SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW "The Hawk" by Monica McCarty

CHARACTERS: 

Erik "Hawk" MacSorley

Lady Elyne "Ellie" de Burgh

SUMMARY from Goodreads:
Handpicked by Robert the Bruce to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule, the elite warriors of the Highland Guard face their darkest days. When Bruce is forced to flee, his bid for freedom rests on the shoulders of one extraordinary warrior.

Erik MacSorley is a brilliant seafarer who has never encountered a wind he could not harness or a woman he could not win—until he drags a wet, half-naked nursemaid out of the waters off the Irish coast. Ellie's ordinary appearance belies the truth: She is in fact Lady Elyne de Burgh, the spirited daughter of the most powerful noble in Ireland. Worse, this irresistible woman is determined to prove herself immune to Erik's charms—a challenge he cannot resist.

Her captor may look every inch a rugged warrior, but Ellie vows that it will take more than a wickedly suggestive caress to impress her. Yet Erik will sweep away Ellie's resistance with a desire that resonates deep within her heart. Still, he is a man driven by loyalty, and she is a woman with secrets that could jeopardize Bruce's chance to reclaim his throne. As the battle for king and country sounds across the shores, will Ellie's love be enough to finally tame the legend known as the Hawk?

REVIEW:

I love the HIghland Guard series so far. I don't know much about Scottish history and friends have often recommended books about "Hot Scots", so I started with this series. The Hawk is book two.  

The story of Erik and Ellie is sweet and flirty.  I like that Ellie is a strong character with a smart mouth.  This is a seafaring book.  And although that provides a great context, I got lost when the characters moved from one island to the next, through one channel to another, around this bend to another.  I needed a map to navigate!  

Still, this is a great adventure and I love learning more about these Scots!

IN A NUTSHELL:

A great addition to the "Hot Scots", I would definitely recommend this to your TBR pile. 

 

SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW "Curse the Dawn" by Karen Chance

SUMMARY:
Cassandra Palmer may be the all-powerful Pythia now, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped trying to kill her. Most of the supernatural power players don’t want the independent minded Cassie as chief clairvoyant—and they’ll stop at nothing to see her six feet under.

The Vampire Senate does support Cassie in her position, but their protection comes with a price: an alliance with the sexy master vampire Mircea, who has claimed Cassie as his own.

But even the vampires will have trouble keeping Cassie alive now that the self-styled god Apollo, the source of the Pythia’s power, has it in for her in a big way. To save her life—and the world—Cassie’s going to have to face down her creator…


REVIEW:
I find myself conflicted about this book - actually my feelings reflect how I feel about the whole series so far. There are episodes in this book that are brilliant. I love the variety of characters. They are funny, courageous, loyal and distinct. What I don’t like is that some of the storylines introduced in Book 1, Touch the Dark, are still yet to be resolved. Cassie is a reluctant Pythia - the Chief Clairvoyant for the Magic World. She is the consort to Master Vampire, Mircea and her ever-present, reluctant companion is John Pritkin, war mage extraordinaire. Her ascension to this position is is unusual and is thus, her legitimacy is constantly being challenged. 

The second half of this book makes the entire series worthwhile. There are genuinely, funny and creative situations . The body exchange was funny and real. If you were placed in a position where you changed bodies with someone of the opposite sex, what kind of things would be thinking about. Yes, that’s right. What does if feel like to perform bodily functions? 

This is also, for me, the first book where we begin to learn more about the principle characters - their past, their concerns, their vulnerabilities. It is the first time that I started to really care about Mircea, Pritkin, and Cassie. It is enough to keep me reading and propel me to the next book.

IN A NUTSHELL: 
A reward for those sticking with the first three books, this is a must read.  

Read and reviewed on May 17, 2012

TAG TEAM: BOOK REVIEW "Undeniable" by Madeline Sheehan

SUMMARY:
The story of Deuce and Eva...

An undeniable connection that stands the test of time.
Unforgettable moments.
Love and pain and everything in between.

I was five years old when I met Deuce, he was twenty-three, and it was visiting day at Riker's Island. My father, Damon Fox or "Preacher", the President of the infamous "Silver Demon's" motorcycle club -mother chapter- in East Village, New York City, was doing a five-year stint for aggravated assault and battery with a deadly weapon. It was not the first time my father had been in prison and it wouldn't be the last. The Silver Demon's MC was a notorious group of criminals who lived by the code of the road and gave modern society and all it entailed a great big f**k you.

"Never forget the day Eva came bouncin' into my f**ked up life, shakin' pigtails, singin' Janis, wearin’ chucks and sharin' peanuts and straight up stole any decency I had left which wasn't a whole lot but she f**kin' took it and I've been hers ever since."

REVIEW:

Q: Did you like this book?  If so, what did you like best?

Sunny:  If I had to give it a star rating, I'd give it a 3 out of 5. Not because it was a mediocre book, but rather because I felt so ambivalent about it. There were parts that I loved and parts that absolutely hated. Parts I like best included: Every scene when Eva and Deuce are together. These are not always happy encounters, but their relationship is passionate.

Susan:  I loved it! I’ve said this before, but I’m certain it’s because I’m a huge Sons of Anarchy fan and this fit right in.  I loved Deuce & Eva. I hurt for them…I wanted them to have an HEA so badly.  It was hard-earned and brutal, but I’m feeling it was worth it for them.

Q: How would you characterize Eva?

Sunny:  Not perfect, but redeemed. The 5 year old Eva is so innocent and pure, a ray of sunshine to everyone she meets. She maintains that even through most of her adult life. She is the beacon of love and support not only for Deuce, but also her father, Preacher, Frankie and all the other members of the MC. Then she goes off the deep end....this self-hating behavior with Chase. It is difficult to read because it is so far from who she was ... all of her pent of up anger and disappointment.

Susan:  She is the epitome of your environment determining who you become. She was born to be an MC brat and eventually a Queen. It was a given. As pure as she was growing up, this was inevitable. I felt so hurt for her. I think some people think she made bad choice…I don’t know that she even had a choice.  I think her only choice was Deuce.

Q: This book is getting great reviews overall, but also some criticism for being “raw”.  Did you find any problems with the story?

Sunny:  SPOILER   

I became completely enraged by Eva's response to Frankie's sexual assault. 

"God, it was all my fault.... I loved him like a best friend or brother, and not at all like a lover. But he'd forced his way into the lover category and there was nothing I could do; he needed me, he wasn't going to let me go, so I gave him what he needed and tried to make the best of it?"

I could hear every rape survivor, counselor, and concerned female and male gasping at this comment. This is raw and so problematic. Based on who she was at the time, having spent time in college outside of the MC, experiencing her own life, I can't say she didn't have any other alternatives than to stay with Frankie.

Susan:  Yes, this is gritty. I hear people compare this to Kristen Ashley books, but I think this is much edgier, harder, angrier…more real.  There is non-con, obsession, murder, brutality, infidelity, promiscuity…and it’s difficult to read at times.

Q: Why do you think books like this and shows like Sons of Anarchy are so popular?

Sunny:  I think it is escapist fare. We can suspend our moral judgments for a few hours to see what it might be like to live another life. However, disturbingly, a question kept popping up in the back of my mind. Why do we love motorcycle gangs? In this story, the Silver Demons and the Horsemen are gangs engaged in criminal endeavors - drug dealing, gun running, money laundering, etc. They whore around, are extremely violent, and mark their territory. Why do we romanticize these motorcycle gangs and not other gangs? What would happen to the story if we changed out the motorcycle gangs for the Crips? The 18th Street gang? Would we still be romanticizing the story? The question left me troubled.

Perhaps it is the sign of a good book when it raises questions, evokes strong emotions, and has us all talking about it.

Susan:  I agree with you, Sunny. It is unfamiliar ground for many of us.  MC’s live by their own rules/laws.  But what makes this even more fascinating is that it really happens.  These MC’s actually exist.  And I think getting a glimpse into a different “culture” is what makes it too good to look away.  Would I want to immerse myself, date a biker, be a club-whore.  Of course not.  But, it does pique my curiosity…

BOOK SWAP: Susan to Sunny - "Dark Lover" by J.R. Ward

SUMMARY:
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
 
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

>SUSAN
WHY I RECOMMENDED IT:
Sunny's had this on her TBR list forever and I know she's a PNR fan to some degree.  The Black Dagger Brotherhood series is a must read and so incredibly addictive.  Book 1 remains one of my favorites of the series. I love Wrath and the introduction to all the brotherhood characters. The hit-or-miss in each of the books, in my opinion, are the female leads.  But, Beth is a studette and I'm all about her being with the King. I have a feeling Sunny will love it!

>SUNNY
REVIEW:
I'm a little late to this party, but on purpose. When I originally saw how many books there are in this series, and until I could work out my "drive" (compulsion, obsession) to finish a series at any cost (like hours and hours of sleep), I thought I would hold off on the Black Dagger Brotherhood series until I could find the time and inclination.  I know this series is a "must read" for PNR fans and you can't actually go to a PNR discussion group without hear a mention of BDB.

Still, I held out an entire year before breaking this baby open with the book swap.  My first thought?  What in the world have I been waiting for?

There are million and one great things about this book but let's start with the most obvious:  WRATH. 

Really, intimidation is his middle name and people tremble when he comes into the room. He is as alpha as they come: controlling, demanding, stoic, and possesses an abundance of "sweet" after the "fall".  What stands out about Wrath is the amount of vulnerability Ms. Ward writes into him.  From his first attempt to try to take Beth out on a date to his first try at a smile, there is a sweet child-like quality about him that is endearing:  

"He tried out a smile.  Widened it.  His cheeks felt like they were going to crack."  

When he finally decides to give himself over to Beth, it is heart-felt, and the vulnerability leaps off the page: 

"On the slow float back to earth, he realized it was the first time anyone had ever taken such care to pleasure him.  He wanted to weep that she would still have him at all."

I love paranormal romance, but I don't often think of these characters as real people.  But sometimes the dialogue is so sweet and compelling, you can only imagine these worlds being spoken by the ones most in love: 

"Your language is beautiful," she said. 
"There are no words worthy of you." 

So swoon-worthy. 

IN A NUTSHELL:
Published in 2005, it is still a must read if you are a PNR fan. 

SUSAN: BOOK REVIEW "Finding Zach" Rowan Speedwell

SUMMARY:
For five years, Zach Tyler, son of one of the worlds richest software moguls, was held hostage, tortured, and abused. When he is rescued at last from the Venezuelan jungle, he is physically and psychologically shattered, but he slowly begins to rebuild the life he should have had before an innocent kiss sent him into hell. His childhood best friend David has lived those years with overwhelming guilt and grief. Every relationship David has tried has fallen apart because of his feelings for a boy he thought dead. When Zach is rescued, David is overjoyedand then crushed when Zach shuts him out. Two years later, David returns home, and he and Zach must come to terms with the rift between them, what they feel for each other, and what their future could hold. But Zach has secrets, and one of them might well destroy their fragile love.

REVIEW:
*sigh* Oh, to be loved as David loved Zach. 

“Finding Zach” is a book equal parts horrific, tragic, heartbreaking, sensual, victorious, and loving. It touches on themes of kidnapping, abuse, family, young love, healing, and PTSD. You’d think you’d go dizzy with ALL of that. But, I found myself just feeling FULL at the end…in the best way…

The loveliest part of this book, and the center of everything, is the relationship between Zach (a boy kidnapped and tortured at the age of 15 for 5 years) and David (his longtime friend and the love of his young life). What woo’d me the most was how DEEPLY and COMPLETELY David devoted himself and loved Zach. It’s enough to make both the romantic and the cynic swoon. I felt parts of this book in my heart, in my tears, in my girlie parts, in my toes, and even in my teeth! (I know that sounds weird…but there are nerve ending there! :) )

I had a bit of a struggle with the WHY of how deeply David felt towards Zach…it took but one kiss for him to realize it and then hold on to it for years. Damn…must have been ONE FINE KISS! But, I let it go because the love itself was GLORIOUS (heavens parting, angels singing, gold shining glorious!)

IN A NUTSHELL:
This book is not all roses and sunshine…there are some difficult parts to read…but if you’re up to it, you’ll be rewarded. Highly recommended.