Category: Reviews-Sourcebooks (2011)

Title: Dreaming of the Wolf (Bk 8 in the Wolf Series)
Author: Terry Spear
Pub Date: December 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Pages: 384

Source: I received an ARC copy of this book for my honest and sincere review.

About the book:

A FIERCE HUNTER…

Alicia Greiston is a no-nonsense bounty hunter determined to bring a ring of mobsters to justice. Her dogged pursuit of the crime family has forced her to avoid relationships— any man would only become a target for retribution. Luckily, Jake Silver is more than a man, and his instincts are telling him to stop at nothing to protect her.

AN ANIMAL PASSION…

However, the mob isn’t entirely human either, and soon Alicia must flee for her life. When Alicia and Jake’s passion begins to spill over into their dreams, Jake learns he will have to do more than defend her— he’ll have to show his mate the way of the wolf.

Dreaming of the Wolf is the 8th book in the Wolf series and there is a 9th scheduled to be released in March 2012 called A Seal in Wolf’s Clothing. Which I am dying to read because it sounds super good.

I am an absolute fan of Terry’s Wolf series of books. I can pretty much devour a book in a day if I am given the chance to sit and read for that long. Thankfully I got this book before my birthday and I thought that was a fantastic birthday present and the Sunday before my birthday was a me day and I made it a point that I was going to spend the day before my birthday reading and that this was the book I was going to read. I managed to finish it up in that day and refused to go to bed until I read it.

I loved this book. I think everyone I have spoke with lately I had to talk about this book and how you should it read. Even though its been a while since I read it I am still thinking about it.

I love that even though this is a series you can read them all as stand alones. So if you are looking for a great book to curl up with this holiday season or winter I have to suggest this one highly. I am sure you will love it just as much as me.

I am not sure what it is but I love Terry’s writing because she gives you details and descriptions that make it seem believable and that this story can actually happen. You can see all the research she has put into each of her books.

I fell in love with Jake and it was so nice to see that a good guy can win in love. I knew I was going to love Jake from the first moment I met him and I loved how it was Jake who was head over heels in love with Alicia and that he pursued her instead of the other way around.

Jake first spots Alicia when he is in Breckenridge, Colorado going to a art gallery to sell his photographs (which just happens to be closed at that very moment) when he spots Alicia taking pictures secretly of a licence plate. Not only has this action peaked his interest but also she has his attention.

He decides to follow her into the restaurant and at first he doesn’t see her so he sits down to order when he spots her. She doesn’t appear to notice him because she is too interested in watching two guys across the way from her. When she is threatened by a goon, Jake steps in and does what any person should do when a life is being threatened.

Jake finds out that Alicia is actually a bounty hunter and the two guys she is watching are mobsters and one is responsible for the murder of her mother and she is determined to bring justice.

I love how Alicia has had two failed marriages and has sworn of men and you can see the walls she has put up and that Jake isn’t coming off as a pushy guy and forcing is way he steps back and gradually you can see that even though they have fooled around she is actually starting to care about him and you want her to have that happy ending and find love.

But will she allow that to happen or is she just hell bent on having justice served no matter at what risk?

This is the other books in the series:

This is the 9th book coming out in March:

If you haven’t had the chance to read any of Terry’s books then I highly recommend you do because they are all fantastic and so worth it.

 Title: The Popularity Rules
Author: Abby McDonald
Pub Date: October 2011
Pages: 480
Publisher:Sourcebooks Landmark

Source: I received an advance readers copy from the publisher for my review.

About the Book:

The meek don’t inherit a thing. Nice girls win nothing but regret. Virtue is wholly overrated.

If you don’t do it, some other girl will.

Kat Elliot has spent her life fighting against phony schmoozing—and it’s led her nowhere. A rebellious music journalist, Kat is down on her dreams when her ex–best friend Lauren swishes back into town. Ten years ago, Lauren dumped Kat for high school gold: popularity. Now Lauren wants to make amends by teaching Kat the secret to her success: The Popularity Rules, a decades-old rule book that transformed Lauren that fateful summer.

Broke and desperate, Kat reluctantly agrees to a total makeover—what does she have to lose? She’s gotten nowhere on her own. Maybe becoming someone new is just what she needs.

This is Abby McDonald’s second adult book that I have recently read. Her first one is The Liberation of Alice Love. She is the author of several young adult books and I have to admit that I have them sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I am hoping to read them very soon.

Before I get to my review of the book, I have to share with you that i actually got my quote on her website. You can see it here: http://abbymcdonald.com/review-round-up. Thank you so much Abby I loved The Liberation of Alice Love and I have to say that I think I loved this one just as much.

When I was offered to read and review this I quickly sent the email with a yes please I would love to read this. I have had the book for awhile now but only recently allowed myself to read it. I knew if I read it right away that I would want to gush about it. So when I picked up the book I made sure that it would be during the week when I knew I wouldn’t be interrupted so on a recent cold and rainy day I picked it up to read and read it I did. I barely put the book down and managed to read it in a few hours.

WOW! I love the book and I feel as though I got to live vicariously through Kate while I read this book. I like the cover. This is one thing I love about Sourcebooks is that the cover of the advance readers copy is always the same as the finished copy.

I love reading chick lit and even more so when its from the UK. Not quite sure why that is, perhaps its knowing that the author is from the UK that does it for me. I mean who wouldn’t love to go and be in the UK? That is my go to destination one day. I absolutely love the UK and anything to do with the UK.

Each chapter starts off with a “If you want to be popular rule” and some of these rules are so funny. The one common thing in this whole book is if you want to be popular you basically have to be a bitch because nice girls don’t get anywhere. Honestly I kind of think that is true in some weird way. Each chapters tips were basically told like it is and it related to the story that followed.

I think Kate is very relatable character and she wasn’t so far fetched. I have to admit that I am probably a Kate and I could relate to her throughout the course of the book. Growing up Kate was always trying to fit in but it was always a struggle (which is for some many people). We see this with Kate.

Growing up she had a resentment for her then best friend, Lauren. It seemed like the summer that Lauren went away to camp she came back a whole new person and dumped Kate like yesterday’s trash with no real explanation. That effected Kate.

Then just when it appears the whole world is crashing down around Kate (she has just gotten fired from her job, she has no money, she is going to be kicked out of her apartment etc) in walks Lauren. You know this won’t be good news for Kate. Lauren offers to take Kate under her wing with offering her what she has. A life of getting everything and anything.

Kate figures what does she have to loose? Seriously if you were down and out and someone offered you a place to live (expense and rent free), showed you the ropes and bought you nice things, wouldn’t you jump at the chance to find out how to get it all on your own? I know I would.

As the book progresses Kate learns alot about herself. What its like to struggle for things and what its like to get things given to you.

I loved Ash at the beginning and so wanted the relationship between him and Kate to develop more. Not sure what it was that made me love him so much. They both had great chemistry and then later in the book I just wanted to throttle him. I think Kate handle the situation very well and I probably wouldn’t have done the same thing.

I think if you like chick lit you will enjoy this.

I am dying to read Abby’s young adult books and I know any future adult books will be read and devoured.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for contacting me about this book and thanks to Abby for writing such a fantastic book.

Title: Utterly Charming
Author: Kristine Grayson
Publisher:Sourcebooks Casablanca
Pub Date: October 2011
Pages: 320

Source: I received an Advanced Readers Copy from publisher for my honest review.

About the Book:
Bestselling author Kristine Grayson’s fairy tale romances bring the classic stories into the present day, where fairy tale characters must grapple with the complexities of modern life as well as their own destinies.

This time when Sleeping Beauty wakes up, she wants nothing to do with the man who kissed her. Consoling Alex Blackstone, the rejected suitor who is a brilliant magician but inept when it comes to women, falls to modern career woman and lawyer, Nora Barr. Nora now has to deal with Beauty’s evil stepmother, and the discovery that Alex just might be her own personal Prince Charming…

This is the second book in Kristine’s contemporary fantasy trilogy based on classic fairy tales. The first one is Wickedly Charming and the third one is Thoroughly Kissed (which I think will be a continuation of the Sleeping beauty tale).  Kristine writes about classic fairy tales but with a modern day twist.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for bringing these books to the US. I am so excited that I have discovered another author that I love reading her books and can’t wait to read them as soon as I get them.

 Utterly Charming is about the classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. This was one of my favorite fairy tales growing up. What little girl doesn’t dream about being put to sleep only to be woken up by a handsome prince charming?

The book opens up with ten years ago. Nora is a young attorney running her own practice but honestly is barely making it and is on the verge of loosing it all if she doesn’t get some new clients. Its almost like a blessing in disguise when we are introduced to Aethelstan Blackstone and his associate Sancho Panza. They are in need of an attorney and one they know they can trust.

Well following from where the classic fairy tale sort of leaves off we find out that Sleeping Beauty (Emma) is apparently Aethlestan (Alex’s) sole mate and they are to be together forever but it seems that Emma’s guardian, Ealhswith has decided to back out of the arrangement and wants nothing more to do with him.

Aethlestan realizes that he has to fight for Emma and her well being. Nora listens to them but quickly dismisses them because there isn’t a case there. Thinking this is the last time she will see them she is quickly mistaken because shortly after that meeting she is contacted by Sancho for help. It appears as though Aethlestan has been arrested for burning up a neighborhood and that there might possibly be a murder involved.

Unsure on how she wants to approach the situation she calls in her friend, Max who is another lawyer and they went to law school together. Max goes to meet Aethlestan in jail and he gets the dirt on Aethlestan and quickly needs to speak with Nora so that he can share it with her. Sancho’s also needs Nora to hide a microbus and has given her enough money to cover the next ten years and then some and all she has to do is keep this microbus hidden and not look inside. Nora remains true to this because she realizes there is enough money to keep her practice open.

Then ten years to the day of meeting the duo she is plagued by terrible dreams and goes to the garage to look inside the microbus. Its there that she seems a glass coffin with someone inside it with instructions on what to do. Nora follows them to a tee and Sleeping Beauty is awaken.

Although things don’t go according to plan with these characters. Will Sleeping Beauty be able to handle living in the 21st century?

I absolutely loved the book and I admit to reading it all in one sitting. It was a fun and quick read. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Thanks so much Sourcebooks for sending this to me.

Title: Heart of the Highland Wolf (book 7 in the Werewolf Series)
Author: Terry Spears
Pub Date: June 2011
Pages: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Source: I received an ARC copy from the publisher for my honest and sincere review. Thank you Danielle for sending this my way.

About The Book:
It’s a matter of pride…

Modern day werewolf laird Ian MacNeill reluctantly allows a film production company to use his castle, but he knows his secretive clan has a big problem when a beautiful red werewolf female who insists she’s working on the film keeps showing up in the wrong places…

And a matter of pleasure…

Julia Wildthorn is not who she says she is—she’s sneaking into Argent Castle to steal an ancient relic for her grandfather and to do research for her next werewolf romance novel. When she catches a glimpse of Ian, she realizes he’s the perfect hero…

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will notice that I don’t read/review romance books and that is only because its a genre I never really got into until I read To Tempt The Wolf. I fell in love with the book and the author. Terry’s books are the only romance books I will read and highly recommend.

Heart of the Highland Wolf did not disappoint. I devoured this book within two days and if I could I think I would have stayed up all night to read it. After reading this I had a sudden urge to want to visit Scotland.

What I love about this series is that you really don’t need to read the previous books in order to follow along because each book deals with a different set of characters and yes some characters carry over into other books but its nothing major. Each book is fresh and exciting.

Julia the main character is a romance writer who writes about werewolves. She has developed writers block and thinks that hopping on a plane to Scotland with her friend Maria and the film crew will help her over come this. They are going to Scotland to film a historical movie at Agent Castle. Little does everyone else know but Julia is also going over for another reason. Its sort of like a secret family mission.

Although once they land in Scotland strange things begin to happen to Julia. A strange man at the airport who Julia feels is being a little to possessive in his manner and then a car accident. Are all these things linked or is it just a fluke? Is there more to this then Julia realizes?

In Julia’s eyes she is hoping that Ian (Laird, Ian MacNeill) will become the hero in her book and little does Julia realize that during the course of time he will become that and then some for her in real life.

Ian has given up on ever finding his true love because in the past something has always happened and he was left behind to pick up the pieces but when he sees Julia he knows that she is the one. He knows there is more behind her then she is telling. What will he do when he uncovers the truth?

For me I loved Julia and Ian. There relationship started out light and flirty but quickly heated up. One thing I love about Terry’s books is that she leaves alot to the imagination. There isn’t alot of over the top sex scenes just enough to satisfy the reader.

I am really looking forward to discover more about the MacNeill brothers such as Duncan, Gutherie, and Cearnach in her upcoming highland books.

Other Books in the Werewolf series:
1. Heart of the Wolf
2. Destiny of the Wolf
3.To Tempt The Wolf
4.Legend of White Wolf
5. Seduced by the Wolf
6. Wolf Fever
7. Heart of the highland Wolf
8. Dreaming of the Wolf (December 2011)
9. The Wolf and the Seal (2012)
10. Highland Wolf in Paradise (2012)
11. Hero of the Highland wolf (future release)
12. Silence of the Wolf (future release)
13. Rogue of the Highland Wolf (future release)

Give Away time:

Thanks to Sourcebooks and Danielle I am able to give away 2 copies of Heart of the Highland Wolf to 2 lucky readers. So that means I will be giving one away to a Canadian reader and a US reader with a valid mailing address. Sorry no PO Boxes.

Title: Staying at Daisy’s
Author: Jill Mansell
Pub Date: March 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 501

Source: I received a copy of Inkblot from publicist Danielle and Sourcebooks Landmark for review purposes.

Synopsis:
Life is easy, it’s men she’ll never figure out…..

When hotel manager Daisy MacLean meets cocky sports hero Deve Tyzack, it’s a no brainer – stay away.

He is arrogant and sarcastic – but also incredibly sexy. Daisy tries her best to steer clear of him, yet soon comes to realize he is the one guest she can’t bear to see leave.

Then she learns a devastating truth; most people are not who they seem to be, for better or worse….. (from back of book)

Staying at Daisy’s is the sixth republished book from Jill Mansell that Sourcebooks has published. I have been fortunate enough to have read them all and I have to say I loved each and every one. Just when I thing I have loved a book another one comes out that I love just as much.

This one was no exception. It was a great way to escape a rainy day.

Staying at Daisy opens up with Daisy MacLean (who is the hotel manager at her father, Hector’s hotel) getting some bad news about her husband, Steven. He was in a serious accident and it doesn’t look very good. She quickly realizes that he isn’t the man she thought he was. He was leading a double life with lying and cheating. Daisy had no idea this was happening.

Fast forward one year later and Daisy is busy making sure the wedding reception her hotel has booked runs smoothly and without a hitch. Of course we all know that won’t happen because the groom just happens to be Tara’s (who happens to be a chambermaid and Daisy’s best friend) ex-boyfriend, Dominic. Things quickly heat up and before you know it Tara and Dominic are caught in the act. Will the wedding continue?

Before long Daisy is confronted by the best man, Dev. Daisy sees through is act and swears she wants nothing to do with him because he reminds her of her dead husband. So she seeks comfort in her ex boyfriend, Josh who just happens to show up at the right time. While the timing is right for Daisy you can see that she is actually falling for Dev. How will this relationship play out? Can she truly trust Dev or will he turn out like Steven?

There were a few other characters that I loved such as Maggie and Hector. I wondered if there would ever be more to their relationship then what they had. I loved Maggie’s character and couldn’t help but laugh with her. She managed to some how always land in an embarrassing moment when it was the wrong time.

I loved how each of the characters were all looking for love and they didn’t see that the love for them was right under their noses so to speak.

Thanks again to Danielle at Sourcebooks for sending me this to review. I love reading Jill Mansell’s books. They are light and fun reads.

Title: The Liberation of Alice Love
Author: Abby McDonald
Pub date: March 2011
Publisher: Soourcebooks
Pages: 417

Source: I received an advance readers copy from the publisher for my honest review.

Synopsis:
Alice Love keeps her life (and job, and family) running in perfect order, so when her bank card is declined, she thinks it’s just a mistake. Sadly, someone has emptied her bank account, spending her savings on glamorous trips, sexy lingerie, and a to-die-for wardrobe—and leaving Alice with lots of debt. As a dashing fraud investigator helps her unravel the intriguing paper trail, Alice discovers that the thief is closer to home than she ever imagined. What’s more, it seems like her alter ego’s reckless, extravagant lifestyle is the one Alice should have been leading all along. As the little white lies begin to stack up, how far will Alice go to find the truth?

And whose life, exactly, is she fighting for?

My Thoughts:
This could possibly be a persons worst nightmare and one that happens on a daily bases. Last year it was reported that over 8.1 million people were victims to ID theft.

What would you do if you found out that your whole life savings, credit and name were stolen from you? This is what has happened to Alice Love. Its her worst nightmare and she has no idea who could have done this to her but will stop at nothing to find out who the person is.

I really enjoyed the book and I have to admit at times I wanted to reach in and strangle Alice for not waking up sooner. The first time was when her bank card was declined and she didn’t really do anything about it. For me if my card is declined I am at the bank within minutes of it happening to find out what has happened.

Within a few chapters Alice (when her credit card is declined) wakes up and realizes she is in more trouble then just a declined bank card. She finds out her life savings has been removed and bill collectors are calling and asking for their money because someone has stolen her identity.

Alice is determined not to be the victim and begins her own investigation (the bank, police etc are involved in their own ways). She wants to know who could have done this to her and why. She quickly realizes that the person who did this is actually quite close to home for her. Its not who you think it is!

Alice’s sister, Flora enlists a very cute guy Nathan (investigator) to help her out. Alice and Nathan have met briefly at a party Flora threw and you could see the connection then and you still see it when they are together. I kept rooting for a happy ending with them. Will she end up with Nathan or will her best guy friend Julian ruin it for her?

As she begins to sort out the paper trail because she remembers “data never lies” she begins to realize that this person is living the life Alice never dared to do and buying things she would never buy. She follows the clues that are right on the paper in hopes of catching up with the person. The clues lead her all over the place from London to Rome and then finally to LA.

What will Alice do when she finally catches up with the person? Will she be able to clear her name?

I really enjoyed this book and discovering a new author. Although when I read the press realized and visited Abby’s site I realized that I actually have her young adult book Sophomore Switch sitting in my TBR pile. Which I am curious to read now and hoping to get too very soon.

I was hooked from the first sentence and I had a hard time putting the book down. I was just as curious as Alice was in finding out who the person was and why they did it.

This is definetly an author that I entend to read more of.

Thanks April at Sourcebooks for contacting me about this book. I am so happy that I got the chance to read this.