Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Blood Promise

by Richelle Mead

series: Vampire Academy

April 2010
Penguin
Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Action


Why I read it: It's the 4th installment of the Vampire Academy Series.

Synopsis from Barnesandnoble[dot]com.

*******SPOILER FOR BOOKS 1, 2 & 3!!!***********

The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir's Academy was the deadliest ever in the school's history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them . . . including Dimitri.

He'd rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa - the one she has sworn to protect no matter what - and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

*******SPOILER FOR BOOKS 1, 2 & 3!!!***********

So from book 3, we know that Rose has quit school to find Dimitri... And kill him. Lissa finally realizes what Dimitri means to Rose: more than just a mentor/teacher. This is a different turning point book. Book 2 was a turning point for Rose's personality. She calmed down after the aftermath of Mason. Book 3 was a turning point for the strigoi vs. moroi and dhampir races and Dimitri. Book 4 (this one) is a turning point for the story and the entire world.

Rose goes to Russia. She figures that's where he would go. Though I don't understand why it's so "obvious" he'd go there. His family is still where he grew up, in Siberia, but as strigoi, you don't think he'd go there to be with his family. I think he once said his mom would let him come back home for any reason, but I don't think that carries on over to him being strigoi.

Regardless, that's where Rose goes. Which leads to a whole different way of life. Not because she's American in Russia, but because she's a dhampir (with no guardian mark but a molnija -pronounced: molnia - mark that represents her killing lots of strigoi in a battle) where strigoi are roaming around through the human night life in major cities.

She meets a lot of new people, one of which is a new type of "species" that we didn't know before. Because Rose quit school before she was told :D. She keeps in touch with Lissa via their connection. Adrian visits her dreams a lot, trying to figure out where she is, she disconnects it when he gets too close to finding out.

Dimitri's in the story.... Richelle Mead did a really good job on him. It made me like Adrian even more than I did before. I don't want to give away anything. But since you know she's hunting him, that's the whole point of the book, it would be cruel and unusual punishment if Mrs Mead didn't have him in it. You really see more in to the psyche of the strigoi and their world. Things are drastically different than what they thought, while other stay the same. I wouldn't have been able to guess the things that Richelle gets in to.

Rose still does a lot of ass kicking. Beautiful ass kicking. The only kind she knows how to do ;p.

The ending of the book is soooo long and painful in so many ways (all good, I promise... and by "good" I mean in the writing.... I definitely am not referring to the way the story ends in this one. That would be rude). I don't know where I would rank this in the whole series, it's not the best, but the good thing about this series is that there isn't a worst. 

Anyway! Action packed, twists and turns, she keeps you on your feet, non-stoppable, etc. Great addition to the series. Richelle's writing is fabulous, as always.

Ratings: 
1.Cover: +1
2. Hooked: +1
3. Finished the book: +1
4. Overall Feeling: Pos +2
5. Re-Readability: +1
6. Suggest to others: +2
7. Lost time: Nope +18. Readability:+1

10 out of 10. A well deserved 10. love this series


****check out my YouTube review! And don't forget to subscribe!*****

Other's in series (in order):

Vampire Academy

Frostbite

Shadow Kiss

Blood Promise

Spirit Bound

Last Sacrifice

Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

Beyond the Highland Mist

by Karen Marie Moning

March 1999
Random House
Historical/Time Travel Romance
Audio from Audible $20.97
Read by Phil Gigante


Why I read it: I wanted an audio book to listen to at work. The male reader (Phil Gigante) sold me on the audio.

Synopsis from Barnesandnoble[dot]com.


An alluring laird


He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart - until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistible challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length - but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve.

A prisoner in time

She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite within her. Not even the barriers of time and space would keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about following the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side....

*************************************************************************************

Let me start this out by saying, "holy crap". Yep, that's how I wanted to start this! ;). I absolutely, 100% loved this book (love the whole series if I was disclosing everything). I think one of the reasons I love this so much is because I listened to the audio version. And Phil Gigante (who narrated) is PERFECT! I love it love it love it. I can never know what Mr. Gigante looks like because it will shatter the feeling I get from these books forever. Then I couldn't listen to them anymore (I listen to each of them at least once a month, in order).


I also would like to point out that this is a romance, so a big, strong, sexy, brooding highlander will get really... well not big, strong, sexy and brooding in one moment of the book. Which is a moment that I don't like because of it. He turns into a needy man. Not the usual big, strong, sexy and brooding needy, but an emo type dude. You'll understand when you read/listen (probably more listen since his voice inflection is done for you) that pivotal moment when the "s" starts hitting the fan. I don't mind what he does afterwards, because that makes sense and is what I would expect of that type of alpha character. I just felt really embarrassed for him during that one little part.


That's the only complaint I have about the book.


The cover gets a 1, because, well... there's a ripped chest and torso on it (duh!), and I'm a sucker for those kinds of books (not those kinds of men unfortunately. I like mine more slender, I don't want to feel like they can snap me in two. I know that's kinda the point with men like that, to feel like they could but know they never would... I just can't get into it, it seems too freaky. I will definitely love reading about them though!).


The beginning is pretty funny. The Scottish accent that Mr. Gigante has is really intoxicating. I envy his wife/gf/bf/husband (whatever), because I would do absolutely anything if my husband were to ask me to do it in a Scottish accent. Well, I'd probably do it anyway, but I would love doing it even more! :p. Hook for this book gets a great big 1! (Plus, the chick starts out in Seattle, so I'm totally in love with that immediately)


This book left me wanting to "read" the next, and the next, and the next. I listen to it over and over. I believe I listened to it 3 times in a row before I finally broke down and bought the second (it took even less time to buy the rest after I listened to that one). The writing is great, you really get the sense that they're in that century. That the man is really Scottish. I give it 1pt for Getting Through It and Re-Readability, 2 points for the Overall Feeling.


I suggest others to read this if you like Scotland, Highlanders, Tough guys who love really really well ;p, and if you like a little time travel. BUT! I ask only one thing, if you do decide to read this book, buy the audio. I know it's (a lot) more expensive than the book in any format, it's just such a different experience, and I've really begun to like male narrators more than I do females.


**sigh** I love this series. I love the alpha male take charge, do what I need to make other's thrive attitude/mentality/way of life.


I give this book a 10 out of 10. My one complaint about the part I felt embarrassed for him is really pale in consideration to the way the rest of the book makes me feel. It's funny though, at first I felt bad for Mr. Gigante for having to read dirty parts, then I was so thankful that he could get through them without giggling... or throwing the book at the wall and saying "this is really what women like to read?". Then I thought, wow, lucky wife/gf/bf/husband, he know's what women really like to read and in turn, he knows what women really like to have men do for them, to them, etc. Or really, just any human being wants to feel special, but now he has the tools to make it happen. 

Ratings:
1.Cover: +1
2. Hooked: +1
3. Finished the book: +1
4. Overall Feeling: Pos +2
5. Re-Readability: +1
6. Suggest to others: +2
7. Lost time: Nope +1
8. Readability:+1

Other's in series (in order):
Beyond the Highland Mist
To Tame A Highland Warrior
Highlander's Touch
Kiss of the Highlander
Dark Highlander
Immortal Highlander
Spell of the Highlander

Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi

Girls That Growl

by Mari Mancusi

October 2007

Romantic/Paranormal Young Adult

Penguin
$9.99


Why I read it: To decide whether or not my boss should put it in our stores (along with the rest of the series).

Synopsis from Barnesandnoble[dot]com.

Third in Mancusi's hip, sassy vampire series, featuring the heroine of Stake That!

She's a vampire. She's also a vampire slayer. (It's a long story.) And now Rayne McDonald, Goth girl, has to carry out her most deviant mission yet: trying out for the cheerleading squad.

Rayne already has enough on her plate: her twin keeps whining about whether or not to go all the way; her mom's boyfriend is moving in; and her man, Jareth, who's now allowed out in the sun, has turned from a dark, brooding hottie vamp into a surfer dude.

But this vampire slayer is still on the clock, and she has a new assignment. A member of the football team has disappeared-and her bosses at Slayer Inc. think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now they want her to infiltrate the squad and get the dirt. But first, she'll need an extreme prep makeover. If only they'd let her wear fishnets under that revolting uniform.

*****************************************************************************

I read this back on 4/16/10, things are starting to sort-of coming back to me since I took notes (two note cards worth!) so I may have a lot of "if I remember correctly"s and "I believe".

Rayne was doing the thinking again in this book. And now she's vamp. And a vamp slayer.

Their mom still knows how to rub me the wrong way, I swear. I believe she had a boyfriend staying for a while and he was using one of her daughter's rooms to sleep in. I had a MASSIVE problem with this. If your already sleeping with the dude (implied) then just have him stay in your room. Don't disrupt your kids' lives further by kicking one of your daughters out of her own room so that you can play house with your boyfriend. If you're not sleeping with him and you don't have an extra room, TOO BAD!! A grown man can't afford a hotel room for a couple of weeks and you're with him? I don't think she was even seeing him for very long either. Picture perfect of a stupid mom, in my humble (psh) opinion.

I asked for this in my review of "Stake That": for Rayne to lose control. And it looks like she finally did on her mother. notes literally say: "Finally, Rayne loses control. & the mother just keeps looking worse." From what I remember, Rayne confronts her mom about her boyfriend and they get into a fight. Her mom chooses boyfriend over the emotional stability of her kid. Yeah, kids don't have much to begin with, but there's a point when they need you more than normal. Sadly, that's usually when parents run away from them fastest.

Jareth and Rayne spend a lot of time together in this book. The feeling I got from Jareth is that he's an idiot. He's too easily fooled by a young girl with no extraordinary talent for mischief. I'm not very good at it myself, which leads me to the point of "Jareth is an idiot" because even I could fool him. I think Ms/Mrs. (not sure) Mancusi's idea was to make Rayne cunning and sneaky, and there were times when it really just made Jareth look bad. Their dialogue was hard to follow, they'd skip (leading) sentences. They both are in crazy-town if they can understand each others half-explanations. Which, I find myself doing in my own "babies". I make that illogical jump in my head and I don't explain the steps my mind automatically skips over for others to understand. Reading it a long time later or a few projects later helped me realize that there was no sense in what I wrote. I think using that method would have helped this book immensely.

Notes: "Rayne's a bitch". hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. She just kept torturing everyone around her (minus her mom) and when Jareth FINALLY scolds her, she responds by crying like the world is out to get her. Hey, I know how it is to be a bitch. Grew up being one in fact. But the one thing I noticed when I lessened my bitch was that: hey! The world was only out to get me because I was out to get it! Crying for a hard ass after getting just one scolding doesn't seem authentic to me. Especially if it's made to believe that she's feeling the hardship of it and has remorse. It all felt like guilt-play to me.

Once again, Mancusi wraps the story up in some expensive paper and a huge bow. All of her plans go so smoothly it makes me wonder why she's "goth". She was supposed to have Jareth as backup and still everything went smoothly. I needed a glass of wine to go with all that cheese! K, not really, I can only drink wine if I chase it with coke (yeah, not joking). The comment still means the same thing though, I can't handle all that fakeness! The supposed challenges that aren't challenges when Rayne can get through it without sweating. If she's supposed to be so smart then make her challenges harder. That's easy enough if you throw in a failure or two. Make it so she fails and someone else has to save her. Or even that she's getting tired and then up the ante by bringing in another bad guy. who's holding someone she loves by the neck. at knife point. Add tension. Add curiosity. What would she do if her arm was dislocated? Would she give up and run or stay and fight? Would she be able to handle the pain or lose consciousness? We don't know this about Rayne because nothing bad ever happens to her. I think the worst thing in her life is her mother (Yes, I know she's a vampire and a vampire hunter, but sooooooo what compared to her mom. She can deal with every other dead thing, her mom is.... stupid)

All that being said, there was a bit of drama towards the end again that made me keep reading. I think I would have loved it if she would have left some opening or tension or unanswered questions in the end (especially since there's still another book in the series). Alas, it did not happen.

Favorite Quote? I giggled when I read it in my notes too, so it's good!

"Does one shake hands with a werewolf? or do they, I don't know, sniff butts to get to know one another? Ew, I so don't want to go there" 

hehe, good right? Which leads me to comment that Mancusi's writing reminds me of shows like 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation (no, not the office). A fast paced sitcom with random silly-ness and dialogue. Which I love. They're great mindless things to watch. Reading isn't so mindless, but it helps to read something that you like watching. No matter how mean that sounds I really mean it as a compliment. I'm the beginning of the "youtube generation" where we like things moving and fast and short. Mancusi does a great job with that audience.


Should you read it?: I definitely think you should read Boys that Bite and Stake That first so you can get the gist of where the characters have been. This one isn't as good as Stake That but it's still nice to read about characters you've put some time in to.

Would I read it again?: Probably not. Just because it's too short and it didn't leave a lasting impression on my mind. I was interested in the well being of the characters, but it was just too neatly wrapped I think. And the passion in there was lacking a bit. (same as the Stake That review)




Ratings:

1.Cover: +1

2. Hooked: +0

3. Finished the book: +1

4. Overall Feeling: Pos +1

5. Re-Readability: +0

6. Suggest to others: +1

7. Lost time: Nope +1

8. Readability:+0. 5

(also the same as the Stake That review)
so it looks like this gets a 5.5 out of 10.

Others in series:

Boys That Bite

Stake That

Girls that Growl

Bad Blood

One Bite With a Stranger by Christine Warren

One Bite With A Stranger

by Christine Warren

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Series: The Others

St Martins Press Oct. '08


**Favorite Quote**

My God. I think I'm dead, she mused, too tired to get worked up about it. He fucked me to death


Not yet, milaya, he chuckled. But there's always next time.


Back of the book:


When Regina's friends insist on setting her up  on a "Fantasy Fix" to help her get over her cheating ex, she dreams up some kinky out-of-this-world encounters that they could never possibly bring to life. But the next thing Regina knows, her friends have got her laced into a shiny black corset, tight leather pants, and a sexy pair of stilettos. It's time for some downtown vampire-fantasy fun...


The Vampire Ball in Manhattan's East Village isn't really Dmitri Vidame's idea of a good time, but as a member of the Council that governs The Others, he has to keep an eye on all the young vamps who prey on the pretenders. After he feasts his dark eyes on the fiery Regina at the bar, he knows that he must have her. But for the first time Dmitri meets a woman who is more than a match for his indomitable will. And he may be the fantasy Regina hoped for...until she-and her feisty friends--discover her sexy new lover's bloodsucking secret...

*******************************************************************************************

Right off, this book reminds me of the good ol' days when I actually had girl friends. Then I remember all the drama of having girl friends and I see once again, why it's best if I don't mingle with other females :P. But I did like the idea of the "fantasy fix" I actually think that would have made for a better series than including or starting off The Others Series.

I couldn't ever get a good read on Regina. She seemed a little like me, but too flimsy. So, she was stubborn and thought her friends were crazy (that'd be the me-relating part) but she just turned to absolute putty around Dmitri (--the not me part). She just seemed to be so conflicting. I think the thing I enjoyed most about her was that she had red hair... i believe. (hahaha... I read it somewhere in the book, but then it never mentioned it again. So... I may have made her a redhead.)

Dmitri was ... well, a vampire. He was the suave and dangerous type as would be expected. He could read minds, some more clearly than others. He can also put his thoughts in yours too... which also means that he can mind rape you. Now, I don't consider pulling psychological bullsh*t on another "mind raping" like most others do. If that were the case, every female would be at fault. With all the games they play with both men and women, if that were turned into a legal offense.. then we'd all be guilty and sent to jail. So, when I speak  of "mind rape" in this instance, I'm talking about him actually putting a thought (literally) into someones mind and coaxing it mentally. Not with words or actions... but he's using his mind connection to do that. That's what I consider "mind rape". At the end of the book of course he claims that he could never do such a thing, but what he can do is take something that's already there and make it stronger or less in that person's mind. So he can't force you to do something you never considered doing. Like trying clams... Or stabbing myself in the stomach. etc. 

But where Dmitri screws himself with the mind reading, he makes up for a very tiny bit in his nick name. I LOVE nicknames, especially the ones of a different language. "Misha" is his nickname.. and as you saw above, he calls Regina: Milaya. Nothing particularly pretty about either name, but it just makes me happy. It did make me a little uncomfortable when other people outside of their lovers embrace called him Misha. It kind of dulled it down a little bit, thus, bringing him back to square one with the mind reading.

The only way to sort of redeem himself is through the sex though. Holy cow was the first "sex scene" hot! In fact, on my cheat note card, I wrote: "1st sex scene-Holy Moly!" They're hot, and of course, as present in this book as they are in the others of the Other series.

My FAVORITE scene of the whole book, has to go to one of the almost very last ones. When I read through it, all I could think of were her friends looking disheveled and crazy-eyed holding pitchforks and fire-lit torches.... :D

Ratings:

1. Cover +1

2. Hooked: +1

3. Finished the book: +1

4. Overall Feeling: meh +1

5. Re-readability: +0

6. Suggest to others: +1

7. Lost time: +.5

8. Readability: +1

So, I give this a 6.5 out of 10. I would only suggest this to those that have already started or would like to read all of the Others' series. Or if you just love series. It's not a bad read, but it's not amazing. And besides trying to figure out the actual order this series goes in, I don't think I would read it again. This book does feel like it's first (as says Barnes and Noble)

More by Sloan Parker

More by Sloan Parker

PDF file (details below)

series: Gay/Lesbian Erotica

Loose ID Pub

March 2010

**I won this book in a contest put on by Janna at E-Romance Reader. Book was provided by Sloan :D AAND it was the first contest I've ever won :D**

Blurb from Sloan Parker's Website:

For fifteen years Luke Moore has lived by three rules: stay off his father's radar, never spend more than a single night with any man, and never fall in love again. But one night of explosive sex and two men whom he can’t get out of his head have Luke breaking them all. Richard and Matthew push him past all his boundaries—both sexually and personally—and now he’s no longer hiding from his senator father; he’s taking him on. And he isn’t just falling for one man; he’s falling for two. If you're going to break the rules, might as well break them big.

But Luke’s father has his reasons for hating how his son lives, and he’ll do whatever he can and use all his power to keep Luke away from Richard and Matthew.

Can this threesome find a way to make their unconventional relationship last with the world around them trying to pull them apart? And will Luke be able to keep breaking his rules for Richard and Matthew, or will he head back to his familiar way of life just when his new lovers want to bind him tighter?

***************************************************************************************** 

So.. I don't know about everyone else who reads the gay/lesbian romances.... but I LOVE the warnings they put at the beginning of the books. They all sort of differ a bit but on my "cheat sheet" note-card I use for all my books, I wrote that this one made me smile :D (oh.. and something about making me want to call my practitioner... though I'm not a dude, and all these things would probably be moot anyway).

Alright, the first sentence caught my attention fast. What a way to start too. I immediately thought "why?" "who?" and got scared for and protective of the main character, Luke. He's troubled in only the way that a bad past and hard living could create, and you realize that it's so much worse than you thought as the story progresses.

*sidenote* Sloan's female. Which already predisposes her for harsher judgment (from me... sorry) on her interpretation of the male mind. It's just as complicated as a female, but in a simpler way (exactly what I meant by complicated). But she TOTALLY pulled it off. She built Luke up so well that I really thought he was writing the story, not Sloan. Which seems harder and harder to find the more books I read.**okay, end sidenote**

This book really helped me see into that other world. Being a straight female with the same boyfriend (sorry.. fiance) from high school, I have NO idea what happens in the dating world, let alone in that one. For example.. are there really clubs where you can go and have anonymous sex at?! How ingenious if it's true! Especially for men. (Read the book before you say "Umm. that's every bar Amber", then you'll know what I mean ;)-). 

ANYWAY! It's explosive from the start (the sort-of-pun was intended :P). Luke can be very vocal about his specific sexual wants and needs, but closes down when it gets to be more than that. When he meets Matthew and Richard and they give him what he wants and more until you are speaking aloud to the book and an empty room for him to just let go and enjoy, everything! 

Matthew's such a sweetheart and only from reading about him I really wish I could pinch his cheeks (upstairs cheeks for you dirty minds) because he was so freaking cute. Or shrink him and put him in my pocket so I can keep him close to me at all times. Matthew's fear he had to overcome was minor compared to Luke's. I was so happy with how he came about that fear (ummm... not in the "yay, I'm glad you suffered kind of way". But the "I'm so glad it wasn't because of the typical 'drunken parent'" way...)

Richard is more of the protector, but sort of the gentle giant too. He loves emotionally and physically but he'll use both to pound you to a pulp if you look at him or the other two funny. He had a hard time not being in control (outside of the bedroom of course) and though he seemed like the strongest of them all, he was vulnerable to certain things you wouldn't expect from a big guy.

I don't want to give away too much about the book since I want you to read it! Like now... Okay.. wait until the end of this post before you go just yet! So what I will give away about it is that it is fantastic. I tried reading it on my break at work until I realized an hour went by (45 minutes longer than I should have taken). Woops! So that put an end to that. 

Like with all great books... I had a hard time finishing it. What happens is that I want to know sooo badly how it ends... except for the part when it actually ends. So, while I won this in a contest back in April... I didn't finish it until mid-May. Part of it was because I was afraid of how Sloan would end it. Endings, for me, tend to make or break the entire book. Where every experience so far, no matter how great, has the chance to fail miserably. And the other part was because I didn't want to stop reading about these characters. But, just like the way Luke thought/felt/acted, she pulled it off beautifully.

One thing I noticed with her writing that I usually only see with "seasoned" authors is that she wrote with that cocky arrogance. But she also maintained the vulnerability of a new author. So she told you all you really needed to know and actually spent time to make it flow. Most of the time, even with my favorite authors of both "seasoned" and new, they go too far on either side of the spectrum. For example.. Nora Roberts... she's an arrogant writer. She focuses on the fluff and spares the details (IMO). On the other side is an author like Rachel Vincent. Her first book (Stray) contained sooo much detail that it ended up (though I enjoyed it immensely) breaking that flow a bit... does that make sense? Probably not since my flow and detail suck ;). All you need to know is that it was written really well, and she's been added to my favorite authors!!

Rating:

1. Cover +1

2. Hooked: +1

3. Finished the book: +1

4. Overall Feeling: :D +2

5. Re-readability: +1

6. Suggest to others: +2

7. Lost time: nope! +1

8. Readability: +1

10 out of 10!!! :D. One person on the cover looks like someone I used to know, so of course I have to love it... Oh, and the fact that there's two other hunks on there too :P. Annnd I know I don't usually suggest or recommends gay/lesbian or even erotica books to those that don't read them, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest you read this one (with the disclaimer that you are fully aware that this is a m/m/m erotica... okay?!)

So thanks again Janna and Sloan Parker for doing this contest and letting me read/review MORE!! :D

Here's Janna's review

Sloan Parker's Website

Sloan Parker's Blog

**pst... After you read this!! *cough*hopefullysoon*cough* you can read another book in this series about Walter Simon :D (It's "in progress".. which means that you need to buy her book so if she has one, she can quite her day job to finish it quicker ;p)**

A Bit of Rough by Laura Baumbach

A Bit of Rough by Laura Baumbach

Genre: Gay/Lesbian Erotica

e-book

MLR Press, LLC 2008

9-781934-531365

Barnes and Noble Synopsis:

Architect James Justin impulsively lets himself be picked up in a biker bar by seductive hunk Bram Lord for a one nightstand that turns into something bigger. The physically impressive, forceful stranger meets, matches and exceeds James' sexual fantasies, but can shy, uncertain James be everything the strongly committed Bram wants? 

********************************************************************************************

First scene took place at a bar. Like a biker bar... (obviously right... it says it above). But the craziness I'm trying to relay here is that the first scene of the book, is pretty hot. And that's before they get outside to do the dirty stuff. I was tense through the whole thing, just waiting for someone there to yell out some kind of profanity and for there to be a fight. No matter the size of the 2nd character (Bram).

Speaking of, Bram was a gentle giant. BUT! He wasn't afraid to pull out the guns. He enjoyed the small things (i.e. James) and then doing baaad things to those little things (i.e. tie him up and "ee-ee" [bf & my lingo for sex/f**k/make love/horizontal tango/etc] aaalll freaking day and night). Seriously?! Almost TMI for a moment... I don't know of any male over the age of 30 that can do it multiple times a day. Plus, I heard it hurts. Maybe these too were really lucky though?! Probably, since the eroticism was off the charts. I don't think the Energizer Bunny could keep it going for that long!!!  And it was not strictly secluded to the bed. There was the bath, kitchen, alley, office, you name it, they "christened" it. Or marked it. 

There was a little bit of a story that went along with this book, which I think pulled it all together. James' past is what a lot of gays I think used to have to go through (I say "used to" because now it's now the kids that grew up thinking it was okay to be gay that are having kids). Bram's was the opposite. Both pasts helped shape the two men. I actually related more to James' than Bram's though.

Ratings:

1. Cover +1

2. Hooked: +1

3. Finished the book: +1

4. Overall Feeling: :D +2

5. Re-readability: +.5

6. Suggest to others: +1

7. Lost time: nope! +1

8. Readability: +1

8.5 out of 10!!! :D Here's why:

If I were to re-read this book, I'd probably just skim through it to get to all the awesome dirty stuff. I also can only recommend this book to those that enjoy gay/lesbian books. So if you love that genre, I suggest giving this one a try! Bram, I think, steals the show from James, but you'll enjoy their relationship (between the sheets & out) as it progresses. 

Author's website

Author's Blog

[btw, I love her blog header: "The thoughts and challenges I come across in being a heterosexual woman, wife and mother who loves to write m/m erotic romances. I'm not gay or male, but the thoughts of two gorgeous, confident men together is my idea of a hot time! I write for others, both men and women, who feel the same." Totally understand that!!]

**please email me if you've read and reviewed this book so I can add a link to your site!**

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding.

Series: Dreg City Series (#1)

Dell 2009

$7.99

Some favorite quotes:

"...it's not every day a person becomes a reanimated corpse. My day was decidedly much worse, so I did the most sensible thing that came to mind. I stole her tennis shoes." pg. 6

"I can do a better job of ripping him a new asshole when I don't feel so much like death on cracker" pg. 106. (pst.. not sure what death on cracker means... but I heart the blunt badass-ness :D)

"I could have stayed like that for the rest of my afterlife... only I had to pee." pg 296 (hehehehe)

Barnes and Noble Synopsis:

They’ll never see her coming. . . .


When Evangeline Stone wakes up naked and bruised on a cold slab at the morgue—in a stranger’s body, with no memory of who she is and how she got there—her troubles are only just beginning. Before that night she and the two other members of her Triad were the city’s star bounty hunters, mercilessly cleansing the city of the murderous creatures living in the shadows, from vampires to shape-shifters to trolls. Then something terrible happened that not only cost all three of them their lives but also convinced the city’s other Hunters that Evy was a traitor—and she can’t even remember what it was.


Now she’s a fugitive, piecing together her memory, trying to deal some serious justice—and discovering that she has only three days to solve her own murder before the reincarnation spell wears off. Because in three days Evy will die again—but this time there’s no second chance. . . .

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Wow... this was a fantastic read. Especially for a debut book! Well, maybe especially is the wrong word. I know that most authors spend up to years on one single book with edits and what not before it's picked up by agents.... but you know what I mean.. I hope?!

So it starts out with one of my favorite quotes from the book: "I don't recall the first time I died, but I do remember the second time I was born" I hope it hit you the same way it did me... which was "whoa! what?! second birth? first death? who gets that!? what's going on?" Or something like that.

So already, it starts out with a catch. The way things happened and fell into place were things that I wouldn't think of, but they held merit and I couldn't deny it (about 98% of the time). Besides the "who" behind all the bad stuff happening.. I guessed that one pretty quickly. The "dregs" were interesting creatures.. some of them. Some were like the ones you have no idea what they look like, you just know they're scary and you would not want to cross paths with one any day of the week.

I'd put this more in the Urban Fantasy section, if they had it at major book stores (get with the times already! Not every Sci-Fi/Fantasy/or Romance belongs there!!) since there's some sexual tension, but it's not this passionate love affair or anything. It's more along the lines of fighting bad guys and solving mystery, and then there's the sexual tension. But as a lover of sex (*cough* i mean romance novels) I was left wanting more. I mean, sure there was one incident that was so sweet i almost cried (j/k, I don't cry) but I never got that ease of the tension. Which, even though I'd consider it Urban Fantasy, I think it'd be okay to add one extra awesome part for readers like me. Maybe Kelly Meding just didn't think it was appropriate to include, which is her prerogative, but I definitely don't think it would have taken away from her awesome book.

So, as much as I L-O-V-E this book, there were some parts that didn't quite make sense. Like... and without giving it away... the decisions made on page 138... I think that the thought might have crossed their mind as being...... un.. safe? okay, that's good, didn't give away ANYTHING!

Back to the love stuff. There was one character who had the power to make or break Kelly. And I'm so glad she got it right. I believe in coincidence, but I don't believe in easy persuasion and altering a person's choice. Especially if you want that person to be strong, caring and loyal. So out of it all, this character became a favorite because of how Kelly allowed them to speak rather than making it easier on her writing. So what happens to this character is so devastating I think I actually did start to tear up for a little bit. I wish it could have been different, but I'm sure it was just as hard for Kelly to do as it is for me to even think about doing it to my non-important characters.

I know, I know... this pretty much tells you nothing. That's the point. Sort of. I want you to know how I felt while reading this book so you can choose for yourself if you want to go on the ride. (Which I REALLY recommend for this one!).

Ratings:

1. Cover +1

2. Hooked: +1

3. Finished the book: +1

4. Overall Feeling: :D +2

5. Re-readability: +1

6. Suggest to others: +9 [obsessive series readers only]

7. Lost time: nope! +1

8. Readability: +1

9 out of 10!!! :D Here's why:

If you're looking for an action packed, mind game, sort of Memento feel, and an Urban Fantasy book all wrapped up in one neat package... READ THIS!!!

Not for the ones who like sex... I mean romance... though you get a brief tumble with our favorite thing ;). Definitely worth the read anyway :D... but I can't suggest it to that type of reader with absolute conviction that they'll enjoy it (we all wish) as much as I have.

2nd book in the Dreg City Series: As Lie the Dead

Author Website

Author Blog

Other Reviews:

Paranormal Fantasies (Thanks for showing me the second book! I was hoping for it!)

My Reading Addiction

**Please let me know if you've reviewed this and would like me to add your link :D**