Shield of Winter

Shield of Winter is the newest book of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series.

Assassin. Soldier. Arrow.  That is who Vasic is, who he will always be.  His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he's done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch- if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion.  To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life.

For if Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake.

Having rebuilt her life after medical "treatment" that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost.  But Ivy Jane has never done what she should.  Now, she'll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption.  But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy's fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness...

The Breakdown:
1. I have enjoyed Singh's Psy-Changeling series since book one.  She does a great job on tying each of the books together in some way, and making sure that the reader never wonders what happened to her previous characters. The stories flow so well together, and each gives a unique look at the world she has created in these books.

2. I like that in Shield of Winter Singh not only explores the skills of the Psy empaths further, but she also further shows the way Arrows are trained. She had an amazing way of blending both the action, and fear of what is happening in PsyNet with the changes taking place in Ivy and Vasic's personal lives.

3. I really liked Ivy's character.  She is strong and passionate, and really is a true empath.  She has been through so much having gone through Psy rehabilitation, but she did not let that experience break her and became strong her for it.  The way she cares for Vasic is amazing.  She does not let him accept his fate, but pushes him to live and be better.

4. I find it interesting to watch as Vasic changes through his relationship with Ivy.  He was the product of a horrible childhood trained as an Arrow, and then given missions of terrible things to do.  He had given up hope until he met her.  She really brings him to life, and he starts to realize that his life is worth fighting for through her.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
Endlessly
by Kiersten White

Evertrue

Evertrue is the final book in Brodi Ashton's Everneath series.

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants to be with him and graduate high school.  But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she's begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon- or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible.  Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally- but how long can it last?  Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him- and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki's fate and make her mortal once more.  But Cole isn't the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki's treachery, ans she wants her destroyed for good.  Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

The Breakdown:
1. Ashton ends her Everneath series with a bang.  She brings the story to a perfect conclusion with plenty of action from beginning to end. I like that she even continues with the Greek mythology feel by adding in other myths into the story. Plus this book really explains how the Everneath works, and how the Shades are made.  It really did a great job of answering any lingering questions.

2. Not going to lie, Nikki is not my favorite heroine.  There are times will she is so busy trying to be a martyr that she forgets that will hurt the people she loves just as much as the thing she is trying to prevent.    She does love deeply, as seen with her relationship with Jack and her love of her family, which I do appreciate in her.

3. After the last book, I was really hating on Cole.  He was so devious, and did not seem to care for Nikki feelings at all, even though he claimed to care for her. I was glad to see him redeem himself 100% in this book.

4. Just an FYI, if you haven't read the novella Neverfall, yet.  You should really read it before starting this book.  The events in that book, and things mentioned in it will come into play in this book.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
Shield of Winter
by Nalini Singh

The Fiery Heart

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead is the fourth book in the Bloodlines series.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do.  And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her...

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney.  As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once.  Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret.  Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend.  Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure- and re-education- looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

The Breakdown:
1. I swear that Mead just keeps better and better in this series. The Fiery Heart is my favorite, yet.  Mead kept me engaged throughout the story.  I stayed up later than I should have just so I could finish it last night. The secrets, the love stories, and even the action make for a great combination.

2. I simply adore the pairing of Sydney and Adrian.  I think they complement each other so well.  She is so rational but with a passionate side, and he is free-spirited (pun intended), and loyal to those he loves. Together they are much stronger, and each helps the other to want to be a better person and see past their flaws.

3. So I did not like Sydney's father from the brief previous encounters, but this book just proved how much of a tool he really is.  He enjoys pitting his daughters against each other to complete Alchemist goals.  Plus, he was super critical about their weight, even when there is nothing wrong with they way they look.

4. Saving the best part for last, OMG the ending of the book has me dying for the next book.  Too bad it, Silver Shadows, is not out until the end of the month.  I was simultaneously cursing Mead for the ending, and praising her for an excellent read.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
Evertrue
by Brodi Ashton

Supernaturally

Supernaturally is the second book of Keirsten White's Paranormalcy series.

Evie finally has the normal life she's always longed for.  But she's shocked to discover that being ordinary can be... kind of boring.  Just when Evie starts to long for her her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she's given a chance to work for them again.  Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice.  And when Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there's a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos.  The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

The Breakdown:
1. White definitely had a sophomore slump going on with this book. I did not find it nearly as entertaining as Paranormalcy.  The story really dragged until about the last 100 pages, so for most of the book I kept questioning where this book was going.

2. Evie is super cute and quirky in the first book, but this book she really started to bother me.  As someone who has had the truth kept from her most of her life, one would think she would not do that to others.  But one would be wrong, I felt half the book was about her keeping secrets from Lend. I really hope she does better in the last book.

3. Jack was annoying introduction.  He was like a 5 year old with ADD.  He couldn't sit still.  He was always doing things that were best left alone. Plus, I could tell early on that there was something super shady about him.

To Read or Not to Read;
Take or Leave it. Personally I will probably finish the series for closure sake.

Currently Reading:
The Fiery Heart
by Richelle Mead

Good vs. Evil gets Hot

Jennifer L. Armentrout's White Hot Kiss is the first book in her The Dark Elements series.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal.  But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal.  Half-demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens- a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe- Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most.  Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

The she meets Roth- a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets.  Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to- especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne... it could brand her a traitor to her family.  Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

The Breakdown:
1. It is no secret that I am a big fan of JLA, and I happy to report once again that she has not disappointed with this book. White Hot Kiss has everything a girl could want in a book. Hot guys, angst about who you are, demons, gargoyles, and possible apocalypses.  JLA takes the legend of gargoyles being demon hunters and makes it her own. This one is definitely a page turner.

2. Layla, which is an awesome name if I do say so myself, is a girl struggling with her own identity.  She wants so bad to be good and do as she was raised to do with the Wardens, but her demon side has a very strong call. She learns that not all the "good guys" are really good, and not all "bad guys" are evil as she assumes.

3. So I get that Zayne is a hottie, but I really thought Roth was the stand out male lead.  He is a bad boy that is not all evil.  He wants to protect Layla, and sometimes he even protects her from himself. He wants to be more that what he was created to be, and who can't love that attitude in a guy. Plus, he has awesome tattoos and  a Porche.

4. Bonus points to JLA for a Supernatural reference. Oh the things she reveals and hints at in the end have me so excited to see where the next book, due out in October, will take the story.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
Supernaturally
by Kiersten White

A Shiver of Light

A Shiver of Light is the latest Merry Gentry novel by Laurell K. Hamilton.

Merry Gentry, ex-private detective, now full-time princess, knew she was descended for fertility goddesses, but when she learned she was about to have triplets, she began to understand what that might mean.  Infertility has plagued the high ranks of faerie for centuries.  Now nobles of both courts of faerie are coming to court Merry and her men, at their home in exile in the Western Lands of Los Angeles because they will do anything to have babies of their own.

Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, is a more dangerous problem. He tried to seduce Merry and, failing that, raped her.  He's using the human to sue for visitation rights, claiming that one of the babies is his.  And though Merry knows she was already pregnant when he took her, she can't prove it.

To save herself and her babies from Taranis she will use the most dangerous powers in all of faerie: a god of death, a warrior known as the Darkness, the Killing Frost, and a king of nightmares.  They are her lovers, and her dearest loves, and they will face down the might of the high courts of faerie- while trying to keep the war from spreading to innocent humans in Los Angeles, who are in danger of becoming collateral damage.

The Breakdown:
1. I wanted great things from this book, especially since I had to wait for so long for it to come out.  Unfortunately, it was a disappointment.  Hamilton really drags out the plot, and I felt some many of the conversations during the book where the same thing over and over again.

2. I have always thought that Merry was a strong, capable woman, but this book had me liking her a little less.  It seemed like every other chapter she was crying again.  It was written off as postpartum hormones, but the crying got old real quick.

3. I was disappointed to see how little time some of my favorite's of Merry's men got in the book.  It just seems like the fathers of her children should have played a bigger role at times.

4.  The ending left me feeling a little unsatisfied.  I am still unsure if this the last of the Merry Gentry books or if there will be more because the ending was that ambiguous.

To Read or Not to Read:
Skip, especially if you haven't been a fan of this series in the first place.

Currently Reading:
White Hot Kiss
by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Last Gamble

Tempting the Bodyguard is the final book of J. Lynn's Gamble Brothers series.

Alana Gore is in danger.  A take-no-prisoners publicist, her way with people has made her more than a few enemies over the years, but a creepy stalker is an entirely different matter.  She needs a bodyguard, and the only man she can ask is not only ridiculously hot, but reputed to have taste for women that goes beyond adventurous.

Chandler Gamble has one rule: don't protect anyone you want to screw.  But with Alana, he's caught between his job and his increasingly hard libido.  On one hand, Alana needs his help.  On the other, Chandler wants nothing more than to take the hot volcano of a woman in hand.  To make her writhe in pleasure, until she's at this complete mercy.

She needs protection.  He needs satisfaction. And the moment the line is crossed, all hell will break loose...

The Breakdown:
1. I think this has been my favorite book of the Gamble Brothers' novels.  Lynn had a little more action and mystery into this book, along her  great characters and hot romance. The suspense of the stalker made this book more of a page turner than the other two.

2. Chandler is probably my favorite of the brothers.  He seems so much more well adjusted than either Chad or Chase.  He has no problem admitting that he wants Alana, and wants to her for keeps.  He is totally aware that his parents were messed up, but doesn't let it affect his life the way his brothers did. Plus, he is very understanding of why Alana has to do what she did with Chad, and does not hold it against her.

3. That being said, Alana was my least favorite female lead.  I think her introduction in Tempting the Player made it hard for me to really like her. I warmed up to her more as the book progressed, but you know what they say about first impressions.

4. I did like that that along with Chandler and Alana's story, Lynn gave updates on what was going on with Chase and Madison and Chad and Bridget.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Secrets and Shenanigans

Top Secret Twenty-One is the latest of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels.

Trenton, NewJersey's favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealership.  Now he's out on bail and had missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in.  Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies.  Even Joe Morelli, the city's hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspect killer's whereabouts.  These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures.  So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn't want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain her behind Randy Briggs.  Briggs was picking up quick cash as Polett's bookkeeper and knows all his boss's dirty secrets.  Now Briggs is next on Poletti's list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger- resident security expert and Stephanie's greatest temptation- has been the target of an assassination plot.  He's dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he'll have enlist Stephanie's help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day's work for Stephanie Plum.  The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur's wild bucket list.  A boob job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli's Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what's number one on the list- but that's top secret

The Breakdown:
1. Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels are hands down some of the funniest books I have read, and this one was no exception to that rule. I found myself laughing out loud numerous times while reading this book.  This is definitely not a book you should read if  you are in a place where you need to be quiet.

2. I really like that this book gave a little more information on the mystery that is Ranger. Evanovich gives a little more information on his back ground, and a hint on why he does not commit to a relationship with Stephanie.

3. So I think that my favorite supporting character in these books in Grandma Mazur.  That little old lady is hilarious. The things she comes up with are great, and her bucket list is one her best ideas, yet. I hope to be excited about life and as spry as her when I am old.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
A Shiver of Light
by Laurell K. Hamilton

Save the Date

Save the Date is the newest Mary Kay Andrews novel.

A Savannah florist is about to score the wedding of a lifetime- one that will solidify her career as the go-to-girl for society nuptials.  Ironically, Cara Kryzik doesn't believe in love, even though she creates beautiful flower arrangements to celebrate them.  But when the bride goes missing and the wedding is in jeopardy, Cara must find the bride and figure out what she believes in.  Maybe love really does exist outside of fairy tales after all.

The Breakdown:
1. Mary Kay Andrews is the queen of summer beach reads, and this book is probably my new favorite of hers.  Unfortunately, I did not get to read this one at the beach, but it was great anyway.  Plus, I got to meet her and get her to sign this book for me, and in case you were wondering she is a wonderful Southern Lady.

2. Super excited to see her return to Savannah as the setting for the book.  It really made me miss living down that way, and cross my fingers that I can find a job down there when I finish school.  Bonus points for book shout-outs to Bebe and Weezie from Savannah Blues and Savannah Breezes, and the dinner at Guale.

3. I simply adored Cara.  She is determined to make it on her own, and she loves her dog, Poppy, which is always a sign of a good person in my book.  She can be a little stubborn at times, but hey, who doesn't have those moments. I, also, liked her retro clothing style.

4. I heart Jack Finnerty. He is funny, caring, and good with his hands, and who doesn't need their own personal handyman.  Did I mention he cares for his dog, too.  Downside to Jack is that he went to Georgia Tech, but nobody is perfect.

5. This book packs drama, romance, and even a villain that you will love to hate in it. The story flows so nicely, and the characters are all so wonderfully written. My only complaint is that when Poppy gets heat stroke, and is taken to the veterinarian, the vet tells Cara that her temperatures was 102, and she was one degree away from stroking out.  As a soon to be vet, that is medically incorrect, 102 is a normal temperature for dogs.  I begin to worry about heat stroke at 104-105.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
Top Secret Twenty-One
by Janet Evanovich