Review: Naked in Death by J. D. Robb

On 03/10/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations2 Comments

The Particulars: Futuristic Romance, Putnam, available as e-book and in Print

The Source: Used copy ( Swedish edition)

The Grade: B

The Blurb:
It is the year 2058, and technology now completely rules the world. But New York City Detective Eve Dallas knows that the irresistible impulses of the human heart are still ruled by just one thing-passion.

When a senator’s daughter is killed, the secret life of prostitution she’d been leading is revealed. The high-profile case takes Lieutenant Eve Dallas into the rarefied circles of Washington politics and society. Further complicating matters is Eve’s growing attraction to Roarke, who is one of the wealthiest and most influential men on the planet, devilishly handsome… and the leading suspect in the investigation

The Review:

Naked in Death has been on my wish list for a while, and it was pure coincidence that I found a used copy at our cigarette store, since normally they mostly have old Harlequins.At first I hadn’t planned to review it, but then I remembered that the latest In Death book was out recently. So I decided it might be more people like me out there, that had considered starting reading the In Death series, but hadn’t made up their minds yet. Hopefully this review will help a bit.

This book takes place in 2058. J D Robb’s version of the future was dark and gritty. But it was also very believable. From the kinds of weapons they used, to the changes that had happened in the world, and how that had affected what was luxuries.

The murder mystery was intriguing. I liked to follow Eve and Feeley as they searched for clues, and I especially liked how Eve was determined to solve the case no matter what. The plot was filled with unexpected twists, yet they also managed to shed light on the society, and show that nothing had really changed.

The romance between Roarke and Eve was… interesting in several ways. I really liked how it gradually was revealed exactly how much they had in common, even if their lives were very different. But what I liked most, was how Eve changed through the story. At the beginning she was rather cold, and a loner but as the story went on, she mellowed and started to open up to Roarke .

What I really liked was how Eve’s history tied into the plot. It added an extra layer of emotion to the ending.

The biggest problem I had with this book was that it took me a long time before I warmed up to Eve. For the first 60 pages she was cold. But I am glad that I kept on reading, since the book improved after the beginning. Will I read the rest of the series? Maybe. But then I’ll probably buy them in English, since they only translated the first 3 books, and it is out of print.

Review: Beyond the Night by Joss Ware

On 05/09/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Beyond the Night by Joss Ware:

The Particulars: Post Apocalyptic Romance, HarperCollins, available in print and as e-book

The Source: Bargain from Books On Board

The Grade: C+

The Blurb:

A man with no future . . .

When Dr. Elliott Drake wakes from a mysterious fifty-year sleep, the world as he knew it is gone. Cities are now desolate, and civilization is controlled by deadly immortals. Stranger still is Elliott’s extraordinary new “gift”—he has the power to heal, but it comes with fatal consequences.

A woman with a past . . .

Jade barely escaped the immortals and is now hell-bent on revenge. She trusts no one . . . until Elliott. His piercing gaze and tempting touch shatter her defenses, but the handsome doctor seems to have dangerous secrets of his own. Is it safe to trust him with her heart?

If they are to survive in this dark new world, Jade and Elliott must work together to fight the forces that take them beyond danger.

Beyond desire

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Book recommendation: Heart Secret by Robin D Owens

On 02/07/2012 By MikaelaIn Uncategorized


Click on the Cover to pre-order it from Amazon

On the faraway planet Celta, there are some things you can never tell—until someone discovers your Heart Secret…

When a virulent disease killed the woman he loved and her baby, Garrett Primross was left alive, a reluctant survivor. Now, as a private eye, he strives to banish the memories of his past and rebuild his life. The Healers of Celta have something else in mind: Discover why he survived.

He is monitored by Healer Artemisia Panax—his HeartMate, a love he never pursued. Still mourning his loss, he refuses to acknowledge her. Since her family was publicly disgraced, she’s used to such treatment. She wants nothing more than to guard her livelihood and protect the secrets she’s sworn to keep.

Thrown together by duty, Garrett and Artemisia find the body of the last Black Magic Cultist who ruined her family. Suspicion flares, but they have little choice but to investigate the crime together. When their own lives are placed in danger, they realize that denying their HeartMates is only denying their own futur

Book recommendation: Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

On 26/04/2012 By MikaelaIn Uncategorized

Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to someone else. For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle. Their coming together is an inferno …and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realise that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.

Note: The cover is for the UK edition, since I think the cover for the US edition is… ugly. ( To put it mildly.) The book is out in the US in late May, and in the UK in June.

You can pre-order it from Amazon, BN and Book depository. ( UK edition)

Review: HeartMate by Robin D Owens

On 02/02/2012 By MikaelaIn reviews

The Particulars: Futuristic Romance, Berkley, available as e-book and in print
The Source: My bookshelf
The Grade: B+

The blurb:

All his life, Rand T’Ash looked forward to meeting his HeartMate, with whom he could begin a family. Once a street tough but now a respected nobleman and artisan, he has crafted the perfected HeartGift, which, in the custom of the psychically-gifted population of the planet Celta, is the way a man finds–and attracts–his wife…

Danith Mallow is irresistibly drawn to the magnificent necklace on display in T’Ash’s shop, but she is wary of its creator, despite an overpowering attraction. In a world where everyone is defined by their psychic ability, Danith has little, and thus is at the opposite end of the social specturm from T’Ash. But T’Ash refuses to accept her rejection, and sees it as a challenge instead. They ARE HeartMates, but can T’ash persuade his beloved to accept her destiny by his side?

The review:

This is a fast paced read, filled with romance, action, and Zanth of course. No Celta book would be complete without a Fam. The setting is a refreshing mix of regency customs and magic. Every part of the world feels solid. From the nobles to the Downwind gangs. But what made the book so good were the romance between Danith and T’Ash.
I loved reading about T’Ash and Danith’s romance. Everything went wrong from the start for T’ash. Danith rejects him. But their romance shouldn’t be an easy one. T’Ash is a powerful GreatLord, with a large dose of inborn arrogance. Danith is a commoner, an orphan, with very little Flair.

Meeting T’Ash turns Danith’s life upside down. Suddenly she is showered with gifts, since T’Ash is determinded to follow every step in the etiquette book. ( That scene made me smile) It isn’t just the gift that affect her. She finds out she isn’t as Flairless as she thought. With every change, she clings harder to the familiar.
I loved how Mitchella stuck by her friend, even if her help might have caused problems between T’Ash and Danith.
But the romance plot were intertwined with so many other things. From T’Ash past, to HollyHeir’s request that he honor a blood debt, to events unfolding in the background. All of the action and danger stems from this part of the plot.

So for what I didn’t like. It felt like everything happend too fast. For example, Danith went from being flairless, to having a unique Flair. Yes, it is spread out during the book, but I wish it had taken a bit more time. But, on the other hand it wouldn’t have been the same story without it. Also, I didn’t feel that tugging that I get from really good Robin D Owens novels.

Review: Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews

On 16/09/2011 By MikaelaIn Uncategorized

Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The blurb:
On Meli Galdes’ home planet, the struggle for power is a bloody, full-contact sport—in business and on the battlefield. For years her lethal skills have been a valuable asset in advancing her family’s interests. She’s more than earned her right to retire, but her kinsmen have one last favor to ask.

Kill the man who ruined her life.

The Review:
Since Silver Shark was released today, I decided to review the prequel. The world of the Kinsmen is fascinating. At the same time high tech, yet it almost feels regency when it comes to the families. I’ll admit, the fact that Meli was engaged to Celino at the age of 10 felt wrong, yet it is a part of society. I loved how Meli accepted the contract, and used all she knew about Celino to snare him in.

The result is a delicious dance of love past and present. As she plans to get her revenge, Celino falls hard. And so does she. Yet she walked away. I loved that, there felt like poetic justice. But, they get their HEA, so don’t worry. And I loved the ending. It fit the story perfectly

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Review: Heart Search by Robin D.Owens

On 30/07/2011 By MikaelaIn reviews1 Comment

Heart Search by Robin D. Owens

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Particulars: Futuristic Romance, Berkley, available in print and as e-book

The blurb:
Latest in the long-running series from the award-winning author of Heart Journey.

Noble Laev T’Hawthorne must rebuild his life after marrying a woman he believed was his HeartMate, only to fall victim to her greed.

Abandoned at fifteen, Camellia Darjeeling values her independence above all-even as her father and uncle emotionally scourge her and extort money. For Camellia, trusting men, even her HeartMate, is too risky.

When Laev and Camellia meet, they refuse to acknowledge that they are true HeartMates. But their destiny cannot be avoided…

My impressions:
This is the 10th novel in the Heart Series. It is set 15 years after Heart Journey, and features the next generation. The hero is Laev Hawtorn and the heroine is Camellia Darjeeling. Like all Robin D Owens books, the characters are flawed. Both Laev and Camellia struggles with their past. They have both been scarred, and both are wary of love.

Camellia is a strong, indepenent woman, that’s carving out her own niche in the Society. A bit more about the history of the world was revealed. Camellia’s logic made sense to me. It is a sign how multifaceted the world is that Robin D Owens managed to add another facet to it. ( Which is a feat after ten books).

The plot was good, with a lot of twists and turns but it felt like the first half missed a layer of internal conflict. It wasn’t until 100 pages in that I felt that tug at my heart that all good Robin D Owens novels have.

And that’s the reason it doesn’t get a four.But it was a good read, and I do recommend it.

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