For The Love of Books!

Ok, so as a Mainer, I was desperate to love this book seeing as it was a dystopian in my home state, set in our only really "city", plus it had such a good rep. Delirium, set in Portland, Maine, is a story of a girl who lives in a world where they've learned to cure people of "Love" or even of feeling pain through a procedure when they're 18 to "cure" them. Cool concept, well written, and cool world - So why a 3?

First off, while everyone knows Lauren Oliver is wonderful with words, I just don't like reading a one page description of a hot day or a long run, no matter how beautifully written when. Also, I'm a fan of the finesse of show v. tell. For me the worst part of reading series is when they recount past events, but I understand it. In this book, it drives me insane when I hear the same sad story of Lena's mother for the third time. Yes, I remember that part, no you don't need to say it again for me to get the dialoge. 

Secondly, the characters where kind of bland. At first, I loved the characters but then they fell into being run of the mill as the story progressed. We had the classic pained, unknowing, heroine Lena with the classic, perfect guy, Alex. 

The book started off great, aside from the occasional, page long descriptions but then (view spoiler)
For those of you who don't open spoiler tags, it just becomes super generic.

Was it a bad book? No. Would I read it again? Never. Will I read the second one? I don't know. Not if I find an actual good book with in the next 2 hours.

  Jeaniene Frost has long been my favorite author. The Night Huntress series was my first and best look at paranormal/urban fantasy romance outside of YA (To be perfectly honest, I thought it was YA. Best. Mistake. EVER.). I've been following Jeaniene's series and blog ever since, and thus I thought'd I'd give you guys the same option. In case you haven't noticed, the first words of this post is a link to her wonderful blog, or you can just click here.
    I hope you all enjoy her just as much as I do!

For those interested in seeing more about Jeaniene Frost's Eternal Kiss of Darkness, here's the trailer!

"She is determined to find a husband. . . now " 

Lady Diana Fanshawe's impeccable bloodline doesn't stop society from laughing at the antics of her eccentric family. She knows a "proper" marriage is her one chance to make her way in the world--which is precisely why she "will" marry Lord Blakeney, though she's certain she'll never love him. But then she's kissed by the brilliant and unconventional Sebastian, Viscount Iverley . . . and her well-laid plans tumble into disarray. 

Sebastian wants absolutely nothing to do with love or marriage. But when he arrives at his hated cousin Blakeney's house party, Sebastian is smitten by the tantalizing Diana. But Diana is "the marrying kind," and Sebastian has no wish to risk his freedom--though the passion between them is hard to resist. Should the lady follow her heart in an attempt to win Iverley's, though it seems hardened against her--or should she sacrifice her love for respectability?

 I was very eager to read the 2nd book in the Burgundy Club series, but I'll admit I was a bit taken aback when I found out it was about Iverley. For a men who was so hated upon in book 1, I was worried that, A, the character was going to be unlikable, or B, he was going to do a complete character switch and become the generic Mr.Perfect.
If there is one thing people should know about me, it's that my paranoia is most always wrong. This books gives us a complex and original romance between the akward, sweet, smart, yet perfectly stupid Iverley and the worldly, strong Diana.
This book, while romantic, didn't really have me at the edge of my but had me laughing off it on to the floor. I really like the book and would suggest it to other HR dorks like me needing a lighter read.

The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man.

He is notorious for his wretched morals and is never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Ejected from his father’s house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past?

A moment’s indiscretion?

A night’s passion?

Or a lifetime of love?

Even the wildest rakes have their weaknesses . . 

  I truly enjoyed Neville's first installment of the Burgandy club. This book was sweet, romantic, exciting, and greatly appealing to fellow book lovers.
  The main characters are Cain (The Marquis of Chase) and Juliana. While Cain was pretty common in being a sly man, renown for his sexual premise but secretly a wounded, sensitive soul. Blah blah. In that sense, I felt like it was pretty common but I fell in love with Juliana. A recent widow, she was nevertheless a strong women trying to make do in a man's world. She is cunning and intelligent in the novel and it is exciting to see her become more free and open as her relationship with Cain goes on. 
  Then there's the books. The story is primarily focused on the world of book collectors with Juliana being a bookseller. Throughout the story they go to very important auctions, which may seem to being boring reading for some. 
  Wrong.
  I was shocked to find these auction scenes more exciting than a fight scene and more intelligent than game of wits.  The lives of the bibliophiles was amusing and interesting.
  But the book wasn't perfect. The plot, aside from the book aspect, was pretty common, though I won't give it away to those who wish to read it. The romance, while spicy at times, seemed to go at a nice pace at the beginning and then seemed to stutter in the middle to wait for the plot points to catch up, leaving some pretty boring scenes.
  In the end, I gave the book a 3, for it wasn't a mind blowing piece of work but I did enjoy it.

Oh. My. Gosh...

I just finished Kane's 3rd installment of the Downside Ghosts series and it was fabulous. The first one was great, the second one was better but had me worried about character growth, but the third one out did them all. I totally enjoy this series but there is one major problem...












The next book doesn't come out till the 27th!!

I know, I know, it's only 11 days, I've waited must longer for other books *cough cough* Night Prince *cough* but that doesn't make it any less painful. 

This series surprised me, I really hated the "witch" theme before them for some reason and expected some predictable romance with easy "earthy" powers for the main chick.

Didn't happen. The romance is complex with Chess making a variety of mistakes that, while making me scream at her, make it seem real. If you haven't read the series, I highly recommend it and if you have... well... Enjoy the next eleven days of torture.

Happy Reading...