August books & reviews...

August was a slow month for me. I've been busy planning/shopping for a 50th wedding anniversary for my parents from 300 miles away. On top of that, I've been dealing with a stressed out aspie teen, and running around to find him school clothes'n'supplies. Add to that an at-home husband who was debating on a job offer, a dog that underwent dental surgery ... Its been a LONG month.

August 2010 - total 9

Wait for Dusk by Jocelyn Drake ***
Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine ****
Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding *****
As Lie the Dead by Kelly Meding *****
Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison **
Blood Memories by Barb Hendee ***
Hunting Memories by Barb Hendee ***
Black & White by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge ****
Shades of Gray by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge ****


Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison (2 stars) wasn't my favorite book. It has an interesting premise - death (or maybe the grim reaper) and a terminally ill woman who can see him fall in love, have sex & she gives birth to a daughter. The story is about the girl, Talia, who has no idea what she is, just that she's not "normal". Because of the union, bad things have been let out in the world. Now there are people who can't die. Adam, a wealthy man, is trying to find a way to kill them because his brother is one. Adam hunts down Talia based on her thesis. Anyway, I didn't like Talia - I found her weird and a little creepy, not to mention a total wimp. That's a problem for me. And the sex scene between them, I found thoroughly unpleasant. There was no emotional attachment. I'm not saying its a bad book. Or that its poorly written. It just wasn't my cup of tea. (I'll still probably read the sequel...)

Wait for Dusk by Jocelyn Drake (3 stars) is the latest in the series about Mira, a vampire, and Danaus, a human/demon. In this book, Mira is forced to return to the council & take her place. Not all the vampires are happy about it & she has to fight for something she doesn't actually want. Mira discovers some shocking truths about herself in this book. It wasn't my favorite of the series, but I enjoyed it. I just want Mira & Danaus to realize they're meant for each other.

Blood Memories & Hunting Memories by Barb Hendee (3 stars) are about Eleisha, a vampire turned at the age of 17 to care for a senile vampire, as well as all the other vampires in her life. The books feel like a series of short stories about each vampire seen through their memories and are connected by what is happening in the present. Even though not much happened, I really liked these books.

Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine (4 stars) is the final book in the Weather Warden series. Joanne and David (a djinn and her lover) have been through hell & back in this series as they attempt to save the world and keep Mother Earth from waking up. In this book, things finally come to a head. I love this series. But I'm not a big fan of the jump-ahead-in-time epilogue & this one disappointed me (even tho its a good end).

Black & White and Shades of Gray by Stacia Kane & Caitlin Kittredge (4 stars) are very clever. They're the story of Jet and Iridium. The books hop from Then to Now and from Jet to Iri, and read like a comic book. Seriously. I'm a total fan-girl of comics, so these were a treat. Then: Jet and Iri are roommates in the academy for superheroes, run by Corp. Now: Jet works for Corp & is their poster child, Iri is a "rabid" that Jet is hunting. But is Jet the hero? Or is Iri? Who are the good guys and who are the bad? Definitely worth reading, especially if you like superhero comics.

Three Days to Dead and As Lie the Dead by Kelly Meding (5 stars) are the story of Evie. I've read the first book before, but I loved it so much I went back & read it again. Evie is a Dreg Bounty Hunter who is murdered and comes to in the morgue in another woman's body. Her handler Wyatt brought her back thru magic. Something big is happening & they have three days to figure out what & stop it. I highly recommend this series. It's well written, the world is unique and believable, the characters are excellent. Buy them. You'll want to read them more than once.