Review: Diana by the Moon by Tracy Cooper-Posey

Description:
Diana -- a fiery kitten of a Roman woman, who hides a terrible past, and struggles to lead her people on a desperate quest for survival against famine and Saxon raids, unable to trust anyone.

Alaric -- proud Celtic warrior and trusted lieutenant to the upstart British leader, Arthur, who must overcome his hatred of Romans if he is to fulfill Arthur's ambitions in the north.

A haunting tale of two lives touched by the coming of King Arthur, and two hearts & souls struggling to come together against odds as great as those against Britain itself. Only together will they survive, or else be sundered...forever.

Review:
I received this book as a review copy from the author and I have to admit I was not sure if I would like it at all. My skepticism is rooted in my prejudices concerning historicals. I'm super critical with those and often only expect the typical clichés. Yeah, I know that this totally wrong and there are good ones out there but that's what I think before I start reading one. I just can't seem to find a positive attitude concerning this genre and yes it makes is even harder for this genre to earn my praise. But enough about me and back to the book at hand.

The story is about Diana, a Roman girl living in Britian around King Arthur's time. Her life was hard to say it nice. Nightmarish horrible would describe it more accurately. The story starts with a big bang, a really bad one. I felt so bad for Diana and her sister Minna and I wasn't sure if I could stand reading more of this story. I know that this time was rather harsh but I'm always not very comfortable reading about war and even worse rape. I'm a wimp and I know it but these are things I just can't stomach. I don't want to say to much just it's not described directly so it was more bearable for me. I really felt for the girls and I wanted a HEA for them.

Alaric is a warrior at heart. He also had a rough past and has his own prejudices to battle. He is send to Diana's property on Arthur's command and he's not very happy about that. He wants to fight for the cause of freeing Britain and unite them. He's headstrong and knows how to give orders but he has to learn to be a little more sensitive around Diana.

The lovestory between this two developed rather slow. I noticed that I really got impatient with this. I wanted them to just accept that they want each other but they both are way too stubborn for that. The whole relationship is rather tame through the whole book and this disappointed me a bit but it could be that I'm just getting greedy smut-wise. I loved the way Tracy handled the whole rape thing. It felt real and I would have hated it if she would have handled it differently.

The plot was okay but I have to say nothing exceptional. It was entertaining the whole time but I think a little twist here and there would have made it so much more. One thing I found rather surprising was that all the characters talked normal. No strange old accent, they just said everything the way people talk today. It's not that I miss that but I was something I expected of a historical or is that me and my prejudices again? I was aso a bit disappointed with the end. I wanted it to be more of a HEA as it was.

All in all I enjoyed Diana by the Moon. It exceeded my expectations and was heart-wrenching from the start till the end. A thoughtful book  that really handled this topic adequately.


To learn more about Tracy and her books please visit her website here.


Read other reviews @goodreads. Buy the book @Ellora's Cave


Tracy will be here tomorrow with a guestpost and a giveaway. So be sure to come over!

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Review: Carson's Night by Teal Ceagh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description:

It’s August 1977 in New York City and the weird sculptor Moss Alex Meinhardt lies dead at the foot of an ugly gargoyle he’s half-completed. Natalia Grey’s demon hunter father is also dead, and his new partner, the astonishingly sexy Carson Connors, can’t remember how it happened.

Carson isn’t sure what role he has played in Natalia’s father’s death, but after one look at Natalia, he does know that guilty or not, he’s doomed.

Natalia must take up her father’s sword and her heritage as a demon hunter and figure out what happened this night, for the gargoyles Meinhardt carved have life they should not have without the help of dark forces she and Carson must defeat—once the gargoyles have risen, of course. But the night is hours away yet…

Review:
I received this book as a review copy from the author and was really curious about what Teal has come up with.
First thing I noticed was that this book is really short. My ARC copy has only around 60 pages and I was not sure how much I would like that. You know, I really love a good backstory and all the build up in a relationship: like developing trust and the morphing from simple attraction to love. I was not completely disappointed in that area but I won't say that it was perfect either. I think a few more pages would have made this book so much more.

But let me start at the beginning.

Tally is a demon hunter and the first thing we learn about her is that her dad has been murdered. It's a rather harsh start for a book but I won't tell you too much about it. As I mentioned it's a short book and I always feel like I'm already giving away too much. Tally is a strong woman but she is not afraid to show her emotions. I found that rather astonishing for a demon hunter. I'm not sure if it's such a good trait for someone who's life depends on being strong and hard to read.

On the other hand we have the mysterious Carson who's her dads Partner and was found by his corpse. Tally is suspicious about him at the start but her immediate attraction to him pushes her reservations into the background. I found that rather odd. I'm not sure if I could muster any attraction for the guy I'm accusing of being responsible for my dad's death. He could look like Hugh Jackman all he wants and I wouldn't care.
One leads to the next and we get some muy calliente scenes. This part was really hot and I have to say I forgot all the above mentioned problems at that point. *wink*

 

 

The story around the murder is nicely woven and the solution at the end was okay. I found one thing a bit odd on the way but I can't tell you what without spoiling the book.
All in all Carson's Night is an entertaining Paranormal Romance with a gripping plot and a hot relationship.

To learn more about Tracy(that's Teal's real name) and her books please visit her website here.

And Tracy will be her on Friday with a guestpost and a giveaway. So be sure to come back on Friday.
Buy the ebook from Ellora's Cave

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Review: Dear Sir, I'm Yours by Joely Sue Burkhart

Description:

This professor’s final exam includes a spanking.
There’s no house restoration too challenging for Rae Jackson, a.k.a. “The Fix-It Lady”. There’s no fixing the past, though. Like the day she left college. A semester of flirting with her English professor ended when he spanked her to the best orgasm of her life. Afraid of her own eager willingness to comply with the sexy dom’s commands—no matter what—she fled.
Yet not even five years can dim her memory of his masterful touch.
Conn never forgot the one student who gave him a big fat “F” on the greatest test of his life. After all these years, he’s still haunted by his uncharacteristic loss of control. When he finds the very object of his shame—and desire—crawling around under his grandmother’s house, he swears to do anything to win Rae’s trust.
Rae finds herself helpless against Conn’s slow seduction. Exactly the way she likes it. Instead of poetry, this time she learns the erotic pleasure to be found in bondage…and submission to the sexiest professor alive.
Warning: Explicit sex, spanking, light bondage, a crazy old lady who talks to ghosts, and one lethal pink parasol.

Review:
As always I'm totally biased all thing concerning Joely so be prepared for my rave.
I read DSIY for the first time last summer after reading a fabulous review by Pearl. I started with the free prequel Letters (you can find that one here) and I was hooked from the start. What makes this book so special to me is all the emotion Joely put into this book.  How did she do that? I think I have to explain that in detail.

Rae is a strong woman afraid to lose herself in a man, especially Conn. She lived through a really bad marriage and still fights the consequences this left behind. She didn't see Conn for 5 years but she always thought of him. She wrote him many letters, explaining how she feels and what happened in her life. She never send one of them and I can so understand why. It's hard to bare your soul to someone else and Rae doesn't want to be that vulnerable. I adored every single one of her letters. Reading them feels like grabbing Rae's diary and taking a long deep look into her soul. The letters are so raw and heartfelt that I sometimes felt like intruding into her personal space. But nosy me doesn't mind that. *wink*


Conn on the other hand has a goal the moment he lays his eyes on Rae again: making it work this time. He is such a wonderful character: caring, loving and dominant with capital D. Conn knows what he wants. But even more than that he knows what he doesn't want: to hurt Rae or to make her run again. He is determinant to do everything what needs to be done to make Rae understand what he, his attraction to her and his sexual preferences are about. He takes his time to make her see the difference between submission and losing herself is. He shows her what kind of power a submissive holds over her Dom. I think this books describes this relationship in such a loving way that you just can't close your eyes against it.

The relationship buildup was lovely and spiked with a joke here and there and even some pop quizzes to lighten the mood. I loved how they both acted around each other when the first insecurities where diminished. I could see the adoration in Rae's eyes and I could feel the temperature rising when Conn saw his love.


The scenes between the sheets came after a rather long really hawt wait but they totally made up for that. And OMG the poetry was gorgeous. I would have never thought that something like that could be that sizzling.

I also enjoyed reading about the wonderful side-characters. Ms. Belle the more or less crazy lady who talks to her dead husband and solves murder cases in her free time or the math professor with love for swordplay.

All in all Dear Sir, I'm Yours is one of the best books I read in 2009 and it's already on my all time favorites pile. The love story is sweet, thoughtful and heartbreaking in the right mix with witty conversations, laugh-out-loud moments and scorching hot one-on-one encounters. You could never understand what's the gist of BDSM is? Read this book and you will get at least a fundamental understanding of it. Highly recommended read!

To learn more about Joely and her books please visit her website here.


We also have an interview with Joely @Book Lovers, INC today. You also get a chance to win a signed copy of Dear Sir, I'm Yours there.
And Joely will come over for a little surprise visit to The Geeky Bookworm this week too.

The Connagher Series:
1. Dear Sir, I'm Yours: reviews @goodreads, dual review with pattepoilue & me @BookLoversINC, buy ebook @BooksOnBoard, buy paperback @amazon (release tomorrow)

2. Hurt Me So Good(Victor's book): TBD 2010

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Review: Original Sin by Allison Brennan

Description:

Haunted by chilling memories of demonic possession and murder, Moira O’Donnell has spent seven years hunting down her mother, Fiona, whose command of black magic has granted her unprecedented control of the underworld. Now Moira’s global search has led her to a small California town that’s about to become hell on earth.
Tormented by his own terrifying past and driven by powers he can’t explain, ex-seminarian Rafe Cooper joins Moira’s dangerous quest. But Fiona is one devilish step ahead. Hungry for greater power, eternal youth, and stunning beauty, the sorceress is unleashing upon the mortal world the living incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Together with a demonologist, a tough female sheriff, and a pair of star-crossed teenagers, Moira and Rafe are humanity’s last chance to snatch salvation from the howling jaws of damnation.

Review:

I received this book as a review copy from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. and started it in February. As you can see it took me forever to finish this one. Here are a few reason why I think this is not my kind of book:
1. The beginning of the book confused me. All the background information you get is scattered through the story line and I had problems trying to keep up. It felt like a bit too much from time to time. 
2. I don't really like Moira. Always a bad sign for a book. For me it felt like Ms. Brennan doesn't want us to like Moira or perhaps Moira is just not a person I would like. Moira doesn't even like herself. Perhaps it was just too dark for me.
3. This book is written out of so many POVs and it was way too many for me. I can live with 2 or 3 but here we have way too many for my taste. And I have to admit I didn't really like characters. Rafe was okay but his appearance was too late to save the book in my eyes.
4. I thought this book was categorized as paranormal romance but it's not really one. Not enough romance for my taste. I would call it urban fantasy if it would play in a bigger city. I'm not sure which genre it really is.

Okay now to the things I liked and enjoyed:
1. The mystical background was intriguing and I liked how Ms. Brennan created the world itself.
2. Rafe is wonderful character. I really enjoyed his part in the book. I wanted to figure him out and why all that stuff (won't say what cuz of spoilers and all) happened to him.
3. The end was thrilling and I devoured the last 100 pages or so.
All in all I was a bit disappointed that I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would. I read so many great reviews. But after all it's good that we don't all like the same things or this world would really be boring.

I would recommend this books to lovers of dark urban fantasy who like this genre even without a big romance in it.

To learn more about Allison Brennan and her books please visit her homepage here.

You can read other reviews of Original Sin @GoodReads.

You can buy the book @BookDepository

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