The Last Warrior

Title: The Last Warrior

Publisher: Harlequin

Imprint: HQN Books

Pub Date: 26th April 2011

ISBN: 9780373775422

Author: Susan Grant

I was getting wary of Harlequin books. You see, all these while I’ve been devotedly reading Harlequin Presents, a line in Harlequin books where the themes are rather repetitive. There’s always bosses, millionaires, mistresses, marriage of convenience and whatnot, and so when I was given the opportunity to review The Last Warrior by Susan Grant, another book from the publisher Harlequin, I wasn’t very excited as I thought it will be another one of those books where the storyline is so lame and not original.

But boy, was I wrong for this book, The Last Warrior is nothing like those regular Harlequin Presents books that I’ve been reading to pass time all these while.

The Last Warrior by Susan Grant is a gripping, powerful and mesmerizing tale about a warrior who had been betrayed by the King that he had been serving and he had lost the sense of belonging.

He was thrown in a world of deception and betrayal, and also strange emotions that he had never had to deal with before.

The Last Warrior is a very moving and thrilling tale set in a fantasy world, and it’s one hell of a romance story that you would not want to miss if you’re a fantasy romance lover.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

This book will be released on 26th April 2011. For more information on this title, please click here to visit the author’s website. I received a digital ARC of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this.

Book description:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author SUSAN GRANT is back with a passionate love story for the eons…

As a decorated soldier, the young General Tao knows only one kind of honor—to his people. But when his own king betrays him, he discovers that his sacrifices, his successes, may not have been for the good of the country at all.

Fate—and his enemies—throw him together with Elsabeth, a red-haired beauty who has served as the royal tutor. Her loyalties, though, remain with her father’s people, the rebellious Kurel, who worship the old ways, even harboring the forbidden arks that brought the Kurel to this planet ages ago. When a threat greater than their peoples’ war looms, intent on destroying the world they both know, the fierce warrior and the sensitive scholar must unite. Together, they must fight for their planet, for their world and for their love.

Continue Reading

Dreams Dark Kiss

Title: Dreams’ Dark Kiss

Publisher: Carina Press

Pub Date: 20th Dec 2010

ISBN: 9781426890994

Author: Shirin Dubbin

I was really thrilled when I was given a chance to review this book, Dreams’ Dark Kiss. It was really a good, fun and easy read. This book is really inspiring and hard to put down.

It was nothing like what I usually read, and I like the theme where it’s centered around soul mate, dream world and adventures. There’s plenty of romance and action to keep you reading the plot was very original.

Thumbs up for Dreams’ Dark Kiss by Shirin Dubbin. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended to fantasy romance lovers.

Book description:

They’ll come for her tonight…

The ankou. A legion of nightmares, fugitive from the Dreaming, have set their sights on Ciaran Letang. She is the key to their darkest purpose. But Ciaran has been used before, and she won’t let it happen again.

Keoni Maka patrols the dreamscape, keeping humankind safe. When he senses Ciaran’s distress, he offers to fight by her side-forever. She accepts, but she has vowed not to let a man invade her heart, not even this one.

Together they must use their powers to stop the ankou pack leaders before they take dominion over the waking world. But will Keoni’s own dream of saving tainted souls lead them right into a trap?

Continue Reading

Steam& Sorcery

Title: Steam & Sorcery

Publisher: Carina Press

Pub Date: 7 March 2011

ISBN: 9781426891281

Author: Cindy Spencer Pape

I was overwhelmed when I was reading this book, Steam& Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape. the story did not really sit well with me somehow, and I got rather confused after going along further with the story.

The conspiracy and magic stuff was rather confusing and complicated for me to comprehend, but please don’t let that stop you from reading this book. One man’s poison is another man’s meat, after all.

I rate this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Book description:

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she’s ever met-and out of reach for a mere governess.

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery.

Continue Reading

Spice n Solace

Title: Spice ‘n’ Solace

Publisher: Carina Press

Pub Date: 14 March 2011

ISBN: 9781426891311

Author: K.C. Burn

Sexually speaking, I am straight. Very straight. As much as I enjoy the pleasure of the flesh, I don’t think I will enjoy those of my own kind. There’s no doubt about that, and I seriously did not think that I would one day read an erotica featuring gays or lesbians. But so it happen, I did. I accidentally request this book, Spice n’ Solace for review in Netgalley by mistake, and boy, did I have a shock of my life when I flipped through the pages.

It was my first time reading gay fiction, and I couldn’t actually get used to it. But I’ll be fair here. the storyline was great. Plot and character development was well done too. The sex scene? Not something I’ve read before, but I definitely learn a thing or two about men’s preference and fantasy.

Overall, this is a very educational book for me. Not sure how to rate it, but I’ll be fair. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, simply because it ‘educate’ me.

This book will be released on 14th March 2011. For more information on this title, please click here.

Book description:

Every year, Jathan One-Moon faces increasing pressure that he marry and have children. What Jathan really wants is a male mate that can enjoy both playful sex and his more dominant nature. To tame his stress, Jathan orders a male escort from Spice ‘n’ Solace, the premier male brothel in the Galactic Alliance-and is thrilled to be sent a man whose air of innocence and obvious desire for Jathan arouse him like never before.

Jathan doesn’t know he has mistaken Kazha Deinos, the owner of Spice ‘n’ Solace, as his escort. Kaz doesn’t intend to pleasure Jathan personally, but his powerful masculinity is irresistible. Kaz has dreamed of a man who’d take charge and indulge his hidden cravings-a man just like Jathan.

With their explosive passion and unexpected tenderness, Jathan and Kaz soon want to stay together-if Jathan’s position and Kaz’s secrets don’t tear them apart…

Title: Spice ‘n’ Solace
Publisher: Carina Press
Pub Date: 03/14/2011
ISBN: 9781426891311
Author: Burn, K.C.
Continue Reading

Always A Witch

Title: Always a Witch

Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Imprint: Clarion Books

Pub Date: August 2011

ISBN: 9780547224855

Author: Carolyn MacCullough

Always a Witch is a very gripping YA novel. It is a sequel of Once A Witch, and it’s much better than the first book, Once A Witch Was.

This book is fast paced and I can’t imagine anyone getting bored with it. The characters seems to come alive within the pages, and they draw me in. Ms. MacCallough has outdone herself in writing this book this time.

I highly recommend this book to those who loves paranormal fiction, and I certainly wouldn’t mind reading this book over and over again.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Book description:

Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother’s prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady’s maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

This book will only be released in August 2011. For more information on this title, click here.

Continue Reading

The Vaspertine

Title: The Vespertine

Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Imprint:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Pub Date: 3rd July 2011

ISBN: 9780547482477

Author: Saundra Mitchell

The Vaspertine shocked me. In a very good way, that is. This is such a beautiful book. It has dream-like quality to it where fantasy and reality were interwoven together oh so delicately.

The prose in this book was so beautiful that it amuses me, and I was really intrigued with the Victorian setting.

One would have to appreciate literature and the beauty of creative writing to be able to enjoy this book.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended to those who appreciate stories written in the Victorian era.

This book will be published in July 2011. For more information on this title, please click here.

Book description:

It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

Continue Reading

The Cellar

Title: The Cellar

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Imprint: Graphia Books

Pub Date: 2nd May 2011

ISBN: 9780547232539

Author: A. J. Whitten

I was looking for something different to read, and therefore, I picked up a book that has been long forgotten in my ebook library. The Cellar is actually a very interesting book about a girl who is dating the undead. While the storyline is abit familiar to those vampire books that I’ve been reading lately, I found that this book has it’s own charm.

It is interesting to note how the characters took a few twist and turns and the story developed into something more satisfying.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars, and would definitely recommend this to teens who loves to read paranormal fiction with a lace of thrill and mystery.

I received this ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

This book will be on sale on 2 May 2011. For more information on this title, please click here.

Continue Reading

Kids’ Guide to Bible Animals

Title: Kids’ Guide to Bible Animals

Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Imprint: Barbour Books

Pub Date: September 2010

ISBN: 9781602609518

My husband may not be a believer, but I am.  How can I not? He was there for me all the way, even when I thought He wasn’t. When I feel abandoned, afraid and when I lost hope, He never failed to be there for me. He’s my God. He’s my faithful protector. I resent the fact that I was too blind to see it back then, but I am glad He showed me the light and led me back to Him. he is… my one and true love.

While my in laws are idol worshipers, I can safely say I am not, and while I want to give my boy freedom to choose his own religion when he grows up, I’d teach him as much as I can about what I believe in. ( I believe that religion is a very spiritual thing. You cannot force others to believe what they don’t, and therefore, religion is something between you and Him).

I believe that it’s never to early to introduce children to the Holy Book, and the way to do it is to introduce them to biblical characters in a very fun and illustrative way.

I highly recommend Kids’ Guide to Bible Animals if you want to show your children the animals whose stories were told inside the Bible.

This guide is very informative, and I’d give it a 5 star.

Book description:

This fully-illustrated book for 8-12-year-olds describes every animal, bird, and insect in scripture–100 in all, from antelopes to worms!

Continue Reading

A Long, Long Sleep

Title: A Long, Long Sleep

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Pub Date: 8th September 2011

ISBN: 9780763652609

Author: Anna Sheehan

I’m a real sucker for a fairy tale, even if it’s a retelling of those age old fairy tales. A Long, Long Sleep by Annd Sheehan is…about a girl who had been induced to sleep for a very, very long time. Sounds familiar? Well, it’s a modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty and it was beautifully done, though the retelling was not in any way subtle. This story is a very modern version of Sleeping Beauty.

I enjoyed reading A Long, Long Sleep though I was not exactly a fan of Sleeping Beauty. You see… I hate passive heroine. I like heroines are intelligent or could defend themselves instead of just waiting in some tower to be rescued like some helpless damsel in distress.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Note: This book will be published in September 2011.

Book description

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose—hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire—is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes—or be left without any future at all.

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from Candlewick Press via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

Continue Reading

Road Signs

Title: Road Signs

Publisher: Carina Press

Pub Date: 14th March 2011

ISBN: 9781426891335

Author: MJ Fredrick

This book, Road Signs, more or less reminds me of the song ‘God Blessed The Broken Road’ by Rascal Flatts.

Each and every one of us may have take a few wrong turns in life and ended up with the person that’s not right for us, but that doesn’t mean that it’s end of the road. It simply means that your true love is still out there, and all you need to do is gather up courage to do the right thing and pursue your happiness cuz for what it’s worth, sometimes, the heart speaks better than the head.

The Road Sign is an absolutely beautiful book about true love, second chance as well as the courage to do what’s right. This is absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing book, and those who is doing some soul searching, should read this book. Somehow… someway…. when I finished reading this book, I feel strangely satiated. This book have a ‘soul’. That’s all I can say and I hope this review do justice to the book.

I rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book description:

Had she misread the signs?

Briefly captivated by the idea of romance and pretty, shiny weddings, Willow Hawkins agreed to meet her potential boyfriend’s family and quickly realized she’d made a mistake. Stranded in small-town Nowhere, Willow calls her best friend, Cameron Trask, for an escape.

Even though he’ll miss an important job interview, Cam comes to her rescue. When Willow starts to see Cam with new eyes, she wonders how she’s never made the connection from best friend to best lover. Willow has one chance to help the man she loves-join him on a cross-country road trip to get to the interview on time. On the way they’ll face a jealous puppy, an unreliable automobile and weather that threatens to trap them alone…together.

The biggest roadblock she’ll come up against? If Cam gets his dream job, Willow may lose him for good.

This book will only be published in March. For more information on this title, please click here to visit the author’s website.

Continue Reading