About a Vampire –Lynsay Sands

About a Vampire: An Argeneau Novel 

Sep 29, 2015

by Lynsay Sands

Product Details

• Series: Argeneau Vampire
• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (September 29, 2015)
• Language: English
• File Size: 1543 KB
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In New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands' new Argeneau novel,
a vampire accustomed to seducing every woman he meets finds the one determined to resist him . . .
With immortal good looks and scorching charisma, Justin Bricker has yet to meet a woman he can't
 win over. His potential life mate should be no different. But instead of falling into his bed,
 Holly Bosley runs away and ends up mortally wounded. To save her, he has to turn her.
 And then Bricker learns the shocking truth: Holly's already married.
Holly wakes up with a bump on her head, a craving for blood, and a sexy stranger who insists they
 belong together. She needs Bricker's help to control her new abilities, even as she tries to resist
 his relentless seduction. Choosing between the world she knows and the eternity he offers is
impossible. But Justin is fighting for his life mate—maybe even his life—and he'll break every rule to do it . . .

About a Vampire –Lynsay Sands

I don’t know if it is my age that is making it more difficult for me to enjoy these books.  The main characters will always be in there 20’s and no matter how old they were at the time of their change, they act 20.  Since this is the 22cd book in this series that was started in 2003 (actually they may have even started earlier since the third book in the series that I have in PB was published in 2003) and the characters are sort of stuck in this time period. 

I would have to say that this is not the author’s fault.  She’s found her ‘age’ niche and has never moved beyond it.  I can understand that you have to write for your audience.  Unfortunately, I have aged and so did my sense of humor.   The antics and jokes that had been played on Justin I would have found funny years ago just seemed annoying and childish to me now.  For Holly to have stuck by her vows and principles was commendable, but ultimately annoying.  Not that I am advocating Holly should have cheated…no - I just felt that the story just dragged along with filler and not much substance and that the ending was overly rushed.

Not a satisfying read for me nor one that I will read again like I do “The Accidental Vampire” book 7 in the series or “Single White Vampire” book 3.

ARC supplied by publisher.

Argeneau and Rogue Hunter series

1. A Quick Bite (Dorchester Publishing - September 2003)
2. Love Bites (Dorchester Publishing - January 2004)
3. Single White Vampire (Dorchester Publishing - July 2004)
4. Tall, Dark and Hungry (Avon HarperCollins - November 2005)
5. A Bite To Remember (Avon HarperCollins - July 2006)
6. Bite Me If You Can (Avon HarperCollins - February 2007)
7. The Accidental Vampire (Avon HarperCollins - January 2008)
8. Vampires Are Forever (Avon HarperCollins - February 2008)
9. Vampire, Interrupted (Avon HarperCollins - March 2008)
10. The Rogue Hunter - The Rogue Hunter Series (Avon HarperCollins - September 2008)
11. The Immortal Hunter - The Rogue Hunter Series (Avon HarperCollins - March 2009)
12. The Renegade Hunter - The Rogue Hunter Series (Avon HarperCollins - September 2009)
13. Born To Bite (Avon HarperCollins - September 2010)
14. Hungry For You (Avon HarperCollins - December 2010)
15. The Reluctant Vampire (Avon HarperCollins - May 2011)
16. Under A Vampire Moon (Avon HarperCollins - May 2012)
17. The Lady Is A Vamp (Avon HarperCollins - August 2012)
18. Immortal Ever After (Avon HarperCollins - February 2013)
19. One Lucky Vampire (Avon HarperCollins - September 2013)
20. Vampire Most Wanted (Avon HarperCollins - February 2014)
21. The Immortal Who Loved Me(Avon HarperCollins - February 2015)
22. About A Vampire (Avon Books - September 29 2015)
23. Runaway Vampire (Avon Books - February 23 2016)

Twice Blessed –Two Amish Christmas Stories by Barbara Cameron

·        Paperback: 288 pages

·        Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 15, 2015)

·        Language: English

Kindle Edition

·        File Size: 513 KB

·        Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

About Her Sister’s Shadow Identical twins Katie and Rosie Stoltzfus couldn’t be more different: Katie is outgoing and gregarious—so much so that Rosie feels unattractive in comparison and retreats to the background. The girls split their time between working in an Amish store and their own business, Two Peas in a Pod, where they raise and can their own vegetables and fruits. Then an unexpected business opportunity…and one very special man, allows Rosie to see the unique and striking woman God meant for her to be.  About His Brother’s Keeper Ben Fisher can’t remember a time when he hasn’t envied Mark, his more adventurous brother. Now that Mark is engaged to Ruth, Ben is more jealous than ever. A terrible accident on Christmas Eve results in mistaken identity with everyone believing Ben is in a coma, when in actuality, it’s Mark. Ben can use this twist of fate to finally have the life he’s always wanted—and with Ruth by his side. But can Ben find real happiness if it means deceiving his brother…and trying to ignore God?

With each story being approximately 140 pages long the author didn’t really have enough time to fully develop her characters but she did have enough time to develop the plots and I think the author just chose not to do so. Don’t expect two Christmas stories –what you will be getting is more of a spanning of the seasons, starting with spring (the traditional strawberry picking season) with “Her Sister’s Shadow” and culminating with Christmas in “His Brother’s Keeper”.  It was an awkwardly written spanning of the seasons and you never really knew where you stood.

The idea behind this novel is a good one –how does it really feel to be part of a twin and is more difficult for Amish twins when they don’t really have the ability to separate from their twin like Englishers do (college, jobs etc)

Each novella does give us a start and a finish – it is the middle of each novella that I have issues with. There was a lot of repetition instead of development.  There is a lot of discussion on food instead of more plot or character development.

Each novella got a ‘happily ever after’ but not each character does.  The novella - His Brother’s Keeper deals with an even more important issue and that is one of being a liar…even if the reason is sort of a good one (actually only in the characters mind would his reason of lying be a good one!)

These are not what some of us would consider traditional Amish – they use cell phones and iPods. But I can see this leniency easier when I meet the Bishop and read about his youthful hijinks. 

My biggest problem is trying to keep Mark and Ben straight and  keeping their character differences straight.

Not a bad read, but not one that I would re-read on a regular basis.

The Amish Mother by Rebecca Kertz

The Amish Mother (Lancaster Courtships Book 2) by Rebecca Kertz (Oct 1, 2015)

• Series: Lancaster Courtships
• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (September 15, 2015)
• File Size: 782 KB
• Print Length: 251 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (October 1, 2015)

"Amish widow Lizzie Fisher loves her seven stepchildren as though they were her own. But her brother-in-law's unexpected arrival on the farm has her worried. After all, Zachariah Fisher is the true heir of the property. And he could decide to send her away from her family and her home of two years. Lizzie is determined to show the handsome farmer that her physical challenges don't prevent her from being a hard worker or a loving mother. For she finds herself losing her heart to Zack and hopes he'll see they're meant to be a family forever."

Lancaster Courtships: Life and love in Amish country
Collect all 3 book in the series! 
The Amish Bride by Emme Miller
The Amish Mother by Rebecca Kertz
The Amish Midwife by Patricia Davids 

 I might not be a religious person, but I do love reading about other cultures.  Amish novels don’t usually tend to be ‘preachy’ but they do give you a good insight into their faith. This book managed to give me a brief look into the Amish or Plain life and very little religion compared to other books of this genre that I have read.

Be aware that this is book two in a trilogy and that each book is written by a different author.

This story should have been fascinating –nineteen year old widow- Lizzie Fisher is responsible for the upbringing of her 7 stepchildren and the farm that they live on.  She also has a bit of a handicap.  When her brother-in-law decides to visit the farm (and yes he does have an ulterior motive!) Lizzie starts worrying…she has a pretty good reason to worry.

As the book progresses a romance is supposed to blossom –but I never really saw it.   Most of the book is taken up with descriptions and repetitive dialogue.  Food takes up a major portion of this book –the descriptions of, the eating of and the pondering of food.  This probably would have been better as a cookbook! The romance took a backseat to everything else and just seemed to come out of nowhere near the very ending of this book.

What bothered me the most is that I don’t think that the author stayed true to the Amish people/culture in most of this book.  You would think that since I am non-religious I wouldn’t notice a detail like this!  I am willing to admit I am not an Amish expert by any means, but in what I have read, I do know that the Amish say a prayer before all of their meals – not so in this book.

Not my favorite Amish romance in anyway. The lack of plot, uninteresting and sometimes childish characters  made this a difficult read for me.  

The Scam ---With a Cliffhanger Ending (Yuck!)

The Scam: A Fox and O'Hare NovelSep 15, 2015

by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

 “Nicolas Fox is a charming con man and master thief on the run. Kate O’Hare is the FBI agent who is hot on his trail. At least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality, Fox and O’Hare are secretly working together to bring down super-criminals the law can’t touch. Criminals like brutal casino magnate Evan Trace.

 
Evan Trace is running a money-laundering operation through his casino in Macau. Some of his best customers are mobsters, dictators, and global terrorists. Nick and Kate will have to go deep undercover as high-stakes gamblers, wagering millions of dollars—and their lives—in an attempt to topple Trace’s empire.
 
It’s a scam that will take Fox and O’Hare from the Las Vegas strip, to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu’s North Shore, and into the dark back alleys of Macau. Their only backup—a self-absorbed actor, a Somali pirate, and Kate’s father, an ex-soldier who believes a rocket launcher is the best way to solve every problem. What could possibly go wrong?”

This is the fifth book in the Fox and O’Hare series:

Fox & O'Hare Series With Lee Goldberg

1.     Pros and Cons (2013) – ebook (short story 32 pages)

2.     The Heist (2013)

3.     The Chase (2014)

4.     The Job (2014)

5.     The Scam (2015)

6.     The Shell Game (2015)- ebook (short story  28 pages and has already been released)

This was a fun romp as far as the continuing story of Nick and Kate.  Nick is a con man, Kate a successful FBI agent.  They work together taking down the evil scammers. 

With this book the scammer (Even Trace) scams gamblers.  (Try saying this three times fast!) Kate and Nick are going to catch the scammer by scamming him.  (oiy!)

This book brings back some beloved secondary characters like Kate’s father and introduces some new character’s that may not make it out alive.  They travel back and forth and live high on the hog ( on the governments tab of course) while scamming the scammer’s. 

This has a lot of shoot ‘em up, high stakes gambling, yummy buffet food and exciting scenes. There is a bit of romance (Kate is definitely, maybe,probably going to take Nick to her bed…eventually).

This book is a lively, fast and entertaining read –however the ending of this particular book leaves something to be desired.  I never thought that this writing team would stoop to something like this –there is a cliff hanger that is sure going to force you into buying the next book just to see what happened to Nick.

Sadly this makes me think much less of the writing team of Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg and makes me question whether I am going to buy the next book in this series or not.

Fangs for the Memories by Molly Harper

Product Details Publisher: Pocket Star (November 2, 2015) Publication Date: November 2, 2015 Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc

“Molly Harper writes characters you can’t help but fall in love with” (RT Book Reviews), but how did Andrea and Dick Cheney fall in love? Join Half-Moon Hollow’s favorite couple for a trip down memory lane—to a time when Mr. Wainwright was newly dead, Jane Jameson was a newbie vampire, and a budding paranormal romance was not yet uncorked…

Half-Moon Hollow’s supernatural social event of the season—Zeb’s Titanic-themed werewolf wedding—is coming up, and Dick Cheney (not that Dick Cheney!) needs a date. But Andrea’s had enough of clever, handsome, and rakish to last a lifetime, and Dick Cheney is certainly not the sort of man you bring home to mom (not that Andrea’s deadist parents are speaking to her ever since she dropped out of college and became a blood surrogate.) Shameless, relentless, roguish, with a Stetson-worthy swagger, a naughty sparkle in his eyes, and a constant smirk—oh, and fangs—no, Dick is the last person (er…vampire) Andrea wants to date.But the infuriatingly irresistible man who lives quietly on the edge of a criminal underworld knows exactly what he wants, and once he surprises Andrea with a thrilling hot and dirty kiss behind the paranormal bookshop, she knows what she wants too: Dick. All it takes to ignite their unconventional courtship is a near-undeath experience that confronts Dick with a choice between turning Andrea, losing her forever, or tapping into his countless shady resources in this hilarious and heartwarming enovella that revisits the early days of Molly Harper’s Nice Girls series—one that “makes me laugh and laugh” (USA TODAY).

What a fun, quick read…just short enough to kill a couple of hours and whet your appetite for a fun light read but long enough to be satisfying.

While this is a novella that is part of a long running series –you don’t need to worry if you haven’t read any of the other books.  You will have no problems reading this as a standalone.  I haven’t read any of these books in quite a while (I really do have to catch up) and I had no trouble reading this.  The book really doesn’t dwell on anything that will make you feel lost.

Dragon on Top - G. A. Aiken

Product Details Publisher: Zebra (October 27, 2015) Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Try a little dragon tenderness. I am Ghleanna the Decimator. I am a warrior. A soldier. I know no fear. No pain. No mercy. I do, however, know acute embarrassment! How could I not after getting dumped by a bastard dragon in front of my own troops? So I tuck tail and return to my cave, drowning my sorrows in ale—as is my family’s way. But instead of leaving me to my misery, I’ve been summoned to the Dragon Queen’s court. As if my life wasn’t pathetic enough, Her Majesty now has me escorting the highborn Bram the Merciful through dangerous territories—not exactly the best use of my military training. And just so he can negotiate with enemy dragons instead of battling them? Honestly, what has my world come to? Then again…Bram is quite easy on the eyes. And the perfect distraction for what ails me. Perhaps I’m looking at all this the wrong way. Maybe there is a place for a little “mercy” in my life…
Previously published in Supernatural.

I loved this novella.  Just remember that it was previously published.  It was a fun and sometimes very frustrating read –fun because you just knew how it was going to end, frustrating because it took so long for Ghleanna and Bram to see what was right in front of their faces---each other!

I loved the author’s way with very strong – literally as well as figuratively –women, and the men who love them.

The ‘Fins’ were a new breed of Dragon for me and since it has been a while since I have read this series, I’m going to have to re-read it to see if they had been written about before.

Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade Book 2) by Jennifer Estep

Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade Book 2)

• Print Length: 368 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (October 27, 2015)

Book Description:

Something Wicked This Way Comes . . .

As a thief, I stick to the shadows as much as possible. But when the head of the Sinclair Family picks me to compete in the Tournament of Blades, there's no escaping the spotlight--or the danger. 

Even though he's my competition, Devon Sinclair thinks I have the best shot at winning what's supposed to be a friendly contest. But when the competitors start having mysterious "accidents," it looks like someone will do anything to win--no matter who they hurt. 

As if I didn't have enough to worry about, mobster Victor Draconi is plotting against Devon and the rest of my friends, and someone's going around Cloudburst Falls murdering monsters. One thing's for sure. Sometimes, humans can be more monstrous than anything else...

This is the second book in the Young Adult Black Blade series.  I loved the first book and have already read it several times and this book jacks up the action and the mystery another notch.  Very exciting, very mystery driven and yes we finally get some romance...granted it is at the end of the book, but there is hope! 

In this book Lila has been asked to participate in an annual competition –a sword fight complete with the cheesy outfits she hates so much.  To add to the stresses of being in the competition, Lila Devon and Felix find that something or someone is killing off the monsters AND some humans. 

This competition is going to take all of Lila’s talents both hers and the ones that she can borrow to keep her and hers alive.

POSSIBLE SPOILER-----------------Warning----------------àThere is a lot of exciting mystery in this book that pertains to some of Lila’s ancestors (Aunt and Cousin) very shocking and this is going to make for some VERY interesting future novels.

This series is perfect for both young adults and those of us who may be a bit more mature.  I loved it!

A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller

A Reluctant Bride (Amish of Birch Creek #1)

by Kathleen Fuller 

"BOOK DESCRIPTION:  She never wanted to marry. He hopes to make amends for past wrongs. Can love find a way to heal both of their hearts?
Sadie Schrock swore she would never marry. All of her other Amish friends could court and marry she was content to manage the family business and eventually take it over when her parents are ready to retire. But all of that changes when a reckless driver kills both of her parents and seriously injures her younger sister. With mounting hospital bills adding to the pile of debt her parents left behind, Sadie is left with no choice: she must marry. And not just any man the man who saw her at her weakest and walked away.
Aden knows what his brother did to Sadie years ago was inexcusable. And every day since that incident, Aden has lived with the guilt for not intervening sooner. When he is faced with the chance to protect Sadie once again, he can t let her down even if it means living with the scorn of the woman he loves for the rest of his life.
Working alongside Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn t the same boy who once betrayed her. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, dangerous secrets are revealed. Now everything Sadie has worked so hard to protect is threatened, and she must find a way to save her family and herself."

 

“The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children.”

This was a very difficult book for me to read. It deals with all sort of abuse -mental as well a physical abuse, a nearly forced marriage and lies on top of lies, theft etc.

The characters are pretty much unlikable no matter what sort of horrors they have encountered in their lives. I expect something a little different than this sort of horror when I read an Amish novel. Granted, the Amish have just as much horror in their lives as the non-Amish do - but I expected to have been engaged and riveted in this book, not horrified; wanting to hit these people. 

This book really has no conclusion except for Sadie and Aden finally consummating their marriage. Therefore you will have to buy the following books to find out what happens with the bigger plot line.

Pack Challenge (Magnus Pack Book 1)

What’s an Alpha Male to do when he meets the Alpha Female of his dreams? Step one, hide all sharp objects…
All Zach Sheridan ever wanted was to become Alpha Male of his Pack and be left alone. What he definitely didn’t need in his life was some needy female demanding his attention. What he never saw coming was the vicious, scarred female who not only demanded his attention but knew exactly how to get it.
Sara Morrighan knew this was the best she could expect from her life. Good friends. A nice place to live. And a safe job. But when Zach rode into her small Texas town with his motorcycle club, Sara knew she wanted more. She knew she wanted him.
But after one sexy encounter with her dream biker, everything is starting to change. Her body. Her strength. That new thing she’s doing with the snarling. Even her best friends are starting to wonder what’s going on with her.
But this is only the beginning. Sara’s about to find out her life was meant for so much more. And Zach’s about to find true love with the one woman who makes him absolutely insane.
The book has been previously published and expanded for Samhain Publishing.

If you like really abrasive,foul mouthed, nasty females and men who think with nothing more than their dangly bits and no story what-so-ever, then this may be the book for you. Actually there IS a story it just is minuscule when compared to the panting that everyone is doing. Another problem is that when we get down to the protagonist slaking their lust, it was a bit of a let down. Almost a wham-bam-thank-you ma'am type of thing. I don't know why authors think that ALL of us want to read extended scenes of oral sex and then skimp on everything else. *sigh*

Learning more about Sara and why she was the way she is would have been a lot more interesting and and may helped me get in the proper mood than all this posturing. The violence is negligible, the swearing is incredible ( I have never heard the usage of B**ch so many times in so many ways between friends)the sex is thought about constantly but when it finally comes time to 'do the deed' it is nothing too overly explicit, (a bit of a let down) for this type of book.

The Lopsided Christmas Cake

		The Lopsided Christmas Cake Price: $8.39
Sweet, September 2, 2015

Book Description,
Join the Hochstetler twin sisters on stage as they bumble their way through baking a cake for a charity auction in front of a live audience. The take-charge Elma and the klutzy optimist Thelma manage to entertain their audience—and attract the admiration of two bachelors, an outspoken woodworker and a shy harness maker from a neighboring Amish community. As fall leads into the Christmas season, could romance be blossoming for one or more of the Hochstetler twins? Find out in this brand new romance from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter

I suspect that Ms. Brunstetter can do better than this. Yes, this was a cute light romance, but it really didn't have any romance in it until nearly the ending of the book.

Thelma and Elma inherit their grandparents house and business and are quite busy taking care of these two places that are quite run down. The twin (yes the girls are identical twins!) decide to enter one of their Grandmother's cake recipes in a contest and the inevitable happens -a gentleman who had met one of the sisters, wants that cake very, very badly. I won't spoil the story for you with any more descriptions of the book.

It was a light sweet and quick read, that really didn't do too much to get me into the holiday spirit. But I did enjoy it nonetheless.
*ARC supplied by publisher.

		The Drafter (The Peri Reed Chronicles) by Kim Harrison Edition: Hardcover Price: $17.54
''It's Deja Vu All Over Again'', September 2, 2015 In the first explosive book in the Peri Reed Chronicles, Kim Harrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Hollows series, blazes a new frontier with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. Detroit 2030. Double-crossed by the person she loved and betrayed by the covert government organization that trained her to use her body as a weapon, Peri Reed is a renegade on the run. Don’t forgive and never forget has always been Peri’s creed. But her day job makes it difficult: she is a drafter, possessed of a rare, invaluable skill for altering time, yet destined to forget both the history she changed and the history she rewrote. When Peri discovers her name is on a list of corrupt operatives, she realizes that her own life has been manipulated by the agency. Her memory of the previous three years erased, she joins forces with a mysterious rogue soldier in a deadly race to piece together the truth about her fateful final task. Her motto has always been only to kill those who kill her first. But with nothing but intuition to guide her, will she have to break her own rule to survive?

One minute I hated this book and the next minute I was enraptured and couldn't out it down. This is why it got three stars from me.

I didn't know who to trust one minute and the next minute I was trusting almost everyone. I mean what kind of book is it when you can't even trust the main character??? I actually had gotten headaches from trying to read this and keep everyone (huge cast of characters) straight and who was working for whom, who was stabbing who in the back and why, who was lying and was it for a good reason, was someone really dead or was it a secret plot? The list goes on.

The idea of writing about time travel is not a unique one, but in Kin's capable hands it works and is unique -sort of. The idea of Peri needing to what amounts to be a handler who will give her her missing memories when she time-travels to 'fix' (alter a time-line) something or to get out of a jam was interesting. But then the idea of the government using this to be a bad thing is a bit cliched.

One minute this book treats Peri like a spoiled child/brat (and of course there is a reason for that) and the next minute she is a kick-a** assassin, was different.

But what got me annoyed with this book was really the fact that it reminded me of a comic book and I thought that it might have been written for young adults. I can't say that I will be giving the next book a try - but then again I can't say that I won't!
*ARC supplied by publisher.