"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all of the miseries of life." W. Somerset Maugham

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues (LuAnn McLane)


Despite her two left feet, waitress Abilene Harper joins a reality TV dance competition and cha-chas and rumbas her way into the heart of the TV audience-and into the arms of her sexy dance instructor.
I was a little disappointed in this book. I really enjoyed Redneck Cinderella so maybe I set myself up for the disappointment. This one was too involved in the physical attraction and didnt have quite as much humor.
Some sex scenes, obviously.

Sentinels: Jaguar Night (Doranna Durgin)


At dusk he prowled the Southwest, a huge, sleek black jaguar with startling blue eyes and a man's thoughts. A shape-shifting Sentinel, Dolan TreviƱo projected an intensely animalistic aura that hid the scars of his past. Yet as fierce as his pride was, this immensely powerful guardian needed the intuition and spirit of an innocent horse trainer to find redemption.The moment he set foot on her ranch, Meghan Lawrence rejected the shape-shifter's protection--but she couldn't turn her back on her family legacy. Her mother had died protecting a magical manuscript that the Sentinels' dark counterparts would now do anything to recover. With an unbreakable will and all-consuming passion, only Dolan possessed the strength to save Meghan. But was she strong enough to tame the beast within?

I liked the story but was disappointed with where it left off. It was definitely a book meant to build up to the next in the series.
Some sex.

Seducing The Viscount (Deborah Raleigh)


Illegitimacy is no obstacle for Ian Breckford. Darkly handsome and thoroughly charming, he has bedded his way through London's most exclusive society. Yet this pleasurable existence has lately seemed a trifle dull-a fact soon remedied by a visit to his father's estate, where his aunt has acquired a delightful new companion. Mercy Simpson may be shy, but she is also sharp-witted and stubborn, especially when persuading Ian to relieve her of her innocence.
Ian's arrival presents the opportunity for Mercy to experience uninhibited sensual adventure before she returns to her spinster life. Ian's extraordinary skill is everything she dreamed a lover might offer-and everything she can never hope to keep … unless her brazen seduction can ignite a true, lasting passion.

Not sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed the characters. The basis for the story wasnt bad but it just didnt grab me like I prefer my books to.

Very sensual scenes!

City of Ashes (Cassandra Clare)


Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace.How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

Enjoying this series!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Timeless Moments (Michele Ashman Bell)


Paige St. Claire is a survivor. After battling breast cancer and suffering through a painful divorce, she is working on rebuilding a simple, uncomplicated life. Quite by accident, she stumbles across a link to her past that will forever change her future—the M.I.A./P.O.W. bracelet she wore as a teenager. Paige wonders if the soldier ever made it home.
Dalton McNamara did return from Vietnam after spending time as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. He now lives in Newport Beach—near Paige's best friend, Louisa. When Paige goes to California to help her friend through surgery, she visits the returned soldier.
After an awkward beginning, Paige soon realizes that Dalton is an amazing man. And even though this widower and single father has many female admirers in the local LDS community, Dalton recognizes that there has been no one he has connected with—until Paige.
As their friendship grows into love, can they overcome their emotional and physical scars of the past and face whatever the future may hold? From best-selling author Michele Ashman Bell, Timeless Moments is an unforgettable story, glimmering with hope and healing.
This was a good LDS love story. It is a relaxing read and just enough drama to keep your attention.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Gables of Legacy : The Silver Linings & An Eternal Bond (Anita Stansfield)

After a lifetime of emotional trials and heartache, for Tamra Banks this day brings a unique and almost impossible joy. It’s the long-awaited moment of her marriage to the love of her life, Jess Hamilton.
But in this time of unparalleled happiness, Tamra and Jess will be plagued by challenges unlike any they’ve yet faced—challenges that will test the very limits of their faith, while deepening their gratitude for the divine and fragile blessing of family.
Jess and Tamra are about to learn powerful lessons of life and love in The Silver Linings, the third and intensely compelling installment of the popular Gables of Legacy series. It’s a remarkable story about personal revelation, the power of the Comforter, and a profound discovery about the meaning of eternal bridges.


Jess Hamilton believes he could never fill the shoes of his late father. Now responsible for a century-old family business and a boys’ home, Jess knows he is expected to uphold a great patriarchal legacy. As Jess struggles to find a footing in a world full of new obligations, he finds himself drawn into an ugly court battle where a child’s future—or perhaps even his life—is at stake.
For Jess’s wife Tamra, her own inadequacies surface when her abusive mother comes to be cared for in the Hamilton family home. Even though Tamra has forgiven her mother, the situation brings an ugly past much too close to the present—which only adds to Tamra’s rising feelings of discouragement as she searches for help with her own physical challenges.
Volume four in best-selling author Anita Stanfield’s Gables of Legacy series, An Eternal Bond journeys into the changing lives of the Hamilton family and explores how adversity can bless and unite families in eternal bonds of love.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Gables of Legacy : A Guiding Star (Anita Stansfield)


Armed with the love of a good man, Jess Hamilton, Tamra Banks has made the difficult decision to reconcile with her estranged mother. Over the years, Tamra has had to fight through the ugly memories of her abusive childhood, the complete absence of her father, and her mother’s angry reaction to Tamra’s conversion to the Church. When the encounter with her mother goes badly, memories and doubts threaten to suffocate Tamra with long-buried emotions. In a swirling tide of confusion and distrust, the confidence Tamra feels about her relationship with Jess quickly dwindles in the face of her growing doubts. With my background and upbringing, am I worthy of Jess’s love, after all? Volume II in Anita Stansfield’s stunning series, Gables of Legacy, explores the powerful grasp of a horrible childhood, the guiding light of the gospel, and the healing that comes when you learn to forgive others-and yourself.