Review: Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Yes, you're not dreaming!! This is not an illusion!! Two reviews at Breezing Through in the same week? When is the last time that happened? LOL, I can't remember either ^_^; Of course, that means I didn't have any review up at my blog this week, but who cares... See, I still need to get back in top shape.

Today, my buddy reviewer is Cindy. Sweet Cindy wanted to try her hand out at buddy reviewing... We tried several books, but the only one we ended up both reading was Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh. Let me tell you, the Psy-changelings books are never easy to buddy review, because there is always so much to gush and talk about :P But we did it and with a lot of fun!! :)

***Warning: There are spoilers, be aware!!***

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh
published by Berkley Sensation in July 2009

Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.

But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire…

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: Psy/Changelings, Book #8 (counting novellas)

The Story: Many events occur in this book and it’d be too hard to summarize them without giving away too many spoilers… However, the blurb sums up the story pretty well. Branded by Fire is definitively Mercy and Riley’s story :)

Nath: So Cindy, what did you think of the book?

Cindy: This one started with a fire and just kept on raging. I loved Mercy and the way she was just not going to back down but then neither was Riley. Clearly they irritated each other for years but once their story starts they don't have the horrid 'I hate you!' thing going on. No stamping of feet or wails of 'he done me wrong'.

Nath: I totally agree with you. I like how Ms Singh jumped straight into the relationship in Branded by Fire and made it the focus of the book. I think it was a clever move from her, since Riley and Mercy had already been introduced and readers already caught glimpses of their interactions (the “I hate you and you annoy me to no end”) in previous books. Seriously, Ms Singh did a great job at foreshadowing this relationship in previous books.

Cindy: The other part I liked was the sensuality. In the last few books because the H/H weren't two Psy or two changelings we've never been shown the sensual side of the animals. Normally I don't like books that start with a sex scene but it made sense and it was hot and heavy and dangerous. I liked that. In the other books the sex scenes came later because the H/H were of different groups - eg. Psy H/H have to get used to touch gradually so the sex scenes are normally later in the book.

Nath: I totally agree with you, Cindy :) Because they were both changelings and so dominant, neither of them held back – physically or emotionally. Not only that, but I think that having two changelings H/H, especially from two different species, gave us much more insight on the changelings and their worlds, even more on the way they feel, think and act.

I thought it was great fun to see two dominant changelings going at each other. What I appreciated the most in this instance is that because Riley and Mercy were both changelings and dominant, they understand each other so well. They might be different changeling animals, but deep down they are the same… or at least, Mercy has been around dominant males enough to understand ;)

Cindy: To me, it was more fun to watch how two different changelings had to come to grips with what the other was. The loyalty to the pack drives its members and having two people from different loyalty groups fall in love was interesting to watch. I also enjoyed watching how the leopard and wolf reacted to each other - they each knew that they had differences and they were able to look at it logically and not over react (okay those two times were allowed). When Riley finds Mercy in leopard form sleeping on a rock in the sun flicking her tail I could see it. Riley asks her a question and he can smile to himself as he watches the leopard act nonchalant and lazy in answering. Also, when Mercy got all pissy and wounded Riley's pride it was nice to see her have to go in and apologize.

Nath: I think that part was very cute and I liked that Mercy apologized. It shows that although she's dominant, she's not completely irrational :)

Speaking of different changelings, I was actually quite surprised at how rare mating between different species happened… to the extent that Mercy wouldn't know whether her children would change or not? That means it must be really, really rare...

Cindy: I actually thought it was rare because there are predators and prey per se and also because of pack ties. Also, and I might be remembering it wrong, but there were wars between the Changelings for many years so the alliances are so new that cross specie mating might have fallen off greatly.

Nath: I think you’re remembering it correctly, Cindy. There was a war for territory and there are some prejudices between species as well…

I wonder if the courting would have been easier if Mercy and Riley were not Sentinel and Lieutenant in their respective pack. They would still be two different types of changelings, but I think their degree of loyalty would be less, no? and LOL, that last part, where Riley tells Hawke and Lucas to not declare war on each other, because it'd be easier on their domestic life? :P So cute!! :)

Cindy: I don't think it would be much different except for the dominance part. The way it was told was that the pack is family so the loyalty is true for all members of the pack. What would be interesting would be if a non-dominant mated with a dominant of a different species whether the pack ties would still remain like they did with Mercy and Riley.

Nath: I don’t think the pack ties would be as solid in that case. Didn’t the pack ties remain with both Mercy and Riley because they had a blood bond with their Alpha? If it was a non-dominant and a dominant, they’d probably know right away who would have to leave whose pack.

Cindy: We should mention Joaquin and Eduardo from Mercy's Grandmother's pack. Knowing how hard it is for a dominant female in a sentinel position to give up dominance to another, Mercy's Grandmother (an alpha in her own pack) sent two leopards up to 'court' her. Normally, pack members roam from pack to pack to meet their mate but because of the local disturbances and the threats to Mercy's pack she doesn't feel right about leaving her pack. So her Grandmother sends some help. I liked that Mercy in no way felt the need to needle Riley with these men. I mean, he was upset but Mercy never gave him reason to be. She was straightforward with everyone and the male cats only stayed for as long as they did because there was no mating scent on Mercy. Even still, Mercy knew her body and leopard only wanted Riley but it was the mating and loving part that took work.

Nath: I like the idea of the leopards roaming around to find their mates. As a result, it doesn't limit the mating to one pack... and it would explain how Mercy's family ended up in San Francisco given that Mercy’s grandmother is the Alpha of a pack in South America. LOL, and it was very helpful and sneaky from Mercy's grandmother to send in Joaquin and Eduardo - LOL, with Lucas' permission! That’s another aspect that I like about Mercy – she doesn’t play games with people (okay, teasing Riley doesn’t count LOL). I mean, she’s frank and to the point. She didn't have any interest in Joaquin and Eduardo at all (personally, I think that at point, she already knew there was something more between her and Riley than lust and an itch to scratch) - so she didn’t string them along and didn’t use them to bait Riley… actually, it was quite the opposite LOL.

In the end, I think the reason why Branded by Fire and the relationship were such a success is the characters. I loved Riley and Mercy for their strength, their intelligence and the fact that they didn’t compromise their personality. At the same time, they’re not brutes; they feel and they can be vulnerable. Their characters were very well developed with many layers and I liked that they stayed true to themselves. I think that is the reason why Riley and Mercy did not hesitate much about the mating. I think that once Mercy was reassured that her children would change, the mating was just a matter of time. For most couples, being from two different species would have been the biggest hurdle to overcome, but with Riley and Mercy’s strength of characters, it wasn’t. Actually, for them, the biggest hurdle was who would have to leave their pack... and in the end, the most important was for them to be together. I think the subtleties were well incorporated.

Cindy: Agreed!

Nath: Did you notice that Mercy is actually the first changeling we meet that has a complete family? Parents and siblings? I thought it was great fun to meet her family :)

And oh, I thought it was really fun to see how the two packs interact and how much grief the kids are giving each other :)

Cindy: The kids! Hell, Hawke and Lucas can barely keep from knocking each other around. It was nice to see the alliance holding up and that even though they do have an agreement, each camp keeps some of its secrets.

Nath: LOL, you're so right!! I didn't think of it that way, LOL :P I think that as long as those secrets don't affect the alliance... it's fine.

What did you think of the overall storyline? As usual, the rest of the plot about the Psy, the humans and the changelings was solid... and quite interesting. I wonder if a balance between emotions and Silence can be achieved for the Psy that are like Judd. For now though, I thought that the idea of the Psy Council aiding people for whom Silence isn’t quite working was very clever, especially the way they did it, showing that for some Psy, Silence is necessary. They handled it like real politicians would ^_^; I actually wonder if Silence is really fragmenting in every Psy or not. Also, do you think it’s one of the councilors who is behind the mind manipulation that caused those terrorist acts.

Cindy: I thought the overall storyline was very complicated. I tell ya, this is not a series I try and skim because I know things are happening in almost every new chapter. I was surprised how the Council allowed for people to freely determine if they needed to go in ‘fine tuning’ with Silence. Not that any of them are above finding problems within the net – after all, that’s why Judd and his family left the net after finding out Sienna was going to be sent in for re-conditioning which would leave her as a vegetable. Scary stuff. Where I found things complicated involved some of the characters because they didn't have names like John or Mike but were 'The Information Merchant' etc. I think Tatiana (one of the councilors) was behind the Psy who were acting against their will. She was somehow linked mentally with someone who could do mind control and used him as a puppet and then killed him in the end. (Seriously, a lot happens in the last few pages) Wait. She was the one who tried to have the councilors killed right? So the other people who were used against their will were collateral damage, right?

Nath: Ms Singh is doing a great job at world building... I like it that she introduces new things in each of the books and that the overall storyline involving humans, changelings and Psy is becoming more and more complex with each book. I think the way she introduces all these things is very realistic as well.

I guess that those names: the Ghost, the Information Merchants - it's either because she doesn't want us to know their identity yet... or because giving them a name such as John or Mike is not important.

As for the mind controller, I don’t it was Tatiana... her shadowing/controlling the Human took out so much of her energy already... I don’t think she could have handled anyone else. Also, it looks more like what was done to the hyenas... mind programming in which case, it would probably be Ming and his faction. Kudos to Tatiana though, it was really gutsy of her to attack the other councilors... Seriously, those Psy councilors are scary!! Everyone has a hidden agenda! LOL :P

Cindy: The Psy are definitely power hungry and their agendas are crazy confusing. Tatiana wanted to rule the net. I think the Ghost also is looking to preserve the net but in his own way.

Nath: By the way, what do you think is Nikita's purpose, sending Sascha that book?

Cindy: Nikita was thinking about power - whether she has figured out that the net might not survive and is hedging her bets or what, I'm not sure. I see Nikita as so ruthless she wouldn't hesitate to use her daughter as a weapon if given the chance. Now that I think on it, maybe she wants Sascha to know everything about her powers so that she reaches her full potential and could be used by Nikita.

Nath: You’re probably right on that point, Cindy. One thing is sure, that woman has no maternal instincts at all.

Cindy: What did you think of the big birds at the end of the story? Like, what the hell? They are obviously birds of prey but the fact it took Mercy and Riley to move one that was unconscious makes me envision something enormous!

Nath: LOL, I think Adam is simply a huge man... I don't think that's a trademark of the human form of the eagle... but then, Adam is the new Alpha right? So perhaps his being huge was an indicator. LOL, just imagine a football player, that's what I do :P

I’m hopeful that Ms Singh introducing a new pack means that she will give us a little bit of variety in the changeling heroes and heroines we had so far. I think it'd be interesting... I also would like to know if what types of changelings exist... So far, obviously, we know about wolf, leopard, wild cat, hyena, rats, swan, eagle and one other I can't remember (they're non-predatory and were attacked in one of the book... doe?)... I wonder if there are horse... and if there's leopard, are there lions, tigers, and so on...

Cindy: Yes, the deer pack and this time there was the bear pack that Riley and Mercy checked on. But I'm not sure I would be that enthralled with say a Swan H/H because they are not as fierce.

Nath: Right, deer... I couldn't remember the word. Hmmm, wonder if those bears are predatory... and LOL, probably not as fierce, but it'd be interesting to see a swan H or H. Different... I'm just Ms Singh would make it work :P

Cindy: I read the preview for the next book and see it's not Hawke's story which I hope is with Sienna but who knows.

Nath: I'm actually happy that we're not getting Hawke story right away. I think that both Hawke and Sienna need time. What do you actually think of Kit and Sienna? That really came as a surprise for me!! Actually, age-wise and personality-wise, Kit and Sienna could really work... but then, now that we have confirmation that Hawke and Sienna both have feelings for each other... I can't imagine another couple.

Cindy: I have a horrible memory so having someone named Kit show up was just like being thrown a ball I didn't know was coming. I'm sure he's been mentioned many times in the previous books but I don't remember him. Anyway, I’m not loving it, but I get cranky that way. Also, I think Sienna is going to be so strong that Kit would feel inferior in some way or was Kit that one that everyone knew was going to become an Alpha?

Nath: Yes, Kit is the cat that people believes will become Alpha in the future. As a result, I think he would be able to handle Sienna... I don't think there would be any inferior complex... and Kit has an advantage: the way he was raised, completely loved by the Pack and knowing who he really is. He's not searching like Sienna and he's not emotionally stunted like Hawke... Sigh, I can't wait to get his book :) But he'll have some growing up to do :P I think that if the foundations weren't already laid down for Hawke and Sienna, I would really like Kit and Sienna. Right now, I wonder if it's not only friendship between Kit and Sienna.

Cindy: I'm all right with her having a relationship outside of what might happen with Hawke. After all, I imagine Hawke is not a virgin ;) And the Changelings are very affectionate and open with sexuality. It's just I have my heart set and now I have to hope it don't get broken!

Nath: I know what you mean!! LOL, Hawke as a virgin - I think not. The thing is, if Sienna is going to open her heart to someone and be comfortable enough to have sex with someone, I’d prefer it to be Hawke. I mean, I’d prefer for the person to get to Sienna, touch her core, be her hero… Also, I’m afraid that Kit might get his heart broken ^_^; So friendship between Kit and Sienna, I’m okay with… Kit can show Sienna a lot of things and he can help her… but anything more? Big no, no.

Cindy: See, we’re both on Hawke’s side ;) Where I keep tripping up is the mate idea. The wolves know that Hawke's mate died when they were kids. A) How did he know she was his mate? Is it because they are in the same area so they instinctually know? B) Is there an assumption by the Changleings that there can only be one 'mate'. I should re-read the short story with Tammy and her mate as she grew up knowing they were mates. I just don't know how that would work because I do think her mate was sexually active before he realized she was his mate. I'll have to check on that.

Nath: From what I understand and remember, wolves and cats only mate once in their life... once you mate, it's forever even if one dies. I think that in Hawke’s case, he recognized his mate when she was still a kid, but died before they could mate. I don't know how early you can figure these things out, but seems like you can. Eg. Tammy and Nathan. In their case, Nathan waited for Tammy to be ready and once he knew she was his mate, he didn’t have sex with anyone else. Since they weren’t mated, I don’t know if Hawke can still mate with someone else or not ^_^;

Cindy: From what I remember Hawke was either 12 or 13 when his potential mate died (she was 6 or 7?) and yes, once they mate they are mated forever and usually die if the other does. But because Hawke was never mated I would have thought he would still be open to the fact that there could be another potential mate. Except, he did say to Riley in this book that the bond is a once in a lifetime chance. So we know he is mourning the fact that he'll never be mated.

Nath: I’m not sure about that. I mean, didn’t Sascha refuse to mate with Lucas in the first book because she was going to die and therefore, that would be it for Lucas? I’m also not sure about the dying thing… Yes, perhaps it’d be likely they would die from grief once they lose their mate, but just die because the other died?

In any case, I wonder if it possible for Hawke to develop a relationship with Sienna without being mated... That’s an option; however, given Hawke’s craziness, I think that being mated would make him more stable. Ah well, we'll have to wait till Ms Singh writes it, right?

Cindy: Yep, you're right but I have to say, the woman would have to be strong to know Hawke would continue to mourn his mate. I'm not sure I could handle it!

I'm impatient when I see characters that appeal to me and Hawke and Sienna do. I'm just terrified that Singh could do what Suzanne Brockmann did with her last book and match Hawke and Sienna with completely different people. YIKES!

Nath: Oh, I think that Ms Singh is going to do a better job than Ms Brockmann... because when it comes to Hawke and Sienna's book, it will focus on them... not on 50 other characters and 3 other storylines. I have absolute faith in Ms Singh :) I think that we can be reassured that Hawke and Sienna will have some kind of relationship in the future – we pretty much got confirmation in this book, no? Unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll be in the near future, since Riley mentioned that everyone would be against it if Hawke made a move on Sienna at the moment, since she’s not ready.

I’m glad we got to see Hawke from Riley’s point of view… also, I’m so happy though that we finally get an idea of what power Sienna has!

Cindy: I'm all curious about what an X-Psy is and what they are capable of.

Nath: Me too! X-Psy - it sounds all powerful and dangerous and powerful, LOL :) And she’s an X-Psy cardinal as well!! I wonder if it means she has all of the Psy abilities… Hmmm. I do feel bad for Sienna, knowing that she’s responsible for her family being sent to rehab... Must be hard for her. Although, it did lead to their defection and a much better option for them. I'm also glad we got to see her little brother, Toby. We saw Marlee and Sienna a lot in the past, but never Toby.

Cindy: It's probably wrong that I'm also interested in Sienna's father. What is he doing, does he interact as much with the pack?

Nath: You mean her uncle? Well if Judd got his story, why not Walker... although so far, he's been very quiet and in the background... it'll be interesting to find out what he can do.... as it turns out, the Laurens are a very powerful bunch no? No wonder the Councilors were afraid.

So, Cindy, what grade would you give Branded by Fire? While I really enjoyed Riley and Mercy and the book in general, I felt like Branded by Fire was missing a little bit of oomph. I mean, it was really solid… but something was missing for it to be a wowzer for me.

Cindy: For me it was a KEEPER, KEEPER, KEEPER! I’d grade it a straight A. This book has to be one of my Top Ten Favourite books of all time. Seriously, I loved it that much!

Nath: I'm giving it an A-. Loved it, but the wowzer factor... Perhaps it's my fault and I inhaled it too fast ^_^; Luckily, next book in the series comes out in November!!

Review: How to Score by Robin Wells

Ugh, I finally kicked laziness to the curb! I hope it'll stay very far, very far away from me!! LOL :) So the plan is to have at least one review up per week. Since it's buddy reviews, it's a bit more work than just regular reviews and well, need two or more persons to read the same book (that can be difficult to arrange sometimes :P) If you're interested to buddy review a book with anyone of us, just leave a comment! :)

Today's review is How To Score by Robin Wells. I have to say thanks to Ames for three reasons: 1) making me buy it, 2) buddy reviewing it with me and 3) being so patient!! Thank you Ames! :)


How to Score by Robin Wells
published by Grand Central Publishing in June 2009

Her life coach...

Museum curator Sammi Matthews isn't just in a dating slump, she's putting men on the injured list. After giving one date a black eye and cracking another's rib, Sammi decides she needs professional help. Enter life coach Luke Jones, who advises Sammi on how to overcome her klutziness. And their phone sessions work! Sammi soon meets a sexy FBI agent who seems to know just what she needs.

...is changing her life

When his brother Luke goes into federal protection, FBI Special Agent Chase Jones agrees to cover for him. Then Sammi's hot voice sizzles down the line, and the usual "phone only" rule is out. With "Luke" coaching her by day, and Chase dating her by night, Sammi's confidence soars, along with her appeal. Chase falls hard, but how will Sammi feel if and when he comes clean? Chase would rather she break all his bones than risk breaking her heart.

Genre: contemporary
Series: ?


Nath: So I bought it because you said it was good and I agree, it was good :D

Ames: Yeah, it was. I really enjoyed it.

I usually don't like secret identity plots but in this case it worked really well. And the whole way it was dealt with was good too.

Nath: True, it worked well. I like the fact that Chase was conscious about the problem this was causing from the start. He didn't set out to lie to her... At first, he was simply curious and wanted to see her.

Ames: Yeah, he wasn't a bad guy. He had every intention of telling Sammi the truth but there was never a good time.

I like Sammi as a heroine. She was really smart and despite the fact that she hired a life coach, she had it pretty much together. Even her klutziness was cute.

Nath: You're right. I was actually surprised at how she had it together. All she had to deal with was a little klutziness and boost her self-confidence :) I kind of related a little bit with her about the part where she can't say "no" or doesn't know how to say "no." It's really not fun to be pushed around... So I really admired her character for taking the steps in order to change things that she was unhappy with in her life and thought she was really courageous.

As for Chase, I agree with you. There just wasn't any good time to tell her and at first, it wasn't going to be an issue because he didn't plan on getting involved with her and afterward, he didn't want to affect her self-confidence by not seeing her again... it's just unfortunate that he ended up in such a complicated situation :P What I liked about Chase though is that he was level-headed and realistic - he realized right away that she'd be angry at him and their relationship would be at risk.

Ames: What I also liked about Chase was the fact that he wasn't scared to be in a relationship with Sammi. Once he realized the way things were going, he wanted to be with her and tell her the truth. He was a good guy. It was funny how Sammi kept hurting him and yet he wasn't scared away. LOL

Nath: Hmmm, I don't know, but I thought it took him a while to take the first jump, to admit to himself that he was interested in Sammi, that she meant more... that he wasn't just helping her.

Ames: Maybe. The secondary romance was also enjoyable. Her boss's story was kind of sad and I'm glad she got an HEA too. And the house, the house and the architecture was also like a character and I found it very interesting.

Nath: I thought the secondary characters were interesting. I liked the fact that Sammi's boss and landlord weren't evil or nasty. I think their characters were well developed and circumstances in their lives shaped their current mood/action/personality. Have to say, I'm more fond of Sammi's landlord than her boss, but then her story was indeed very sad :( I think that the seriousness the secondary characters and romance provided was important because it balanced out the humor in Chase and Sammi's.

What really make How To Score stands out though was the humor! It's been a while since I've last laughed so much while reading a book... and it wasn't a chuckle at some sarcastic or cynical comments! and LOL, Horace stole the show!

Ames: Horace was so funny! I like how he turned up at the end. LOL

Nath: The part where Horace's assignment was to call for the apartments and he was re-telling how it went to Chase!! Hilarious!! And you're right, it was so funny when he turned up at the end. I'm glad he showed up and did a bit more :)

I actually really liked Chase and Sammi's characters. They were good people and interesting characters.... and Chase's SCABHOG plan! LOL as if that will ever work.

Ames: OMG! I completely forgot about SCABHOG!! And that was such a funny thing. LOL Seriously, people need to read this book just to laugh over the funniness that is SCABHOG.

I'm really glad I picked up this book. I'll definitely be looking for more by this author.

Nath: Me too :) I'm going to look for her backlist... or at least try.

I have to admit though, I would have liked some more closure at the end... That's my only complaint.

Ames: I do like what Chase did in the ending though. He did something he had a real phobia about and it was good. But yeah, there could have been a bit more.

Nath: Oh, I like his grand gesture and it was actually pretty cute and funny. Grand gesture are always nice in my opinion :) I just wished for a little more closure. Just a little.

I'm also happy that there was no sequel-baiting, although I wish we'll see the characters again :)

I'm giving it a B+. How To Score was simply a cute and fun :) Perfect to pass time or if you're in the mood for something light and fun.

Ames: It was totally light and fun, a straight up contemporary romance with no NAVY SEALS or anything like that. It made me laugh. I'm giving it a B+ too!

Nath: I know! I thought the idea of a life coach was great and original :D and although Chase was an FBI agent, it didn't overtake the storyline.

Ames: Yeah, I liked how the FBI stuff kind of took place before the story began.

Review: Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Usually I do my buddy reviews with Nath - I'm too shy to go out and solicit reviews from other bloggers (hint hint LOL). But new blogger Monroe, from Monroe with a Twist, is such a sweetheart that I just had to ask her to do a buddy review with me. We decided to read and review Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas. Also, this is Monroe's first buddy review ever. Thanks sweetie!

As always, our review reads more like a discussion and so there are spoilers. You've been warned.

He answers to no one...

No one has ever truly touched Jack Travis's heart or soul...until Ella Varner comes along. She appears one day on his doorstep with fury in her eyes and a baby in her arms. Her troubled sister is the mother and, according to Ella, Jack Travis is the father. But when Ella demands that Jack take responsibility for the first time in his life, he ends up taking much more than that...

She trusts no one...

Ella Varner is responsible and controlled. Her childhood taught her that love is fleeting and best avoided. That is, until baby Luke appears on her doorstep after her reckless sister, Tara, abandons him. What Luke needs now is stability, and Ella's determined to do what is best for him. As her bond with the helpless child grows stronger every day, Ella goes to Houston in search of the father. What she finds there will change her life forever...

And when things heat up between these two, the time for talking is long gone...

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: 3rd in the Travis family series

All right - let's get to it!

Ames: I liked Smooth Talking Stranger. It's been a while since I've read an LK contemporary and I've forgotten how she reels you into the story. So much so, I got a little teary eyed at the end.

And you?

Monroe: Well as you know I've been reading these books pretty much back to back and none of them have fallen short of my expectations. I love LK's way of making you feel like you’re really there in the story. And she truly does make you sympathize with the characters. I LOVED this ending so much and I think Jack ended up being my favorite out of all the heroes in this series.

Ames: Jack is definitely my favorite hero too! Although I would have liked a bit more internal dialog from his point of view when he first meets Ella and then later decides to pursue her. Because why would he go out on a date with that super model type chick and then come back to Ella and put the moves on her?

Monroe: Ohh good point. Ya we didn't get too much into his head. And when Ella saw him with her I was fuming! And I just loved how that model didn't think Ella was a threat to her beauty! HA! THANK GOD he got rid of her.

Ames: Yes - but what was the turning point for him? I would have liked a bit more from his point of view in that regard.

But once he does start going after Ella? Hot stuff! He's so sexy and he's exactly the kind of hero I like. Like totally alpha but not too domineering.

Monroe: Ya and I liked that he didn't really go in-between his feelings much. He stayed VERY persistent when courting her! I do love a man who knows what he wants and knows how to get it! ;o)

Ames: Exactly!

As for Ella, I really liked her character. I understood the attitude she had towards marriage and how her childhood really affected her adult relationships. She was smart and loyal - too loyal though. Her boyfriend Dane was such an ass!

Monroe: Oh sheesh! Ya he was such a moron. Open relationship...ok if he wanted that it seems he would've talked to her about it beforehand! But I will say I loved how they ended their relationship. There were really no hard feelings, although that would never happen in real life! Lol And boy was her childhood so relatable! I loved how LK showed a different kind of abuse in the story. Yes there was some physical with her sister and mother's boyfriend but the main abuse that was brought up was all mental and that's something that hard to translate into a book. It comes with a lot of emotion and LK RULES the emotion department.

Ames: Yes she does! I really felt for the two young sisters and their mother, awful! There's a narcissist for you.

As for her open relationship Dane should not have assumed that their relationship was open unless they had discussed it. Because Ella was caught off guard with that conversation, you could tell. And as for how it ended, it was very calm and "adult" and yeah, I doubt things can end that well in real life. (If so, what does that say about the kind of relationships we've had? haha) But the way it ended, it shows how un-invested Ella was in her relationship with her guy so we don't feel so bad about her hooking up with Jack. And what a hook up! I thought that scene in the parking garage was hot stuff. LOL

Monroe: Ya heat is one thing her books are never lacking! And what's great is in that heat is also tenderness. Like for example when Ella, Jack and Lukeall go on his pocket yacht...after laying Luke down for his nap Jack pulled Ella into the bedroom of the ship and told her she could have
whatever she wanted and her response was that all she wanted him(sweet). Then he proceeded to pin her wrist down to the mattress and make sexy lovin' to her (hot) then they talked about how they were going to try to have a traditional relationship together UNLIKE what she had with Dane. Such a good mix of my fav L's - Lust and Love! Lol

And what did you think about the boating accident? Ok call me blind but I totally didn't see it coming! I guess I was just so caught up in Ella having to give up Luke it didn't even cross my mind that something was wrong with Jack! So that was a surprise to me!

Ames: Oh yeah, that boating accident totally caught me off guard!! I remember someone too at one point telling me something about someone dying so here I was all worried for Joe. LOL Luckily, no one dies. Then we found out it was an explosion I thought maybe Ella's sister's lover tampered with the engine so that he wouldn't have to support Ella's sister via legal agreement. And then in the end it was none of those things. haha

And the reveal as to who the baby's father was? I saw that one coming. I knew it wasn't who Ella thought it was. That it was the other guy. Her sister kind of annoyed me at the end when she was all "I'm going to be with him" blah blah blah. We all know how that turns out.

But the story was about Ella and Jack and I thought it was a sweet story. I'm not a big fan of babies in my romances and I totally didn't mind Luke. Actually, that's what had me teary eyed at the end, when Ella gets her complete HEA.

Monroe: Oh ya I totally saw the true father when she first went to the church. I don't mind babies as long as they aren't mine! Lol I like babies in stories and Luke was great! I loved how Jack was with Luke. So loving and gentle! And the sister...how selfish of her! Who wants to be the "other woman". He won’t ever leave his wife...did you hear her..."after a few years when the kids are grown he will leave"...YEARS?!?! Whatever!

Ella SO deserved her HEA! I would not have been satisfied with her
only being the "favorite aunt" to Luke. Now her little family is complete! (OH and I SO wanted her to get pregnant at the end lol)

Ames: Ok, I say I don't like babies in my romance, but I totally melt for heroes who are nice to kids at the same time! LOL I'm so contradictory. But yeah, it just shows how the hero is a great guy.

Her sister was totally selfish. I don't really feel like things were completely resolved for her sister. But again, glad that her sister didn't get more page time. And her mom? Coming onto Jack? That's sick!!

Monroe: Oh I totally forgot to bring up her mother! What a hussy! And to get with her boyfriend when she was in high school?!?! OMG! THEN for her to come after poor Jack. Well I say poor but honestly if anyone could handle this intolerable cougar it's him! And how sweet is it that he didn't want to let Ella know it happened. In fact I loved when he knew her mother was coming and he snatched up Luke when she tried to make him leave. Like he was holding Luke as leverage! lol

Ames: I loved how Jack handled her mom. And the whole thing at the end saying if she keeps Ella happy for 6 whole months he'll buy her a car? haha!!

Monroe: Oh and I don't think this review would be complete if we didn't bring up the proposal...*sigh. It was absolutely sweet how he wrote to her like one of her readers (which btw those snippets of letters were too cute, and Ella was one smart cookie when answering). And how the ring was in her cup! Epp! Loved it! And when she walked back into the room with the
ring on...how he was relieved! :*)

Ames: Ooh, that was a cute proposal. Seriously, everything Jack did was just perfect for me. Even his jealousy and possessiveness were spot on.

Monroe: Oh ya he wasn't like creepy/jerk possessive it was more like "mine" (he even said those words to her hehe) and "let me take care of you". As apposed to Dane who couldn't even man up enough to help her with Luke. I mean she talked about visiting and he said he's stay somewhere else! MEN!

Ames: Oh Dane was so UGH. There's no other way to put it. I thought it was cute that Jack got jealous when Dane stayed the night too. LOL

Monroe: Ooooo...I know what you mean and when he said he wasn't going to stand back and let him takes what's "his"!!! I was like "that's right suckaaa!" lol

Ames: Yeppers, Jack totally made this book for me.

But Ella held her own and that's what I like in my heroines.

Monroe: Ya I loved her! Oh and when he made her eat steak! Lol Too funny!

Ames: Oh yeah that's another thing - with Dane, Ella was totally a doormat. But with Jack she was all feisty.

Here’s an example:

“Unbelievable,” I said in disgust.
“What’s unbelievable?”
“Your ego. It’s surrounded by its own cloud of antimatter. You’re a black hole of…of hubris!”
Jack stared at me through the shadows, and then he averted his face, and I thought I saw the white flash of a grin.
“Are you amused?” I demanded. “What the hell is so funny?”
“I was just thinking if the sex with you is one-tenth as fun as arguing with you, I’ll be one happy bastard.”
“You’ll never find out. You—“
He kissed me.

Monroe: Ya it was like she wasn't afraid to hold back. And she didn't! lol

Ames: True, true.

All right then, in the end I really enjoyed Smooth Talking Stranger and it was a B+ for me. :P

Monroe: Hmmm...honestly I would give it 5 stars on my blog so A then? (Im way too sweet on LK ;op)

Ames: Okay, at this point on Monroe's blog, she likes to include a little snippet of the book that she really enjoyed. So since she liked when Jack got possessive, here's the perfect snippet to reflect that:

He turned me around to face him. "Beautiful," he whispered. His hands went lower, following the clingy knit of my dress. His expression was intent, his lashes half-lowered until jagged shadows scored down his lean cheeks. And he breathed another word so softly I almost didn't hear it. "Mine."

Mesmerized, I stared into those dark eyes and shook my head slowly.

"Yes," Jack said, and he brought his mouth to mine.

Monroe: Ooh i just got shivers!

Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Woohoo! Another buddy review!! :) That's three weeks in a row!! I'm trying to be consistent, but it's hard ^_^;

So this week's review is The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong. Joining me is Li from Me and My Books who is quickly becoming my favorite buddy reviewer for urban fantasy and fantasy novels :) Big thanks for accepting my invitation each time! :) Here are our thoughts on the second book of Ms Armstrong's YA The Darkest Power trilogy.


The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
published by DoubleDay Canada in April 2009 (Trade-size)

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl – someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment – not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends – a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch – and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Genre: Urban fantasy, YA
Series: The Darkest Power, book #2

Li: Right, The Awakening... my initial take is that I liked it, but it didn't wow me. And while I will get the final book, I don't feel the need to know what happens next.

Nath: LOL, isn’t that because this time, Ms Armstrong does not end the book with a cliffhanger? Me, I really enjoyed The Awakening. It was not a wowzer, but close. It definitively was a good, solid read and I’m curious to know how it’s going to end.

Li: I think I said previously that it was a quick and easy read. As with all her writing, very clean and precise prose. It strikes me as more plot-driven, rather than character-driven. I like the fact we are beginning to see the bigger picture - there is quite a bit revealed about the institute and the reasons why the teenagers were brought together. It feels a lot less claustrophobic than the previous book, when they were all in Lyle House.

Nath: It was definitively a quick and easy read. If I remember correctly, I finished it in a couple of hours… of course, I had to stay up till 1.30am LOL. I actually was totally engrossed in the storyline - the rhythm and pacing were very good and I just wanted to finish the book as quickly as possible. I really like Ms Armstrong’s writing style. The bonus here is that her writing is not different because she's addressing a younger audience. The characters, their ways of thinking, their action do feel younger of course, but not the writing...

Li: Agree, it is YA in the sense the characters are teenagers, but she hasn't dumbed down her writing. Obviously the heat level is now very subtle as opposed to sizzling - do you remember the Jaime/Jeremy balcony scene in No Humans Involved? ;-)

Nath: LOL, seriously, who can forget that scene?!?! It was awesome, especially since readers were waiting for Jaime and Jeremy to get together for so long!! :D but yes, she turned down the heat level to appropriate :)

You mentioned earlier that you think The Awakening is more plot-driven than character-driven. I think one of the reasons for this is the time frame. The story spans on what, 3 or 4 days? Hard to make your characters grow so much in such a short period of time. It could happen, but it wouldn't be as believable. Although I think that Chloe did mature a lot at the end, accepting the reality of her powers.

I have to admit, I had my doubts in the first book about the plot. I mean, there you go again: some teenagers with special powers that are put together to be studied and tested – it’s been done before, no? However, I was pleasantly surprised with the events that happened. There were many twists in The Awakening and none that I really expected. Tori – didn’t see that one coming. Even the purposes of the study! As a result, I was totally okay with the story being more plot-driven :) The only thing now is that I'm not sure how Ms Armstrong is going to wrap the whole storyline in one single last book ^_^;

Li: Oh, I have faith! I generally get the feeling with an Armstrong book that Ms Armstrong knows exactly what happens at the end and how she is going to get there, and The Awakening is no different. I think the way that this book ended - even though there was no cliffhanger - was very much setting things up for the plot climax in the third book.

Nath: Oh, I do have faith too :) I’m just curious to see how she’s going to wrap this up. I guess I want more than another book :P By the way, aren’t you glad this does not end with a cliffhanger? :P

Li: LOL. I think you so know my feelings on cliffhangers. I've even stopped reading some authors because of the way they include cliffhangers in their books. So yes, I'm glad this concluded in a ummm tidier manner. It definitely felt like a middle book in a trilogy though. You know, she's started filling in the blanks but it's not quite there yet.

Nath: But close though, because she has to keep something up her sleeve for the last book. In my opinion, you don’t want the middle book to be too packed and be incredible, because then, you have a let-down with the final book… like the Study trilogy by Maria V. Snyder.

All right, enough of the plot, what did you think of the characters and their relationship?

Li: On relationships, she is so setting the scene for a relationship between Chloe and Derek. However, I felt the chemistry was somewhat missing between the two. Good friends, 100% yes, something more than friends, I don't know. Maybe. I normally love romance in YA books because the build up tends to be quite intense (maybe because they don't go beyond the bedroom door so there is more focus on the relationship), but I didn't really get that here.

Nath: LOVE TRIANGLE! There is a definite love triangle going on between Derek, Chloe and Simon! Although, I have to agree with you, Ms Armstrong seems to lean more towards Chloe and Derek - Chloe just hasn't realized it yet :P

As a reader though, who do you prefer though, Simon or Derek? I'm biased and have been rooting for Derek from the beginning. He reminds me so much of Clay LOL. Of course, he’s not as anti-social, kind of hard to beat Clay in that department :P Also, don't you find it funny, Jeremy and Jaime and now Derek and Chloe? What are the odds that you'd have another werewolf-necromancer couple?

Li: Maybe there is something between werewolf and necromancers ;-) I don't think Simon's going to get a romance in this book. Unless it's Tori. Which would be amusing. I don't actually think Simon has been as well fleshed-out as Derek in the series so far. Derek is definitely the more interesting of the two - more secrets, more angst...

I was thinking Derek = Clay as well! Though I haven't yet finished Men of the Otherworld so I can't really recall if Clay's adolescent years were similar to Derek's.

Nath: You haven’t finished Men of the Otherworld yet?!?! Why not?!?! LOL.

LOL, Simon and Tori :) Well seems like the adults in the book want them to pair up, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

As for the chemistry between Chloe and Derek, I think there was more in The Summoning; however, the book was more character-driven. In The Awakening, the story goes so fast and there is a lot of action, Chole and Derek seem to have less time to be together for the chemistry to be present. I do think that Chloe is attracted to Derek, but at the same time, I think she’s scared. Between Derek and Simon, Simon is much safer and that’s why I think she tends to gravitate towards him. I mean, for someone who is new to the Otherworld, when presented the choice of a sorcerer or a werewolf going through his first Change… but Chloe is handling it well :)

Also, you’re right. Chloe and Derek are definitively good friends, and that’s a good start no? See, what I’m worried about is that we’re not going to get a clear answer on the love triangle in the next book, because Ms Armstrong has the possibility to explore this love triangle again in the future in The Women of the Otherworld series. It sure would be fun to have a book about their grown-up version or a huge cross-over between this series and the Women of the Otherworld series.

Li: I like that we get to see a bit more of the Otherworld universe she's created, with mention of the Cabals etc, in The Awakening. Not sure how that would go down with readers new to this series though. I would love to see Clay meet Derek! And maybe Jaime and Chloe. That would be interesting.

Nath: I agree with you. I think that Ms Armstrong is doing well linking this series to the other… and I would love Jaime to become Chloe’s mentor! And I sure hope that Derek is going to become part of the Pack.

What scene stands out in this book for you?

Li: The scene where she accidentally raised the dead homeless man was a bit eewwww for me. If I were Chloe, I wouldn't dare go to sleep after that!

Nath: See, that's the part of The Awakening that I liked the least - that Chloe is summoning dead bodies right and left. Can you imagine how strong that makes her?!?! I'd say, that makes Chloe even stronger than Jaime in raw power ^_^; which makes sense with the explanations given in The Awakening… but still. The girl definitively needs a mentor... LOL :) As for the scene itself, I have to agree with you - well actually every scene where she summons something – ewwww.

Li: I remember Kelley Armstrong books used to be shelved in Horror in my local bookstore, and I can see why!

Nath: LOL, although her adult books never seemed to be this horrific! Gory, yes, but horrific? No.

By the way, what did you think of Tori and the events involving Rachelle? It’s fun to find out that Tori has some hidden depths. It'll really be interesting to see how her character develops...

Li: Tori is the most interesting character in the series to me. She has potential for redemption, and I think you start to understand why she is the way she is. Rachelle - the twist made sense. But I didn't really feel the betrayal too much. Because the plot was quite fast-moving, there probably wasn't much time to show Chloe's reaction to the reveal.

And I'm glad Aunt Lauren redeemed herself.

Nath: I’m glad as well about Aunt Lauren… and I hope Chloe will be able to reunite with her father! Poor man…

Li: I think there's lot of potential for this series to end on a feel-good note! Don't forget Simon and Derek's dad as well.

Nath: Not forgetting him. I wonder who he is…

Overall, I thought The Awakening was a solid and enjoyable read. At first, in The Summoning, I was a bit skeptical at Chloe's power. I mean, she just recovered them and she is already able to raise the death - involuntary! Raising the death was a very big step for Jaime, so to see Chloe do it so easily... However, now, it all makes sense. I'm glad that Ms Armstrong has such a tight plot.

Although, what I don't understand is Tori's mom. She clearly wants a powerful child - so why would she adhere to this program... hmmm, another mystery?

I'm giving The Awakening a B+. I have to admit, I would have liked a bit more chemistry between Chloe and Derek. However, for such a fast-paced storyline, there was plenty of action and the plot was very interesting :) Looking forward to The Reckoning! :) What about you, Li?

Li: I went for a B. I thought the suspense side was good, but I'm still lacking a proper connection with the characters. I will get The Reckoning. Hmmm... part of me is wondering if I'd have enjoyed these books more if I could read all three in one sitting!

Nath: Perhaps, but then to wait three years? I wouldn’t be able to do it LOL :P

Buddy review: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

First, I'd like to thank Leslie for accepting to join me and buddy review this book. Second, I'd like to apologize to Leslie for the long time period it took to put the review together and finally post this ^_^; I plead the lazy bug that bit me... and I hope that she'll agree to write more :P

If you need to know why we both read this one, just ask Kristie... :P


The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley
published by Dorchester in May 2009

The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family--rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn't be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them--of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.

The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He's also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.

Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama--an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.

And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.

Genre: historical romance
Series: Highland Pleasures, book #1

Leslie: Nath, I'm dying to know what you thought of it. I'm really not sure which way you're going to go - either loved it like Kristie or ??? I'm still processing my thoughts but overall I liked it. I wasn't blown away by it but I did like it.

Nath: LOL, like you, I enjoyed it a lot – it was a good read, but unfortunately, not a wowzer :(

Leslie: Kristie will be happy that we both liked it. :)

I liked Beth and Ian. At times Beth seemed almost too perfect for Ian; she knew exactly how to "handle" him and when to back off and let him be.

Nath: Hmm, I don’t agree with you. I think that sometimes, the way you treat someone is instinctive no? Based on how you perceived someone – if he looks happy, sad, angry, etc. – you’re going to adjust your behavior. How you act and how you handle someone... it seemed that way with Beth to me.

Ian was definitively a very interesting character and a good hero. I liked him a lot.

Leslie: Beth - instinctive - yes, that makes sense. With her background dealing with her drunken father and growing up in the East End, that would make sense that she would know how to handle someone who doesn't always act and react the way society would expect. Thanks!

Ian - I can see why many readers would fall for him. This 9 year old boy sent to an asylum and treated so horribly - like a nightmare you never wake up from and with no one there to comfort him. It must have been such a relief to finally have Curry there with him. But considering everything that Ian experienced he really was quite normal. He had a few oddities and quirks but I think if he hadn't spent time in the asylum people may have thought him "rather odd' instead of crazy. And the way he kept comparing himself to his father with regards to his rages, I think Ian knew enough to get himself away from everyone when the rage would begin so nothing like his father. Except where Fellows was concerned but that I think had more to do with protecting Beth from the ugliness that he associated with Fellows and the murders.

Nath: You know, although he was all alone in the asylum and suffering, I think he took comfort in the fact that his brothers never abandoned him, don't you think? They always thought of him, sending him stuff and Curry :) I really like the siblings’ relationship in this book. I liked how they were all kind of protective of Ian.

I agree with you, given all he's gone though, I thought that Ian was pretty normal and yes, society would probably have labeled him more as eccentric than mad. Personally, I wished we'd have seen Ian interact more with the society more or at least, strangers, it would have given another side of Ian.

Leslie: They sent him porn Nath... :) Nothing says brotherly love like porn. LOL. I did like reading the brothers interactions, not Hart so much but Mac and Cam with Ian. I think Hart will need a lot of redeeming before I can see him as a hero.

Nath: LMAO :) I like that Mac and Cam looked out for Ian. They tried to protect him as well as the people around him.

Something that bothers me though is that we know that their father was bad and harsh... they all agreed and seemed to have some scars of their own, but I would have liked more concrete examples, experiences from the brothers - not just Ian’s and not just agreement.

Leslie: The thing with their father - I think because Ian was so different his father didn't know how to deal with him to get the results he wanted. So he ended up treating Ian worse than his brothers. But yes, having Hart, Cam and Mac simply agreeing that their father was an ass didn't work as well as having examples of their experiences with him would have. Maybe we'll get that in their books.

Nath: Ms Ashley will most probably cover how much Ian's father was an ass in the brother respective books. My feel is that their father saw Ian as weak and therefore, was really harsh on him to change him. Not only weak, but bizarre and so, he tried to mold Ian...and he was probably freaked out by Ian's memory, but really, the reason why Ian was put in an asylum was because he witnessed his father killing his mother, no? That is what I took from the book. If not for that event, I think that Ian's father would have tolerated Ian... oh, it wouldn't have been a happy life, but he could have avoided the asylum.

Leslie: Yes, he was admitted the next day. I can't help but wonder if he had stayed at home and out of the asylum would his father, in one of his rages, turned on Ian and possibly killed him like he did the mother or would the brothers have kept him relatively safe. I'd like to think the brothers would have looked out for him.

Nath: In this case, are you assuming that Ian has witnessed his mother's death or not? If yes, then I think that Ian would be at risk. His father would have become paranoid and I think eventually, Ian would have succumbed to his father's rages. As for brothers’ protection, I think it would have depended if Ian told his brothers what he saw or not... However, even if his brothers would have protected him, they couldn't have been there always, so there would always be a risk, don't you think?

Leslie: I think he was at risk anyway, just for being different and someone his father couldn't control. But after seeing his mother killed, definitely more risk, probably would have been killed by his father just to keep him quiet. What did you think about how quickly Ian was put in the asylum? Like his father had already considered doing it?

Nath: But the fact that his father would put Ian in an asylum instead of killing him… Does it say something good about the father? A little bit of love for his children? I don't think so... perhaps it was going to be too difficult to explain the deaths of two people? In the end though, I do think sending Ian to the asylum was the safest path, don't you agree? Of course, Ian was lucky that Hart sprung him out...

Leslie: I think, like you said, the father was afraid of explaining two deaths so close together. But he could have kept watch over Ian, using fear and intimidation then maybe a few years later got rid of him. I have no problem believing the father might kill Ian. He had three other sons so...

As for safe, horrible but he lived through it so yes, better option.

Onto a different topic, I did wonder how Ian would be during sex - if his attention would suddenly wander off and focus on some distant point. But he did just fine. :)

Nath: LOL, strangely enough, it doesn't seem as if Ian lacked experience or feminine company... wonder if it's due to his status and money or just himself. Personally, I thought he was fine.

Leslie: Probably both. And he was good looking. But my guess is that most of his feminine company was mostly of the paid for type.

There was a line on page 74 where Ian looks at Beth, "She stood like a flower, fragile and vulnerable. The only color in a sea of gray. " The sea of gray part made me think that Ian's world is gray except for those points that capture his attention. Like at the very beginning when he's with Mather and Ian focuses on the drop of ink. Maybe that's why he connected so well and so quickly with Beth - because she was this color in an otherwise world of gray. Or I could just be reading too much into it. ;)

Nath: LOL, I think you're reading into it a bit too much :P

Leslie: smartass :)

Nath: LOL. Anyway, back to paid company - I wouldn't be surprised and I wouldn't hold it against him.I'm just glad that Ian didn't turn out to be a very shy character. Seriously, he was quite normal with a few quirks.

Leslie: With Ian not willing to look anyone in the eye you might think that he would have been more shy. He wasn't what you could call "long-winded" lol. I would think of him as more of being selective with who (whom?) he interacted with. Not being able to interpret body language and the nuances of speech left him at a disadvantage so he became impatient when talking to people.

Nath: Oh, he is definitively more selective of the people with whom he interact. Remember, the first scene when Beth and Ian meet. He found her worthy of saving, that's why he told her about Mathers. If she hadn't been, I think he would have left her marry the guy. It sure makes him interesting... and I don't think he was shy. Ian has very good instincts and actually takes decisions very quickly. Not that he is haughty, but he has to find you worthy for him to interact with you. Otherwise, he's just forcing himself.

Leslie: That's right - he thought she was worth saving. I'd forgotten that part.

Nath: What did you think of Beth? All in all, I thought she was a great heroine - passionate, compassionate and courageous. I really liked the fact that she stood up for herself and for Ian… she was just a tad too curious for her own good though ^_^;

Leslie: Beth was the type of historical heroine I like - true to her situation and time period but not weak or completely submissive. She didn't allow anyone to put her in the corner and expect her to be quiet. ("Nobody puts Baby in the corner") But at the same time she wasn't terribly rude or overbearing in getting her point across. The scenes with Beth standing up to Hart - loved those. She had a bit of a smart mouth and I liked it when she used it on Hart. Can you tell I didn't like him very much?

She was surprisingly smart considering her childhood which also gave her tolerance for people who were different, helping her relationship with Ian. She was very curious wasn't she? LOL I think if Ian had been more willing to talk about the murders then she would have let him take the lead. And what did you think of Thomas? I liked him even though he was dead. LOL He certainly had a progressive way of thinking, especially for a vicar.

Nath: I think that those scenes where Beth stands up to Hart are proofs that Beth is a courageous woman. As for Thomas, have to admit that I didn’t really care about him, but I'm glad that Beth had him. I think it opened her up and that he had a lot of influence in her life.

One of my favorite moments in the book was when Ian gave to Beth one of his ceramic bowls and she said it was indeed better than a carriage and horses and how triumphal he felt, LOL :) It was just so cute!! :)

Leslie: And then he took it from her and put it back on the shelf. LOL I like that fact that she totally understood why he would put it back.

Nath: LOL, well where would she have put it anyway?

Leslie: On a table in her room or somewhere else in the house. I think another lady might have wanted to have it out where everyone could see it instead of locked away in Ian's special room. IDK - it's like he gives her this gift but he's keeping it for her. Are you laughing at me again? LMAO

Nath: :P So I loved the siblings camaraderie in this book as well as the heroine and hero… but I said earlier that The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie wasn’t a wowzer for me. One of the reasons is the murder intrigue. I thought it was the weakest part of book. Not only was it boring , but Fellows annoyed the hell out of me. What did you think of it?

Leslie: Agree about Fellows and the murders etc., weakest point.

Nath: What annoyed me most is that Beth is the one who solved the mystery. Ugh!

Aside from the weak murder intrigue, I felt like we missed a book in the storyline. There were lots of events that the characters referred to that were never really told or explained to the readers. For example, Fellows accused the Mackenzie brothers of trying to ruin his career. I wonder if he was simply paranoid... I understand Fellows resentment towards the Mackenzies, although it should have been aimed at the father, but not the brothers... and it seems that Fellows has harassed them - which is why he was under order to stay away from the Mackenzie. But I wonder if what is the event that led to this point. Why or did the brothers really try to ruin his career?

Leslie: Yes, they would refer to past events and I would wait for more info... then nothing. The whole thing with Fellows - if there had been more information throughout the book on him then I think I would have had more interest in the murder subplot. Instead Fellows just kept popping up every now and then just to get slapped down. And the resolution of the murders towards the end felt too fast. Hart and Ian seemed to be blinded by what they thought had happened even after Beth practically spelled everything out for them. Ugh! Frankly, I didn't care much about that whole murder plot and it just made me like Hart even less.

Nath: As for Hart, I'm reserving judgment. I think that for each brother, their respective passion shaped their personality. Hart being one for power, money and politics, it's just normal that he's such a jerk LOL. In addition, he's the duke and the oldest... I would say he's had it the hardest and that's why he uses people like he does. Of course, it could also be his failed love relationship - I'm curious about that :) At least, we know who's going to be his heroine :)

Leslie: So wealthy and powerful = jerk? LOL - jk But yes, I can definitely see what you mean about Hart and all the responsibility plus he did try to look out for Ian before Ian was sent to the asylum. Ian had referred to Hart as "cold" so maybe he's like that because of being jilted and then losing his wife and baby. He did love Ian but wasn't able to show it the was Cam and Mac did.

Nath: LOL, in a lot of cases, yes :) I think that Hart "coldness" comes from much before he lost his wife and baby. I'm curious, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with his father and him being jilted. You know how harsh the education of an "heir" can be. For sure, he isn't as carefree as Cam and Mac and like I say, I wonder if it's because he was the "heir."

Leslie: The whole thing with Hart being jilted - I'm actually looking forward to meeting her. LOL

Overall, I liked Ashley writing style but would have liked a stronger storyline with regards to the murders or like you said more Ian, Beth, Hart etc. and less on the murders. I can definitely see myself picking up the next three books, even Hart's. :) I definitively want to read Mac and Isabella's story and I'm guessing they're next.

Nath: Oh, I am definitively picking up the next book and you’re right, it’ll be Isabella and Mac :) The one I’m actually looking forward to is Cam though.

So what is your grade for this book? I think The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie deserves a B+ from me :)

Leslie: Hey, we actually agreed on the grade. B+ from me too. I had a few problems with it but overall I liked Ian and Beth. A good start to the series.

Nath: Definitively :)