Cach, Lisa: A Babe in Ghostland

ISBN: 0743470907

From the Publisher:

Megan Barrows has retired from a brief career as a ghostbusting psychic and now uses her sixth sense to fill her Seattle antiques store with objects with happy pasts. After once nearly having the soul sucked out of her by a malevolent spirit, she prefers a quiet life.

Case Lambert is a real estate prospector who restores old houses, then sells them for profit. He has just bought a dilapidated mansion so amazing that he wants to keep it for himself, but the house appears to be haunted. Seriously haunted. A few inquiries lead him to Megan Barrows.

Megan at first refuses to help, but Case is a master of persuasion. Moving into the mansion, they discover that one of the ghosts has a thing for Case -- and there may be even more amorous spirits inside this veritable paranormal vortex. But it soon becomes clear that no one -- dead or alive -- can stop Megan and Case from ending up in each other's arms. . .

I finished this one a few days ago, but didn't get around to reviewing it... so it's not quite as fresh in my mind.

The things that I loved about it were as follows: I felt that it had a creep factor without being frightening, the characters were interesting and multi-dimensional, and the author had a good voice for the book.

The things I didn't like about it: I felt like some of the technical information was a bit much (as though the author wanted to show off that she did some research), I didn't like Eric (one of the characters, but that's to be expected), and there wasn't a great hook in the beginning.

I'm glad I picked this book up. It was an amusing way to pass a couple of hours, and I would recommend it to those who like ghost stories (and romances, as it is after all, a romance novel!). I'm not sure that I would recommend buying it, but it's definitely read-able, and a great book to borrow from a friend or the library.

Blair, Annette: The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe

ISBN: 0425213463

From the Publisher:

Sexy new romance from the national bestselling author of "My Favorite Witch." To restore his clan to glory, Rory MacKenzie must reclaim a beautifully carved unicorn. His search leads him to Victoria Cartwright, whose untapped magical power reveals a long-hidden treasure in her.

This book picks up where My Favourite Witch leaves off, but instead of following Kira and Jason, it switches over to Kira's friend, Vickie. Her Nana has passed on, and has left her several things - including major debts. More importantly, she left her a spelled wardrobe, containing a beautiful and rare unicorn off an antique carosel that once belonged to one of her ancestors. Along comes Rory MacKenzie (straight from Scotland), who needs the unicorn to pay the debt his family owes to the town where he lives. What he didn't count on was falling for this beautiful, shy witch. They have many adventures, including shared dreams, a trip to Newport and a romp inside the wardrobe (because who can think of a better place ::rolls eyes:: ).

I found the characters endearing, funny, and multi-faceted. Blair has an easy way about her writing - she creates wonderful, lovable characters that are hard to resist. Her plots are always perfectly paced - the two don't have that "romance novel" conflict, where it takes until the last chapter for them to get together.

I am seriously in love with Annette's books, and I plan on picking up a lot more of them. She's such a delightful author that I would recommend these books to any woman who appreciates a good romance novel.

Rowe, Stephanie: Must Love Dragons

ISBN: 0446617679

From the Publisher:

Featuring characters from "Date Me, Baby, One More Time," this new, fun, and witty paranormal romance is set in a world where Satan is the world's greatest lover and dragons can find love through online dating. Original.

Theresa Nichols (the dragon from DMBOMT) is back and badder than ever. Well, maybe hungrier. Her lusty online lover has now thrown down an ultimatum - meet him or he drops off the face of the earth forever. Theresa can't let this happen, he's the only thing keeping her sane while her best friend Justine and new husband Derek are off on their honeymoon. She also knows that she can't meet him in her current form - dragon! So she decides to make a deal with Satan to fix her form. Meanwhile, Zeke (the cyber-boy), is trying to crush his dragon-slaying tendancies, and needs to meet Theresa so he can report back to his boss. Meanwhile - more hits on Theresa just keep on rolling in. For some reason, several people seem to want her dead.

This is another terrific book by Stephanie Rowe, who has been rapidly rising in my eyes as a more than competant author. I really enjoy her characters, her settings and her plots. She has a great imagination, and a wonderful voice in her books.

I would recommend this book to all those who love a little bit of hilarity in their romance. While I may not have ended up laughing out loud with this one (like I did with DMBOMT), it was still just as good. Definitely an adult book!

Rowen, Michelle: Bitten & Smitten

ISBN: 0446617008

From the Publisher:

In Rowen's death-defyingly funny debut--a cross between "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Sex in the City"--Sarah Dearly goes on a blind date . . . with a vampire. Original.

Eh. This book was mediocre at best. It had some amusing and funny parts, some pretty good action sequences (fight scenes, that is), and some decent characters, but it didn't leave me with a "wow that was great" feeling.

The basic premise is this: Sarah goes on a blind date that her friend Amy sets her up with. Her date ends up being a vampire and sires her without her permission, then manages to get killed by vampire hunters, leaving her to defend herself. She does so, with the assistance of an old vamp named Thierry (how ever you say that!). He adopts her, and tries to help her adjust to her new life. She has lots of bumps and hiccups during the next week, but manages to get through it, culminating in one large fight scene at the end of the book.

I thought that there were a lot of things that the author could have made more amusing. Sarah's cousin's wedding could have been funnier (and longer), she could have written more about the vamp club that Thierry ran, and possibly, less about her silly clothing. I understand that lots of women who read these books enjoy that, but... pick one. I mean, she went on about designer shoes, and designer dresses, and other things. I guess I prefer my protagonists to have one thing that they love - be it makeup, shoes, jeans, etc. rather then them running the whole gambit. The only person that I can think of who spends more time in her books talking about clothes is Laurell K. Hamilton, and that comparison is in no way a compliment.

I guess I just wasn't all that impressed. If I find her other books at the library I may or may not take them out. I'm also not sure that I would really recommend this book to anyone - just not that interesting.

Blair, Annette: My Favorite Witch

ISBN: 0425207234

From the Publisher:

The Kitchen Witch is selling like hot-cakes. Now author Annette Blair serves up a charming tale of a beautiful witch--cursed by her ex-boyfriend--who is appointed to work with a former hockey star, the one man who can melt the ice around her heart.

I picked this book up on a whim from the library. I had chosen a couple of chick-lit type books, and this one's cover had really captured my interest. It was cutely drawn, with a kitten and had glitter on it. What's not to love? So, I picked up My Favorite Witch and The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe (I've yet to read it).

It was an incredibly light, very amusing romance novel. Blair does an excellent job of capturing your interest with complex characters, and holds your interest with character growth and fun romantic interludes throughout. You don't have to wait until the end of the book to get to the good stuff!

Basically, Jason the hockey player suffers an injury that knocks him out of the NHL for 6 months. During that time, his grandmother ropes him into running the Special Events for her foundation, including helping at St. Andrews, which is an orphanage for young boys. The grandmother also hires Jason a coordinator, so he's not running the show alone. Imagine his surprise when he meets the red-headed witch with a penchant for getting things done, and a vendetta against her two-timing ex. They end up living in one of his grandmother's mansions, and have to share a kitchen. They end up in many sweet and hilarious situations.

I really liked the whole book, as her characters were full of depth and realism (well, except for the witch part), and the plot/pace of the book was perfect. I would definitely recommend this book, and Annette Blair as an author in general. Not for those looking for any serious reading, though!

Rowe, Stephanie: Date Me, Baby, One More Time

ISBN: 0446617660

From the Publisher:

This delightful and witty paranormal romance debut features pretzel-eating dragons, cursed mathematicians, and a guardian of the Fountain of Youth in desperate need of a date.

I seriously loved this book, in all it's cheesy titled, pink covered glory. Seriously hilarious. I took it to the doctors office today, and I couldn't help but read some of it out loud to Rob as we waited. It was just that good. I mean, how can you resist a line like "You are the only woman that my tower of passion throbs for"? And? It gets even better when it's Satan saying it!

So this is the basic premise of the book: Justine is a Guardian of the Goblet of Eternal Youth, whom they call Mona. She lives with her best friend and successor, Theresa the Dragon (she used to be in human form, but drank from the goblet and got stuck in Dragon form) who is addicted to cybersex with online Zeke (who's actually quite helpful when they need to find stuff out). Justine's mom, Iris, used to be the Guardian before her, but she died in the line of duty, and is waiting in Purgatory to find out how the Council decides her fate. Here, she is being pursued by Satan to be his mistress/consort/queen. Into Justine's life walks Derek, pretzel king and cursed man. His ancestor had tried to steal the goblet, and was somehow cursed. The curse affects all men in his line - they die when they turn 31. The only way to break the curse is to kill Justine and steal the goblet. Justine, however, must kill Derek, as he knows far too much about the goblet and is a major security breach. You can imagine the tension when they are immediately (and lustily!) drawn together.

This whole book was hilarious. I would seriously recommend it to anyone who likes light fluffy paranormal romance. Be aware that there is sex in it (no cut scenes, this time), but it was low on the nitty gritty graphic scale.

Overall, I thought this was hilarious, and not what I was expecting from Rowe (after reading If The Shoe Fits). I can't wait to pick up the next one Must Love Dragons (focuses on Theresa).

Hamilton, Laurel K: Danse Macabre

ISBN: 0515142816

From the Publisher:

Fans have been waiting to sink their fangs into an all-new Anita Blake hardcover in the "New York Times" bestselling series. These days, Anita Blake is less interested in vampire politics than in an ancient, ordinary dread she shares with women down the ages: she may be pregnant. And, if she is, whether the father is a vampire, a werewolf, or someone else entirely, she knows perfectly well that being a Federal Marshal known for raising the dead and being a vampire executioner, is no way to bring up a baby.

Ugh. Where do I start? Ok, how about this - Not once did she mention that a room "smelled like so much meat". Maybe because there was no crime scene, but that's ok - there just wasn't as much repetition as usual. Yay for that. I also don't really care about how much sex was in the book - I've read her last books, I understand that sex = major factor. I don't think that she does her sex scene's well (if she was a man, I would say that she has a very small penis and makes up for it through her writing. I guess I could say that she has a very hard time finding her "good spot", so Anita will climax a billion times a day instead), but they're written descently.

Here are the things that I hated about this book, and frankly, this series.
1. Every time there is a crisis, Anita gets a new power. I'm not going to say what it is in this book, but nothing crappy ever happens, she just gets more power, or figures a way to use her existing ones better (which isn't so much a complaint, but it's not normal character development in my mind).

2. Everyone else seems to always be growing in power all the bloody time. It's like they can't grow as people, they just grow to be more powerful beings. Frustrating, to me.

3. I seriously hate her quadruple orgasms and I really really believe that LKH thinks that she's Anita. I mean, if a girl can do that and all, that's fine... but I guess I feel like it's forced in the books. Like she's saying "look, I've so accepted my sexuality that I can do this, and if you accepted yours too, maybe you could be as awesome as me".

4. She used the "F-word" far too often in regards to having sex and feeding the ardeur. It was just annoying. There are so many descriptive words and euphamisms that it wasn't necessary just to use that one. Maybe it's what she really meant to say, but I found it annoying.

5. Maybe I am very tired of Richard, but I just wanted to beat him up in this book, in a really serious way.

6. Also? The whole pregnancy thing, and the opening scene with Ronnie annoyed me as well. I mean, we all know that her pregnancy can't last, that it would destroy the series and thus LKH's main income. Why even bother? I mean, I didn't think even for a second "what if there really IS a baby?" I feel like LKH is becoming lazy, just expecting her readers to buy her books no matter what, so she gives her fans the lamest plots and twists possible.

I can't say as to whether I'll be reading The Harlequin. I'm don't regret picking this one up, as I know that I like to finish a series, if for no other reason than to say that I've read the entire series... but yeah. I just don't know if I will get it. I didn't read the bit that was included in this one (after 517 pages of Pants Macabre, I just wasn't up to another 50 pages of LKH), but I did skim a couple of pages.

She brings back Edward, the bounty hunter. Now, I enjoyed Edward's character. He was edgy, well written and type-cast, but not too far. I liked her stories with him, and have to say that Obsidian Butterfly was probably my most favourite book in the series due to his role. That said, I am absolutely petrified to read the next book. This, I think, will either save the series or put it in the ground. I mean, if Edward falls into her bed, I will seriously give away all of her books. I'd like to think that I would just throw them out, but I would probably take them to the used bookstore and at least get a couple of good books in trade. According to Edward's character, he must regect Anita, and if that happens, I think that more interesting things could happen. Maybe she'll shape up and actually start to do her job again, instead of just moping around the house playing with her boys. I don't know.

I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I can say that I very much doubt that I will ever read it again. If you're a die-hard LKH fan, I still would recommend not buying the hardcover, total waste of money. If you are at all curious about the book, I would recommend that you take it out of the library, unless you figure that you'll need kindling soon after.

No tags on this one because I don't even know where to start.

Rowe, Stephanie: If the Shoe Fits

ISBN: 0505527006

From the Publisher:

When a car accident cuts short a runner's dreams, she turns to her new business and goes from running sneakers to designer heels in this finalist for the National Readers' Choice Award.

This is a book that I picked up from the library, just because I thought it would be cute. I mean, who doesn't like shoes and books about shoes? I am glad that I did - it turned out to be really good.

Basically, Paris (I know, right?) got into a car accident that ruined her running career, and her shot at the Olympics. She then got married, and divorced within a couple of months within her accident. This really messed her up and made her a total commitment-phobe, so when her kind-of boyfriend starts to change the intensity of the relationship after her ex shows up in town... well, it freaks her the heck out. Meanwhile, Paris and her 3 friends are trying to use a new technology to design the ultimate running shoe. After it flops, they face all sorts of trials and tribulations.

I think that If the Shoe Fits was actually a pretty fun book. I enjoyed it a lot, and will definitely pick up other books by Stephanie Rowe. She did an excellent job keeping me guessing as to which guy she ends up with, and in the end, I think she picked the right one (always helps you enjoy a book more!).

There's cut scenes in this book - no graphic sex, but definitely deals with adult themes (including sex and death), so I would still recommend that it's an "adults only" book - but one that most women would enjoy.

Bardsley, Michele: I'm the Vampire, That's Why

ISBN: 0451219376

From the Publisher:

There's a new breed of soccer mom in town-with fangs. Does drinking blood make me a bad mother? That's the question single mom Jessica Matthews faces when she wakes from a savage attack sucking on the thigh of Patrick O'Halloran, a super-hot Irish vampire who'd generously offered his femoral artery to save her from death... only to make her one of the undead. Jessica can't rest until the beast that did this to her is caught. Meanwhile, she's having trouble committing to Patrick (in the vampire handbook, physical intimacy costs you several hundred years of being bound together) and keeping her kids in line.

This was a pretty fantastic read, and very quick. There's good humour, good fight sequences and good "action" all around.

I really enjoy paranormal romance, so this was just up my alley. If you're a fan of MaryJanice Davidson, Charlaine Harris, or any of the other "chick lit" vampire authors, I think you'll definitely love Michele Bardsley. While the next book doesn't continue on with Jessica and Patrick, I think it will still be pretty fantastic. Check your bookstore in July for Don't Talk Back To Your Vampire.

Harris, Charlaine: Definitely Dead

ISBN: 0441014917

From the Publisher:

Sixth in the Anthony Award-winning Southern Vampire series. Spiked with a frothy fusion of romance, mystery, and fantasy, this bestselling series sends the supernaturally gifted cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse to New Orleans, where she has to deal with the legacy of one of her own family and a host of potentially dangerous characters.

Best character in this book? Definitely Quinn. Possibly, my most favourite character in this series! You know how we meet him in the last book? Yeah, totally glad he was brought back for this one! Egads - he sounds absolutely fantastic.

Anyway, if you've been reading and enjoying the Sookie Stackhouse series so far, this book will not disappoint you, and will deliver all the things you love from Ms. Harris - strong plot, strong characters and character development, excellent sense of suspense and timing. This book has it all.

I found that I often wanted to yell "oh just sleep with him already" part ways through the book, but you'll see how that ended. I can't wait for the next book. Looks like I'll have to put it on hold at the library - it's too good to wait until it comes out in mass market paperback!

This is a great book for everyone of their majority who loves paranormal romance with humour and a plot!

Evanovich, Janet: Back to the Bedroom

ISBN: 0060887885

From the Publisher:

She was the mysterious woman in the long black cloak. He was the sexy guy next door. They shared a common wall between their Capitol Hill townhouses and not much else -- until disaster scored a direct hit on the mystery woman’s bedroom and the sexy guy’s heart. He baked her a cake, she learned to throw a football, there were some misunderstandings in the living room, some mishaps in the yard, and some romantic moments everywhere....

The above description makes the book sound much lamer that it actually is. I picked the book up because I recognized Evanovich's name, after reading the first book in the Stephanie Plum series, which I quite like. I thought that the book would be amusing, and at only 241 pages long, it would be worth taking a look at.

I was very pleasantly surprised. It's just a straight up romance, with lots of cut scenes (for those of you who aren't into played out sex). The couple meet when poor Kate has part of helicopter crash through her roof. At that point, it's David to the rescue, and he keeps rescuing her as things continue to go wrong.

Evanovich throws in a variety of characters - from uptight oboe players to burger-flipping-gun-carrying seniors, and even some special agent types. I found this book quite funny, and very easy to read. I understand that it was written long before Evanovich had brought Plum into the book world, and so it might not be as polished as her recent stuff... but I found it charming and delightful. I can't wait to read more from Janet Evanovich.