Saturday, December 31, 2011

Top Books of 2011

Top Books of 2011
The top Books we read in 2011 (and sometimes re-read)

A Discovery of Witches
The Clockwork Prince
Winter Sea
Shadowfever
Iron Knight
One Grave at a Time
Secret McQueen Series
A Bomb in February
Second Grave on the Left
Great Hexpectations
How to Date a Vampire
Reason to Breath
School of Ages
Beautiful Disaster



Happy New Year and Happy Reading
Kiki & Jules

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Lots of Books to Cover

I have been doing a lot of reading, but have failed to blog. For that I am so sorry. So here is a quick run down with mini reviews.

A Chance foe Charity by S.L. Baum: 3.5 stars. A cute quick read that stars Charity and a group of Immortals that are one the run from some religious zealots trying to kill them. Charity and her family take refuge in a small town in Colorado where she quickly finds love. Now she has to fight to keep the love in her life forever.

The Secret McQueen Series by Sierra Dean: 4 stars. This could possibly become one of my top series. Secret is jus that, a secret, half vampire half wolf vampire slayer. She works for the vampire counsel as a contract killer. She has a wicked sense of humor and gets herself in the most wonderful delemas. Most of her issues revolve around matters of the heart. What is a girl to do when the King of the Wolves, his litinuet, the head of the Vampire Counsel, and her own watcher all are in love with her. This book has some kick-butt action and some steamy bedroom scenes. If you love Cat and Bones you will love Secret.

Fright Court by Mindy Klasky: 3 stars. Sarah has an unusual new job. She I'd the Clerk of Courts for the Night Court. When she signed up she didn't reslize what clients would be coming in at the wee hours, like vampires. She gets attacked on her first night and all hell breaks loose. But in the end she is determined to show her new boss, James, that he picked the right sphynix for the job. It was a quick read and by the end I was really getting into it, but it just stopped. I'm not sure if there is more to the series, but I hope so. This feels unfinished.

The Valerie Dearborn Series by Caroline Hanson: 3.5 stars. Val is an Empath. She has the power to control people's emotions and control them. The greatest control being over vampires. She is the last of her kind. There are no more Empaths, Fey, or Wolves. Only vampires. Then why is the kinfolk of vampires, Lucas, hiring her to find the Others? And why is her attraction to him so strong? This confused young lady goes on a quest with a lustful vampire and his minions when all she wants is a normal life with the love of her life, Jack. But Jack is just as willing to go on this chase with her. Where does that leave Val and how will she keep herself safe? This is a very quick read and leaves you hanging in the end. I dom't usually go for heroines that appear so weak minded and stubborn. I didn't really like Val, but I loved Lucas and his story. So I will keep reading the series to see his fate.

There is plenty more to come. Jules and I have the review for The Clockwork Prince. We read the book in less than a day! It was fantastic and caused me to re-read the entire Clare series.

So keep reading and we will as well
Happy reading
Kiki

Matt Posner and C.S. Splitter

Kiki's Review: 5 stars

These are two of my favorite male indie authors.
Matt Posner is being raved as the next J.K. Rowling for his School of Ages series. But let me say that this is no Harry Potter. Yes, I see similar character, but the plots are so different. Posner does a wonderful job of showing us a new side to magic. His characters are well developed and he writes so smoothly. He takes us on these wonderful rides thru the past and sometimes into the historical fanatsies of our childhood. Where he douses his books with history, he sprinkles them with religion. I loved the education I received at every turn of the page. If you haven't picked up this series yet, you should.

C.S. Splitter has a wicked sense of humor that is so up my alley. He is one of the few authors I am more than willing to step outside of my genre for. His Crayder series is quickly becoming one of my favorites. He writes so deliciously that when I'm finished I can't wait for my next helping. Tom Crayder is one of those characters you can't help but root for. He has a mortgage, a marriage that needs some work, and an unusual clintele for his flight business. I loved The Rluctant, but have decided that The Willing is even better. Mystery, suspense, drug lords, all with his wisecracracking, politically incorrect hero...What more can a girl ask for?
If you haven't taken this series for a ride then be prepared to strap yourself in and fly. This is a must read!

Happy Reading
Kiki

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

January Kills Me by Evan Katy

Kiki's Rating:  4.5 stars

It took less than two pages and I was in love with Samantha Rialto and this book. Many times I found myself I was laughing so hard and loud my children came in just to make sure I was ok. Everyone says they find a book that they can't put down, but don't literally mean they couldn't put it down.  I have to say this book I REALLY couldn't put down. I stayed up reading it and found myself in the middle of the night purchasing the second book in the series because I couldn't get enough.

Sam is a music teacher who has taken up surveillance photography to help make ends meet after her nasty divorce from an abusing cop-killing husband.  The sad fact is that her husband was a cop at the time he killed a fellow officer, and he was drunk.  Even sadder was the fact that Sam let him leave the house drunk, in order to keep from getting a beating, and many other officers blame her just as much as him.  All this doesn't help when the cheating husband Sam is following for a client winds up dead while she is on the scene.  In comes hot and hunky Ben Parker, Sam's ex-husband's ex-partner.  Sam feels he hates her, but soon discovers quite to the contrary as she finds herself knee deep in this mess he becomes very overprotective of her. Who wouldn't want Mr. Hot as their protector?  I know I would. Now Sam and Ben go up and down on a crazy roller coaster ride that has so many twists and curves that you will never guess what is coming next. Add in one hell-on-wheels best friend, Maxie, who likes violence a little too much, and you get one hell of a good read.

Happy Reading
~Kiki

Jules Reading List

With the holidays starting I haven't had time to write reviews, but I have been reading.... Note worthy books to check out, that I really have enjoyed reading.

Chloe Neill:  Chicagoland Vampires Novels Ratings 5 stars
 I have read the first four books and haven't read the new release, as of yet. All I know is book four made me re-read the ending 3 times, and made me so mad I wanted to throw the book........I still can't believe what happened...grrrrr.... I can't wait to see how book five deals with the issue.  Very fast paced, great sub characters, and a view on vampires that is very different. You will need to read this series in order.

Julie Garwood: The Ideal Man    4 stars
FBI thriller, with romance, enjoyable read.

Larissa Ione : Lords of Deliverance Series   5 stars
This is a four book series about The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, I have read books one and two. They are great, crazy and full of action and very steamy..... Can't wait for the next two!!

Sherryl Woods: The Inn At Eagles Point( Chesapeake Shore Series)  Rating 4 stars

I just started reading the following.

Sierra Dean: Something Secret This Way Comes. Book 1 A Secret McQueen Story

Heather Killough-Walden: The Hunt from The Big Bad Wolf Series

Rose Pressey: How to Date A Vampire as soon as it is out!!

Happy Reading
~Jules

Saturday, November 12, 2011

An Enchanted Life ~Henry Louis Mencken


"An enchanted life has many moments when the heart is overwhelmed with beauty and the imagination is electrified..."