The Greyfriar by Clay Griffith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't looking specifically for Greyfriar, book 1 in the Vampire Empire series when I bought it. I was just snatching up books randomly at a Borders closing sale. I'm so glad that this wasn't one of the books I put back on the shelf! This book has it all- action, horror, magic, technology, politics, a bit of romance, and even a few cats! The characters were so well written that I loved the good guys, and could even empathize with a few of the bad guys. The heroine Adele in particular is very interesting; she's not TSTL, or an over the top tough girl. There's a lot of depth to her character. At 19 years old, she's confident, but knows she's not invincible, responsible, and committed to her plight and committed to being a good empress for her people.

When I started reading this one, I neglected goodreads all day (for once!), I didn't watch television, clean house, or talk the phone. That's how engrossing this story is. I mean, the action starts within the first few pages of the book, and pretty much continues throughout. I've already ordered my copy of The Rift Walker, book 2 in the Vampire Empire trilogy, and will be reading it as soon as it arrives.

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Nocturne by Syrie James


I actually came across this one while browsing the book section at Target for a differnt book. As I just love paranormal romance the title "Nocturne" really caught my attention. The synopsis sounded really interesting, and I could hardly wait to get home to start reading it. The author gives an excellent description of the setting where the story takes place. That said, there just wasn't enough back story provided on the main characters Michael and Nicole for me, so it was hard for me to feel anything for them, or root for their relationship. The story takes of over the span of 4 or 5 days I believe, so the romance felt rushed. I can understand the sexual tension in such a short time, but not "I love you." There were also a few parts of the story that I felt required some follow up. For example, Nicole is having dreams/ visions at different points throughout the story, but they're never addressed. Overall, this was a quick and easy read, and just what I needed to pass the time on a rainy afternoon. This was the first novel that I've read by this author, and I'd like to give one of her other novels- Dracula My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker a try. My feeling is that if the story were longer, there would be more background info on the main characters, and the romance would have more depth to it.



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Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the first book that I've read by Lilith Saintcrow, I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to finishing the Dante Valentine series. I had this one this one my shelf for a while, and avoided reading it as I've grown tired of reading about a string of tough girl heroines that are poorly written, and just end up more annoying than anything else. Well, that definitely wasn't the case with Dante Valentine in my opinion. Although tough, I felt like her character had a good balance between toughness and healthy fear. Which was pretty refreshing. Aside from Dante, the other characters introduced into the story added to it quite a bit. I hope they're featured in every novel. I liked the combo of the fantasy/ paranormal combined with the tech/ futuristic theme; so much so that I found it difficult to stop reading once I really got into the story. Even though this is the first book in the series, and there were a few questions I still had by the end, the story felt complete to me. That said, I'm looking forward to getting more into the world building as the series progresses.

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The Darkest Joy by Dahlia Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It involves fallen angels, demons, love, redemption etc. All the things that make for a great read! I gave it four stars because it felt a little rushed in places for me. I'm sure if it were a full length novel, and not a novella, it'd be 5 stars. This is the first Dahlia Rose writing that I've read; I'm definitely looking forward to more.

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Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a good book, that I don't even know where to begin! First off, Liberty Jones is the most refreshing heroine that I've read about is a very long time. We get introduced to her as a child. Her story from childhood to adulthood is told in depth; readers get to know what makes Liberty Liberty. From her struggles, to her losses, to her sacrifices, you can't help but feel invested in Liberty, and root for her. In fact, I felt invested in all of the characters introduced in Sugar Daddy- from Marva and Mr. Ferguson, to the entire Travis family. There were times reading this when I just laughed out loud, and a few times when I just felt like crying. Near the end, I was on the edge of my seat wondering if I would get the ending that I was hoping for, and I'm so happy with how well the story ended. I'm definitely looking forward to reading Blue Eyed Devil. I know I've said this about other books, but Sugar Daddy really should be made into a movie. Honestly, this is the best book I've read so far for 2011!

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Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, I have to say that this is one of the better historical romances that I've read. Sarah MacLean didn't write Callie as your typical historical romance character, and that was very much appreciated. By ton standards, Callie was an overweight spinster, and they had no problem letting her know it. Ugh! Luckily, Callie, although having some insecurities, thought enough of herself to go out and start living her life, and not allow herself to live vicariously through her younger sister. Callie was smart, classy, attractive, and intelligent; cautious one minute, and adventourous the next! Ralston, although having a reputation as a rake, was an honorable and perceptive gentleman- a perfect match for Callie!

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