Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (Masque of the Red Death #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
Publication Date: April 24th 2012
POV: Female - First-person, Present tense
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

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I am a little confused about my feelings for this book. I really like the story and the world. Its a dystopian and a lot of dystopians are similar. Its hard to have original dystopians, but enough original factors will help it stand out. And I think this succeeded, or at least came really close. I enjoyed the masks. Disease is a very familiar factor in dystopians, but the masks show social status, and the revealing clothes show whether or not you are diseased, which is new and interesting. There is always rebellion in dystopians, but the fact that there are two separate rebel factions in this, rather than one, is a bit different. With different methods and different agendas, will our heroes have to fight a war on two fronts? It changes things from the norm.

But there are two things that really bothered me about this book, and I'm not sure which hurt its rating more. They were both pretty disappointing. First is the voice of the narrator. Something about the way this was written, first-person present tense, made me imagine the voice in my head to be like Ben Stein's monotone voice. "Bueller, Bueller." And since it was Araby's voice, the MC, it really hurt how I felt about her. It seemed like she was dead inside and she didnt feel anything. The narration had the same tone throughout. When she was happy, when she was scared, when she was suicidal. It took me almost the whole book before I started to care about her, and even then, not as much as I should have.

 

My other issue is the way that the love-triangle was handled. You could say one guy was nice and sweet, while the other was kind of bad and mysterious. I liked them both in their own way, for different reasons. But I had a clear preference, and so did Araby. And while reading, I lived for the scenes with him. But near the end of the book, Bethany Griffin suddenly decides to change things on us, and something drastic happens to switch the book and Araby's focus from guy #1 to guy #2. I felt totally betrayed and confused. I couldnt believe what was happening. Why spend so much time making us fall for guy #1, when she knew this was going to happen in the end? And after Araby overcame so many personal demons in order to open up to him? But depending on your preference in men, maybe you will like guy #2 better from the beginning anyway. But at the end, both guys are still in the picture, so maybe in the next book Araby will switch back to guy #1, or the book may focus on guy #2 enough for me to fall for him this time. He definitely has the potential. But I will still miss guy #1 if that happens.

So, I really enjoyed the world and story, and the characters enough to give them another chance and find out what happens to them. Regardless of the flaws, the book was very memorable. I look forward to reading Dance of the Red Death.

And just as a note, this book is very highly categorized as steampunk, but the steampunk elements in it were very light, almost none at all. It did not feel like a steampunk book to me and I did not bother categorizing it as such in my shelves. Its dominant genre is definitely dystopian. It is far from an automatic for steampunk fans. So, if that is a main factor in your decision to read it, I suggest you reconsider.

“So there you are, drinking and taking drugs to the point of incapacitation, and you've been missing out on the best part of debauchery?"
"I wouldn't know."
"If you want to know, tell me.”

Eon by Alison Goodman (Eon #1)

Genres: Young Adult, High Fantasy, Mythology
Publication Date: August 31st 2008
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

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This was a really complex YA high fantasy. Like a cross between Eragon and Fire. It is extremely heavily influenced by Chinese mythology. The characters were not described in enough detail to know whether or not they were supposed to be Asian, but I imagine them that way anyways, because of the world they are in.

In this world, there are 12 spirit dragons that correspond to the 12 points of a compass, and the Chinese calendar. The ox dragon, tiger dragon, rooster dragon, snake dragon, etc. Each dragon has a master and an apprentice Dragoneye. Every 12 years the master retires, the apprentice is raised, and a new apprentice is chosen. These Dragoneyes use their Dragons' magic to serve the people and control the weather. Dragoneyes are always men. Eona is a 16 year old girl disguised as a 12 year-old boy, Eon, and is in training to compete to be a new Dragoneye apprentice.

I found the world, mythology, and story very interesting but hard to understand. My brain might need more exercise but I still enjoyed it. There was so much plotting and political intrigue, but also a lot of magic and descriptions of Eona's power and how the dragon magic works that was extremely complex. Hopefully it will be explained more in the next book.

Most of the book was about Eona's political maneuvering. I kept waiting for her to whip out some awesome dragon powers, but she never did. She never really figured out how to use it until the end, which was a bit disappointing. There was a big battle at the end but besides that there was no action, but lots of drama. And I didnt enjoy her isolation. I wish she would have had someone she could confide in. At least one good friend who she could trust with all her secrets. But she always had things to hide and I felt very anxious for her. She made a lot of mistakes and I wish she could have had someone for counsel. But she has some good friends in the end that I hope she can trust throughout the next book. And I read mostly YA romance so I was disappointed that there was no romance in this book. But the next one is listed as romance, so I am looking forward to that. I hope it is with the Pearl Emperor.

There is one more thing that confused me and slightly bothered me. Eona's master, Brannon. He bought her as a slave because he saw her potential to be a Dragoneye. It was his idea to disguise her and train her. When Eona finds her sewing needle in his room she realizes that he loved her. But she doesnt specify if he loves her as a child, or as a woman? Because he is in his 40s and she is only 16, so that's kind of gross. There is this scene which leads me to believe that he loved her as a woman.

"I didnt think I could do it. But I did." 

I felt the smock slip from my shoulder as he pulled me against his body. "Yes, you did," he murmured against my hair. I pressed into him, my body blindly molding itself into his approval. His breath against my ear was like the soft press of lips. "You've done well."  

I rested my head on his shoulder as his hands stroked my hair, my neck, the dip of my collarbone. A sharp spark of energy snapped between us, breast to hand, leaving a singed smell.

And then I was standing alone, my arms still holding the moment before. 

He stood a few paces back, cradling his hand, his eyes fixed on my bared skin. 

"The dragon is still in you," he said. He lifted his fingers to his mouth, sucking away the pain.  

I hugged my arms across my chest. The sting of our contact already fading, "I'm sorry, Master."

It seems kind of obvious there, but the rest of the time he just treated her like a child he was very proud of. Like a father. He even smacked her around a bit at one point when he was disappointed. So that one scene is just hard to come to terms with.

This book was set almost entirely in the Emperor's palace, but at the end Eona is on the run and the next book promises much more adventure than this one. I really enjoyed the intrigue, but I still look forward to having more adventure in Eona.

"You are wrong when you say there is no power in being a woman. When I think of my mother and the women in my tribe, and the hidden women in the harem, I know there are many types of power in this world...I found power in accepting the truth of who I am. It may not be a truth that others can accept, but I cannot live any other way."

Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson (Blud #1)

Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk, Romance
Publication Date: March 27th 2012
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 7 out of 10
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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When nurse Leticia Everett forced open the pesky but lovely locket she found at an estate sale, she had no idea she was answering the call of Criminy Stain, from the far off land of Sang. He’d cast a spell for her, but when she’s transported right to him, she’s not so sure she’s ready to be under the spell of another man. (It didn’t go so well last time with controlling, abusive, domineering Jeff.) If only Criminy wasn’t so deliciously rakish….

Half the inhabitants of Sang are Pinkies—human—and the other half are Bludmen, who in Tish’s world would be called vampires. But they don’t mess with any of the bat/coffin/no sunlight nonsense. They’re rather like you and me, just more fabulous, long living, and mostly indestructible. (They're also very good kissers.) But when the evil Mayor of Manchester (formerly Bludchester) redoubles his efforts to rid Sang of the Bludmen once and for all, stealing Tish’s locket in hopes of traveling back to her world himself for reinforcements, Criminy and Tish must battle ghosts, sea monsters, wayward submarines, a secret cabal, and thundering Bludmares to get the locket back and allow Tish to return home…but has she found love with Criminy? Could she stay in Sang forever?

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This was incredibly unique and surprising. Leticia is a home care nurse coming out of a long-term abusive relationship and she is not looking for anything serious. But someone else is. Someone is looking for someone just like her. She is strangely drawn to a ruby necklace she finds at an estate sale of a deceased patient, and without really understanding why, she steals it! That night she wears it as she falls asleep, and she wakes up in a strange magical land.

She is found by a caravan gypsy king named Criminy Stain. He is a Bludman. In a world called Sang, Bludmen are born, and besides drinking blood, their only similarities to vampires are their strength and longevity. When Leticia asked him if he was a vampire, and explained to him what a vampire was, he was rather insulted to be compared to something dead. He is very much alive and lives life to the fullest. It is a very strange world Leticia finds herself in, with Victorian dresses, magic, and clockwork pets, and where she suddenly has the power of a seer. And most confusing of all, is when Criminy tells her that she has been brought there for him.

He had his heart broken once when he was younger. Now he is 130 years old and still alone. So he put a spell on the necklace to go out and find him his perfect mate. But he never anticipated that she would resist. He just assumed that if she was perfect for him, he would be perfect for her. She is drawn to him of course—he's like a wickedly delicious version of Mr. Darcy—but he is not the kind of man she ever actually imagined herself with. He's just a secret fantasy. And at first that is what she thinks he is, a dream. Criminy is extremely forward and honest about his feelings, but Leticia refuses his advances. Then her necklace is stolen and she is stuck in his world. Together they must chase down the rich and powerful man who stole it and stop his plot against the Bludmen. On their journey they have to fight ghosts, blood thirsty bunnies, jealous backstabbing mermaids, and commandeer a submarine.

The world this book created is extremely unique and vivid, but my favourite part is the characters. Criminy and Leticia are not your usual hero and heroine. They have some of the familiar traits, but Leticia was really a damsel. She is brave and clever and kind, but she is not strong and never did any of her own fighting, and she cries rather easily. But I really enjoyed her character because she felt so real and genuine. And her and Criminy complemented each other perfectly. Criminy has a viscous side, like any blood drinking creature would, vampire or not. But he is not dark and mysterious like you might be expecting. He is vibrant, exciting, and open, always making Leticia laugh with his magic tricks and crooked smile. They are an amazing couple. Criminy loves her so openly and freely, and I can see theirs becoming a truly epic love. I am sad we don't get to see it as the future books in the series are each about a different couple.

Although this is an adult book and there are a couple of sexy scenes in it, it was not overly emphasized. I am very glad that this is one of few adult PNRs I've read where the sex does not overshadow the romance.

“He was an animal. He was terrifying. And he was beautiful. I realized that I was biting my lip, that my hand was wound into the ruffled fabric at my chest. Something in me was drawn to the carnage. Like so many women before me, I was a slave to the caveman brain, that deep old part of my DNA that whispered that ferocity would keep me safe and fed and alive and that I should most definitely find the fiercest creature around and hump it.”

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Paranormal, Romance
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.

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I am not sure where to start. Its hard not to be biased. I guess the easiest place to start would be to say that I didn't enjoy this as much as The Iron Fey. I thought the first half of the book was far too slow, and it took awhile before anything happened. And I am not entirely won over by Zeke. I liked him more in the end, once he finally got some courage and stood up for Allie. At first he was extremely kind, but he never really stood up for himself or anyone else. He was kind when he could be, otherwise he just did what he was told. And I really couldn't believe how he let Jed treat him. But I started to like him in the end. He did a few very impressive things and started to become the man he would have been without Jed's influence, so I am looking forward to seeing more of him, which I am sure we will. As well as Kanin.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story, even if I had some issues with the pacing. I like where I see this going and I cant wait for more action. Allie kicks ass with her katana. :P A zombie chopping vampire with a katana.

One of the most impressive things about this book IMO, was the vampire lore. Being a vampire was not glamourized, and a perfect combination of vampire characteristics were kept that helped it feel real. Characteristics that could be explained with science fiction, rather than the supernatural. It was messy and gritty. Allie's struggle was both more desperate and more believable than other vampire books I've read. I see a lot of potential for this series. There were no issues that cant be easily overcome in the next book (pacing, Zeke manning up). I look forward to reading more, and growing to love the series as a whole.

“So, what do you think I am?” Naive, I thought at once. Naive, brave, selfless, incredible and much too kind to survive this world.

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison (Elder Races #1)

Genres: Adult, Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, Romance
Smut-O-Meter: 9 out of 10
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Half-human and half-Wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the Wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful—and passionate—of the Elder Races.

As the most feared and respected of the Wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they've ignited in each other.

Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave—although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul.

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I dont think there is really anything wrong with this, its just not for me. I was uncomfortable with Dragos' possessiveness. And I expect a little sex in an adult PNR, but it just happened so often that it felt like that was the only purpose of the book. Dragon Bound actually had a pretty decent story and an interesting world, but the sex was so much more frequent than was necessary, that I would say this is for a different audience than normal PNR. And the sex wasn't really focused on enough to be a true erotica either. And it happened so quickly it was ridiculous! They knew each other less than a day before they were having crazy animal sex.

I mostly enjoyed the characters, though I would have preferred Dragos to be less intense. That is only my personal preference and I know the caveman alpha types are very popular with most woman. And Dragos is definitely that.

"He had been born along with the solar system... His massive bones and flesh must have been formed along with the planets."

He is a shape-shifting dragon who is the oldest being in the universe, and in the modern world he is a billionaire businessman. And the dragon still loves to hoard treasures.

"Have I been added to his hoard?" 

"No, cupcake. I'm pretty sure you've replaced it."

Pia fights him all the way. She hates the idea of being possessed but he doesn't know how else to handle her. He is a monster who has never loved anything before in his long life. He just wants her to stay with him, and to keep her safe. The only way he knows how to do that is to own her. I cant even guess how many times the words "You're mine" were said in this book. It was borderline creepy, but he meant well.

I really liked Pia. She was a really strong, independent heroine. She had a big secret that she had kept from everyone her entire life. And it was driving Dragos crazy that she wouldnt tell him either. In this world, all magical creatures can shape-shift into human form. Pia has never shifted because she is a half-breed and doesnt have enough magic to shift on her own. She eventually lets Dragos help her, and a split second before they revealed what her true form was, it just clicked in my head. What would be the most ridiculous thing for her to be? I was right, and it was hilarious and ridiculous and awesome at the same time.

So the romance was pretty intense but really funny as well, as Pia struggles to understand and deal with such a great beast in her life. It takes pretty much the entire book for them to understand each other. And Dragos' employees and friends that are in their life are just amazed at their boss' changed behaviour and it can be pretty funny at times. I am sure a lot of people would really love this. But I will check out the next book in the series one day.

You're my miracle and my home...I will always come for you, always want you, and always need you. We clear?" 

She had begun to glow. "Sounds a lot like love to me.”

Existence by Abbi Glines (Existence Trilogy #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course.

Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead.

Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all.

He is Death and he's about to break all the rules.

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You know when a book is really hyped you start to worry that it cant really be as good as you heard? Well, that is how I felt going into Existence. But I was still totally unprepared for how much I loved it. I was completely blown away by the direction the story took and all the issues it explored.

I heard some complaints about Pagan as a heroine, that she was weak. But I don't see it like that. Character flaws don't mean flaws in the books. People have flaws, its realistic. Although some people just prefer books with a certain type of lead, which is understandable. And I do sort of see where they are coming from. When Pagan started having trouble sleeping and yelling Dank's name at night, it gave me a brief flashback of Bella. But their circumstances were quite different. For Pagan it wasn't an overreaction, so I can forgive her. Because what she and Dank felt for each other was something more than love, perhaps it was even supernatural. It couldn't be controlled and it couldn't be stopped.

This book more thoroughly explored the meaning of love than is usual for a YA. It also explored life and death and mental health. All the while taking us on an emotional roller coaster, in the best of ways. I don't usually like books that make me upset, but the payoff was worth it.

I heard another complaint about the heroine once again choosing the inappropriate guy over the sweetheart. In a lot of books I would agree that that is tiresome, but not in this one. Leif was sweet, but in a Puck or Matt (TVD) sort of way. He should be firmly placed in the Friend Zone. And Dank wasn't inappropriate, he was unbelievably amazing. He never did a single thing wrong that I can complain about.

In some books, when the guy can't be with the girl, he tries to hurt her to force her to move on (Tiger's Voyage, Clockwork Angel), but Dank never once denied to Pagan how much he wanted her, and you could clearly see his heartbreak, especially on the night of the homecoming. Even when he was forced to leave her he still made sure she was safe and was there when she needed him, even if it was just to sing her to sleep. He had a surprisingly small amount of ish to deal with, considering he was Death. You'd think he would have issues, but nope. He just needed her. I suppose because he didn't have a heart or soul, Pagan was his heart and soul. A line you have probably heard before in romance, but this time it is true.

Although I hate the names Pagan, Dank, and Leif, this story had incredible depth that brought Pagan to some dark places in her life, and amazingly strong characters that discovered that there is something greater than life, and something greater than love.

“I’m not a man so I do not have a heart that loves as a human does. I’m an immortal god that dwells with supreme power because I hold the keys to Death. But you are my existence. I am yours.” Hot tears streamed down my face as I stared into the face of someone who comprehended an emotion much stronger than my weak, feeble words of love.”

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Genres: Classic, Historical, Romance
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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Vanity, not love, has been my folly.

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.

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This book is perfection! It had everything I loved about the movie and more! As with most book-to-movie adaptations, the book contained so much more thought and insight to everyone's behaviour, and in a book such as this, understanding people couldn't be more important. And of course, a lot was taken out. Almost every meeting or dinner event in the movie, was in fact, 2 or 3, or 10 such events in the book. It is completely understandable that they were all condensed for the movie but kept the important dialogue. But, with all the added material, we see that Elizabeth and Darcy knew each other more than I thought. And that Elizabeth had the opportunity to develop feelings for him, and certain hopes for their future, even before she discovered his involvement in Lydia's marriage. I really enjoyed all the material that was new to me.

“To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.”

I was surprised by a few things. I discovered that I like the characters of Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins even less than I did before. They were both mean. Mrs. Bennett made it quite clear that Elizabeth was her least favourite daughter, and that she didn't care what became of her, as long as she understood that her mother would not be taking care of her if she didn't find a husband. What a horrible person. Also, Mr. Collins I knew could be condescending, but he was worse than I thought. He told Mr. Bennett, after Lydia's marriage, that he should have put her out of the house and never spoken her name again. Wow.

“Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her.”  

I really appreciated the amount of information that was given after both Jane and Elizabeth were married. For those who are not familiar with the 2005 movie, it finished with the line from Mr. Bennett, "If any young men come for Mary or Kitty, send them in, for I am quite at my leisure." The book had another 8 pages, which explained how the marriages effected the family on both sides. And I always wondered what happened to Mary and Kitty, so I was glad to find out what I could. I feel like I know Elizabeth and Darcy twice as well as I did before.

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

Night Season by Eileen Wilks (World of the Lupi #4)

Genres: Adult, Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, Romance
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Pregnancy has turned FBI Agent Cynna Weaver's whole life upside down. Lupus sorcerer Cullen Seabourne is thrilled to be a father, but what does Cynna know about kids? Her mother was a drunk and her father abandoned his family. Or so she's always believed...

As Cynna is trying to wrap her head around this problem, a new one pops up in the form of a delegation from another realm. They want to take Cynna and Cullen back with them- to meet her long-lost father and find a mysterious medallion. But when these two born cynics land in a world where magic is common-place and night never ends, their only way home lies in tracking down the missing medallion- one also sought by powerful beings who will do anything to claim it.

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I read the first 3 books in this series fairly back to back. All in February. But I kept putting this one off, because it switched focus from Rule and Lily, to Cullen and Cynna. I thought it would feel very different from the first 3, but it didn't. We already knew Cullen and Cynna pretty well, and they were still dealing with the shifting magic, and a fair amount of lupus issues. It has its place in the this series. And I really grew to love them much more. I already really enjoyed Cullen's character, but Cynna has finally grown on me. I used to like her enough, but she seemed far too butch. But she had to face a lot of things in her life during this book, things that brought out her feminine side.

I also enjoyed the setting of Edge. Edge is another dimension that is ruled by gnomes. Cynna and Cullen, along with a few other familiar characters such as Ruben Brooks, Steve Timms, and Gan, go to Edge to help the Gnomes find a stolen medallion that regulates the seasons in Edge. It was a quest through a mystical land and it was a lot of fun, especially with Cullen and Gan around. They are the two funniest characters in the series.

The only thing that bothered me about this book was how Cullen and Cynna were planning to get married at the end. I love that they are getting married. But lupus are not supposed to be monogamous because of their low fertility. It is part of their culture. But if they can just as easily fall in love as humans, why is this the first time it has happened? During hundreds of years of history, would Cullen really be the first lupus to fall in love and be willing to give up his people's beliefs for a woman? It doesn't seem likely. And there weren't even any repercussions. If there had been that would explain why it hadn't happened before. There is no worse fate for a lupus than to be clanless. So threatening to kick a lupus out of his clan for getting married would explain it, but that is not the case. Well, maybe they will explain it in the next book.

I look forward to the rest of the series and I hope to see lots more of Cullen and Cynna. I must admit, I like Cullen better than Rule now. This was the best book in the series since #1.

Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan (The Paranormals #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: July 22nd 2010
POV: Female - Third-person, Past tenseMy Rating: 2 out of 5

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Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the "Jenny pox." She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town.

Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.

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This book is extremely unique and I cannot think of anything to compare it to, or a certain audience to recommend it to. I am not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I cant even decide if I liked this or not.

Its about Jenny, who can't touch anyone without giving them a plague and killing them. Eventually she meets Seth, a boy who has a healing touch, the opposite of Jenny, so they can touch each other. Eventually they realize that there is another like them at their school. Ashleigh, whose touch causes great desire. This is where things get weird. Anyone who touches her wants her bad. She can also channel her power into others, to make them want each other instead of her. She uses this ability to manipulate everyone she knows, even to make rivals or enemies sleep with someone and ruin their life. Ashleigh is a psychotic bitch and she is super creepy. She has manipulated most of the town and they are all freaky. The only normal people are Seth, Jenny, and her dad. It all made me rather uncomfortable. Its beyond weird, and pretty gross and monstrous at the end. And on top of that there is a lot of explicit sexual content which is really weird for a YA. There was even a scene of a threesome of sexual favours, which was super gross.

The pros are that I really felt for Seth and Jenny. They fought hard to be together. They really didn't deserve all that Ashleigh put them through. Even if Jenny did go kinda psycho herself in the end. I think Ashleigh's ultimate goal was to rule the world (yeah, she's that crazy), so she saw Seth and Jenny's power as a threat.

I also really liked the ending. We finally find out what Jenny, Seth, and Ashleigh are. They aren't a mutation, or a government experiment. They are something else more unique than usual for this type of stories about kids with powers. It was a nice twist, and it was great that Jenny and Seth got to find out in the end. I am not sure if I would recommend this or not. I have no idea what kind of people would enjoy it and who wouldn't. I am sure there are those that would. It isn't necessarily bad. It was well written with some good characters. It was just so absolutely out-there, bizarre, and a monstrous nightmare at times. I don't plan on reading the next one in the series.

"He was a miracle, and you killed him. Now you've just got me. And I'm a curse.”

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase (Scoundrels #3)

Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication Date: January 1st 1995
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 7 out of 10
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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They call him many names, but Angelic isn't one of them...
Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain, is big, bad, and dangerous to know. No respectable woman would have anything to do with the "Bane and Blight of the Ballisters"--and he wants nothing to do with respectable women. He's determined to continue doing what he does best--sin and sin again--and all that's going swimmingly, thank you..until the day a shop door opens and she walks in.

She's too intelligent to fall for the worst man in the world...
Jessica Trent is a determined young woman, and she's going to drag her imbecile brother off the road to ruin, no matter what it takes. If saving him--and with him, her family and future--means taking on the devil himself, she won't back down. The trouble is, the devil in question is so shockingly irresistible, and the person who needs the most saving is--herself.

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This was like an extremely uninhibited cross between a Jane Austen novel and Jane Eyre, where the heroine is like Elizabeth Bennett on steroids, and the hero is Mr. Rochester on crack. I didn't read the first two books in this series, but they don't need to be read in order. I don't know if I will read the rest of the series or not because the other books sound far less interesting. Not that Lord of Scoundrels wasn't familiar, but it is the good kind of familiar. Where as this features a beauty and the beast type of story, with a big, mean, and ugly hero; the first book in the series, The Lion's Daughter, features a handsome pirate.

The Marquis of Dain, thirty-three, and known simply as Dain by everyone, half Italian, big, mean, and ugly. So ugly in fact, that he is called the spawn of Satan, Beelzebub, and the Bain and Blight of the Ballisters (his family name). His father hated him from the moment he was born. When his mother left them, his father didn't want to deal with him anymore, so he was sent away to school at the age of 8, and they never saw each other again. As soon as he arrived at his new school, he was treated poorly by his fellow classmates.

"No wonder his mama ran away. Did she scream when you were born? ...I say your mama bolted because she couldn't stomach the sight of you another minute. Because you look precisely like a filthy little earwig."


He learned to deal with the pain by fighting back. He eventually gained the respect of his fellow classmates and acquaintances because of his physical prowess. He became very strong and eventually grows to a good 6 and a half feet. He is also very successful as Marquis and can afford all the luxuries and women he could want. But he is well aware of his limitations, and that no woman will ever have him without being paid. He didn't even realize that that bothered him, until he met Jessica.

From the moment she laid eyes on him, she could think of nothing else. She could dream of nothing else than the huge, dark, masculine, beastly god of a man! I am unsure whether he was really as ugly as everyone led on, or if he simply wasn't up to their English standards, with his dark skin and "Italian nose". It is perhaps similar to what Dain thought when he first met Jessica.

"She was not classic English perfection, but she was some sort of perfection."

Although, the difference is that Jessica is still considered beautiful by all. It may seem perhaps convenient to the story that she is the only woman in the world that finds him attractive, but somehow it is convincing. Somehow he is depicted as being revolting but absolutely irresistible at the same time. Loretta Chase is truly talented.

Jessica is well aware of Dain's reputation of being a lecherous gambler, but she cannot help herself. She goes out of her way and makes excuses to bump into him. She is half out of her mind with desire, but he has no idea. Whenever she shows any interest in him, he interprets it as mockery. When she finally expresses the full extent of her attraction to him, the poor man was nearly shocked out of his mind.

"His knees grew wobbly. He crouched down in front of her and took a firm grip on the mattress. He cleared his throat. "Lust". He managed to keep the one syllable low and steady. He decided not to try any more syllables of anything... Dissembling was utterly beyond his power. He shook his head... He tried to find a place in his dictionary under "Dain" for de Medici princes and Roman gods, but the phrases fit nowhere, and merely contemplating them made him want to howl with laughter. Or weep. He couldn't decide which. He decided he was becoming hysterical. He wasn't surprised. She had a knack for doing that to him."

I love their relationship. They are hilarious together. They constantly bicker and antagonize each other good-naturedly. They do genuinely fight a lot as well, since Dain is not used to being in any sort of relationship that lasts more than a few hours, and he is severely damaged goods. But they work through everything and come out stronger. And although the book is kind of long, 550 pages, it kept my interest. At about 150 I thought, "Oh no, where can it go from here? Will this be drawn out?" But no, the story just keeps going, in directions I would never have anticipated!

The writing was amazing. So many wonderful moments and quotes I want to continually relive. The dialogue and the characters and the relationship is absolutely beautiful. A truly unforgettable story. This is the kind of book that stays with you. I will remember this for a long time to come.

"She was falling in love with him- in spite of everything and against her better judgement- more slowly, yes, but just as inexorably as she'd fallen in lust with him."