(Review) How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying) ★★★☆☆

Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Series: Love at Stake
Genre: Paranormal Romance
374 pages



Vampire Zoltan Czakvar is on the hunt for the truth about his father's death. He's been searching for a very long time—since 1241, in fact. And he is not about to give up, even when he's attacked by a woman with striking blue eyes and a hell of a right hook!

Neona is also on the hunt. She's looking for a mate, and she thinks muscled Zoltan will work just fine. After all, men are good for only one thing. Soon, though, she realizes there's more to this handsome vampire than just sexual prowess. But she's keeping a secret from Zoltan, something so big that it will rock the vampire world.

Can their newfound love survive . . . even if their passion means the destruction of her world?



I have to admit it took me awhile to get through this book. I actually started it months ago and quit reading and just started back last week. It's a lot different than any of the other Love at Stake books. It has it's funny moments but it's a lot more serious than I'm used to from Kerrelyn Sparks. So much was revealed near the end of the book and there were so many loose ends that I expect the story to pick up with the next book right where it left off in this one.


I never paid much attention to Zoltan in the previous books. He's a vampire that lives as a count in Transylvania. That's about all I can remember of him. How to Seduce a Vampire goes into his past and his character. I really got to like him. He's just an all around nice guy. He meets Neona while investigating the murder of his father. Neona had to grow on me. She's like a warrior princess, literally. She lives in the jungle with a group of warrior women. I didn't know what to think of her at first. She's not your usual Love at Stake heroine. But by the end I liked her too.


It's hard to do a review of this book because so many things happen and there are so many secrets that I don't want to ruin for anyone reading this. Let me just say that if you have a hard time getting into it at the beginning like I did it does get better and it gets really good about halfway through. It's worth the read if anything just to keep up with the series because there's no way you could skip this book.

(Review) Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs ★★★★★

Author: Molly Harper
Series: Nice Girls Don't...
Genre: Paranormal Romance
355 pages

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.


Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

Ok this is my first real review after a 5 month hiatus so be easy on me. I picked this book to re-read because I remembered it as one of my favorites. I spent a lot of time trying to think of a favorite book but couldn't think of one particular book. Instead I had several book series that topped the list in my mind. Nice Girls Don't was on that list. This is the first book I have been able to start and finish since May so I think it was a good choice. I might just re-read the whole series. We'll see. And now on to the actual book review.


Jane Jameson is on of my all time favorite characters. She is hilarious for one. Second she's just this down to earth, don't care what anybody thinks of me type of person. I really like her. I like Gabriel, her sire as well. Hell, I like all of the characters in this book. Zeb and his girlfriend and Andrea and even Dick. They all grow on you and make you love them!


This book has it all. A bit of romance, suspense and mystery. Most of all it has humor in spades. I laughed so hard through the whole book. The romance between Jane and Gabriel is even funny. My favorite is when they break the glass coffee table and have shards of it digging into them as they make out. All in all it's a great book and I highly recommend it. If you like humor in your romance than this book is definitely for you.


Favorite Quote:


"What are you doing here?" Gabriel demanded.
Dick squeezed my shoulder in a chummy gesture. "We're writing a vampire children's book, See Dick and Jane Bite. What do you think?"

(Review) Omega Mine ★★★☆☆

Author: Aline Hunter
Series: Alpha & Omega
Genre: Paranormal Romance
189 pages

A bond forged in blood. Fealty given to the one he desires above all others. Graced with the ability to shift into any form, Diskant Black is the absolute authority when it comes to New York shifters, and as the Omega of the city, his word is law. Protecting the shifter races is more than a job, it's a predisposition ingrained since birth-nothing is more important. Until a chance encounter with a tiny female sets fire to his blood, brings him to his knees and turns his world upside down. Ava Brisbane is more than he bargained for in a mate-beautiful, fragile...human. If he wants to keep her by his side, he'll have to sacrifice a portion of his soul to establish a bond that can never be broken. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be worse. Shepherds-hunters of all the shifter races-have arrived in New York. To protect the woman he can't live without, Diskant will have to stand against those who have come to start a war.

Omega Mine is the first book in the Alpha & Omega series.  While I found it interesting it had a hard time keeping my attention.  It was a good story which is why I gave it 3 stars but it couldn't keep my attention.  I love shifter books and Diskant, as an Omega, is like the ultimate shifter.  He can shift into several different animals.  Ava is a telepathic who knows about shifters even though most people don't.  In this series shifters know who their mate is as soon as they meet them.  What happened after they met was pretty funny.

Of course with any book there has to be the bad guys.  In this case it's the Shepard's.  They hunt down and kill shifters because they say that they're demon possessed.   There's also a group of people that keep records of all the shifters and people like Ava that have extra sensory perception.  Seems a little overkill to me. 

I read this book 4 months ago so it's hard to remember all the details to do a review.  Please forgive the shortness of this review.  Thanks for stopping by.

(Review) Bear Naked ★★★★☆

Author: Dana Marie Bell
Series: Halle Shifters
Genre: Paranormal Romance
236 pages

 To win a frightened heart, you have to bare your own.

Any woman would be eager to be Ryan Williams’s mate. Any woman but Glory Walsh. The sexy bear shifter is beautiful, strong and persistent, she’ll give him that. But Glory’s past taught her one simple truth: people leave. She can’t get past the fact he left her once before. Okay, so he had a good reason, and he did come back. Try convincing her emotions.

When Glory finally agrees to a date, Ryan feels like shouting hallelujah. He only left his mate to hunt down the man who’d shot her, but convincing the stubborn woman she has a permanent place at his side is tougher than he thought.

Their date takes a turn for the bizarre when Glory thanks Ryan for the series of romantic gifts—gifts Ryan never sent. It seems her past is coming back to bite her, and before it has a chance to sink its teeth in and tear her out of his life, Ryan will have to bare it all, right down to his soul, to protect the woman he loves. Even from herself.

Warning: This title contains explicit sex, graphic language, a blue-haired heroine, and a hero who isn’t afraid to get all kinds of naked.



I have been waiting for this book since I read Bear Necessities, the first book in the Halle Shifters series almost a year ago. It was worth the wait. Dana Marie Bell does such a good job of mixing serious and humorous in her books. If you haven't read the Halle Shifters series yet you'll want to read the Halle Pumas and Pocono Wolves books first. The pumas and wolves are usually in or at least mentioned in the Halle Shifters books. I look forward to the next book in this series although there isn't one shown on the Goodreads page yet I'll keep watching for it.

I love Glory. She's this crazy blue haired girl that works as a piercer in a tattoo shop with her best friends. Although she puts up a good front she is very insecure due to her twin sisters disappearance and her families abandonment. That abandonment makes her feel that she will lose anyone that she gets close to. So although she is attracted to Ryan she is afraid to let him in. Ryan has his work cut out for him. As a shifter, once he meets his mate, the need for his mate is like a driving force that could make him go insane.

There's a lot more to this book than just Glory and Ryan's story. The story picks up where Cynful left off. Have I mentioned how much I love these books? It's not your regular romance story... lots of action and mystery. But at the same time you cheer for them to get together. Another great book by Dana Marie Bell.

(Review) Wild Wolf ★★★★☆

In the latest Shifters Unbound novel, a man has resigned himself to a life half lived. But a beautiful, courageous woman has him longing for something more…

Graham McNeil knows that his pack is unruly, but he’s not sure he can take the next step toward Shiftertown stability—choosing a new mate. After losing his mate and son long ago, Graham has worked hard to keep his heart in check. And even if he was inclined to bind himself again, his girlfriend, Misty, is human—a fact that won’t sit well with Graham’s old-fashioned wolves.

But Graham is up against a new enemy, one who could spell danger and death to all of Shiftertown. Graham must now defend his leadership and save Misty, the woman he has grown to love—before Shiftertown is pulled into an all-out war.




Wild Wolf is book 6 in the Shifters Unbound series. There are like 6 novellas in between the books. I've read and loved them all. The series is really starting to heat up now with Wild Wolf. I seem to say this a lot but the book description doesn't compare to the book itself. If you've read the previous books than you are familiar with Misty. She's the girl who chats with Graham at the shifter bar after he fights with Eric. Some jerk tries to get Misty to spy on Graham and she tells him about it. That was in book 4 Mate Claimed.

Wild Wolf takes place approximately a year after Mate Claimed. At this point Graham is sort of dating Misty. Misty is kidnapped and Graham comes to save her. In doing so he gets hurt and their relationship starts to crumble. With being hurt he is afraid he cannot hold onto his place in shiftertown. All the shifters are pressuring him to take a mate so that he will have a strong heir.

I don't want to say much more because it'll ruin the surprises but let me just say that it's all been leading up to this. All the work on taking the collars off and such. All leading up to the shocks that you'll read in Wild Wolf.

I really like Misty and Graham so this was a great book if you ask me. I enjoyed the by-play between them and Graham's nephew Dougal. Also the twin cubs that Graham is taking care of. All in all I wouldn't say it was an especially romantic book but there was a lot of action and lots of laughs which made up for it.

(Review) Feral Heat ★★★☆☆

Jace Warden is sent to the Shiftertown in Austin to find a way to free all Shifters from their Collars. But pulling off the Collars can cause Shifters to go mad or kill them outright.

In Austin, Jace meets Deni Rowe, a wolf Shifter with troubles of her own—she was deliberately run down in the road, and while her body has healed, she still has episodes of total memory loss during which she retreats into her pure animal self.

Jace has never met anyone like Deni. Courageous and beautiful, she volunteers to help him test the Collar removal. And as Deni and Jace work together, they feel the mate bond begin. But can Jace help Deni believe she can heal enough to be anyone’s true mate?




I cruised through this novella in an afternoon. I love the Shifters Unbound series. If you're not familiar with the characters Jace is Eric's son... the head of the Las Vegas shifters and Deni is Ellison's sister. Jace is visiting Austin to help with the problem of trying to remove the collars when he meets Deni.

This one wasn't as good as some of the other Shifters Unbound books but it was still worth the read. You might remember from Ellison's book that Deni has some major issues after a car rammed her on her motorcycle the year before. She has a hard time holding back her feral side and has blackouts.

There isn't much romance in this story at all. It's a series of events that throws together two very unlikely shifters. I enjoyed the story altogether though I can't say I have a favorite part or quote for this one.  

(Review) Wicked Waves ★★★★★

Author: Sharon Kay
Genre: Paranormal Romance
355 pages

Making daggers out of raindrops is only the tip of the iceberg for Brooke Bonham. As one of four women who can control the elements, her ability to manipulate water packs a deluge of potential. Eager to learn more, she’s frustrated at the precautions she must take to avoid the wrong kind of attention on Earth.

Kai's duties as a Lash demon have kept him busy on Earth for nearly two hundred years. Fighting? He was born to do it. Females? They're drawn to him. And Earth? The perfect place for him to avoid supernatural bounty hunters.

Though the two of them mix like oil and water, Kai senses that beneath Brooke’s frosty exterior hides a vortex of simmering passion. He’s determined to thaw his ice princess.

Forced to work together in the immortal realm, they track a rogue Lash demon at the helm of a widespread kidnapping operation. All too soon, Kai’s dark past catches up to them. Time runs out as a second enemy, bent on revenge, vows to stop at nothing short of Brooke’s enslavement and Kai’s death. As they and their foes stalk each other in a demonic game of cat-and-mouse, will her evolving skills and their fledgling bond be enough to save them?

How to Run with a Naked Werewolf ★★★★☆

Author: Molly Harper
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: NetGalley- Pocket Books
352 pages

Down, Boy
Anna Moder has just witnessed a shooting, seen her car pulverized, and rescued a wounded stranger only to discover he's really a werewolf. And by her recent standards, things are actually looking up. Lycanthropes don't faze Anna. Doctoring a wolf pack outside Grundy, Alaska, is the closest thing to home life she's known in years. But hitching a ride to Anchorage with long-absent pack member Caleb Graham that&'s a risk. Part of her itches to whack his nose with a newspaper. The rest is trying unsuccessfully to keep her own paws off every delicious inch of him.
The problem is, Caleb employs his lupine tracking abilities as a notquite- legal bounty hunter, and Anna is suspicious of both him and his profession. On the run from her past, with old problems closing in, she'd like to stay far, far away from anybody with connections to the law. Caleb, however, seems determined to keep her close. Are his intentions noble, or is he working a more predatory angle?
Anna's been dreaming of returning to a semi-normal life, but now she's experiencing a strange new urge . . . to join Caleb in running with the wolves.

Born in Blood ★★★★☆ | #COYER Book Review

Author: Alexandra Ivy
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: NetGalley- Kensington Books
352 pages

In a stunning new paranormal romance series—even edgier than her bestselling Guardians of Eternity books—New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Ivy lures readers into the dark, seductive world of the Sentinels—humans outcast by their hidden abilities, treading the line between life and death, good and evil, pleasure and pain…

Born In Blood

Sergeant Duncan O’Conner has seen it all before. A beautiful erotic dancer is found murdered in her home—no suspect, no motive. But there’s one clue: she’s missing her heart. It’s enough to make the hard-bitten Kansas City cop enlist the help of a necro—one of the dead-channeling freaks who live in the domed city of nearby Valhalla. It’s a long shot, but desperate crimes call for desperate measures.

Unlike the other “high-bloods” in Valhalla, Callie Brown considers her abilities a gift, not a curse. But when she reads the dancer’s final thoughts, she senses a powerful presence blocking her vision. This is no ordinary homicide. This is the work of a legendary necromancer who controls souls. A ravenous force that will put Callie’s skills to the test, O’Conner’s career at risk, and both their hearts on the line…literally.

     When I was flipping through the NetGalley site and saw Alexandra Ivy's name I had to request the book. I love her Guardian's of Eternity series. After reading Born in Blood I think that The Sentinels series could be even better. I really liked this book. It had me hooked from the start. It's not really a fast-paced book but more like a mystery where you're trying to figure out what's going to happen next. Add to that a steaming hot romance and this book has it all. My only complaint is that the cover model looks like Anya and not Callie. Callie has short spiky hair and Duncan describes her as looking like a pixie. I guess that isn't as photogenic. I hate it when they do that!

     My favorite character in this book was Duncan. He's the kind of guy any girl would be happy with. A good guy through and through. Duncan and Callie have worked together for years and both have fantasied about the other through that time. When there's a really strange murder Duncan sees his chance and insists on going to Valhalla with Callie. Sparks fly and it's one of those sweet relationships that you don't see enough of in the Paranormal Romance genre. Of course with every book like this we need the enemy... so there's Zak and Anya. As far as bad guys go I felt kinda meh about these two. It's the classic take over the world scenario and I just wasn't feeling it.

     All in all this was a great book and I look forward to more from The Sentinels series. I expected nothing less from Alexandra Ivy. The concept of "high-bloods" and Valhalla was unique and refreshing. Especially since two humans could produce a high-blood child. To me, it seems more like The X-men type of idea really. People born with special abilities are expected to stay together in basically a city in a bubble not interacting with "humans" unless they are needed like Callie is to help solve murders and such. I can totally see something like this happening in real life because people always fear the unknown. The whole book except mabye some parts with Zak was very believable. The next book in the series Hunt the Darkness is set to be published in June of 2014.

Capri's Fate ★★★☆☆ | #COYER Book Review

Author: Daryl Devore
Genre: Paranormal Romance; Erotica
Source: Kindle Freebie
229 pages

What's a woman to do when a voice follows her home and makes mad, passionate love to her? 

Corporate business woman, Capricious Gray, is dragged to a sex toy convention by her best friend. Once a shocking, mysterious disembodied voice helps her with her purchases, it follows her home. Passion ensues, leaving Capri torn between lust for her fantasy lover and the desperate need for reality in her life.

Thall, son of one of the Fates, harbors the irrepressible need to be with the woman he's desired from afar for years. In order to make her his, once and for all, he must help Capri get past her fears, including the fear of what he represents - a fantasy.

Can fantasy become a reality for these two lovers?

Love Bites (Argeneau Series #2) ★★★★★

Author: Lynsay Sands

     I was looking for something to read the other day and wanted something like the Argeneau series.  When I couldn't find anything similar that I hadn't already read I decided to re-read some of my favorite books from the series.    

     This book is about Etienne Argeneau and Rachel Garrett.  Etienne is the youngest son of Marguerite Argeneau.  He makes video games.  Rachel works at a morgue.  Someone is trying to kill Etienne and he gets sent to the morgue... twice.  As with most of the Argeneau books this one is humorous and fun to read.  I always feel bad for the immortal when they are trying to figure out how to get their lifemate to accept them but it's usually pretty funny along the way.  Especially when Thomas slips them some sweet ecstasy drinks.

My favorite part is when at Lissianna's wedding Etienne tries to impress Rachel by repeating all of the big words he knows because she says she likes intelligent men.  I'd quote it as my favorite but it'd be more of an excerpt since it's like a page long.  My other favorite is when Rachel thinks she must be dreaming and decides to make Etienne star in her "wet" dream.  Hehe

Favorite Quotes:
"You are the most gorgeous corpse I've worked with."
"Really?" Etienne smiled.  No one had ever told him he was a gorgeous corpse before.

"If I had taken the time to imagine what the man I loved looked like and the qualities he would have, you would have been who I dreamed of."

Cynful (Halle Shifters #2) ★★★★★

Author: Dana Marie Bell

     There is something about Dana Marie Bell's books that just entrances me.  It's like I start reading and next thing I know the whole day is gone.  I can't do anything until I'm done reading the book!  I've come to love all of the characters from the Halle Pumas/Shifters and Pocono's Pack.  This is the best book of either series so far.  I lovvvved it!  The cover is super hot too.

     If you read the first book from the Halle Shifters series Bear Nessesities then you are familiar with Cyn and Julian.  He's a spirit bear and she's the human friend of Tabby from that book.  Both of them were so much fun to read!  They're hilarious.  As you'll see in my favorite quotes I couldn't stop laughing.  But there were parts that made me cry as well.  This book'll take you through the emotions that's for sure.  

     In this book someone is hunting Cyn and her friends from the tattoo shop.  They can't figure out who it can be and more and more people keep getting hurt.  Soon the Pocono pack is involved and to keep her friends safe Cyn decides to use herself as bait.  Let's just say all hell breaks loose and the person who is hunting them is not who I thought it would be.  So there's a good bit of mystery thrown in there as well.  I really enjoyed this book and everything Julian.  Hubba hubba!  Hot bear shifters anyone?   

Favorite Quotes:

"Dios.  It's like watching two Yorkies fighting over a french fry."

"Oreos are manna of the gods, you evil heathen."

"Aw, you're so cute.  Sort of like a rabid weevil.  With anthrax."

"You want me to find you some honey?  A cookie?  Mabye a small, furry animal?  You could hug it and love it and call it George."

Dream Doctor (Dreams #2) ★★★★☆

Author: J.J. DiBenedetto
Version: Audio
Narrator: Heather Jane Hogan

     I had a couple of preconceived ideas about this book that I am very happy that I was wrong about.  First, I thought since it's Dream Doctor that it was like 8 years after Dream Student.  It's actually only a year and a half after the first book.  Second, when reading the synopsis for the book I thought that there were going to be major relationship problems between Sara and Brian in this
book.  I get tired of falling in love with a couple and then having the author butcher the relationship in the next book.  It just makes me feel sick while reading it.  I'm happy to say I loved this book and have absolutely no complaints!  It has even more of a mystery to it than the last book.

     I think I learned more than I'd ever want to know about medical school in this book.  I love it when books go into the characters careers or in this case schooling.  I can't imagine that the author didn't do any research on this book because it's very thorough.  So in addition to lots of medical school and average day life as a newlywed Sara starts having her dreams again.  Everyone seems to be dreaming about one of her professors dying.  But who is the one actually trying to kill him?  Yay mystery!

     Sara and Brian's love at first sight relationship caught my heart in the first book and it continues in this book.  It's not like boring mushy stuff, just everyday life.  Little jealousy and misunderstandings that always come with newer relationships.  In addition to that they both have overloaded schedules.  I found the mystery intriguing and everything else was icing.  I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Favorite Quote:

"If she so much as puts a hand on him I'll cut her heart out.  I know how to do it too, I've been reading ahead.  The instructions are right there in Grant's Dissector page 75.  I think I'll mark the page with a post-it note just in case."

   

Finding Forgiveness (Poconos Pack, #1) ★★★★☆

Author: Dana Marie Bell

"Warning: This book contains explicit sex, graphic language, and male/male 
love scenes between two top dogs. Who knew Rock Paper Scissors could be 
such fun?"

     This is only the second m/m book that I've read.  The first was Lover at Last from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  There was nothing in this book that made me uncomfortable and it made me wonder why I never read any m/m because I know a lot of people who do.  Dana Marie Bell made this book just as entertaining as any of her other books.  The above quote from her website made me laugh because only guys would use rock paper scissors as a precursor to sex.  

     In previous books there's been a big deal made if it's even months before mates get together.  That pales in comparison to the 9 years that  went by before Ben and Dave finally face the facts.  A few silly misunderstandings that could have been cleared up in one conversation kept them apart all that time.  This one is a tear-jerker that's for sure!  I loved it and how fun it was as well.  Ben really annoyed me at the beginning of the book but in a way his behavior is understandable.  Dave was my favorite.  I liked him in Rick and Belle's book as well.

     While I did feel that this book could have been a little longer I was happy with the way it ended.  I look forward to the next Poconos Pack book that will be released next month.  Dana Marie Bell is turning out to be one of my favorite authors.  She has a way of making her characters so realistic and funny, it keeps me coming back for more.  Especially after other books continue to disappoint.  I know I can turn to her books and get a happy ending.

Wicked Wind (Solsti Prophecy #1) ★★★★☆

Author: Sharon Kay 

**Book provided by the Author through PNR NaUBA group Author/Reader Exchange**

     I loved this book.  It had so many twists and turns and surprises!  I always try to find something to compare books to for others to make it easier to decide if they'd be interested.  The closest series would have to be the Immortals After Dark... there are immortals, mostly demons... mabye the Demonica series.  It was one of those books that grabs you from the start and you just can't help but be pulled along for the ride.  There's romance, a lot of fighting and quite a bit of surprises along to way.

     We start off with Nicole and her sister Brooke.  They have some pretty awesome powers.  The book is about Nicole.  Happily there'll be a second book with Brooke.  Nicole "can manipulate air currents, make them stronger, change their direction, and cause them to move objects."  In addition to that she's a pretty bad-ass fighter.  She meets up with Gunnar and boy is that a hot meeting!    Gunnar is a Lash demon. (kinda like the demon police)  He's also a bad-ass fighter and has demonfire to boot.  Nicole thought she was just a human freak but Gunnar thinks that she is more.  He takes her to meet with all of his Lash demon buddies.  BTW I love the guys names especially Kai and Rhys.  A house full of hot demon hunks?  Hell yes!  So I don't want to give away more but let's just say there's lots of ups and downs and stuff you'd never guess at happening.  

     I thought Nicole was pretty awesome.  She was totally not conceited even though she had reason to be.  She was very cool and down to earth.  Gunnar was just hotness personified.  Their relationship itself was just hot.  I guess this could be classified as erotica but most erotica doesn't have such a good story-line so I'd hate to do that to it.  But yes, the sex scenes are pretty great.  I love books like this where meeting each other turns both of their worlds upside down.  I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to seeing what happens with Brooke in the second book.  I think this has the potential to be a great series.

     If you like hot demons, hotter sex, paranormal romance, parallel worlds and kick-ass heroines this book is for you!  

Favorite Quote:
"I'm a Lash demon."
"You? A demon?" she sputtered, sitting up fast.  She knew he let her. "But you're not-"
"Not what?"
"Not...hideous. Deformed. Scaly."
"My, you have a way with compliments,"he said dryly.  "That'll keep me going all week, knowing I'm not hideous."

Dream Student (Dreams #1) ★★★★☆

Author: J.J. DiBenedetto

     I can sum my first thoughts on this book up in one word: unfortunate.  Why?  Because it is unfortunate that this book has such a goofy cover and it's unfortunate that it has such a boring name.  Even the series name is unfortunate: Dreams.  I was thinking mabye "dreamwalker" would be better, lol.  I am positive with a new cover and name this series would be much more popular.  The premise is interesting.  Sarah keeps finding herself in other peoples dreams.  She meets a guy at a club that she happened to see a dream that he had of her.  She dreams about a serial killer and has nightmares every night.  The dates at the beginning of each chapter are annoying.  The book spans from 1989-1990.  I thought it was a goal to make a book timeless?  If I was in a bookstore and flipped through a book with old dates on it I wouldn't buy it thinking it was old, but this is not so it's confusing.  I feel it's a shame because I really loved the book.

     I recieved the audio version of this book for review.  It was narrated by Heather Jane Hogan.  I don't think that I have listened to anything narrated by her before.  She had such a soft spoken sweet sounding voice that she put me to sleep 2 nights in a row!  I'm not complaining, that's great news for an insomniac, hehe.  She did a great job with the different voices and I'd listen to other books narrated by her again.

     I like Sarah and I like her roommate Beth.  They're both very believable characters.  The romance with Brian was excellent.  He's a total sweetheart and for once I believe in love at first sight.  As far as the dreams and serial killer part goes I found it really interesting and it made me think of like the Criminal Minds show.  I was shocked to learn from the author that he didn't do any research on serial killers or criminal profiling for this book.  I really thought he had.  I found some of the dreams absolutely hilarious.  The Sean Connery dream is the best!  I'm curious to see what happens in the next book and how much time has gone by.  Especially after that ending!  Luckily I'll be reviewing that book too!  I'm rubbing my hands together in anticipation.


Favorite Quotes:

"He looked at me like I was the only woman in the world worth looking at."

A Quick Bite (Argeneau #1) ★★★★★

Author: Lynsay Sands

     I am a huge fan of the Argeneau series.  I love the uniqueness of Lynsay Sand's version of vampires.  I have this thing for authors that use different ways of depicting vampirism.  The Argeneau series is fun and always easy to read.  As many of the books that I have read it hasn't gotten old yet.  It is one of the few series that I usually purchase the day that it comes out.  That's saying a lot if you ask me.  So if I'm such a huge fan why on earth am I reviewing book 1?  Because I felt like reading something like the Argeneau series and after failing to find something recommended that I haven't read already I decided hell I'll just re-read this one!

     What shocked me almost from the start is that I barely remember this book.  I originally read it almost exactly 2 years ago.  This story is about Lissianna and Greg.  It's sort of an introduction to the Argeneau.  There are some things not included in this book that must have evolved some to the series in later books.  It features my favorite matchmaker Marguerite Argeneau.  She is the mother of Lissianna and she kidnaps Greg to help Lissi with her phobia.  Lissi is a vampire that faints and the sight of blood.  Just that premise lets you see how comical these books are.  But they are also very romantic as well.  It was really fun reading about characters from later books such as Thomas, Mirabeau and Jean Louis.

     Although this is a good introduction to the Argeneau's I wouldn't rate it as my favorite book in the series.  I would have to say that award would go to Marguerite's book.  It's still a great book and I love Lissi and Greg.  So if you like vamp books and are looking for something different than this might be for you!  Just keep in mind it is meant to be humorous.  I get sick of reading reviews for this series giving it a hard time.  If you like the Love at Stake series you will love the Argeneau.

Favorite Quote:

“Have you ever noticed how when you're happy, time seems to pass by fast, while when you're miserable it goes real slow?  Life would have been a blink with you whether it lasted a millennium or a month. ”

Only in My Dreams (Halle Pumas #5) ★★★★★

Author: Dana Marie Belle

     A few months ago one of my Goodreads groups read Bear Necessities.  At the time I didn't realize that the Halle Shifters series was a spinoff from the Halle Pumas.  In Bear Necessities there is a big confusion with Chloe's cousins over who her mate is.  They assume that it is Gabe the sheriff.  I now understand that sooo much better now that I've read this book.

     Let me just start off saying that Gabe is an idiot in this book.  It also doesn't make Chloe look very good either.  What happens is that shortly after Gabe and Sarah realize that they are mates Gabe has to leave for like 8 months.  Instead of mating Sarah before leaving he thinks it would be better to wait until he gets home.  Then he quits calling her because he doesn't want to disappoint her by not being able to share with her where he is and when he will be back.  Instead he asks Chloe to befriend Sarah and keep her spirits up.  Chloe lets Gabe think that this is what she's doing when instead she uses her friendship with Gabe to make it appear as if they are dating.  She does this because she is jealous of Sarah's relationship with Jim, Chloe's mate.  

     A lot of the reviews that I read for this book were negative because of Chloe and Gabe.  I gave this book 5 stars because of the intense feelings that it elicited in me.  Seriously, I was shaking at one point I felt Sarah's pain so thoroughly.  Any book that can you make that level of emotion deserves 5 stars in my opinion.  Another favorite part of this book were all of the Orlando hotspots mentioned.  I live close to Orlando and it was really cool reading about places like The Rainforest Cafe that I have visited.  

Steel Beauty (Halle Pumas #4) ★★★★☆

 Author: Dana Marie Bell

    I have fallen in love with this series!  This book is no exception.  In Steel Beauty we are introduced to the Pocono Pack.  Belinda from the Halle Pumas ends up being the mate of Rick, the alpha of the Pocono Wolves.  I found it interesting because my hubby is from The Poconos.  :)  As with the Halle Pumas pride this pack is struggling through a change in leadership.  Rick is the new alpha and his pack is still going through growing pains.

     One of the issues that this new pack is suffering is that Belinda or Belle can't join the pack because of the injuries that were inflicted in the last book while protecting Sheri the marshall's mate.  It is decided that it would be better for her to stay with the pride until her hip is better.  Which ends up being around five months.  During that time the most dominant female in the pack tries to take over.  She's a royal bitch and I couldn't stand her.  

     Rick and Belle have to struggle through not only a new mating and her coming from a pride to a pack but also a dominance battle.  I loved Belle in this book.  She really shows her stuff.  I also liked the packmates including the omega Chela and the second and Marshall Ben and Dave.  Looks like the next Pocono pack book will be with Ben and Dave as well!  I think my fav was Chela out of all of them.  The way she treated Belle and defended her against Gina was awesome.  

My favorite quotes:

"So this is what it's like to be pussy-whipped.
He decided not to share that little observation with Belle.  She'd probably do something gruesome to him in his sleep."

"And last, but not least, you will show deference to the Omega.
Because if you don't, you will regret it in a very bad, not good, terribly awful way."

First Bite (Dark Wolf #1) ★★★★☆

Author: Dani Harper 
I received this book in return for an honest review courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

★★★★☆

This book sucked me in from the start, there were some parts in the beginning that confused me but worry not, you will get your answers.  Some of them will shock you!  I know at one point I just sat with my jaw dropped saying no way!

Neva is terrified that she will become a werewolf.  She doesn't trust Travis because she believes he is the same as what she is running from.  Travis is a lone wolf and doesn't understand the strange pull he has to help Neva.  Meredith is the scary-as-hell sire of Neva.  She uses her wolves to draw energy from them, she uses mind control and magical possession.  My thoughts on Meredith: she's freaking insane!  Finally a blonde villain... have you ever noticed they always seem to have black or red hair??  The other characters are Baker and Riley.  I thought Baker was hilarious.

The story will pull you in and drag you for a wild ride.  There's a bit of humor thrown in to make it even better.  It's definitely a suspense novel.  I really liked both Neva and Travis.  Although the ending was not a cliffhanger there's a big space there for the next book.  I fully intend to read the next Dark Wolf book.  I'm dying to know what happens!  I would like to make this review longer but there are so many surprises in the book I'm afraid to give one away.  You'll just have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

My favorite quotes:

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you."

"He sniffed her.  The rubbery black nose inhaled deeply as it passed back and forth over her face, along her throat, her ears.  Jeez, it was like being vacuumed-only most Hoovers didn't have the potential to bite her face off."