Hart developed his character. She gave us enough background so readers understood why he was the way he was and that was key to the story I think. Something else I liked is that although stuffy, Simon was not cold :) He obviously loved his mother, although she exasperated him. He agreed to help Clara out, because he felt he owed her. Despite his inability to understand romance, he was a good guy :)

However, you know why I like the “happy-go-lucky heroine thawing out stuffy hero” theme so much? It’s because I love seeing the heroes being puzzled by the heroines, the changes that occur and when they find themselves so out of their depth :) I find it endearing... But in the case of Simon, I don’t feel there was enough of those moments. Yes, he was puzzled by Clara, but I don’t feel like she drew him out of his shell enough :(

Also, I thought the beginning of We’ll Always Have Paris was really good. However, I didn’t like that there were so many stretches of time that Clara and Simon weren’t together. As readers, we didn’t get to see it, but it was there. Although the plus side of the way the story takes place is that Clara and Simon got to know each other and also miss each other. Still for me, the book started losing a bit of momentum after Paris :( And I’m not totally happy with the way the relationship blossomed.

I did like the ending though :) The grand gesture by Simon was just sooo sweet!! :)

Brie: I’m not a fan of “the grand gesture” in romance, but I think it was fitting for this particular story. And also, it wasn’t really that grand, only the heroine gets to see it, so I wasn’t that embarrassed by it!

Nath: True, true, it wasn’t such a “grand” gesture, but it was definitively meaningful to the two of them... and such gestures are so much better :) I don’t really care about people declaring their love to the whole world and seriously, it is sweeter when it’s embarrassing? I don’t think so. Here, it was just perfect :) A good way for Clara to know Simon really understood her.

By the way, what did you think of the fact that Clara’s parents were scholars and she didn’t fit in? I thought that was a bit superfluous.

Brie: I thought it was just the same old plot device. The carefree, slightly airheaded heroine who doesn’t fit in her family of intellectuals. Because we all know that carefree people can’t have intelligent conversations and intellectuals only think about books and science. It’s a very common stereotype that I’m used to reading in romance and in chick-lit in particular. Speaking of which: Did you think that this book read a bit like a chick-lit novel? The heroine had a bad breakup, she finally found a job that she likes but she has to jump through a lot of hoops, and lots of funny and silly things keep happening to her. It reminded me of British authors like Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell. What did you think?

Nath: I know what you mean. It’s true that often, the carefee heroine is often portrayed as the “black” sheep of the family. And in this case, It kind of made me think of I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella - perhaps because I’ve recently read it. In We’ll Always Have Paris, it just wasn’t developed enough and therefore why I thought it was superfluous.

Hmmm, I know where you’re coming from with the chick-lit comment and it’s true when you break the book down like that, it does sound like a chick-lit novel. However, I wonder if it’s not because the heroine is carefree that gives this book a chick-lit feel more than the storyline overall? Know what I mean?

Brie: I agree, I think her personality is what gave her that chick-lit feel. This could easily be labeled as a romantic comedy for that same reason. It was a fun, light read, with a sweet romance and a charming heroine.

You know who I didn’t like? The hero’s mother. She dumped all this responsibility on his shoulders and he acts like he owes her so much just for doing her job as a mother. And then as soon as he was old enough to support her, she quits her job and completely relies on him. The way she was written, I’m sure she was meant to come across as funny and lovely, but I found her annoying, and she was one of the reasons why he was so uptight.

Nath: LOL, I thought Simon’s mother and Clara would get along well. It’s true that by getting a job, she did what a mother should do... At the same time, it doesn’t stop Simon from being grateful. If you think about it, Simon’s lucky because his mother was strong enough to step up and keep it together for the two of them. Plus, at that point, her life had completely changed. It must not have been easy for her either, so I can see why Simon feels like he owes her. You’re right though that it’s been a bit overly done through in the storyline.

I think what baffles Simon the most though is that after what she went through, his mother hasn’t wised up - falling in love with inappropriate men ^_^; Simon being an economist is because his father died, leaving them in debt... while him being uptight is due to seeing his mother being vulnerable time after time because of “her feelings.”

Brie: I agree. He can’t believe that after everything she went through his mother keeps making the same mistakes over and over, choosing the wrong guys. There’s an obvious parallel there between Simon’s mother and Clara, they both have similar takes on life but one does everything wrong while the other knows not to make the same mistake twice.

Overall I think it was great story. I was thoroughly entertained, the hero was standoffish but good and the heroine was cute and fun. I would recommend this to fans of contemporary romance looking for a quick read. What about you? Any closing thoughts?

Nath: I think there were some great elements about We’ll Always Have Paris. As I said, I loved the characters and I think the first half of the book was very strong. However, I had a few issues and as a whole, the book didn’t totally measure up to my expectations. I wanted more, especially when it came to the development of Clara and Simon’s relationship. I wish there had more scenes of them as a couple. It would have made the ending more believable in my opinion.

Taken all together, my grade is C+ (3.5/5).

Brie: It gets a 3.5 from me also. It was good but not great, however, it is an enjoyable read. And as usual for the Romance line, there’s one fade-to-black sex scene, in case some of our readers are interested in the sensuality level.