Review! When Wicked Craves by J.K. Beck

When Wicked Craves

(The Shadow Keepers, book 3)

J.K. Beck

Bantam 

October 26, 2010 

ISBN-10: 0440245796

ISBN-13: 978-0440245797

Petra Lang is cursed never to love. One touch of her skin unleashes the vilest demons. Sentenced to death by the Shadow authorities, who fear she’ll turn her curse against them, Petra is rescued by vampire advocate Nicholas Montegue. As their bodies merge and transform into mist, Petra feels an erotic longing.

Nicholas risked his own life to save Petra, yet he knows he can never give in to the explosive attraction he feels for her. But the deep yearning they share tempts them. Together, they must find a way to lift the curse. For only a love this strong has the power to overcome such monstrous evil. 

Petra has had it rough all her life. Being born with a curse that just from a touch can turn anybody into a mindless killer will do that to a girl. Because homegirl just can't catch a break now she's sentenced to die because of said curse. Well, damn! Until her lawyer steps in.. Or rather breaks her out of prison and really, more lawyers should be like him. But Nicholas didn't just sprung Petra out because he's an awesome lawyer, he actually has ulterior motives. A lawyer with ulterior motives? Unheard of! Nick needs help saving his friend and Petra is the only person who can help him.

 Nick and Petra's close proximity quickly turns into something more. Their growing attraction can't be explored though because of Petra's crazy curse but it's more than that. Soon enough, they're on the run for their lives and before these two can try to find a way to explore their chemistry, they have to survive first.

So I have been following the Shadow Keepers ever since the first book came out and I have to say, I really wasn't that interested in Nick in the previous book. But boy, did that change! His character just comes alive in When Wicked Craves and right from the get-go, the reader can't help but be drawn to him. For a lawyer, he's incredibly honorable and caring, especially considering he just risked his whole existence by springing Petra out of jail in order to help his friend.

I felt bad for Petra at first. I mean, come on! Ever since she was born, she's got stuck with this horrifying curse that she literally cannot touch anybody! Could you imagine going through life not being able to hug a loved one or to kiss your significant other? That really sucks! But while yes, she definitely laments about this, she's also a very strong person. I would imagined her being a whiny little "oh woo is me" girl and while she's definitely got something to whine about, she doesn't do it a lot.

All-in-all, I really enjoyed reading When Wicked Craves! Nick and Petra have such good chemistry together and it was fun seeing them come together and help each other out. The Shadow Keepers series continues to be a blast to read! Lovable characters, great action, scary monsters and super hot scenes, what more could you ask for?

Lush Rating: 4!

No space; too many books!

If you're like me, aka a broke college student living with her parents, then you're tight for space too. If you're REALLY like me (Lucky you..) then you got piles of books lying around in your room because you have no space to put them in! I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this but -

 Oi!

Yup. Those are books in a shopping cart thingy right by my bed. I KNOW. I seriously have little space but looking at this stupid cart every single day was droving me craaaazy. So.

Cue nightstands! Doctor's orders. Stay tuned for my crazy adventure looking for the perfect nightstand. It might include several expletives on my part and a trip to the ER.

Review! Wicked Highlander by Donna Grant

Wicked Highlander

(A Dark Sword Novel, book 3)

Donna Grant

St. Martin's Paperbacks

November 2, 2010 

ISBN-10: 0312381247 

ISBN-13: 978-0312381240

 The most reckless and fierce of the MacLeod brothers, Quinn is a prisoner of the god inside him, tormented by his inability to save his family from slaughter. His fury governs him, and day by day he loses himself to the darkness in his soul. But Quinn has a profound yearning for a woman’s love….

Raised by Druids, the achingly beautiful Marcail is as spellbinding as the ancient magic that surges through her body. To Quinn, she is most desirable woman he has ever known. But to his enemy Deirdre, she is the perfect bait to lure Quinn into her trap. Once the two lovers are in her wicked grasp, their passion will be put to the ultimate test…

Ever since I read the first book in this series (Dangerous Highlander) I had been dying to read more about Quinn so needless to say, I was beyond excited to finally get my hands on this book! After having been tormented for centuries by the god inside of him, Quinn is pretty much about to snap which I expected but I never thought I would enjoy his snapping so much!

He has now been imprisoned by his numero uno enemy: Deidre the evil Druid who has been after the MacLeod brothers for a long time. And Quinn will do anything to kill her slowly and painfully. Marcail's in a bit of a bind. She's a Druid who was just captured but Deidre but she's also much more than that. In her mind, there's a spell but could put an end to this whole war.. If only she knew how to access it!

Marcail and Quinn meet under not the best of circumstances - Both imprisoned in a pit surrounded by enemy just waiting for a moment of weakness to get them. To make matter worse (Or in my opinion, even better!) from the get-go, Quinn and Marcail have the hots for each other but it's kinda hard to explore said chemistry where they both know they could both be killed any minute now. Not that this should stop them from trying but I'm just sayin'.

Wicked Highlander is with no doubt the best installment to date in this series! From beginning to end, I was enthralled in this story. Quinn breaks my heart, he has been through so much and somehow has manage to come slightly - oh, who am I kidding, more like I was surprised he hasn't gone crazy and killed everybody by now - damaged and even more stronger from having to deal with all that heartache. The relationship between him and Marcail was just unbelievable! I could feel the passion and chemistry just coming off the page! I totally loved those characters and every single secondary character too. I had a blast reading Wicked Highlander! The characters are to die for, the steamy and action-packed scenes a joy to read and I cannot wait to read more of this wonderful series.


Lush Rating: 4.5!

Review! Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard

Enemy Within

Marcella Burnard

Berkley Trade

November 2, 2010

ISBN-10: 0425236854 

ISBN-13: 978-0425236857

An intergalactic cold war-and some heated passion- from an inventive new voice in futuristic romance.

After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn't built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.

As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari's past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights. If she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth. 

Captain Alexandra Rose - or Ari - has had it rough lately. After being held prisoner in an alien prison for three torturous months, she was thought a spy and dismissed by her own government. Now she's working with her father on his scientific expedition and this is definitely not Ari's idea of a good time. At all. Especially when pirates hijack her father's ship, things to go to hell quick in a hand basket.

Cullin Seaghdh is the pirate leader or so it seems. His main focus is Ari and what happened in her imprisonment because he thinks either she's a spy or she's part of a horrifying alliance made to destroy millions of beings. Either way, he's not about to let her out of his sights. No matter how their close proximity might ignite a hot chemistry that might burn them both.

Enemy Within is Burnard's debut novel and a huge hit! If you like futuristic romances in which the heroine is majorly kickass and yet so vulnerable at the same time, you'll love this story! I know I did. Neither Ari or Cullin pull their punches and it was highly entertaining seeing them interact and slowly but surely develop a super steamy relationship. Ari killed me at times, I was tearing up! She has been through hell and while yes, she's insanely damaged now, she's so determined to live and there were a few times when her vulnerability just broke my heart. But Cullin was fabulous, he was there with her all the way and I loved him too!

The one complaint I have is that the terminology confused the bejesus out of me. However, I complain about this in pretty much every futuristic romance I read. I'm not that tech-savy and admittedly all the made-up terms just annoyed me at times. Apart from that, I highly enjoyed Enemy Within. The characters are absolutely wonderful, Ari and Cullin will dig their little place in your heart and you'll be cheering for them in no time, the action-packed plot is super fun to read and I'm definitely going to be reading more of Burnard's stories in the future!

Lush Rating: 4!

Quickie Review! Just One Taste by Louisa Edwards

Just One Taste

(Recipe for Love, book 3)

Louisa Edwards

St. Martin's Paperbacks

August 31, 2010 

ISBN-10: 0312356471 

ISBN-13: 978-0312356477

Bad-boy chef Wes Murphy is dreading his final-semester cooking class—Food Chemistry 101—until he meets the new substitute teacher. Dr. Rosemary Wilkins is a feast for the eyes, though her approach to food is strictly academic. So Wes decides to rattle her Bunsen burner by asking for her hands-on advice—on aphrodisiacs… 

Rosemary is a little wary about working with Wes, whose casual flirtations make her hot under the collar. But once they begin testing the love-enhancing power of chocolate, oysters, and strawberries, it becomes scientifically evident that the brainy science nerd and the boyish chef have some major chemistry together—and it’s delicious…

 From beginning to end, Just One Taste is one delicious desert! Wes and Rosemary meet in chef school and from the get-go, their attraction and chemistry is exploding. I love how while Wes sounded pretty smooth, he was really such a cute dork which is perfect for such brainy girl genius Rosemary. They're both great characters that the reader will come to love easily. 

But it's not all fun and games because due to their student-professor statuses, some people are against their relationship and when they try to tear Wes and Rosemary apart, things are about to get serious.

I had such a good time reading this book! Awesome characters, delicious food and even more fabulous sex makes for a super sexy and fun read! Edwards does it again. Her stories are fun but so meaningful and I will definitely be reading her next book in this delicious series.


Lush Rating: 4.5!

Bayou Moon Winner!

... Three days later! My bad. I blame school and work though. Anyway! The lucky winner of a brand-spankin' new copy of Bayou Moon is.. Stephanie! Congrats!! I'll be emailing you with details in a few.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Review! Me, Myself and Why? by MaryJanice Davidson

Me, Myself and Why?

MaryJanice Davidson

St. Martin's Press 

September 28, 2010

ISBN-10: 0312531176

ISBN-13: 978-0312531171

I have always, always loved every single Davidson book I've ever read. Mostly because they feature her awesome sense of humor and Me, Myself and Why? is no exception! Seriously, at times I was snorting while laughing out loud, much to my dismay when I'm at campus and a cute boy walks by. Oh, well.

In this book, our main heroine is Cadence and she's a triple threat. Literally. She's got multiple personalities and she works for a special branch of the FBI who only hires people with some psychiatric problems, to put it mildly. So Cadence and her crazy (Literally) partner, George, have been trying to catch the Threefer killer with no luck. He, or she, likes to kill in threes and lately, he's been leaving messages in his crime scenes. And these messages seem to be directly for Cadence and as the scenes get more gruesome, his messages get more menacing and unless Cadence and George find him soon, the next victim might just be Cadence.

Something I really enjoy about this story was that while Cadence is the main character, her multiple personalities are a very important part of the story. We meet Shiro, a super-analytical killer and Adrienne, who's just down-right nutso. I loved that it wasn't all about Cadence, even though it was. And she's got the best partner ever. I know George is a totally psycho but oh, lord, his character is insanely hilarious! Love him. All the characters are so unique and interesting and I enjoyed reading about every single one. And you can't have a book without the main heroine having a love interest. Cadence meets her best friend's brother and it's attraction from the get-go and what's even greater is the fact that he knows about her wee problem and still asks her out! I think he might be crazy too. They do have really good chemistry together and it was fun to see them interact.

Me, Myself and Why? is full of awesome and I had a blast reading this book! The characters are insanely unique and you won't see the bad guy coming until the very end. I really hope this is only the first book in an exciting new series because I would love to read more about Cadence and her crazy co-workers!

Lush Rating: 4.5!

Nancy's (Awesome) Theory of Style!

A while back I reviewed a book called Nancy's Theory of Style (Review) and I pretty much loved this book! The author Marta Acosta (pen-name Grace Coopersmith) recently emailed about something awesome - You can read the draft for this book online! FOR FREE! It "can read it at the Scribd site, download it onto their computers, or download it to e-readers and mobile devices."

Here's the link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/37115908/Nancy-s-Theory-Draft

Yes, it has typos but it's totally free and since I loved this book, you might too!

Enjoy!

Quickie Review! Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Only the Good Spy Young
(Gallagher Girls, book 4)
Ally Carter
Hyperion Books
June 29, 2010
ISBN-10: 1423128206 
ISBN-13: 978-1423128205

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide.  When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.

In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth.as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past.

Only the Good Spy Young is the fourth book in this girl-spy series and while I hadn't had the opportunity to read the previous books because I read this, I highly enjoyed the story! Cammie is such a great character, she's smart and strong but definitely has her vulnerabilities and it's a nice balance. Along with her two best friends, they made an awesome group and I loved reading their adventures.

While I was a bit confused in some parts - And I'm sure this is due to the fact I hadn't read the other installments - it's easy enough to get the gist of things and I wasn't lost one bit. Only the Good Spy Young is a quick read with a little of everything - action, romance, suspense, and comedy - and it all combines to make a great read! I highly enjoyed the story and I'm definitely going to be reading Carter's future - and previous! - books.

Lush Rating: 4

Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews Giveaway!

One lucky winner will get a spankin' new copy of Bayou Moon, the second book of The Edge series! (Little hint: I already read this story and BELIEVE ME, you want to read it. For serious.)

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Walmart and magic is a fairytale–and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…

Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.

To enter, just leave a comment. If you are/become a follower, that's an extra point for you! Giveaway ends Sept. 24th. Open to US only. Good luck!

White Heat Winner!

& the winner is.. Maddie! Congrats, Maddie! I'll be emailing you with the deets in a bit.

Huge thanks to everyone who entered!

Review! When Pleasure Rules by J.K. Beck

When Pleasure Rules 

The Shadow Keepers, book 2 

J.K. Beck

Bantam 

September 28, 2010 

ISBN-10: 0440245788 

ISBN-13: 978-0440245780

Seven innocents have been brutally murdered in Los Angeles, yet the Shadow Alliance has no suspects and no leads. As the body count mounts, the age-old feud between vampires and werewolves threatens to explode.

Lissa Monroe—a strong-willed, ravishing succubus who entices men to surrender their souls—agrees to go undercover for the Alliance. Her mission: infiltrate the mind of werewolf leader Vincent Rand, a ferociously alluring enemy who exerts a powerful hold over her. As the City of Angels teeters on the brink of apocalypse, these two adversaries must join together in order to survive an even more lethal enemy hidden in plain sight.

In When Pleasure Rules, we meet Lissa. She's a succubus who has fought for centuries for her freedom. As succubi, they're owe by traders and are reborn into that system every single time they die. In her latest lifetime, she's a successful owner of the only club that others can come and be with a succubus for the small price of a piece of their souls. Needless to say, Lissa would do anything to make sure her and her girls - the other succubus who worked for her - keep their freedoms and when she find herself between a rock and hard place, she doesn't have much choice.

Lately, people have been found savagely murdered and the Division, or the group of people that police this shadow realm, have no clue what or who is killing them. But something they do know is that there have been some rumors going around that the Alpha of the werens, or the werewolves, might be involved in this. That's when Lissa comes in. She has a special talent in that she can get into people's head when she takes their souls. While she's done her best to hide this, the Division knows and they'll do anything, including make Lissa get into the head of the Alpha's right-hand man Rand, to found if they're involved in the murders.

While Lissa is more than just apprehensive about this, she doesn't have much choice in the matter and when she first meets Rand, something immediately clicks and their instant attraction ignites. Rand's in town in order to put a stop to the rumors and find whoever is killing but he never counted on Lissa and how she would make him feel. Both Lissa and Rand are in the middle of this hot mess of political intrigue and raging murders and if they don't do everything possible to get out, either one of them could find themselves being the next victim.

When Pleasure Rules is the second book in the new Shadow Keepers series and the best installment yet! I highly enjoyed the first novel but there was a lot of setting done, which is understandable since it was the first book in a series, but in this one it's more about the main characters. Right from the get-go, Lissa and Rand's story grabs you and won't let go. These two have seriously been through a lot and that's only made them stronger. I really liked their story and it was incredibly easy to cheer for them because they're such great characters. When Pleasure Rules is a super fun, action-packed, and let's not forget sizzling story about two people who try to make the best of their options and they might have ended up finding the best thing that ever happened to them. I really enjoyed the story and I'm looking forward to the reading more!

Lush Rating: 4!

Review! Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

Twice Bitten

A Chicagoland Vampires Novel, book 3)

Chloe Neill

NAL Trade 

July 6, 2010 

ISBN-10: 0451230647 

ISBN-13: 978-0451230645

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.

Twice Bitten is the third installment in the Chicagoland Vampires series and Merit's back with a vengeance! As a new vampire and also the Sentinel of the Cadogan House, she's got her hands full. Now, the werewolves are coming into town to have a type of conference and Merit has to play bodyguard for Gabriel Keene, the Alpha of the werewolves. Before you know it, Merit's ankle deep in trying to save Gabriel from assassination attempts and to make things even more complicated, she's also dealing with some enemies from the past possibly coming back. Between playing bodyguard for Gabriel, finding out who and why is trying to kill him and stop the conference and dealing with Cadogan House issues, including a certain super-hot Master vampire, Merit has got a lot going on! And she better deal with it soon - before someone ends up dead.

Twice Bitten is a fabulous addition to an already pretty awesome series! I've always been a fan of Merit and her ass-kicking ways but I still think that she's got the worst taste in men! She's had the hots for Ethan, her boss and Master vampire from the get-go and I still don't like him. He's annoying and so full of himself and yes, maybe he is super gorgeous and powerful but I can't stand that man! The thing is, in this story, I actually thought that maybe he was changing a bit and really started liking him. However, he messed up things bad and I'm totally back to hating him. My favorite character makes an appearance, though! Adorable, geeky, sexylicious Jeff. I really wish he'd had a bigger role in the story because he's awesome and I adore him!

I highly enjoyed Twice Bitten! It's an action-packed, gritty and sexy story with really great characters (Jeff!) and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

Lush Rating: 4!

Super Awesome Brenda Novak Giveaway!

White Heat is Brenda Novak's latest book (Which I'm reading right now!). It starts off her great new Department 6 Hired Guns trilogy series and because Mira Books is too awesome, they're hosting this super awesome giveaway! 

First, a little about the book:

A dangerous cult has recently taken over the desert ghost town of Paradise, Arizona. Members worship at the feet—and in the bed—of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff, and obey his orders blindly. They've already tried to murder one woman and they're implicated in the disappearance of another.

Nate Ferrentino, who works for private security contractor Department 6, has been assigned to infiltrate this group. It's a challenge he welcomes—until he learns that colleague Rachel Jessop will be going undercover with him. 

Thanks to their shared history, he'd much rather go alone….

The problem is, only married couples can participate in cult rituals. So, like it or not—and they don't—Rachel and Nate must pretend to be husband and wife.

There's no choice. Because if Wycliff isn't exposed, if he isn't stopped, more people will die. And Rachel might be one of them. 

[Book Trailer here]

You want to read this book, yo. Believe me! Anyway, I have a great prize for a lucky winner! A White Heat prize pack including:

 

• Tote bag
• 3D viewer bookmark
•  White Heat lip gloss – made especially for the book! (Aaah, I want this!)
• A copy of White Heat

Sweet, right?! To enter, all you got to do is fill out the form below and tada, you're in! This contest is only open to US and Canada and dateline is August 31st. Good luck!

Winners!

First, let me apologize profusely because the dateline for both giveaways completely went over my head! [Note to self: Write dates on stickies for next time!] I AM SORRY. Anyway, I have 2 winners to announce!

The winner of a brand-new copy of The Eternal Ones by Kristen Miller is.. Donnas!

& the winner of Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater is.. Anne!

Huge congrats to both winners! I'll be passing along your info to the awesome people who hosted these giveaways so be on the lookout for your new books in the mail! Thanks to everyone who enter!

Review! All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

All I Ever Wanted

Kristan Higgins

HQN Books 

July 27, 2010 

ISBN-10: 0373774583 

ISBN-13: 978-0373774586

One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair…

and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol' Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company's new Miss Perfect. If that isn't bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark's attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals…. So he's formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it's time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn't shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont's unlikeliest eligible bachelor….

 All I Ever Wanted is seriously one of the loveliest books I've read in a long time! Lately, I had been in a bit of a funk and so I was hoping All I Ever Wanted would get me out of it but it did more than that. It's a lovely story about love and finding someone to spend your life with and I enjoyed every single word. I can't tell you how many times I teared up and laughed so hard! Callie is an unbelievable character! She's so bubbly and positive and I could totally see myself in her. Something she said really resonated with me - page 252 

             Sometimes, being an optimist was quite the fucking effort.

I had to reread that line a few times because it so describes how I've felt at times. This story hit me on a personal level. Callie tries so hard to be happy and nice and make everyone like her and I could see that all she wanted was for someone to love her. From the beginning, I loved her character and until the end, I was cheering for her 100%! All I Ever Wanted is an emotional roller-coaster that will make you sigh in happiness and give you hope in finding love. I had never read a book by Higgins before and this one was an amazing way to start because I will certainly be reading more of her works in the future! Highly enjoyable story with unforgettable characters, I really recommend All I Ever Wanted! 

Lush Rating: 5!

Review! Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Infinity 
Chronicles of Nick

Sherrilyn Kenyon

St. Martin's Griffin

May 25, 2010

ISBN-10: 0312599072

ISBN-13: 978-0312599072

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Nick Gautier is your everyday high school student. That is, if your average high school student has to deal with zombies trying to eat him. And all I got was bullies so I feel definitely cheated out of a zombie apocalypse. But that's not all yet. After almost being killed in an alley, Nick founds a whole new world right on the streets of New Orleans. The world of the Dark-Hunters, warriors who save humanity every night fighting demons. Soon enough, Nick finds himself knee-deep in trouble because now, more and more students are turning into zombies and he and his friends have to find out who or what is causing this before it's too late.. And he ends up grounded.

From the first time I heard about Infinity, I was highly intrigued. Kenyon sort of goes back in time and tells the story of Nick Gautier growing and how he became part of the Dark-Hunter world. Having read the Dark-Hunter books, Nick always interested me as a character so I was so excited to read his story. The plot is definitely really creative but at times, I didn't feel like I was reading a young adult book. This is not necessarily a bad thing though because Nick and company are great characters and I loved reading about them through a different point of view. 

Overall, I highly enjoyed reading Infinity and the story stayed in my head weeks after I had finished the book. A wonderful set of characters and a fun, action-packed scenes that make for a great read and I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment!


Lush Rating: 4!

Review! Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane

Unholy Magic 

Downside Ghosts, book 2

Stacia Kane

Del Rey 

July 6, 2010

ISBN-10: 0345515587 

ISBN-13: 978-0345515582

ENEMIES DON’T NEED TO BE ALIVE TO BE DEADLY.

For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.

Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.  

Unholy Magic is the second book in the Downside Series and right off the bat, I'm going to start by saying that it's the best book by far. I'm in love with it and I want to have its babies. Okay, Terrible's babies. For real. Chess is back and more messed up than ever. She's a druggie working for the Church as a debunker and her latest case is finding out who or what is killing all these prostitutes and stealing their eyes. Literally. And that's not all, Chess is also trying to break another case about a celebrity's house being hunted and before you know it, she's in deep and her life might just end up on the line.

I never thought that a druggie with an insane amount of problems would bring me so much joy. I absolutely love Chess as a character. She's so sick and messed up and not for a second have I ever felt bad for her. Not once. She owns up to her huge short-comings and she's one of my favorite characters ever. Kane has done a superb job developing her characters. Terrible, one of the gangster's right-hand man is just fabulous. He's a man of few words that the ones he does say carry a hell of a punch and from the first book (Unholy Ghosts) I just fell for him. I'm dying for these two to finally get together yet I'm so worried that because Chess is so broken that things just won't last. I'm hoping that he's her prince in drugs-dealing-people-beating-scary-dude armor and completely turns her life around. I definitely have big hopes for these two but Kane's got a sick sense of humor and I just know she's going to make me suffer and wait for anything to happen between these two. It's okay, though - Bring it, Kane!


The plot itself is insanely original and fun to read. I wasn't bored at any point because the characters and the plot and just everything comes together so well and from the get-go, I was 100% invested in the story. Unholy Magic is made of awesome, no doubt about it. I love the characters, I love the story and honestly, I can't say enough good things about it! Highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a kickass Urban Fantasy series with unforgettable characters and a plot that will keep you up at night.


Lush Rating: 5!

Quickie Review! Hell, Yeah by Carolyn Brown

Hell, Yeah

Honky Town, book 2

Carolyn Brown

Sourcebooks Casablanca 

August 3, 2010

ISBN-10: 1402239270 

ISBN-13: 978-1402239274

She's finally found a place that feels like home...

When Cathy O'Dell buys the Honky Tonk, the nights of cowboys and country tunes come together to create the home she's always wanted. Then in walks a ruggedly handsome oil man who tempts her to trade in the happiness she's found at the Honky Tonk for a life on the road with him...

He lives the good life...

Gorgeous and rich, Travis Henry travels the country unearthing oil wells and then moving on. Then the beautiful blue-eyed new owner of the Honky Tonk beer joint becomes his best friend and so much more. When his job is done in Texas, how is he ever going to hit the road without her?

Hell, Yeah is the second book in the Honky Town series and in it, Cathy is now the owner of the bar. She's got a new life and it seems like everything's going great until Travis Henry walks into her bar. From the get-go, there's an immediate attraction between the two of them. The thing is, Cathy is a bit prickly. I can understand that she's been hurt before but at times, she's downright bitchy and Henry thinks that because she works at a bar, she must be a dumb blond. This is something that really annoyed me, especially considering that it's like a repeat from the first book in this series, I Love This Bar. I got over this quickly.

The second characters kind of made up for this because they're so much funny and exciting! So while I had issues with the main characters, I did enjoy the story mostly when I wasn't getting annoyed by the primary characters although I must admit that once they get over their misconception of each other, it completely turned the story around for me. Hell, Yeah is a sweet and romantic story about two people falling in love and with great set of secondary characters, I really enjoyed the story.

Lush Rating: 3!

Dear Book, Talk to the HAND.

This is me right now. Buried under term papers, homework and up-coming finals. I might possibly be a bit slow with the reviews for the next week or so. I'm going to try to post some, though!

In the meantime, wish me luck! I'll be around.

xoxo,
Lush.

In My Mailbox! (35)

Yay, more books! I get so happy yet feel so guilty that my TBR pile is about to bury me.. Oops? But that's okay though! Because I'll sure work my way through it. Eventually. Anyway! Here are the books I got this week:

City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane - OH. My. God.
White Heat by Brenda Novak
Passing Strange by Daniel Waters - UK cover! Sweet.
Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter
The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman

I'm SO excited to read 'em all!

-- IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Review! When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck

When Blood Calls

J.K. Beck

Bantam Books

August 31, 2010

ISBN-10: 044024577X 

ISBN-13: 978-0440245773

Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion—until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.

As a prosecutor, Sara Constantine has seen the worst of people and when she gets a chance to work with an elite group of Homeland Security officials to send monsters to prison, she's immediately takes it up. Sara soon finds out that by monsters, they really do mean monsters. She'd be prosecuting vampires and werewolves and any other thing that comes out to play at night that have hurt others. Sara thinks she's ready to start until she meets her first case - Lucius (Luke) Dragos. They kind of know each other, as in, they had a sinfully hot one night stand. And even more upsetting, he's a vampire.

Sara can't reconcile that gentle and demanding lover that she was with that night with the man sitting in front of her in an interrogation room accused of ripping a judge's throat out. Literally. But she doesn't have a choice but to do her best to convict him, even if doing so might send the one man that can make her feel like she's never felt before straight to the guillotine. Literally.

When Blood Calls starts off Beck's new paranormal romantic suspense series and a fabulous start, it is! Sara and Luke have an incredible chemistry together and it's obvious from the get-go. They're both really strong characters and that along with a great bunch of secondary ones that add more depth to the story make for a really entertaining read. I really enjoyed how this story has a bit of everything: romance, paranormal and suspense and it all makes a miasma full of awesome! When Blood Calls is dark, edgy and wickedly hot! With great characters and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end, this book is a great read! I highly recommend it.

Lush Rating: 4!

In My Mailbox! (34)

I haven't done one of these in weeks! Sheesh. Anyway, so I'm going to cover the books I've received the past couple of weeks and they are..

Aries Rising by Bonnie Hearn Hill
All I ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Bethany Fantaskey
Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Masked Anthology edited by Lou Anders.

Awesome!

-- IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Review! Death's Excellent Vacation

Death's Excellent Vacation

Charlaine Harris, Toni L.P. Kelner 

Ace 

August 3, 2010

ISBN-10: 0441018688

ISBN-13: 978-0441018680

The editors of Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns deliver a new collection-including a never-before-published Sookie Stackhouse story. 
New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Katie MacAlister, Jeaniene Frost-plus Lilith Saintcrow, Jeff Abbott, and more-send postcards from the edge of the paranormal world to fans who devoured Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns.

With an all-new Sookie Stackhouse story and twelve other original tales, editors Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner bring together a stellar collection of tour guides who offer vacations that are frightening, funny, and touching for the fanged, the furry, the demonic, and the grotesque. Learn why it really can be an endless summer-for immortals.

Even monsters need a vacation! In Death's Excellent Vacation, there are thirteen short stories ranging from a brand spankin' new Sookie Stackhouse story, which happens to be one of my most favorite series, to new-to-me authors. Admittedly, I've never been a fan of anthologies such as this because if I like a story in it, by the time it's over, I always want more! So I'm left unsatisfied and I don't like that.  However, I highly enjoy most of the stories in this anthology.

One of my favorites is Katie MacAlister's story, "The Perils of Effrijim". It's told in Jim's point of view and he is the demon dog from her Aisln't ing Grey series and I absolutely love that character. Love! He's absolutely hilarious and I was so incredibly happy to read his story. There's also another story I really enjoyed: Jeaniene Frost's short story titled "One for the Money" about Cat and Bones, I totally love those books and it was really cool to revisit some old favorite characters.

While there were several stories I highly enjoyed, like Lilith Saintcrow's "The Heart is Always Right" and L.A. Banks' "Seeing is Believing," I didn't enjoy them all. There's some new-to-me authors that I'll definitely look up but some stories just didn't hold my attention. Overall, Death's Excellent Vacation is a fun quick read in which you can revisit favorite characters or find new authors, I really enjoyed it and and while I don't think I'll ever be a huge fan of anthologies, they're a cool read every now and then.

Lush Rating: 3!

Feature Book Trailer! Halo by Alexandra Adornetto.

This is the trailer for Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, an up-coming YA about angels and I'm insanely excited to start reading this book! Love the trailer and expect a review from me soon.

Review & Giveaway! The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller.

The Eternal One

Kirsten Miller

Razorbill 

August 10, 2010

ISBN-10: 1595143084

ISBN-13: 978-1595143082

Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother's house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves, before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

I've never been a fan of reincarnation or predestination love in my fiction, or reality for that matter. I just think that thinking things are predestined is like saying that you won't take responsibility for your actions because it was predestined and there was nothing you could have done to change that. I just don't like it. Anyway, wow, tangent much? Anyway, having said that, when I first heard about The Eternal Ones, I was a bit wary because Haven seen have been reincarnated and like I said (read: ranted) before, I'm not into that.  However, it sounded interesting and I'm happy to say that I highly enjoyed the story.

Since she was a wee girl, Haven's had visions of a boy whom she's always dreamed of finding but she hadn't put her dreams into actions until now. Next thing you know, she's in New York to found the boy who looks exactly like the one in her vision. Things are not that easy, though, because the boy, Iain, is suspected of murder and he's got a crazy past. Things even get more complicated when Haven starts wondering if Iain killed her in the past, which, by the way? Not a good incentive to a budding romance. Just sayin'. So things are bound to get real messy.

While I enjoyed The Eternal Ones, at times it seemed to me that there was just too much details, too much information and it wasn't even important information that the reader would need to be able to understand what was going on. I'm talking useless details that after a while, I was just over with. Haven's got a very appealing voice and it's very cool to see her deal with her present and past clashing together. The Eternal Ones is an entertaining story about fate and predestination and how love can surpass time. 

Lush Rating: 3!

GIVEAWAY! Courtesy of the awesome people at Razorbill, I have a copy of The Eternal Ones to give away! Open to US and Canada.  Just comment fill up the following form and you're entered! Dateline is August 1st.

Review! The Wish List by Gabi Stevens

The Wish List

Gabi Stevens

Tor Books

April 27, 2010

ISBN-10: 0765365030

ISBN-13: 978-0765365033

Kristin Montgomery is more than a little shocked when her aunts inform her they’re fairy godmothers. Worse, after dropping that bombshell they hand her a wand and head off on a world cruise. Now Kristin’s uncomplicated life as a CPA in San Diego has disappeared like magic and she not only has to deal with her burgeoning magical powers, but also a reluctant—and distractingly sexy—magical arbiter.

Tennyson Ritter is a historian. A scholar by choice, he is yanked from his studies to act as arbiter for the newly chosen fairy godmother. He doesn’t want to waste his time with a woman who doesn’t know anything about magic or the magical world, but soon the beguiling Kristin draws him away from his books and into her life.

But before Kristin can hone her skills and pass the tests necessary to fully claim her powers, she and Tennyson must work together to defend the world – both magical and human – against those that would claim her powers for their own.

One day Kristin Montgomery is a boring, ol' CPA, the next she founds out her aunts are fairy godmothers going on a cruise and so is Kristin! A fairy godmother, that is. She's not going on a cruise. Turns out, they're retiring and that means that Kristin has to take their place as a godmother but there's a wee little problem: She has no idea how to even use a wand, nevertheless actually going about granting wishes and doing whatever else entails being a godmother. So because she's a newb, she has to be trained by no other than Tennyson Ritter, a well-know historian and wizard. 

To make things deliciously complicated, from the get-go Kristin and Tennyson have the hots for each other but as a arbiter/student, it's against the rules for them to start anything. But before they can even start thinking about exploring their very-illegal feelings for each other, odd things start to happen and before you know it, Kristin's life is in danger and Tennyson is the only one who can help her. Obviously. 

Let me start by saying that I did not finish The Wish List. Yep, it was a DNF for me and mostly because I could not stand either main character. From the beginning, Kristin annoyed the bejesus out of me with her whining and it got old fast. Tennyson is so high and mighty that at times I wanted to reach into the book and smack him. I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt and even made it almost half way through the book before I just called it a day and gave up. The story itself is just so convoluted and poorly-explained and honestly, it seemed like the author was pulling information out of nowhere and smashing it all together in the hopes of it somehow making sense and it didn't one bit. The plot is shallow and confusing and the characters highly annoying and unlikeable and I'm sorry to say The Wish List was a huge miss for me. 

Lush Rating: 2!

Giveaway! Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm giving away a copy of Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater - thanks to the awesome people at Scholastic! - to a lucky winner to celebrate the release of Linger on July 20th. 

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human... until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one.

Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn't cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend.

But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it's only me who's not firmly in my own skin.

If you'd like to win both of these great books (My Shiver review is here and my Linger one will be coming soon), fill out the form below. Dateline is Monday 7/19. This giveaway is open to US only. Sorry Canada.