Exhale, 2^nd book of the Just Breathe series by Kendall Grey.

I hate Kendall Gray. I just. I just can’t. My mind. Blown.

Perhaps hate is a strong word.

I had just consumed Inhale and was in a state of post good read bliss. Normally, I’m reluctant to read the second book of a series if the first book lived beyond expectations. Usually I give myself a little time – at least a couple days to contemplate, ponder, take a final drag out of the last remaining feelings of satisfaction from my happily ever afters. Sometimes I’m really good and manage to hold myself back until I’m sure the entire series is complete before embarking on days of sleepless kindle binges.

But I f'ing didn’t take my time. No, Kendall Grey is so gifted, her world so complex, her characters just so. just so damn full of life that I couldn’t help myself.

I read book two. And while I was reading book two, I could see the inevitable happening literally right before my eyes. I was powerless to stop it. I was powerless to stop reading it. And it happened. And now we wait for book three. Thank god it’s scheduled for a January release.

Read book two but only if you have read book one. Exhale picks up exactly where Inhale stops off. Also, know this is a trilogy which I decided to pointedly ignore before embarking on this journey. Like her previous book, Kendall Grey once again throws us into the Elemental World but if you’ve read book one, you will at least have some footing. But don’t worry, she still manages to keep us hapless readers off balance. You will predict some twists but Kendall Grey will definitely fling you off the ride with other turns. I get the sense that there is a bigger game at play in her trilogy and Kendall Grey has only just whetted our appetites. Here’s to 2013. 

Consequences, Book 1 of the Consequences Series, by Aleatha Romig.

I'm sorry Aleatha Romig... I couldn't finish your book. I got two-thirds of the way through and had to take a break and I haven't been able to come back since.

I could really tell that Aleatha Romig spent a lot of time researching into and weaving Stockholm Syndrome into her story. And it was those details that lost me. When I was given description after description of the mundane including Claire Nichols' shopping ventures, dining ventures, the drive to the those ventures, basically descriptions of the number of twigs on one branch of one tree in the massive forest of the blurring lines between domination vs submission and frank abuse, I got tired and couldn't continue the journey. Aleatha Romig does eventually venture into that formidable forest, but by that time I was so exhausted that I couldn't keep up.

I wasn't even really sure what type of story Consequences was supposed to be. Clearly this was not a traditional romance. Nor was it an anti-hero/heroine romance. Was this even a romance? Perhaps not. I'm hoping this might all turn out to be an epic story of Vengeance but the reviews of the second book have cast some serious doubt on that hope.

I might end up skipping the rest of the book and trying the second in the series since Truth has 5 stars. I'm not sure if I'm ready to throw myself into that world again.

Inhale, Book 1 of the Just Breathe Trilogy by Kendall Gray, was pretty fantasmic.

I am relatively new to the world of Elemental PNR and I was a bit wary at first. But then again, I was wary of Trolls and you know what happened when I finally read the Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking (I loved it). Plus, I couldn’t pass up a free book. I should have learned and I definitely did.

Like I said. Fantasmic.

No, this was not a erotica thriller with sex, raunchy sex, kinky sex and general smut smut thrown around for an extra good measure of good ol’ hedonistic sex. Of course, don’t get me wrong, Kendall Gray does not disappoint when exploring the relationship between Zoe and Gavin. Kendall Gray just adds so much *more* to her story.

I love how Kendall Gray threw us into the Elemental world with no lengthy introductions or overly long descriptive prose. I stumbled a bit since the terminology was unfamiliar and the players not fully revealed. In fact, even by the end, the author left us still treading in the Elementals world. While she explores the feelings between Zoe and Gavin pretty extensively, she is able to flesh out her secondary characters with delicious glimpses into their hidden backgrounds. Everyone is playing a game in this series and as readers, we still don’t know all the rules. And I love it. Can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

The Marann, Book 1 of Tales of Tolari Space, by Christie Meierz  was one of the best science fiction romances that I have read in a long time.

Ms. Meierz writes about Ms. Marianne Woolsey, a young hyperpolyglot fluent in seventeen languages and teacher of foreign language in twenty-sixth century Iowa, who has been forcibly requested by Earth’s government to teach six foreign languages to the heir of the Sural, leader of a distant uncannily human like race called the Tolari.

I loved how the author introduced us to the Tolari mostly through Ms. Woolsey’s perspective. Her description of the complex culture of the Tolari is water to the world building thirsty soul. Her attention to detail from initial encounters, hierarchy, foods, clothes and even language is impressive and without contradiction. Clearly Christie Meierz has spent an extraordinary amount of time researching and piecing together her Tolari world. Her work reminds me of the efforts of Ilona Andrew husband and wife team and their own detailed world building which makes Meierz’s efforts even more impressive as she completed all this work on her own.

I immensely enjoyed how the love story that plays between Marianne Woolsey and the Sural is sweet and evenly paced. Their relationship plays out over years instead of a few days or even a few hours as some other romance relationships in the same genre tend to do. And their story is not over as The Marann is only the first of the series.  

The Marann is one of the few thought provoking and beautiful science fiction romances out there in an otherwise seemingly smut smut filled world.

If you loved The Marann, I would recommend reading Eden by Louise Wise and Starkissed by Lanette Curington.

Seduction and Snacks

I’m laughing alone in my apartment and realize I must look ridiculous. Curled up on my couch with a blanket over my lap and my kindle in front of me, I’m reading Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec and I’m loving it. So I keep chuckling.

I’ve decided to depart from my usual paranormal romance/fantasy and have been foraging in the realm of “normal” romance for the last few weeks. I have been pleasantly surprised. I’ve come to the conclusion that magical feats, fanging necks and displaying super alpha prowess through super alpha powers are not absolutely necessary to good ol’ romance (excluding my paranormal favorites of course).

Exploring farther and farther out of the realm of paranormal, I’ve finally discovered book #1 of the Chocolate Lovers Series by Ms. Sivec this past week. Seduction and Snacks has incidentally shot up to become one of my top 10 favorite books of all time.

Ms. Sivec writes the story of Claire and Carter, two young lovers who had a brief affair which led to a more prolonged adventure, a son named Gavin. Unfortunately, since Claire and Carter never really exchanged names, Gavin became Claire’s solo adventure. Thankfully, fate brings them together 5 years later and hilarity ensues. Literally.

I mean belly laughing, tears falling, I’m feeling a little embarrassed for laughing so much on my own while reading a book hilarity. Ms. Sivec’s writing is smooth with natural dialogue and natural interactions between her cast of characters. The next book Futures and Frosting is already out but I find myself reluctant to read it since Book #1 has already set such high standards.  But with 135 five stars for Book #2, I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed.

Just finished The Restorer by Amanda Stevens.

Wow. what an amazing book. The first book of a series with a name like The Graveyard Queen, how can you not be intrigued.

This book captivated me from the very beginning. Amanda Stevens descriptions of the Lowcountry and Southerners like the Gullah, her ability to turn a sunset and the fragrance of flowers into something mystical and otherworldly is stunning. Her characters were ones I couldn't help falling in love with. Her writing so deliberate and her plots so intense that I had to actually slow myself down when I was reading. I didn't want to devour this book in one sitting, I wanted this book to never end and I took my time getting to the inevitable.

I can't wait for book 2 to come out.

True Blood.

(pretty puny fang action if you ask me.)

Okay, I'll be honest, I've been avoiding this series for years. I know, I know, it's one of the most well known vampire romances out there. The television series is considered the X-rated, adult version of Twilight. And when you put together X-rated and Twilight, it's gotta be good, right??

But I thought I had already read most of it. And honesty, three's a company in the romance department for me. private investigator, vampire AND werewolf?? Hey, I may like my troll teenage romances, but even I've got to draw a line somewhere.

But then my boyfriend got me the True Blood box set for my birthday. And, frankly, that's one of the most thoughtful, heartfelt gifts I've ever gotten. Even after mercilessly teasing me about my slight obsession with the paranormal, he still went out to Amazon and checked out what other people with my.. condition were into.

So I decided to give it another chance. I tried reading the first book again. And failed. Apparently, taking the mystery and suspense out of mystery suspense paranormal romance is no fun at all.

But then I said, hey, why not, let's just start with the second book. See if I actually remember any of it.

And 1 day later, I have finished that entire second book.

True Blood is AWESOME. I love it!! I can't believe it took me so long to get to this series. Turns out I never even read past the first book. There isn't even a private investigator. The boyfriend chose his series well.

Next, an actual review of Book 2 in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse Series, Living Dead in Dallas.

i certainly try not to.

i love me my pnr.

been back in the country for 3 days and i've just been sleeping, eating and devouring my books. i just finished the Trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking and it was amazing.

The Trylle trilogy is a young adult paranormal romance. about trolls.

I've read books about vampires, werewolves, faeries, elves, witches, valkyries, aliens, ghosts, immortals, etc etc. But, even to me, a coming of age story about a young teenage troll seems kinda ridiculous. And yet, 18 hours later with a smile on my face, I have to admit, this was one incredible story about trolls.

Meet Wendy Everly, a 17 year old girl whose never felt like she's quite fit in and incidentally whose own mother tried to kill her when she was 6. At the latest of her long string of schools from which she's been suspended/expelled, Wendy meets Finn Holmes, a tracker whose come to bring Wendy back to her true home and destiny. **insert epic music**

I really enjoyed this series. Amanda Hocking has a way of building not only an extremely detailed and believable world, but also filling it with characters with an incredible amount of depth that keep believably surprising me. From the very beginning, I felt like I could completely relate to Wendy, from when she meets Finn for the first time, to being thrown into a world with completely new rules and even more unbelievable expectations, from heartbreak, to finding love unexpectedly, from despair and then to ultimately triumphing in the end.

I never wanted the series to end. But it did. And if there was one thing that slightly marred the overall very satisfying experience, it was the HEA. I really do love my happily ever after's. But, this one was a little too happy, even for me. Wendy's whole journey was filled with conflicts and tough decisions, and even if she deserved all the happiness she got in the end, everything concluded a little too tidily. Okay, I admit it, it's because I have a soft spot for Finn. But also, since I respect how Amanda Hocking brought real life into paranormal fantasy, I will begrudgingly admit that Wendy made the right choice.

In any case, because I loved Trylle so much, I can't wait to read more of Amanda Hocking's works.

PNR voting!!

I really like Meljean Brooks. and Nalini Singh. But have to say, Meljean hasn't gotten the publicity she deserves. This is also a shameless bid to win an ipad2 as well.

Finished The Darkest Edge of Dawn, Book 2 of the Charlie Madigan Series by Kelly Gay, a couple days ago.

I really enjoyed Book 1 of the series, The Better Part of Darkness. The world building was complex and fleshed out. And the cast was intriguing. But, it took me a while to warm up to Charlie Madigan, the protagonist. She was extremely stubborn and in denial throughout most of the book. I still pulled for her, though, mostly because Kelly Gay described how much Charlie loved her daughter so well. I couldn't help but empathize with Charlie when all her emotions were so heart felt, well reasoned and well described.

This sequel seemed like a completely different book. After finishing, I felt like I had watched a blockbuster action film. A lot happens. There are relationship changes, fire fights, deaths, world saving/world dooming, etc. There's still a pretty cast in an extensive and detailed world. But, Charlie just stopped developing. Her massive stubbornness and unchanging denial was incredibly frustrating. In fact, the entire cast seemed to be superficially described with superficial reactions. I just stopped caring about her and everyone else after awhile.

**SPOILERS**

For example, if my extremely attractive/available/siren partner just voice fucked me against my will, I'd be more than just a little embarrassed and feeling awkward. I'd be angry, scared, conflicted, and maybe even a little ashamed. But no, Charlie promises herself she won't become one of those (aka Siren groupies), decides to forget about it for awhile and goes on to save the world instead.

**END SPOILERS**

Honestly, I'm not really looking forward to Book 3. I don't want to see how Charlie's relationships are forced to adapt to her inability to change. In the end, I want to see a protagonist that is challenged by the people around her and made better for it.

I think Karen Marie Moning has ruined me for PNR forever. Shadowfever was just that good.

0600. just finished Shadowfever. read it in one sitting, in one night. it was amazing.

OH MY GOD. Shadowfever, the last book to the mind blowingly incredible Fever Series, is out in less than 36 hours!!! I have been dying for the last 3 months. I CANNOT WAIT.

Barrons better not be dead.

http://www.karenmoning.com/kmm/novels/fever-series.html

i am an avid reader.

i wish i could say i was a reader of the classics, that i enjoyed pursuing literature of intellectual repute, but obviously, i am neither.

as many of my closest friends already know, i crave my HEA's (happily ever after's to the uninitiated). i scorn the movies that force me to think. i run from media that push my boundaries because frankly, being a minority and soon to be medical professional, i see some crappy shit in real life. (although, let's be honest, other people deal with infinitely more crappier shit.) plus i love me some vampires.

anyway, the following is a list of my favorite 4+ book series of the paranormal romance/urban fantasy inclination. and if you happened to click on the links and didn't avert your eyes on time, please, don't judge the books by their scantily clad covers:

Fever series - by Karen Marie Moning

http://www.karenmoning.com/novels/

- Great character development over the series, epic save the world post apocalypse style.

Kate Daniels series - by Ilona Andrews

http://www.ilona-andrews.com/books/

- Awesome magic+tech alternative universe world building with a believable alpha+alpha romance.

Guardian series - by Meljean Brook

http://meljeanbrook.com/books

- Action packed series loosely based on Christian theology with huge artistic license. my favorite vampire romance (Demon Moon) is also included in the series ;)

Psy/Changeling series - by Nalini Singh

http://www.nalinisingh.com/books.html

- My first introduction to PNR. Great romances with a multiethnic cast. H/H (heroine/hero) diversity always deserves a gold star.

Immortals after Dark series - by Kresley Cole

http://kresleycole.com/books.html

- Incredibly layered storylines that weave together seamlessly book after book.