Review

The Ranger by Monica McCarty

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 / 4.5 Stars
Arthur Campbell AKA the Ranger and Anna McDougall, what an unlikely pair.
Anna is the daughter of the man that murdered Arthur's father when he was a boy, so there are good reasons to resist the attraction. But this makes for great sexual tension.

Arthur/Ranger goes undercover for the Highland Guard as a knight for the enemy. His mission; to get as close to John of Lorn/ John McDougall (bad guy & Anna's father) as possible and ultimately destroy him so that Bruce (the good guy) moves in to conquer more territory for Scotland. But he sees Anna McDougall and its suddenly becomes 'mission impossible' for him.

Arthur is the strong, quite type, who's tall, gorgeous and of course rippling with muscle - would we have them any other way? No. Anna is the blond/brunette who was blessed with an ample bosom and a very strong character, but with an unfortunate blind hero worship of her Father (the bad guy).

The tension between to the two characters is fun and exciting, especially as Anna works her hardest to get as close to Arthur as she can. Arthur doing all he can to avoid Anna, and stop thinking about her breasts, which becomes quite hard when she does seem to be serving them up for him.

The hurdles this couple face reaches a climax when Anna realises who Arthur is -she's a smart cookie- and confronts him. But I was really impressed with how it played out, the characters and the eventual conclusion.
These stories are deeply set in history and although I found it confusing, I feel that Monica did a really great job in giving every character and story as much depth as possible..
Furthermore, not everything is always perfect in a happily ever after and there are some things that people can't forgive or forget. To avenge his father is something that Arthur has to go through with to feel as though he has succeeded in his life long mission, but that is so much more complicated now, with his love for Anna McDougall. How could he murder the father of the woman he loves without it destroying everything.
What is the past really worth, and will you let it control your future. What is more important.

Great story and I was happy to be reading about a heroine with an ample bosom.. bout time!

View all my reviews

April 2012

So many books, so little time.

Booya!!

I don't think I can hide that many books from my fiance. uh oh!

But what to read next??
Bitterblue?? - been waiting 2+ years for this one
Fifty Shades of Grey - hot, hot p.0.rn
The Ranger - 3rd in a great series that I am in the middle of.

BUT, but, but .... City of Lost Souls is coming and I just don't have enough time to catch up.....    I need to re-read City of Fallen Angels... Cassandra Clare books can not be rushed!!

Cover Reveal..plural

Julie Kagawa

Is kicking ass this year with all her incredible books!! Check them out!

The Immortal Rules

Blood Of Eden Site - released 24th April 2012

News from Julie Kagawa's blog, that the Immortal Rules has been optioned for a movie! BOOYA!!

The Iron Legends (#1.5, 3.5, 4.5)

Winter's Passage / Summer's Crossing / Iron's Prophecy (new)

released August 28th 2012

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey #5)

-The Call of the Forgotten-

Ethan is all grown up!

released October 23rd 2012

Hush Hush Graphic Novel   - 1 star

I was really excited about this Graphic Novel and then the release date came and went and nothing happened, then the cover was never confirmed and still I waited and waited and waited, and just as I was about to give up was sent an e-mail to say that it had been released. So when I got it and opened it up to find that it was drawn the way it was, lets just say, I was very disappointed.

I like the idea of turning YA novels into a graphic medium, its creative and opens it up to a potentially larger demographic. But what I do not like, is when they split the story in half - therefore a blatant money making exercise - and then make the characters nothing like the story. It should be an extension of the story not some twisted sexual big boobed (with nipples might I add) 'graphic' novel in the sense than no one owns a bra and our heroine Nora is pictured like some sort of sexy, provocative, high school student. *shakes head*
I got as far as the part where Nora goes to Bo's Arcade to speak with Patch and she is drawn sitting on the pool table in her frilly undies and cocks her thigh up because she is practically sitting on the 8 ball. The next page has a picture where the underside of her buttock is drawn in because her frilly short/skirt/underwear is so short.

Vee, Nora's friend was so toned down, I thought it was a man until I saw her huge breasts.
Furthermore, Nora looks like a blonde in the drawings and she is a red head, is she not? And what is with the headband? Are we Bella? I just really didn't like it, the drawings were too rough, too masculine and way too sexual for that story. Especially since nothing even remotely adult ever happens.

Don't get me wrong the artist is extremely talented and I still love this story, but I just don't think this adds to her franchise, the story and the artist just don't match.

The 1 star is for the bonus story at the back.

The Immortals After Dark Series 

by Kresley Cole

A series that has it all. Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Berserkers, Ghosts and Valkyrie and these are just the good guys. I started with 'A Hunger Like No Other' (technically book 2) but it was like jumping in the pool on a hot summers day and the water is beautiful and refreshing.
Cole has created a huge universe for her characters and some unbelievable personalities that have you giddy to get to their book.

Each book has its own separate story within this universe and its fun to see which characters are going to end up finding their 'mate' and what new kinds of characters will be introduced. But all the characters pop up in each book and as each story is told you learn more about their history and their different species.

It's very much like watching a TV Show, but with lots of sex, bad language, trash talk, violence, more sex, some very impressive special effects, time travel, sexual tension so thick you choke on it, comedy, more violence and more sex... Damn when is HBO going to knock on Kresley's door.. come on!!!
You know you would watch it! You're nodding aren't you?


The Warlord Wants Forever  -  5 stars

This is where it all starts, the Origin of the Valkyrie..

"When a maiden warrior screams for courage as she dies in battle, Woden and Freya hear her call. The two gods give up lightning to strike her, rescuing her to their hall, and preserving her courage forever in the form of the maiden's immortal Valkyrie daughter."

These Valkyrie are some pretty awesome chicks, they take sustenance from electrical energy of the earth and also project their strong emotions through lightning. They have preternatural strength and speed, are all drop dead gorgeous, and kick some serious ass. They also like their men big, mean, rough and beefy. Where do I sign up?

Myst the Coveted One is a Valkyrie, locked in a dungeon by Ivo the Cruel, and since there is no HBO she is watching a battle for Mt Oblak Castle from her cell window, when she sees Nikolai Wroth, the Warlord, slaughtering his way through his enemies, but always keeping one eye on her at her cell window.
Nikolai is a Vampire, but a Forbearer, meaning he doesn't drink blood directly from the flesh. Wroth  has never seen anything like Myst before. Not only that, Myst bloods him, meaning she gives his dead Vampire body life again, makes his heart beat, his body warm, his lungs to breathe and his loin to-a-stir... She is his Bride.

But you see Myst is not interested because she is trying to escape. So after some rather unorthodox interrogating and her little lapse in judgement in her cell with Wroth is cut short, by her rescue party. Which means Myst leaves poor Wroth in a rather uncomfortable situation, if you know what I mean. And because she is his Bride and she leaves him with a tiny taste of her blood he will remain in that 'state' forever until she can give him release.

5 Years later and Nikolai is still hunting for Myst. So what ensues is some awesome cat and mouse chase and finally Nikolai gets his hot hot revenge on Myst.
It's a great start and will most certainly wet your appetite for more of Kresley Cole's unreal stories.

You can get this Novella for free online here The Warlord Wants Forever PDF if this doesn't work, just google it.



A Hunger Like No Other  -  4.5 stars

The second book in the 'Immortals After Dark Series' and a fantastic story. I actually read this one first, but it was all go from the start.
Lachlain MacRieve the leader of the Lykae Clain has just chewed/bitten/severed his own leg to escape a prison after catching the scent of his mate, Emmaline.

Emmaline a half Valkyrie, half vampire, is his mate. But she's terrified of Lachlain, he runs her down in a park and tears off her blouse just to feel her skin against his own. Emmaline is sweet and innocent and just so happens to have family ties to the Evil Lord that locked up Lachlain for countless centurys' in never ending torture, so you can imagine the family issues this couple has.

The story centres around Emmaline and Lachlain building a trust of one another. Lachlain needs to claim Emmaline at the next Full Moon to complete their mating. Our heroine knows that he will break her and so she does everything she can to resist his persistent seduction. She is smart and cunning and she tries to escape, only to get caught up enjoying the chase.

Hot Covers of 2012... so far

Its only March, but I just had to post some of the recent cover reveals we have been blessed with..  I can't imagine what the rest of the year has in store for us readers.. :)
These are just a few...

Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost
First book in a new series of hers called 'Night Prince'
Expected Publication: June 26th 2012

Check it out on Goodreads

Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh

Book #5 in her Guild Hunter series
Expected publication: Sept 4th 2012

Check it out on Goodreads

Blood Vow by Karin Tabke 

Book #3 in the 'Blood Moon Trilogy'
Expected Publication: December 4th 2012

Check it out on Goodreads

Wicked Night by Gena Showalter

First book in her new series called 'Angels of the Dark'.
Expected Publication: June 26th 2012

Check it out on Goodreads








And the winner is ....

Playing to Win by Jaci Burton

Book #4 in her 'Play by Play' series.

Expected Publication: Sept 4th 2012

Check it out on Goodreads

Trust me, Jaci Burton's books are as hot on the inside, as they are on the outside!!

Apparently there is a football in that picture, I didn't even notice. hmm

Long Overdue Update

I know I know, its been... well (counts out the months) five months.. wow that is a long time indeed.
I have over 20 books next to me that I have not reviewed from last year and its killing me.

Lots has happened since October 2010, I managed to complete my reading challenge, (well technically I had to reduce it from 70 to 65, because I moved into my new house and 'reading time' was non-existent) of 65 books in one year. I did finally get to the end of it though. ;)

This year I am taking smaller bites.
My challenge is at 30 books for 2012, and I am already 3 books ahead. yay!

So there will be lots of updates coming through..