Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

There isn't a lot I can say about this book without putting spoilers, but this is how I felt about it:

Holy. Crap. Once upon a time, when I read Darkfever, I knew this series would be darker, and much more intense than anything else I had read, but I had absolutely no clue how pitch dark things might get. Bloodfever was a shock, but it was NOTHING compared to this book. I have read that this book leads to Mac's darkest hour, and does it ever. The last few chapters of the book are chilling. Shocking. A warning: this book (and series) are NOT for the faint of heart. KMM isn't pulling any punches with this story. I will be anxiously awaiting Dreamfever, and I hope that what they say about it always being darkest before the dawn will come to be in the next installment. It breaks my heart to leave Mac there.

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Wow!!! Count me in on the new fan bandwagon!! This book was too fabulous for words. Widowed Anna Wren is in need of a job to keep food on the table for herself, her mother-in-law, and their maid. It just so happens that Edward, The Earl of Swartingham, is in desperate need of a secretary. While this solution is not entirely ideal to both parties at first, it solves both of their problems. The love between the two grows in a very sweet and believable way, and when Edward feels like he absolutely cannot hold on to his lust for another second, he decides to visit London and the brothel he has frequented in the past to satisfy his baser needs. Anna finds out his plan and is furious ... until the fates give her a chance to be one he spends the night with him at the brothel without his knowledge.

I started this book before bed, and then could not tear my eyes from it for 2 1/2 hours before finally forcing myself to go to bed. It was wonderful, sweet, and engrossing. Words can not describe how much I loved this book. I loved Edward so much. I was intrigued by the "ugly" aspect (pox scars), and I was amused at his fondness for throwing nic-nacs when angry. It made him oddly endearing. This is a comfort read through and through!!!

Savage Thunder by Johanna Lindsey

Jocelyn Fleming is a feisty redheaded widow on the run. When her elderly British husband dies, his son is furious that his dad left most of his money to Jocelyn and hires someone to find her and bring her back. Jocelyn runs away to America and with her large caravan of guards and servants and travels around dodging "Longnose" (her pet name for the hunter). A botched attempt on her life by Longnose brings half-breed Colt Thunder into her life when he helps her escape her overturned carriage. Jocelyn decides that Colt will be the perfect man to help her dispose of her virginity to keep any future husband from knowing her deceased husband and she were never intimate. Neither count on the fling turning into something more and lasting.

I enjoyed this book. It didn't wow me or anything, but it was a good light read with lots of adventure. I haven't read a western for a while, and this was a western through and through with several gun fights, sleeping on the range, etc. Jocelyn is lovably aristocratic and ladylike without being annoying, and Colt was very hot and there is an AWESOME love scene on a horse. LOL!! Kind of made me wish I knew how to ride..... I had to find this old bodice ripper cover to post with it since #1, it's the cover I have, and #2 I like the old racy covers. ;)

A Highlander Never Surrenders by Paula Quinn

The sequel to Laird of the Mist, Graham jumps into the hero role in this story. When he saves Claire from a band of robbers, he finds he can't quite let this sword wielding hellion just go on her merry way, despite her insistence that she will be fine. When he realizes she is relative of the king, and the sister of the man he is trying to track, he decides he just can't let her go. When Graham is told by Claire that her brother Connor is dead and that he was killed in an ambush, it's up to them to find out who the true traitor is.

Honestly, I don't know what happened with this book. Laird of the Mist was funny, charming, sweet, and a delight to read. This was not funny, not charming, and not a delight to read. Frankly it was a bit boring. I tried, I really did. Just reading this book made me feel sleepy. It moved very slowly, Graham was just ok for me, and Claire was a serious tom-boy, and the funny band of warriors were not in this story -- I guess they were having a serious day. I was really disappointed in this book, and that pains me to say.

Truth or Dare by Lori Foster

I took this book with me camping recently (yes, camping. Ugh.), hoping that I would 1) have time to read it, and 2) be distracted enough while reading to forget where I was. I didn't have a huge amount of time to read, being constantly distracted by children pushing the camp site boundaries, but when I was into it, I was all there! This is another one of those re-issue, previously published in other anthologies, kind of books. Contained in one volume was: "Satisfy Me", "Indulge Me", and "Drive Me Wild". The three stories were about 3 friends who work together and live in a small mid-west town where nothing exciting ever happens -- until the day a porn shop goes in across from their work place. The three friends are as different as can be, and they come up with a bazaar idea; go to the shop, one person at a time, and take home the first guy they see buying something that falls into the criteria they set up before hand. Naturally, because this is a romance novel with HEA, all of the girls find the men of their dreams. I loved all of the stories. The last one a little less than the first two (the heroine was kind of bitchy), but over all this was a fun, light, racy read. Perfect book to distract me from the great outdoors... ;)

The Secret Swan by Shana Abe

If there is one thing you can count on from Shana Abe, it's wonderful emotion. Amiranth has been in love with Tristan since the moment she saw him at age 9. She has watched him every time she chances to see him. But Tristan has never even noticed her. When they are grown and a marriage is arranged for them, Amiranth is thrilled beyond belief. Tristan has no idea his wife's dream has come true by marrying him, and he does not treat her very well in the few days he spends with her after their marriage. Within days he drops her off at one of his remote estates, and goes off to war. Amiranth waits 8 long YEARS for her husband to come back, slowly losing hope that her husband is still alive. When he finally does, he meets his wife's "cousin" -- a woman who claims his wife is dead. Amiranth's dreams of happily ever after were shattered when Tristan left her there so many years before, and now she will do anything to avoid being hurt again -- even if it means pretending she is dead. Now Tristan must earn back the love of the woman who has changed since he last saw her as a girl and prove that he is finally worthy of her love.

I cried buckets reading this story. You feel so badly for the 'girl' Amiranth, and even more for the woman she becomes and the heartache she endures, mostly alone. I felt Tristan more than redeemed himself and became a very worthy hero. I read several very negative reviews for this book, and I believe that to truly enjoy it you have to be an emotional person, because this is a very emotional story. It is not all light and fluffy like some books. I loved this story!