Review: A Passion for Him

Reviewed by Jen
 

I feel very torn about this book. There were some things I really liked here... others, not so much. Let me get you up to speed:

Amelia is betrothed to her dear friend, the Earl of Wane.  She doesn't love him, but he is ok with that. It would be a marriage based on friendship and respect.  Amelia has never gotten over her first love, Colin, who was a Gypsy and family servant in her youth.  As teenagers, they had a passionate and amazing bond, despite their difference in class.  Sadly, Colin was shot and killed years ago, and part of Amelia's heart died with him.

Only, Colin didn't actually die.  He went abroad to remake himself... to earn a fortune in order to make a future possible for himself and Amelia.  Now that he has achieved that end, he is ready to come back and claim her. Unfortunately, he gets caught up in a murder plot and is now being hunted. That doesn't stop him from seeking Amelia out at a masked ball.

Of course, Amelia doesn't know who he is, but she is attracted to him immediately.  He takes on a false name and keeps on the mask every time they meet. And in spite of the mystery, or maybe even because of it, the passion between them reaches a fever pitch.  But once Amelia learns of his deception, can she forgive him?  Or is her sure and steady friend Ware the better choice for her future?  All these questions play out, as a dangerous killer continues to track Colin. 

So here's what was really good.  Sylvia Day does a fantastic job carving out these characters and investing me in their emotions.  I felt the raw heartbreak from Amelia, the insecurity and longing from Colin.  And the passion... wow.  The sex is fantastic and very, very satisfying. (The line about the "slick, humid paradise of her glistening sex" aside.) But... perhaps Day did too good of a job with making me empathize with Amelia.  Because, frankly, I had a very hard time forgiving Colin, and it bothered me how easily he got what he wanted. I wanted them together, but at the same time, I didn't feel like he deserved her after he abandoned her.  He gets off too easy.  Not to mention the scores of women he boned while he was allegedly pining for his lost love. This, while Amelia stayed a virgin, even though she thought he was dead.  Fail, fail, fail.

Would I call it a pretty good book? Yes.  But it also frustrated me, made me angry, and hurt my heart a little bit.  I like to feel a little bit happier about my happy endings.

Rating: B-

*Book Provided by Kensington via NetGalley

 Click to purchase: Amazon

A Passion for Him

by Sylvia Day

Original Release Date: November 1, 2007
Re-Release Date: January 29, 2013
Publisher: Bravia

5 for Friday - October 19

It's my last day of working overnights and I have to tell you that I have really missed you guys.  Sleeping when everyone else is awake has seriously cut back on my Twitter time, and more changes at work are ahead.  A promotion (yay!) is moving me to a permanent 4am-1pm shift.  I'll be able to sleep close to human hours, but I am going to have to find a new time to troll my dirty Tumblr.  Don't worry! I won't abandon my sexy men.

5. I am crying on the inside as I tell you that the release of book three in the Crossfire series is delayed.  (*sobs*) That means we now have to wait an extra five months to see if Gideon and Eva can sort through their crazy-cakes and make it work between them. Reflected in You definitely left me wanting more.

Entwined With You (theoretically) ends my suffering May 7th.

4. My girl Amanda Bonilla has a new novella out, called The Sweetest Torture.

Thirty years ago, when the sultry and headstrong Cait left Logan Paige, the Alpha cougar shapeshifter of his Montana pride, his entire world came crashing down. He couldn’t explain where he’d been the previous night or why there was a strange woman in his bed…because he had no memory of the night before. Wounded and betrayed, Cait refused to listen to Logan’s excuses and walked straight out of his life…determined to exact her revenge on the sexy cougar who had crushed her heart. With a little help from her influential father, she made sure that Logan’s business, as well as his life, crumbled into ruins. Hell hath no fury, indeed.

But now it’s thirty years later and two of Montana’s most powerful cougar prides are on the brink of war. A tenuous peace is reached, but it’s dependent on Cait and Logan marrying on All Hallow’s Eve. Spitfire Cait has her own plans of revenge…using her feminine wiles to turn Logan into a purring kitty lapping cream at her feet. And Logan has his schemes to regain control and dominate like the Alpha he is…

When they realize that the erotic passion between them is still so intense, Logan and Cait will have to decide if dwelling in the past is worth sacrificing the future…

It's a freebie at ARe.

3. An update on the Chronicles of Nick movie.  Sherrilyn Kenyon now has the script for it in her hands and is working on it with the producers.

What I am really waiting for is info on the Dark Hunters series. Bring on Acheron!!!

2.  Charlaine Harris has released the cover for Dead Ever After, the next (and final) book in her Sookie Stackhouse series.

I will be shocked if Sookie ends up with anyone but Sam, but I suppose only time will tell. Dead Ever After is out May 7th.

1. Is there a Twilight tv-show in the works?  Maybe. There's talk of “TV show or film spin-off, merely set in the same world as the one in the movies but not featuring the main trio.”

Maybe they'll focus on the wolf pack. What do you guys think? Are you down for more Twilight or should the franchise call it quits?

Gotta run!

XOXO,
Jen

Review: Hot in Handcuffs

Reviewed by Allison

Arresting Desire
Shayla Black

When FBI Agent Jon Bocelli went undercover in the mafia, he met and never forgot the beautiful Lucia DiStefano. When his brother ends up in jail and won’t talk to get out or save his life, Jon decides he has to come calling to his old “family” contacts to make sure his brother gets out alive. After spotting Lucia across the club, he decides that since she’s waited this long to save herself, he would be the one to finally deflower her. Aggressively. After much “protesting.” There was a mystery surrounding her father and somehow it all tied back to Jon’s case when he was undercover but to be honest, it wasn’t all that interesting. Definitely hot, but pretty underwhelming otherwise.

Grade: C

On Fire 
Sylvia Day

Deputy Marshal Jared Cameron blows into Fire Inspector Darcy Michaels’ small town in order to aid an investigation of a series of arson attacks destroying their community. The chemistry between these two is explosive & immediate. It starts as just an itch to scratch, but quickly (and I do mean quickly) moves to much more. Even though I’m not usually a fan of the “we’re meant to be” after 24 hours in bed, for some reason it totally worked with these two. You could just feel it, you were swept up in the passion and knew that there was no one else who could answer the others needs like they could for each other.

“Good.”
The rush of relief he felt almost made him dizzy.
“So we make it work.”
“It’s going to be work. A lot of it. We’re too volatile. Too…greedy.”
“Like a thirst you can’t quite quench,” he agreed softly.
“The flip side being that every time you take a drink, it’s the best fucking thing you’ve ever tasted. If that’s not worth working for, what is?”

Right?! (*sigh*) The on-the-job chemistry worked really well, too, as Jared and Darcy worked together to figure out who was behind the fire and another mystery that pops up. I had an inkling who the culprit was but she definitely surprised me! I definitely enjoyed this short story and look forward to reading more by Ms. Day!

Grade: B+

The Unwilling
Shiloh Walker

Mica Greer is a cop trying to solve a strange series of brutal murders of women when her ex-FBI ex-boyfriend, Colby Mathis, gets called in to consult on the case. He is “psychic” and probably their last chance at finding the bastard before he hits again. As they work together to find whom they’re coming to believe is a fellow cop, the passion they once shared is reignited in their search for the truth.

The psychic twist to this one didn’t really float my boat. I love paranormal stories but this one didn’t seem to add to the story much.

Ms. Walker is an incredibly talented writer, but this story was too graphic and creepy for me to find it the least bit sexy. If you like to get in the killer’s head, be steeped in the mystery, and get creeped out, then this story is for you. It most assuredly wasn’t for me.

Grade: C (This is based on the fact that it wasn’t my cup of tea, because it really was well written and constructed.)

Click to purchase: Amazon

Hot in Handcuffs

by Shayla Black, Shiloh Walker, Sylvia Day

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Berkley

Review: Reflected in You

Reviewed by Jen
 

This book really put me through the wringer.  It made me hot. It made me angry... and sad. Hopeful. Emotional. Confused. Frustrated. And I mentioned hot, right?  After I finished the story, I jumped on Twitter in need of social-media therapy and someone asked me if I liked it.  I found that question hard to answer, because it wasn't as simple as that.  There were parts that were hard to like because they hurt.  But I can say without hesitation that I was completely engrossed.  I sat down, started reading, and didn't stop until it was over.  I couldn't stop.  I had to see how it would all play out.

So what happens?  It seems like a lot and not very much at the same time.  The book picks up the day after the events of Bared to You.  Eva and Gideon are trying to make their obsessive relationship work, but they face all the same stumbling blocks: their individual histories of abuse, Gideon's secrets, his jealousy & possessiveness, and Eva's epic insecurities. 

The sex is, simply put, amazing.  It manages to hit just the right notes for me - dirty but not gratuitous; a little d/s without being BDSM; frequent without being repetitious.  The fact that Sylvia Day does such a good job with this is incredibly important, since the sex is such a huge part of interaction between Gideon and Eva.  The other part --the part that involves their hearts and minds-- is much messier.

It would be easy to say that Gideon is the screwed up one here. After all, he basically stalks Eva... tries to control every aspect of her life.  He makes choices that hurt her. He doesn't communicate.  But the thing is -- she takes it.  She stays with him; she craves him; she welcomes his sexual overtures like an eager puppy whose master has been away for a week. All this, even as he wounds her with his behavior and his secrets. It was very hard to read at times, as each of them made destructive decisions and impetuous choices.  With Eva's first person narrative, I hurt when she hurt.  Yet even with insights into her thoughts and feelings, I just couldn't understand how she held on for so long.  Even more confusing and disturbing, though, were Gideon's actions, especially in the second half.

I didn't like many of the things they did, but it was all in keeping with how damaged these two people are.  They are at sea --and grasp at each other like life preservers.  Even through all the dysfunction, though, I couldn't look away. I had to know where it would all lead.

I said at the beginning that a lot happens --and by that I mean, we finally learn what happened to Gideon in his youth.  Something big happens with Cary.  Something even bigger happens with a pivotal person from Eva's past.  Oh yeah, and my heart broke.  But I also said it seems like not very much happens at the same time.  That's because despite all they go through, I don't know if Eva and Gideon end up in a much better place than they started.

The ending is a pretty big deal. I don't think I would call it a cliffhanger, but I think it's the beginning of the end of Eva and Gideon's journey.  A journey I will, no doubt, see through until the last page of the last book.

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Penguin

Click to purchase: Amazon

Reflected in You

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Publisher: Penguin Group USA

Review: Seven Years to Sin

Reviewed by Jen

**This review contains strong sexual content**
 

Sylvia Day has said that the characters in this book helped inspire her to write Bared to You.  So I thought the books might have a similar feel. They don't.  Both are very sexual, to be sure, but beyond that I didn't feel anything in this book that reminded me of that one.

Lady Jessica is a paragon of propriety.  She didn't have much choice. Her father beat it into her at a young age.  She married a good man, a kind man. But he died young, leaving her a widow at 25.  She mourns him, but she comes to learn that he was not the love of the her life.  It's actually the rakish Alistair who changes her life forever.

Before she ever married, Jessica witnessed Alistair in the middle of a tryst with a married woman.  She couldn't stop herself from watching and during the act, he caught her eye.  The event never left either of them.  In fact, once Alistair learns of a trip Jess plans after her husband's death, he makes sure to be aboard that ship.  He plans to seduce her and he wastes no time getting started.

I couldn't really get in to the book at the beginning. Maybe it's all time it takes to get the relationship set up. Perhaps it is simply that Jessica falls for Alistair's charms too quickly and too easily once they are thrown together.  Maybe it was the sex.

I am down for some dirty loving. And I know Day can write some great sex. I've seen it in her other books. But I found the love scenes here to be over the top.  Let me give you some examples. (These are not entire scenes, just snippets.)

Jess sucked in a sharp breath, staring down at the magnificent penis thrusting so hungrily toward her...  ...Notching the thick crest into her tiny slit, he pushed through the token resistance of tightness caused by her year of abstinence...  He bit back an animal sound of pleasure and fought the urge to fall upon her with a hard, deep thrust that pierced her to the womb.... That would be too quickly done, robbing her of the full awareness of his possession... It was a primitive act, one goaded by the feel of her greedy cunt pulling and sucking at the head of his cock, luring him to sink home...

Or later:

His penis was a brutal instrument of pleasure... Like a liberally oiled apparatus, tireless, his hips smoothly pistoned, shafting her tender sex with his iron-hard cock.

"I can feel my semen in you. You’re soaked with it. But I have more to give you.... If only they could see you as I do,” he purred, “sprawled across a carriage squab with your skirts around your waist and your sweet, slick cunt drenched in my ejaculate and crammed full of my cock.”

I just couldn't quite connect with it. A guy telling you that he feels you soaked with his semen? Drenched in his ejaculate? Greedy cunt? Brutal instrument of pleasure? Is it just me??? --Moving on...

I did enjoy the book a bit more in the second half, once our hero and heroine actually have feelings for each other. And I really enjoyed the secondary story involving Jessica's sister, Hester.  I thought the abuse angle was done well... as well as the aftermath of it for both Jess and Hester.  I liked the loyalty and steadfastness between Jessica and Alistair. And I really appreciated that Day did not take the easy way out and rewrite history in the Epilogue for the HEA.

So this one was kind of a mixed bag for me.

Rating: C

*ARC Provided by Kensington Brava via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Seven Years to Sin

by Sylvia Day 

Original Release Date: August 30, 2011

Re-Release Date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: Kensington Brava

Review: A Hunger So Wild

Reviewed by Jen
 

For about five seconds, I considered reading this book without reading A Touch of Crimson.  I'm so glad I didn't. While I probably would have eventually figured out what was going on, I can't imagine that I would have found it nearly as good if I were not so familiar with the world-building or invested in the characters.  So before I get too far into this, let me recommend that if you haven't read the first book in this series, you should do so before you start this one.

This is Elijah's story.  He is the reluctant Alpha of the lycans who recently rose up from the indentured servitude of the warrior angels. His life has been turned on its ear by the rebellion. Hunting vampires for the Seraphim has been all he has ever known. Now the vampires are coming to him, asking for an alliance. It's an offer too good to refuse with the lycans' limited resources and the angels breathing down their backs.

The vampires' ambassador is Vashti, the beautiful sexy vamp he wanted so much when he saw her in the last book.  Of course, it's not so simple as to just getting her into bed.  She is the vampire who killed his friend Micah.  His sense of honor demands justice as does Micah's mate, but the alliance is more important than revenge. He must put aside his anger and grief to work with Vashti long enough to figure out what is causing the illness sweeping through vampire minions. Then he plans to kill her.

Vashti is no fan of the lycans. After all, they brutally killed her mate decades ago. But even her hatred can't dull the fiery passion she feels for Elijah.  A passion they have for one another, despite everything else.

It was hard for me relate to these two wanting to screw each other's brains out when they wished each other dead.  Thankfully, they start to like each other quickly and that is not an issue for very long.  There are other issues that take its place, though, mostly on Vashti's end.  She doesn't want to want Elijah and she certainly doesn't want to have feelings for him. Her reasons why become clearer the more we read, but I never really did warm up to her.  She's too reluctant of a love interest and she is a very hard woman.

Elijah, on the other hand, is a great hero.  He is alpha and strong without ever being power-hungry or a jerk. He is thoughtful and patient. He knows what he wants and he will settle for nothing less, both in his pack and in his relationship with Vashti.

There's a lot going on here beyond the relationship. We learn more about the vamp-sickness and the master-plan against the angels and the vampires.  We get more from Adrian and Lindsay --and even follow up on the two novellas.  There is good mix of action and "the bigger picture" which kept me on the edge of my seat. And the sex is really hot, even if the very first love scene was somewhat disturbing.

The ending made it clear what would happen between our hero and heroine, but so much is still left undone.  I am beside myself that I must wait until next year to get the answers to all my questions, but that just shows how much I have become invested in this world.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Hunger So Wild

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Signet

Review: A Caress of Wings

Reviewed by Jen
 

For a species of beings that aren't supposed to have any feelings, those angels sure are having a hard time turning their backs on love.

Set to coincide with the events of A Hunger So Wild, this novella centers on the Seraph Siobhán. As the science-minded angel works with her team to clear out a vamp nest, she discovers Trevor, a human who has been their prisoner for the past year.  He's been used for blood, sex, and sport and is now only a shadow of his former self. In Siobhán, he sees a savior and she can't turn away from the chance to help him become whole again.

In touching Trevor, Siobhán lives through his experiences and it changes her.  She was already evolving into emotions but he puts that into overdrive.  They connect, but Siobhán feels it's better for him --and for her-- to wipe his memory of his time in captivity so he can go back to a normal life. The question is, can either of them really do that?

I liked the story. I'm always a sucker for a tortured hero and Trevor looks at Siobhán like she hung the moon.  There is not much in the way of on-page sex, but there are sexy times that are pretty good. (I would have liked to read the scene where Siobhán loses her virginity though.) I thought Trevor's emotional fragility and fixation on Siobhán was done well. I was surprised by how well he was doing at the end.  I would have liked to see some cracks there, but it didn't ruin the story for me.

It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I just hope it's addressed in the next book.

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Caress of Wings

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Signet

Review: A Dark Kiss of Rapture

Reviewed by Jen
 

This is a great little prequel to Sylvia Day's Renegade Angel series. I actually read this one after A Touch of Crimson and was able to enjoy it quite a bit.

Our hero is Raze, one of the vampires/ Fallen Angels.  As part of their leader's inner circle, it is his job to police the minions created by his people. Often, when one of the Fallen tries to turn a human, he meets less than ideal results.  Raze must make sure the minions aren't doing too much damage to humanity or acting in a way that will expose their existence.

As the story begins, someone has left a dead body on Raze's doorstep, which sets him on a mission to find the minion responsible.  His hunt takes him to Chicago where he meets Kim, a gorgeous human who approaches him for a one-night stand.  It's what they think they both want... what they both need.  But they end up with a deeper connection that neither has ever felt before.

I liked it.  It was obvious in A Touch of Crimson that the Fallen Angels were not cookie-cutter villains. And here, we see them even more in their element. They are flawed, but they are not all evil.  They want love and happiness and normalcy.  Raze has never had that and I like watching him get his first taste of that with Kim.  (The sex is pretty hot too.)

The story is short and the ending is only a HFN, but I'm okay with that. In fact, I'm really glad Day didn't rush them into I Love You's.

Worth reading for fans of the series or anyone who wants to see if these books might be a good fit. You can't beat the price! It's free on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.

Dark Kiss of Rapture

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: October 6, 2011

Review: A Touch of Crimson

Reviewed by Jen
 

I've read mixed reviews on this book, so I was a little hesitant to give it a try, but I am glad I did.  The more I read of this story, the more I enjoyed it.

Adrian is the leader of the angelic soldiers who oversee the vampires on earth.  These vampires were once angels themselves, but they broke the rules that prevented them from mating with mortals. Adrian and his fellow Seraphim were dispatched to punish them... divest them of their wings... the very act, turning them into vamps.

Long ago, Adrian fell in love with Shadoe, daughter to the ruler of the vampires.  But she was partly mortal and when she was nearly killed, her father tried turning her into one of his kind.  Adrian killed her before she could turn, trying to save her from turning into a monster.  As a result, her soul was reborn into another mortal and has continued to do so over and over through the centuries.

Lindsay is Shadoe's newest incarnation.  She has no history of her past lives, but when she runs into Adrian in an airport, she is drawn to him in a way she can't ignore.  He recognizes her for who she is and is thrilled with the opportunity to win her love all over again.  He is shocked when he learns that she has special abilities... ones that allow her to sense inhumanity and amazing physical skills to help her fight. This is important, since she has been killing vamps and demons for years... and hunting the vampires who killed her mother.

The story was ok at the beginning. It took me a while to warm up to it as we set everything up, but it picked up speed along the way. The sexual tension was really good and I loved it when Adrian talked dirty.  The heat between these two was off the charts and their previous connection helped me deal with the fast feelings.  There are some interesting supporting characters, like Elijah, who is fantastic.  And I really was impressed to see many shades of gray between the good guys and the bad guys.  The further I got into the story, the less clear it was who held the high ground, giving the book an added layer of complexity. And there were some poignant moments of longing and loss for many of our characters as well.

I did have some issues.  Like why didn't Adrian fall when he started sleeping with Shadoe? This is a big one.  Maybe it's because she is not 100% human, but that is quite a loophole and it's a significant question that is never answered.   I also struggle with why Adrian fell in love with Shadoe to begin with. She certainly seems like no prize.  And the ending seemed kind of easy after what seemed like insurmountable odds.

However, the groundwork is all in place for the story to continue.  In fact, there are many threads left open, practically begging me to pick up the next story.  Who was pulling the strings in the angel/ vampire war? What will happen with the Lycans? Who is the traitor among the Seraphim?   Why was Lindsay's mother killed and by whom?  Will Elijah be as hot in the sack as I think he will?

I can't wait to find out.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Touch of Crimson

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: October 4, 2011

Publisher: Signet

Series Reading Order: Renegade Angels

This is the reading order for the Renegade Angels series by Sylvia Day:

• *A Dark Kiss of Rapture
• A Touch of Crimson
• *A Caress of Wings
• A Hunger So Wild
• A Taste of Seduction (February 2013)

*Denotes short story/ novella

Review: Bared to You

Reviewed by Jen
 

I hate the idea of a trendy book.  When everyone starts gushing about the same thing, I want to head in the opposite direction.  And it's not fair. Popular doesn't necessarily mean "bad."  The thing is, that doesn't always mean it's good either.   I've heard this book touted as an alternative to 50 Shades of Gray.  That did not make me want to read it. If anything, it kept me away, because from what I've heard about 50, it's not my kind of book. But I can tell you with 100% certainty, this book lives up to the hype. Not the 50 Shades part, because I have no frame of reference there.  But it's definitely the angsty, erotic, tortured story I was promised.

The book follows two extremely damaged people as they try to navigate a relationship. Gideon Cross is an ubersexy billionaire who doesn't believe in mixing sex and emotions.  Eva is a young ad agency assistant who works in the same building and is trying to live a normal life after a childhood filled with sexual abuse.  When they cross paths, there is an electric connection. Gideon wants to negotiate sex like a business deal.  Eva needs more and she turns him down, making his interest burn even brighter.

He makes it his mission to have her, but finds the tables turned when he falls completely in love with her.  There is sooo much baggage.  Eva is up front about her abusive past, but Gideon tries to shove his down. He tries and he fails.  What we end up with is two people who want each other desperately, tied together by mindblowing sex and a need to be loved.  The question becomes whether individuals as dysfunctional as they are, can really make it work as a couple.

Will this be everyone's cup of tea?  No. I was very slow to warm up to the story and even considered putting it down at first. I found Gideon to be very arrogant and off-putting at the beginning of the book. And it was hard to find much respect for Eva when she was wetting her pants over him while simultaneously being offended by his boorish behavior.  Also, the sexual abuse issue is an integral element of the story. The relationship is, in part, a struggle for sexual dominance between two partners who have a history of being forced into submission by other people.  I am not a fan of d/s relationships in books, most often because I'm turned off by what feels like demeaning of the sub.  But I didn't feel that way here.

"You know what I went through. I need control as much as you do."

"Sit down, Eva"

I stayed on my feet just to prove a point.

His smile widened and my insides melted. "Do you have any idea how crazy I am about you?" he murmured.

"You're crazy all right, if you think I am going to put up with being ordered around, especially sexually."

"Come on, Eva. You know I don't want to beat you, punish you, hurt you, demean you, or order you around like a pet. Those aren't needs either of us has." Straightening, Gideon leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desktop. "You're the most important thing in my life. I treasure you. I want to protect you and make you feel safe. That's why we're talking about this."

This exchange went a long way for me.  That's not to say that there aren't colossally bad decisions made by both of these characters.  They are terribly emotionally stunted, and cling to one another like lifelines.  Their past hurts make them to try shield themselves and it often has unfortunate consequences.  For Gideon, this manifests in possessive and stalkerish behavior and for Eva, it's running away when she gets hurt.  But that same damage within them is also what makes them so sympathetic. It makes their frantic need for each other feel real and it makes me want them to have their happy ending, if only to ease the hurt.

Plus, the sex is really hot, even if one questions the believability of that kind of stamina.

Rating: B+


*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Bared to You

by Sylvia Day
Original Release Date: April 3, 2012
Re-Release Date: June 12, 2012
Publisher: Berkley

5 for Friday - June 29

Happy Friday, everybody! Or perhaps, a more appropriate salutation Happy Magic Mike Day!!  But I'll get back to that in a minute.  First, I have to say it's been a real hit and miss week for me in bookland. I read the first novella and full-length book in Jocelynn Drake's upcoming Asylum Tales series.  I liked those, but everything else I read just kind of fell flat. I guess it was because I was coming off the high from all of those fabulous June 26th releases.  Who knows?  Now I'm feeling a bit uninspired to pick up anything new.  Ever have one of those weeks?  Anyway... I know something that will cheer me up...

5. At long last, the wait for Magic Mike is over.

Believe it or not, I will not be going to see this tonight. One of my buds is working, so we can't go until tomorrow.  (*tears*) But Saturday night, we are hitting the theater, and I for one, am going with a blood alcohol content of at least .05.

And to show you my level of commitment to Joe, Matt and the boys, you should know that I am braving the displeasure of family members by missing an out-of-town birthday party on Saturday. Mr. Red Hot Books knows how much I've been looking forward to the movie and he has offered to take the kids for me! (That's love, people.)

4. Hot on the heels of her Once Burned release, Jeaniene Frost is already talking about the next Vlad book.  The second installment in the Night Prince series will be titled Twice Tempted.  It's scheduled for release March 19, 2013.  How am I going to wait that long?

3. Sherrilyn Kenyon has revealed the cover for her next League book. Check out the deets on Born of Fury:

Counted among the fiercest Andarion warriors ever born, Hauk is one of the five founding members of the Sentella- an organization that has declared war on the League that rules the Ichidian universe with an iron fist and terrifies it with an army of well-trained assassins. Hauk’s enemies are legion, but he fears nothing and no one. He will do whatever it takes to survive and protect his Sentella brethren.

Sumi Antaxas is one of the best assassins the League has ever trained. In her world, failure is not an option and she has never met a target she couldn’t execute. So when she’s assigned Hauk, she believes it’ll be a quick and easy mission.

But nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and Hauk is far better trained...

Born of Fury is out April 1. But if you don't want to wait until 2013 for your next dose of the Ichidan universe, remember Maris' story, Cloak & Silence, will be out December 15.

2. Everybody is talking about Sylvia Day's Bared to You these days. I've heard many people call it the better alternative to FSoG.  I haven't read it. Honestly, the 50 Shades comparison turned me off, but now I am wondering if that was a mistake.  (*sigh*)  Anyway, the cover for book two is out:

Reflected in You is out October 2.  The final book in the trilogy will be out in December.

1. Finally, with The Avengers and Magic Mike premieres moving into the rear-view, I'm wondering what I can look forward to next at the theater.  I'm leaning heavily toward the Total Recall redux.  I'm as sick of remakes as everyone else, but I have to admit, this looks pretty bad-ass.

After this, I will begin to fixate on Ryan Reynolds as Connor MacLeod in the Highlander reboot, FO' SHO!I am picturing him in the kilt already!!


Have a great week... remember AAD in NOLA is less than six weeks away!!! If any featured authors want a last-minute spotlight, just let me know and I'll be happy to host you here.

XOXO
Jen