Review of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Published: August 31, 2010
6 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: "Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own
.
Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all."
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare was like The Mortal Instrument Series books, magnificent. Personally, I hate historical books no matter what genre they might be but, Clockwork Angel I loved. I was transported back to the Victorian Era of Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike and I loved every minute I read the book.
Cassandra Clare has this unique way of writing a story that entraps readers in the snarky, bluntness of her characters. All the characters in Clockwork Angel are incredibly entertaining in their own way and I absolutely LOVED that we as readers got to see Magnus Bane! Magnus is just the most fabulous warlock out there. Like with most books I love I usually make a list of things about the book that I loved because otherwise I would go on and on and on, paragraph after paragraph with praise, but sometimes that can be overkill.
Things I loved about Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare:
The Dark Sisters, creepy vibe
The deception, mystery, and thrill of the story
The fact that the story will continue onto a next installment
Will’s snarky, witty personality that does not fit with the Era, but makes him uniquely desirable all the same
Henry’s obliviousness concerning all things except his inventions
Jessamine’s disdain for everything
Tessa’s strong will and conviction
Church
Tessa’s unique, undiscovered talent
Description of London in the Victorian Era
The Clockwork Angel
Everything about Jem
And the alluring cover art
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare makes you want to re-read the City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass. It really pulls readers into the history of everything of the Shadow World was back in that era. I wasn’t sure if I would be too keen on the historical aspect of this book, but the historical aspect I thought was really done well and only adds to the flow of the story. I gave 6 smirks to Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare because it is a book that makes you feel what the characters feel, and makes you feel like you are right alongside with them discovering not only themselves, but the mysteries of the world around them.
Review of Once In A Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber
To Be Released: December 28, 2010
4 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “Celeste hangs with the popular crowd at Legend's Run High and is being wooed by Nash Hunter, the football quarterback, but doesn't really feel that she belongs. She only comes in contact with the new and enigmatic student, Brandon Maddox, when she passes him in classes, the hallway, and at lunch, but she suspects there is something different about him other than that he is a Westsider and comes from the wrong side of town.
On a dare, Celeste and her friends go to a psychic's shop for a reading. When it is Celeste's turn for a fortune, the psychic grabs Celeste's hands and warns, "Beware of a kiss under the full moon." Celeste and her friends laugh and mock the fortune teller. But on her way home from their outing, Celeste is blinded by a blizzard.
Disoriented, she finds herself deep in the woods bordering town. She is overcome by snowfall and unable to see anything. Above her hovers the glow of a full moon. Just then, she sees beady eyes staring back through the falling flakes. She finds herself in the midst of a pack of hungry wolves. The wolves begin to howl. She can't outrun them, and the shortest tree branch is out of reach. They slowly approach her. At the last moment, a stranger pulls her from the hungry pack. He grabs a branch and fights the pack of wolves until they retreat. In the scuffle the stranger is bitten. It is Brandon Maddox.
Celeste is enamored by her hero and can't get him out of her mind. Where Nash is a hero on the field and court, Brandon is a hero in reality. Celeste steals away from her friends to find Brandon, and they meet on a hilltop near his home. A cloudy sky lingers above them, and Celeste realizes she has fallen in love with a Westsider. But in the next few moments, Celeste will face an even bigger challenge than falling for a guy from the wrong side of town. As the two lean in to kiss, the clouds pass, exposing the glow of a full moon. Brandon feels strange and pulls away. Something is about to change-him.”
Once In A Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber is a fantastically charming read that will leave you with a smile on your face. Once In A Full Moon has great characters who are high school-ish, smart alecks with a burning desire to cause drama in every way they can. I gave 4 smirks to Once In A Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber because it is a fast read that will have you laughing and rooting for supernatural.
Review of OZ by Eden Elgabri and Heather Peters
Published: November 1, 2010
4 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “Lionel and Crow and Tim, oh my!
Can Dorothea Gale escape the clutches of foreclosure by making a deal to have sex with three handsome men?
Dorothea Gale is a victim of a bad economy. After losing her job, Thea asks Tim Woodman, the man of her dreams and the contractor who built her home, to help her sell it. He leads her to the powerful William Ozarak, a voyeur, who offers her a deal - sexual submission for one month in exchange for two years worth of mortgage payments. Can she barter her body to prove 'there's no place like home'? Or will she lose her soul in the process?
Tim Woodman, who is in the middle of a divorce, isn't looking for entanglements. Yet he can't help be drawn to the sexy Thea. If he helps her will he lose his heart? Or did he even have one to begin with?”
OZ by Eden Elgabri and Heather Peters is one of the most unique versions of The Wizard of Oz out there to date. OZ retold the story of Dorothea and her adventures to save her home. OZ brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “off to see the wizard.”
Things to Love about OZ:
The portrayals of the Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, Flying Monkeys, Evil Witch, and The Wizard himself
The ruby red slippers or rather stilettos
The very open minded contract between all the characters
Tin Man finding his heart
Lion finding the courage to finally say who he is
Scarecrow, going from drunken frat boy to determined college student
Flying Monkeys being toxic
The kinky Evil Witch
And the wizard and his manipulative ways
OZ by Eden Elgabri and Heather Peters was a fun-open minded fast read, that will leave you wishing the two main characters could really just get back home or at least to their normal lives. I gave OZ by Eden Elgabri and Heather Peters 4 smirks because it was progressive, fun witted and kinky read which left you a new image of what The Wizard of Oz is and can be.
Review of The Lovers by Eden Bradley
Published: November 1, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “It seemed ideal —two months at a charming writers’ retreat, surrounded by kindred souls. But Bettina Boothe wasn’t prepared for just how long eight weeks truly was. Or that in the process, she would have to open up and reveal the most secret places in her body and soul.
Fortunately, her fellow authors do not share Bettina’s self-consciousness and begin to draw her out of her self-imposed shell. One in particular—Audrey LeClaire— seems to ooze confidence and self-assuredness. Dark and petite, Audrey’s potent sensuality draws the men and women in the workshop to her like flies to honey. Bettina is just as vulnerable, finding herself overwhelmed by a very unexpected attraction to Audrey who makes Bettina her special project.
But when Jack Curran arrives at the retreat, everything changes. Jack is tall, beautiful, masculine. A writer of dark thrillers, he is as mysterious and alluring as his books. He and Audrey are obviously an item, but they eagerly welcome Bettina into their bed. Suddenly Bettina finds herself swept up in a maelstrom of lust, obsession and jealousy, torn between her need for two very different people in a love triangle where she will either be cherished…or consumed.”
I’ve never been in love or felt love lost or even felt heart break, the only time I feel these emotions is when I am reading a very good book. The Lovers by Eden Bradley is a story that starts out erotic and goes more towards finding who you are and how love can blossom into your life without you ever realizing it. I thought The Lovers was a fast pace story about three characters who are so different from each other that come together and allow love to be the outcome for at least two of them.
Bettina and Jack are two complex, sex-driven characters who share more than they originally think with each other. Initially it was Audrey, Bettina, and Jack coming together with sexually charged energy but whether Audrey fell away herself or whether she would have been pushed away, Bettina and Jack are a more perfect fit. The Lovers was an interesting take on writer’s, retreats, sex, lust, and love that I found heart stopping, gut clenching, and heart breaking all at once. I gave The Lovers by Eden Bradley 5 smirks because when Bettina felt something I felt it right alongside her so much so that my heart physically hurt at one point. The Lovers is definitely a book I would recommend because it is what it is, which is honest.
Review of Once Upon A Holiday
Published: October 1, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “Holiday Heat by Beverly Jenkins
For Eve Clark, winter usually means long cold nights spent alone, until she’s persuaded to attend a masked ball. Abandoning her inhibitions, she shares a blissful tryst with a mysterious partner. Though she runs from their hotel room the next morning, Leyton Palmer is determined to track Eve down and show her that the night neither can forget was only the start of something sensational.…
Candy Christmas by Adrianne Byrd
Peace on earth and goodwill to all men? Not if the man in question is drop-dead-sexy Montel Starks, Candy Lahane’s competitor since he started at their ad agency a year ago. But on a business trip to Europe, rivalry gives way to a red-hot, explosive affair that makes Candy realize that what she really wants for Christmas is right in front of her, just waiting to be unwrapped…
Chocolate Truffles by Kimberly Kaye Terry
It started as an innocent drink with a stranger to celebrate her promotion. It turned into the most erotic night of Camille Jackson’s life. But the man she was sure she’d never see again is now her instructor in a two-week managerial workshop, and Gideon Taber is making it clear that he’d love to relive every delicious detail of their encounter, again and again…”
Holiday Heat by Beverly Jenkins
Holiday Heat by Beverly Jenkins was a sexy, action pack, astounding story about how a one stand can change your entire life. The aspect I really loved about this story was that Eve and Leyton both want to help people by protecting them in the careers they have chosen. It was great to see these two characters get everything they want out of life and most importantly out of each other. 5 smirks.
Candy Christmas by Adrianne Byrd
Candy Christmas by Adrianne Byrd was a delightful, sensual story about trusting in yourself. I really enjoyed Candy and Monty’s witty banter and heated arguments (at least on her side of things). I loved how everything in the office they worked in had a pool going for everything involving Candy and Monty themselves. 5 smirks.
Chocolate Truffles by Kimberly Kaye Terry
Chocolate Truffles by Kimberly Kaye Terry was a story about how just because you aren’t looking for love doesn’t mean love won’t find you. Cami and Gideon are two characters who obviously know exactly what they wanted out of their lives, which for the most part was their careers until they found each other. I loved the fact Cami and Gideon fell for each other because they weren’t looking to fall for each other and I think it’s a great lesson that just because your focus is elsewhere doesn’t mean you won’t find the person you are suppose to spend the rest of your life with. 5 smirks.
Review of Summer Brides
Published: July 27, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “The Borrowed Bride by Susan Wiggs
During her own bridal shower, Isabel Wharton is whisked away by past love Dan Black Horse to his retreat in the Cascade range. But returning to her Native roots, and Dan's loving arms, is harder than she ever imagined.
A Bridge to Dreams by Sherryl Woods
With her vacation plans foiled, Karyn Chambers realizes that her long-awaited escape must give way to staying at home in San Francisco. Little does she know her Prince Charming is right in her own backyard.
Sister of the Bride by Susan Mallery
When Katie McCormick finds out that her sister is marrying her ex, she finally agrees to a setup for the big day. To her surprise, Jackson is a catch. But when wedding catastrophe ensues, will their sparks fizzle or ignite into flames?”
For this review, since I absolutely loved this collection of short but very enticing stories, I am going to just do one sentence for each story. And of course, remind you that 5 smirks from me is a must buy/read over and over again.
The Borrowed Bride by Susan Wiggs
Reminds us that just because the past might haunt us, does not mean that it can’t also be seductive, tempting and ultimately what we have been searching for.
A Bridge to Dreams by Sherryl Woods
Takes the need for adventure out of a person and opens their eyes to the adventures already taking place in their lives, even in the form of a very attractive, charming, maybe out of my league but totally worth it man.
Sister of the Bride by Susan Mallery
(Of course you all know I am a huge fan of all her books I could get my hands on, so this story is no exception)
Ah, Fool’s Gold…A story of two extraordinaire individuals who are always seen differently in the eyes of those around them, but make a witty, fun loving pair who make it difficult not to fall for their chemistry.
Review of Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith
Published: November 1, 2010
4 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “Desire burns deepest after dark...
By day, Lena Morrison is an ambitious grant writer. By night, she’s an escort to some of Chicago’s most successful men. Sex isn’t on the menu—Lena’s job is to provide her elite clients with companionship and sparkling conversation. She enjoys the extra income, but even more, Lena loves the empowering feeling of being appreciated for her beauty and her brains.
When tycoon Roderick Brand hires Lena as his date for a private party, their electric attraction leads to the most erotic night of her life. Incredible as the experience is, she vows not to mix work and pleasure again. But Roderick is relentless. His irresistible proposal: two weeks fulfilling all his fantasies, in exchange for a multimillion-dollar grant that will guarantee Lena a major promotion.
Lena can play that game. She’ll give him the hottest, wildest sex he’s ever had, then she’ll walk away, leaving him aching for more. But when it comes to desire, rules—and hearts— are easily broken. And the best-laid plans have a way of working out in ways neither could expect…”
Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith was a story about sparking chemistry and fighting for the person you are meant to be with. I gave Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith 4 smirks because it is a book that draws readers in during the first chapter with the storyline of a professional escort (Lena) and a rich, stubborn man (Roderick) who immediately cannot seem to get enough of each other.
Things I Love About Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith:
Lena and her devotion to her family
Roderick’s over the top ways to get what he wants
Grant Writer by day and professional escort by night
The connection between Lena and Roderick
Witty, heated arguing/bantering
Roderick’s yacht with its own boutique
Hope, fear, frustration, and loss that both main characters go through
And of course, the playful intimacy that Lena and Roderick share together
Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith is a book that will draw you in with the sparks that fly with Lena and Roderick making you not want to put it down until you find out exactly how it ends.
