Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Eternal Captive - Laura Wright Review

Since feeding her his blood, Lucian Roman has struggled with his obsession with Bronwyn Kettler-fighting an uncontrollable desire to kill her, if he has to, and the vampire she has sworn to wed. But when a dangerous enemy threatens Bronwyn, only Lucian can save her life. Even if it means sacrificing his own...










My thoughts: So 21% in Luca's story and wow, just wow! I've been anticipating this book since Eternal Kiss.

Lucian is everything I like in a male: sarcastic, snarky and straight up-asshole!! For those starting in on Laura's Mark of the Vampire, I really recommend they start from book one.

Luca's personality is outlined from the getgo, when we were first introduced to him. Bronwyn too is introduced in the first book - where we get insight on her personality and person. The tension between the two start there and continue somewhat in book two and leads us to their story.

We are introduced to some new players...which really have me chomping the bit in excitement.

Favored line so far: If the princess won't come to the asshole, then the asshole will have to come to the princess.

81% in - Really do not want to put this book down. Seriously. I stayed up till 3 am reading, needing to read that next page, that next chapter.

Some cool new players are introduced and put into play. I was happy when Laura mentioned one would get a book. I really hope the other interesting male gets a book too unless his is a side romance.

WARNING: near the end is several sniffle scenes. One scene nearly broke my heart! Though, that was quite a twist about an existing character that we already knew and love!

This book absolutely does NOT disappoint! Already anticipating the next book!
        

Monday, January 2, 2012

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas Review

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington. She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal: her fiancĂ© Kevin has left her. His new lover is Lucy’s own sister. Lucy's bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life. Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy's parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to "romance" Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life—even after being broken—can be made into something new and beautiful.



MY TAKE:

Fifteen pages in - My heart ached and went out for Lucy. The more I read the more I thought "That poor girl". But the end of that fifteen pages, the good that came out of the bad, made me smile.

I can understand Lucy's rapt attention in the glassblowers. My dad was friends with people in the Globe factory. They blew those glass balls that people put out in their front yards in pestals. Lisa did a wonderful job of describing that! Her research on that was spot on!

30 pages in - I am cackling here. I love this part. Lucy and Sam are talking about what their sexes do with breakups.

Sam: It is a lot simpler for guys. We jsut drink a lot of beer, go a few days without shaving, and buy an appliance

Lucy: You mean like a toaster?

Sam: No, Something that makes noise. Like a leaf blower or chain saw. Very Healing

Oh man that part right there got me howling with laughter where I HAD to read it to my hubby. Even he laughed.

50 Pages in - Had to pause here because Justine and Zoe's characters are great! Such diversity between two characters. These two girls, especially Justine and her love for confrontation, is what every gal needs in her life. Just that scene alone makes me hope Kleypas decides, once the Nolan's are done, that she'll consider writing a book for Zoe and Justine. Zoe, from what little is divulged, deserves a happily ever after.

165 pages in - Revisiting Mark, Maggie, and Holly was like seeing long-time friends again. The connection is just there. And I was struck with how much I actually missed the Nolans. There is just something about them that tugs at the heartstrings, that makes you relate and bond with.

The scene between Mark and Holly brought actual tears to the eyes. It's a wonderful continuation from Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, touching the heart as the soul.

The last hundred pages flew by...and all the way, through the sheen of happy tears at the ending, I was given the thought... Rainshadow Road conveys what romance is all about.

That through the scared skeletons of the past, Nolan managed to work through the dark shadow that was his family's supposed legacy. The two of them, Lucy and Sam, were cynics when it came to love, each colored from family's, yet somehow, the two managed to find the magic of love, that cynic or no, love shines through.

Kleypas never lost the magic that was the Nolans, what was introduced in Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. Sometimes, anticipated books in a series can fall flat... Not Rainshadow Road. The magic of the story continues..

Now I am eagerly awaiting the next installment, for Alex... Lisa Kleypas never disappoints - be her historical or contemporary..        

Five Shillelagh and a bear claw