Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance

From Goodreads:

"Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world…

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained blood red.

A woman whose very existence has been erased.

A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.

A deadly price that must be paid.

The day of reckoning is here.

From “the alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) comes the most highly anticipated novel of her career—one that blurs the line between madness and genius, between subjugation and liberation, between the living and the dead."

I just finished Heart of Obsidian. I found it a difficult book to read and an even more difficult to review.  The story is very dark.  One of the characters is holding on to his control for most of the story.  There is danger, excitement, suspense, and romance.  The romance is the only thing holding the main character in check.  Love in this story truly saves.  There are a lot of lines crossed and the Psy have to change or disappear.  This is a excellent addition to the Psy-Changeling series.   I would not recommend this as a stand alone book.  Start at the beginning of the series for the most enjoyment.

Berkley Sensation published Heartof Obsidian by Nalini Singh in 2013.

Teaser Tuesdays, June 18, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I haven't been here for a few months but plan to be back most weeks from now on.

My teaser is from Her Sky Cowboy by Beth Ciotta.  This is the first book in The Glorious Victorious Darcys.  Book two, His Clockwork Canary, came out this month.

"Stay," Tucker commanded. Next thing she knew he'd rounded the bed once again.  He took her hands, squeezed, "Look at me, darling."

"The endearment was inappropriate, although, at this moment, oddly comforting."  page 49.

Her Sky Cowboy is Steampunk with some time travel mixed in and is set in the Victorian Age.  Here is what Goodreads says:

"Amelia Darcy has no interest in marrying well. Her heart belongs to the sky and the dirigibles of brass and steel that swoop over Victorian England. But when her father, an eccentric inventor, dies, the Darcy siblings are left with scrap metal—and not a penny to their names. Their only hope to save the family reputation and fortune is to embark on a quest to discover an invention of historical importance in honor of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

Armed with only her father's stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy. But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the airship of ex-Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry.

Tuck agrees to escort Amelia to her destination, but the two are challenged by political unrest, a devious sky pirate, and their own sizzling attraction. Soon the pair is dragged into an international conspiracy that could change the course of history…again."

Musing Mondays, June 17, 2013

Musing Mondays (http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/) asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits. • 
Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
 • Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
 •Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
 • Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

I finished two books from two different series this week.  The first was Can’t Stop Believing (A Harmony Novel) by Jodi Thomas.  The second was Agave Kiss (A Corine Solomon Novel) by Ann Aguirre.  The two are very different.

Can’t Stop Believing is a feel good novel about love and second chances.  Cord McDowell and Nevada Britain are the main characters in is novel but there are several other story lines that also come to a conclusion.  And as always there is the beginning of another secondary story line for a future story.  Look for two people who belong together and one HEA, a sad ending to one story line that has been in several books, and an all around feel good story. This is part of a series but each book can stand-alone.  I look forward to each book in the series and have yet to be disappointed

Agave Kiss is the last book in the Corine Solomon series. Unlike the Harmony books this series has not held up as well.  I finished the book because I have read all the previous books in the series.  This is not a stand-alone book.  You need to read each of the books in order.  I was a little disappointed in the book.  It tied up a lot of lose ends and there was a HEA for Corine and Chance.  It was a very busy books with a lot of story lines that came together.  I"m glad I finished the book but I have to admit I had to make myself continue several times before the end.

Stacking The Shelves June 15, 2013

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I am adding to my shelves. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what other have on their shelves.

I resisted buying but I did get one book I had pre-ordered.  I didn't  resist going to the library where I collected one new book and one audio book. 

Library Book:

The Golden Egg by Donna Leon (a Commissario Guido Burnetti Mystery) 

Library Audio Book:

The Desert Spear by Peter  V. Brett

Pre-order from Amazon:

Can't Stop Believing  by Jodi Thomas

What the Duke Desires (The Duke’s Men #1) by Sabrina Jeffries

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Historical Romance

From Goodreads:

"Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, accepted long ago that his kidnapped brother was dead. When a cryptic note from investigator Tristan Bonnaud claims otherwise, Max seeks out Tristan’s sister, Lisette—and is infuriated to learn that Tristan has also mysteriously vanished. Have the siblings perpetrated an elaborate hoax? Or is the fiercely protective beauty as innocent as she claims them to be?
Fearful that the powerful Duke will destroy Tristan’s career in his zeal for the truth, the clever Lisette convinces Max to accompany her to Paris in a joint search for their loved ones. But their journey takes a seductive twist when they pose as an ordinary husband and wife—not an English Duke with a tarnished family name and the illegitimate daughter of a viscount—and discover an exhilarating passion free from the damning secrets of the past. With the line between danger and desire enticingly blurred, they discover that some mysteries, like those of the heart, are answered tenfold in the bliss of a true and trusting love."

What the Duke Desires is the first book in a new series and has a full cast of characters.   Lisette and Max are the main characters in What the Duke Desires.  Tristan is Lisette’s brother and Dom is Lisette’s half-brother and both play an important part in the story.  Victor is a cousin that Max discovers as the story unfolds.  He is Max’s only living relative.  Then there is George, another half-brother.  George is not a nice person and I suspect that he will show up in future books. I saw hooks for several more books in The Duke’s Men series.

This is a fast paced romance filled with tension and danger.  I was kept guessing until end.  The writing is great, the story is interesting and the characters are well developed.  What the Duke Desires is a great start to a new series. 

I received an ARC of What the Duke Desires from Edelweiss.  What the Duke Desires will be released on June 18^th.  Pre-order so you can start reading as soon as it comes out.

Pocket Books is the publisher of What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries.

River Marked, Frost Burned and Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

Urban Fantasy

I just finished listening to River Marked and Fair Game and reading Frost Burned.  I am a little late to the series but now I am hooked.  I like Mercy and Adam.  They make a very good pair and both books had a great story line.  However, I have to admit that Anna And Charles are my favorites.

Fair Game is book three in the Alpha and Omega series and the first in the series for me.  I did not realize that there were previous book until I went to the authors web site.  Fair Game does a great job of standing on its own.  Now that I know there are previous books (Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground) I will have to go back and read them.  Just what I needed more for my TBA Pile.

On her web site Patricia Briggs says that Alpha and Omega series “is set in the same world as the Mercy Thompson Series but in a slightly earlier time line.”  That may be true for the first books but Fair Game happens just after River Marked and Frost Burned is right after Fair Game. I found a spoiler when I read Frost Burned before I finished listening to Fair Game.

If you like Urban Fantasy try both of these series.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.

SFR Brigade Midsummer Blog Hop - Update 6/10/13

This is a re-post from the SFR Brigade Blog Site.  I am a part and will have individual prizes just for visiting my blog.  Be sure to visit on June 21th.

The SFR Brigade Midsummer Blog Hop - Update 6/10/13

The hop is fast approaching, so I thought I'd give you all a quick update on progress. I'm delighted to say that, thanks to those participants who have donated so far (and a couple of especially generous donors - thank you!), the prize fund for the hop is already over $250! Woo hoo! So, I'm pleased to announce that the grands prizes will be (at a minimum) as follows:

1st Prize - $150 Amazon or B&N gift card (winner's choice) and an ebook bundle (currently Alien Adoration, Dementional, Wytchfire, Ghost Planet, The Iron Admiral, Games of Command, Keir and Terms & Conditions Apply)

2nd Prize - $50 Amazon or B&N gift card (winner's choice)

3rd Prizes - two $25 Amazon or B&N gift cards (given to separate winners and their choice)

Please share this news as much as possible. As I say, this is currently the MINIMUM prizes that will be offered as there's still time to donate to the blog hop fund. But let's start telling people about it! :)

Musing Mondays June 10, 2013

Musing Mondays (http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/) asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits. • 
Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
 • Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
 •Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
 • Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

I just finished The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen.  This is the 6th book in the Lady Georgiana mystery series.  For any of you who are not familiar with the series Lady Georgiana Rannoch is 35th in line for the British Throne.  The series is set in the mid-1930's and has both historical and fictional characters.  

This time Lady Georgiana wants to get away from Castle Rannoch at Christmas.  She answers an ad for Christmas Party Hostess in Tiddleton-under-Lovey and gets the job.  Her Mother and Noel Coward are staying in the village, her grandfather is there with her Mother and Darcy O'Mara arrives to make Christmas perfect.  Or it would be perfect if not for all the deaths.  The deaths look like accidents but with one a day everyone wonders if they are murder instead.

The mystery here is really a mystery.  The victims do not seem to have anything in common.  Like Lady Georgiana I was slow to see how they were part of a plan.  I really enjoyed the story and think this is the best book in the series so far.  Look for Georgiana and Darcy to come to an agreement and look for future mysteries for both.

Go to Goodreads for a summary.